Τρῶες δὲ προὔτυψαν ἀολλέες. ἦρχε δ' ὰρ' Ἕκτωρ
ἀντικρὺ μεμαὼς, ὁλοοίτροχος ὡς ἀπο πέτρης.
ὅν τε κατὰ,στεφάνης ποταμὸς χειμάρροος ὤσηι.
ῥήξας ἀσπέτωι ὄμβρωι ἀναιδέος, ἔχματα πέτρης.
ὕψι τ' ἀναθρώισκων πέτεται: κτυπέει δέ θ' ὑπ' αὐτοῦ
ὕλη: ὁ δ' ἀσφαλέως θέει ἔμπεδον. ἕως ί̈κηται
ἰ̈σόπεδον. τότε δ' οὔ τι κυλίνδεται ἐσσυμενός περ:
ὡς Ἕκτωρ, εἴως μὲν ἀπείλει μέχρι θαλάσσης
ῥεῖα δ' ἐλεύσεσθαι κλισίας καὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν
κτείνων:ἂλλ' ὅτε δὴ πυκινῆις ἐνέκυρσε φάλαγξι.
στῆ ῥα μάλ' ἐγχριμφθεὶς. οἱ δ' ἀντίοι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν
νύσσοντες ξίφεσίντε καὶ ἔγχεσιν ἀμφιγύνοισιν.
ὦσαν ἀπὸ σφείων. ὁ δὲ χασσάμενος πελεμίχθη.
ἤϋσεν δὲ διαπρύσιον Τρώεσσι γεγωνώς:
Τρῶες. καὶ Λύκιοι. καὶ Δάρδανοι ἀγχιμαχηταί.
παρμένετ': οὔ τοι δηρὸν ἐμὲ σχήσουσιν Ἀχαιοὶ
καὶ μάλα πυργηδὸν σφέας αὐτοὺς ἀρτύναντες.
ἂλλ' ὀίω χάσσονται ὑπ έγχεος. εἰ ἐτεόν με
ὦρσε θεῶν ὤριστος ὥριστος ἐρίγδουπος πόσις Ἥρης.
Then the Trojans drave forward in close throng and Hector led them, pressing ever forward, like a boulder from a cliff that a river swollen by winter rains thrusteth from the brow of a hill, when it has burst with its wondrous flood the foundations of the ruthless stone; high aloft it leapeth, as it flies, and the woods resound beneath it, and it speedeth on its course and is not stayed until it reacheth the level plain, but then it rolleth no more for all its eagerness; even so Hector for a time threatened lightly to make his way even to the sea through the huts and ships of the Achaeans, slaying as he went, but when he encountered the close-set battalions, then was he stayed, as he drew close against them. And the sons of the Achaeans faced him, thrusting with swords and two-edged spears, and drave him back from them, so that he gave ground and was made to reel. Then he uttered a piercing shout, calling aloud to the Trojans: "Ye Trojans and Lycians and Dardanians that fight in close combat, stand ye fast. No long space shall the Achaeans hold me back, for all they have arrayed themselves in fashion like a wall; nay, methinks, they will give ground before my spear, if verily the highest of gods hath urged me on, the loud-thundering lord of Hera."
