n he rushed into the battle, slaying as he went. And Hector would have
met him, but Apollo stood by him and said, "Fight not with Achilles, lest
he slay thee." Therefore he went back among the men of Troy. Many did
Achilles slay, and among them Polydorus, son of Priam, who, because he was
the youngest and very dear, his father suffered not to go to the battle.
Yet he went, in his folly, and being very swift of foot, he trusted in his
speed, running through the foremost of the fighters. But as he ran
Achilles smote him and wounded him to the death. When Hector saw it, he
could not bear any more to stand apart. Therefore he rushed at Achilles,
and Achilles rejoiced to see him, saying, "This is the man who slew my
comrade;" and to Hector he cried, "Come hither, and taste of death."

And Hector made answer, "Son of Peleus, seek not to make me afraid with
words. For though I be weaker than thou, yet victory lieth on the knees of
the Gods, and I, too, bear a spear."

Then he cast his spear, but Athene turned it aside with her breath, and
laid it again at his feet. And when Achilles leapt upon Hector with a
shout, Apollo snatched him away. Three times did Achilles leap upon him,
and three times he struck only the mist. But the fourth time he cried with
a terrible voice, "Dog, thou hast escaped from death, Apollo helping thee;
but I shall meet thee again, and make an end of thee."

Then Achilles turned to the others, and slew multitudes of them, so that
they fled, some across the plain, and some to the river, the eddying
Xanthus. And these leapt into the water as locusts leap into a river when
a fire which men light drives them from the fields. And all the river was
full of horses and men. Then Achilles leapt into the stream, leaving his
spear on the bank, resting on the tamarisk trees. Only his sword had he,
and with this he slew many; and they were as fishes which fly from some
great dolphin in the sea. In all the bays of a harbor they hide
themselves, for the great beast devours them apace. So did the Trojans
hide themselves under the banks of the river. And when Achilles was weary
of slaying, he took twelve alive, whom he would slay on the tomb of
Patroclus.

Yet there was one man who dared to stand up against him, while the others
fled. This was Asteropaeus, who was the grandson of the river-god Axius,
and led the men of Paeonia. And Achilles wondered to see him, and said,
"Who art thou that standest against me?"

And