He said; Æneas’ spirit was rous’d, and fill’d With martial rage he sought Idomeneus. Nor, cowardlike, did he th’ encounter shun; But firmly stood, as stands a mountain-boar Self-confident, that in some lonely spot Awaits the clam’rous chase; bristles his back; His eyes with fire are flashing; and his tusks He whets, on men and dogs prepar’d to rush: So stood the spear-renown’d Idomeneus, The onset of Æneas, swift in fight, Awaiting; and the friends he saw around He summon’d to his aid; Ascalaphus, Deipyrus, and brave Meriones, Antilochus and Aphareus; to these, Tried warriors all, he thus addressed his speech: “Aid me, my friends! alone I stand, and dread The onset of Æneas, swift of foot. Mighty to slay in battle; and the bloom Of youth is his, the crown of human strength; If, as our spirit, our years were but the same, Great glory now should he, or I, obtain.” He said; and, one in heart, their bucklers slop’d Upon their shoulders, all beside him stood. On th’ other side, Æneas to his aid Summon’d his brother chiefs, Deiphobus, And Paris, and Agenor; following whom Came on the gen’ral crowd; as flocks of sheep From pasture follow to their drinking-place The lordly ram; well pleas’d the shepherd sees; So pleas’d, Æneas saw the gath’ring crowd. Then o’er Alcathous hand to hand was wag’d The war of spears; dire was the clash of brass Upon the heroes’ breasts, as ’mid the press Each aim’d at other; proudly eminent Stood forth two mighty warriors, terrible As Mars, Æneas and Idomeneus, Their sharp spears wielding each at other’s life. First at Idomeneus Æneas threw His spear; he saw, and shunn’d the brazen point; And vainly from his stalwart hand dismiss’d, Æneas’ spear stood quiv’ring in the ground. Idomeneus in front, below the waist, Œnomaus struck; the weighty spear broke through The hollow breastplate, and th’ intestines tore; Prone in the dust he fell, and clutch’d the ground. Forthwith Idomeneus from out the corpse The pond’rous spear withdrew; yet could not strip His armour off; so thickly flew the spears. Nor did his feet retain their youthful force, His weapon to regain, or back to spring. Skill’d in the standing fight his life to guard, He lack’d the active pow’r of swift retreat. At him, retiring slow, Deiphobus, Still fill’d with anger, threw his glitt’ring spear: His aim he miss’d; but through the shoulder pierc’d Ascalaphus, a valiant son of Mars; Prone in the dust he fell, and clutch’d the ground. Nor knew the loud-voic’d, mighty God of War That in the stubborn fight his son had fall’n; On high Olympus, girt with golden clouds, He sat, amid th’ Immortals all, restrain’d, By Jove’s commands, from mingling in the war. How hand to hand around Ascalaphus Rag’d the fierce conflict: first Deiphobus From off his head the glitt’ring helmet tore; But, terrible as Mars, Meriones Sprang forth, and pierc’d his arm; and from his hand With hollow sound the crested helmet fell. On, like a vulture, sprang Meriones,