till　you　have　pent　the　Trojan　host　within　the　famed　walls　of　Ilius…　as
  many　of　them　as　may　escape。　Then　kill　Hector　and　go　back　to　the　ships；
  for　we　will　vouchsafe　you　a　triumph　over　him。〃
  When　they　had　so　said　they　went　back　to　the　other　immortals；　but
  Achilles　strove　onward　over　the　plain；　encouraged　by　the　charge　the
  gods　had　laid　upon　him。　All　was　now　covered　with　the　flood　of
  waters；　and　much　goodly　armour　of　the　youths　that　had　been　slain　was
  rifting　about；　as　also　many　corpses；　but　he　forced　his　way　against　the
  stream；　speeding　right　onwards；　nor　could　the　broad　waters　stay　him；
  for　Minerva　had　endowed　him　with　great　strength。　Nevertheless
  Scamander　did　not　slacken　in　his　pursuit；　but　was　still　more　furious
  with　the　son　of　Peleus。　He　lifted　his　waters　into　a　high　crest　and
  cried　aloud　to　Simois　saying；　〃Dear　brother；　let　the　two　of　us　unite
  to　save　this　man；　or　he　will　sack　the　mighty　city　of　King　Priam；　and
  the　Trojans　will　not　hold　out　against　him。　Help　me　at　once；　fill
  your　streams　with　water　from　their　sources；　rouse　all　your　torrents　to
  a　fury；　raise　your　wave　on　high；　and　let　snags　and　stones　come
  thundering　down　you　that　we　may　make　an　end　of　this　savage　creature
  who　is　now　lording　it　as　though　he　were　a　god。　Nothing　shall　serve　him
  longer；　not　strength　nor　comeliness；　nor　his　fine　armour；　which
  forsooth　shall　soon　be　lying　low　in　the　deep　waters　covered　over
  with　mud。　I　will　wrap　him　in　sand；　and　pour　tons　of　shingle　round　him；
  so　that　the　Achaeans　shall　not　know　how　to　gather　his　bones　for　the
  silt　in　which　I　shall　have　hidden　him；　and　when　they　celebrate　his
  funeral　they　need　build　no　barrow。〃
  On　this　he　upraised　his　tumultuous　flood　high　against　Achilles；
  seething　as　it　was　with　foam　and　blood　and　the　bo&ies　of　the　dead。　The
  dark　waters　of　the　river　stood　upright　and　would　have　overwhelmed
  the　son　of　Peleus；　but　Juno；　trembling　lest　Achilles　should　be　swept
  away　in　the　mighty　torrent；　lifted　her　voice　on　high　and　called　out　to
  Vulcan　her　son。　〃Crook…foot；〃　she　cried；　〃my　child；　be　up　and　doing；
  for　I　deem　it　is　with　you　that　Xanthus　is　fain　to　fight；　help　us　at
  once；　kindle　a　fierce　fire；　I　will　then　bring　up　the　west　and　the
  white　south　wind　in　a　mighty　hurricane　from　the　sea；　that　shall　bear
  the　flames　against　the　heads　and　armour　of　the　Trojans　and　consume
  them；　while　you　go　along　the　banks　of　Xanthus　burning　his　trees　and
  wrapping　him　round　with　fire。　Let　him　not　turn　you　back　neither　by
  fair　words　nor　foul；　and　slacken　not　till　I　shout　and　tell　you。　Then
  you　may　stay　your　flames。〃
  On　this　Vulcan　kindled　a　fierce　fire；　which　broke　out　first　upon　the
  plain　and　burned　the　many　dead　whom　Achilles　had　killed　and　whose
  bodies　were　lying　about　in　great　numbers；　by　this　means　the　plain
  was　dried　and　the　flood　stayed。　As　the　north　wind；　blowing　on　an
  orchard　that　has　been　sodden　with　autumn　rain；　soon　dries　it；　and
  the　heart　of　the　owner　is　glad…　even　so　the　whole　plan　was　dried　and
  the　dead　bodies　were　consumed。　Then　he　turned　tongues　of　fire　on　to
  the　river。　He　burned　the　elms　the　willows　and　the　tamarisks；　the　lotus
  also；　with　the　rushes　and　marshy　herbage　that　grew　abundantly　by　the
  banks　of　the　river。　The　eels　and　fishes　that　go　darting　about
  everywhere　in　the　water；　these；　too；　were　sorely　harassed　by　the
  flames　that　cunning　Vulcan　had　kindled；　and　the　river　himself　was
  scalded；　so　that　he　spoke　saying；　〃Vulcan；　there　is　no　god　can　hold
  his　own　against　you。　I　cannot　fight　you　when　you　flare　out　your　flames
  in　this　way；　strive　with　me　no　longer。　Let　Achilles　drive　the
  Trojans　out　of　city　immediately。　What　have　I　to　do　with　quarrelling
  and　helping　people？〃
  He　was　boiling　as　he　spoke；　and　all　his　waters　were　seething。　As　a
  cauldron　upon　'a　large　fire　boils　when　it　is　melting　the　lard　of
  some　fatted　hog；　and　the　lard　keeps　bubbling　up　all　over　when　the
  dry　faggots　blaze　under　it…　even　so　were　the　goodly　waters　of
  Xanthus　heated　with　the　fire　till　they　were　boiling。　He　could　flow
  no　longer　but　stayed　his　stream；　so　afflicted　was　he　by　the　blasts
  of　fire　which　cunning　Vulcan　had　raised。　Then　he　prayed　to　Juno　and
  besought　her　saying；　〃Juno；　why　should　your　son　vex　my　stream　with
  such　especial　fury？　I　am　not　so　much　to　blame　as　all　the　others　are
  who　have　been　helping　the　Trojans。　I　will　leave　off；　since　you　so
  desire　it；　and　let　son　leave　off　also。　Furthermore　I　swear　never　again
  will　I　do　anything　to　save　the　Trojans　from　destruction；　not　even　when
  all　Troy　is　burning　in　the　flames　which　the　Achaeans　will　kindle。〃
  As　soon　as　Juno　heard　this　she　said　to　her　son　Vulcan；　〃Son
  Vulcan；　hold　now　your　flames；　we　ought　not　to　use　such　violence
  against　a　god　for　the　sake　of　mortals。〃
  When　she　had　thus　spoken　Vulcan　quenched　his　flames；　and　the　river
  went　back　once　more　into　his　own　fair　bed。
  Xanthus　was　now　beaten；　so　these　two　left　off　fighting；　for　Juno
  stayed　them　though　she　was　still　angry；　but　a　furious　quarrel　broke
  out　among　the　other　gods；　for　they　were　of　divided　counsels。　They　fell
  on　one　another　with　a　mighty　uproar…　earth　groaned；　and　the　spacious
  firmament　rang　out　as　with　a　blare　of　trumpets。　Jove　heard　as　he　was
  sitting　on　Olympus；　and　laughed　for　joy　when　he　saw　the　gods　coming　to
  blows　among　themselves。　They　were　not　long　about　beginning；　and　Mars
  piercer　of　shields　opened　the　battle。　Sword　in　hand　he　sprang　at
  once　upon　Minerva　and　reviled　her。　〃Why；　vixen；〃　said　he；　〃have　you
  again　set　the　gods　by　the　ears　in　the　pride　and　haughtiness　of　your
  heart？　Have　you　forgotten　how　you　set　Diomed　son　of　Tydeus　on　to　wound
  me；　and　yourself　took　visible　spear　and　drove　it　into　me　to　the　hurt
  of　my　fair　body？　You　shall　now　suffer　for　what　you　then　did　to　me。〃
  As　he　spoke　he　struck　her　on　the　terrible　tasselled　aegis…　so
  terrible　that　not　even　can　Jove's　lightning　pierce　it。　Here　did
  murderous　Mars　strike　her　with　his　great　spear。　She　drew　back　and　with
  her　strong　hand　seized　a　stone　that　was　lying　on　the　plain…　great
  and　rugged　and　black…　which　men　of　old　had　set　for　the　boundary　of　a
  field。　With　this　she　struck　Mars　on　the　neck；　and　brought　him　down。
  Nine　roods　did　he　cover　in　his　fall；　and　his　hair　was　all　soiled　in
  the　dust；　while　his　armour　rang　rattling　round　him。　But　Minerva
  laughed　and　vaunted　over　him　saying；　〃Idiot；　have　you　not　learned
  how　far　stronger　I　am　than　you；　but　you　must　still　match　yourself
  against　me？　Thus　do　your　mother's　curses　now　roost　upon　you；　for　she
  is　angry　and　would　do　you　mischief　because　you　have　deserted　the
  Achaeans　and　are　helping　the　Trojans。〃
  She　then　turned　her　two　piercing　eyes　elsewhere；　whereon　Jove's
  daughter　Venus　took　Mars　by　the　hand　and　led　him　away　groaning　all　the
  time；　for　it　was　only　with　great　difficulty　that　he　had　come　to
  himself　again。　When　Queen　Juno　saw　her；　she　said　to　Minerva；　〃Look；
  daughter　of　aegis…bearing　Jove；　unweariable；　that　vixen　Venus　is　again
  taking　Mars　through　the　crowd　out　of　the　battle；　go　after　her　at
  once。〃
  Thus　she　spoke。　Minerva　sped　after　Venus　with　a　will；　and　made　at
  her；　striking　her　on　the　bosom　with　her　strong　hand　so　that　she　fell
  fainting　to　the　ground；　and　there　they　both　lay　stretched　at　full
  length。　Then　Minerva　vaunted　over　her　saying；　〃May　all　who　help　the
  Trojans　against　the　Argives　prove　just　as　redoubtable　and　stalwart
  as　Venus　did　when　she　came　across　me　while　she　was　helping　Mars。　Had
  this　been　so；　we　should　long　since　have　ended　the　war　by　sacking　the
  strong　city　of　Ilius。〃
  Juno　smiled　as　she　listened。　Meanwhile　King　Neptune　turned　to　Apollo
  saying；　〃Phoebus；　why　should　we　keep　each　other　at　arm's　length？　it　is
  not　well；　now　that　the　others　have　begun　fighting；　it　will　be
  disgraceful　to　us　if　we　return　to　Jove's　bronze…floored　mansion　on
  Olympus　without　having　fought　each　other；　therefore　come　on；　you　are
  the　younger　of　the　two；　and　I　ought　not　to　attack　you；　for　I　am
  older　and　have　had　more　experience。　Idiot；　you　have　no　sense；　and
  forget　how　we　two　alone　of　all　the　gods　fared　hardly　round　about　Ilius
  when　we　came　from　Jove's　house　and　worked　for　Laomedon　a　whole　year　at
  a　stated　wage　and　he　gave　us　his　orders。　I　built　the　Trojans　the
  wall　about　their　city；　so　wide　and　fair　that　it　might　be
  impregnable；　while　you；　Phoebus；　herded　cattle　for　him　in　the　dales　of
  many　valleyed　Ida。　When；　however；　the　glad　hours　brought　round　the
  time　of　payment；　mighty　Laomedon　robbed　us　of　all　our　hire　and　sent　us
  off　with　nothing　but　abuse。　He　threatened　to　bind　us　hand　and　foot　and
  sell　us　over　into　some　distant　island。　He　tried；　moreover；　to　cut
  off　the　ears　of　both　of　us；　so　we　went　away　in　a　rage；　furious　about
  the　payment　he　had　promised　us；　and　yet　withheld；　in　spite　of　all
  this；　you　are　now　showing　favour　to　his　people；　and　will　not　join　us
  in　compassing　the　utter　ruin　of　the　proud　Trojans　with　their　wives　and
  children。〃
  And　King　Apollo　answered；　〃Lord　of　the　earthquake；　you　would　have　no
  respect　for　me　if　I　were　to　fight　you　about　a　pack　of　miserable
  mortals；　who　come　out　like　leaves　in　summer　and　eat　the　fruit　of　the
  field；　and　presently　fall　lifeless　to　the　ground。　Let　us　stay　this
  fighting　at　once　and　let　them　settle　it　among　themselves。〃
  He　turned　away　as　he　spoke；　for　he