blind look-out; he had been looking
admiringly on the battle from his seat on the topmost crests of wooded
Samothrace, whence he could see all Ida, with the city of Priam and the
ships of the Achaeans. He had come from under the sea and taken his
place here, for he pitied the Achaeans who were being overcome by the
Trojans; and he was furiously angry with Jove.

Presently he came down from his post on the mountain top, and as he
strode swiftly onwards the high hills and the forest quaked beneath the
tread of his immortal feet. Three strides he took, and with the fourth
he reached his goal--Aegae, where is his glittering golden palace,
imperishable, in the depths of the sea. When he got there, he yoked his
fleet brazen-footed steeds with their manes of gold all flying in the
wind; he clothed himself in raiment of gold, grasped his gold whip, and
took his stand upon his chariot. As he went his way over the waves the
sea-monsters left their lairs, for they knew their lord, and came
gambolling round him from every quarter of the deep, while the sea in
her gladness opened a path before his chariot. So lightly did the
horses fly that the bronze axle of the car was not even wet beneath it;
and thus his bounding steeds took him to the ships of the Achaeans.

Now there is a certain huge cavern in the depths of the sea midway
between Tenedos and rocky Imbrus; here Neptune lord of the earthquake
stayed his horses, unyoked them, and set before them their ambrosial
forage. He hobbled their feet with hobbles of gold which none could
either unloose or break, so that they might stay there in that place
until their lord should return. This done he went his way to the host
of the Achaeans.

Now the Trojans followed Hector son of Priam in close array like a
storm-cloud or flame of fire, fighting with might and main and raising
the cry battle; for they deemed that they should take the ships of the
Achaeans and kill all their chiefest heroes then and there. Meanwhile
earth-encircling Neptune lord of the earthquake cheered on the Argives,
for he had come up out of the sea and had assumed the form and voice of
Calchas.

First he spoke to the two Ajaxes, who were doing their best already,
and said, "Ajaxes, you two can be the saving of the Achaeans if you
will put out all your strength and not let yourselves be daunted. I am
not afraid that the Trojans, who have got over the wall in force, will
be victorious in any other part, for the Ach