Book 2
Late Antiquity Quintus Smyrnaeus Greek- But when above the echoing mountain heights the bright light came of the unwearying sun, the mighty sons of the Achaeans then rejoiced within their huts, exalting much in Achilles tireless. But the Trojans mourned throughout their city; and around the towers they sat and kept their watch, since fear had seized them all, lest that strong man should leap above the great wall and slay them and burn everything with fire. And to them in their grief the old man Thymoetes spoke: "O friends, no longer can I devise within my mind how there shall be defence against the grievous war, now Hector, who fought hand to hand, has fallen, he who once was the great strength of Troy; nor did he escape the Fates, but was brought low by the hands of Achilles, by whom, I think, even a god, were he to meet him in battle, would be slain; such a woman did he break amid the rout, one whom the other Argives feared, the warlike Penthesileia; for she was terrible; and I, when I beheld her, thought that some one of the blessed had come hither from heaven bringing us joy; but it was not so in truth. But come, let us take thought what may be better for us, whether we still should fight against our hateful foes, or already flee from the city now being destroyed; for no more shall we be able to stand against the Argives while Achilles unrelenting wages war in the strife." So he spoke; and the son of Laomedon answered him: "O friend, and you other valiant Trojans and allies, let us not in any cowardice draw back from our own land, nor any longer fight the foe far from the city, but rather from the towers and the wall, until there come Memnon, strong of heart, leading the countless tribes of peoples who dwell in dark-skinned Aethiopia. For now I think that he too is near our land, since indeed it is no new thing that I sent forth to him a message, sore grieving in my heart; and gladly he promised me to accomplish all, coming to Troy; and I trust that he is near. But come, endure yet a little, since it is far better to perish boldly in the rout than, fleeing, to live among strangers bearing disgrace." So spoke the old man; but to wise Polydamas the strife no longer pleased, and he uttered a prudent word: "If indeed Memnon has clearly promised you to drive away from us our dread destruction, I begrudge it not that we should wait for the godlike man within the city; but in my heart I fear lest, coming with his own companions, that man be brought low, and to many others among us a woe arise; for the strength of the Achaeans rises terribly. But come, let us not, fleeing far from our own city, bear many disgraces under wretched cowardice, crossing to a foreign land, nor any longer abiding in our homeland be slain beneath the Argives' uproar; but for the Danaans even now, though late, it were better that they take back glorious Helen and her possessions, both all that she brought from Sparta and besides twice as much again, on behalf of the city and ourselves, to give them up, while the hostile tribes have not yet shared out our wealth, nor ruinous fire consumed the town. But come now, obey me in your hearts; for I think that no one else among the Trojans can devise a better counsel; would that even before this Hector had hearkened to my bidding, when I sought to keep him within his homeland." So spoke the noble strength of Polydamas; and round about the Trojans gave their assent, hearing it in their hearts, but openly they spoke not their word; for all, trembling before their king, held him in awe, and Helen too, even though perishing for her sake. But him, noble though he was, Paris harshly rebuked to his face: "Polydamas, you are a coward, fleeing from war and weak, nor is there in your breast a heart that stands in battle, but only fear and flight; yet you boast yourself the best in counsel; and you know counsels worse than all men's. But come, hold yourself aloof from the fighting, and stay seated within the halls; while the rest of us, about me, shall arm throughout the city, until we find a means well suited to the pitiless war; for not apart from toil and grievous war does great glory grow for men, nor does the deed; flight is dear to little children and to women; to them you are like in spirit; but I have no trust in you in battle; for you weaken the bold strength of all." So he spoke, sharply rebuking; and in anger Polydamas uttered his word; for he did not shrink to cry against him face to face, since the man was hateful, reckless, and witless, one who fawns flatteringly to your face, but in his heart broods other things, and in secret wrongs the one not present; therefore openly too he greatly rebuked the noble lord: "O of all men on earth the most ruinous, your rashness has brought misery upon us; your mind has dared an endless strife and will dare it still, until you see your homeland with its own peoples being laid waste; but let no such rashness seize me, and may I always keep secure my fear, and may it keep my house unharmed." So he spoke. But the other answered Polydamas not at all; for he remembered how many griefs he had loosed upon the Trojans and how many he was yet to loose, since his burning heart yearned rather to die in battle than to be parted from godlike Helen, for whose sake the sons of Troy from the lofty city kept their watch on high, awaiting the Argives and Aeacus' descendant Achilles. And to them, not long after, warlike Memnon came, Memnon who ruled over the dark Aethiopians, who came leading a countless host; and round about the Trojans beheld him gladly throughout the city, as sailors, out of a deadly storm and through the upper air, already worn, behold the gleam of the circling Helice; so the people rejoiced standing about, and beyond the rest the son of Laomedon; for now his heart had hope that the ships would be burned with fire by the Aethiopian men, because they had a giant king and they themselves were many and all eager for war; therefore he ceaselessly honoured the noble son of the Dawn with goodly gifts and flourishing good cheer; and they conversed together at the feast and meal, the one telling of the chiefs of the Danaans and the woes he had borne, the other of his father and his mother Dawn, their deathless life forever, and the streams of boundless Tethys, and of Ocean's deep-flowing sacred swell, and the bounds of the unwearying earth, and the risings of the sun, and all the way from Ocean even unto Priam's city and the headlands of Ida, and how with his strong hands he had cut down the holy host of the grievous Solymi, who barred his way as he came, and so brought ruin and an unbearable doom upon themselves. And thus he spoke, telling all he had seen of countless tribes of men; and as Priam listened, his heart was gladdened within, and addressing him he spoke a stately word: "O Memnon, the gods have made me to behold your host and yourself within our halls; so may they yet grant me this, that I may see the Argives all perishing together beneath your spears; for in all things you are like the imperishable blessed ones, wondrously, as no hero upon the earth is like; therefore I trust that on them you will cast a grievous slaughter. But come now, delight your heart at my feast today; and afterward you shall fight, as is fitting." So saying, he lifted in his hands a deep capacious cup and pledged Memnon graciously with the sturdy goblet of gold, which the wise smith of both hands had given, Hephaestus, a famous work, when he led home the Cyprus-born goddess, to mighty Zeus; and he gave the gift to his son godlike Dardanus; and he to his child Erichthonius; and Erichthonius to great-hearted Tros; and he to Ilus left it with his possessions; and he gave it to Laomedon; and Laomedon gave it to Priam, who was destined to give it to his son; but the god did not bring this to pass. At that very beautiful cup Memnon marvelled in his heart, handling it, and spoke this word in answer: "It befits not at the feast to make a boastful vaunt, nor to nod assent to a promise, but at ease to feast within the halls and devise what is fitting; for whether I am noble and valiant or whether not, you shall learn in war, where a man's prowess shows. But come now, let us think of our beds, nor through the night drink on; for hard it is to fight for men in haste with endless wine and grievous wakefulness." So he spoke; and the old man, marvelling at him, answered: "As you yourself wish, so share the feast, and obey your own will; for I will not force you against your will; for it is not seemly either to hold back one departing from the feast or to drive out one who stays from the hall; such is the rule for men." So he spoke; and the other rose from the meal, and went to his bed, his last; and with him the other banqueters went to think of their rest; and soon sweet sleep came upon them. But in the halls of Zeus who gathers the lightning the immortals feasted; and among them the father, the son of Cronos, knowing well, spoke of the deeds of the grim battle: "Know, all you gods, the heavy woe that rushes on tomorrow in the war; for the great fury of many horses you shall behold about the chariots, slaughtered on either side, and men perishing; and let whoever among you cares for any of these abide here, nor coming to my knees make supplication; for the Fates are pitiless even to us." So he spoke among them who knew it themselves as well, that even one of them in grief might turn away from the war, nor, supplicating for a son or a friend, come in vain within imperishable Olympus. And when they heard the loud-thundering son of Cronos, they endured it in their breasts, and against the king they spoke no word; for they trembled before him exceedingly; and grieving they went, each where his house was and his bed; and over them, immortal though they were, the gentle solace of sleep was stretched upon their eyelids. And when above the lofty mountains' peaks the bright morning star sweeps up the wide heaven, he who to their work rouses the binders of sheaves still sweetly sleeping; then the last sleep released the warlike son of the light-bringing Dawn; and he, growing in strength within his heart, now longed to do battle with the foe. And Dawn went up the wide heaven, unwilling. And then the Trojans clad about their bodies their deadly arms, and with them the Aethiopians and all the tribes that were about the might of Priam, the gathered allies, in full force; and very swiftly before the wall they rushed, like dark clouds, such as the son of Cronos, when a storm arises, gathers thick through the air. And straightway all the plain was filled; and they poured forth like grain-devouring locusts, which are borne as a cloud or a great rain over the wide-floored earth, boundless, bringing to mortals an unseemly famine; so they went, many and mighty, and round about the streets grew narrow with their rushing, and beneath their feet the dust rose up. And the Argives afar marvelled, when they beheld them rushing on; and at once about their bodies they put on bronze, trusting in the strength of Peleus' son; and he amid the host went like the Titans of mighty strength, exulting in his horses and chariot; and his armour flashed everywhere like the lightning flashes. And as from the bounds of earth-girding Ocean comes the man-lightening sun into the heaven shining forth, and the firm earth laughs around and the sky; such among the Argives then rushed the son of Peleus. And so too among the Trojans went warlike Memnon all like to raging Ares, and round about the people followed eagerly, surging beside their king. And straightway the long ranks of both the Trojans and Danaans toiled, and among them shone the Aethiopians; and they fell together with a crash, as the waves of the sea when the winds rise on every side in the season of storm; and they slew one another, casting with well-polished ashen spears, and among them wailing and clangour blazed up; and as when loud-thundering rivers greatly roar pouring into the sea, when the heaviest rain comes from Zeus, when unceasingly the clouds crash sharpened against each other, and the breath of fire bursts forth; so beneath the feet of those who fought the vast earth groaned, and through the wondrous air rose the cry terrible; for fearfully they shouted from both sides. There Peleus' son slew Thalius and blameless Mentes, both well-known, and struck down the heads of many others. As when a hurricane rushes upon the pits beneath the earth fiercely, and at once all is poured down to the ground from its foundations; for the deep earth trembles round about; so they fell in the dust to a swift doom beneath the spear of Peleus' son; for he raged greatly in his heart. And so too on the other side the noble son of the Dawn cut down the Argives, like to evil Doom, who brings upon men ruin and unseemly destruction. First he took Pheron, striking him through the breast with the deadly spear, and after slew noble Ereuthus, both eager for war and unseemly battle, who dwelt about Thryon by the streams of Alpheus, and came beneath Nestor to the sacred city of Ilios; and when he had slain them, he went against Neleus' son eager to kill him; but godlike Antilochus, coming before him, aimed the long spear, and just missed him as he swerved aside; but it slew his dear comrade fiery Pyrrhasides; and he, in wrath at the slain, sprang upon Antilochus, like a strong-hearted lion upon a boar, who himself too knows how to fight face to face with men and beasts, and his onset is unspeakable; so swiftly he sprang; but Antilochus struck him with a broad stone, yet his heart was not undone, since from him his strong helmet warded off the painful death; and terribly his heart was stirred within his breast at the blow; and round about his helmet rang; and still the more he raged against Antilochus, and his strong might boiled. Therefore he smote the son of Nestor, spearman though he was, above the nipple; and the mighty spear drove through into the heart, where for mortals swift death lies. And when he was struck down, grief came upon the Danaans all, but above all upon the father grief came to his heart, upon Nestor, his son slain before his very eyes; for no worse sorrow comes upon mortals than when children perish while their father looks on; therefore, though he steadied his spirit with firm resolve, he grieved for his son brought low by an evil Fate; and he called urgently to Thrasymedes, who was apart: "Up to me, O glorious Thrasymedes, that the slayer of your brother and our son we may drive far from the unseemly corpse, or else ourselves about him fulfil our grievous misery. But if there be fear in your breast, then are you not my son, nor of the stock of Periclymenus, who dared even to go against Heracles. But come, let us toil, since often great strength gives to those who fight, even the weak." So he spoke; and as he heard, his heart within was confounded with grievous griefs; and straightway there came near to him Phereus, whom too the death of the lord had seized with grief; and against mighty Memnon they rushed to do battle through the bloody tumult. And as when two huntsmen through the wooded glens of a lofty mountain, greatly longing for the chase, rush against a boar or a bear face to face eager to slay, but it, springing upon them both, with raging spirit wards off the violence of the men; so then too Memnon was minded greatly; and they came near to him; but they could in no way slay him with their long ashen spears; for the spears were turned aside far from his flesh; for surely the Dawn turned them away; yet the spears fell not vainly to the ground; but swiftly the one, in his fury, slew Polymnius son of Meges, strong-hearted Phereus, and the other slew Laomedon, the mighty son of Nestor, wroth for his brother, whom Memnon had cut down in the battle; and about him with his unwearied hands he loosed the all-bronze arms, heeding neither the might of Thrasymedes nor noble Phereus, since he was far the superior. And they, like two jackals about a great stag, feared the lion that had taken his stand, no longer eager to come on; and terribly Nestor looking on near at hand lamented, and called the others, his comrades, to come against the foe; and he himself too was minded to toil from his chariot, since yearning for his perished son drove him to the battle beyond his strength; and he was like to lie himself too about his dear son, numbered among the slain, had not strong-hearted Memnon spoken to him as he rushed, moved with awe in his heart for one of his father's years: "O old man, it is not fitting that I should fight against you, who are the elder born, for I know well how to perceive it; for truly I thought you a young and warlike man to face the foe; and my bold heart hoped that you would be a deed worthy of my hand and spear. But draw back far from the hateful battle and the grim slaughter, draw back, lest I strike you even unwilling by necessity, nor fall about your son, fighting against a far better man, lest men too call you witless; for it is not fitting to face one stronger." So he spoke; and on the other side the old man answered with a word: "O Memnon, all that you say is surely vain; for no man will call him witless who, toiling against the foe for his son, drives the pitiless child-slayer far from the corpse in the battle; would that my strength were yet firm, that you might know my spear; but now you boast greatly, since the spirit of a young man is bold, and his thought lighter; therefore, thinking lofty things, you speak idle words. But if you had come against me in my youth, your friends would not have rejoiced, strong though you are; but now, like a lion, I am burdened with grievous old age, whom a dog of a sheepfold rich in flocks would drive boldly, and he, though longing, can in no way ward off from himself, for his teeth are no longer firm nor his strength, and his strong heart is worn away by time; so within me strength no longer rises in my breast such as before; yet still I am better than many men, and to few does our old age yield, those to whom strength belongs alike, and youth." So saying, he drew back a little; and he left his son lying in the dust, since now no more at all in his bent limbs was there strength as before; for heavy old age, the much-enduring, weighed upon him. And so too sprang away the good spearman Thrasymedes and strong-hearted Phereus and all the other comrades, in fear; for the deadly man came hard upon them. And as when from the great mountains a deep-eddying river roars rushing down with boundless din, when Zeus stretches a cloud-covered day upon men, driving on a great storm, and thunders crash on every side together with the lightnings, as the wondrous clouds gather thick, and the hollow fields are flooded round about with the grievous rushing rain, and about the long ravines roar terribly through all the mountains; so Memnon drove toward the shores of the Hellespont the Argives; and following behind he made havoc; and many in the dust and blood left their lives beneath the hands of the Aethiopians; and the earth was fouled with gore as the Danaans perished. And greatly in his heart Memnon rejoiced ever rushing on the ranks of the foe; and round about with corpses the Trojan ground grew narrow; and he ceased not from the tumult; for he hoped to be a light to the Trojans, but to the Danaans a woe; yet much-mourning Fate beguiled him, standing near him and urging him to the rout. And about him his strong attendants toiled, Alcyoneus and Nychius and high-spirited Asiades and the spearman Meneclus and Alexippus and Clydon and others eager for the fray, who too themselves strengthened the strife, trusting in their king. And then indeed Meneclus, as he rushed upon the Danaans, the son of Neleus slew. And he, grieving for his comrade, strong-hearted Memnon, made havoc of a great throng; and as when a man, falling upon swift deer, a hunter in the hills, within the dark nets that gather in a herd, brings them to the last snare of the hunt by the will of young men, and the dogs exult, barking thickly, and he in his fury beneath his dart deals grievous slaughter to the swiftest hinds; so Memnon cut down a great host; and round about his comrades rejoiced; but the Argives fled before the renowned man. And as when, when a boundless rock falls from a lofty mountain, which from on high unwearied Zeus thrusts from the cliff, hurling it with grievous thunderbolt, and as it breaks, throughout the thick oak-woods and the long glens the dells re-echo, and through the forest there is trembling, if anywhere below the sheep are grazing as it rolls down or oxen or any others, and they flee as it comes its grievous and pitiless rush; so the Achaeans fled before the mighty spear of Memnon rushing on. And then near to the strong descendant of Aeacus came Nestor, and grieving greatly for his son he spoke a word: "O Achilles, great bulwark of the strong Argives, my dear son is dead, and Memnon holds my arms of the slain one, and I fear lest he become a prey to dogs; but quickly come to my aid, since dear is he who of a comrade slain is mindful and grieves for him who is no more." So he spoke; and as Achilles heard, grief fell upon his mind; and when he saw Memnon through the grievous tumult slaying the Argives in throngs with his spear, straightway he left the Trojans, however many he had cut down beneath his hands about the other ranks, and longing for war he came against him, wroth for Antilochus and the other slain; and Memnon took up a stone in his hands, which mortals had set as a boundary of the wheat-rich plain, and cast it against the shield of unwearied Peleus' son, that noble man. But he, not at all afraid of the huge stone, came near to him at once, stretching his long spear before him, on foot, since his horses were behind the tumult, and struck his right shoulder above the shield; yet wounded though he was, he fought on with fearless heart; and he smote the arm of Aeacus' descendant with his mighty spear; and his dear blood flowed; and the hero rejoiced in vain, and straightway addressed him with overweening words: "Now I think you will fulfil your dread doom under destruction, brought low by my hands, and no more escape the fray. Wretch, why did you slay the Trojans pitilessly, boasting yourself far the best of all men, and of a deathless mother, a Nereid? But now upon you has come your day of fate, since by descent from heaven I am the mighty son of Dawn, whom afar the lily-soft Hesperides reared beside the stream of Ocean. Therefore I shrink not from grim battle with you, knowing my divine mother, how far superior she is to the Nereid, of whom you boast to be the offspring; for she gives light to the blessed and to men, and by her are all things accomplished within imperishable Olympus, both good and glorious deeds, which become a help to men; but the other, sitting in the unharvested depths of the sea, dwells among the sea-monsters and the fishes, glorying fruitless and unseen; and I reck not of her nor do I liken her to the heavenly immortals." So he spoke; and the bold son of Aeacus rebuked him: "O Memnon, whither now have your evil wits stirred you to come against me and match yourself in the fray; I who am stronger than you in might and birth and stature, having won from high-souled Zeus my glorious blood and from strong Nereus, who begot the sea-maidens, the Nereids, whom indeed the gods honour in Olympus, and most of all Thetis of glorious counsel, because she received Dionysus in her halls, when he feared the violence of deadly Lycurgus, and how she received Hephaestus the kindly bronze-smith in her own halls when he had fallen from Olympus, and how she loosed from his bonds the Lord of the Bright Thunderbolt himself; remembering these things the all-seeing Sons of Heaven honour my mother Thetis in holy Olympus. And you shall learn that she is a goddess, when the bronze spear within shall reach your liver, hurled by my strength; for Hector for Patroclus, and you for Antilochus, in wrath I will avenge; for it was no comrade of a weak man you slew. But why, like witless children do we stand recounting the deeds of our fathers and our own? Near is Ares, and near too is valour." So saying, in his hands he took his far-reaching sword, and Memnon on the other side, and swiftly they rushed together; and they struck each other ceaselessly, raging in spirit, upon the shields which Hephaestus had wrought with immortal craft, darting close; and with their crests they touched each other on either side, the helmets pressing. And Zeus, kindly minded greatly toward both, cast strength upon them, and made them tireless and greater, in no way like to men, but to gods; and Strife rejoiced over both. And eager to drive the spear-point within the flesh, between the shield and the high-crested helmet, often they aimed their fury, and at other times again a little above the greave, and below the cunning-wrought corselet fitted about their mighty limbs, both pressing on; and about them their immortal arms clashed on their shoulders; and the cry reached the divine air of the Trojans and Aethiopians and high-spirited Argives fighting on either side; and the dust beneath their feet rose up as far as the wide heaven, since great was the work that stirred. As when a mist on the mountains at the rousing of rain, when the loud-roaring streams are filled with rushing water, and every ravine roars unspeakably, and all the shepherds tremble at the torrents and the mist dear to deadly wolves and to the other beasts that the boundless forest nurtures; so about their feet the grievous dust flew up, which hid even the goodly light of the sun, darkening the air; and an evil misery overcame the peoples in the dust and in the deadly fray. And one of the blessed thrust it away from the battle swiftly; but the deadly Fates on either side urged on the swift ranks to toil at the boundless strife of grief; and Ares ceased not from grim slaughter, and on every side around the earth was fouled with blood poured out; and dark Destruction rejoiced; and the great horse-pasturing plain grew narrow with the slain, as much as the Simoeis and Xanthus enclose with their streams coming down from Ida to the sacred Hellespont. But when the long strife of those who fought was greatly drawn out, and equal fury stretched upon both, then the Olympians beheld them from afar, some delighting their heart in the unwearied son of Peleus, others in the divine son of Tithonus and Dawn. And on high the wide heaven re-echoed; and round about the sea cried out; and the dark earth was shaken beneath the feet of both; and all trembled, about Thetis, the daughters of high-souled Nereus, in dread unspeakable for mighty Achilles; and Dawn herself feared for her dear son as she mounted her horses through the air; and near her the daughters of the Sun stood marvelling about the wondrous circle which to the unwearied sun Zeus gave for the year as its noble course, about which all things live and waste away as the day comes round unceasingly while the years roll on through eternity. And now indeed a pitiless strife would have fallen upon the blessed, had not, by the prompting of loud-thundering Zeus, two Fates swiftly stood beside the pair on either hand, the dark one going to the heart of Memnon, the bright one about warlike Achilles; and beholding it the immortals cried aloud, and at once grief seized the one band, grievous, and the other a goodly and shining joy. And the heroes fought through the bloody tumult steadfastly, nor at all perceived the Fates drawing near as they bore their spirit and great strength against each other; you would have thought, in the grievous battle on that day, that they fought either tireless Giants or mighty Titans; for a strong strife arose between them, both when they ran together with swords, and when they hurled huge stones, rushing on; nor did any of them draw back as they were struck, nor flee, but like headlands they stood unsubdued, clothed in unspeakable valour; for both boasted to be the offspring of great Zeus; therefore Enyo stretched the strife equal between them for a long time pressing in that battle, both themselves and their fearless comrades, who beside their lords toiled unceasingly in their eagerness, until, wearied, the spear-points were bent against the shields; nor was any one of those who struck on either side unwounded, but from all their limbs to the ground there flowed blood and sweat as they ever pressed on, and the earth was covered with corpses as the heaven with clouds when the sun goes to Capricorn, when the sailor greatly dreads the sea. And the neighing horses, together with the rushing peoples, trod upon the dead, as upon countless leaves in a grove at the beginning of winter after the flourishing autumn. And there among the corpses and the blood fought the renowned sons of the blessed, nor did they cease from their wrath against each other; and Strife guided the scales of grievous battle, which were no longer equal; but indeed beneath the breast-foundations of noble Memnon Peleus' son thrust; and straight through the dark sword leapt out; and at once his lovely life was loosed; and he fell into the dark blood, and his vast armour rang; and the earth resounded beneath, and his comrades fled in fear; and the Myrmidons stripped him; and round about the Trojans fled; and swiftly Achilles pursued, a great fury like a tempest. And Dawn groaned, veiling herself in clouds; and the earth grew dark. And all the swift winds together, by their mother's bidding, were borne on a single path to the plain of Priam, and gathered about the dead, and gently and swiftly snatched up the son of the Dawn, and bore him through the gray air; and their spirit grieved for their brother fallen; and round about the upper air groaned. And of the bloody drops that fell to the earth from his limbs, there is among men set up a memorial even for those to come; for the gods, gathering them from this place and that into one, made them a sounding river, which all men upon the earth call Paphlagonian, all who dwell beneath the ridges of long Ida; and it too runs bloody over the firm land, when the mournful day of Memnon comes, on which he died; and a grievous and unbearable stench rushes from the water; you would say that still from a deadly wound the rotting humours breathed forth their grievous reek. But this came to pass by the counsels of the gods. And they flew on, the swift winds bearing the mighty son of Dawn a little above the earth, veiled in dark gloom; nor did the Aethiopians, their king being slain, wander far from him, since the god straightway led them too in their desire, casting upon them such speed as they were soon to have, borne through the air; therefore they followed the winds, mourning their king. And as when, when a hunter is brought low in the thickets by a boar or a lion beneath its grim jaws, his sorrowing comrades lift up his body and bear it, grieving, and behind them the dogs, longing for their master, follow with whining for the grievous hunt; so they, leaving the pitiless battle, followed the swift winds, greatly groaning, veiled in a wondrous mist; and round about the Trojans and Danaans marvelled, together with their king, that all had vanished, and with boundless amazement in their hearts they were stricken. And the unwearied winds set down the corpse of Memnon, who fought hand to hand, groaning heavily, beside the streams of the deep-flowing Aesepus, where there is a grove of the fair-tressed Nymphs, fair, about which afterward a great barrow the daughters of Aesepus heaped, thickly shaded with woodland of every kind; and the goddesses wailed much, honouring the son of fair-throned Dawn. And the light of the sun went down; and Dawn came down from heaven weeping for her dear child, and about her the fair-tressed maidens, twelve, to whom is care ever, of the ever-circling Hyperion's steep paths, night and dawn and all that from the counsel of Zeus comes to pass, who about his house and unbreakable gates turn this way and that, bearing round the year laden with fruits as the circle rolls, of chill winter and flowery spring and lovely summer and the grape-laden autumn. They then came down from the lofty air boundlessly lamenting about Memnon; and with them the Pleiades mourned; and the long mountains re-echoed and the stream of Aesepus; and unceasing wailing arose. And she in their midst, poured about her son, groaned aloud long, the much-mourning Dawn: "You are dead to me, dear child, and upon your mother grief grievous you have laid; and I, now you are slain, will not endure to give light to the heavenly immortals, but will go down to the dread pits of the underworld, where your soul flits, now you have perished apart, to darken earth and heaven and sea, spreading over all chaos and unseemly gloom, that some grief may reach the heart of the son of Cronos; for I am not less honoured than the Nereid by Zeus himself, who looks upon all, who brings all to its end; for in vain has Zeus now regarded my light. Therefore I will go down to the gloom; and let him bring Thetis to Olympus out of the sea, that she may give light to gods and men; but for me, after heaven, the mournful gloom is pleasing, lest about the slayer of you I should cast my light upon his body." So she spoke, and the tears flowed down her ambrosial face like an ever-flowing river; and about the corpse the dark earth was wet; and ambrosial Night grieved with her for her dear child, and the heaven hid all its stars in mist and clouds, doing a kindness to Dawn. And the Trojans within the city had their hearts grieving for Memnon; for they yearned for their king together with his comrades. Nor did the Argives greatly rejoice, but they too in the plain, keeping their camp beside the slain men, both honoured the good spearman Achilles, and wept for Antilochus; and they had grief together with joy. And all night long grievously groaning Dawn lamented, mourning; and about her was poured the gloom; nor at all in her heart did she heed the dawning, but hated great Olympus. And near her the swift-footed horses much groaned, treading the unwonted ground, and beholding their queen in grief, longing greatly for return. And Zeus thundered ceaselessly in wrath, and round about the earth was shaken on every side; and trembling seized immortal Dawn. And straightway the dark-skinned Aethiopians buried him, lamenting; and them, mourning much about the barrow of their mighty son, ox-eyed Dawn made into birds, and gave them to be borne through the air, whom even now the countless tribes of men call Memnons; and they, rushing upon the tomb of their king, wail, pouring dust above the barrow; and against one another they stir up tumult doing honour to Memnon; and he, in the halls of Hades, or somewhere among the blessed in the Elysian field of earth, laughs; and immortal Dawn is gladdened in her heart beholding it; and to them is the toil, until, wearied, one slays the other in the fray, or both fulfil their doom toiling about their king. And these things by the prompting of light-bringing Dawn the swift birds accomplish; but then immortal Dawn went up the heaven together with the much-fostering Hours, who led her, unwilling, to the floor of Zeus, beguiling her with words, to which heavy grief gives way, grieving though she still was. And she forgot not her own course; for she feared the unceasing rebuke of Zeus, from whom come all things, as many as the streams of Ocean hold within, and the earth and the seat of the burning stars. Before her the Pleiades went; and she herself too opened the gates of the upper air, and scattered the darkness.