Begot Anchises, and Anchises me: To Priam godlike Hector owes his birth. Such is my race, and such the blood I boast; But Jove, at will, to mortals valour gives Or minishes; for he is Lord of all. Then cease we now, like babbling fools, to prate Here in the centre of the coming fight. Terms of reproach we both might find, whose weight Would sink a galley of a hundred oars; For glibly runs the tongue, and can at will Give utt’rance to discourse in ev’ry vein; Wide is the range of language; and such words As one may speak, another may return. What need that we should insults interchange? Like women, who some paltry quarrel wage, Scolding and brawling in the public street, And in opprobrious terms their anger vent, Some true, some false; for so their rage suggests. With words thou shalt not turn me from the field, Till we have met in arms; then try we now Each other’s prowess with our brazen spears.” He said, and hurl’d against the mighty shield His brazen spear; loud rang the weapon’s point; And at arm’s length Achilles held the shield With his broad hand, in fear that through its folds Æneas’ spear would easy passage find; Blind fool! forgetful that the glorious gifts Bestow’d by Gods, are not with ease o’ercome, Nor yield before th’ assaults of mortal men. So broke not through Æneas’ sturdy spear, Stay’d by the golden plate, the gift of Heav’n; Yet through two plates it pass’d, but three remain’d, For five were in the shield by Vulcan wrought; Two were of brass, the inner two of tin, And one of gold, which stay’d the brazen spear.