charioteers turned the horses towards the place of battle.'

'Now on the high ground before them the Trojans had gathered in their
battalions and the figure of great Hector was plain to Agamemnon and his
men. Like a star that now and then was hidden by a cloud, so he appeared
as he went through the battalions, all covered with shining bronze.
Spears and arrows fell upon both sides. Footmen kept slaying footmen and
horsemen kept slaying horsemen with the sword, and the dust of the plain
rose up, stirred by the thundering hooves of the horses. From dawn till
morning and from morning till noon the battle raged, but at mid-day the
Greeks broke through the Trojan lines. Then Agamemnon in his chariot
rushed through a gap in the line. Two men did he instantly slay, and
dashing onward he slew two warriors who were sons of King Priam. Like
fire falling upon a wood and burning up the underwood went King
Agamemnon through the Trojan ranks, and when he passed many
strong-necked horses rattled empty chariots, leaving on the earth the
slain warriors that had been in them. And through the press of men and
up to the high walls of Troy did Agamemnon go, slaying Trojan warriors
with his spear. Hector did not go nigh him, for the gods had warned
Hector not to lead any onslaught until Agamemnon had turned back from
battle.'

'But a Trojan warrior smote King Agamemnon on the mid-arm, below the
elbow, and the point of his spear went clean through. Still he went
through the ranks of the Trojans, slaying with spear and sword. And then
the blood dried upon his wound and a sharp pain came upon him and he
cried out, "O friends and captains! It is not possible for me to war for
ever against the Trojans, but do you fight on to keep the battle from
our ships." His charioteer turned his horses, and they, all covered with
foam and grimed with dust, dashed back across the plain bearing the