Without awaiting Achilles’ answer, the leaders gave the soldiers the signal to break their fast. Ulysses quickly selected six good comrades and went to fetch the presents from Agamemnon’s ships and tents. He selected the basins, ewers, the horses and women, weighed out ten pounds of gold, and then summoned the fair Briseïs to follow him. On their return to the council place Agamemnon sent the gifts immediately to Achilles’ encampment.
In vain the noble Achaian heroes surrounded Achilles and begged him to join them at the banquet. He shook his head, saying: “Kind friends, do not trouble me, for I am very sorrowful and I shall fast until the sun sets.” The princes retired sadly to their tents to partake of food. Only Atreus’ sons and the noble Ulysses, Nestor, Idomeneus, and the gigantic Phœnix remained with him, trying to comfort the mourner. He sat brooding over his sorrow. “Dear, unhappy friend,” he said, “how oft hast thou brought me my breakfast and tended me while the others went forth to battle, and now thou liest here dead; but neither food nor drink can refresh me while I mourn for thee. I had always hoped that I alone should die in the Trojan land and that thou shouldst return to Phthia, to bring up my son, dear Neoptolemus. And now thou art gone before me.”
Thus he lamented, and all his friends mourned with him. Even Jupiter was touched by his deep sorrow and sent his daughter Athena down secretly to strengthen his heart with heavenly nectar, and thus the hero was able to appear in all his glory when the warriors gathered together. The lust of battle had dried the tears upon his eyelids.
Chapter XIV
Achilles in Battle—The Fight on the River
All Olympus was now interested in the combat of mortals since the godlike Achilles had taken up arms again. Many of the divinities promised him victory, but Jupiter was resolved that he should not yet destroy the splendid city of the Trojans, for fate had not decreed that it should fall by his hand. Therefore he commanded the other gods to stay the zeal of the Pelide should he rage too terribly. The Trojans were already armed and in the field and the swarms of Achaians flew to meet them like a heap of dry leaves driven before the wind. Achilles looked everywhere for Hector, but without discovering him. Instead, he espied two other chieftains, Æneas and Lykaon.
Æneas determined to face the hero. He commended his soul to his divine mother and pushed forward shouting fierce threats. Achilles ran toward him without hesitation and then stopping suddenly he called out: “How canst thou venture so far from thy men, Æneas? What is it impels thee to fight with me? Dost think perchance that if thou shouldst conquer me thou shalt become ruler of the Trojans? Priam has still plenty of sons! Did I not meet thee on Mount Ida, where father Jupiter himself was scarce able to save thee? Thou didst run like a deer, not daring to look behind thee. Thou hadst better fly now, if life is dear to thee, and take care not to get in my way a second time.”
“Son of Peleus,” answered Æneas, “do not hope to frighten me with words like a child. My race is as exalted as thine own, for I was fathered by Anchises of Dardanus’ family and Aphrodite is my mother. My family is old and powerful. But why do we gossip like women? Come, let us see whether it be Aphrodite or Thetis who shall mourn for her son to-day.”
He was the first to cast his spear, and Achilles held his shield before him at arm’s length, so that should it pierce the metal, it might not touch his body. But the swift-flying weapon glanced off harmlessly. Immediately he hurled his own powerful lance, but Æneas threw himself on the ground and covered himself. The mighty lance crashed through the edge of his shield and buried itself in the ground just behind the crouching man. He arose quickly, seized a great stone, and threw it at the head of Achilles, who was rushing upon him with drawn sword in a blind rage, forgetting to shield himself, so that had Vulcan’s helmet not been so strong, helmet and skull would doubtless have been crushed. Æneas was about to exult over his fall, but Achilles only staggered back a step and a god warned Æneas to escape. He therefore drew Achilles’ heavy spear from his shield, and throwing it down, fled into the crowd of Trojans.
When Achilles came to, he found himself on the ground, supporting himself on one arm, and alone. He was astonished and said to himself: “What miracle is this? Here lies my spear and my adversary is nowhere to be seen. But indeed Æneas must be beloved of the gods, for no one has ever vanquished me thus. But he did not venture to kill me in my swoon and is, no doubt, happy to have himself escaped. And now I must away to measure myself with other Trojans.” He first returned to his Myrmidons and cheered them with loud cries of “Forward, man to man! Let none hold back! I cannot alone conquer the whole Trojan army, even Mars himself could not do that. But my lance shall never rest.”
Among the Trojans the gallant Hector was going about encouraging his bands. “Do not fear, ye valiant Trojans, because the enemy has gained a single man to-day. Grim Achilles has certainly uttered great threats, but words are not deeds. Behold, I go forward to encounter him unafraid, though his hand were a bolt of lightning and his breast of bronze.”