roused to such fury about his comrade, he will overIn such wise, therefore, did they gather in the ride fate itself and storm their city.” house of Jove. Neptune also, lord of the earthquake, Thus spoke Jove and gave the word for war, obeyed the call of the goddess, and came up out of whereon the gods took their several sides and went the sea to join them. There, sitting in the midst of into battle. Juno, Pallas Minerva, earth-encircling them, he asked what Jove’s purpose might be.
Neptune, Mercury bringer of good luck and excel-
“Why,” said he, “wielder of the lightning, have you lent in all cunning—all these joined the host that called the gods in council? Are you considering some came from the ships; with them also came Vulcan matter that concerns the Trojans and Achæans—
in all his glory, limping, but yet with his thin legs for the blaze of battle is on the point of being kindled plying lustily under him. Mars of gleaming helmet between them?”
joined the Trojans, and with him Apollo of locks And Jove answered, “You know my purpose, unshorn, and the archer goddess Diana, Leto, shaker of earth, and wherefore I have called you Xanthus, and laughter-loving Venus.
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So long as the gods held themselves aloof from earth, and bade the high hills tremble. The spurs mortal warriors the Achæans were triumphant, for and crests of many-fountained Ida quaked, as also Achilles who had long refused to fight was now with the city of the Trojans and the ships of the Achæans.
them. There was not a Trojan but his limbs failed Hades, king of the realms below, was struck with him for fear as he beheld the fleet son of Peleus all fear; he sprang panic-stricken from his throne and glorious in his armour, and looking like Mars him-cried aloud in terror lest Neptune, lord of the earth-self. When, however, the Olympians came to take quake, should crack the ground over his head, and their part among men, forthwith uprose strong lay bare his mouldy mansions to the sight of mor-Strife, rouser of hosts, and Minerva raised her loud tals and immortals—mansions so ghastly grim that voice, now standing by the deep trench that ran even the gods shudder to think of them. Such was outside the wall, and now shouting with all her the uproar as the gods came together in battle.
might upon the shore of the sounding sea. Mars Apollo with his arrows took his stand to face King also bellowed out upon the other side, dark as some Neptune, while Minerva took hers against the god black thunder-cloud, and called on the Trojans at of war; the archer-goddess Diana with her golden the top of his voice, now from the acropolis, and arrows, sister of far-darting Apollo, stood to face now speeding up the side of the river Simois till he Juno; Mercury the lusty bringer of good luck faced came to the hill Callicolone.
Leto, while the mighty eddying river whom men Thus did the gods spur on both hosts to fight, can Scamander, but gods Xanthus, matched him-and rouse fierce contention also among themselves.
self against Vulcan.
The sire of gods and men thundered from heaven The gods, then, were thus ranged against one an-above, while from beneath Neptune shook the vast other. But the heart of Achilles was set on meeting 312
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Hector son of Priam, for it was with his blood that him as his guardian angel, and even were it not so, he longed above all things else to glut the stubborn his weapon flies ever straight, and fails not to pierce lord of battle. Meanwhile Apollo set Æneas on to the flesh of him who is against him; if heaven would attack the son of Peleus, and put courage into his let me fight him on even terms he should not soon heart, speaking with the voice of Lycaon son of overcome me, though he boasts that he is made of Priam. In his likeness therefore, he said to Æneas, bronze.”
“Æneas, counsellor of the Trojans, where are now Then said King Apollo, son to Jove, “Nay, hero, the brave words with which you vaunted over your pray to the ever-living gods, for men say that you wine before the Trojan princes, saying that you were born of Jove’s daughter Venus, whereas Achil-would fight Achilles son of Peleus in single combat?” les is son to a goddess of inferior rank. Venus is And Æneas answered, “Why do you thus bid me child to Jove, while Thetis is but daughter to the fight the proud son of Peleus, when I am in no mind old man of the sea. Bring, therefore, your spear to to do so? Were I to face him now, it would not be bear upon him, and let him not scare you with his for the first time. His spear has already put me to taunts and menaces.”
Right from Ida, when he attacked our cattle and As he spoke he put courage into the heart of the sacked Lyrnessus and Pedasus; Jove indeed saved shepherd of his people, and he strode in full armour me in that he vouchsafed me strength to fly, else among the ranks of the foremost fighters. Nor did had the fallen by the hands of Achilles and Minerva, the son of Anchises escape the notice of white-armed who went before him to protect him and urged him Juno, as he went forth into the throng to meet Achil-to fall upon the Lelegæ and Trojans. No man may les. She called the gods about her, and said, “Look fight Achilles, for one of the gods is always with to it, you two, Neptune and Minerva, and consider 313
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how this shall be; Phoebus Apollo has been send-track, and let mortals fight it out among themselves.
ing Æneas clad in full armour to fight Achilles. Shall If Mars or Phoebus Apollo begin fighting, or keep we turn him back at once, or shall one of us stand Achilles in check so that he cannot fight, we too, by Achilles and endow him with strength so that will at once raise the cry of battle, and in that case his heart fail not, and he may learn that the chiefs they will soon leave the field and go back vanquished of the immortals are on his side, while the others to Olympus among the other gods.” who have all along been defending the Trojans are With these words the dark-haired god led the way but vain helpers? Let us all come down from to the high earth-barrow of Hercules, built round Olympus and join in the fight, that this day he may solid masonry, and made by the Trojans and Pallas take no hurt at the hands of the Trojans. Hereafter Minerva for him fly to when the sea-monster was let him suffer whatever fate may have spun out for chasing him from the shore on to the plain. Here him when he was begotten and his mother bore him.
Neptune and those that were with him took their If Achilles be not thus assured by the voice of a seats, wrapped in a thick cloud of darkness; but the god, he may come to fear presently when one of us other gods seated themselves on the brow of meets him in battle, for the gods are terrible if they Callicolone round you, O Phoebus, and Mars the are seen face to face.”
waster of cities.
Neptune lord of the earthquake answered her say-Thus did the gods sit apart and form their plans, ing, “Juno, restrain your fury; it is not well; I am but neither side was willing to begin battle with the not in favour of forcing the other gods to fight us, other, and Jove from his seat on high was in comfor the advantage is too greatly on our own side; let mand over them all. Meanwhile the whole plain us take our places on some hill out of the beaten was alive with men and horses, and blazing with 314
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the gleam of armour. The earth rang again under do you stand thus out before the host to fight me?
the tramp of their feet as they rushed towards each Is it that you hope to reign over the Trojans in the other, and two champions, by far the foremost of seat of Priam? Nay, though you kill me Priam will them all, met between the hosts to fight—to wit, not hand his kingdom over to you. He is a man of Æneas son of Anchises, and noble Achilles.
sound judgement, and he has sons of his own. Or Æneas was first to stride forward in attack, his have the Trojans been allotting you a demesne of doughty helmet tossing defiance as he came on. He passing richness, fair with orchard lawns and corn held his strong shield before his breast, and bran-lands, if you should slay me? This you shall hardly dished his bronze spear. The son of Peleus from the do. I have discomfited you once already. Have you other side sprang forth to meet him, fike some fierce forgotten how when you were alone I chased you lion that the whole country-side has met to hunt from your herds helter-skelter down the slopes of and kill—at first he bodes no ill, but when some Ida? You did not turn round to look behind you; daring youth has struck him with a spear, he you took refuge in Lyrnessus, but I attacked the crouches openmouthed, his jaws foam, he roars with city, and with the help of Minerva and father Jove I fury, he lashes his tail from side to side about his sacked it and carried its women into captivity, ribs and loins, and glares as he springs straight bethough Jove and the other gods rescued you. You fore him, to find out whether he is to slay, or be think they will protect you now, but they will not slain among the foremost of his foes—even with do so; therefore I say go back into the host, and do such fury did Achilles burn to spring upon Æneas.
not face me, or you will rue it. Even a fool may be When they were now close up with one another wise after the event.”
Achilles was first to speak. “Æneas,” said he, “why Then Æneas answered, “Son of Peleus, think not 315
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that your words can scare me as though I were a the semblance of a dark-maned stallion. Twelve filly child. I too, if I will, can brag and talk unseemly.
foals did they conceive and bear him, and these, as We know one another’s race and parentage as mat-they sped over the rich plain, would go bounding ters of common fame, though neither have you ever on over the ripe ears of corn and not break them; or seen my parents nor I yours. Men say that you are again when they would disport themselves on the son to noble Peleus, and that your mother is Thetis, broad back of Ocean they could gallop on the crest fair-haired daughter of the sea. I have noble Anchises of a breaker. Erichthonius begat Tros, king of the for my father, and Venus for my mother; the par-Trojans, and Tros had three noble sons, Ilus, ents of one or other of us shall this day mourn a Assaracus, and Ganymede who was comeliest of son, for it will be more than silly talk that shall part mortal men; wherefore the gods carried him off to us when the fight is over. Learn, then, my lineage if be Jove’s cupbearer, for his beauty’s sake, that he you will—and it is known to many.
might dwell among the immortals. Ilus begat
“In the beginning Dardanus was the son of Jove, Laomedon, and Laomedon begat Tithonus, Priam, and founded Dardania, for Ilius was not yet Lampus, Clytius, and Hiketaon of the stock of Mars.
stablished on the plain for men to dwell in, and her But Assaracus was father to Capys, and Capys to people still abode on the spurs of many-fountained Anchises, who was my father, while Hector is son Ida. Dardanus had a son, king Erichthonius, who to Priam.
was wealthiest of all men living; he had three thou-
“Such do I declare my blood and lineage, but as sand mares that fed by the water-meadows, they for valour, Jove gives it or takes it as he will, for he and their foals with them. Boreas was enamoured is lord of all. And now let there be no more of this of them as they were feeding, and covered them in prating in mid-battle as though we were children.
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We could fling taunts without end at one another; had made the shield in five, two of bronze, the two a hundred-oared galley would not hold them. The innermost ones of tin, and one of gold; it was in tongue can run all whithers and talk all wise; it can this that the spear was stayed.
go here and there, and as a man says, so shall he be Achilles in his turn threw, and struck the round gainsaid. What is the use of our bandying hard like shield of Æneas at the very edge, where the bronze women who when they fall foul of one another go was thinnest; the spear of Pelian ash went clean out and wrangle in the streets, one half true and through, and the shield rang under the blow; Æneas the other lies, as rage inspires them? No words of was afraid, and crouched backwards, holding the yours shall turn me now that I am fain to fight—
shield away from him; the spear, however, flew over therefore let us make trial of one another with our his back, and stuck quivering in the ground, after spears.”
having gone through both circles of the sheltering As he spoke he drove his spear at the great and shield. Æneas though he had avoided the spear, terrible shield of Achilles, which rang out as the stood still, blinded with fear and grief because the point struck it. The son of Peleus held the shield weapon had gone so near him; then Achilles sprang before him with his strong hand, and he was afraid, furiously upon him, with a cry as of death and with for he deemed that Æneas’s spear would go through his keen blade drawn, and Æneas seized a great it quite easily, not reflecting that the god’s glorious stone, so huge that two men, as men now are, would gifts were little likely to yield before the blows of be unable to lift it, but Æneas wielded it quite easily.
mortal men; and indeed Æneas’s spear did not pierce Æneas would then have struck Achilles as he was the shield, for the layer of gold, gift of the god, stayed springing towards him, either on the helmet, or on the point. It went through two layers, but the god the shield that covered him, and Achilles would have 317
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closed with him and despatched him with his sword, matter yourself, and consider concerning Æneas, had not Neptune lord of the earthquake been quick whether you will save him, or suffer him, brave to mark, and said forthwith to the immortals, “Alas, though he be, to fall by the hand of Achilles son of I am sorry for great Æneas, who will now go down Peleus. For of a truth we two, I and Pallas Minerva, to the house of Hades, vanquished by the son of have sworn full many a time before all the immor-Peleus. Fool that he was to give ear to the counsel tals, that never would we shield Trojans from de-of Apollo. Apollo will never save him from destruc-struction, not even when all Troy is burning in the tion. Why should this man suffer when he is guilt-flames that the Achæans shall kindle.” less, to no purpose, and in another’s quarrel? Has When earth-encircling Neptune heard this he he not at all times offered acceptable sacrifice to went into the battle amid the clash of spears, and the gods that dwell in heaven? Let us then snatch came to the place where Achilles and Æneas were.
him from death’s jaws, lest the son of Saturn be Forthwith he shed a darkness before the eyes of the angry should Achilles slay him. It is fated, more-son of Peleus, drew the bronze-headed ashen spear over, that he should escape, and that the race of from the shield of Æneas, and laid it at the feet of Dardanus, whom Jove loved above all the sons born Achilles. Then he lifted Æneas on high from off the to him of mortal women, shall not perish utterly earth and hurried him away. Over the heads of many without seed or sign. For now indeed has Jove hated a band of warriors both horse and foot did he soar the blood of Priam, while Æneas shall reign over as the god’s hand sped him, till he came to the very the Trojans, he and his children’s children that shall fringe of the battle where the Cauconians were arm-be born hereafter.”
ing themselves for fight. Neptune, shaker of the Then answered Juno, “Earth-shaker, look to this earth, then came near to him and said, Æneas, what 318
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god has egged you on to this folly in fighting the He sprang forward along the line and cheered his son of Peleus, who is both a mightier man of valour men on as he did so. “Let not the Trojans,” he cried, and more beloved of heaven than you are? Give
“keep you at arm’s length, Achæans, but go for them way before him whensoever you meet him, lest you and fight them man for man. However valiant I go down to the house of Hades even though fate may be, I cannot give chase to so many and fight all would have it otherwise. When Achilles is dead you of them. Even Mars, who is an immortal, or may then fight among the foremost undaunted, for Minerva, would shrink from flinging himself into none other of the Achæans shall slay you.” the jaws of such a fight and laying about him; nev-The god left him when he had given him these ertheless, so far as in me lies I will show no slack-instructions, and at once removed the darkness from ness of hand or foot nor want of endurance, not before the eyes of Achilles, who opened them wide even for a moment; I will utterly break their ranks, indeed and said in great anger, “Alas! what marvel and woe to the Trojan who shall venture within reach am I now beholding? Here is my spear upon the of my spear.”
ground, but I see not him whom I meant to kill Thus did he exhort them. Meanwhile Hector when I hurled it. Of a truth Æneas also must be called upon the Trojans and declared that he would under heaven’s protection, although I had thought fight Achilles. “Be not afraid, proud Trojans,” said his boasting was idle. Let him go hang; he will be in he, “to face the son of Peleus; I could fight gods no mood to fight me further, seeing how narrowly myself if the battle were one of words only, but they he has missed being killed. I will now give my or-would be more than a match for me, if we had to ders to the Danaans and attack some other of the use our spears. Even so the deed of Achilles will fall Trojans.”
somewhat short of his word; he will do in part, and 319
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the other part he will clip short. I will go up against ing on towards him, and split it clean in two; him though his hands be as fire—though his hands whereon he fell heavily to the ground and Achilles be fire and his strength iron.” vaunted over him saying, “You he low, son of Thus urged the Trojans lifted up their spears Otrynteus, mighty hero; your death is here, but your against the Achæans, and raised the cry of battle as lineage is on the Gygæan lake where your father’s they flung themselves into the midst of their ranks.
estate lies, by Hyllus, rich in fish, and the eddying But Phoebus Apollo came up to Hector and said, waters of Hermus.”
“Hector, on no account must you challenge Achil-Thus did he vaunt, but darkness closed the eyes les to single combat; keep a lookout for him while of the other. The chariots of the Achæans cut him you are under cover of the others and away from up as their wheels passed over him in the front of the thick of the fight, otherwise he will either hit the battle, and after him Achilles killed Demoleon, you with a spear or cut you down at close quarters.” a valiant man of war and son to Antenor. He struck Thus he spoke, and Hector drew back within the him on the temple through his bronze-cheeked hel-crowd, for he was afraid when he heard what the met. The helmet did not stay the spear, but it went god had said to him. Achilles then sprang upon the right on, crushing the bone so that the brain inside Trojans with a terrible cry, clothed in valour as with was shed in all directions, and his lust of fighting a garment. First he killed Iphition son of Otrynteus, was ended. Then he struck Hippodamas in the mid-a leader of much people whom a naiad nymph had riff as he was springing down from his chariot in borne to Otrynteus waster of cities, in the land of front of him, and trying to escape. He breathed his Hyde under the snowy heights of Mt. Tmolus.
last, bellowing like a bull bellows when young men Achilles struck him full on the head as he was com-are dragging him to offer him in sacrifice to the 320
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King of Helice, and the heart of the earth-shaker is les saw him he bounded forward and vaunted saying, glad; even so did he bellow as he lay dying. Achilles
“This is he that has wounded my heart most deeply and then went in pursuit of Polydorus son of Priam, has slain my beloved comrade. Not for long shall we whom his father had always forbidden to fight be-two quail before one another on the highways of war.” cause he was the youngest of his sons, the one he He looked fiercely on Hector and said, “Draw near, loved best, and the fastest runner. He, in his folly that you may meet your doom the sooner.” Hector feared and showing off the fleetness of his feet, was rush-him not and answered, “Son of Peleus, think not that ing about among front ranks until he lost his life, your words can scare me as though I were a child; I too for Achilles struck him in the middle of the back as if I will can brag and talk unseemly; I know that you are he was darting past him: he struck him just at the a mighty warrior, mightier by far than I, nevertheless the golden fastenings of his belt and where the two issue lies in the the lap of heaven whether I, worse man pieces of the double breastplate overlapped. The though I be, may not slay you with my spear, for this too point of the spear pierced him through and came has been found keen ere now.” out by the navel, whereon he fell groaning on to his He hurled his spear as he spoke, but Minerva knees and a cloud of darkness overshadowed him as he breathed upon it, and though she breathed but very sank holding his entrails in his hands.
lightly she turned it back from going towards Achil-When Hector saw his brother Polydorus with his enles, so that it returned to Hector and lay at his feet trails in his hands and sinking down upon the ground, a in front of him. Achilles then sprang furiously on mist came over his eyes, and he could not bear to keep him with a loud cry, bent on killing him, but Apollo longer at a distance; he therefore poised his spear and caught him up easily as a god can, and hid him in a darted towards Achilles like a flame of fire. When Achil-thick darkness. Thrice did Achilles spring towards 321
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him spear in hand, and thrice did he waste his blow the son of Alastor—he came up to Achilles and upon the air. When he rushed forward for the fourth clasped his knees in the hope that he would spare time as though he were a god, he shouted aloud him and not kill him but let him go, because they saying, “Hound, this time too you have escaped were both of the same age. Fool, he might have death—but of a truth it came exceedingly near you.
known that he should not prevail with him, for the Phoebus Apollo, to whom it seems you pray before man was in no mood for pity or forbearance but you go into battle, has again saved you; but if I too was in grim earnest. Therefore when Tros laid hold have any friend among the gods I will surely make of his knees and sought a hearing for his prayers, an end of you when I come across you at some other Achilles drove his sword into his liver, and the liver time. Now, however, I will pursue and overtake other came rolling out, while his bosom was all covered Trojans.”
with the black blood that welled from the wound.
On this he struck Dryops with his spear, about Thus did death close his eyes as he lay lifeless.
the middle of his neck, and he fell headlong at his Achilles then went up to Mulius and struck him feet. There he let him lie and stayed Demouchus on the ear with a spear, and the bronze spear-head son of Philetor, a man both brave and of great stat-came right out at the other ear. He also struck ure, by hitting him on the knee with a spear; then Echeclus son of Agenor on the head with his sword, he smote him with his sword and killed him. After which became warm with the blood, while death this he sprang on Laogonus and Dardanus, sons of and stern fate closed the eyes of Echeclus. Next in Bias, and threw them from their chariot, the one order the bronze point of his spear wounded with a blow from a thrown spear, while the other he Deucalion in the fore-arm where the sinews of the cut down in hand-to-hand fight. There was also Tros elbow are united, whereon he waited Achilles’ on-322
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set with his arm hanging down and death staring cattle—even so did the horses of Achilles trample him in the face. Achilles cut his head off with a on the shields and bodies of the slain. The axle blow from his sword and flung it helmet and all underneath and the railing that ran round the car away from him, and the marrow came oozing out were bespattered with clots of blood thrown up by of his backbone as he lay. He then went in pursuit the horses’ hoofs, and from the tyres of the wheels; of Rhigmus, noble son of Peires, who had come from but the son of Peleus pressed on to win still further fertile Thrace, and struck him through the middle glory, and his hands were bedrabbled with gore.
with a spear which fixed itself in his belly, so that he fell headlong from his chariot. He also speared BOOK XXI
Areithous squire to Rhigmus in the back as he was turning his horses in flight, and thrust him from NOW WHEN THEY CAME TO THE FORD of the full-flow-his chariot, while the horses were struck with panic.
ing river Xanthus, begotten of immortal Jove, Achil-As a fire raging in some mountain glen after long les cut their forces in two: one half he chased over drought—and the dense forest is in a blaze, while the plain towards the city by the same way that the the wind carries great tongues of fire in every direc-Achæans had taken when flying panic-stricken on tion—even so furiously did Achilles rage, wielding the preceding day with Hector in full triumph; this his spear as though he were a god, and giving chase way did they fly pell-mell, and Juno sent down a to those whom he would slay, till the dark earth ran thick mist in front of them to stay them. The other with blood. Or as one who yokes broad-browed oxen half were hemmed in by the deep silver-eddying that they may tread barley in a threshing-floor-and stream, and fell into it with a great uproar. The it is soon bruised small under the feet of the lowing waters resounded, and the banks rang again, as they 323
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swam hither and thither with loud cries amid the bound their hands behind them with the girdles of whirling eddies. As locusts flying to a river before their own shirts, and gave them over to his men to the blast of a grass fire—the flame comes on and on take back to the ships. Then he sprang into the till at last it overtakes them and they huddle into river, thirsting for still further blood.
the water—even so was the eddying stream of There he found Lycaon, son of Priam seed of Xanthus filled with the uproar of men and horses, Dardanus, as he was escaping out of the water; he all struggling in confusion before Achilles.
it was whom he had once taken prisoner when he Forthwith the hero left his spear upon the bank, was in his father’s vineyard, having set upon him leaning it against a tamarisk bush, and plunged into by night, as he was cutting young shoots from a the river like a god, armed with his sword only. Fell wild fig-tree to make the wicker sides of a chariot.
was his purpose as he hewed the Trojans down on Achilles then caught him to his sorrow unawares, every side. Their dying groans rose hideous as the and sent him by sea to Lemnos, where the son of sword smote them, and the river ran red with blood.
Jason bought him. But a guest-friend, Eetion of As when fish fly scared before a huge dolphin, and Imbros, freed him with a great sum, and sent him fill every nook and corner of some fair haven—for to Arisbe, whence he had escaped and returned to he is sure to eat all he can catch—even so did the his father’s house. He had spent eleven days hap-Trojans cower under the banks of the mighty river, pily with his friends after he had come from Lemnos, and when Achilles’ arms grew weary with killing but on the twelfth heaven again delivered him into them, he drew twelve youths alive out of the water, the hands of Achilles, who was to send him to the to sacrifice in revenge for Patroclus son of house of Hades sorely against his will. He was un-Menoetius. He drew them out like dazed fawns, armed when Achilles caught sight of him, and had 324
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neither helmet nor shield; nor yet had he any spear, knees, whereby the spear passed over his back, and for he had thrown all his armour from him on to stuck in the ground, hungering though it was for the bank, and was sweating with his struggles to blood. With one hand he caught Achilles’ knees as get out of the river, so that his strength was now he besought him, and with the other he clutched failing him.
the spear and would not let it go. Then he said, Then Achilles said to himself in his surprise,
“Achilles, have mercy upon me and spare me, for I
“What marvel do I see here? If this man can come am your suppliant. It was in your tents that I first back alive after having been sold over into Lemnos, broke bread on the day when you took me prisoner I shall have the Trojans also whom I have slain risin the vineyard; after which you sold away to ing from the world below. Could not even the wa-Lemnos far from my father and my friends, and I ters of the grey sea imprison him, as they do many brought you the price of a hundred oxen. I have another whether he will or no? This time let him paid three times as much to gain my freedom; it is taste my spear, that I may know for certain whether but twelve days that I have come to Ilius after much mother earth who can keep even a strong man down, suffering, and now cruel fate has again thrown me will be able to hold him, or whether thence too he into your hands. Surely father Jove must hate me, will return.”
that he has given me over to you a second time.
Thus did he pause and ponder. But Lycaon came Short of life indeed did my mother Laothoe bear up to him dazed and trying hard to embrace his me, daughter of aged Altes—of Altes who reigns over knees, for he would fain live, not die. Ach