e
might himself come in second. Then, at last, as they were nearing the
fountains for the fourth time, the father of all balanced his golden
scales and placed a doom in each of them, one for Achilles and the
other for Hector. As he held the scales by the middle, the doom of
Hector fell down deep into the house of Hades--and then Phoebus Apollo
left him. Thereon Minerva went close up to the son of Peleus and said,
"Noble Achilles, favoured of heaven, we two shall surely take back to
the ships a triumph for the Achaeans by slaying Hector, for all his
lust of battle. Do what Apollo may as he lies grovelling before his
father, aegis-bearing Jove, Hector cannot escape us longer. Stay here
and take breath, while I go up to him and persuade him to make a stand
and fight you."

Thus spoke Minerva. Achilles obeyed her gladly, and stood still,
leaning on his bronze-pointed ashen spear, while Minerva left him and
went after Hector in the form and with the voice of Deiphobus. She came
close up to him and said, "Dear brother, I see you are hard pressed by
Achilles who is chasing you at full speed round the city of Priam, let
us await his onset and stand on our defence."

And Hector answered, "Deiphobus, you have always been dearest to me of
all my brothers, children of Hecuba and Priam, but henceforth I shall
rate you yet more highly, inasmuch as you have ventured outside the
wall for my sake when all the others remain inside."

Then Minerva said, "Dear brother, my father and mother went down on
their knees and implored me, as did all my comrades, to remain inside,
so great a fear has fallen upon them all; but I was in an agony of
grief when I beheld you; now, therefore, let us two make a stand and
fight, and let there be no keeping our spears in reserve, that we may
learn whether Achilles shall kill us and bear off our spoils to the
ships, or whether he shall fall before you."

Thus did Minerva inveigle him by her cunning, and when the two were now
close to one another great Hector was first to speak. "I will-no longer
fly you, son of Peleus," said he, "as I have been doing hitherto. Three
times have I fled round the mighty city of Priam, without daring to
withstand you, but now, let me either slay or be slain, for I am in the
mind to face you. Let us, then, give pledges to one another by our
gods, who are the fittest witnesses and guardians of all covenants; let
it be agreed between us that if Jove vouchsafes me the longer sta