flung him into the river to go down stream； vaunting over him the
while； and saying； 〃Lie there among the fishes； who will lick the
blood from your wound and gloat over it； your mother shall not lay you
on any bier to mourn you； but the eddies of Scamander shall bear you
into the broad bosom of the sea。 There shall the fishes feed on the
fat of Lycaon as they dart under the dark ripple of the waters… so
perish all of you till we reach the citadel of strong Ilius… you in
flight； and I following after to destroy you。 The river with its broad
silver stream shall serve you in no stead； for all the bulls you
offered him and all the horses that you flung living into his
waters。 None the less miserably shall you perish till there is not a
man of you but has paid in full for the death of Patroclus and the
havoc you wrought among the Achaeans whom you have slain while I
held aloof from battle。〃
So spoke Achilles； but the river grew more and more angry； and
pondered within himself how he should stay the hand of Achilles and
save the Trojans from disaster。 Meanwhile the son of Peleus； spear
in hand； sprang upon Asteropaeus son of Pelegon to kill him。 He was
son to the broad river Axius and Periboea eldest daughter of
Acessamenus； for the river had lain with her。 Asteropaeus stood up out
of the water to face him with a spear in either hand； and Xanthus
filled him with courage； being angry for the death of the youths
whom Achilles was slaying ruthlessly within his waters。 When they were
close up with one another Achilles was first to speak。 〃Who and whence
are you；〃 said he； 〃who dare to face me？ Woe to the parents whose
son stands up against me。〃 And the son of Pelegon answered； 〃Great son
of Peleus； why should you ask my lineage。 I am from the fertile land
of far Paeonia； captain of the Paeonians； and it is now eleven days
that I am at Ilius。 I am of the blood of the river Axius… of Axius
that is the fairest of all rivers that run。 He begot the famed warrior
Pelegon； whose son men call me。 Let us now fight； Achilles。〃
Thus did he defy him； and Achilles raised his spear of Pelian ash。
Asteropaeus failed with both his spears； for he could use both hands
alike； with the one spear he struck Achilles' shield； but did not
pierce it； for the layer of gold； gift of the god； stayed the point；
with the other spear he grazed the elbow of Achilles！ right arm
drawing dark blood； but the spear itself went by him and fixed
itself in the ground； foiled of its bloody banquet。 Then Achilles；
fain to kill him； hurled his spear at Asteropaeus； but failed to hit
him and struck the steep bank of the river； driving the spear half its
length into the earth。 The son of Peleus then drew his sword and
sprang furiously upon him。 Asteropaeus vainly tried to draw
Achilles' spear out of the bank by main force； thrice did he tug at
it； trying with all his might to draw it out； and thrice he had to
leave off trying； the fourth time he tried to bend and break it； but
ere he could do so Achilles smote him with his sword and killed him。
He struck him in the belly near the navel； so that all his bowels came
gushing out on to the ground； and the darkness of death came over
him as he lay gasping。 Then Achilles set his foot on his chest and
spoiled him of his armour； vaunting over him and saying； 〃Lie there…
begotten of a river though you be； it is hard for you to strive with
the offspring of Saturn's son。 You declare yourself sprung from the
blood of a broad river； but I am of the seed of mighty Jove。 My father
is Peleus； son of Aeacus ruler over the many Myrmidons； and Aeacus was
the son of Jove。 Therefore as Jove is mightier than any river that
flows into the sea； so are his children stronger than those of any
river whatsoever。 Moreover you have a great river hard by if he can be
of any use to you； but there is no fighting against Jove the son of
Saturn； with whom not even King Achelous can compare； nor the mighty
stream of deep…flowing Oceanus； from whom all rivers and seas with all
springs and deep wells proceed； even Oceanus fears the lightnings of
great Jove； and his thunder that comes crashing out of heaven。〃
With this he drew his bronze spear out of the bank； and now that
he had killed Asteropaeus； he let him lie where he was on the sand；
with the dark water flowing over him and the eels and fishes busy
nibbling and gnawing the fat that was about his kidneys。 Then he
went in chase of the Paeonians； who were flying along the bank of
the river in panic when they saw their leader slain by the hands of
the son of Peleus。 Therein he slew Thersilochus； Mydon； Astypylus；
Mnesus； Thrasius； Oeneus； and Ophelestes； and he would have slain
yet others； had not the river in anger taken human form； and spoken to
him from out the deep waters saying； 〃Achilles； if you excel all in
strength； so do you also in wickedness； for the gods are ever with you
to protect you： if； then； the son of Saturn has vouchsafed it to you
to destroy all the Trojans； at any rate drive them out of my stream；
and do your grim work on land。 My fair waters are now filled with
corpses； nor can I find any channel by which I may pour myself into
the sea for I am choked with dead； and yet you go on mercilessly
slaying。 I am in despair； therefore； O captain of your host； trouble
me no further。〃
Achilles answered； 〃So be it； Scamander； Jove…descended； but I
will never cease dealing out death among the Trojans； till I have pent
them up in their city； and made trial of Hector face to face； that I
may learn whether he is to vanquish me； or I him。〃
As he spoke he set upon the Trojans with a fury like that of the
gods。 But the river said to Apollo； 〃Surely； son of Jove； lord of
the silver bow； you are not obeying the commands of Jove who charged
you straitly that you should stand by the Trojans and defend them；
till twilight fades； and darkness is over an the earth。〃
Meanwhile Achilles sprang from the bank into mid…stream； whereon the
river raised a high wave and attacked him。 He swelled his stream
into a torrent； and swept away the many dead whom Achilles had slain
and left within his waters。 These he cast out on to the land；
bellowing like a bull the while； but the living he saved alive； hiding
them in his mighty eddies。 The great and terrible wave gathered
about Achilles； falling upon him and beating on his shield； so that he
could not keep his feet； he caught hold of a great elm…tree； but it
came up by the roots； and tore away the bank； damming the stream
with its thick branches and bridging it all across； whereby Achilles
struggled out of the stream； and fled full speed over the plain； for
he was afraid。
But the mighty god ceased not in his pursuit； and sprang upon him
with a dark…crested wave； to stay his hands and save the Trojans
from destruction。 The son of Peleus darted away a spear's throw from
him； swift as the swoop of a black hunter…eagle which is the strongest
and fleetest of all birds； even so did he spring forward； and the
armour rang loudly about his breast。 He fled on in front； but the
river with a loud roar came tearing after。 As one who would water
his garden leads a stream from some fountain over his plants； and
all his ground…spade in hand he clears away the dams to free the
channels； and the little stones run rolling round and round with the
water as it goes merrily down the bank faster than the man can follow…
even so did the river keep catching up with Achilles albeit he was a
fleet runner； for the gods are stronger than men。 As often as he would
strive to stand his ground； and see whether or no all the gods in
heaven were in league against him； so often would the mighty wave come
beating down upon his shoulders； and be would have to keep flying on
and on in great dismay； for the angry flood was tiring him out as it
flowed past him and ate the ground from under his feet。
Then the son of Peleus lifted up his voice to heaven saying； 〃Father
Jove； is there none of the gods who will take pity upon me； and save
me from the river？ I do not care what may happen to me afterwards。 I
blame none of the other dwellers on Olympus so severely as I do my
dear mother； who has beguiled and tricked me。 She told me I was to
fall under the walls of Troy by the flying arrows of Apollo； would
that Hector； the best man among the Trojans； might there slay me； then
should I fall a hero by the hand of a hero； whereas now it seems
that I shall come to a most pitiable end； trapped in this river as
though I were some swineherd's boy； who gets carried down a torrent
while trying to cross it during a storm。〃
As soon as he had spoken thus； Neptune and Minerva came up to him in
the likeness of two men； and took him by the hand to reassure him。
Neptune spoke first。 〃Son of Peleus；〃 said he； 〃be not so exceeding
fearful； we are two gods； come with Jove's sanction to assist you；
I； and Pallas Minerva。 It is not your fate to perish in this river； he
will abate presently as you will see； moreover we strongly advise you；
if you will be guided by us； not to stay your hand from fighting
till you have pent the Trojan host within the famed walls of Ilius… as
many of them as may escape。 Then kill