Page 255 - the-iliad

when dust lies deep on the roads, and the gusts raise it into
a thick cloud—even such was the fury of the combat, and
might and main did they hack at each other with spear and
sword throughout the host. The field bristled with the long
and deadly spears which they bore. Dazzling was the sheen
of their gleaming helmets, their fresh-burnished breast-
plates, and glittering shields as they joined battle with one
another. Iron indeed must be his courage who could take
pleasure in the sight of such a turmoil, and look on it with-
out being dismayed.
Thus did the two mighty sons of Saturn devise evil
for mortal heroes. Jove was minded to give victory to the
Trojans and to Hector, so as to do honour to fleet Achil-
les, nevertheless he did not mean to utterly overthrow the
Achaean host before Ilius, and only wanted to glorify Thetis
and her valiant son. Neptune on the other hand went about
among the Argives to incite them, having come up from the
grey sea in secret, for he was grieved at seeing them van-
quished by the Trojans, and was furiously angry with Jove.
Both were of the same race and country, but Jove was elder
born and knew more, therefore Neptune feared to defend
the Argives openly, but in the likeness of man, he kept on
encouraging them throughout their host. Thus, then, did
these two devise a knot of war and battle, that none could
unloose or break, and set both sides tugging at it, to the fail-
ing of men’s knees beneath them.
And now Idomeneus, though his hair was already fleck-
ed with grey, called loud on the Danaans and spread panic
among the Trojans as he leaped in among them. He slew

The Iliad