Ajax continues to kill Trojans and is said to be wild as a swollen river. Nestor struggles in the lines fighting and holding his own but Idomeneus pulls him out of battle. Idomeneus explains that a good healer is worth a troop of men. Machaon has been wounded by one of Paris' arrows and Idomeneus wants Nestor to take him to the ships. Cebriones watches the Trojans get repulsed by the Greeks and rouses Hector.
Hector returns to battle.
Zeus puts doubt into the mind of Ajax and causes him to retreat, driven like a lion by dogs. Ajax becomes isolated. Eurypylus and another Greek come in to help him, one is shot down by Paris. The Greeks rally into a wedge. Meanwhile, Achilles watches the battle and sends Patroclus to ask Nestor who has fallen.