by Homer
His reason for that session, and on what point did move
His high intention for the foes; he thought the heat of war
Was then near breaking out in flames. To him the Thunderer :
“Thou know'st this council by the rest of those fore-purposes
That still inclined me; my cares must still succour the distress
Of Troy; though in the mouth of Fate, yet vow I not to stir
One step from off this top of heaven, but all th' affair refer
To any one. Here I'll hold state, and freely take the joy
Of either's fate. Help whom ye please, for 'tis assured that Troy
Not one day's conflict can sustain against Aeacides,
If heaven oppose not. His mere looks threw darts enow t' impress
Their pow'rs with trembling, but when blows sent from his fiery hand
(Thrice heat by slaughter of his friend) shall come and countermand
Their former glories, we have fear, that though Fate keep their wall,
He'll overturn it. Then descend, and cease not till ye all
Add all your aids; mix earth and heaven together with the fight
Achilles urgeth." These his words did such a war excite
As no man's power could wrastle down; the Gods with parted hearts
Departed heaven, and made earth war. To guide the Grecian darts,
Juno and Pallas, with the God that doth the earth embrace,
And most-for-man's-use Mercury (whom good wise inwards grace)
Were partially and all employed, and with them halted down
(Proud of his strength) lame Mulciber, his walkers quite misgrown,
But made him tread exceeding sure. To aid the Ilian side,
The changeable in arms went, Mars, and him accompanied
Diana that delights in shafts, and Phoebus never shorn,
And Aphrodite laughter-pleased, and She of whom was bora
Still young Apollo, and the Flood that runs on golden sands
Bright Xanthus. All these aided Troy, and, till these lent their hands,
The Grecians triumphed in the aid Aeacides did add;
The Trojans trembling with his sight, so gloriously clad
He overshined the field, and Mars no harmfuller than he,
He bore the iron stream on clear. But when Jove's high decree
Let fall the Gods amongst their troops, the field swelled, and the fight
Grew fierce and horrible. The Dame that armies doth excite
Thundered with clamour, sometimes set at dike without the wall,
And sometimes on the bellowing shore. On th' other side, the call
Of Mars to fight was terrible, he cried out like a storm,
Set on the city's pinnacles; and there he would inform
Sometimes his heart'nings, other times where Simois pours on
His silver current at the foot of high Callicolon.
And thus the blest Gods both sides urged; they all stood in the mids,
And brake contention to the hosts. And over all their heads
The Gods' King in abhorred claps his thunder rattled out.
Beneath them Neptune tossed the earth; the mountains round about
Bowed with affright and shook their heads; Jove's hill the earthquake felt,
Steep Ida, trembling at her roots, and all her fountains spilt,
Their brows all crannied; Troy did nod; the Grecian navy played
As on the sea; th' Infernal King, that all things frays, was frayed,
And leaped affrighted from his throne, cried out, lest over him
Neptune should rend in two the earth, and so his house, so dim,
So loathsome, filthy, and abhorred of all the Gods beside,
Should open both to Gods and men. Thus all things shook and cried
"When this black battle of the Gods was joining. Thus arrayed
'Gainst Neptune, Phoebus with winged shafts, 'gainst Mars, the blue-eyed Maid,
'Gainst Juno, Phoebe, whose white hands bore singing darts of gold,
Her side armed with a sheaf of shafts, and (by the birth twofold
Of bright Latona) sister twin to Him that shoots so far.
Against Latona, Hermes stood, grave guard, in peace and war,
Of human beings. Against the God whose empire is in fire,
The wat'ry Godhead, that great Flood, to show whose pow'r entire
In spoil as th' other, all his stream on lurking whirlpits trod,
Xanthus by Gods, by men Scamander, called. Thus God 'gainst God
Entered the field. Aeacides sustained a fervent mind
To cope with Hector; past all these, his spirit stood inclined
To glut Mars with the blood of him. And at Aeacides
Apollo sent Anchises' son; but first he did impress
A more than natural strength in him, and made him feel th' excess
Infused from heaven; Lycaon's shape gave show to his address,
(Old Priam's son) and thus he spake : " Thou counsellor of Troy,
Where now fly out those threats that late put all our peers in joy
Of thy fight with Aeacides? Thy tongue once, steeped in wine,
Durst vaunt as much." He answered him : " But why wouldst thou incline
My powers 'gainst that proud enemy, and 'gainst my present heat?
I mean not now to bid him blows. That fear sounds my retreat,
That heretofore discouraged me, when after he had rased
Lyrnessus, and strong Pedasus, his still breathed fury chased
Our oxen from th' Idsean hill, and set on me; but Jove
Gave strength and knees, and bore me off, that had not walked above
This centre now but propped by him; Minerva's hand (that held
A light to this her favourite, whose beams showed and impelled
His pow'rs to spoil) had ruined me, for these ears heard her cry :
' Kill, kill the seed of Ilion, kill th' Asian Lelegi.'
Mere man then must not fight with him that still hath Gods to friend,
Averting death on others' darts, and giving his no end
But with the ends of men. If God like fortune in the fight
Would give my forces, not with ease winged victory should light
On his proud shoulders, nor he 'scape, though all of brass he boasts
His plight consisteth." He replied :" Pray thou those Gods of hosts,
Whom he implores, as well as he, and his chance may be thine;
Thou cam'st of Gods like him; the Queen that reigns in Salamine
Fame sounds thy mother; he derived of lower deity,
Old Nereus' daughter bearing him. Bear then thy heart as high,
And thy unwearied steel as right, nor'utterly be beat
With only cruelty of words, not proof against a threat."
This strength'ned him, and forth he rushed, nor could his strength'ning fly
White-wristed Juno, nor his drifts. She every deity
Of th' Achive faction called to her, and said: " Ye must have care,
Neptune and Pallas, for the frame of this important war
Ye undertake here. Venus' son, by Phoebus being impelled,
Buns on Achilles; turn him back, or see our friend upheld
By one of us. Let not the spirit of Aeacides
Be over-dared, but make him know the mightiest deities
Stand kind to him, and that the Gods, protectors of these tow'rs
That fight against Greece, and were here before our eminent pow'rs,
Bear no importance. And besides, that all we stoop from heaven
To curb this fight, that no impair be to his person given
By any Trojans, nor their aids, while this day bears the sun.
Hereafter, all things that are wrapped in his birth-thread, and spun
By Parcas in that point of time his mother gave him air,
He must sustain. But if report perform not the repair
Of all thi
s to him, by the voice of some Immortal State,
He may be fearful, if some God should set on him, that Fate
Makes* him her minister. The Gods, when they appear to men
And manifest their proper forms, are passing dreadful then."
Neptune replied : " Saturnia, at no time let your care
Exceed your reason; 'tis not fit. Where only humans are,
We must not mix the hands of Gods, our odds is too extreme.
Sit we by, in some place of height, where we may see to them,
And leave the wars of men to men. But if we see from thence
Or Mars or Phoubus enter fight, or offer least offence
To Thetis' son, not giving free way to his conquering rage,
Then comes the conflict to our cares; we soon shall disengage
Achilles, and send them to heaven to settle their abode
With equals, flying under-strifes," This said, the black-haired God
Led to the tow'r of Hercules, built circular and high
By Pallas and the Ilians, for fit security
To Jove's divine son 'gainst the whale that drave him from the shore
To th' ample field. There Neptune sat, and all the Gods that bore
The Greeks good meaning, casting all thick mantles made of clouds
On their bright shoulders. Th' opposed Gods sat hid in other shrouds
On top of steep Callicolon, about thy golden sides,
O Phoebus, brandisher of darts, and thine, whose rage abides
No peace in cities. In this state these Gods in council sate,
All ling'ring purposed fight, to try who first would elevate
His heavenly weapon. High-throned Jove cried out to set them on,
Said, all the field was full of men, and that the earth did groan
With feet of proud encounterers, burned with the arms of men '
And barbed horse. Two champions for both the armies then
Met in their midst prepared for blows, divine Aeacides,
And Venus' son. .^heas first stepped threat'ning forth the prease,
His high helm nodding, and his breast barred with a shady shield,
And shook his javelin. Thetis' son did his part to the field.
As when the harmful king of beasts (sore threat'ned to be slain
By all the country up in arms) at first makes coy disdain
Prepare resistance, but at last when any one hath led
Bold charge upon him with his dart, he then turns yawning head,
Fell anger lathers in his jaws, his great heart swells, his stern
Lasheth his strength up, sides and thighs waddled with stripes to learn
Their own pow'r, his eyes glow, he roars, and in he leaps to kill,
Secure of killing; so his pow'r then roused up to his will
Matchless Achilles, coming on to meet Anchises' son.
Both near, Achilles thus inquired : " Why stand'st thou thus alone,
Thou son of Venus? Calls thy heart to change of blows with me?
Sure Troy's whole kingdom is proposed; some one hath promised thee
The throne of Priam for my life; but Priam's self is wise,
And, for my slaughter, not so mad to make his throne thy prize.
Priam hath sons to second him. Is't then some piece of land,
Past others fit to set and sow, that thy victorious hand
The Ilians offer for my head? I hope that prize will prove
No easy conquest. Once, I think, my busy javelin drove,
With terror, those thoughts from your spleen. Retain'st thou not the time
When single on th' Idffian hill I took thee with the crime
Of runaway, thy oxen left, and when thou hadst no face
That I could see; thy knees bereft it, and Lyrnessus was
The mask for that? Then that mask, too, I opened to the air
(By Jove and Pallas' help) and took the free light from the fair,
Your ladies hearing prisoners; but Jove and th' other Gods
Then saft thee. Yet again I hope they will not add their odds
To save thy wants, as thou presum'st. Retire then, aim not at
Troy's throne by me; fly ere thy soul flies; fools are wise too late."
He answered him : " Hope not that words can child-like terrify
My stroke-proof breast. I well could speak in this indecency,
And use tart terms; but Ave know well what stock us both put out,
Too geDtle to bear fruits so rude. Our parents ring about
The world's round bosom, and by fame their dignities are hlown
To both our knowledges, by sight neither to either known,
Thine to mine eyes, nor mine to thine. Fame sounds thy worthiness
From famous Peleus, the sea-nymph that hath the lovely tress,
Thetis, thy mother; I myself affirm my sire to be
Great-souled Anchises, she that holds the Paphian deity
My mother. And of these this light is now t'exhale the tears
For their loved issue; thee or me; childish, unworthy dares
Are not enough to part our pow'rs; for if thy spirits want
Due excitation, by distrust of that desert I vaunt,
To set up all rests for my life, I'll lineally prove
(Which many will confirm) my race. First, cloud-commanding Jove
Was sire to Dardanus that built Dardania; for the walls
Of sacred Ilion spread not yet, these fields, these fair-built halls
Of divers-languaged men, not raised; all then made populous
The foot of Ida's fountful hill. This Jove-got Dardanus
Begot king Erichthonius, for wealth past all compares
Of living mortals; in his fens he fed three thousand mares,
All neighing by their tender foals, of which twice-six were bred
By lofty Boreas, their dams loved by him as they fed,
He took the brave form of a horse that shook an azure mane,
And slept with them. These twice-six colts had pace so swift, they ran
Upon the top-ayles of corn-ears, nor bent them any whit;
And when the broad back of the sea their pleasure was to sit,
The superficies of his waves they slid upon, their hoves
Not dipped in dank sweat of his brows. Of Erichtbonius' loves
Sprang Tros the king of Trojans. Tros three young princes bred,
llus, renowned Assaracus, and heavenly Ganymed
The fairest youth of all that breathed, whom, for his beauty's love,
The Gods did ravish to their state to bear the cup to Jove.
Ilus begot Laomedon. God-like Laomedon
Got Tithon, Priam, Clytius, Mars-like Hycetaon,
And Lampus. Great Assaracus Capys begot; and he
Anchises; Prince Anchises me. King Priam Hector : we
Sprang both of one high family. Thus fortunate men give birth,
But Jove gives virtue; he augments, and he impairs the worth
Of all men; and his will their rule; he, strong'st, all strength affords.
Why then paint we, like dames, the face of conflict with our words?
Both may give language that a ship driven with a hundred oars
Would overburtlien. A man's tongue is voluble, and pours
Words out of all sorts every way. Such as you speak you hear.
What then need we vie calumnies, like women that will wear
Their tongues out, being once incensed, and strive for strife to part
(Being on their way) they travel so? From words words may avert;
From virtue not. It is your steel, divine Aeacides,
Must prove my proof, as mine shall yours." Thus amply did he ease
His great heart of his pedigree; and sharply sent away
A dart that caught Achilles' shield, and rung so it did fray
The son of Thetis, his fair hand far-thrusting out his shield
For fear the long lance had d
riven through. O fool, to think 'twould yield.
And not to know the God's firm gifts want want to yield so soon
To men's poor pow'rs. The eager lance had only conquest won
Of two plates, and the shield had five, two forged of tin, two brass,
One, that was centre-plate, of gold, and that forbad the pass
Of Anchisiades his lance. Then sent Achilles forth
His lance, that through the first fold strook, where brass of little worth
And no great proof of hides was laid; through all which Pelias ran
His iron head, and after it his ashen body wan
Pass to the earth, and there it stuck, his top on th' other side,
And hung the shield up; which hard down .-Eneas plucked to hide
His breast from sword blows, shrunk up round, and in his heavy eye
Was much grief shadowed, much afraid that Pelias stuck so nigh.
Then prompt Achilles rushing in, his sword drew, and the field
Rung with his voice. iEneas now left and let hang his shield,
And, all distracted, up he snatched a two-men's strength of stone
And either at his shield or casque he set it rudely gone,
Nor cared where, so it struck a place that put on- arms for death.
But he (Achilles came so close) had doubtless sunk beneath
His own death, had not Neptune seen and interposed the odds,
Of his divine power, uttering this to the Achaian Gods:
“I grieve for this great-hearted man; he will be sent to hell,
Even instantly, by Peleus' son, being only moved to deal
By Phoebus' words. What fool is he! Phoebus did never mean
To add to his great words his guard against the ruin then
Summoned against him. And what cause hath he to head him on
To others' miseries, he being clear of any trespass done
Against the Grecians? Thankful gifts he oft hath given to us.
Let us then quit him, and withdraw this combat; for if thus
Achilles end him, Jove will rage, since his escape in fate
Is purposed, lest the progeny of Dardanus take date,
Whom Jove, past all his issue, loved, begot of mortal dames.
All Priam's race he hates.; and this must propagate the names
Of Trojans, and their sons' sons' rale, to all posterity."
Saturnia said : " Make free your pleasure. Save, or let him die.
Pallas and I have taken many and most public oaths
That th' ill day never shall avert her eye, red with our wroths,
From hated Troy; no, not when all in studied fire she flames
The Greek rage, blowing her last coal." This nothing turned his aims