Aias son of Telamon no longer stood firm on the deck, for he was forced by missiles. Thinking death was near, he drew back a little from the raised stern platform to a seven-foot bench, still watching. With his long spear he kept off any Trojan who brought tireless fire against the ships.
He shouted terribly to the Danaans: friends, heroes, servants of Ares, be men and remember furious courage. Do we think there are helpers behind us, or a stronger wall to save men from ruin?
There is no city with towers nearby where we can defend ourselves with another army. We sit in the plain of the armed Trojans, backed against the sea and far from home. Light is in our hands, not in soft war.
Hector came on ravening, and the Trojans followed. Aias struck down every man who carried burning fire at Hector's urging. Twelve he stabbed close before the ships with his long spear. Yet the press did not cease, because Zeus kept pushing Hector forward and putting panic on the Argives.
Teucer had been shooting from beside Aias, but Zeus broke the bowstring as he aimed at Hector. The arrow flew aside, the bow dropped, and Teucer shuddered. He told Aias that a god was cutting off his skill, and Aias told him to lay bow and arrows aside, take spear and shield, and fight in the front while urging the men.
Teucer armed with shield and helmet and stood beside his brother. Hector saw the bow useless and cried to the Trojans that Zeus had made Teucer's weapon fail. Fight by the ships, he said; whoever dies here dies in glory defending fatherland, wife, children, house, and land. The Trojans shouted and pressed closer.
Aias kept ranging along the decks with his great pike, never letting the fire touch. The men on both sides were worn out with toil, sweat running under their armor, dust and blood on their faces. Still each side strained, the Trojans to burn the fleet, the Argives to hold a last narrow strip beside the sea.