ls, who indeed built those weak, worthless walls, which
shall not check my strength; but our steeds will easily overleap the dug
trench. But when, indeed, I come to their hollow ships, then let there
be some memory of burning fire, that I may consume their fleet with the
flame, and slay the Argives themselves at the ships, bewildered by the
smoke."

Thus having spoken, he cheered on his steeds, and said: "Xanthus, and
thou Podargus, and AEthon, and noble Lampus, now repay to me the
attention, with which, in great abundance, Andromache, the daughter of
magnanimous Eetion, gave to you the sweet barley, mixing wine also [for
you] to drink, whenever your mind ordered it, even before me, who boast
to be her vigorous husband. But follow and hasten, that we may take the
shield of Nestor, the fame of which has now reached the heaven, that it
is entirely golden, the handles and itself: but, from the shoulders of
horse-breaking Diomede, the well-made corslet, which the artist Vulcan
wrought. If we can take these, I expect that the Greeks this very night
will ascend their swift ships."

Thus he said boasting; but venerable Juno was indignant, and shook
herself on her throne, and made great Olympus tremble; and openly
accosted the mighty deity, Neptune:

"Alas! far-ruling Earth-shaker, dost thou not in thy soul pity the
perishing Greeks? But they bring thee many and grateful gifts to Helice
and AEgae. Do thou, therefore, will to them the victory. For if we were
willing, as many of us as are assistants to the Greeks, to repulse the
Trojans and restrain far-sounding Jove, then might he grieve sitting
alone there on Ida."

But her king Neptune, greatly excited, thus addressed: "Juno,
petulant[270] in speech, what hast thou said? I would not wish, indeed,
that we, the other gods, should fight with Saturnian Jove, since he is
by far most powerful."

[Footnote 270: Compare the phrase [Greek: kathaptesthai
epeessin].--Od. ii. 240. Suidas: [Greek: Aptoepes aptoetos en to
legein]. Apollon. Lex. p. 188: [Greek: "Aptote, e aptonte tois
logois, e kathaptomene ota ton logon"].]

Thus indeed were they holding such converse with each other. But
whatever space before the ships the trench belonging to the tower
enclosed, was filled with horses and shielded men crowded together.[271]
But Hector, the son of Priam, equal to swift Mars, had crowded them
thus, when Jupiter awarded him glory. And now would he have burned the
equal shi