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Vol. 55 : The healer is wounded

Menelaus heard Odysseus shout.

"Quick, Ajax," he cried. "Odysseus needs our help."

Menelaus turned his chariot and with the giant Ajax at his side, they rushed to help the warrior. They found him, still fighting his enemies, who crowded around him like jackals around a wounded deer. Into this crowd moved Ajax, killing all who stood in his way. He planted his huge shield in front of Odysseus and hoisted him onto Menelaus' chariot.

The chariot rushed back toward the ships, the horse's hooves splashing through pools of blood and cracking dead men's bones. Menelaus looked back toward Ajax to see the warrior slowly withdrawing, overwhelmed by the Trojan soldiers. Odysseus groaned at his side.

As he approached the ships, they were joined by another chariot.

"Machaon!" cried Menelaus. Machaon was the Greek healer, and he lay in the chariot, an arrow through his shoulder. The man driving the chariot said, "He was shot by Paris. We have no healer now."

Achilles saw them from afar. He called Patroclus to his side.

"Look how they lose without me," he said proudly. "Go to Nestor's tent and see how many are injured."

There was sadness in Patroclus' face as he turned to go. He did not like to see his friend like this.

The wounded were laid out around Nestor's tent.

"My good Patroclus," said Nestor warmly, taking his hand. "Come, sit with me a while."

"No time to sit," said Patroclus with a weak smile. "You know what Achilles is like. Quick to anger, even if it's a friend. He wishes to know who is injured."

"And why is Achilles interested all of a sudden in who is injured?" said Nestor angrily. "Our finest champions, Agamemnon, Odysseus, Diomedes, now Machaon are wounded, and our men lie dead on the battlefield. How long will he wait?"

There was an uncomfortable pause.

"When Achilles weeps," said Nestor. "It will be too late."

And neither knew how true this would be.