flung　him　into　the　river　to　go　down　stream；　vaunting　over　him　the
  while；　and　saying；　〃Lie　there　among　the　fishes；　who　will　lick　the
  blood　from　your　wound　and　gloat　over　it；　your　mother　shall　not　lay　you
  on　any　bier　to　mourn　you；　but　the　eddies　of　Scamander　shall　bear　you
  into　the　broad　bosom　of　the　sea。　There　shall　the　fishes　feed　on　the
  fat　of　Lycaon　as　they　dart　under　the　dark　ripple　of　the　waters…　so
  perish　all　of　you　till　we　reach　the　citadel　of　strong　Ilius…　you　in
  flight；　and　I　following　after　to　destroy　you。　The　river　with　its　broad
  silver　stream　shall　serve　you　in　no　stead；　for　all　the　bulls　you
  offered　him　and　all　the　horses　that　you　flung　living　into　his
  waters。　None　the　less　miserably　shall　you　perish　till　there　is　not　a
  man　of　you　but　has　paid　in　full　for　the　death　of　Patroclus　and　the
  havoc　you　wrought　among　the　Achaeans　whom　you　have　slain　while　I
  held　aloof　from　battle。〃
  So　spoke　Achilles；　but　the　river　grew　more　and　more　angry；　and
  pondered　within　himself　how　he　should　stay　the　hand　of　Achilles　and
  save　the　Trojans　from　disaster。　Meanwhile　the　son　of　Peleus；　spear
  in　hand；　sprang　upon　Asteropaeus　son　of　Pelegon　to　kill　him。　He　was
  son　to　the　broad　river　Axius　and　Periboea　eldest　daughter　of
  Acessamenus；　for　the　river　had　lain　with　her。　Asteropaeus　stood　up　out
  of　the　water　to　face　him　with　a　spear　in　either　hand；　and　Xanthus
  filled　him　with　courage；　being　angry　for　the　death　of　the　youths
  whom　Achilles　was　slaying　ruthlessly　within　his　waters。　When　they　were
  close　up　with　one　another　Achilles　was　first　to　speak。　〃Who　and　whence
  are　you；〃　said　he；　〃who　dare　to　face　me？　Woe　to　the　parents　whose
  son　stands　up　against　me。〃　And　the　son　of　Pelegon　answered；　〃Great　son
  of　Peleus；　why　should　you　ask　my　lineage。　I　am　from　the　fertile　land
  of　far　Paeonia；　captain　of　the　Paeonians；　and　it　is　now　eleven　days
  that　I　am　at　Ilius。　I　am　of　the　blood　of　the　river　Axius…　of　Axius
  that　is　the　fairest　of　all　rivers　that　run。　He　begot　the　famed　warrior
  Pelegon；　whose　son　men　call　me。　Let　us　now　fight；　Achilles。〃
  Thus　did　he　defy　him；　and　Achilles　raised　his　spear　of　Pelian　ash。
  Asteropaeus　failed　with　both　his　spears；　for　he　could　use　both　hands
  alike；　with　the　one　spear　he　struck　Achilles'　shield；　but　did　not
  pierce　it；　for　the　layer　of　gold；　gift　of　the　god；　stayed　the　point；
  with　the　other　spear　he　grazed　the　elbow　of　Achilles！　right　arm
  drawing　dark　blood；　but　the　spear　itself　went　by　him　and　fixed
  itself　in　the　ground；　foiled　of　its　bloody　banquet。　Then　Achilles；
  fain　to　kill　him；　hurled　his　spear　at　Asteropaeus；　but　failed　to　hit
  him　and　struck　the　steep　bank　of　the　river；　driving　the　spear　half　its
  length　into　the　earth。　The　son　of　Peleus　then　drew　his　sword　and
  sprang　furiously　upon　him。　Asteropaeus　vainly　tried　to　draw
  Achilles'　spear　out　of　the　bank　by　main　force；　thrice　did　he　tug　at
  it；　trying　with　all　his　might　to　draw　it　out；　and　thrice　he　had　to
  leave　off　trying；　the　fourth　time　he　tried　to　bend　and　break　it；　but
  ere　he　could　do　so　Achilles　smote　him　with　his　sword　and　killed　him。
  He　struck　him　in　the　belly　near　the　navel；　so　that　all　his　bowels　came
  gushing　out　on　to　the　ground；　and　the　darkness　of　death　came　over
  him　as　he　lay　gasping。　Then　Achilles　set　his　foot　on　his　chest　and
  spoiled　him　of　his　armour；　vaunting　over　him　and　saying；　〃Lie　there…
  begotten　of　a　river　though　you　be；　it　is　hard　for　you　to　strive　with
  the　offspring　of　Saturn's　son。　You　declare　yourself　sprung　from　the
  blood　of　a　broad　river；　but　I　am　of　the　seed　of　mighty　Jove。　My　father
  is　Peleus；　son　of　Aeacus　ruler　over　the　many　Myrmidons；　and　Aeacus　was
  the　son　of　Jove。　Therefore　as　Jove　is　mightier　than　any　river　that
  flows　into　the　sea；　so　are　his　children　stronger　than　those　of　any
  river　whatsoever。　Moreover　you　have　a　great　river　hard　by　if　he　can　be
  of　any　use　to　you；　but　there　is　no　fighting　against　Jove　the　son　of
  Saturn；　with　whom　not　even　King　Achelous　can　compare；　nor　the　mighty
  stream　of　deep…flowing　Oceanus；　from　whom　all　rivers　and　seas　with　all
  springs　and　deep　wells　proceed；　even　Oceanus　fears　the　lightnings　of
  great　Jove；　and　his　thunder　that　comes　crashing　out　of　heaven。〃
  With　this　he　drew　his　bronze　spear　out　of　the　bank；　and　now　that
  he　had　killed　Asteropaeus；　he　let　him　lie　where　he　was　on　the　sand；
  with　the　dark　water　flowing　over　him　and　the　eels　and　fishes　busy
  nibbling　and　gnawing　the　fat　that　was　about　his　kidneys。　Then　he
  went　in　chase　of　the　Paeonians；　who　were　flying　along　the　bank　of
  the　river　in　panic　when　they　saw　their　leader　slain　by　the　hands　of
  the　son　of　Peleus。　Therein　he　slew　Thersilochus；　Mydon；　Astypylus；
  Mnesus；　Thrasius；　Oeneus；　and　Ophelestes；　and　he　would　have　slain
  yet　others；　had　not　the　river　in　anger　taken　human　form；　and　spoken　to
  him　from　out　the　deep　waters　saying；　〃Achilles；　if　you　excel　all　in
  strength；　so　do　you　also　in　wickedness；　for　the　gods　are　ever　with　you
  to　protect　you：　if；　then；　the　son　of　Saturn　has　vouchsafed　it　to　you
  to　destroy　all　the　Trojans；　at　any　rate　drive　them　out　of　my　stream；
  and　do　your　grim　work　on　land。　My　fair　waters　are　now　filled　with
  corpses；　nor　can　I　find　any　channel　by　which　I　may　pour　myself　into
  the　sea　for　I　am　choked　with　dead；　and　yet　you　go　on　mercilessly
  slaying。　I　am　in　despair；　therefore；　O　captain　of　your　host；　trouble
  me　no　further。〃
  Achilles　answered；　〃So　be　it；　Scamander；　Jove…descended；　but　I
  will　never　cease　dealing　out　death　among　the　Trojans；　till　I　have　pent
  them　up　in　their　city；　and　made　trial　of　Hector　face　to　face；　that　I
  may　learn　whether　he　is　to　vanquish　me；　or　I　him。〃
  As　he　spoke　he　set　upon　the　Trojans　with　a　fury　like　that　of　the
  gods。　But　the　river　said　to　Apollo；　〃Surely；　son　of　Jove；　lord　of
  the　silver　bow；　you　are　not　obeying　the　commands　of　Jove　who　charged
  you　straitly　that　you　should　stand　by　the　Trojans　and　defend　them；
  till　twilight　fades；　and　darkness　is　over　an　the　earth。〃
  Meanwhile　Achilles　sprang　from　the　bank　into　mid…stream；　whereon　the
  river　raised　a　high　wave　and　attacked　him。　He　swelled　his　stream
  into　a　torrent；　and　swept　away　the　many　dead　whom　Achilles　had　slain
  and　left　within　his　waters。　These　he　cast　out　on　to　the　land；
  bellowing　like　a　bull　the　while；　but　the　living　he　saved　alive；　hiding
  them　in　his　mighty　eddies。　The　great　and　terrible　wave　gathered
  about　Achilles；　falling　upon　him　and　beating　on　his　shield；　so　that　he
  could　not　keep　his　feet；　he　caught　hold　of　a　great　elm…tree；　but　it
  came　up　by　the　roots；　and　tore　away　the　bank；　damming　the　stream
  with　its　thick　branches　and　bridging　it　all　across；　whereby　Achilles
  struggled　out　of　the　stream；　and　fled　full　speed　over　the　plain；　for
  he　was　afraid。
  But　the　mighty　god　ceased　not　in　his　pursuit；　and　sprang　upon　him
  with　a　dark…crested　wave；　to　stay　his　hands　and　save　the　Trojans
  from　destruction。　The　son　of　Peleus　darted　away　a　spear's　throw　from
  him；　swift　as　the　swoop　of　a　black　hunter…eagle　which　is　the　strongest
  and　fleetest　of　all　birds；　even　so　did　he　spring　forward；　and　the
  armour　rang　loudly　about　his　breast。　He　fled　on　in　front；　but　the
  river　with　a　loud　roar　came　tearing　after。　As　one　who　would　water
  his　garden　leads　a　stream　from　some　fountain　over　his　plants；　and
  all　his　ground…spade　in　hand　he　clears　away　the　dams　to　free　the
  channels；　and　the　little　stones　run　rolling　round　and　round　with　the
  water　as　it　goes　merrily　down　the　bank　faster　than　the　man　can　follow…
  even　so　did　the　river　keep　catching　up　with　Achilles　albeit　he　was　a
  fleet　runner；　for　the　gods　are　stronger　than　men。　As　often　as　he　would
  strive　to　stand　his　ground；　and　see　whether　or　no　all　the　gods　in
  heaven　were　in　league　against　him；　so　often　would　the　mighty　wave　come
  beating　down　upon　his　shoulders；　and　be　would　have　to　keep　flying　on
  and　on　in　great　dismay；　for　the　angry　flood　was　tiring　him　out　as　it
  flowed　past　him　and　ate　the　ground　from　under　his　feet。
  Then　the　son　of　Peleus　lifted　up　his　voice　to　heaven　saying；　〃Father
  Jove；　is　there　none　of　the　gods　who　will　take　pity　upon　me；　and　save
  me　from　the　river？　I　do　not　care　what　may　happen　to　me　afterwards。　I
  blame　none　of　the　other　dwellers　on　Olympus　so　severely　as　I　do　my
  dear　mother；　who　has　beguiled　and　tricked　me。　She　told　me　I　was　to
  fall　under　the　walls　of　Troy　by　the　flying　arrows　of　Apollo；　would
  that　Hector；　the　best　man　among　the　Trojans；　might　there　slay　me；　then
  should　I　fall　a　hero　by　the　hand　of　a　hero；　whereas　now　it　seems
  that　I　shall　come　to　a　most　pitiable　end；　trapped　in　this　river　as
  though　I　were　some　swineherd's　boy；　who　gets　carried　down　a　torrent
  while　trying　to　cross　it　during　a　storm。〃
  As　soon　as　he　had　spoken　thus；　Neptune　and　Minerva　came　up　to　him　in
  the　likeness　of　two　men；　and　took　him　by　the　hand　to　reassure　him。
  Neptune　spoke　first。　〃Son　of　Peleus；〃　said　he；　〃be　not　so　exceeding
  fearful；　we　are　two　gods；　come　with　Jove's　sanction　to　assist　you；
  I；　and　Pallas　Minerva。　It　is　not　your　fate　to　perish　in　this　river；　he
  will　abate　presently　as　you　will　see；　moreover　we　strongly　advise　you；
  if　you　will　be　guided　by　us；　not　to　stay　your　hand　from　fighting
  till　you　have　pent　the　Trojan　host　within　the　famed　walls　of　Ilius…　as
  many　of　them　as　may　escape。　Then　kill