And his heart grew strong within him, to stay and fight. And he cried out aloud to Achilles, "Surely, thou thinkest this very day to sack the proud city of Troy? Fool! many terrible things will happen before _that_; for there are many of us--many and brave--to protect our dear parents and wives and little children, and to guard holy Ilium. Thou, too, perhaps, mighty as thou art, mayest here meet death." He spake and hurled a spear at Achilles with his strong hand. And it smote him below the knee, and the tin-wrought greave rang loudly; but the stout spear bounded off, for it could not pierce the work of Vulcan. Then Achilles rushed on godlike Agenor; but him Apollo caught in a mist, and carried him safely out of the fray. And the god took the form of Agenor, and ran a little way before Achilles, towards the deep-flowing Scamander. And while Apollo thus deceived the mighty son of Peleus, the routed Trojans ran, well pleased, to their stronghold, and the great city was filled with their multitude. Then as he ran before Achilles, the mighty Far-Darter addressed him, and spake: "O son of Peleus! why dost thou, being a mortal man, pursue _me_ with thy swift feet, who am a deathless god?" Then, in wrath, the son of Peleus answered him: "Thou hast blinded me, most mischievous of all the Gods! and lured me away from the walls; else would many a Trojan have fallen, or ever he had reached the city." He then went towards the city, with a proud heart, like a war-horse victorious in a chariot race; and the aged Priam saw him, blazing like the star in autumn brightest of all, which men call "Orion's Dog," that bringeth fever upon wretched mortals. And the old man cried aloud, in his agony, and beat his head with his fists, and called in a piercing voice to his dear son Hector. For the brave hero, when all the others had escaped into the city, remained alone at the Scæan Gate eager to fight with Achilles. And his wretched father stretched forth his withered hands, and pleaded piteously to his son:--