Excerpt

Excerpt from The Fall of Troy, by active 4th century Smyrnaeus Quintus

He spake; they heard and quailed: as mid the hills
Fawns tremble at a lion's deep-mouthed roar,
And terror-stricken flee the monster, so
The ranks of Trojan chariot-lords, the lines
Of battle-helpers drawn from alien lands,
Quailed at the last shout of Achilles, deemed
That he was woundless yet. But 'neath the weight
Of doom his aweless heart, his mighty limbs,
At last were overborne. Down midst the dead
He fell, as fails a beetling mountain-cliff.
Earth rang beneath him: clanged with a thundercrash
His arms, as Peleus' son the princely fell.
And still his foes with most exceeding dread
Stared at him, even as, when some murderous beast
Lies slain by shepherds, tremble still the sheep
Eyeing him, as beside the fold he lies,
And shrinking, as they pass him, far aloof
And, even as he were living, fear him dead;
So feared they him, Achilles now no more.

Yet Paris strove to kindle those faint hearts;
For his own heart exulted, and he hoped,
Now Peleus' son, the Danaans' strength, had fallen,
Wholly to quench the Argive battle-fire:
"Friends, if ye help me truly and loyally,
Let us this day die, slain by Argive men,
Or live, and hale to Troy with Hector's steeds
In triumph Peleus' son thus fallen dead,
The steeds that, grieving, yearning for their lord
To fight have borne me since my brother died.
Might we with these but hale Achilles slain,
Glory were this for Hector's horses, yea,
For Hector--if in Hades men have sense
Of righteous retribution. This man aye
Devised but mischief for the sons of Troy;
And now Troy's daughters with exultant hearts
From all the city streets shall gather round,
As pantheresses wroth for stolen cubs,
Or lionesses, might stand around a man
Whose craft in hunting vexed them while he lived.
So round Achilles--a dead corpse at last!--
In hurrying throngs Troy's daughters then shall come
In unforgiving, unforgetting hate,
For parents wroth, for husbands slain, for sons,
For noble kinsmen. Most of all shall joy
My father, and the ancient men, whose feet
Unwillingly are chained within the walls
By eld, if we shall hale him through our gates,
And give our foe to fowls of the air for meat."

Then they, which feared him theretofore, in haste
Closed round the corpse of strong-heart Aeacus' son,
Glaucus, Aeneas, battle-fain Agenor,
And other cunning men in deadly fight,
Eager to hale him thence to Ilium
The god-built burg. But Aias failed him not.
Swiftly that godlike man bestrode the dead:
Back from the corpse his long lance thrust them all.
Yet ceased they not from onslaught; thronging round,
Still with swift rushes fought they for the prize,
One following other, like to long-lipped bees
Which hover round their hive in swarms on swarms
To drive a man thence; but he, recking naught
Of all their fury, carveth out the combs
Of nectarous honey: harassed sore are they
By smoke-reek and the robber; spite of all
Ever they dart against him; naught cares he;
So naught of all their onsets Aias recked;
But first he stabbed Agelaus in the breast,
And slew that son of Maion: Thestor next:
Ocythous he smote, Agestratus,
Aganippus, Zorus, Nessus, Erymas
The war-renowned, who came from Lycia-land
With mighty-hearted Glaucus, from his home
In Melanippion on the mountain-ridge,
Athena's fane, which Massikyton fronts
Anigh Chelidonia's headland, dreaded sore
Of scared seafarers, when its lowering crags
Must needs be doubled. For his death the blood
Of famed Hippolochus' son was horror-chilled;
For this was his dear friend. With one swift thrust
He pierced the sevenfold hides of Aias' shield,
Yet touched his flesh not; stayed the spear-head was
By those thick hides and by the corset-plate
Which lapped his battle-tireless limbs. But still
From that stern conflict Glaucus drew not back,
Burning to vanquish Aias, Aeacus' son,
And in his folly vaunting threatened him:
"Aias, men name thee mightiest man of all
The Argives, hold thee in passing-high esteem
Even as Achilles: therefore thou, I wot,
By that dead warrior dead this day shalt lie!"

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Explanation

Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from The Fall of Troy by Quintus Smyrnaeus

Quintus Smyrnaeus’ Posthomerica (The Fall of Troy), written in the 4th century CE, is an epic poem that bridges the gap between Homer’s Iliad and the later events of the Trojan War, particularly the death of Achilles and the fall of Troy. The excerpt provided describes the immediate aftermath of Achilles’ death in battle, the Trojans’ initial reaction, Paris’ rallying speech, and the fierce struggle over Achilles’ corpse between the Trojans and the Greeks (Danaans).

This passage is rich in epic conventions, vivid imagery, similes, and thematic depth, all of which serve to heighten the tragedy of Achilles’ death while emphasizing the brutal, unrelenting nature of war.

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1. Context & Summary of the Excerpt

The scene occurs after Achilles, the greatest Greek warrior, has finally been slain (by Paris and Apollo, though this is not described here). The Trojans, who once trembled at his name, now see an opportunity to turn the tide of war. The excerpt can be divided into three key movements:

1. The Trojans’ Initial Terror & Achilles’ Fall (Lines 1-14)

   • The Trojans, despite knowing Achilles is dead, still fear him as if he were alive.
   • His death is described in grand, almost seismic terms—his fall shakes the earth, his armor clangs like thunder.
   • The simile of the slain beast still feared by sheep reinforces the idea that Achilles’ reputation outlives him.

2. Paris’ Rallying Speech (Lines 15-38)

   • Paris, often portrayed as cowardly in the Iliad, here seizes the moment to inspire the Trojans.
   • He urges them to either die gloriously or drag Achilles’ corpse back to Troy as a trophy.
   • His speech is filled with vengeful imagery, comparing Trojan women to lionesses and pantheresses avenging their lost kin.
   • He suggests that even Hector’s spirit in the underworld would approve of this act of retribution.

3. The Battle Over Achilles’ Corpse (Lines 39-End)

   • The Trojans, led by Glaucus, Aeneas, and Agenor, swarm around Achilles’ body, determined to claim it.
   • Aias (Ajax the Great) stands as the sole defender, fighting off the Trojans in a bee-like swarm simile (a common Homeric device).
   • Aias kills multiple Trojans, including Agelaus, Thestor, and Ocythous, but Glaucus nearly pierces him before his spear is stopped by Aias’ shield.
   • The passage ends with Glaucus’ boast, threatening Aias with the same fate as Achilles.

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2. Key Themes

A. The Persistence of Fear & Reputation

• Even in death, Achilles commands terror. The Trojans, who have spent years dreading him, cannot immediately shake their fear—his legend outlives his body.
• The simile of the dead beast (lines 11-14) suggests that myth and dread are more powerful than reality. The sheep (Trojans) still fear the lion (Achilles) even after it is slain.

B. The Brutality & Futility of War

• The graphic descriptions of death (earth shaking, armor clanging, bodies falling) emphasize the physical and psychological weight of war.
• The bee simile (lines 50-58) portrays battle as relentless, swarming chaos—soldiers are like bees, stinging in vain against an unstoppable force (Aias).
• The cycle of vengeance is central: Paris speaks of Trojan women rejoicing over Achilles’ corpse, mirroring how Achilles himself desecrated Hector’s body.

C. Heroism & Hubris

• Achilles’ death marks the fall of the invincible hero, a turning point in the war.
• Aias’ stand is a last bastion of Greek resistance—his defiance against overwhelming odds is heroic, but also doomed (foreshadowing his later madness and suicide in other myths).
• Glaucus’ boast (lines 70-73) is hubristic, echoing the tragic irony of epic—his confidence may lead to his downfall.

D. The Role of Fate & Divine Will

• Achilles’ death is framed as inevitable ("'neath the weight of doom his aweless heart... were overborne").
• The mention of Hector’s horses (lines 23-26) ties into the divine justice theme—Achilles killed Hector and took his horses; now, Paris seeks to reverse that fate.
• The reference to Hades (lines 31-32) suggests that even in death, heroes are not truly at peace—their deeds (and grudges) persist.

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3. Literary Devices & Stylistic Features

A. Epic Similes (Homeric Similes)

1. The Fawns & Lion (Lines 2-4)

   • Compares the Trojans’ fear to fawns fleeing a lion, reinforcing their instinctive terror of Achilles.
   • The lion is a recurring symbol of Achilles (he wears the Lion’s Pelt in some myths).

2. The Slain Beast & Sheep (Lines 11-14)

   • The dead but still-feared predator emphasizes how Achilles’ reputation lingers.
   • The sheep’s continued fear mirrors the Trojans’ psychological paralysis.

3. The Bees & Honey Thief (Lines 50-58)

   • A classic Homeric extended simile—the Trojans are like bees swarming a thief, stinging futilely.
   • Highlights the futility of their attacks against Aias, who, like the thief, remains unmoved.

B. Sound & Rhythm (Dactylic Hexameter)

• The thundering, rhythmic lines (e.g., "Earth rang beneath him: clanged with a thundercrash / His arms") mimic the violence of battle.
• The repetition of "fear" (lines 1, 10, 14) creates a haunting, echoing effect.

C. Imagery & Symbolism

• Achilles as a Mountain Cliff (Line 9)
  • His fall is cataclysmic, like a cliff collapsing—symbolizing the end of an era.
• The Horses of Hector (Lines 23-26)
  • Represent unfinished vengeance—Paris rides them, but they mourn Hector, adding tragic irony.
• Trojan Women as Lionesses (Lines 33-36)
  • Reinforces the savage, primal nature of war—women, usually protected, become predators in grief.

D. Foreshadowing & Irony

• Paris’ hope of quenching the "Argive battle-fire" (line 18) is ironic—Troy will still fall.
• Glaucus’ threat to Aias (lines 70-73) is hubristic—Aias will not die here, but his pride will lead to his later downfall (in some versions, he kills himself after losing Achilles’ armor to Odysseus).

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4. Significance in the Broader Epic Tradition

• Achilles’ Death as a Turning Point

  • In the Iliad, Achilles is invincible (except for his heel). His death here marks the beginning of Troy’s end.
  • Without Achilles, the Greeks lose their greatest warrior, but his death also unites them in vengeance (leading to the Trojan Horse plot).

• The Struggle Over the Corpse

  • A common epic motif (seen also in the Iliad with Patroclus’ body).
  • Represents the battle for honor—whoever controls Achilles’ body controls his legacy.

• Paris’ Redemption?

  • Often portrayed as a coward (e.g., hiding behind Hector, relying on Apollo to kill Achilles), here he takes leadership, showing growth (or desperation).

• Aias as the Last Defender

  • His lonely stand foreshadows his tragic fate—he is the second-best warrior, doomed to be overshadowed and forgotten.

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5. Conclusion: Why This Passage Matters

This excerpt is a microcosm of the Trojan War’s final acts—it captures:

• The fall of a godlike hero (Achilles).
• The Trojans’ fleeting hope (soon to be crushed).
• The relentless, cyclical nature of violence (vengeance begets vengeance).
• The epic grandeur of battle, where men become forces of nature (lions, cliffs, swarms).

Quintus Smyrnaeus bridges Homer and later tragedy, blending Homeric style with post-Homeric pathos. The passage is not just about Achilles’ death, but about what comes after—the struggle for meaning in the wake of loss, the futility of war, and the enduring power of myth.

Would you like a deeper dive into any specific aspect (e.g., the bee simile’s Homeric roots, Paris’ character arc, or Aias’ role in later myths)?