When Menelaus son of Atreus learned that Patroclus had fallen, he made his way through the front ranks in full armor and stood over the body like a cow standing over her first calf.
Euphorbos son of Panthoos came close, boasting that he had been first to wound Patroclus and claiming the corpse and the armor. "Son of Atreus, leave the dead and my bloody spoils, or I will take your sweet life also."
Menelaus answered in anger that boasting was a poor thing. The leopard was not bolder, nor the lion, nor the wild boar — and Hyperenor had learned that when he challenged the son of Atreus and never went home to cheer his wife and parents.
Euphorbos would not listen. He struck Menelaus full on the shield, but the point turned. Menelaus prayed to Zeus and drove his spear through Euphorbos's throat. The young man fell, and his hair, braided with gold and silver, soaked in blood.
Menelaus began to strip him as a mountain lion takes a heifer from the herd, but Apollo would not let Hector miss the fight. He went in the likeness of Mentes and told Hector that Menelaus had killed Euphorbos and was stripping him beside Patroclus.
A dark cloud of grief took Hector. He looked along the ranks, saw Menelaus, and came on with a shout, armed like the flame of Hephaestus. Menelaus knew he could not stand alone against Hector and the Trojans pressing behind him.
He debated with himself: if he left the body, any Achaean who saw it would blame him; if he fought alone, he might be surrounded. The better way seemed to seek Aias. So he drew back from the corpse, turning like a bearded lion driven from a farmyard by dogs and men.
He found great Aias and said, "Come with me — let us at least try to save Patroclus's body for Achilles. Hector has the armor already." These words stirred Aias, and the two went together into the front.
Hector had stripped Achilles' armor from Patroclus and meant to cut off the head and drag the corpse to Troy. When he saw Aias, he gave ground, taking the armor with him toward his own lines, while Aias planted himself over the body with his huge shield, and Menelaus stood beside him nursing grief.