BOOK VI.

ARGUMENT.

THE EPISODES OF GLAUCUS AND DIOMED, AND OF HECTOR AND

ANDROMACHE.

The gods having left the field, the Grecians prevail. Helenus, the chief

augur of Troy, commands Hector to return to the city, in order to appoint

a solemn procession of the queen and the Trojan matrons to the temple of

Minerva, to entreat her to remove Diomed from the fight. The battle

relaxing during the absence of Hector, Glaucus and Diomed have an

interview between the two armies; where, coming to the knowledge, of the

friendship and hospitality passed between their ancestors, they make

exchange of their arms. Hector, having performed the orders of Helenus,

prevails upon Paris to return to the battle, and, taking a tender leave of

his wife Andromache, hastens again to the field.

The scene is first in the field of battle, between the rivers Simois and

Scamander, and then changes to Troy.

Now heaven forsakes the fight: the immortals yield

To human force and human skill the field:

Dark showers of javelins fly from foes to foes;

Now here, now there, the tide of combat flows;

254

The Iliad of Homer