Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Homer’s Iliad
Nevertheless Scamander did not slacken in his pursuit, but was
still more furious with the son of Peleus. He lifted his waters into a
high crest and cried aloud to Simois saying, “Dear brother, let the
two of us unite to save this man, or he will sack the mighty city of
King Priam, and the Trojans will not hold out against him. Help me
at once; fill your streams with water from their sources, rouse all
your torrents to a fury; raise your wave on high, and let snags and
stones come thundering down you that we may make an end of
this savage creature who is now lording it as though he were a god.
Nothing shall serve him longer, not strength nor comeliness, nor
his fine armour, which forsooth shall soon be lying low in the deep
waters covered over with mud. I will wrap him in sand, and pour
tons of shingle round him, so that the Achaeans shall not know how
to gather his bones for the silt in which I shall have hidden him,
and when they celebrate his funeral they need build no barrow.”
On this he upraised his tumultuous flood high against Achilles,
seething as it was with foam and blood and the bo&ies of the dead.
The dark waters of the river stood upright and would have
overwhelmed the son of Peleus, but Juno, trembling lest Achilles
should be swept away in the mighty torrent, lifted her voice on
high and called out to Vulcan her son. “Crook-foot,” she cried, “my
child, be up and doing, for I deem it is with you that Xanthus is
fain to fight; help us at 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.”
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