Note 1444 — Chapter XV · THE NORMAN INVASION AND THE CAMPAIGN OF HASTINGS.[1055] (continued 2)
Reading edition
Will. Malms. iii. 243. “Jacentis femur unus militum gladio proscidit; unde a Willelmo ignominiæ notatus, quod rem ignavam et pudendam fecisset, militiâ pulsus est.” But I certainly cannot identify the one among the four mentioned by Guy who was punished in this way by William.
The death of Harold reminds one of the death of Patroklos (Il. xvi. 818);
Ἔκτωρ δ’, ὡς εἶδεν Πατροκλῆα μεγάθυμον
ἂψ ἀνάχαζόμενον, βεβλημένον ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ,
ἀγχίμολόν ῥά οἱ ἦλθε κατὰ στίχας, οὖτα δὲ δουρὶ
νείατον ἐς κενεῶνα· διὰ πρὸ δὲ χαλκὸν ἔλασσε.