ns may have a respite from their troubles."

Apollo obeyed his father's saying, and left the crests of Ida, flying
like a falcon, bane of doves and swiftest of all birds. He found Hector
no longer lying upon the ground, but sitting up, for he had just come
to himself again. He knew those who were about him, and the sweat and
hard breathing had left him from the moment when the will of
aegis-bearing Jove had revived him. Apollo stood beside him and said,
"Hector son of Priam, why are you so faint, and why are you here away
from the others? Has any mishap befallen you?"

Hector in a weak voice answered, "And which, kind sir, of the gods are
you, who now ask me thus? Do you not know that Ajax struck me on the
chest with a stone as I was killing his comrades at the ships of the
Achaeans, and compelled me to leave off fighting? I made sure that this
very day I should breathe my last and go down into the house of Hades."

Then King Apollo said to him, "Take heart; the son of Saturn has sent
you a mighty helper from Ida to stand by you and defend you, even me,
Phoebus Apollo of the golden sword, who have been guardian hitherto not
only of yourself but of your city. Now, therefore, order your horsemen
to drive their chariots to the ships in great multitudes. I will go
before your horses to smooth the way for them, and will turn the
Achaeans in flight."

As he spoke he infused great strength into the shepherd of his people.
And as a horse, stabled and full-fed, breaks loose and gallops
gloriously over the plain to the place where he is wont to take his
bath in the river--he tosses his head, and his mane streams over his
shoulders as in all the pride of his strength he flies full speed to
the pastures where the mares are feeding--even so Hector, when he heard
what the god said, urged his horsemen on, and sped forward as fast as
his limbs could take him. As country peasants set their hounds on to a
homed stag or wild goat--he has taken shelter under rock or thicket,
and they cannot find him, but, lo, a bearded lion whom their shouts
have roused stands in their path, and they are in no further humour for
the chase--even so the Achaeans were still charging on in a body, using
their swords and spears pointed at both ends, but when they saw Hector
going about among his men they were afraid, and their hearts fell down
into their feet.

Then spoke Thoas son of Andraemon, leader of the Aetolians, a man who
could throw a good throw,