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Now when they came to the ford of the full-­‐flowing river Xanthus,
begotten of immortal Jove, Achilles cut their forces in two: one half
he chased over the plain towards the city by the same way that the
Achaeans had taken when flying panic-­‐stricken on the preceding day
with Hector in full triumph; this way did they fly pell-­‐mell, and
Juno sent down a thick mist in front of them to stay them. The other
half were hemmed in by the deep silver-­‐eddying stream, and fell into
it with a great uproar. The waters resounded, and the banks rang again,
as they swam hither and thither with loud cries amid the whirling
eddies. As locusts flying to a river before the blast of a grass fire-­‐
the flame comes on and on till at last it overtakes them and they
huddle into the water-­‐ even so was the eddying stream of Xanthus filled
with the uproar of men and horses, all struggling in confusion before
Achilles.
Forthwith the hero left his spear upon the bank, leaning it against
a tamarisk bush, and plunged into the river like a god, armed with
his sword only. Fell was his purpose as he hewed the Trojans down
on every side. Their dying groans rose hideous as the sword smote
them, and the river ran red with blood. As when fish fly scared before
a huge dolphin, and fill every nook and corner of some fair haven-­‐
for he is sure to eat all he can catch-­‐ even so did the Trojans cower
under the banks of the mighty river, and when Achilles' arms grew
weary with killing them, he drew twelve youths alive out of the water,
to sacrifice in revenge for Patroclus son of Menoetius. He drew them
out like dazed fawns, bound their hands behind them with the girdles
of their own shirts, and gave them over to his men to take back to
the ships. Then he sprang into the river, thirsting for still further