he combat, and might and main
did they hack at each other with spear and sword throughout the host.
The field bristled with the long and deadly spears which they bore.
Dazzling was the sheen of their gleaming helmets, their fresh-burnished
breastplates, and glittering shields as they joined battle with one
another. Iron indeed must be his courage who could take pleasure in the
sight of such a turmoil, and look on it without being dismayed.

Thus did the two mighty sons of Saturn devise evil for mortal heroes.
Jove was minded to give victory to the Trojans and to Hector, so as to
do honour to fleet Achilles, nevertheless he did not mean to utterly
overthrow the Achaean host before Ilius, and only wanted to glorify
Thetis and her valiant son. Neptune on the other hand went about among
the Argives to incite them, having come up from the grey sea in secret,
for he was grieved at seeing them vanquished by the Trojans, and was
furiously angry with Jove. Both were of the same race and country, but
Jove was elder born and knew more, therefore Neptune feared to defend
the Argives openly, but in the likeness of man, he kept on encouraging
them throughout their host. Thus, then, did these two devise a knot of
war and battle, that none could unloose or break, and set both sides
tugging at it, to the failing of men's knees beneath them.

And now Idomeneus, though his hair was already flecked with grey,
called loud on the Danaans and spread panic among the Trojans as he
leaped in among them. He slew Othryoneus from Cabesus, a sojourner, who
had but lately come to take part in the war. He sought Cassandra, the
fairest of Priam's daughters, in marriage, but offered no gifts of
wooing, for he promised a great thing, to wit, that he would drive the
sons of the Achaeans willy nilly from Troy; old King Priam had given
his consent and promised her to him, whereon he fought on the strength
of the promises thus made to him. Idomeneus aimed a spear, and hit him
as he came striding on. His cuirass of bronze did not protect him, and
the spear stuck in his belly, so that he fell heavily to the ground.
Then Idomeneus vaunted over him saying, "Othryoneus, there is no one in
the world whom I shall admire more than I do you, if you indeed perform
what you have promised Priam son of Dardanus in return for his
daughter. We too will make you an offer; we will give you the loveliest
daughter of the son of Atreus, and will bring her from Argos for you to