All 24 Uses
mêlée
in
The Iliad
(Auto-generated)
- The treacherous shot finally causes the anticipated melee to break out late in Book IV.†
Book Intr. *melee = disorganized mass of people
- So down the ranks that dazzling goddess went to stir the attack, and each man in his heart grew strong to fight and never quit the melee, for at her passage war itself became lovelier than return, lovelier than sailing in the decked ships to their own native land.†
Book 2
- He shook them and called out to the best men of the Argives to meet him in the melee face to face.†
Book 3
- The chariot men he first instructed in the way of battle— charioteers to keep their team in line, not to be tangled, cut off in the melee: "None of you should rely so far on horsemanship or bravery as to attack alone—much less retreat alone.†
Book 4
- In the melee he toppled like a tower.†
Book 4
- Out of the melee men of his command carried the captain in his agony, encumbered by the long dragging spear.†
Book 5
- Young Glaukos, too, leader of Lykians, in the rough melee hit Iphinoos Dexiades just as he swung aboard his fast war-car: he rammed him in the shoulder, and down he tumbled from his chariot.†
Book 7
- Then, singlehanded, Diomedes joined the melee forward of the old man's horses and called to him, in a piercing voice: "Old man, they have you in a bad way, these young Trojans.†
Book 8
- Hippolokhos leapt, but Agamemnon caught him on the ground with one sword-cut, then slashed his arms away and sent him rolling out amid the melee like a round mortar stone.†
Book 11
- We must get through the melee; better save him.†
Book 11
- At Hektor's side Kebriones made out the melee's pattern: "You and I," he said, "are fighting, Hektor, on the outer edge of a great deafening battle.†
Book 11
- So forward into the melee Hektor charged and turned and called his men to cross the moat.†
Book 12
- Then from his tender neck Aias Oiliades, in anger for Amphimakhos, lopped his head and bowled it through the melee till it tumbled in dust at Hektor's feet.†
Book 13
- Gusts of crying wind on days when dust lies thickest on the lanes will wrestle and raise a dustcloud high: so spread this melee as men came together, sworn with whittled bronze to kill and strip each other.†
Book 13
- And roaring Ares heard no news as yet that his own son died in that melee—no, for he was sitting on high Olympos under golden clouds, restrained by the will of Zeus, as were the other immortal gods, all shut away from war.†
Book 13
- Then came Peisandros in a rush at the great figure of Menelaos— impelled by fatal destiny to fall before you in the melee, Menelaos— and when the range narrowed between these two Menelaos missed: the spear was turned aside: but Peisandros got home his stroke upon Menelaos' shield.†
Book 13
- Now headed inland, eyes upon the melee, the princes came that way, leaning on spears, with aching hearts; and the advent of Nestor gave their hearts a new twinge.†
Book 14
- He himself went back to join the melee.†
Book 15
- Apollo would not allow the son of Panthoos to perish in that melee.†
Book 15
- And Zeus would never turn his shining eyes away from this melee, but watched them all and pondered long over the slaughter of Patroklos— whether in that place, on Sarpedon's body, Hektor should kill the man and take his gear, or whether he, Zeus, should augment the moil of battle for still other men.†
Book 16
- And at this, once more he joined the melee, entering it as a god.†
Book 16
- Instead, he ran back into the melee, pulling from the flesh his ashen spear, and would not face his enemy, even disarmed, in battle.†
Book 16
- Aias leaping through the melee struck his helm with brazen cheekplates; round the point the ridge that bore the crest crumpled at impact, cleft by a great spear in a massive hand.†
Book 17
- Today's melee will not be brief, when rank meets rank, and heaven breathes fighting spirit into both contenders.†
Book 19
Definitions:
-
(1)
(mêlée) a disorganized mass of people -- especially engaged in hand-to-hand combat, or rioting, or all going different directions and bumping into each other
- (2) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)