Book XIII

BOOK XIII

NOW when Jove had thus brought Hector and the Trojans to the

ships, he left them to their never-ending toil, and turned his

keen eyes away, looking elsewhither towards the horse-breeders of

Thrace, the Mysians, fighters at close quarters, the noble

Hippemolgi, who live on milk, and the Abians, justest of mankind.

He no longer turned so much as a glance towards Troy, for he did

not think that any of the immortals would go and help either

Trojans or Danaans.

But King Neptune had kept no blind look-out; he had been looking

admiringly on the battle from his seat on the topmost crests of

wooded Samothrace, whence he could see all Ida, with the city of

Priam and the ships of the Achaeans. He had come from under the

sea and taken his place here, for he pitied the Achaeans who were

being overcome by the Trojans; and he was furiously angry with

Jove.

Presently he came down from his post on the mountain top, and as

he strode swiftly onwards the high hills and the forest quaked

beneath the tread of his immortal feet. Three strides he took,

and with the fourth he reached his goal--Aegae, where is his

glittering golden palace, imperishable, in the depths of the sea.

When he got there, he yoked his fleet brazen-footed steeds with

their manes of gold all flying in the wind; he clothed himself in

raiment of gold, grasped his gold whip, and took his stand upon

his chariot. As he went his way over the waves the sea-monsters

left their lairs, for they knew their lord, and came gambolling

round him from every quarter of the deep, while the sea in her

gladness opened a path before his chariot. So lightly did the

horses fly that the bronze axle of the car was not even wet

beneath it; and thus his bounding steeds took him to the ships of

the Achaeans.

Now there is a certain huge cavern in the depths of the sea

midway between Tenedos and rocky Imbrus; here Neptune lord of the

earthquake stayed his horses, unyoked them, and set before them

their ambrosial forage. He hobbled their feet with hobbles of

gold which none could either unloose or break, so that they might

stay there in that place until their lord should return. This

done he went his way to the host of the Achaeans.

Now the Trojans followed Hector son of Priam in close array like

a storm-cloud or flame of fire, fighting with might and main and

raising the cry battle; for they deemed that they should take the

ships of the Achaeans and kill all their chiefest heroes then and

there. Meanwhile earth-encircling Neptune lord of the earthquake