And as when two wild beasts drive in confusion a herd of cattle or a great flock of sheep in the darkness of black night, when they have come upon them suddenly, and a herdsman is not by, even so were the Achaeans driven in rout with no might in them;
οἳ δ' ὥς τ' ἠὲ βοῶν ἀγέλην ἢ πῶϋ μέγ' οἰῶν θῆρε δύω κλονέωσι μελαίνης νυκτὸς ἀμολγῷ ἐλθόντ' ἐξαπίνης σημάντορος οὐ παρεόντος , ὣς ἐφόβηθεν Ἀχαιοὶ ἀνάλκιδες ·
ὁ δέ ὡς τε ἤ βοῦς ἀγέλη ἤ πῶυ μέγας ὄις θήρ δύο κλονέω μέλας νύξ ἀμολγός ἔρχομαι ἐξαπίνης σημάντωρ οὐ πάρειμι , ὡς φοβέω Ἀχαιός ἄναλκις ·