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and main did they hack at each other with spear and sword throughout
the host. The field bristled with the long and deadly spears which
they bore. Dazzling was the sheen of their gleaming helmets, their
fresh-­‐burnished breastplates, and glittering shields as they joined
battle with one another. Iron indeed must be his courage who could
take pleasure in the sight of such a turmoil, and look on it without
being dismayed.
Thus did the two mighty sons of Saturn devise evil for mortal heroes.
Jove was minded to give victory to the Trojans and to Hector, so as
to do honour to fleet Achilles, nevertheless he did not mean to utterly
overthrow the Achaean host before Ilius, and only wanted to glorify
Thetis and her valiant son. Neptune on the other hand went about among
the Argives to incite them, having come up from the grey sea in secret,
for he was grieved at seeing them vanquished by the Trojans, and was
furiously angry with Jove. Both were of the same race and country,
but Jove was elder born and knew more, therefore Neptune feared to
defend the Argives openly, but in the likeness of man, he kept on
encouraging them throughout their host. Thus, then, did these two
devise a knot of war and battle, that none could unloose or break,
and set both sides tugging at it, to the failing of men's knees beneath
them.
And now Idomeneus, though his hair was already flecked with grey,
called loud on the Danaans and spread panic among the Trojans as he
leaped in among them. He slew Othryoneus from Cabesus, a sojourner,
who had but lately come to take part in the war. He sought Cassandra
the fairest of Priam's daughters in marriage, but offered no gifts