Speaker 1: Book twenty. Thus then did the Achaeans arm by their
Speaker 1: ships round you, o son of Pelias, who were hungering
Speaker 1: for battle, while the Trojans over against them, armed upon
Speaker 1: the rise of the plain. Meanwhile, Jove, from the top
Speaker 1: of many delled Olympus, bade themis gather the gods in council.
Speaker 1: Whereon she went about and called them to the house
Speaker 1: of Jove. There was not a river absent except Oceanus,
Speaker 1: nor a single one of the nymphs that haunt fair groves,
Speaker 1: or springs of rivers and meadows of green grass. When
Speaker 1: they reached the house of Cloud, compelling Jove, they took
Speaker 1: their seats in the arcades of polished marble, which Vulcan,
Speaker 1: with his consummate skill, had made for Father Jove. In
Speaker 1: such wise therefore did they gather in the house of Jove. Neptune,
Speaker 1: also lord of the Earthquake, obeyed the call of the
Speaker 1: goddess and came up out of the sea to join
Speaker 1: them there. Sitting in the midst of them, he asked
Speaker 1: what Jove's purpose might be, Why, said he, wielder of
Speaker 1: the lightning, have you called the gods in council? Are
Speaker 1: you considering some matter that concerns the Trojans and Achaeans,
Speaker 1: for the blaze of battle is on the point of
Speaker 1: being kindled between them, and Jove answered, you know my purpose,
Speaker 1: Shaker of Earth, and wherefore I have called you hither.
Speaker 1: I take thought for them, even in their destruction. For
Speaker 1: my own part, I shall stay here seated on mant
Speaker 1: Olympus and look on in peace. But do you others
Speaker 1: go about among Trojans and Achaeans and help either side,
Speaker 1: as you may be severally disposed. If Achilles fights the
Speaker 1: Trojans without hindrance, they will make no stand against him.
Speaker 1: They have ever trembled at the sight of him, And
Speaker 1: now that he has roused to such fury about his comrade,
Speaker 1: he will override fate itself and storm their city. Thus
Speaker 1: spoke Jove and gave the word for war. Whereon the
Speaker 1: gods took their several sides and went into battle. Juno, Pallas, Minerva,
Speaker 1: Earth encircling Neptune, Mercury, bringer of good luck, and excellent
Speaker 1: in all cunning. All these joined the host that came
Speaker 1: from the ships. With them, also came Vulcan, in all
Speaker 1: his glory, limping, but yet with his thin legs plying
Speaker 1: lustily under him. Mars of gleaming helmet joined the Trojans,
Speaker 1: and with him Apollo of locks unshorn, and the archer
Speaker 1: goddess Diana leto Xanthus, and laughter loving Venus. So long
Speaker 1: as the gods held themselves aloof from mortal warriors, the
Speaker 1: Achaeans were triumphant. For Achilles, who had long refused to fight,
Speaker 1: was now with them. There was not a Trojan, but
Speaker 1: his limbs failed him for fear, as he beheld the fleet,
Speaker 1: son of Pelias, all glorious in his armor and looking
Speaker 1: like Mars himself. When, however, the Olympians came to take
Speaker 1: their part among men, forthwith uprose strong strife, rouser of hosts,
Speaker 1: and Minerva raised her loud voice, now standing by the
Speaker 1: deep trench that ran outside the wall, and now shouting
Speaker 1: with all her might upon the shore of the sounding sea.
Speaker 1: Mars also bellowed out upon the other side, dark as
Speaker 1: some black thundercloud, and called on the Trojans at the
Speaker 1: top of his voice, now from the acropolis, and now
Speaker 1: speeding up the side of the river Simwa, till he
Speaker 1: came to the hill Calikolone. Thus did the gods spur
Speaker 1: on both hosts to fight, and Rou's fierce contention also
Speaker 1: among themselves. The sire of gods and men thundered from
Speaker 1: heaven above, while from beneath Neptune shook the vast earth
Speaker 1: and bade the high hills tremble. The spurs and crests
Speaker 1: of many fountained. Ida quaked, as also the city of
Speaker 1: the Trojans and the ships of the Achaeans. Hades, king
Speaker 1: of the realms below, was struck with fear. He sprang,
Speaker 1: panic stricken from his throne, and cried aloud in terror
Speaker 1: lest Neptune, lord of the earthquake, should crack the ground
Speaker 1: over his head and lay bare his moldy mansions to
Speaker 1: the sight of mortals and immortals, mansions so ghastly grim
Speaker 1: that even the gods shudder to think of them. Such
Speaker 1: was the uproar as the gods came together in battle. Apollo,
Speaker 1: with his arrows, took his stand to face King Neptune,
Speaker 1: while Minerva took hers against the god of war. The
Speaker 1: archer goddess Diana, with her golden arrows, sister of far
Speaker 1: darting Apollo, stood to face Juno Mercury, the lusty bringer
Speaker 1: of good luck, faced Leto, while the mighty eddying river,
Speaker 1: whom men Can scommander. But God xanthus matched himself against Vulcan.
Speaker 1: The gods then were thus ranged against one another. But
Speaker 1: the heart of Achilles was set on meeting Hector, son
Speaker 1: of Priam, for it was with his blood that he
Speaker 1: longed above all things else to glut, the stubborn lord
Speaker 1: of battle. Meanwhile, Apollo set Aeneas on to attack the
Speaker 1: son of Pelias, and put courage into his heart, speaking
Speaker 1: with the voice of ly Chaon, son of Priam, in
Speaker 1: his likeness. Therefore he said to Eneas, Aeneus, counselor of
Speaker 1: the Trojans, where are now the brave words with which
Speaker 1: you vaunted over your wine before the Trojan princes, saying
Speaker 1: that you would fight Achilles, son of Pelias, in single combat.
Speaker 1: And Aeneus answered, why do you thus bid me fight
Speaker 1: the proud son of Pelias, when I am in no
Speaker 1: mind to do so. Were I to face him now,
Speaker 1: it would not be for the first time. His spear
Speaker 1: has already put me to rout from Ida, when he
Speaker 1: attacked our cattle and sacked Lnesus and Pedesus. Jove indeed
Speaker 1: saved me in that he vouchsafed me strength to fly,
Speaker 1: else had I fallen by the hands of Achilles and Minerva,
Speaker 1: who went before him to protect him, and urged him
Speaker 1: to fall upon the Lelegae and Trojans. No man may
Speaker 1: fight Achilles, for one of the gods is always with
Speaker 1: him as his guardian angel. And even were it not so,
Speaker 1: his weapon flies ever straight and fails not to pierce
Speaker 1: the flesh of him who is against him. If Heaven
Speaker 1: would let me fight him on even terms, he should
Speaker 1: not soon overcome me, though he boasts that he is
Speaker 1: made of bronze. Then said King Apollo, son to Jove, Nay, Hero,
Speaker 1: pray to the ever living gods, for men, say that
Speaker 1: you were born of Jove's daughter Venus. Whereas Achilles is
Speaker 1: son to a goddess of inferior rank, Venus is child
Speaker 1: to Jove, while Thetis is but daughter to the old
Speaker 1: man of the sea. Bring, therefore your spear to bear
Speaker 1: upon him, and let him not scare you with his
Speaker 1: taunts and menaces. As he spoke, he put courage into
Speaker 1: the heart of the shepherd of his people, and he
Speaker 1: strode in full armour among the ranks of the foremost fighters.
Speaker 1: Nor did the son of Anchises escape the notice of
Speaker 1: white armed Juno as he went forth into the throng
Speaker 1: to meet Achilles. She called the gods about her and said,
Speaker 1: look to it, you two, Neptune and Minerva, and consider
Speaker 1: how this shall be. Phoebus Apollo has been sending Aneas
Speaker 1: clad in full armor to fight Achilles. Shall we turn
Speaker 1: him back at once? Or shall one of us stand
Speaker 1: by Achilles and endow him with strength so that his
Speaker 1: heart fail not and he may learn that the chiefs
Speaker 1: of the immortals are on his side, while the others,
Speaker 1: who have all along been defending the Trojans are but
Speaker 1: vain helpers. Let us all come down from Olympus and
Speaker 1: join in the fight, that this day he may take
Speaker 1: no hurt at the hands of the Trojans. Hereafter, let
Speaker 1: him suffer whatever fate may have spun out for him
Speaker 1: when he was begotten and his mother bore him. If
Speaker 1: Achilles be not thus assured by the voice of a godd,
Speaker 1: he may come to fear presently when one of us
Speaker 1: meets him in battle, For the gods are terrible if
Speaker 1: they are seen face to face. Neptune, lord of the Earthquake,
Speaker 1: answered her saying, Juno, restrain your fury. It is not well.
Speaker 1: I am not in favour of forcing the other gods
Speaker 1: to fight us, for the advantage is too greatly on
Speaker 1: our own side. Let us take our places on some
Speaker 1: hill out of the beaten track, and let mortals fight
Speaker 1: it out among themselves. If Mars or Phoebus Apollo begin fighting,
Speaker 1: or keep Achilles in check so that he cannot fight,
Speaker 1: we too will at once raise the cry of battle,
Speaker 1: and in that case they will soon leave the field
Speaker 1: and go back vanquished to Olympus among the other gods.
Speaker 1: With these words, the dark haired god led the way
Speaker 1: to the high earth barrow of Hercules, built round solid
Speaker 1: masonry and made by the Trojans and Pallas Minerva for
Speaker 1: him fly to when the sea monster was chasing him
Speaker 1: from the shore. On the plane here, Neptune and those
Speaker 1: that were with him took their seats, wrapped in a
Speaker 1: thick cloud of darkness. But the other gods seated themselves
Speaker 1: on the brow of calicoalonne round you, o, Phoebus and Mars,
Speaker 1: the waster of cities. Thus did the gods sit apart
Speaker 1: and form their plans, But neither side was willing to
Speaker 1: begin battle with the other, and Jove, from his seat
Speaker 1: on high, was in command over them all. Meanwhile, the
Speaker 1: whole plain was alive with men and horses, and blazing
Speaker 1: with the gleam of armour. The earth rang again under
Speaker 1: the tramp of their feet as they rushed towards each other,
Speaker 1: and two champions, by far the foremost of them, all
Speaker 1: met between the hosts to fight to wit Eneus, son
Speaker 1: of Anchises and noble Achilles. Eneus was first to stride
Speaker 1: forward in attack, his doughty helmet tossing defiance. As he
Speaker 1: came on. He held his strong shield before his breast
Speaker 1: and brandished his bronze. The son of Pelias, from the
Speaker 1: other side, sprang forth to meet him, like some fierce
Speaker 1: lion that the whole countryside has met to hunt and kill.
Speaker 1: At first he bodes no ill, but when some daring
Speaker 1: youth has struck him with a spear, he crouches open
Speaker 1: mouthed his jaw's foam. He roars with fury. He lashes
Speaker 1: his tail from side to side about his ribs and loins,
Speaker 1: and glares as he springs straight before him to find
Speaker 1: out whether he is to slay or be slain. Among
Speaker 1: the foremost of his foes. Even with such fury did
Speaker 1: Achilles burn to spring upon Aeneus. When they were now
Speaker 1: close up with one another, Achilles was first to speak.
Speaker 1: Eneus said, he, why do you stand thus out before
Speaker 1: the host to fight me? Is it that you hope
Speaker 1: to rain over the Trojans in the seat of Priam? Nay,
Speaker 1: though you kill me, Priam will not hand his kingdom
Speaker 1: over to you. He is a man of sound judgment,
Speaker 1: and he has sons of his own. Or have the
Speaker 1: Trojans been allotting you a domain of passing richness, fair
Speaker 1: with orchard lawns and corn lands. If you should slay
Speaker 1: me this you shall hardly do. I have discomfited you
Speaker 1: once already? Have you forgotten how when you were alone
Speaker 1: I chased you from your herds helter skelter down the
Speaker 1: slopes of Ida. You did not turn round to look
Speaker 1: behind you. You took refuge in linness. But I attacked
Speaker 1: the city, and with the help of Minerva and Father Jove,
Speaker 1: I sacked it and carried its women into captivity. Though
Speaker 1: Jove and the other gods rescued you, you think they
Speaker 1: will protect you now, but they will not do so.
Speaker 1: Therefore I say, go back into the host, and do
Speaker 1: not face me, or you will rue it. Even a
Speaker 1: fool may be wise after the event. Then, Eneas answered,
Speaker 1: son of Pelias, think not that your words can scare me,
Speaker 1: as though I were a child, I too, if I will,
Speaker 1: can brag and talk unseemly. We know one another's race
Speaker 1: and parentage as matters of common fame, though neither have
Speaker 1: you ever seen my parents, nor i yours. Men say
Speaker 1: that you are son to noble Pelias, and that your
Speaker 1: mother is Thetis, fair haired daughter of the sea. I
Speaker 1: have noble Anchises for my father, and Venus for my mother.
Speaker 1: The parents of one or other of us shall this
Speaker 1: day mourn a son, for it will be more than
Speaker 1: silly talk that shall part us when the fight is over.
Speaker 1: Learn then my lineage, if you will, and it is
Speaker 1: known to many in the beginning. Dardanus was the son
Speaker 1: of Jove and founded Dardania, for Ilius was not yet
Speaker 1: established on the plain for men to dwell in, and
Speaker 1: her people still abode on the spurs of many fountained Ida.
Speaker 1: Dardanus had a son, King Ericthonius, who was wealthiest of
Speaker 1: all men living. He had three thousand mares that fed
Speaker 1: by the water meadows, they and their foals with them.
Speaker 1: Boreus was enamored of them as they were feeding, and
Speaker 1: covered them in the semblance of a dark maned stallion.
Speaker 1: Twelve philly folds did they conceive and bear him. And these,
Speaker 1: as they sped over the rich plain, would go bounding
Speaker 1: on over the ripe ears of corn and not break them.
Speaker 1: Or again, when they would disport themselves on the broad
Speaker 1: back of ocean, they could gallop on the crest of
Speaker 1: a breaker. Ericthonius begat Tros, king of the Trojans, and
Speaker 1: Tros had three noble sons, Elus, Assaracus and Ganymede, who
Speaker 1: was comeliest of mortal men, wherefore the gods carried him
Speaker 1: off to be Jove's cupbearer for his beauty's sake, that
Speaker 1: he might dwell among the immortals. Elus begat Laomedon, and
Speaker 1: Leomodon begat Tithonus, Priam Lampus, Clytius, and Hicotaon of the
Speaker 1: stock of Mars. But Asaracus was father to CAPPIs, and
Speaker 1: CAPPIs to Anchises, who was my father, while hector is
Speaker 1: son to Priam. Such do I declare my blood and lineage.
Speaker 1: But as for Valor, Jove gives it or takes it
Speaker 1: as he will, for he is lord of all. And
Speaker 1: now let there be no more of this prating in
Speaker 1: mid battle. As though we were children, we could fling
Speaker 1: taunts without end at one another. A hundred awed galley
Speaker 1: would not hold them. The tongue can run all withers
Speaker 1: and talk all wise. It can go here and there.
Speaker 1: And as a man says, so shall he be gain. Said,
Speaker 1: what is the use of our bandying hard like women, who,
Speaker 1: when they fall foul of one another, go out and
Speaker 1: wrangle in the streets, one half true and the other
Speaker 1: lies as rage inspires them. No words of yours shall
Speaker 1: turn me now that I am fain to fight. Therefore,
Speaker 1: let us make trial of one another with our spears.
Speaker 1: As he spoke, he drove his spear at the great
Speaker 1: and terrible shield of Achilles, which rang out as the
Speaker 1: point struck it. The son of Pelias held the shield
Speaker 1: before him with his strong hand, and he was afraid,
Speaker 1: for he deemed that Aeneas's spear would go through it
Speaker 1: quite easily, not reflecting that the god's glorious gifts were
Speaker 1: little likely to yield before the blows of mortal men,
Speaker 1: and indeed, Eneus's spear did not pierce the shield, for
Speaker 1: the layer of gold, gift of the God, stayed the point.
Speaker 1: It went through two layers. But the God had made
Speaker 1: the shield in five, two of bronze, the two innermost
Speaker 1: ones of tin, and one of gold. It was in
Speaker 1: this that the spear was stayed. Achilles in his turn
Speaker 1: through and struck the round shield of Eneas at the
Speaker 1: very edge where the bronze was thinnest. The spear of
Speaker 1: pelian ash went clean through, and the shield rang under
Speaker 1: the blow. Eneus was afraid and crouched backwards, holding the
Speaker 1: shield away from him. The spear, however, flew over his
Speaker 1: back and stuck quivering in the ground, after having gone
Speaker 1: through both circles of the sheltering shield. Aeneus, though he
Speaker 1: had avoided the spear, stood still, blinded with fear and
Speaker 1: grief because the weapon had gone so near him. Then
Speaker 1: Achilles sprang furiously upon him with a cry as of death,
Speaker 1: and with his keen blade drawn, and Aeneus seized a
Speaker 1: great stone so huge that two men, as men now are,
Speaker 1: would be unable to lift it. But Aeneas wielded it
Speaker 1: quite easily. Eneus would then have struck Achilles as he
Speaker 1: was springing towards him, either on the helmet or on
Speaker 1: the shield that covered him, and Achilles would have closed
Speaker 1: with him and despatched him with his sword, had not Neptune,
Speaker 1: lord of the Earthquake, been quick to mark and said
Speaker 1: forthwith to the immortals, alas, I am sorry for greater Neus,
Speaker 1: who will now go down to the house of Hades,
Speaker 1: vanquished by the son of Pelias, fool that he was
Speaker 1: to give ear to the counsel of Apollo. Apollo will
Speaker 1: never save him from destruction. Why should this man suffer
Speaker 1: when he is guiltless to no purpose and in another's quarrel?
Speaker 1: Has he not at all times offered acceptable sacrifice to
Speaker 1: the gods that dwell in heaven. Let us then snatch
Speaker 1: him from death's jaws, lest the son of Saturn be angry.
Speaker 1: Should Achilles slay him. It is fated moreover that he
Speaker 1: should escape, and that the race of Dardanus, whom Jove
Speaker 1: loved above all the sons born to him of mortal women,
Speaker 1: shall not perish utterly without seed or sign. For now
Speaker 1: indeed has Jove hated the blood of Priam. While Aeneas
Speaker 1: shall reign over the Trojans, he and his children's children
Speaker 1: that shall be born hereafter, Then answered Juno, Earthshaker, look
Speaker 1: to this matter yourself, and consider concerning Aeneus, whether you
Speaker 1: will save him or suffer him brave though he be
Speaker 1: to fall by the hand of Achilles, son of Pelias.
Speaker 1: For of a truth we I and Pallas Minerva have
Speaker 1: sworn full many a time before all the immortals, that
Speaker 1: never would we shield Trojans from destruction, not even when
Speaker 1: all Troy is burning in the flames that the Achaeans
Speaker 1: shall kindle. When earth encircling Neptune heard this, he went
Speaker 1: into the battle amid the clash of spears, and came
Speaker 1: to the place where Achilles and Aeneus were. Forthwith he
Speaker 1: shed a darkness before the eyes of the sun of Pelias,
Speaker 1: drew the bronze headed ashen spear from the shield of Eneus,
Speaker 1: and laid it at the feet of Achilles. Then he
Speaker 1: lifted Aeneas on high from off the earth, and hurried
Speaker 1: him away over the heads of many a band of warriors,
Speaker 1: both horse and foot. Did he soar as the God's
Speaker 1: hand sped him till he came to the very fringe
Speaker 1: of the battle, where the Corconians were arming themselves for fight. Neptune,
Speaker 1: Shaker of the Earth, then came near to him and said, Eneus,
Speaker 1: what God has egged you on to this folly in
Speaker 1: fighting the son of Pelias, who is both a mightier
Speaker 1: man of Valor and more beloved of Heaven than you are.
Speaker 1: Give way before him whensoever you meet him, lest you
Speaker 1: go down to the house of Hades, even though fate
Speaker 1: would have it otherwise. When Achilles is dead, you may
Speaker 1: then fight among the foremost undaunted, for none other of
Speaker 1: the Achaeans shall slay you. The God left him when
Speaker 1: he had given him these instructions, and at once removed
Speaker 1: the darkness from before the eyes of Achilles, who opened
Speaker 1: them wide indeed, and said, in great anger, alas, what
Speaker 1: marvel am I now beholding? Here is my spear upon
Speaker 1: the ground. But I see not him whom I meant
Speaker 1: to kill when I hurled it. Of a truth, Eneas
Speaker 1: also must be under Heaven's protection. Although I had thought
Speaker 1: his boasting was idle, let him go hang. He will
Speaker 1: be a no omu to fight me. Further, Seeing how
Speaker 1: narrowly he has missed being killed. I will now give
Speaker 1: my orders to the Danaans and attack some other of
Speaker 1: the Trojans. He sprang forward along the line and cheered
Speaker 1: his men on as he did so. Let not the Trojans,
Speaker 1: he cried, keep you at arm's length, Akians, But go
Speaker 1: for them and fight them man for man. However valiant
Speaker 1: I may be, I cannot give chase to so many
Speaker 1: and fight all of them. Even Mars, who is an immortal,
Speaker 1: or Minerva, would shrink from flinging himself into the jaws
Speaker 1: of such a fight and laying about him. Nevertheless, so
Speaker 1: far as in me lies, I will show no slackness
Speaker 1: of hand or foot, nor want of endurance, not even
Speaker 1: for a moment. I will utterly break their ranks, and
Speaker 1: woe to the Trojan who shall venture within reach of
Speaker 1: my spear. Thus did he exhort them. Meanwhile, Hector called
Speaker 1: upon the Trojans and declared that he would fight Achilles.
Speaker 1: Be not afraid, proud Trojans, said he to face the
Speaker 1: son of Pelias. I could fight gods myself if the
Speaker 1: battle were one of words only, but they would be
Speaker 1: more than a match for me if we had to
Speaker 1: use our spears. Even so the deed of Achilles will
Speaker 1: fall somewhat short of his word. He will do in part,
Speaker 1: and the other part he will clip short. I will
Speaker 1: go up against him, though his hands be as fire,
Speaker 1: though his hands be fire, and his strength iron. Thus urged,
Speaker 1: the Trojans lifted up their spears against the Achaeans and
Speaker 1: raised the cry of battle as they flung themselves into
Speaker 1: the midst of their ranks. But Phoebus Apollo came up
Speaker 1: to Hector and said, Hector, on no account must you
Speaker 1: challenge Achilles to single combat. Keep a look out for
Speaker 1: him while you are under cover of the others and
Speaker 1: away from the thick of the fight. Otherwise he will
Speaker 1: either hit you with a spear or cut you down
Speaker 1: at close quarters. Thus he spoke, and Hector drew back
Speaker 1: within the crowd, for he was afraid when he heard
Speaker 1: what the god had said to him. Achilles then sprang
Speaker 1: upon the Trojans with a terrible cry, clothed in valor
Speaker 1: as with a garment. First, he killed Iphythion's, son of Attrnthius,
Speaker 1: a leader of much people whom a Naiad nymph had
Speaker 1: borne to Atrnius, waster of cities, in the land of Hyde,
Speaker 1: under the snowy heights of Mount Tmolus. Achilles struck him
Speaker 1: full on the head as he was coming on towards him,
Speaker 1: and split it clean in two, whereon he fell heavily
Speaker 1: to the ground, and Achilles vaunted over him, saying, you
Speaker 1: lie low son of Otrntius, mighty hero. Your death is here,
Speaker 1: but your lineage is on the Gygayan lake, where your
Speaker 1: father's estate lies, by Hillus rich in fish and the
Speaker 1: eddying waters of Hermus. Thus did he vaunt, but darkness
Speaker 1: closed the eyes of the other. The chariots of the
Speaker 1: Achaeans cut him up as their wheels passed over him.
Speaker 1: In the front of the battle, and after him Achilles
Speaker 1: killed Demoleon, a valiant man of war and son to Antonor.
Speaker 1: He struck him on the temple through his bronze cheeked helmet.
Speaker 1: The helmet did not stay the spear, but it went
Speaker 1: right on, crushing the bone, so that the brain inside
Speaker 1: was shed in all directions, and his lust of fighting
Speaker 1: was ended. Then he struck Hippodamus in the midriff, as
Speaker 1: he was springing down from his chariot in front of
Speaker 1: him and trying to escape. He breathed his last bellowing
Speaker 1: like a bull bellow's when young men are dragging him
Speaker 1: to offer him in sacrifice to the King of Hellas.
Speaker 1: And the heart of the earth shaker is glad. Even
Speaker 1: so did he bellow as he lay dying. Achilles then
Speaker 1: went in pursuit of Polydorus, son of Priam, whom his
Speaker 1: father had always forbidden to fight, because he was the
Speaker 1: youngest of his sons, the one he loved best, and
Speaker 1: the fastest runner. He in his folly, and showing off
Speaker 1: the fleetness of his feet, was rushing about among front
Speaker 1: ranks until he lost his life, for Achilles struck him
Speaker 1: in the middle of the back as he was darting
Speaker 1: past him. He struck him just at the golden fastenings
Speaker 1: of his belt, and where the two pieces of the
Speaker 1: double breastplate overlapped the point of the spear pierced him
Speaker 1: through and came out by the navel, whereon he fell
Speaker 1: groaning on to his knees, and a cloud of darkness
Speaker 1: overshadowed him as he sank, holding his entrails in his hands.
Speaker 1: When Hector saw his brother Polydorus with his entrails in
Speaker 1: his hands and sinking down, upon the ground. A mist
Speaker 1: came over his eyes, and he could not bear to
Speaker 1: keep longer at a distance. He therefore poised his spear
Speaker 1: and darted towards Achilles like a flame of fire. When
Speaker 1: Achilles saw him, he bounded forward and vaunted, saying, this
Speaker 1: is he that has wounded my heart most deeply and
Speaker 1: has slain my beloved comrade. Not for long shall we
Speaker 1: too quail before one another on the highways of war.
Speaker 1: He looked fiercely on Hector and said, draw near, that
Speaker 1: you may meet your doom the sooner. Hector feared him not,
Speaker 1: and answered, son of Pelias, think not that your words
Speaker 1: can scare me as though I were a child, I too,
Speaker 1: if I will, can brag and talk unseemly. I know
Speaker 1: that you are a mighty warrior, mightier by far than I. Nevertheless,
Speaker 1: the issue lies in the lap of heaven. Whether I
Speaker 1: worse man, though I be, may not slay you with
Speaker 1: my spear, for this too has been found keen ere
Speaker 1: Now he hurled his spear as he spoke, but Minerva
Speaker 1: breathed upon it, and though she breathed but very lightly,
Speaker 1: she turned it back from going towards Achilles, so that
Speaker 1: it returned to Hector and lay at his feet in
Speaker 1: front of him. Achilles then sprang furiously on him with
Speaker 1: a loud cry, bent on killing him, But Apollo caught
Speaker 1: him up easily as a god can, and hid him
Speaker 1: in a thick darkness. Thrice did Achilles spring towards him,
Speaker 1: spear in hand, and thrice did he waste his blow
Speaker 1: upon the air. When he rushed forward for the fourth time,
Speaker 1: as though he were a god, he shouted aloud, saying, hound,
Speaker 1: this time too you have escaped death. But of a truth,
Speaker 1: it came exceedingly near you. Phoebus. Apollo, to whom it
Speaker 1: seems you pray before you go into battle, has again
Speaker 1: saved you. But if I too have any friend among
Speaker 1: the gods, I will surely make an end of you
Speaker 1: when I come across you at some other time. Now, however,
Speaker 1: I will pursue and overtake other trojans on this He
Speaker 1: struck Dryops with his spear about the middle of his neck,
Speaker 1: and he fell headlong at his feet. There he let
Speaker 1: him lie and stayed de Mucha's son of Philotore, a
Speaker 1: man both brave and of great stature, By hitting him
Speaker 1: on the knee with a spear. Then he smote him
Speaker 1: with his sword and killed him. After this he sprang
Speaker 1: on Laoganus and Dardanus, sons of Bias, and threw them
Speaker 1: from their chariot, the one with a blow from a
Speaker 1: thrown spear, while the other he cut down in hand
Speaker 1: to hand fight. There was also Tross, the son of
Speaker 1: a Lastor. He came up to Achilles and clasped his
Speaker 1: knees in the hope that he would spare him and
Speaker 1: not kill him, but let him go, because they were
Speaker 1: both of the same age. Fool he might have known
Speaker 1: that he should not prevail with him, for the man
Speaker 1: was in no mood for pity or forbearance, but was
Speaker 1: in grim earnest. Therefore, when Trots laid hold of his
Speaker 1: knees and sought a hearing for his prayers, Achilles drove
Speaker 1: his sword into his liver, and the liver came rolling out,
Speaker 1: while his bosom was all covered with the black blood
Speaker 1: that welled from the wound. Thus did death close his
Speaker 1: eyes as he lay lifeless. Achilles then went up to
Speaker 1: Mulius and struck him on the ear with a spear,
Speaker 1: and the bronze spear head came right out at the
Speaker 1: other ear. He also struck Echeclus, son of Agenor, on
Speaker 1: the head with his sword, which became warm with the blood,
Speaker 1: while death and stern fate closed the eyes of Achclus.
Speaker 1: Next in order, the bronze point of his spear wounded
Speaker 1: Ducalion in the forearm, where the sinews of the elbow
Speaker 1: are united, whereon he waited Achilles onset, with his arm
Speaker 1: hanging down, and death staring him in the face. Achilles
Speaker 1: cut his head off with a blow from his sword
Speaker 1: and flung it, helmet and all away from him, and
Speaker 1: the marrow came oozing out of his backbone as he lay.
Speaker 1: He then went in pursuit of Rigmus, noble, son of Pyres,
Speaker 1: who had come from fertile Thrace, and struck him through
Speaker 1: the middle with a spear, which fixed itself in his belly,
Speaker 1: so that he fell headlong from his chariot. He also
Speaker 1: speared Arithouse squire to Rygmus in the back as he
Speaker 1: was turning his horses in flight, and thrust him from
Speaker 1: his chariot while the horses were struck with panic. As
Speaker 1: a fire raging in some mountain glen after long drought
Speaker 1: and the dense forest is in a blaze, while the
Speaker 1: wind carries great tongues of fire in every direction. Even
Speaker 1: so furiously did Achilles rage, wielding his spear as though
Speaker 1: he were a god, and giving chase to those whom
Speaker 1: he would slay, till the dark earth ran with blood,
Speaker 1: Or as one who yokes broad browed oxen, that they
Speaker 1: may tread barley in a threshing floor, and it is
Speaker 1: soon bruised small under the feet of the lowing cattle.
Speaker 1: Even so did the horses of Achilles trample on the
Speaker 1: shields and bodies of the slain. The axel underneath and
Speaker 1: the railing that ran round the car were bespattered with
Speaker 1: clots of blood thrown up by the horse's hoofs and
Speaker 1: from the tires of the wheels. But the sun of
Speaker 1: Pelias pressed on to win still further glory, and his
Speaker 1: hands were bedrabbled with gore.