وَخَفَّت بَنَوُ الطُّروَادِ زَحفاً بِصَدرِهِم

يُصادِمُ هَكطُورُ العِدى وَيُصادِرُ

The sons of Troy marched forward with their chests,

Colliding with the enemy host, despoiling them.

فَأَردى مَنَستِيساً ونَخيَالُساً معاً

بِمَركَبَةٍ قَلَّتهُما وَهوَ سائِرُ

Then Menestheus and Ajax fell together

when fate betrayed them in battle.

فَهاجَت بآياسَ العَواطِفُ فانبرَى

يُطيرُ قَناةً فَرعُها مُتَطايرُ

Ayax was roused by the tides of passion

as branches of his madness wildly tossed.

فَأَصمى ابنَ إِسلاغُوسَ أَمِفيُّسَ الذي

بِفِيسُوسَ قد فاضَت عَلَيهِ الذَّخائِرُ

Deafening Amphius, the son of Oïleus

on whom the gifts of Zeus once richly poured.

بَغَى نُصرَةَ الطُّروَادِ والحَتفُ ساقهُ

إِلى حَيثُ شكَّت بالنِّجادِ الخَوَاصِرُ

Eager to defend Troy, his zeal propelled him

where the joints of his armor began to bend.

فأَهوَى وأَهوَى طامِعاً في سلاحِهِ

أَيَاسُ فَصَدَّتهُ السِّهام المَواطِرُ

Grasping at enemies’ weapons, over-eager,

Ayax was checked by the sharp showering arrows.

على جُثَّةِ المَقتولِ أَثبَتَ رِجلَهُ

يَجُرُّ سَنِينَ النَّصلِ والفَتكُ دائرُ

Standing on the corpse of the slain, he dragged it

while slaughter and death continuously whirled.

وَكَفَّ يَبَاري بالمِجَنِّ نِبالَهُم

مَخافَةَ أَن يَلهُو فَتَدها الجَماهرُ

He refrained from equalling their ire

lest the masses notice and mock his frenzy.

وَعِندَ التِحامِ الحَربِ ساقَت يَدُ القَضا

لِسَرفِيدُنٍ إِطلُوفُلِيمَ يُبادِرُ

And when the war peaked, the hand of fate

led Sarpedon to first accost Tlepolemus.

نظِيران في زَفسَ ابنُهُ وَحفِيدُهُ

سَليلُ هِرَقلٍ وَالقَرِينُ المُناظِرُ

Two peers: Zeus’ son and grandson,

seed of Heracles, his twin and counterpart.

وَلَمَّا عَلى مَرمَى القُنِيِّ تَدَانَيا

عَلَيهِ الهِرَقلِيُّ استَطالَ يَفاخِرُ

And as they closed in on striking distance,

the Heraclean lengthened, vaunting himself.