ng, bore to the
hollow ships, deeply groaning. In the meantime Idomeneus ceased not his
mighty valour; but always burned either to cover some of the Trojans
with pitchy night,[429] or himself to fall with a crash, repelling
destruction from the Greeks. Then the hero Alcathous, the beloved son of
AEsyetas (and he was the son-in-law of Anchises, for he had married
Hippodamia, the eldest of his daughters, whom her father and venerable
mother loved from their hearts, whilst in their home, because she
excelled all of her age in beauty, in accomplishments, and prudence,
for which reason also the most distinguished man in wide Troy had wedded
her), him Neptune subdued under Idomeneus, having dimmed his shining
eyes, and fettered his fair limbs. For he was able neither to fly back
nor to turn aside, but him, standing motionless, like a pillar or
lofty-branching tree, the hero Idomeneus wounded with his spear in the
middle of the breast, and burst the brazen coat around him, which
formerly warded off destruction from his body: but then it sent forth a
dry sound, severed by the spear. Falling, he gave a crash, and the spear
was fixed in his heart, which, palpitating, shook even the extremity of
the spear; and there at length the impetuous Mars[430] spent its force.
But Idomeneus boasted prodigiously over him, loudly exclaiming:

[Footnote 429: _I.e._ death.]

[Footnote 430: Here put for the weapon.]

"Deiphobus! do we judge rightly that it is a fair return, that three
should be slain for one, since thus thou boastest? But do thou thyself
also, wretch, stand against me, that thou mayest know of what nature I
am, who have come hither the offspring of Jove, who first begat Minos,
the guardian of Crete. Minos again begat Deucalion, his blameless son,
and Deucalion begat me, king over many men in wide Crete. But now the
ships have brought me hither, an evil both to thee and to thy father,
and the other Trojans."

Thus he spoke, but Deiphobus hesitated between two opinions, whether,
falling back, he should join to himself some one of the magnanimous
Trojans, or make trial although alone. But to him, thus deliberating, it
appeared preferable to go in search of AEneas; whom he found standing at
the rear of the army, for he was ever indignant with noble Priam,
because he by no means honoured him, though being valiant among heroes.
And, standing near, he addressed to him winged words:

"AEneas, thou counsellor of the Trojans, no