Routed like herds of cattle or big flocks of sheep
when two wild beasts stampede them away in terror,
suddenly pouncing down in their midst-pitch darkness,
the shepherd off and gone – so the defenseless Argives
panicked, routed. Apollo hurled fear in their hearts
and handed Hector and all his Trojans instant glory.
– Homer
The Iliad, Book 15, lines 382-387. The Achaeans run away from Trojan leader Hector and Apollo, who puts fear into the Greeks’ hearts and hands instant glory to Hector. An epic simile compares the scene to herds of panicked cattle or flocks of sheep being routed by two wild beasts.