Page 397 - the-iliad

than he could bear. Thus, then, full of fury against the Tro-
jans, did he don the gift of the god, the armour that Vulcan
had made him.
First he put on the goodly greaves fitted with ancle-clasps,
and next he did on the breastplate about his chest. He slung
the silver-studded sword of bronze about his shoulders, and
then took up the shield so great and strong that shone afar
with a splendour as of the moon. As the light seen by sailors
from out at sea, when men have lit a fire in their homestead
high up among the mountains, but the sailors are carried
out to sea by wind and storm far from the haven where they
would be—even so did the gleam of Achilles’ wondrous
shield strike up into the heavens. He lifted the redoubtable
helmet, and set it upon his head, from whence it shone like
a star, and the golden plumes which Vulcan had set thick
about the ridge of the helmet, waved all around it. Then
Achilles made trial of himself in his armour to see whether
it fitted him, so that his limbs could play freely under it, and
it seemed to buoy him up as though it had been wings.
He also drew his father’s spear out of the spear-stand, a
spear so great and heavy and strong that none of the Achae-
ans save only Achilles had strength to wield it; this was the
spear of Pelian ash from the topmost ridges of Mt. Pelion,
which Chiron had once given to Peleus, fraught with the
death of heroes. Automedon and Alcimus busied themselves
with the harnessing of his horses; they made the bands fast
about them, and put the bit in their mouths, drawing the
reins back towards the chariot. Automedon, whip in hand,
sprang up behind the horses, and after him Achilles mount-

The Iliad