Page 403 - the-iliad

ranks of the foremost fighters. Nor did the son of Anchis-
es 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 Achil-
les 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 defend-
ing 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

0 The Iliad