Page 245 - the-iliad

went his way over the waves the sea-monsters left their lairs,
for they knew their lord, and came gambolling round him
from every quarter of the deep, while the sea in her glad-
ness opened a path before his chariot. So lightly did the
horses fly that the bronze axle of the car was not even wet
beneath it; and thus his bounding steeds took him to the
ships of the Achaeans.
Now there is a certain huge cavern in the depths of the
sea midway between Tenedos and rocky Imbrus; here Nep-
tune lord of the earthquake stayed his horses, unyoked
them, and set before them their ambrosial forage. He hob-
bled their feet with hobbles of gold which none could either
unloose or break, so that they might stay there in that place
until their lord should return. This done he went his way to
the host of the Achaeans.
Now the Trojans followed Hector son of Priam in close
array like a storm-cloud or flame of fire, fighting with might
and main and raising the cry battle; for they deemed that
they should take the ships of the Achaeans and kill all their
chiefest heroes then and there. Meanwhile earth-encircling
Neptune lord of the earthquake cheered on the Argives, for
he had come up out of the sea and had assumed the form
and voice of Calchas.
First he spoke to the two Ajaxes, who were doing their
best already, and said, ‘Ajaxes, you two can be the saving
of the Achaeans if you will put out all your strength and
not let yourselves be daunted. I am not afraid that the Tro-
jans, who have got over the wall in force, will be victorious
in any other part, for the Achaeans can hold all of them

The Iliad