The Iliad, Homer [big screen ebook reader .txt] 📗

who
saves AEneas--Achilles kills many Trojans.

THUS, then, did the Achaeans arm by their ships round you, O son of
Peleus, who were hungering for battle; while the Trojans over against
them armed upon the rise of the plain.

Meanwhile Jove from the top of many-delled Olympus, bade Themis gather
the gods in council, whereon she went about and called them to the
house of Jove. There was not a river absent except Oceanus, nor a
single one of the nymphs that haunt fair groves, or springs of rivers
and meadows of green grass. When they reached the house of
cloud-compelling Jove, they took their seats in the arcades of polished
marble which Vulcan with his consummate skill had made for father Jove.

In such wise, therefore, did they gather in the house of Jove. Neptune
also, lord of the earthquake, obeyed the call of the goddess, and came
up out of the sea to join them. There, sitting in the midst of them, he
asked what Jove's purpose might be. "Why," said he, "wielder of the
lightning, have you called the gods in council? Are you considering
some matter that concerns the Trojans and Achaeans--for the blaze of
battle is on the point of being kindled between them?"

And Jove answered, "You know my purpose, shaker of earth, and wherefore
I have called you hither. I take thought for them even in their
destruction. For my own part I shall stay here seated on Mt. Olympus
and look on in peace, but do you others go about among Trojans and
Achaeans, and help either side as you may be severally disposed. If
Achilles fights the Trojans without hindrance they will make no stand
against him; they have ever trembled at the sight of him, and now that
he is roused to such fury about his comrade, he will override fate
itself and storm their city."

Thus spoke Jove and gave the word for war, whereon the gods took their
several sides and went into battle. Juno, Pallas Minerva,
earth-encircling Neptune, Mercury bringer of good luck and excellent in
all cunning--all these joined the host that came from the ships; with
them also came Vulcan in all his glory, limping, but yet with his thin
legs plying lustily under him. Mars of gleaming helmet joined the
Trojans, and with him Apollo of locks unshorn, and the archer goddess
Diana, Leto, Xanthus, and laughter-loving Venus.

So long as the gods held themselves aloof from mortal warriors the
Achaeans were triumphant, for Achilles who had long refused to fight
was now with them. There was not a Trojan but his limbs failed him for
fear as he beheld the fleet son of Peleus all glorious in his armour,
and looking like Mars himself. When, however, the Olympians came to
take their part among men, forthwith uprose strong Strife, rouser of
hosts, and Minerva raised her loud voice, now standing by the deep
trench that ran outside the wall, and now shouting with all her might
upon the shore of the sounding sea. Mars also bellowed out upon the
other side, dark as some black thunder-cloud, and called on the Trojans
at the top of his voice, now from the acropolis, and now speeding up
the side of the river Simois till he came to the hill Callicolone.

Thus did the gods spur on both hosts to fight, and rouse fierce
contention also among themselves. The sire of gods and men thundered
from heaven above, while from beneath Neptune shook the vast earth, and
bade the high hills tremble. The spurs and crests of many-fountained
Ida quaked, as also the city of the Trojans and the ships of the
Achaeans. Hades, king of the realms below, was struck with fear; he
sprang panic-stricken from his throne and cried aloud in terror lest
Neptune, lord of the earthquake, should crack the ground over his head,
and lay bare his mouldy mansions to the sight of mortals and
immortals--mansions so ghastly grim that even the gods shudder to think
of them. Such was the uproar as the gods came together in battle.
Apollo with his arrows took his stand to face King Neptune, while
Minerva took hers against the god of war; the archer-goddess Diana with
her golden arrows, sister of far-darting Apollo, stood to face Juno;
Mercury the lusty bringer of good luck faced Leto, while the mighty
eddying river whom men can Scamander, but gods Xanthus, matched himself
against Vulcan.

The gods, then, were thus ranged against one another. But the heart of
Achilles was set on meeting Hector son of Priam, for it was with his
blood that he longed above all things else to glut the stubborn lord of
battle. Meanwhile Apollo set Aeneas on to attack the son of Peleus, and
put courage into his heart, speaking with the voice of Lycaon son of
Priam. In his likeness therefore, he said to Aeneas, "Aeneas,
counsellor of the Trojans, where are now the brave words with which you
vaunted over your wine before the Trojan princes, saying that you would
fight Achilles son of Peleus in single combat?"

And Aeneas answered, "Why do you thus bid me fight the proud son of
Peleus, when I am in no mind to do so? Were I to face him now, it would
not be for the first time. His spear has already put me to flight from
Ida, when he attacked our cattle and sacked Lyrnessus and Pedasus; Jove
indeed saved me in that he vouchsafed me strength to fly, else had I
fallen by the hands of Achilles and Minerva, who went before him to
protect him and urged him to fall upon the Lelegae and Trojans. No man
may fight Achilles, for one of the gods is always with him as his
guardian angel, and even were it not so, his weapon flies ever
straight, and fails not to pierce the flesh of him who is against him;
if heaven would let me fight him on even terms he should not soon
overcome me, though he boasts that he is made of bronze."

Then said King Apollo, son to Jove, "Nay, hero, pray to the ever-living
gods, for men say that you were born of Jove's daughter Venus, whereas
Achilles is son to a goddess of inferior rank. Venus is child to Jove,
while Thetis is but daughter to the old man of the sea. Bring,
therefore, your spear to bear upon him, and let him not scare you with
his taunts and menaces."

As he spoke he put courage into the heart of the shepherd of his
people, and he strode in full armour among the ranks of the foremost
fighters. Nor did the son of Anchises escape the notice of white-armed
Juno, as he went forth into the throng to meet Achilles. She called the
gods about her, and said, "Look to it, you two, Neptune and Minerva,
and consider how this shall be; Phoebus Apollo has been sending Aeneas
clad in full armour to fight Achilles. Shall we turn him back at once,
or shall one of us stand by Achilles and endow him with strength so
that his heart fail not, and he may learn that the chiefs of the
immortals are on his side, while the others who have all along been
defending the Trojans are but vain helpers? Let us all come down from
Olympus and join in the fight, that this day he may take no hurt at the
hands of the Trojans. Hereafter let him suffer whatever fate may have
spun out for him when he was begotten and his mother bore him. If
Achilles be not thus assured by the voice of a god, he may come to fear
presently when one of us meets him in battle, for the gods are terrible
if they are seen face to face."

Neptune lord of the earthquake answered her saying, "Juno, restrain
your fury; it is not well; I am not in favour of forcing the other gods
to fight us, for the advantage is too greatly on our own side; let us
take our places on some hill out of the beaten track, and let mortals
fight it out among themselves. If Mars or Phoebus Apollo begin
fighting, or keep Achilles in check so that he cannot fight, we too,
will at once raise the cry of battle, and in that case they will soon
leave the field and go back vanquished to Olympus among the other gods."

With these words the dark-haired god led the way to the high
earth-barrow of Hercules, built round solid masonry, and made by the
Trojans and Pallas Minerva for him to fly to when the sea-monster was
chasing him from the shore on to the plain. Here Neptune and those that
were with him took their seats, wrapped in a thick cloud of darkness;
but the other gods seated themselves on the brow of Callicolone round
you, O Phoebus, and Mars the waster of cities.

Thus did the gods sit apart and form their plans, but neither side was
willing to begin battle with the other, and Jove from his seat on high
was in command over them all. Meanwhile the whole plain was alive with
men and horses, and blazing with the gleam of armour. The earth rang
again under the tramp of their feet as they rushed towards each other,
and two champions, by far the foremost of them all, met between the
hosts to fight--to wit, Aeneas son of Anchises, and noble Achilles.

Aeneas was first to stride forward in attack, his doughty helmet
tossing defiance as he came on. He held his strong shield before his
breast, and brandished his bronze spear. The son of Peleus from the
other side sprang forth to meet him, like some fierce lion that the
whole country-side has met to hunt and kill--at first he bodes no ill,
but when some daring youth has struck him with a spear, he crouches
openmouthed, his jaws foam, he roars with fury, he lashes his tail from
side to side about his ribs and loins, and glares as he springs
straight before him, to find out whether he is to slay, or be slain
among the foremost of his foes--even with such fury did Achilles burn
to spring upon Aeneas.

When they were now close up with one another Achilles was first to
speak. "Aeneas," said he, "why do you stand thus out before the host to
fight me? Is it that you hope to reign over the Trojans in the seat of
Priam? Nay, though you kill me Priam will not hand his kingdom over to
you. He is a man of sound judgement, and he has sons of his own. Or
have the Trojans been allotting you a demesne of passing richness, fair
with orchard lawns and corn lands, if you should slay me? This you
shall hardly do. I have discomfited you once already. Have you
forgotten how when you were alone I chased you from your herds
helter-skelter down the slopes of Ida? You did not turn round to look
behind you; you took refuge in Lyrnessus, but I attacked the city, and
with the help of Minerva and father Jove I sacked it and carried its
women into captivity, though Jove and the other gods rescued you. You
think they will protect you now, but they will not do so; therefore I
say go back into the host, and do not face me, or you will rue it. Even
a fool may be wise after the event."

Then Aeneas answered, "Son of Peleus, think not that your words can
scare me as though I were a child. I too, if I will, can brag and talk
unseemly. We know one another's race and parentage as