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once, kindle a fierce fire; I will then bring up the west and the
white south wind in a mighty hurricane from the sea, that shall bear
the flames against the heads and armour of the Trojans and consume
them, while you go along the banks of Xanthus burning his trees and
wrapping him round with fire. Let him not turn you back neither by
fair words nor foul, and slacken not till I shout and tell you. Then
you may stay your flames."
On this Vulcan kindled a fierce fire, which broke out first upon the
plain and burned the many dead whom Achilles had killed and whose
bodies were lying about in great numbers; by this means the plain
was dried and the flood stayed. As the north wind, blowing on an orchard
that has been sodden with autumn rain, soon dries it, and the heart
of the owner is glad-­‐ even so the whole plan was dried and the dead
bodies were consumed. Then he turned tongues of fire on to the river.
He burned the elms the willows and the tamarisks, the lotus also,
with the rushes and marshy herbage that grew abundantly by the banks
of the river. The eels and fishes that go darting about everywhere
in the water, these, too, were sorely harassed by the flames that
cunning Vulcan had kindled, and the river himself was scalded, so
that he spoke saying, "Vulcan, there is no god can hold his own against
you. I cannot fight you when you flare out your flames in this way;
strive with me no longer. Let Achilles drive the Trojans out of city
immediately. What have I to do with quarrelling and helping people?"
He was boiling as he spoke, and all his waters were seething. As a
cauldron upon 'a large fire boils when it is melting the lard of some
fatted hog, and the lard keeps bubbling up all over when the dry faggots