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circles of the sheltering shield。 Aeneas though he had avoided
the spear； stood still； blinded with fear and grief because the
weapon had gone so near him； then Achilles sprang furiously upon
him； with a cry as of death and with his keen blade drawn； and
Aeneas seized a great stone； so huge that two men； as men now
are； would be unable to lift it； but Aeneas wielded it quite
easily。
Aeneas would then have struck Achilles as he was springing
towards him； either on the helmet； or on the shield that covered
him； and Achilles would have closed with him and despatched him
with his sword； had not Neptune lord of the earthquake been quick
to mark； and said forthwith to the immortals； 〃Alas； I am sorry
for great Aeneas； who will now go down to the house of Hades；
vanquished by the son of Peleus。 Fool that he was to give ear to
the counsel of Apollo。 Apollo will never save him from
destruction。 Why should this man suffer when he is guiltless； to
no purpose； and in another's quarrel？ Has he not at all times
offered acceptable sacrifice to the gods that dwell in heaven？
Let us then snatch him from death's jaws； lest the son of Saturn
be angry should Achilles slay him。 It is fated； moreover； that he
should escape； and that the race of Dardanus； whom Jove loved
above all the sons born to him of mortal women； shall not perish
utterly without seed or sign。 For now indeed has Jove hated the
blood of Priam； while Aeneas shall reign over the Trojans； he and
his children's children that shall be born hereafter。〃
Then answered Juno； 〃Earth…shaker； look to this matter yourself；
and consider concerning Aeneas； whether you will save him； or
suffer him； brave though he be； to fall by the hand of Achilles
son of Peleus。 For of a truth we two； I and Pallas Minerva； have
sworn full many a time before all the immortals； that never would
we shield Trojans from destruction； not even when all Troy is
burning in the flames that the Achaeans shall kindle。〃
When earth…encircling Neptune heard this he went into the battle
amid the clash of spears； and came to the place where Achilles
and Aeneas were。 Forthwith he shed a darkness before the eyes of
the son of Peleus； drew the bronze…headed ashen spear from the
shield of Aeneas； and laid it at the feet of Achilles。 Then he
lifted Aeneas on high from off the earth and hurried him away。
Over the heads of many a band of warriors both horse and foot did
he soar as the god's hand sped him； till he came to the very
fringe of the battle where the Cauconians were arming themselves
for fight。 Neptune； shaker of the earth； then came near to him
and said； 〃Aeneas； what god has egged you on to this folly in
fighting the son of Peleus； who is both a mightier man of valour
and more beloved of heaven than you are？ Give way before him
whensoever you meet him； lest you go down to the house of Hades
even though fate would have it otherwise。 When Achilles is dead
you may then fight among the foremost undaunted； for none other
of the Achaeans shall slay you。〃
The god left him when he had given him these instructions； and at
once removed the darkness from before the eyes of Achilles； who
opened them wide indeed and said in great anger； 〃Alas！ what
marvel am I now beholding？ Here is my spear upon the ground； but
I see not him whom I meant to kill when I hurled it。 Of a truth
Aeneas also must be under heaven's protection； although I had
thought his boasting was idle。 Let him go hang； he will be in no
mood to fight me further； seeing how narrowly he has missed being
killed。 I will now give my orders to the Danaans and attack some
other of the Trojans。〃
He sprang forward along the line and cheered his men on as he did
so。 〃Let not the Trojans；〃 he cried； 〃keep you at arm's length；
Achaeans； but go for them and fight them man for man。 However
valiant I may be； I cannot give chase to so many and fight all of
them。 Even Mars； who is an immortal； or Minerva； would shrink
from flinging himself into the jaws of such a fight and laying
about him； nevertheless； so far as in me lies I will show no
slackness of hand or foot nor want of endurance； not even for a
moment； I will utterly break their ranks； and woe to the Trojan
who shall venture within reach of my spear。〃
Thus did he exhort them。 Meanwhile Hector called upon the Trojans
and declared that he would fight Achilles。 〃Be not afraid； proud
Trojans；〃 said he； 〃to face the son of Peleus； I could fight gods
myself if the battle were one of words only； but they would be
more than a match for me； if we had to use our spears。 Even so
the deed of Achilles will fall somewhat short of his word； he
will do in part； and the other part he will clip short。 I will go
up against him though his hands be as firethough his hands be
fire and his strength iron。〃
Thus urged the Trojans lifted up their spears against the
Achaeans； and raised the cry of battle as they flung themselves
into the midst of their ranks。 But Phoebus Apollo came up to
Hector and said； 〃Hector； on no account must you challenge
Achilles to single bat； keep a lookout for him while you are
under cover of the others and away from the thick of the fight；
otherwise he will either hit you with a spear or cut you down at
close quarters。〃
Thus he spoke； and Hector drew back within the crowd； for he was
afraid when he heard what the god had said to him。 Achilles then
sprang upon the Trojans with a terrible cry； clothed in valour as
with a garment。 First he killed Iphition son of Otrynteus； a
leader of much people whom a naiad nymph had borne to Otrynteus
waster of cities； in the land of Hyde under the snowy heights of
Mt。 Tmolus。 Achilles struck him full on the head as he was ing
on towards him； and split it clean in two； whereon he fell
heavily to the ground and Achilles vaunted over him saying； 〃You
be low； son of Otrynteus； mighty hero； your death is here； but
your lineage is on the Gygaean lake where your father's estate
lies； by Hyllus； rich in fish； and the eddying waters of Hermus。〃
Thus did he vaunt； but darkness closed the eyes of the other。
The chariots of the Achaeans cut him up as their wheels passed
over him in the front of the battle； and after him Achilles
killed Demoleon； a valiant man of war and son to Antenor。 He
struck him on the temple through his bronze…cheeked helmet。 The
helmet did not stay the spear； but it went right on； crushing the
bone so that the brain inside was shed in all directions； and his
lust of fighting was ended。 Then he struck Hippodamas in the
midriff as he was springing down from his chariot in front of
him； and trying to escape。 He breathed his last； bellowing like a
bull bellows when young men are dragging him to offer him in
sacrifice to the King of Helice； and the heart of the
earth…shaker is glad； even so did he bellow as he lay dying。
Achilles then went in pursuit of Polydorus son of Priam； whom his
father had always forbidden to fight because he was the youngest
of his sons； the one he loved best； and the fastest runner。 He；
in his folly and showing off the fleetness of his feet； was
rushing about among front ranks until he lost his life； for
Achilles struck him in the middle of the back as he was darting
past him： he struck him just at the golden fastenings of his belt
and where the two pieces of the double breastplate overlapped。
The point of the spear pierced him through and came out by the
navel； whereon he fell groaning on to his knees and a cloud of
darkness overshadowed him as he sank holding his entrails in his
hands。
When Hector saw his brother Polydorus with his entrails in his
hands and sinking down upon the ground； a mist came over his
eyes； and he could not bear to keep longer at a distance； he
therefore poised his spear and darted towards Achilles like a
flame of fire。 When Achilles saw him he bounded forward and
vaunted saying； 〃This is he that has wounded my heart most deeply
and has slain my beloved rade。 Not for long shall we two quail
before one another on the highways of war。〃
He looked fiercely on Hector and said； 〃Draw near； that you may
meet your doom the sooner。〃 Hector feared him not and answered；
〃Son of Peleus； think not that you