In arms all glitt’ring as the gorgeous sun, And loudly to his father’s steeds he call’d: “Xanthus and Balius, noble progeny Of swift Podarge, now in other sort Back to the Grecian ranks in safety bear, When he shall quit the field, your charioteer; Nor leave him, as ye left Patroclus, slain.” To whom in answer from beneath the yoke Xanthus, the noble horse, with glancing feet: Bowing his head the while, till all his mane Down from th’ yokeband streaming, reach’d the ground; By Juno, white-arm’d Queen, with speech endued: “Yes, great Achilles, we this day again Will bear thee safely; but thy day of doom Is nigh at hand; nor we shall cause thy death, But Heav’n’s high will, and Fate’s imperious pow’r. By no default of ours, nor lack of speed, The Trojans stripp’d Patroclus of his arms: The mighty God, fair-hair’d Latona’s son, Achiev’d his death, and Hector’s vict’ry gain’d. Our speed of foot may vie with Zephyr’s breeze, Deem’d swiftest of the winds; but thou art doom’d To die, by force combin’d of God and man.” He said; his farther speech the Furies stay’d. To whom in wrath Achilles swift of foot; “Xanthus, why thus predict my coming fate? It ill beseems thee! well I know myself That I am fated here in Troy to die, Far from my home and parents; yet withal I cease not, till these Trojans from the field Before me fly.” He said, and to the front, His war-cry shouting, urg’d his fiery steeds. ARGUMENT. THE BATTLE OF THE GODS, AND THE ACTS OF ACHILLES. Jupiter, upon Achilles’ return to the battle, calls a council of the gods and permits them to assist either party. The terrors of the combat described when the deities are engaged. Apollo encourages Æneas to meet Achilles. After a long conversation, these two heroes encounter; but Æneas is preserved by the assistance of Neptune. Achilles falls upon the rest of the Trojans, and is upon the point of killing Hector, but Apollo conveys him away in a cloud. Achilles pursues the Trojans with a great slaughter. The same day continues. The scene is in the field before Troy. BOOK XX. Round thee, Achilles, eager for the fray, Stood thus accoutred, by their beaked ships, The sons of Greece; the Trojan host, oppos’d, Stood on the sloping margin of the plain. Then Jove to Themis gave command to call The Gods to council from the lofty height Of many-ridg’d Olympus; to the house Of Jove she summon’d them from ev’ry side. Thence of the Rivers, save Oceanus, Not one was absent; nor of Nymphs, who haunt Clear fount, or shady grove, or grassy mead. They, at the Cloud-compeller’s house arriv’d, Within the polish’d corridor reclin’d, Which Vulcan’s cunning hand for Jove had built. There were they gather’d in th’ abode of Jove: Nor did th’ Earth-shaking Neptune slight the call, But came from ocean’s depths, and in the midst He sat, and thus the will of Jove enquir’d: