the yoke-band. "Dread
Achilles," said he, "we will indeed save you now, but the day of your
death is near, and the blame will not be ours, for it will be heaven
and stern fate that will destroy you. Neither was it through any sloth
or slackness on our part that the Trojans stripped Patroclus of his
armour; it was the mighty god whom lovely Leto bore that slew him as he
fought among the foremost, and vouchsafed a triumph to Hector. We two
can fly as swiftly as Zephyrus who they say is fleetest of all winds;
nevertheless it is your doom to fall by the hand of a man and of a god."

When he had thus said the Erinyes stayed his speech, and Achilles
answered him in great sadness, saying, "Why, O Xanthus, do you thus
foretell my death? You need not do so, for I well know that I am to
fall here, far from my dear father and mother; none the more, however,
shall I stay my hand till I have given the Trojans their fill of
fighting."

So saying, with a loud cry he drove his horses to the front.

BOOK XX

The gods hold a council and determine to watch the fight, from
the hill Callicolone, and the barrow of Hercules--A fight
between Achilles and AEneas is interrupted by Neptune, who
saves AEneas--Achilles kills many Trojans.

THUS, then, did the Achaeans arm by their ships round you, O son of
Peleus, who were hungering for battle; while the Trojans over against
them armed upon the rise of the plain.

Meanwhile Jove from the top of many-delled Olympus, bade Themis gather
the gods in council, whereon she went about and called them to the
house of Jove. There was not a river absent except Oceanus, nor a
single one of the nymphs that haunt fair groves, or springs of rivers
and meadows of green grass. When they reached the house of
cloud-compelling Jove, they took their seats in the arcades of polished
marble which Vulcan with his consummate skill had made for father Jove.

In such wise, therefore, did they gather in the house of Jove. Neptune
also, lord of the earthquake, obeyed the call of the goddess, and came
up out of the sea to join them. There, sitting in the midst of them, he
asked what Jove's purpose might be. "Why," said he, "wielder of the
lightning, have you called the gods in council? Are you considering
some matter that concerns the Trojans and Achaeans--for the blaze of
battle is on the point of being kindled between them?"

And Jove answered, "You know my purpose, shaker of earth, and wherefore
I have