The Story of Troy Part 18

But now the terrible Myrmidonian chief descended from his chariot, and with sword in hand pursued the Trojans into the water. There he slew so many that the stream became blocked with the bodies of the dead. The river G.o.d, roused to anger, called to Achilles in a loud voice from the depths of the Xanthus, saying that if he meant to destroy the whole Trojan race, he must do it on the plain, and not stop the waters in their course to the sea.

"For now my pleasant waters, in their flow, Are choked with heaps of dead, and I no more Can pour them into the great deep, so thick The corpses clog my bed, while thou dost slay And sparest not."

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book XXI.

Achilles answered that he would not cease to slay the treaty-breaking Trojans until they were punished as they deserved. At this the river G.o.d was so enraged that he sent his waters with tremendous force against the hero. The waves now surged around Achilles, beating upon his shield, and buffeting him so violently that he was in danger of being overwhelmed.

He saved himself only by grasping the bough of an elm tree which grew on the river's edge, and so gaining the bank. Then the angry G.o.d, rising in greater fury, swept his mighty billows out upon the plain. The Greek hero bravely attempted to fight this new enemy, but his valor and his weapons were powerless against such an attack.

As often as the n.o.ble son Of Peleus made a stand in hope to know Whether the deathless G.o.ds of the great heaven Conspired to make him flee, so often came A mighty billow of the Jove-born stream And drenched his shoulders. Then again he sprang Away; the rapid torrent made his knees To tremble, while it swept, where'er he trod, The earth from underneath his feet.

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book XXI.

Achilles now prayed to the G.o.ds for help, and Neptune and Minerva came and encouraged him, saying that he was not to be thus conquered. Still as Xanthus called upon his brother river, Simois, to join him in defense of King Priam's n.o.ble city, it might have fared badly with the Greeks, had not Vulcan come to their help. At the request of Juno the G.o.d of fire sent down a vast quant.i.ty of flames, which scorched and dried up the plain, and burned the trees and reeds on the banks of the rivers.

Vulcan began to dry up even the rivers themselves. Then Xanthus became terrified and begged for mercy, promising that he would not again interfere in the fight on either side.

"Oh Vulcan! oh! what power resists thy might?

I faint, I sink, unequal to the fight-- I yield--Let Ilion fall; if fate decree-- Ah--bend no more thy fiery arms on me!"

POPE, _Iliad_, Book XXI.

It was not, however, until Juno entreated him to do so, that Vulcan withdrew his flames, and the rivers were permitted to flow on again in peace and safety. Achilles now renewed his attack on the Trojans. The G.o.ds also rushed into the conflict. Mars launched his brazen spear at Minerva, but, with the terrible aegis, the G.o.ddess warded off the blow.

Then Minerva lifted up a great rough stone and hurled it at Mars, striking him on the neck, and stretching him senseless on the ground.

He fell With nerveless limbs, and covered, as he lay, Seven acres of the field.

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book XXI.

[Ill.u.s.tration: VENUS.

_Canova._]

Venus hastened to the relief of the wounded G.o.d, and, taking him by the hand, led him away groaning with pain. Juno, who had been a spectator of the fight, now approached Minerva, and urged her to attack Venus. She gladly consented to do as the queen of heaven desired. Following up the G.o.ddess of beauty, Minerva gave her a mighty blow on the breast, throwing her prostrate on the earth. At the same time Neptune challenged Apollo to fight. He reminded him, too, of King Laomedon's conduct toward both of them, many years before, and reproached him for being now on the side of the descendants of that faithless king. But Apollo refused to fight with the ocean G.o.d.

"Thou wouldst not deem me wise, should I contend With thee, O Neptune, for the sake of men, Who flourish like the forest leaves awhile, And feed upon the fruits of earth and then Decay and perish."

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book XXI.

But though Apollo would not fight with Neptune, he continued to help the Trojans. Achilles had driven them in terror up under their walls, and King Priam had ordered the gates to be thrown open to admit the flying hosts. Mult.i.tudes of them rushed in, while the furious son of Thetis pressed on behind. It was a moment of danger for Troy, and the Greeks might soon have taken the city, if Apollo had not encouraged young Agenor, the son of Antenor, to attack Achilles. The brave youth advanced, and cast his spear, striking the hero at the knee. But it could not pierce the armor Vulcan had made. Then the Greek chief aimed at Agenor, and again Apollo came to the rescue, concealing the Trojan youth in a veil of darkness, and carrying him safely away. But in an instant the G.o.d returned, and, taking upon himself Agenor's shape and appearance, stood for a moment in front of Achilles. Then he turned and fled along the plain, followed fast by the enraged Greek. Thus Apollo gave the Trojans time to get within the city and shut their gates.

Achilles chased the G.o.d Ever before him, yet still near, across The fruitful fields, to the deep-eddied stream Of Xanthus; for Apollo artfully Made it to seem that he should soon o'ertake His flying foe, and thus beguiled him on.

Meanwhile the routed Trojans gladly thronged Into the city, filled the streets, and closed The portals.

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book XXI.

Hector alone of all the Trojans remained outside the walls, standing in front of the Scaean Gate. Achilles still pursued Apollo, thinking that he was Agenor, but at last the G.o.d made himself known to his pursuer. The hero reproached him angrily for his deception, and then with the utmost speed he hastened across the plain towards the city. From the ramparts the aged King Priam beheld him coming, and in piteous words he cried out to Hector, imploring him to take refuge within the walls. Queen Hecuba, too, with tears in her eyes, begged her son to withdraw, and not be so mad as to encounter the terrible Greek chief alone. But Hector would not yield to the entreaties of his weeping parents. He had refused to take the advice of Polydamas to withdraw into the city on the previous night, and if he should pa.s.s within the walls now, after Achilles had slain so many of the Trojans, Polydamas would be the first to reproach him. Thus the hero reasoned with himself and so he resolved to stand and face his foe.

"No--if I e'er return, return I must Glorious, my country's terror laid in dust: Or if I perish, let her see me fall In field at least, and fighting for her wall."

POPE, _Iliad_, Book XXII.

Achilles now approached. Terrible he was in appearance. His great javelin quivered fearfully on his shoulder, and a light as of blazing fire, or of the rising sun, shone from his heavenly armor. Hector trembled with fear when he looked upon the Grecian leader. So great was his terror that he did not dare to wait, but fled away round the city wall. Achilles quickly pursued him, as a hawk pursues a dove. They ran till they came to two springs where the stream of the Xanthus rose. From one of these springs a hot vapor ascended, like smoke from fire, and from the other a current cold as ice issued even in summer. Past these the warriors swept on.

One fled, and one pursued,-- A brave man fled, a braver followed close, And swiftly both. Not for a common prize, A victim from the herd, a bullock's hide, Such as reward the fleet of foot, they ran,-- The race was for the knightly Hector's life.

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book XXII.

Three times they ran round the walls, in sight of the Greeks and Trojans. The G.o.ds of heaven, too, were looking on from the top of Mount Olympus, and Jupiter, taking pity on Hector, thought that they should save him from death. But Minerva protested. His doom, she said, had been fixed by the Fates, and even Jupiter could not alter it--at least not with the approval of the other G.o.ds. The cloud-compelling king was obliged to give way, and so the Trojan chief was left to his fate. Then Minerva rushed down to the field, and still Hector fled and Achilles pursued. As often as they pa.s.sed around, Hector attempted to approach the gates, hoping for help from his friends. But each time Achilles got before him and turned him away towards the plain; and he made a sign to the Greeks that none of them should cast a spear, for he wished that he alone should have all the glory of slaying the greatest of the Trojan heroes.

Now Apollo had been helping Hector, giving him strength and speed, but when, for the fourth time, the heroes reached the Xanthus springs, Jupiter raised high the golden balance of fate. There were two lots in the scales, one for the son of Peleus, the other for the Trojan chief.

By the middle the king of heaven held the balance, and the lot of Hector sank down. Immediately Apollo departed from the field, for he could no longer go against the Fates. Then Minerva came close to Hector's side, and, taking the form and voice of his brother Deiphobus, she urged him to stand and fight Achilles.

"Hard pressed I find thee, brother, by the swift Achilles, who, with feet that never rest, Pursues thee round the walls of Priam's town.

But let us make a stand and beat him back."

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book XXII.

Thus encouraged, as he thought by his brother, whom he was surprised to see at his side, for he believed him to be in the city, the Trojan hero turned around, and was soon face to face with his great foe. Knowing that the hour had now come when one of them must die, Hector proposed to Achilles that they should make a covenant, or agreement, between them that the victor in the fight should give the other's body to his friends, so that funeral rites might be performed. But the wrathful Achilles refused. He would have no covenant with his enemy.

"Accursed Hector, never talk to me Of covenants. Men and lions plight no faith, Nor wolves agree with lambs, but each must plan Evil against the other. So between Thyself and me no compact can exist, Or understood intent. First, one of us Must fall and yield his life blood to the G.o.d Of battles."

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book XXII.

Then the fight began, Achilles first cast his spear. It was a weapon heavy, huge, and strong, that no mortal arm but his own could wield. Its shaft was made of a tree which the famous Chi'ron, instructor of heroes in the art of war, had cut on Mount Pe'li-on and given to the father of Achilles.

His strength Alone sufficed to wield it. 'Twas an ash Which Chiron felled in Pelion's top, and gave To Peleus, that it yet might be the death Of heroes.

BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book XVI.

The Trojan chief stooped to avoid the blow, and the spear, pa.s.sing over him, sunk in the earth. Minerva, unseen by Hector, plucked it out and gave it back to Achilles. Hector now launched his weapon. With true aim he hurled it, for it struck the center of his antagonist's shield, but the workmanship of Vulcan was not to be pierced, and so the javelin of the Trojan hero bounded from the brazen armor and fell to the ground. He called loudly to Deiphobus for another spear. There was no answer, and then looking around him he discovered that he had been deceived.

All comfortless he stands; then, with a sigh: "'Tis so--Heaven wills it, and my hour is nigh.

I deem'd Deiphobus had heard my call, But he secure lies guarded in the wall.

A G.o.d deceived me; Pallas, 'twas thy deed, Death and black fate approach! 'tis I must bleed."

POPE, _Iliad_, Book XXII.

Nevertheless, Hector resolved to fight bravely to the end, and so he drew his sword and rushed upon Achilles. The Greek warrior, watching his foe closely as he approached, noticed an opening in his armor, where the collar of the corselet joined the shoulder. At that spot he furiously thrust his speat, and pierced the Trojan hero through the neck. Hector fell to the ground, mortally wounded. In his dying moments he begged Achilles to send his body to his parents, telling him that they would give large ransom in gold. But his entreaties were in vain. Neither by prayers nor by promise of gold could the conqueror be moved. The last words of Hector were words warning Achilles of his own doom:

"A day will come when fate's decree And angry G.o.ds shall wreak this wrong on thee; Phbus and Paris shall avenge my fate, And stretch thee here before the Scaean Gate."

He ceased. The Fates suppress'd his laboring breath, And his eyes stiffen'd at the hand of death.

POPE, _Iliad_, Book XXII.

So died the great champion of the Trojans. The Greeks crowded around the dead hero, admiring his stature and beautiful figure, and remarking one to another that Hector was far less dangerous to touch now than when he was setting fire to their fleet.

But the anger of Achilles was not appeased even by the death of his foe.

Eager for still more vengeance, he bound the feet of the dead hero with leather thongs to the back of his chariot, leaving the head to trail along the ground, and thus he drove to the ships, dragging the n.o.ble Hector in the dust.