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　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；　fike　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　matters
  of　common　fame；　though　neither　have　you　ever　seen　my　parents　nor　I
  yours。　Men　say　that　you　are　son　to　noble　Peleus；　and　that　your
  mother　is　Thetis；　fair…haired　daughter　of　the　sea。　I　have　noble
  Anchises　for　my　father；　and　Venus　for　my　mother；　the　parents　of　one　or
  other　of　us　shall　this　day　mourn　a　son；　for　it　will　be　more　than　silly
  talk　that　shall　part　us　when　the　fight　is　over。　Learn；　then；　my
  lineage　if　you　will…　and　it　is　known　to　many。
  〃In　the　beginning　Dardanus　was　the　son　of　Jove；　and　founded
  Dardania；　for　Ilius　was　not　yet　stablished　on　the　plain　for　men　to
  dwell　in；　and　her　people　still　abode　on　the　spurs　of　many…fountained
  Ida。　Dardanus　had　a　son；　king　Erichthonius；　who　was　wealthiest　of
  all　men　living；　he　had　three　thousand　mares　that　fed　by　the
  water…meadows；　they　and　their　foals　with　them。　Boreas　was　enamoured　of
  them　as　they　were　feeding；　and　covered　them　in　the　semblance　of　a
  dark…maned　stallion。　Twelve　filly　foals　did　they　conceive　and　bear
  him；　and　these；　as　they　sped　over　the　rich　plain；　would　go　bounding　on
  over　the　ripe　ears　of　corn　and　not　break　them；　or　again　when　they
  would　disport　themselves　on　the　broad　back　of　Ocean　they　could
  gallop　on　the　crest　of　a　breaker。　Erichthonius　begat　Tros；　king　of　the
  Trojans；　and　Tros　had　three　noble　sons；　Ilus；　Assaracus；　and
  Ganymede　who　was　comeliest　of　mortal　men；　wherefore　the　gods　carried
  him　off　to　be　Jove's　cupbearer；　for　his　beauty's　sake；　that　he　might
  dwell　among　the　immortals。　Ilus　begat　Laomedon；　and　Laomedon　begat
  Tithonus；　Priam；　Lampus；　Clytius；　and　Hiketaon　of　the　stock　of　Mars。
  But　Assaracus　was　father　to　Capys；　and　Capys　to　Anchises；　who　was　my
  father；　while　Hector　is　son　to　Priam。
  〃Such　do　I　declare　my　blood　and　lineage；　but　as　for　valour；　Jove
  gives　it　or　takes　it　as　he　will；　for　he　is　lord　of　all。　And　now　let
  there　be　no　more　of　this　prating　in　mid…battle　as　though　we　were
  children。　We　could　fling　taunts　without　end　at　one　another；　a
  hundred…oared　galley　would　not　hold　them。　The　tongue　can　run　all
  whithers　and　talk　all　wise；　it　can　go　here　and　there；　and　as　a　man
  says；　so　shall　he　be　gainsaid。　What　is　the　use　of　our　bandying　hard
  like　women　who　when　they　fall　foul　of　one　another　go　out　and　wrangle
  in　the　streets；　one　half　true　and　the　other　lies；　as　rage　inspires
  them？　No　words　of　yours　shall　turn　me　now　that　I　am　fain　to　fight…
  therefore　let　us　make　trial　of　one　another　with　our　spears。〃
  As　he　spoke　he　drove　his　spear　at　the　great　and　terrible　shield　of
  Achilles；　which　rang　out　as　the　point　struck　it。　The　son　of　Peleus
  held　the　shield　before　him　with　his　strong　hand；　and　he　was　afraid；
  for　he　deemed　that　Aeneas's　spear　would　go　through　it　quite　easily；
  not　reflecting　that　the　god's　glorious　gifts　were　little　likely　to
  yield　before　the　blows　of　mortal　men；　and　indeed　Aeneas's　spear　did
  not　pierce　the　shield；　for　the　layer　of　gold；　gift　of　the　god；
  stayed　the　point。　It　went　through　two　layers；　but　the　god　had　made　the
  shield　in　five；　two　of　bronze；　the　two　innermost　ones　of　tin；　and
  one　of　gold；　it　was　in　this　that　the　spear　was　stayed。
  Achilles　in　his　turn　threw；　and　struck　the　round　shield　of　Aeneas　at
  the　very　edge；　where　the　bronze　was　thinnest；　the　spear　of　Pelian
  ash　went　clean　through；　and　the　shield　rang　under　the　blow；　Aeneas　was
  afraid；　and　crouched　backwards；　holding　the　shield　away　from　him；
  the　spear；　however；　flew　over　his　back；　and　stuck　quivering　in　the
  ground；　after　having　gone　through　both　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