Page:The Story of the Iliad.djvu/84

68 But Sarpedon answered: "He, indeed, spoiled Troy, for Laomedon did him grievous wrong. But thou shalt not fare so, but rather meet with thy death."

Then they both hurled their spears, aiming truly, both of them. For Sarpedon smote Tlepolemus in the neck, piercing it through so that he fell dead, and Tlepolemus smote Sarpedon in the left thigh, driving the spear close to the bone, but slaying him not, for his Father Zeus warded off the doom of death. And his comrades carried him out of the battle, sorely burdened with the spear, which no one had thought to take out of the wound. And as he was borne along, Hector passed by, and Sarpedon rejoiced to see him, and cried:—

"Son of Priam, suffer me not to become a prey to the Greeks; let me at least die in your city; for Lycia I may see no more, nor wife, nor child."

But Hector heeded him not, so eager was he for the battle. So his comrades carried him to the great beech tree and laid him down, and one of them drew the spear out of his thigh.