Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Homer’s Iliad
him and struck the steep bank of the river, driving the spear half its
length into the earth. The son of Peleus then drew his sword and
sprang furiously upon him. Asteropaeus vainly tried to draw
Achilles’ spear out of the bank by main force; thrice did he tug at it,
trying with all his might to draw it out, and thrice he had to leave
off trying; the fourth time he tried to bend and break it, but ere he
could do so Achilles smote him with his sword and killed him. He
struck him in the belly near the navel, so that all his bowels came
gushing out on to the ground, and the darkness of death came over
him as he lay gasping. Then Achilles set his foot on his chest and
spoiled him of his armour, vaunting over him and saying, “Lie
there- begotten of a river though you be, it is hard for you to strive
with the offspring of Saturn’s son. You declare yourself sprung
from the blood of a broad river, but I am of the seed of mighty Jove.
My father is Peleus, son of Aeacus ruler over the many Myrmidons,
and Aeacus was the son of Jove. Therefore as Jove is mightier than
any river that flows into the sea, so are his children stronger than
those of any river whatsoever. Moreover you have a great river
hard by if he can be of any use to you, but there is no fighting
against Jove the son of Saturn, with whom not even King Achelous
can compare, nor the mighty stream of deep-flowing Oceanus,
from whom all rivers and seas with all springs and deep wells
proceed; even Oceanus fears the lightnings of great Jove, and his
thunder that comes crashing out of heaven.”
With this he drew his bronze spear out of the bank, and now that he
had killed Asteropaeus, he let him lie where he was on the sand,
with the dark water flowing over him and the eels and fishes busy
nibbling and gnawing the fat that was about his kidneys. Then he
went in chase of the Paeonians, who were flying along the bank of
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