y
dawn the heroes may take thought to win their home-return."

(ll. 842-855) She spake, and darting down from the sky fell amid the
eddies of the dark blue sea; and she called to aid her the rest of the
Nereids, her own sisters; and they heard her and gathered together; and
Thetis declared to them Hera's behests, and quickly sped them all on
their way to the Ausonian sea. And herself, swifter than the flash of an
eye or the shafts of the sun, when it rises upwards from a far-distant
land, hastened swiftly through the sea, until she reached the Aeaean
beach of the Tyrrhenian mainland. And the heroes she found by the ship
taking their pastime with quoits and shooting of arrows; and she drew
near and just touched the hand of Aeaeus' son Peleus, for he was her
husband; nor could anyone see her clearly, but she appeared to his eyes
alone, and thus addressed him:

(ll. 856-864) "No longer now must ye stay sitting on the Tyrrhenian
beach, but at dawn loosen the hawsers of your swift ship, in obedience
to Hera, your helper. For at her behest the maiden daughters of Nereus
have met together to draw your ship through the midst of the rocks which
are called Planctae, [1407] for that is your destined path. But do thou
show my person to no one, when thou seest us come to meet time, but keep
it secret in thy mind, lest thou anger me still more than thou didst
anger me before so recklessly."

(ll. 865-884) She spake, and vanished into the depths of the sea; but
sharp pain smote Peleus, for never before had he seen her come, since
first she left her bridal chamber and bed in anger, on account of noble
Achilles, then a babe. For she ever encompassed the child's mortal flesh
in the night with the flame of fire; and day by day she anointed with
ambrosia his tender frame, so that he might become immortal and that she
might keep off from his body loathsome old age. But Peleus leapt up from
his bed and saw his dear son gasping in the flame; and at the sight he
uttered a terrible cry, fool that he was; and she heard it, and catching
up the child threw him screaming to the ground, and herself like a
breath of wind passed swiftly from the hall as a dream and leapt into
the sea, exceeding wroth, and thereafter returned not again. Wherefore
blank amazement fettered his soul; nevertheless he declared to his
comrades all the bidding of Thetis. And they broke off in the midst
and hurriedly ceased their contests, and prepared their meal and
earth-