he
fair-haired sea-nymph; whereas I boast myself to be sprung from
magnanimous Anchises, and Venus is my mother. Of these the one or the
other shall this day lament their beloved son; for I think we shall not
return from the battle thus separated by childish words. But if thou
desirest to be taught these matters, that thou mayest well know our race
(for many men know it), cloud-compelling Jove indeed first begat
Dardanus.[652] And he built Dardania, for sacred Ilium, the city of
articulate-speaking men, was not as yet built in the plain, and they
still dwelt at the foot of many-rilled Ida. Dardanus again begat a son,
king Erichthonius, who was then the richest of mortal men; whose three
thousand mares pastured through the marsh, rejoicing in their tender
foals. Boreas, however, was enamoured of some of these when pasturing,
and having likened himself to an azure-maned steed, covered them; and
they, becoming pregnant, brought forth twelve female foals; which when
they bounded upon the fruitful earth, ran over the highest fruit of the
stalks of corn, nor did they break them:[653] but when they sported over
the broad back of the ocean, they ran along the surface of the ridge of
the hoary sea. But Erichthonius begat Tros, king of the Trojans. From
Tros again were descended three illustrious sons, Ilus, Assaracus, and
godlike Ganymede, who indeed was the handsomest of mortal men; and whom
the gods caught up into heaven, to pour out wine for Jove,[654] that, on
account of his beauty, he might be with the immortals. Ilus again begat
his renowned son Laomedon; but Laomedon begat Tithonus and Priam,
Lampus, Clytius, and Hicetaon, a branch of Mars; and Assaracus Capys,
who also begat his son Anchises. But Anchises begat me, and Priam noble
Hector. Of this race and blood do I boast myself to be. But Jove
increases and diminishes valour to men, as he pleases; for he is the
most powerful of all. But come, let us no longer talk of these things,
like little boys, standing in the middle combat of the strife. For it is
possible for both to utter very many reproaches, so that a hundred-oared
galley[655] would not contain the burthen; for the language of mortals
is voluble,[656] and the discourses in it numerous and varied: and vast
is the distribution[657] of words here and there. Whatsoever word thou
mayest speak, such also wilt thou hear. But what need is there to us of
disputes and railing, that we should quarrel with each other like wo