Homer ILIAD : Rhapsody 20

Page 6

But her then earth-shaking Neptune answered:

"Juno, be not beyond reason enraged; nor is it at all necessary. I, indeed, would not desire that we should engage the other gods in a battle, since we are much more powerful.[647] Rather let us, going out of the way, sit down upon a place of observation,[648] but the war shall be a care to mortals. But if Mars shall begin the combat, or Apollo, or shall restrain Achilles, and not suffer him to fight, then immediately shall the strife of contention there arise to us; and I think that they, having very speedily decided it, will return to Olympus, and mix with the assembly of other gods, violently subdued by necessity under our hands."

Thus then having spoken, the azure-haired [god] led the way to the lofty mound-raised wall of divine Hercules, which the Trojans and Pallas Minerva had made, that, flying, he might escape from the sea-monster, when pursued from the shore to the plain. There then Neptune sat down, and the other gods, and drew an indissoluble cloud around their shoulders; whilst on the other side they sat upon the tops of Callicolone, around thee, O archer Apollo, and Mars, the sacker of cities. Thus they sat on both sides, planning designs, yet both were unwilling to commence grievous war; but Jove, sitting aloft, cheered them on. All the plain, however, was filled with them, and glittered with the brass of men and horses, and the earth echoed under the feet of them rushing together. But two heroes, by far the most valiant, advanced towards [each other] into the midst of both armies, eager to fight,--Aeneas, the son of Anchises, and noble Achilles. And first Aeneas, threatening, advanced, nodding with his strong casque; and before his breast he held his impetuous shield, and shook his brazen spear. But on the other side Pelides rushed against him like a destructive lion, which men assembled together, a whole village, are anxious to kill. He, however, at first despising them, proceeds; but when some one of vigorous youths has wounded him with a dart, yawning, he collects himself [for a spring],[649] and the foam arises round his teeth, and his valiant soul groans within his breast, and he lashes his sides and thighs on both sides with his tail, and rouses himself to battle; then, grimly glaring, he is borne straight on by his strength, if he can kill some of the men, or is himself destroyed in the first crowd. Thus did his might and noble soul urge Achilles to go against magnanimous Aeneas. But when now, advancing, they approached each other, swift-footed, noble Achilles first addressed the other:

[Footnote 647: I am half inclined to condemn this verse as spurious, with Ernesti. It is wanting in MS. Lips, and ed. Rom., and does not appear to have been read by Eustathius.]

[Footnote 648: Compare the "Contemplantes" of Lucan, sub init., where the gods seek a similar place of observation.]

[Footnote 649: So [Greek: aleis] in xv. 403. "It is also used in the same way of a warrior, who, whilst he is preparing to rush on his enemy, or expecting his attack, draws himself up together, or, as we say, puts himself in an attitude of attack or defence."—Buttm. Lexil. p. 258.]

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Rhapsody 20

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