and
immortals--mansions so ghastly grim that even the gods shudder to think
of them. Such was the uproar as the gods came together in battle.
Apollo with his arrows took his stand to face King Neptune, while
Minerva took hers against the god of war; the archer-goddess Diana with
her golden arrows, sister of far-darting Apollo, stood to face Juno;
Mercury the lusty bringer of good luck faced Leto, while the mighty
eddying river whom men can Scamander, but gods Xanthus, matched himself
against Vulcan.

The gods, then, were thus ranged against one another. But the heart of
Achilles was set on meeting Hector son of Priam, for it was with his
blood that he longed above all things else to glut the stubborn lord of
battle. Meanwhile Apollo set Aeneas on to attack the son of Peleus, and
put courage into his heart, speaking with the voice of Lycaon son of
Priam. In his likeness therefore, he said to Aeneas, "Aeneas,
counsellor of the Trojans, where are now the brave words with which you
vaunted over your wine before the Trojan princes, saying that you would
fight Achilles son of Peleus in single combat?"

And Aeneas answered, "Why do you thus bid me fight the proud son of
Peleus, when I am in no mind to do so? Were I to face him now, it would
not be for the first time. His spear has already put me to flight from
Ida, when he attacked our cattle and sacked Lyrnessus and Pedasus; Jove
indeed saved me in that he vouchsafed me strength to fly, else had I
fallen by the hands of Achilles and Minerva, who went before him to
protect him and urged him to fall upon the Lelegae and Trojans. No man
may fight Achilles, for one of the gods is always with him as his
guardian angel, and even were it not so, his weapon flies ever
straight, and fails not to pierce the flesh of him who is against him;
if heaven would let me fight him on even terms he should not soon
overcome me, though he boasts that he is made of bronze."

Then said King Apollo, son to Jove, "Nay, hero, pray to the ever-living
gods, for men say that you were born of Jove's daughter Venus, whereas
Achilles is son to a goddess of inferior rank. Venus is child to Jove,
while Thetis is but daughter to the old man of the sea. Bring,
therefore, your spear to bear upon him, and let him not scare you with
his taunts and menaces."

As he spoke he put courage into the heart of the shepherd of his
people, and he strode in full armour among the ranks of the foremost
fighters. Nor did t