s: stockyard--the lion is tired of attacking the men and hounds, who


s: the fat of their herd. In his lust of meat he makes straight at


s: them but in vain, for darts from strong hands assail him, and


s: burning brands which daunt him for all his hunger, so in the


s: morning he slinks sulkily away--even so did Menelaus sorely


s: against his will leave Patroclus, in great fear lest the Achaeans


s: the foe. He charged Meriones and the two Ajaxes straitly saying,


s: "Ajaxes and Meriones, leaders of the Argives, now indeed remember


s: With this Menelaus left them, looking round him as keenly as an


s: eagle, whose sight they say is keener than that of any other


s: bird--however high he may be in the heavens, not a hare that runs


s: swoop down upon it and make an end of it--even so, O Menelaus,


s: did your keen eyes range round the mighty host of your followers


s: to see if you could find the son of Nestor still alive. Presently


s: his men and exhorting them to fight boldly. Menelaus went up to


s: him and said, "Antilochus, come here and listen to sad news,


s: which I would indeed were untrue. You must see with your own eyes


s: victory to the Trojans. Patroclus has fallen, who was the bravest


s: instantly to the ships and tell Achilles, that he may come to


s: rescue the body and bear it to the ships. As for the armour,


s: Antilochus was struck with horror. For a long time he was


s: speechless; his eyes filled with tears and he could find no


s: utterance, but he did as Menelaus had said, and set off running


s: as soon as he had given his armour to a comrade, Laodocus, who


s: was wheeling his horses round, close beside him.


s: Thus, then, did he run weeping from the field, to carry the bad


s: news to Achilles son of Peleus. Nor were you, O Menelaus, minded


s: to succour his harassed comrades, when Antilochus had left the


s: Pylians--and greatly did they miss him--but he sent them noble


s: Thrasymedes, and himself went back to Patroclus. He came running


s: up to the two Ajaxes and said, "I have sent Antilochus to the


s: ships to tell Achilles, but rage against Hector as he may, he


s: cannot come, for he cannot fight without armour. What then will


s: be our best plan both as regards rescuing the dead, and our own


s: escape from death amid the battle-cries of the Trojans?"


s: Ajax answered, "Menelaus, you have said well: do you, then, and


s: Meriones stoop down, raise the body, and bear it out of the fray,


s: heart as in name, and long used to fighting side by side with one


s: On this Menelaus and Meriones took the dead man in their arms and


s: body away, and flew after them like hounds attacking a wounded


s: boar at the loo of a band of young huntsmen. For a while the


s: hounds fly at him as though they would tear him in pieces, but


s: now and again he turns on them in a fury, scaring and scattering


s: them in all directions--even so did the Trojans for a while


s: charge in a body, striking with sword and with spears pointed at


s: both the ends, but when the two Ajaxes faced them and stood at


s: bay, they would turn pale and no man dared press on to fight


s: In this wise did the two heroes strain every nerve to bear the


s: body to the ships out of the fight. The battle raged round them


s: like fierce flames that when once kindled spread like wildfire


s: over a city, and the houses fall in the glare of its burning--


s: even such was the roar and tramp of men and horses that pursued


s: them as they bore Patroclus from the field. Or as mules that put


s: forth all their strength to draw some beam or great piece of


s: ship's timber down a rough mountain-track, and they pant and


s: sweat as they, go even so did Menelaus and pant and sweat as they


s: stoutly out. As some wooded mountain-spur that stretches across a


s: nor is there any stream strong enough to break through it--even


s: so did the two Ajaxes face the Trojans and stem the tide of their


s: among them all was Aeneas son of Anchises with valiant Hector. As


s: when they see a falcon, foe to all small birds, come soaring near


s: they fled before Aeneas and Hector, unmindful of their former


s: prowess. In the rout of the Danaans much goodly armour fell round


s: The grief of Achilles over Patroclus--The visit of Thetis


s: to Vulcan and the armour that he made for Achilles.


s: THUS then did they fight as it were a flaming fire. Meanwhile the


s: Achilles, and found him sitting by his tall ships and boding that


s: the heaviness of his heart, "why are the Achaeans again scouring


s: the plain and flocking towards the ships? Heaven grant the gods


s: be not now bringing that sorrow upon me of which my mother Thetis


s: Myrmidons should fall before the Trojans, and see the light of


s: the sun no longer. I fear the brave son of Menoetius has fallen


s: through his own daring and yet I bade him return to the ships as


s: soon as he had driven back those that were bringing fire against


s: As he was thus pondering, the son of Nestor came up to him and


s: told his sad tale, weeping bitterly the while. "Alas," he cried,


s: "son of noble Peleus, I bring you bad tidings, would indeed that


s: they were untrue. Patroclus has fallen, and a fight is raging


s: about his naked body--for Hector holds his armour."


s: A dark cloud of grief fell upon Achilles as he listened. He


s: filled both hands with dust from off the ground, and poured it


s: over his head, disfiguring his comely face, and letting the


s: refuse settle over his shirt so fair and new. He flung himself


s: down all huge and hugely at full length, and tore his hair with


s: his hands. The bondswomen whom Achilles and Patroclus had taken


s: captive screamed aloud for grief, beating their breasts, and with


s: he feared that he might plunge a knife into his own throat. Then


s: Achilles gave a loud cry and his mother heard him as she was


s: sitting in the depths of the sea by the old man her father,


s: whereon she screamed, and all the goddesses daughters of Nereus


s: that dwelt at the bottom of the sea, came gathering round her.


s: There were Glauce, Thalia and Cymodoce, Nesaia, Speo, Thoe and


s: dark-eyed Halie, Cymothoe, Actaea and Limnorea, Melite, Iaera,


s: famous sea-nymph Galatea, Nemertes, Apseudes and Callianassa.


s: There were also Clymene, Ianeira and Ianassa, Maera, Oreithuia


s: and Amatheia of the lovely locks, with other Nereids who dwell in


s: multitude and they all beat their breasts while Thetis led them


s: "Listen," she cried, "sisters, daughters of Nereus, that you may


s: hear the burden of my sorrows. Alas, woe is me, woe in that I


s: have borne the most glorious of offspring. I bore him fair and


s: strong, hero among heroes, and he shot up as a sapling; I tended


s: him as a plant in a goodly garden, and sent him with his ships to


s: of the sun he is in heaviness, and though I go to him I cannot


s: help him. Nevertheless I will go, that I may see my dear son and


s: learn what sorrow has befallen him though he is still holding


s: She left the cave as she spoke, while the others followed weeping


s: line on to the sands, at the place where the ships of the


s: Myrmidons were drawn up in close order round the tents of


s: Achilles. His mother went up to him as he lay groaning; she laid


s: her hand upon his head and spoke piteously, saying, "My son, why


s: are you thus weeping? What sorrow has now befallen you? Tell me;


s: hide it not from me. Surely Jove has granted you the prayer you


s: made him, when you lifted up your hands and besought him that the


s: bitterly in that you were no longer with them."


s: Achilles groaned and answered, "Mother, Olympian Jove has indeed


s: vouchsafed me the fulfilment of my prayer, but what boots it to


s: me, seeing that my dear comrade Patroclus has fallen--he whom I


s: valued more than all others, and loved as dearly as my own life?


s: I have lost him; aye, and Hector when he had killed him stripped


s: the wondrous armour, so glorious to behold, which the gods gave


s: to Peleus when they laid you in the couch of a mortal man. Would


s: that you were still dwelling among the immortal sea-nymphs, and


s: that Peleus had taken to himself some mortal bride. For now you


s: shall have grief infinite by reason of the death of that son whom


s: among mankind unless Hector fall by my spear, and thus pay me for


s: Thetis wept and answered, "Then, my son, is your end near at


s: hand--for your own death awaits you full soon after that of


s: Then said Achilles in his great grief, "I would die here and now,


s: is there for me? Return to my own land I shall not, and I have


s: brought no saving neither to Patroclus nor to my other comrades


s: of whom so many have been slain by mighty Hector; I stay here by


s: my ships a bootless burden upon the earth, I, who in fight have


s: no peer among the Achaeans, though in council there are better


s: than I. Therefore, perish strife both from among gods and men,


s: and anger, wherein even a righteous man will harden his


s: heart--which rises up in the soul of a man like smoke, and the


s: taste thereof is sweeter than drops of honey. Even so has


s: Agamemnon angered me. And yet--so be it, for it is over; I will


s: force my soul into subjection as I needs must; I will go; I will


s: pursue Hector who has slain him whom I loved so dearly, and will


s: then abide my doom when it may please Jove and the other gods to


s: send it. Even Hercules, the best beloved of Jove--even he could


s: not escape the hand of death, but fate and Juno's fierce anger


s: laid him low, as I too shall lie when I am dead if a like doom


s: awaits me. Till then I will win fame, and will bid Trojan and


s: Dardanian women wring tears from their tender cheeks with both


s: their hands in the grievousness of their great sorrow; thus shall


s: longer. Hold me not back, therefore, in the love you bear me, for


s: Then silver-footed Thetis answered, "My son, what you have said


s: is true. It is well to save your comrades from destruction, but


s: your armour is in the hands of the Trojans; Hector bears it in


s: triumph upon his own shoulders. Full well I know that his vaunt


s: shall not be lasting, for his end is close at hand; go not,


s: however, into the press of battle till you see me return hither;


s: to-morrow at break of day I shall be here, and will bring you


s: On this she left her brave son, and as she turned away she said


s: to the sea-nymphs her sisters, "Dive into the bosom of the sea


s: and go to the house of the old sea-god my father. Tell him


s: everything; as for me, I will go to the cunning workman Vulcan on


s: When she had so said, they dived forthwith beneath the waves,


s: while silver-footed Thetis went her way that she might bring the


s: Thus, then, did her feet bear the goddess to Olympus, and


s: meanwhile the Achaeans were flying with loud cries before


s: murderous Hector till they reached the ships and the Hellespont,


s: and they could not draw the body of Mars's servant Patroclus out


s: of reach of the weapons that were showered upon him, for Hector


s: son of Priam with his host and horsemen had again caught up to


s: him like the flame of a fiery furnace; thrice did brave Hector


s: seize him by the feet, striving with might and main to draw him


s: away and calling loudly on the Trojans, and thrice did the two


s: Ajaxes, clothed in valour as with a garment, beat him from off


s: the body; but all undaunted he would now charge into the thick of


s: he would give no ground. As upland shepherds that cannot chase


s: some famished lion from a carcase, even so could not the two


s: Ajaxes scare Hector son of Priam from the body of Patroclus.


s: And now he would even have dragged it off and have won


s: imperishable glory, had not Iris fleet as the wind, winged her


s: way as messenger from Olympus to the son of Peleus and bidden him


s: other gods, for Juno sent her, and when she had got close to him


s: she said, "Up, son of Peleus, mightiest of all mankind; rescue


s: Patroclus about whom this fearful fight is now raging by the


s: ships. Men are killing one another, the Danaans in defence of the


s: for cutting the head from the body and fixing it on the stakes of


s: thought that Patroclus may become meat for the dogs of Troy.


s: Shame on you, should his body suffer any kind of outrage."


s: And Achilles said, "Iris, which of the gods was it that sent you


s: Iris answered, "It was Juno the royal spouse of Jove, but the son


s: the immortals who dwell on the snowy summits of Olympus."


s: Then fleet Achilles answered her saying, "How can I go up into


s: the battle? They have my armour. My mother forbade me to arm till


s: the front rank and wielding his spear about the body of dead


s: Iris said, "We know that your armour has been taken, but go as


s: you are; go to the deep trench and show yourself before the


s: Trojans, that they may fear you and cease fighting. Thus will the


s: Iris left him when she had so spoken. But Achilles dear to Jove


s: arose, and Minerva flung her tasselled aegis round his strong


s: shoulders; she crowned his head with a halo of golden cloud from


s: which she kindled a glow of gleaming fire. As the smoke that goes


s: island far out at sea--all day long do men sally from the city


s: and fight their hardest, and at the going down of the sun the


s: line of beacon-fires blazes forth, flaring high for those that


s: dwell near them to behold, if so be that they may come with their


s: but he aid not join the Achaeans for he heeded the charge which


s: There did he stand and shout aloud. Minerva also raised her voice


s: Ringing as the note of a trumpet that sounds alarm then the foe


s: is at the gates of a city, even so brazen was the voice of the


s: son of Aeacus, and when the Trojans heard its clarion tones they


s: were dismayed; the horses turned back with their chariots for


s: they boded mischief, and their drivers were awe-struck by the


s: steady flame which the grey-eyed goddess had kindled above the


s: Thrice did Achilles raise his loud cry as he stood by the trench,


s: confusion; whereon twelve of their noblest champions fell beneath


s: The Achaeans to their great joy then drew Patroclus out of reach


s: of the weapons, and laid him on a litter: his comrades stood


s: mourning round him, and among them fleet Achilles who wept


s: bitterly as he saw his true comrade lying dead upon his bier. He


s: had sent him out with horses and chariots into battle, but his


s: Then Juno sent the busy sun, loth though he was, into the waters


s: of Oceanus; so he set, and the Achaeans had rest from the tug and


s: Now the Trojans when they had come out of the fight, unyoked


s: their horses and gathered in assembly before preparing their


s: supper. They kept their feet, nor would any dare to sit down, for


s: after having held aloof so long from battle. Polydamas son of


s: Panthous was first to speak, a man of judgement, who alone among


s: them could look both before and after. He was comrade to Hector,


s: and they had been born upon the same night; with all sincerity


s: and goodwill, therefore, he addressed them thus:--


s: "Look to it well, my friends; I would urge you to go back now to


s: your city and not wait here by the ships till morning, for we are


s: Agamemnon the Achaeans were easier to deal with, and I would have


s: go in great fear of the fleet son of Peleus; he is so daring that


s: Achaeans fight with equal valour, but he will try to storm our


s: city and carry off our women. Do then as I say, and let us


s: retreat. For this is what will happen. The darkness of night will


s: morning when he sallies forth in full armour, we shall have


s: knowledge of him in good earnest. Glad indeed will he be who can


s: escape and get back to Ilius, and many a Trojan will become meat


s: for dogs and vultures may I never live to hear it. If we do as I


s: say, little though we may like it, we shall have strength in


s: counsel during the night, and the great gates with the doors that


s: ships to fight us. He will go back when he has given his horses


s: their fill of being driven all whithers under our walls, and will


s: will he ever sack it, dogs shall devour him ere he do so."


s: Hector looked fiercely at him and answered, "Polydamas, your


s: words are not to my liking in that you bid us go back and be pent


s: behind walls? In the old-days the city of Priam was famous the


s: whole world over for its wealth of gold and bronze, but our


s: treasures are wasted out of our houses, and much goods have been


s: sold away to Phrygia and fair Meonia, for the hand of Jove has


s: been laid heavily upon us. Now, therefore, that the son of


s: scheming Saturn has vouchsafed me to win glory here and to hem


s: the Achaeans in at their ships, prate no more in this fool's wise


s: throughout the host, and keep your watches and be wakeful every


s: man of you. If any Trojan is uneasy about his possessions, let


s: him gather them and give them out among the people. Better let


s: these, rather than the Achaeans, have them. At daybreak we will


s: arm and fight about the ships; granted that Achilles has again


s: come forward to defend them, let it be as he will, but it shall


s: go hard with him. I shall not shun him, but will fight him, to


s: fall or conquer. The god of war deals out like measure to all,


s: Thus spoke Hector; and the Trojans, fools that they were, shouted


s: understanding. They gave ear to Hector with his evil counsel, but


s: supper throughout the host, and meanwhile through the whole night


s: comrade, groaning again and again as a bearded lion when a man


s: who was chasing deer has robbed him of his young in some dense


s: forest; when the lion comes back he is furious, and searches


s: dingle and dell to track the hunter if he can find him, for he is


s: the Myrmidons saying, "Alas! vain were the words with which I


s: cheered the hero Menoetius in his own house; I said that I would


s: bring his brave son back again to Opoeis after he had sacked


s: Ilius and taken his share of the spoils--but Jove does not give


s: all men their heart's desire. The same soil shall be reddened


s: here at Troy by the blood of us both, for I too shall never be


s: welcomed home by the old knight Peleus, nor by my mother Thetis,


s: but even in this place shall the earth cover me. Nevertheless, O


s: Patroclus, now that I am left behind you, I will not bury you,


s: till I have brought hither the head and armour of mighty Hector


s: who has slain you. Twelve noble sons of Trojans will I behead


s: before your bier to avenge you; till I have done so you shall lie


s: whom we have taken with spear and strength of arm when we sacked


s: men's goodly cities, shall weep over you both night and day."


s: Then Achilles told his men to set a large tripod upon the fire


s: that they might wash the clotted gore from off Patroclus. Thereon


s: threw sticks on to it to make it blaze, and the water became hot


s: as the flame played about the belly of the tripod. When the water


s: with oil, and closed its wounds with ointment that had been kept


s: nine years. Then they laid it on a bier and covered it with a


s: linen cloth from head to foot, and over this they laid a fair


s: white robe. Thus all night long did the Myrmidons gather round


s: Then Jove said to Juno his sister-wife, "So, Queen Juno, you have


s: that the Achaeans were of your own flesh and blood."


s: And Juno answered, "Dread son of Saturn, why should you say this


s: thing? May not a man though he be only mortal and knows less than


s: foremost of all goddesses both by descent and as wife to you who


s: reign in heaven--devise evil for the Trojans if I am angry with


s: Thus did they converse. Meanwhile Thetis came to the house of


s: Vulcan, imperishable, star-bespangled, fairest of the abodes in


s: heaven, a house of bronze wrought by the lame god's own hands.


s: She found him busy with his bellows, sweating and hard at work,


s: for he was making twenty tripods that were to stand by the wall


s: of his house, and he set wheels of gold under them all that they


s: might go of their own selves to the assemblies of the gods, and


s: come back again--marvels indeed to see. They were finished all


s: but the ears of cunning workmanship which yet remained to be


s: fixed to them: these he was now fixing, and he was hammering at


s: the rivets. While he was thus at work silver-footed Thetis came


s: to the house. Charis, of graceful head-dress, wife to the


s: far-famed lame god, came towards her as soon as she saw her, and


s: took her hand in her own, saying, "Why have you come to our


s: house, Thetis, honoured and ever welcome--for you do not visit us


s: The goddess led the way as she spoke, and bade Thetis sit on a


s: richly decorated seat inlaid with silver; there was a footstool


s: also under her feet. Then she called Vulcan and said, "Vulcan,


s: come here, Thetis wants you"; and the far-famed lame god


s: answered, "Then it is indeed an august and honoured goddess who


s: has come here; she it was that took care of me when I was


s: suffering from the heavy fall which I had through my cruel


s: mother's anger--for she would have got rid of me because I was


s: lame. It would have gone hardly with me had not Eurynome,


s: daughter of the ever-encircling waters of Oceanus, and Thetis,


s: taken me to their bosom. Nine years did I stay with them, and


s: many beautiful works in bronze, brooches, spiral armlets, cups,


s: and chains, did I make for them in their cave, with the roaring


s: waters of Oceanus foaming as they rushed ever past it; and no one


s: took care of me. If, then, Thetis has come to my house I must


s: make her due requital for having saved me; entertain her,


s: therefore, with all hospitality, while I put by my bellows and


s: On this the mighty monster hobbled off from his anvil, his thin


s: legs plying lustily under him. He set the bellows away from the


s: fire, and gathered his tools into a silver chest. Then he took a


s: sponge and washed his face and hands, his shaggy chest and brawny


s: towards the door. There were golden handmaids also who worked for


s: busied themselves as the king bade them, while he drew near to


s: Thetis, seated her upon a goodly seat, and took her hand in his


s: own, saying, "Why have you come to our house, Thetis honoured and


s: and I will do it for you at once if I can, and if it can be done


s: Thetis wept and answered, "Vulcan, is there another goddess in


s: Olympus whom the son of Saturn has been pleased to try with so


s: much affliction as he has me? Me alone of the marine goddesses


s: did he make subject to a mortal husband, Peleus son of Aeacus,


s: and sorely against my will did I submit to the embraces of one


s: who was but mortal, and who now stays at home worn out with age.


s: Neither is this all. Heaven vouchsafed me a son, hero among


s: heroes, and he shot up as a sapling. I tended him as a plant in a


s: Trojans, but never shall I welcome him back to the house of


s: Peleus. So long as he lives to look upon the light of the sun, he


s: Agamemnon has made him give up the maiden whom the sons of the


s: Achaeans had awarded him, and he wastes with sorrow for her sake.


s: and would not let them come forth; the elders, therefore, of the


s: Argives besought Achilles and offered him great treasure, whereon


s: armour on Patroclus and sent him into the fight with much people


s: after him. All day long they fought by the Scaean gates and would


s: glory to Hector and slain the valiant son of Menoetius after he


s: had done the Trojans much evil. Therefore I am suppliant at your


s: knees if haply you may be pleased to provide my son, whose end is


s: with ancle-clasps, and with a breastplate, for he lost his own


s: when his true comrade fell at the hands of the Trojans, and he


s: now lies stretched on earth in the bitterness of his soul."


s: And Vulcan answered, "Take heart, and be no more disquieted about


s: his hour is come, so surely as I can find him armour that shall


s: When he had so said he left her and went to his bellows, turning


s: them towards the fire and bidding them do their office. Twenty


s: bellows blew upon the melting-pots, and they blew blasts of every


s: others less strong as Vulcan willed it in the course of his work.


s: gold; he set his great anvil on its block, and with one hand


s: grasped his mighty hammer while he took the tongs in the other.


s: First he shaped the shield so great and strong, adorning it all


s: over and binding it round with a gleaming circuit in three


s: layers; and the baldric was made of silver. He made the shield in


s: He wrought the earth, the heavens, and the sea; the moon also at


s: her full and the untiring sun, with all the signs that glorify


s: the face of heaven--the Pleiads, the Hyads, huge Orion, and the


s: Bear, which men also call the Wain and which turns round ever in


s: one place, facing. Orion, and alone never dips into the stream of


s: He wrought also two cities, fair to see and busy with the hum of


s: men. In the one were weddings and wedding-feasts, and they were


s: going about the city with brides whom they were escorting by


s: torchlight from their chambers. Loud rose the cry of Hymen, and


s: the youths danced to the music of flute and lyre, while the women


s: Meanwhile the people were gathered in assembly, for there was a


s: quarrel, and two men were wrangling about the blood-money for a


s: man who had been killed, the one saying before the people that he


s: paid. Each was trying to make his own case good, and the people


s: took sides, each man backing the side that he had taken; but the


s: heralds kept them back, and the elders sate on their seats of


s: stone in a solemn circle, holding the staves which the heralds


s: had put into their hands. Then they rose and each in his turn


s: gave judgement, and there were two talents laid down, to be given


s: About the other city there lay encamped two hosts in gleaming


s: armour, and they were divided whether to sack it, or to spare it


s: and accept the half of what it contained. But the men of the city


s: them were the men who were past fighting through age; but the


s: others sallied forth with Mars and Pallas Minerva at their head--


s: and fair with their armour as befitting gods, while they that


s: followed were smaller. When they reached the place where they


s: would lay their ambush, it was on a riverbed to which live stock


s: of all kinds would come from far and near to water; here, then,


s: they lay concealed, clad in full armour. Some way off them there


s: were two scouts who were on the look-out for the coming of sheep


s: or cattle, which presently came, followed by two shepherds who


s: were playing on their pipes, and had not so much as a thought of


s: danger. When those who were in ambush saw this, they cut off the


s: flocks and herds and killed the shepherds. Meanwhile the


s: besiegers, when they heard much noise among the cattle as they


s: sat in council, sprang to their horses, and made with all speed


s: towards them; when they reached them they set battle in array by


s: the banks of the river, and the hosts aimed their bronze-shod


s: spears at one another. With them were Strife and Riot, and fell


s: Fate who was dragging three men after her, one with a fresh


s: wound, and the other unwounded, while the third was dead, and she


s: in men's blood. They went in and out with one another and fought


s: as though they were living people haling away one another's dead.


s: He wrought also a fair fallow field, large and thrice ploughed


s: already. Many men were working at the plough within it, turning


s: their oxen to and fro, furrow after furrow. Each time that they


s: turned on reaching the headland a man would come up to them and


s: give them a cup of wine, and they would go back to their furrows


s: looking forward to the time when they should again reach the


s: headland. The part that they had ploughed was dark behind them,


s: so that the field, though it was of gold, still looked as if it


s: were being ploughed--very curious to behold.


s: He wrought also a field of harvest corn, and the reapers were


s: reaping with sharp sickles in their hands. Swathe after swathe


s: fell to the ground in a straight line behind them, and the


s: binders bound them in bands of twisted straw. There were three


s: binders, and behind them there were boys who gathered the cut


s: corn in armfuls and kept on bringing them to be bound: among them


s: servants were getting a meal ready under an oak, for they had


s: sacrificed a great ox, and were busy cutting him up, while the


s: women were making a porridge of much white barley for the


s: He wrought also a vineyard, golden and fair to see, and the vines


s: metal all round it, and fenced it with a fence of tin; there was


s: only one path to it, and by this the vintagers went when they


s: would gather the vintage. Youths and maidens all blithe and full


s: of glee, carried the luscious fruit in plaited baskets; and with


s: them there went a boy who made sweet music with his lyre, and


s: sang the Linos-song with his clear boyish voice.


s: He wrought also a herd of horned cattle. He made the cows of gold


s: to go and feed among the waving reeds that grow by the banks of


s: the river. Along with the cattle there went four shepherds, all


s: of them in gold, and their nine fleet dogs went with them. Two


s: terrible lions had fastened on a bellowing bull that was with the


s: dogs and men gave chase: the lions tore through the bull's thick


s: hide and were gorging on his blood and bowels, but the herdsmen


s: were afraid to do anything, and only hounded on their dogs; the


s: dogs dared not fasten on the lions but stood by barking and


s: The god wrought also a pasture in a fair mountain dell, and a


s: large flock of sheep, with a homestead and huts, and sheltered


s: Furthermore he wrought a green, like that which Daedalus once


s: made in Cnossus for lovely Ariadne. Hereon there danced youths


s: and maidens whom all would woo, with their hands on one another's


s: well woven shirts that were slightly oiled. The girls were


s: crowned with garlands, while the young men had daggers of gold


s: that hung by silver baldrics; sometimes they would dance deftly


s: in a ring with merry twinkling feet, as it were a potter sitting


s: at his work and making trial of his wheel to see whether it will


s: run, and sometimes they would go all in line with one another,


s: and much people was gathered joyously about the green. There was


s: a bard also to sing to them and play his lyre, while two tumblers


s: All round the outermost rim of the shield he set the mighty


s: Then when he had fashioned the shield so great and strong, he


s: made a breastplate also that shone brighter than fire. He made a


s: helmet, close fitting to the brow, and richly worked, with a


s: golden plume overhanging it; and he made greaves also of beaten


s: Lastly, when the famed lame god had made all the armour, he took


s: it and set it before the mother of Achilles; whereon she darted


s: like a falcon from the snowy summits of Olympus and bore away the


s: Achilles is reconciled with Agamemnon, puts on the armour


s: which Vulcan had made him, and goes out to fight.


s: NOW when Dawn in robe of saffron was hasting from the streams of


s: Oceanus, to bring light to mortals and immortals, Thetis reached


s: the ships with the armour that the god had given her. She found


s: her son fallen about the body of Patroclus and weeping bitterly.


s: Many also of his followers were weeping round him, but when the


s: goddess came among them she clasped his hand in her own, saying,


s: "My son, grieve as we may we must let this man lie, for it is by


s: heaven's will that he has fallen; now, therefore, accept from


s: Vulcan this rich and goodly armour, which no man has ever yet


s: As she spoke she set the armour before Achilles, and it rang out


s: bravely as she did so. The Myrmidons were struck with awe, and


s: none dared look full at it, for they were afraid; but Achilles


s: was roused to still greater fury, and his eyes gleamed with a


s: fierce light, for he was glad when he handled the splendid


s: present which the god had made him. Then, as soon as he had


s: satisfied himself with looking at it, he said to his mother,


s: "Mother, the god has given me armour, meet handiwork for an


s: immortal and such as no-one living could have fashioned; I will


s: now arm, but I much fear that flies will settle upon the son of


s: Menoetius and breed worms about his wounds, so that his body, now


s: Silver-footed Thetis answered, "My son, be not disquieted about


s: this matter. I will find means to protect him from the swarms of


s: noisome flies that prey on the bodies of men who have been killed


s: Achaean heroes in assembly; unsay your anger against Agamemnon;


s: arm at once, and fight with might and main."


s: As she spoke she put strength and courage into his heart, and she


s: Patroclus, that his body might suffer no change.


s: Then Achilles went out upon the seashore, and with a loud cry


s: called on the Achaean heroes. On this even those who as yet had


s: stayed always at the ships, the pilots and helmsmen, and even the


s: came to the place of assembly because Achilles had shown himself


s: after having held aloof so long from fighting. Two sons of Mars,


s: Ulysses and the son of Tydeus, came limping, for their wounds


s: still pained them; nevertheless they came, and took their seats


s: in the front row of the assembly. Last of all came Agamemnon,


s: king of men, he too wounded, for Coon son of Antenor had struck


s: When the Achaeans were got together Achilles rose and said, "Son


s: of Atreus, surely it would have been better alike for both you


s: and me, when we two were in such high anger about Briseis, surely


s: ships on the day when I took her after having sacked Lyrnessus.


s: For so, many an Achaean the less would have bitten dust before


s: the foe in the days of my anger. It has been well for Hector and


s: the Trojans, but the Achaeans will long indeed remember our


s: quarrel. Now, however, let it be, for it is over. If we have been


s: that I may go out against the Trojans, and learn whether they


s: will be in a mind to sleep by the ships or no. Glad, I ween, will


s: Thus did he speak, and the Achaeans rejoiced in that he had put


s: Then Agamemnon spoke, rising in his place, and not going into the


s: Mars, it is well to listen when a man stands up to speak, and it


s: is not seemly to interrupt him, or it will go hard even with a


s: practised speaker. Who can either hear or speak in an uproar?


s: Even the finest orator will be disconcerted by it. I will expound


s: me well. Often have the Achaeans spoken to me of this matter and


s: upbraided me, but it was not I that did it: Jove, and Fate, and


s: Erinys that walks in darkness struck me mad when we were


s: assembled on the day that I took from Achilles the meed that had


s: been awarded to him. What could I do? All things are in the hand


s: of heaven, and Folly, eldest of Jove's daughters, shuts men's


s: eyes to their destruction. She walks delicately, not on the solid


s: "Time was when she fooled Jove himself, who they say is greatest


s: whether of gods or men; for Juno, woman though she was, beguiled


s: him on the day when Alcmena was to bring forth mighty Hercules in


s: 'Hear me, all gods and goddesses, that I may speak even as I am


s: minded; this day shall an Ilithuia, helper of women who are in


s: labour, bring a man child into the world who shall be lord over


s: all that dwell about him who are of my blood and lineage.' Then


s: said Juno all crafty and full of guile, 'You will play false, and


s: great oath, that he who shall this day fall between the feet of a


s: "Thus she spoke, and Jove suspected her not, but swore the great


s: oath, to his much ruing thereafter. For Juno darted down from the


s: she knew that the noble wife of Sthenelus son of Perseus then


s: was. She being with child and in her seventh month, Juno brought


s: the child to birth though there was a month still wanting, but


s: she stayed the offspring of Alcmena, and kept back the Ilithuiae.


s: Jove, lord of the lightning--I have a word for your ear. There is


s: of Perseus; he is of your lineage; it is well, therefore, that he


s: "On this Jove was stung to the very quick, and in his rage he


s: caught Folly by the hair, and swore a great oath that never


s: should she again invade starry heaven and Olympus, for she was


s: the bane of all. Then he whirled her round with a twist of his


s: hand, and flung her down from heaven so that she fell on to the


s: fields of mortal men; and he was ever angry with her when he saw


s: his son groaning under the cruel labours that Eurystheus laid


s: upon him. Even so did I grieve when mighty Hector was killing the


s: reason; I will now make atonement, and will add much treasure by


s: way of amends. Go, therefore, into battle, you and your people


s: with you. I will give you all that Ulysses offered you yesterday


s: in your tents: or if it so please you, wait, though you would


s: fain fight at once, and my squires shall bring the gifts from my


s: ship, that you may see whether what I give you is enough."


s: And Achilles answered, "Son of Atreus, king of men Agamemnon, you


s: them: it is in your own hands. Let us now set battle in array; it


s: which is as yet to do. Achilles shall again be seen fighting


s: among the foremost, and laying low the ranks of the Trojans: bear


s: Then Ulysses said, "Achilles, godlike and brave, send not the


s: Achaeans thus against Ilius to fight the Trojans fasting, for the


s: has filled both sides with fury; bid them first take food both


s: bread and wine by the ships, for in this there is strength and


s: stay. No man can do battle the livelong day to the going down of


s: the sun if he is without food; however much he may want to fight


s: his strength will fail him before he knows it; hunger and thirst


s: will find him out, and his limbs will grow weary under him. But a


s: heart beats high, and his strength will stay till he has routed


s: all his foes; therefore, send the people away and bid them


s: prepare their meal; King Agamemnon will bring out the gifts in


s: presence of the assembly, that all may see them and you may be


s: satisfied. Moreover let him swear an oath before the Argives that


s: full. As for you, son of Atreus, treat people more righteously in


s: amends if he was wrong in the first instance."


s: And King Agamemnon answered, "Son of Laertes, your words please


s: me well, for throughout you have spoken wisely. I will swear as


s: you would have me do; I do so of my own free will, neither shall


s: I take the name of heaven in vain. Let, then, Achilles wait,


s: though he would fain fight at once, and do you others wait also,


s: till the gifts come from my tent and we ratify the oath with


s: sacrifice. Thus, then, do I charge you: take some noble young


s: Achaeans with you, and bring from my tents the gifts that I


s: promised yesterday to Achilles, and bring the women also;


s: furthermore let Talthybius find me a boar from those that are


s: with the host, and make it ready for sacrifice to Jove and to the


s: Then said Achilles, "Son of Atreus, king of men Agamemnon, see to


s: and when I am calmer. Would you have men eat while the bodies of


s: those whom Hector son of Priam slew are still lying mangled upon


s: the plain? Let the sons of the Achaeans, say I, fight fasting and


s: down of the sun let them eat their fill. As for me, Patroclus is


s: lying dead in my tent, all hacked and hewn, with his feet to the


s: door, and his comrades are mourning round him. Therefore I can


s: take thought of nothing save only slaughter and blood and the


s: Ulysses answered, "Achilles, son of Peleus, mightiest of all the


s: Achaeans, in battle you are better than I, and that more than a


s: little, but in counsel I am much before you, for I am older and


s: of greater knowledge. Therefore be patient under my words.


s: Fighting is a thing of which men soon surfeit, and when Jove, who


s: straw which our sickles have reaped is far heavier than the


s: grain. It may not be that the Achaeans should mourn the dead with


s: continually; when should we have respite from our sorrow? Let us


s: mourn our dead for a day and bury them out of sight and mind, but


s: fight our foes more fiercely. In that hour let no man hold back,


s: waiting for a second summons; such summons shall bode ill for him


s: one man and loose the fury of war upon the Trojans."


s: When he had thus spoken he took with him the sons of Nestor, with


s: The word was not sooner said than the deed was done: they


s: brought out the seven tripods which Agamemnon had promised, with


s: the twenty metal cauldrons and the twelve horses; they also


s: brought the women skilled in useful arts, seven in number, with


s: Briseis, which made eight. Ulysses weighed out the ten talents of


s: the rest of the gifts, and laid them in the middle of the


s: Agamemnon then rose, and Talthybius whose voice was like that of


s: a god came to him with the boar. The son of Atreus drew the knife


s: cutting off some bristles from the boar, lifting up his hands in


s: prayer as he did so. The other Achaeans sat where they were all


s: silent and orderly to hear the king, and Agamemnon looked into


s: the vault of heaven and prayed saying, "I call Jove the first and


s: the Erinyes who dwell below and take vengeance on him who shall


s: swear falsely, that I have laid no hand upon the girl Briseis,


s: neither to take her to my bed nor otherwise, but that she has


s: remained in my tents inviolate. If I swear falsely may heaven


s: visit me with all the penalties which it metes out to those who


s: He cut the boar's throat as he spoke, whereon Talthybius whirled


s: it round his head, and flung it into the wide sea to feed the


s: fishes. Then Achilles also rose and said to the Argives, "Father


s: Jove, of a truth you blind men's eyes and bane them. The son of


s: Atreus had not else stirred me to so fierce an anger, nor so


s: stubbornly taken Briseis from me against my will. Surely Jove


s: must have counselled the destruction of many an Argive. Go, now,


s: and take your food that we may begin fighting."


s: On this he broke up the assembly, and every man went back to his


s: own ship. The Myrmidons attended to the presents and took them


s: away to the ship of Achilles. They placed them in his tents,


s: while the stable-men drove the horses in among the others.


s: Briseis, fair as Venus, when she saw the mangled body of


s: Patroclus, flung herself upon it and cried aloud, tearing her


s: breast, her neck, and her lovely face with both her hands.


s: Beautiful as a goddess she wept and said, "Patroclus, dearest


s: friend, when I went hence I left you living; I return, O prince,


s: to find you dead; thus do fresh sorrows multiply upon me one


s: after the other. I saw him to whom my father and mother married


s: me, cut down before our city, and my three own dear brothers


s: perished with him on the self-same day; but you, Patroclus, even


s: when Achilles slew my husband and sacked the city of noble Mynes,


s: Achilles marry me, and take me back with him to Phthia, we should


s: She wept as she spoke, and the women joined in her lament-making


s: as though their tears were for Patroclus, but in truth each was


s: weeping for her own sorrows. The elders of the Achaeans gathered


s: round Achilles and prayed him to take food, but he groaned and


s: would not do so. "I pray you," said he, "if any comrade will hear


s: and will stay fasting even to the going down of the sun."


s: On this he sent the other princes away, save only the two sons of


s: who stayed behind and tried to comfort him in the bitterness of


s: his sorrow: but he would not be comforted till he should have


s: flung himself into the jaws of battle, and he fetched sigh on


s: sigh, thinking ever of Patroclus. Then he said--


s: "Hapless and dearest comrade, you it was who would get a good


s: dinner ready for me at once and without delay when the Achaeans


s: were hasting to fight the Trojans; now, therefore, though I have


s: meat and drink in my tents, yet will I fast for sorrow. Grief


s: greater than this I could not know, not even though I were to


s: hear of the death of my father, who is now in Phthia weeping for


s: the loss of me his son, who am here fighting the Trojans in a


s: strange land for the accursed sake of Helen, nor yet though I


s: should hear that my son is no more--he who is being brought up in


s: sure that I alone was to fall here at Troy away from Argos, while


s: own ship, and show him all my property, my bondsmen, and the


s: greatness of my house--for Peleus must surely be either dead, or


s: what little life remains to him is oppressed alike with the


s: infirmities of age and ever present fear lest he should hear the


s: He wept as he spoke, and the elders sighed in concert as each


s: thought on what he had left at home behind him. The son of Saturn


s: "My child, you have quite deserted your hero; is he then gone so


s: clean out of your recollection? There he sits by the ships all


s: desolate for the loss of his dear comrade, and though the others


s: are gone to their dinner he will neither eat nor drink. Go then


s: and drop nectar and ambrosia into his breast, that he may know no


s: With these words he urged Minerva, who was already of the same


s: mind. She darted down from heaven into the air like some falcon


s: sailing on his broad wings and screaming. Meanwhile the Achaeans


s: were arming throughout the host, and when Minerva had dropped


s: nectar and ambrosia into Achilles so that no cruel hunger should


s: cause his limbs to fail him, she went back to the house of her


s: mighty father. Thick as the chill snow-flakes shed from the hand


s: of Jove and borne on the keen blasts of the north wind, even so


s: thick did the gleaming helmets, the bossed shields, the strongly


s: plated breastplates, and the ashen spears stream from the ships.


s: The sheen pierced the sky, the whole land was radiant with their


s: flashing armour, and the sound of the tramp of their treading


s: rose from under their feet. In the midst of them all Achilles put


s: for his grief was greater than he could bear. Thus, then, full of


s: First he put on the goodly greaves fitted with ancle-clasps, and


s: next he did on the breastplate about his chest. He slung the


s: silver-studded sword of bronze about his shoulders, and then took


s: splendour as of the moon. As the light seen by sailors from out


s: at sea, when men have lit a fire in their homestead high up among


s: gleam of Achilles' wondrous shield strike up into the heavens. He


s: whence it shone like a star, and the golden plumes which Vulcan


s: had set thick about the ridge of the helmet, waved all around it.


s: it fitted him, so that his limbs could play freely under it, and


s: it seemed to buoy him up as though it had been wings.


s: He also drew his father's spear out of the spear-stand, a spear


s: so great and heavy and strong that none of the Achaeans save only


s: ash from the topmost ridges of Mt. Pelion, which Chiron had once


s: given to Peleus, fraught with the death of heroes. Automedon and


s: Alcimus busied themselves with the harnessing of his horses; they


s: drawing the reins back towards the chariot. Automedon, whip in


s: hand, sprang up behind the horses, and after him Achilles mounted


s: loud voice he chided with his father's horses saying, "Xanthus


s: and Balius, famed offspring of Podarge--this time when we have


s: done fighting be sure and bring your driver safely back to the


s: host of the Achaeans, and do not leave him dead on the plain as


s: Then fleet Xanthus answered under the yoke--for white-armed Juno


s: had endowed him with human speech--and he bowed his head till his


s: day of your death is near, and the blame will not be ours, for it


s: it through any sloth or slackness on our part that the Trojans


s: stripped Patroclus of his armour; it was the mighty god whom


s: lovely Leto bore that slew him as he fought among the foremost,


s: and vouchsafed a triumph to Hector. We two can fly as swiftly as


s: Zephyrus who they say is fleetest of all winds; nevertheless it


s: is your doom to fall by the hand of a man and of a god."


s: When he had thus said the Erinyes stayed his speech, and Achilles


s: thus foretell my death? You need not do so, for I well know that


s: I am to fall here, far from my dear father and mother; none the


s: more, however, shall I stay my hand till I have given the Trojans


s: So saying, with a loud cry he drove his horses to the front.


s: The gods hold a council and determine to watch the fight, from


s: the hill Callicolone, and the barrow of Hercules--A fight


s: between Achilles and AEneas is interrupted by Neptune, who


s: saves AEneas--Achilles kills many Trojans.


s: THUS, then, did the Achaeans arm by their ships round you, O son


s: of Peleus, who were hungering for battle; while the Trojans over


s: against them armed upon the rise of the plain.


s: Meanwhile Jove from the top of many-delled Olympus, bade Themis


s: gather the gods in council, whereon she went about and called


s: them to the house of Jove. There was not a river absent except


s: Oceanus, nor a single one of the nymphs that haunt fair groves,


s: or springs of rivers and meadows of green grass. When they


s: reached the house of cloud-compelling Jove, they took their seats


s: consummate skill had made for father Jove.


s: In such wise, therefore, did they gather in the house of Jove.


s: Neptune also, lord of the earthquake, obeyed the call of the


s: goddess, and came up out of the sea to join them. There, sitting


s: in the midst of them, he asked what Jove's purpose might be.


s: "Why," said he, "wielder of the lightning, have you called the


s: gods in council? Are you considering some matter that concerns


s: the Trojans and Achaeans--for the blaze of battle is on the point


s: And Jove answered, "You know my purpose, shaker of earth, and


s: wherefore I have called you hither. I take thought for them even


s: in their destruction. For my own part I shall stay here seated on


s: among Trojans and Achaeans, and help either side as you may be


s: severally disposed. If Achilles fights the Trojans without


s: hindrance they will make no stand against him; they have ever


s: trembled at the sight of him, and now that he is roused to such


s: fury about his comrade, he will override fate itself and storm


s: Thus spoke Jove and gave the word for war, whereon the gods took


s: their several sides and went into battle. Juno, Pallas Minerva,


s: earth-encircling Neptune, Mercury bringer of good luck and


s: excellent in all cunning--all these joined the host that came


s: from the ships; with them also came Vulcan in all his glory,


s: limping, but yet with his thin legs plying lustily under him.


s: Mars of gleaming helmet joined the Trojans, and with him Apollo


s: of locks unshorn, and the archer goddess Diana, Leto, Xanthus,


s: So long as the gods held themselves aloof from mortal warriors


s: the Achaeans were triumphant, for Achilles who had long refused


s: to fight was now with them. There was not a Trojan but his limbs


s: failed him for fear as he beheld the fleet son of Peleus all


s: glorious in his armour, and looking like Mars himself. When,


s: however, the Olympians came to take their part among men,


s: forthwith uprose strong Strife, rouser of hosts, and Minerva


s: raised her loud voice, now standing by the deep trench that ran


s: outside the wall, and now shouting with all her might upon the


s: shore of the sounding sea. Mars also bellowed out upon the other


s: side, dark as some black thunder-cloud, and called on the Trojans


s: Thus did the gods spur on both hosts to fight, and rouse fierce


s: contention also among themselves. The sire of gods and men


s: thundered from heaven above, while from beneath Neptune shook the


s: and the ships of the Achaeans. Hades, king of the realms below,


s: was struck with fear; he sprang panic-stricken from his throne


s: and cried aloud in terror lest Neptune, lord of the earthquake,


s: should crack the ground over his head, and lay bare his mouldy


s: mansions to the sight of mortals and immortals--mansions so


s: ghastly grim that even the gods shudder to think of them. Such


s: was the uproar as the gods came together in battle. Apollo with


s: his arrows took his stand to face King Neptune, while Minerva


s: took hers against the god of war; the archer-goddess Diana with


s: her golden arrows, sister of far-darting Apollo, stood to face


s: Juno; Mercury the lusty bringer of good luck faced Leto, while


s: the mighty eddying river whom men can Scamander, but gods


s: Xanthus, matched himself against Vulcan.


s: The gods, then, were thus ranged against one another. But the


s: heart of Achilles was set on meeting Hector son of Priam, for it


s: was with his blood that he longed above all things else to glut


s: the stubborn lord of battle. Meanwhile Apollo set Aeneas on to


s: attack the son of Peleus, and put courage into his heart,


s: speaking with the voice of Lycaon son of Priam. In his likeness


s: therefore, he said to Aeneas, "Aeneas, counsellor of the Trojans,


s: wine before the Trojan princes, saying that you would fight


s: Achilles son of Peleus in single combat?"


s: And Aeneas answered, "Why do you thus bid me fight the proud son


s: of Peleus, when I am in no mind to do so? Were I to face him now,


s: to Right from Ida, when he attacked our cattle and sacked


s: Lyrnessus and Pedasus; Jove indeed saved me in that he vouchsafed


s: and Minerva, who went before him to protect him and urged him to


s: fall upon the Lelegae and Trojans. No man may fight Achilles, for


s: even were it not so, his weapon flies ever straight, and fails


s: not to pierce the flesh of him who is against him; if heaven


s: would let me fight him on even terms he should not soon overcome


s: me, though he boasts that he is made of bronze."


s: Then said King Apollo, son to Jove, "Nay, hero, pray to the


s: ever-living gods, for men say that you were born of Jove's


s: daughter Venus, whereas Achilles is son to a goddess of inferior


s: rank. Venus is child to Jove, while Thetis is but daughter to the


s: him, and let him not scare you with his taunts and menaces."


s: As he spoke he put courage into the heart of the shepherd of his


s: people, and he strode in full armour among the ranks of the


s: foremost fighters. Nor did the son of Anchises escape the notice


s: of white-armed Juno, as he went forth into the throng to meet


s: Achilles. She called the gods about her, and said, "Look to it,


s: you two, Neptune and Minerva, and consider how this shall be;


s: Phoebus Apollo has been sending Aeneas clad in full armour to


s: fight Achilles. Shall we turn him back at once, or shall one of


s: us stand by Achilles and endow him with strength so that his


s: heart fail not, and he may learn that the chiefs of the immortals


s: defending the Trojans are but vain helpers? Let us all come down


s: from Olympus and join in the fight, that this day he may take no


s: hurt at the hands of the Trojans. Hereafter let him suffer


s: whatever fate may have spun out for him when he was begotten and


s: his mother bore him. If Achilles be not thus assured by the voice


s: in battle, for the gods are terrible if they are seen face to


s: Neptune lord of the earthquake answered her saying, "Juno,


s: restrain your fury; it is not well; I am not in favour of forcing


s: our own side; let us take our places on some hill out of the


s: beaten track, and let mortals fight it out among themselves. If


s: Mars or Phoebus Apollo begin fighting, or keep Achilles in check


s: so that he cannot fight, we too, will at once raise the cry of


s: battle, and in that case they will soon leave the field and go


s: back vanquished to Olympus among the other gods."


s: With these words the dark-haired god led the way to the high


s: earth-barrow of Hercules, built round solid masonry, and made by


s: the Trojans and Pallas Minerva for him fly to when the


s: sea-monster was chasing him from the shore on to the plain. Here


s: Neptune and those that were with him took their seats, wrapped in


s: on the brow of Callicolone round you, O Phoebus, and Mars the


s: Thus did the gods sit apart and form their plans, but neither


s: side was willing to begin battle with the other, and Jove from


s: his seat on high was in command over them all. Meanwhile the


s: whole plain was alive with men and horses, and blazing with the


s: gleam of armour. The earth rang again under the tramp of their


s: feet as they rushed towards each other, and two champions, by far


s: Aeneas was first to stride forward in attack, his doughty helmet


s: tossing defiance as he came on. He held his strong shield before


s: his breast, and brandished his bronze spear. The son of Peleus


s: from the other side sprang forth to meet him, like some fierce


s: lion that the whole country-side has met to hunt and kill--at


s: first he bodes no ill, but when some daring youth has struck him


s: with a spear, he crouches openmouthed, his jaws foam, he roars


s: with fury, he lashes his tail from side to side about his ribs


s: and loins, and glares as he springs straight before him, to find


s: out whether he is to slay, or be slain among the foremost of his


s: foes--even with such fury did Achilles burn to spring upon


s: When they were now close up with one another Achilles was first


s: to speak. "Aeneas," said he, "why do you stand thus out before


s: the host to fight me? Is it that you hope to reign over the


s: Trojans in the seat of Priam? Nay, though you kill me Priam will


s: not hand his kingdom over to you. He is a man of sound judgement,


s: you a demesne of passing richness, fair with orchard lawns and


s: corn lands, if you should slay me? This you shall hardly do. I


s: have discomfited you once already. Have you forgotten how when


s: you were alone I chased you from your herds helter-skelter down


s: the slopes of Ida? You did not turn round to look behind you; you


s: help of Minerva and father Jove I sacked it and carried its women


s: think they will protect you now, but they will not do so;


s: therefore I say go back into the host, and do not face me, or you


s: Then Aeneas answered, "Son of Peleus, think not that your words


s: can scare me as though I were a child. I too, if I will, can brag


s: matters of common fame, though neither have you ever seen my


s: parents nor I yours. Men say that you are son to noble Peleus,


s: and that your mother is Thetis, fair-haired daughter of the sea.


s: I have noble Anchises for my father, and Venus for my mother; the


s: will be more than silly talk that shall part us when the fight is


s: "In the beginning Dardanus was the son of Jove, and founded


s: Dardania, for Ilius was not yet stablished on the plain for men


s: to dwell in, and her people still abode on the spurs of


s: many-fountained Ida. Dardanus had a son, king Erichthonius, who


s: was wealthiest of all men living; he had three thousand mares


s: that fed by the water-meadows, they and their foals with them.


s: Boreas was enamoured of them as they were feeding, and covered


s: them in the semblance of a dark-maned stallion. Twelve filly


s: foals did they conceive and bear him, and these, as they sped


s: over the rich plain, would go bounding on over the ripe ears of


s: corn and not break them; or again when they would disport


s: themselves on the broad back of Ocean they could gallop on the


s: crest of a breaker. Erichthonius begat Tros, king of the Trojans,


s: was comeliest of mortal men; wherefore the gods carried him off


s: to be Jove's cupbearer, for his beauty's sake, that he might


s: dwell among the immortals. Ilus begat Laomedon, and Laomedon


s: begat Tithonus, Priam, Lampus, Clytius, and Hiketaon of the stock


s: Anchises, who was my father, while Hector is son to Priam.


s: "Such do I declare my blood and lineage, but as for valour, Jove


s: gives it or takes it as he will, for he is lord of all. And now


s: let there be no more of this prating in mid-battle as though we


s: were children. We could fling taunts without end at one another;


s: a hundred-oared galley would not hold them. The tongue can run


s: all whithers and talk all wise; it can go here and there, and as


s: a man says, so shall he be gainsaid. What is the use of our


s: bandying hard like women who when they fall foul of one another


s: go out and wrangle in the streets, one half true and the other


s: lies, as rage inspires them? No words of yours shall turn me now


s: that I am fain to fight--therefore let us make trial of one


s: As he spoke he drove his spear at the great and terrible shield


s: of Achilles, which rang out as the point struck it. The son of


s: Peleus held the shield before him with his strong hand, and he


s: was afraid, for he deemed that Aeneas's spear would go through it


s: little likely to yield before the blows of mortal men; and indeed


s: gift of the god, stayed the point. It went through two layers,


s: but the god had made the shield in five, two of bronze, the two


s: innermost ones of tin, and one of gold; it was in this that the


s: Achilles in his turn threw, and struck the round shield of Aeneas


s: Pelian ash went clean through, and the shield rang under the


s: blow; Aeneas was afraid, and crouched backwards, holding the


s: shield away from him; the spear, however, flew over his back, and


s: circles of the sheltering shield. Aeneas though he had avoided


s: the spear, stood still, blinded with fear and grief because the


s: weapon had gone so near him; then Achilles sprang furiously upon


s: him, with a cry as of death and with his keen blade drawn, and


s: Aeneas seized a great stone, so huge that two men, as men now


s: are, would be unable to lift it, but Aeneas wielded it quite


s: Aeneas would then have struck Achilles as he was springing


s: towards him, either on the helmet, or on the shield that covered


s: him, and Achilles would have closed with him and despatched him


s: with his sword, had not Neptune lord of the earthquake been quick


s: for great Aeneas, who will now go down to the house of Hades,


s: vanquished by the son of Peleus. Fool that he was to give ear to


s: the counsel of Apollo. Apollo will never save him from


s: destruction. Why should this man suffer when he is guiltless, to


s: no purpose, and in another's quarrel? Has he not at all times


s: offered acceptable sacrifice to the gods that dwell in heaven?


s: Let us then snatch him from death's jaws, lest the son of Saturn


s: be angry should Achilles slay him. It is fated, moreover, that he


s: above all the sons born to him of mortal women, shall not perish


s: utterly without seed or sign. For now indeed has Jove hated the


s: blood of Priam, while Aeneas shall reign over the Trojans, he and


s: Then answered Juno, "Earth-shaker, look to this matter yourself,


s: and consider concerning Aeneas, whether you will save him, or


s: suffer him, brave though he be, to fall by the hand of Achilles


s: son of Peleus. For of a truth we two, I and Pallas Minerva, have


s: sworn full many a time before all the immortals, that never would


s: burning in the flames that the Achaeans shall kindle."


s: When earth-encircling Neptune heard this he went into the battle


s: amid the clash of spears, and came to the place where Achilles


s: and Aeneas were. Forthwith he shed a darkness before the eyes of


s: the son of Peleus, drew the bronze-headed ashen spear from the


s: shield of Aeneas, and laid it at the feet of Achilles. Then he


s: lifted Aeneas on high from off the earth and hurried him away.


s: Over the heads of many a band of warriors both horse and foot did


s: fringe of the battle where the Cauconians were arming themselves


s: for fight. Neptune, shaker of the earth, then came near to him


s: and said, "Aeneas, what god has egged you on to this folly in


s: fighting the son of Peleus, who is both a mightier man of valour


s: and more beloved of heaven than you are? Give way before him


s: whensoever you meet him, lest you go down to the house of Hades


s: even though fate would have it otherwise. When Achilles is dead


s: you may then fight among the foremost undaunted, for none other


s: The god left him when he had given him these instructions, and at


s: opened them wide indeed and said in great anger, "Alas! what


s: marvel am I now beholding? Here is my spear upon the ground, but


s: I see not him whom I meant to kill when I hurled it. Of a truth


s: Aeneas also must be under heaven's protection, although I had


s: thought his boasting was idle. Let him go hang; he will be in no


s: mood to fight me further, seeing how narrowly he has missed being


s: He sprang forward along the line and cheered his men on as he did


s: Achaeans, but go for them and fight them man for man. However


s: valiant I may be, I cannot give chase to so many and fight all of


s: from flinging himself into the jaws of such a fight and laying


s: about him; nevertheless, so far as in me lies I will show no


s: slackness of hand or foot nor want of endurance, not even for a


s: moment; I will utterly break their ranks, and woe to the Trojan


s: who shall venture within reach of my spear."


s: Thus did he exhort them. Meanwhile Hector called upon the Trojans


s: Trojans," said he, "to face the son of Peleus; I could fight gods


s: more than a match for me, if we had to use our spears. Even so


s: the deed of Achilles will fall somewhat short of his word; he


s: will do in part, and the other part he will clip short. I will go


s: Thus urged the Trojans lifted up their spears against the


s: Achaeans, and raised the cry of battle as they flung themselves


s: into the midst of their ranks. But Phoebus Apollo came up to


s: Hector and said, "Hector, on no account must you challenge


s: Achilles to single combat; keep a lookout for him while you are


s: under cover of the others and away from the thick of the fight,


s: otherwise he will either hit you with a spear or cut you down at


s: Thus he spoke, and Hector drew back within the crowd, for he was


s: afraid when he heard what the god had said to him. Achilles then


s: sprang upon the Trojans with a terrible cry, clothed in valour as


s: leader of much people whom a naiad nymph had borne to Otrynteus


s: waster of cities, in the land of Hyde under the snowy heights of


s: Mt. Tmolus. Achilles struck him full on the head as he was coming


s: heavily to the ground and Achilles vaunted over him saying, "You


s: be low, son of Otrynteus, mighty hero; your death is here, but


s: your lineage is on the Gygaean lake where your father's estate


s: lies, by Hyllus, rich in fish, and the eddying waters of Hermus."


s: Thus did he vaunt, but darkness closed the eyes of the other.


s: The chariots of the Achaeans cut him up as their wheels passed


s: over him in the front of the battle, and after him Achilles


s: killed Demoleon, a valiant man of war and son to Antenor. He


s: struck him on the temple through his bronze-cheeked helmet. The


s: helmet did not stay the spear, but it went right on, crushing the


s: midriff as he was springing down from his chariot in front of


s: him, and trying to escape. He breathed his last, bellowing like a


s: sacrifice to the King of Helice, and the heart of the


s: earth-shaker is glad; even so did he bellow as he lay dying.


s: Achilles then went in pursuit of Polydorus son of Priam, whom his


s: of his sons, the one he loved best, and the fastest runner. He,


s: in his folly and showing off the fleetness of his feet, was


s: rushing about among front ranks until he lost his life, for


s: Achilles struck him in the middle of the back as he was darting


s: past him: he struck him just at the golden fastenings of his belt


s: The point of the spear pierced him through and came out by the


s: navel, whereon he fell groaning on to his knees and a cloud of


s: darkness overshadowed him as he sank holding his entrails in his


s: When Hector saw his brother Polydorus with his entrails in his


s: hands and sinking down upon the ground, a mist came over his


s: eyes, and he could not bear to keep longer at a distance; he


s: therefore poised his spear and darted towards Achilles like a


s: flame of fire. When Achilles saw him he bounded forward and


s: vaunted saying, "This is he that has wounded my heart most deeply


s: He looked fiercely on Hector and said, "Draw near, that you may


s: meet your doom the sooner." Hector feared him not and answered,


s: "Son of Peleus, think not that your words can scare me as though


s: I were a child; I too if I will can brag and talk unseemly; I


s: know that you are a mighty warrior, mightier by far than I,


s: nevertheless the issue lies in the lap of heaven whether I, worse


s: He hurled his spear as he spoke, but Minerva breathed upon it,


s: and though she breathed but very lightly she turned it back from


s: going towards Achilles, so that it returned to Hector and lay at


s: his feet in front of him. Achilles then sprang furiously on him


s: with a loud cry, bent on killing him, but Apollo caught him up


s: easily as a god can, and hid him in a thick darkness. Thrice did


s: Achilles spring towards him spear in hand, and thrice did he


s: waste his blow upon the air. When he rushed forward for the


s: fourth time as though he were a god, he shouted aloud saying,


s: "Hound, this time too you have escaped death--but of a truth it


s: came exceedingly near you. Phoebus Apollo, to whom it seems you


s: pray before you go into battle, has again saved you; but if I too


s: when I come across you at some other time. Now, however, I will


s: On this he struck Dryops with his spear, about the middle of his


s: neck, and he fell headlong at his feet. There he let him lie and


s: stayed Demouchus son of Philetor, a man both brave and of great


s: stature, by hitting him on the knee with a spear; then he smote


s: him with his sword and killed him. After this he sprang on


s: Laogonus and Dardanus, sons of Bias, and threw them from their


s: chariot, the one with a blow from a thrown spear, while the other


s: they were both of the same age. Fool, he might have known that he


s: or forbearance but was in grim earnest. Therefore when Tros laid


s: hold of his knees and sought a hearing for his prayers, Achilles


s: drove his sword into his liver, and the liver came rolling out,


s: while his bosom was all covered with the black blood that welled


s: from the wound. Thus did death close his eyes as he lay lifeless.


s: Achilles then went up to Mulius and struck him on the ear with a


s: spear, and the bronze spear-head came right out at the other ear.


s: closed the eyes of Echeclus. Next in order the bronze point of


s: his spear wounded Deucalion in the fore-arm where the sinews of


s: the elbow are united, whereon he waited Achilles' onset with his


s: arm hanging down and death staring him in the face. Achilles cut


s: his head off with a blow from his sword and flung it helmet and


s: all away from him, and the marrow came oozing out of his backbone


s: Peires, who had come from fertile Thrace, and struck him through


s: the middle with a spear which fixed itself in his belly, so that


s: he fell headlong from his chariot. He also speared Areithous


s: squire to Rhigmus in the back as he was turning his horses in


s: flight, and thrust him from his chariot, while the horses were


s: As a fire raging in some mountain glen after long drought--and


s: the dense forest is in a blaze, while the wind carries great


s: tongues of fire in every direction--even so furiously did


s: Achilles rage, wielding his spear as though he were a god, and


s: giving chase to those whom he would slay, till the dark earth ran


s: tread barley in a threshing-floor--and it is soon bruised small


s: under the feet of the lowing cattle--even so did the horses of


s: Achilles trample on the shields and bodies of the slain. The axle


s: bespattered with clots of blood thrown up by the horses' hoofs,


s: and from the tyres of the wheels; but the son of Peleus pressed


s: on to win still further glory, and his hands were bedrabbled with


s: The fight between Achilles and the river Scamander--The gods


s: fight among themselves--Achilles drives the Trojans within


s: NOW when they came to the ford of the full-flowing river Xanthus,


s: half he chased over the plain towards the city by the same way


s: that the Achaeans had taken when flying panic-stricken on the


s: preceding day with Hector in full triumph; this way did they fly


s: pell-mell, and Juno sent down a thick mist in front of them to


s: stay them. The other half were hemmed in by the deep


s: silver-eddying stream, and fell into it with a great uproar. The


s: waters resounded, and the banks rang again, as they swam hither


s: and thither with loud cries amid the whirling eddies. As locusts


s: flying to a river before the blast of a grass fire--the flame


s: comes on and on till at last it overtakes them and they huddle


s: into the water--even so was the eddying stream of Xanthus filled


s: with the uproar of men and horses, all struggling in confusion


s: Forthwith the hero left his spear upon the bank, leaning it


s: against a tamarisk bush, and plunged into the river like a god,


s: armed with his sword only. Fell was his purpose as he hewed the


s: Trojans down on every side. Their dying groans rose hideous as


s: the sword smote them, and the river ran red with blood. As when


s: fish fly scared before a huge dolphin, and fill every nook and


s: corner of some fair haven--for he is sure to eat all he can


s: catch--even so did the Trojans cower under the banks of the


s: mighty river, and when Achilles' arms grew weary with killing


s: them, he drew twelve youths alive out of the water, to sacrifice


s: in revenge for Patroclus son of Menoetius. He drew them out like


s: dazed fawns, bound their hands behind them with the girdles of


s: their own shirts, and gave them over to his men to take back to


s: the ships. Then he sprang into the river, thirsting for still


s: There he found Lycaon, son of Priam seed of Dardanus, as he was


s: escaping out of the water; he it was whom he had once taken


s: prisoner when he was in his father's vineyard, having set upon


s: him by night, as he was cutting young shoots from a wild fig-tree


s: to his sorrow unawares, and sent him by sea to Lemnos, where the


s: son of Jason bought him. But a guest-friend, Eetion of Imbros,


s: freed him with a great sum, and sent him to Arisbe, whence he had


s: days happily with his friends after he had come from Lemnos, but


s: on the twelfth heaven again delivered him into the hands of


s: Achilles, who was to send him to the house of Hades sorely


s: against his will. He was unarmed when Achilles caught sight of


s: him, and had neither helmet nor shield; nor yet had he any spear,


s: Then Achilles said to himself in his surprise, "What marvel do I


s: see here? If this man can come back alive after having been sold


s: over into Lemnos, I shall have the Trojans also whom I have slain


s: grey sea imprison him, as they do many another whether he will or


s: Thus did he pause and ponder. But Lycaon came up to him dazed and


s: die. Achilles thrust at him with his spear, meaning to kill him,


s: but Lycaon ran crouching up to him and caught his knees, whereby


s: the spear passed over his back, and stuck in the ground,


s: hungering though it was for blood. With one hand he caught


s: Achilles' knees as he besought him, and with the other he


s: clutched the spear and would not let it go. Then he said,


s: "Achilles, have mercy upon me and spare me, for I am your


s: suppliant. It was in your tents that I first broke bread on the


s: day when you took me prisoner in the vineyard; after which you


s: sold me away to Lemnos far from my father and my friends, and I


s: brought you the price of a hundred oxen. I have paid three times


s: as much to gain my freedom; it is but twelve days that I have


s: come to Ilius after much suffering, and now cruel fate has again


s: thrown me into your hands. Surely father Jove must hate me, that


s: he has given me over to you a second time. Short of life indeed


s: did my mother Laothoe bear me, daughter of aged Altes--of Altes


s: who reigns over the warlike Lelegae and holds steep Pedasus on


s: the river Satnioeis. Priam married his daughter along with many


s: other women and two sons were born of her, both of whom you will


s: have slain. Your spear slew noble Polydorus as he was fighting in


s: that I shall not escape you since heaven has delivered me over to


s: me, for I am not of the same womb as Hector who slew your brave


s: With such words did the princely son of Priam beseech Achilles;


s: Trojans quarter, and sold beyond the sea many of those whom I had


s: delivers into my hands before the city of Ilius--and of all


s: Trojans it shall fare hardest with the sons of Priam. Therefore,


s: my friend, you too shall die. Why should you whine in this way?


s: Patroclus fell, and he was a better man than you are. I too--see


s: you not how I am great and goodly? I am son to a noble father,


s: and have a goddess for my mother, but the hands of doom and death


s: battle, either with his spear, or with an arrow sped from his


s: Thus did he speak, and Lycaon's heart sank within him. He loosed


s: his hold of the spear, and held out both hands before him; but


s: Achilles drew his keen blade, and struck him by the collar-bone


s: on his neck; he plunged his two-edged sword into him to the very


s: hilt, whereon he lay at full length on the ground, with the dark


s: blood welling from him till the earth was soaked. Then Achilles


s: caught him by the foot and flung him into the river to go down


s: stream, vaunting over him the while, and saying, "Lie there among


s: over it; your mother shall not lay you on any bier to mourn you,


s: but the eddies of Scamander shall bear you into the broad bosom


s: of the sea. There shall the fishes feed on the fat of Lycaon as


s: they dart under the dark ripple of the waters--so perish all of


s: you till we reach the citadel of strong Ilius--you in flight, and


s: None the less miserably shall you perish till there is not a man


s: of you but has paid in full for the death of Patroclus and the


s: havoc you wrought among the Achaeans whom you have slain while I


s: So spoke Achilles, but the river grew more and more angry, and


s: pondered within himself how he should stay the hand of Achilles


s: and save the Trojans from disaster. Meanwhile the son of Peleus,


s: spear in hand, sprang upon Asteropaeus son of Pelegon to kill


s: him. He was son to the broad river Axius and Periboea eldest


s: daughter of Acessamenus; for the river had lain with her.


s: Asteropaeus stood up out of the water to face him with a spear in


s: within his waters. When they were close up with one another


s: Achilles was first to speak. "Who and whence are you," said he,


s: "who dare to face me? Woe to the parents whose son stands up


s: against me." And the son of Pelegon answered, "Great son of


s: Peleus, why should you ask my lineage. I am from the fertile land


s: days that I am at Ilius. I am of the blood of the river Axius--of


s: famed warrior Pelegon, whose son men call me. Let us now fight,


s: Thus did he defy him, and Achilles raised his spear of Pelian


s: ash. Asteropaeus failed with both his spears, for he could use


s: both hands alike; with the one spear he struck Achilles' shield,


s: but did not pierce it, for the layer of gold, gift of the god,


s: stayed the point; with the other spear he grazed the elbow of


s: Achilles' right arm drawing dark blood, but the spear itself went


s: banquet. Then Achilles, fain to kill him, hurled his spear at


s: Asteropaeus, but failed to hit him and struck the steep bank of


s: the river, driving the spear half its length into the earth. The


s: son of Peleus then drew his sword and sprang furiously upon him.


s: Asteropaeus vainly tried to draw Achilles' spear out of the bank


s: by main force; thrice did he tug at it, trying with all his might


s: Achilles smote him with his sword and killed him. He struck him


s: in the belly near the navel, so that all his bowels came gushing


s: out on to the ground, and the darkness of death came over him as


s: he lay gasping. Then Achilles set his foot on his chest and


s: spoiled him of his armour, vaunting over him and saying, "Lie


s: there--begotten of a river though you be, it is hard for you to


s: strive with the offspring of Saturn's son. You declare yourself


s: sprung from the blood of a broad river, but I am of the seed of


s: mighty Jove. My father is Peleus, son of Aeacus ruler over the


s: many Myrmidons, and Aeacus was the son of Jove. Therefore as Jove


s: children stronger than those of any river whatsoever. Moreover


s: you have a great river hard by if he can be of any use to you,


s: but there is no fighting against Jove the son of Saturn, with


s: whom not even King Achelous can compare, nor the mighty stream of


s: springs and deep wells proceed; even Oceanus fears the lightnings


s: With this he drew his bronze spear out of the bank, and now that


s: he had killed Asteropaeus, he let him lie where he was on the


s: sand, with the dark water flowing over him and the eels and


s: fishes busy nibbling and gnawing the fat that was about his


s: kidneys. Then he went in chase of the Paeonians, who were flying


s: along the bank of the river in panic when they saw their leader


s: slain by the hands of the son of Peleus. Therein he slew


s: Ophelestes, and he would have slain yet others, had not the river


s: waters saying, "Achilles, if you excel all in strength, so do you


s: you: if, then, the son of Saturn has vouchsafed it to you to


s: destroy all the Trojans, at any rate drive them out of my stream,


s: into the sea for I am choked with dead, and yet you go on


s: mercilessly slaying. I am in despair, therefore, O captain of


s: Achilles answered, "So be it, Scamander, Jove-descended; but I


s: will never cease dealing out death among the Trojans, till I have


s: face, that I may learn whether he is to vanquish me, or I him."


s: As he spoke he set upon the Trojans with a fury like that of the


s: gods. But the river said to Apollo, "Surely, son of Jove, lord of


s: charged you straitly that you should stand by the Trojans and


s: defend them, till twilight fades, and darkness is over an the


s: Meanwhile Achilles sprang from the bank into mid-stream, whereon


s: the river raised a high wave and attacked him. He swelled his


s: stream into a torrent, and swept away the many dead whom Achilles


s: alive, hiding them in his mighty eddies. The great and terrible


s: wave gathered about Achilles, falling upon him and beating on his


s: great elm-tree, but it came up by the roots, and tore away the


s: bank, damming the stream with its thick branches and bridging it


s: all across; whereby Achilles struggled out of the stream, and


s: fled full speed over the plain, for he was afraid.


s: But the mighty god ceased not in his pursuit, and sprang upon him


s: from destruction. The son of Peleus darted away a spear's throw


s: from him; swift as the swoop of a black hunter-eagle which is the


s: forward, and the armour rang loudly about his breast. He fled on


s: in front, but the river with a loud roar came tearing after. As


s: one who would water his garden leads a stream from some fountain


s: the dams to free the channels, and the little stones run rolling


s: round and round with the water as it goes merrily down the bank


s: faster than the man can follow--even so did the river keep


s: catching up with Achilles albeit he was a fleet runner, for the


s: gods are stronger than men. As often as he would strive to stand


s: his ground, and see whether or no all the gods in heaven were in


s: league against him, so often would the mighty wave come beating


s: down upon his shoulders, and he would have to keep flying on and


s: on in great dismay; for the angry flood was tiring him out as it


s: flowed past him and ate the ground from under his feet.


s: Then the son of Peleus lifted up his voice to heaven saying,


s: "Father Jove, is there none of the gods who will take pity upon


s: me, and save me from the river? I do not care what may happen to


s: me afterwards. I blame none of the other dwellers on Olympus so


s: severely as I do my dear mother, who has beguiled and tricked me.


s: arrows of Apollo; would that Hector, the best man among the


s: Trojans, might there slay me; then should I fall a hero by the


s: hand of a hero; whereas now it seems that I shall come to a most


s: pitiable end, trapped in this river as though I were some


s: swineherd's boy, who gets carried down a torrent while trying to


s: As soon as he had spoken thus, Neptune and Minerva came up to him


s: him. Neptune spoke first. "Son of Peleus," said he, "be not so


s: exceeding fearful; we are two gods, come with Jove's sanction to


s: assist you, I, and Pallas Minerva. It is not your fate to perish


s: in this river; he will abate presently as you will see; moreover


s: we strongly advise you, if you will be guided by us, not to stay


s: your hand from fighting till you have pent the Trojan host within


s: kill Hector and go back to the ships, for we will vouchsafe you a


s: When they had so said they went back to the other immortals, but


s: Achilles strove onward over the plain, encouraged by the charge


s: the gods had laid upon him. All was now covered with the flood of


s: was rifting about, as also many corpses, but he forced his way


s: against the stream, speeding right onwards, nor could the broad


s: waters stay him, for Minerva had endowed him with great strength.


s: still more furious with the son of Peleus. He lifted his waters


s: into a high crest and cried aloud to Simois saying, "Dear


s: brother, let the two of us unite to save this man, or he will


s: sack the mighty city of King Priam, and the Trojans will not hold


s: from their sources, rouse all your torrents to a fury; raise your


s: that we may make an end of this savage creature who is now


s: lording it as though he were a god. Nothing shall serve him


s: longer, not strength nor comeliness, nor his fine armour, which


s: forsooth shall soon be lying low in the deep waters covered over


s: with mud. I will wrap him in sand, and pour tons of shingle round


s: for the silt in which I shall have hidden him, and when they


s: celebrate his funeral they need build no barrow."


s: On this he upraised his tumultuous flood high against Achilles,


s: seething as it was with foam and blood and the bodies of the


s: dead. The dark waters of the river stood upright and would have


s: overwhelmed the son of Peleus, but Juno, trembling lest Achilles


s: should be swept away in the mighty torrent, lifted her voice on


s: high and called out to Vulcan her son. "Crook-foot," she cried,


s: "my child, be up and doing, for I deem it is with you that


s: Xanthus is fain to fight; help us at once, kindle a fierce fire;


s: I will then bring up the west and the white south wind in a


s: mighty hurricane from the sea, that shall bear the flames against


s: go along the banks of Xanthus burning his trees and wrapping him


s: round with fire. Let him not turn you back neither by fair words


s: nor foul, and slacken not till I shout and tell you. Then you may


s: On this Vulcan kindled a fierce fire, which broke out first upon


s: the plain and burned the many dead whom Achilles had killed and


s: whose bodies were lying about in great numbers; by this means the


s: on an orchard that has been sodden with autumn rain, soon dries


s: it, and the heart of the owner is glad--even so the whole plain


s: was dried and the dead bodies were consumed. Then he turned


s: tongues of fire on to the river. He burned the elms the willows


s: and the tamarisks, the lotus also, with the rushes and marshy


s: herbage that grew abundantly by the banks of the river. The eels


s: and fishes that go darting about everywhere in the water, these,


s: too, were sorely harassed by the flames that cunning Vulcan had


s: kindled, and the river himself was scalded, so that he spoke


s: saying, "Vulcan, there is no god can hold his own against you. I


s: cannot fight you when you flare out your flames in this way;


s: strive with me no longer. Let Achilles drive the Trojans out of


s: city immediately. What have I to do with quarrelling and helping


s: He was boiling as he spoke, and all his waters were seething. As


s: a cauldron upon a large fire boils when it is melting the lard of


s: Xanthus heated with the fire till they were boiling. He could


s: flow no longer but stayed his stream, so afflicted was he by the


s: blasts of fire which cunning Vulcan had raised. Then he prayed to


s: stream with such especial fury? I am not so much to blame as all


s: the others are who have been helping the Trojans. I will leave


s: off, since you so desire it, and let son leave off also.


s: Furthermore I swear never again will I do anything to save the


s: Trojans from destruction, not even when all Troy is burning in


s: the flames which the Achaeans will kindle."


s: As soon as Juno heard this she said to her son Vulcan, "Son


s: Vulcan, hold now your flames; we ought not to use such violence


s: When she had thus spoken Vulcan quenched his flames, and the


s: river went back once more into his own fair bed.


s: Xanthus was now beaten, so these two left off fighting, for Juno


s: stayed them though she was still angry; but a furious quarrel


s: broke out among the other gods, for they were of divided


s: counsels. They fell on one another with a mighty uproar--earth


s: groaned, and the spacious firmament rang out as with a blare of


s: trumpets. Jove heard as he was sitting on Olympus, and laughed


s: for joy when he saw the gods coming to blows among themselves.


s: They were not long about beginning, and Mars piercer of shields


s: opened the battle. Sword in hand he sprang at once upon Minerva


s: and reviled her. "Why, vixen," said he, "have you again set the


s: gods by the ears in the pride and haughtiness of your heart? Have


s: and yourself took visible spear and drove it into me to the hurt


s: of my fair body? You shall now suffer for what you then did to


s: As he spoke he struck her on the terrible tasselled aegis--so


s: terrible that not even can Jove's lightning pierce it. Here did


s: murderous Mars strike her with his great spear. She drew back and


s: boundary of a field. With this she struck Mars on the neck, and


s: brought him down. Nine roods did he cover in his fall, and his


s: hair was all soiled in the dust, while his armour rang rattling


s: round him. But Minerva laughed and vaunted over him saying,


s: you must still match yourself against me? Thus do your mother's


s: curses now roost upon you, for she is angry and would do you


s: mischief because you have deserted the Achaeans and are helping


s: She then turned her two piercing eyes elsewhere, whereon Jove's


s: daughter Venus took Mars by the hand and led him away groaning


s: all the time, for it was only with great difficulty that he had


s: come to himself again. When Queen Juno saw her, she said to


s: Minerva, "Look, daughter of aegis-bearing Jove, unweariable, that


s: Thus she spoke. Minerva sped after Venus with a will, and made at


s: fell fainting to the ground, and there they both lay stretched at


s: help the Trojans against the Argives prove just as redoubtable


s: and stalwart as Venus did when she came across me while she was


s: helping Mars. Had this been so, we should long since have ended


s: the war by sacking the strong city of Ilius."


s: Juno smiled as she listened. Meanwhile King Neptune turned to


s: Apollo saying, "Phoebus, why should we keep each other at arm's


s: length? it is not well, now that the others have begun fighting;


s: it will be disgraceful to us if we return to Jove's


s: bronze-floored mansion on Olympus without having fought each


s: other; therefore come on, you are the younger of the two, and I


s: ought not to attack you, for I am older and have had more


s: Jove's house and worked for Laomedon a whole year at a stated


s: wage and he gave us his orders. I built the Trojans the wall


s: about their city, so wide and fair that it might be impregnable,


s: while you, Phoebus, herded cattle for him in the dales of many


s: valleyed Ida. When, however, the glad hours brought round the


s: time of payment, mighty Laomedon robbed us of all our hire and


s: sent us off with nothing but abuse. He threatened to bind us hand


s: moreover, to cut off the ears of both of us, so we went away in a


s: withheld; in spite of all this, you are now showing favour to his


s: proud Trojans with their wives and children."


s: And King Apollo answered, "Lord of the earthquake, you would have


s: miserable mortals, who come out like leaves in summer and eat the


s: Let us stay this fighting at once and let them settle it among


s: He turned away as he spoke, for he would lay no hand on the


s: brother of his own father. But his sister the huntress Diana,


s: patroness of wild beasts, was very angry with him and said, "So


s: you would fly, Far-Darter, and hand victory over to Neptune with


s: a cheap vaunt to boot. Baby, why keep your bow thus idle? Never


s: let me again hear you bragging in my father's house, as you have


s: often done in the presence of the immortals, that you would stand


s: Apollo made her no answer, but Jove's august queen was angry and


s: upbraided her bitterly. "Bold vixen," she cried, "how dare you


s: cross me thus? For all your bow you will find it hard to hold


s: your own against me. Jove made you as a lion among women, and


s: lets you kill them whenever you choose. You will find it better


s: to chase wild beasts and deer upon the mountains than to fight


s: those who are stronger than you are. If you would try war, do so,


s: She caught both Diana's wrists with her left hand as she spoke,


s: and with her right she took the bow from her shoulders, and


s: laughed as she beat her with it about the ears while Diana


s: wriggled and writhed under her blows. Her swift arrows were shed


s: upon the ground, and she fled weeping from under Juno's hand as a


s: weeping away, leaving her bow and arrows behind her.


s: Then the slayer of Argus, guide and guardian, said to Leto,


s: "Leto, I shall not fight you; it is ill to come to blows with any


s: Leto then gathered up Diana's bow and arrows that had fallen


s: about amid the whirling dust, and when she had got them she made


s: all haste after her daughter. Diana had now reached Jove's


s: bronze-floored mansion on Olympus, and sat herself down with many


s: and laughing pleasantly the while began to question her saying,


s: "Which of the heavenly beings, my dear child, has been treating


s: you in this cruel manner, as though you had been misconducting


s: yourself in the face of everybody?" and the fair-crowned goddess


s: of the chase answered, "It was your wife Juno, father, who has


s: been beating me; it is always her doing when there is any


s: Thus did they converse, and meanwhile Phoebus Apollo entered the


s: strong city of Ilius, for he was uneasy lest the wall should not


s: hold out and the Danaans should take the city then and there,


s: before its hour had come; but the rest of the ever-living gods


s: went back, some angry and some triumphant to Olympus, where they


s: took their seats beside Jove lord of the storm cloud, while


s: Achilles still kept on dealing out death alike on the Trojans and


s: then toil for all, and sorrow for not a few--even so did Achilles


s: Old King Priam stood on a high tower of the wall looking down on


s: huge Achilles as the Trojans fled panic-stricken before him, and


s: there was none to help them. Presently he came down from off the


s: tower and with many a groan went along the wall to give orders to


s: open till the people come flying into the city, for Achilles is


s: hard by and is driving them in rout before him. I see we are in


s: great peril. As soon as our people are inside and in safety,


s: close the strong gates for I fear lest that terrible man should


s: come bounding inside along with the others."


s: As he spoke they drew back the bolts and opened the gates, and


s: when these were opened there was a haven of refuge for the


s: Trojans. Apollo then came full speed out of the city to meet them


s: with thirst and grimy with dust, still they fied on, with


s: Achilles wielding his spear furiously behind them. For he was as


s: one possessed, and was thirsting after glory.


s: Then had the sons of the Achaeans taken the lofty gates of Troy


s: if Apollo had not spurred on Agenor, valiant and noble son to


s: Antenor. He put courage into his heart, and stood by his side to


s: guard him, leaning against a beech tree and shrouded in thick


s: darkness. When Agenor saw Achilles he stood still and his heart


s: was clouded with care. "Alas," said he to himself in his dismay,


s: "if I fly before mighty Achilles, and go where all the others are


s: for a coward. How would it be were I to let Achilles drive the


s: others before him, and then fly from the wall to the plain that


s: is behind Ilius till I reach the spurs of Ida and can hide in the


s: me in the river and in the evening return to Ilius. But why


s: commune with myself in this way? Like enough he would see me as I