Achilles threw in turn his pond’rous spear. And struck the circle of Æneas’ shield Near the first rim, where thinnest lay the brass, And thinnest too th’ o’erlying hide; right through The Pelian shaft was driv’n; wide gap’d the shield. Æneas crouch’d, in fear, as o’er his head He held his shield; the eager weapon pass’d Through both the circles of his ample shield, And in the ground, behind him, quiv’ring, stood. Escap’d the pond’rous weapon, sharpest pain Flashing across his eyes, in fear he stood, So close the spear had pass’d him; onward then, Drawing his trenchant blade, Achilles rush’d, With fearful shout; a rocky fragment then Æneas lifted up, a mighty mass, Which scarce two men, as men are now, could bear, But he, unaided, lifted it with ease. Then had Æneas, with the massive stone, Or on the helmet, or the shield, his death Averting, struck Achilles; and himself Had by the sword of Peleus’ son been slain, Had not th’ Earth-shaking God his peril seen, And to th’ Immortals thus address’d his speech: “Oh, woe is me for great Æneas’ sake, Who, by Achilles slain, must visit soon The viewless shades; insensate, who relied On Phoebus’ words; yet nought shall he avail From death to save him. Yet oh why should he, Blameless himself, the guilt of others rue? Who still his grateful sacrifice hath paid To all the Gods in wide-spread Heav’n who dwell. Let us then interpose to guard his life; Lest, if Achilles slay him, Saturn’s son Be mov’d to anger; for his destiny Would have him live; lest, heirless, from the earth Should perish quite the race of Dardanus; By Saturn’s son the best-belov’d of all His sons, to him by mortal women born. For Jove the race of Priam hath abhorr’d; But o’er the Trojans shall Æneas reign, And his sons’ sons, through ages yet unborn.” Whom answer’d thus the stag-ey’d Queen of Heav’n: “Neptune, do thou determine for thyself Æneas to withdraw, or leave to fall, Good as he is, beneath Achilles’ sword; But we before th’ immortal Gods are bound, Both I and Pallas, by repeated oaths, Ne’er from his doom one Trojan life to save, Though to devouring flames a prey, all Troy Were blazing, kindled by the valiant Greeks.”