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high earth-barrow of Hercules, built round solid masonry,
and made by the Trojans and Pallas Minerva for him fly to
when the sea-monster was chasing him from the shore on
to the plain. Here Neptune and those that were with him
took their seats, wrapped in a thick cloud of darkness; but
the other gods seated themselves on the brow of Callicolone
round you, O Phoebus, and Mars the waster of cities.
Thus did the gods sit apart and form their plans, but nei-
ther side was willing to begin battle with the other, and
Jove from his seat on high was in command over them all.
Meanwhile the whole plain was alive with men and horses,
and blazing with the gleam of armour. The earth rang again
under the tramp of their feet as they rushed towards each
other, and two champions, by far the foremost of them all,
met between the hosts to fight—to wit, Aeneas son of An-
chises, and noble Achilles.
Aeneas was first to stride forward in attack, his doughty
helmet tossing defiance as he came on. He held his strong
shield before his breast, and brandished his bronze spear.
The son of Peleus from the other side sprang forth to meet
him, like some fierce lion that the whole country-side has
met to hunt and kill—at first he bodes no ill, but when some
daring youth has struck him with a spear, he crouches open-
mouthed, his jaws foam, he roars with fury, he lashes his
tail from side to side about his ribs and loins, and glares as
he springs straight before him, to find out whether he is to
slay, or be slain among the foremost of his foes—even with
such fury did Achilles burn to spring upon Aeneas.
When they were now close up with one another Achil-

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