Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE ILIAD: BOOK 15. AJAX ON THE DECKS, by HOMER Poet's Biography First Line: Nor yet did it please the spirit of high-hearted aias Last Line: Host along with him. Subject(s): Mythology - Classical; Trojan War | ||||||||
NOR yet did it please the spirit of high-hearted Aias, to stand in the place whereto the other sons of the Achaians had withdrawn, but he kept faring with long strides, up and down the decks of the ships, and he wielded in his hands a great pike for sea-battles, jointed with rings, two and twenty cubits in length. And even as a man right well skilled in horsemanship that couples four horses out of many, and hurrying them from the plain towards a great city, drives along the public way, many men and women marvelling on him, and firmly ever he leaps, and changes his stand from horse to horse, while they fly along, even so Aias went with long strides, over many a deck of the swift ships, and his voice went up to heaven. And always with terrible cries he summoned the Danaans to defend the ships and the huts. Nor did Hector abide in the throng of well-armed Trojans, but even as a tawny eagle rushes on a flock of winged fowl, that are feeding by a riverside, a flock of geese, or cranes, or long-necked swans, even so Hector made straight for a black-beaked ship, rushing right on it, and mightily Zeus urged him on from behind with his strong hand, and roused on the host along with him. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE RETURN OF THE GREEKS by EDWIN MUIR THE FALL OF TROY by RACHEL HADAS MENELAUS AND HELEN by RUPERT BROOKE THE DEATH OF LEONIDAS by GEORGE CROLY THE ILIAD: ACHILLES OVER THE TRENCH by HOMER THE ILIAD: BOOK 12. SARPEDON'S SPEECH by HOMER BALLAD OF HECTOR IN HADES by EDWIN MUIR THE ILIAD: ACHILLES OVER THE TRENCH by HOMER |
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