Accessamenus; for with her had the
deep-eddying river been mingled. Against him Achilles rushed; but he,
[emerging] from the river, stood opposite, holding two spears; for
Xanthus had placed courage in his mind, because he was enraged on
account of the youths slain in battle, whom Achilles had slain in the
stream, nor pitied them. But when they were now near, advancing towards
each other, him first swift-footed, noble Achilles addressed:

"Who, and whence art thou of men, thou who darest to come against me?
Truly they are the sons of unhappy men who encounter my might." Him
again the illustrious son of Pelegon addressed: "O magnanimous son of
Peleus, why dost thou ask my race? I am from fruitful Paeonia, being far
off, leading the long-speared Paeonian heroes; and this is now the
eleventh morning to me since I came to Troy. But my descent is from the
wide-flowing Axius, who pours the fairest flood upon the earth, he who
begat Pelegon, renowned for the spear; who, men say, begat me. But now,
O illustrious Achilles, let us fight."

Thus he spake, threatening: but noble Achilles raised the Pelian ash;
but the hero Asteropaeus [took aim] with both spears at the same
time,[676] for he was ambidexter.[677] With the one spear he struck the
shield, nor did it pierce the shield completely through; for the gold
restrained it, the gift of a god; and the other slightly wounded him
upon the elbow of the right arm; and the black blood gushed out: but the
[spear passing] over him, was fixed in the earth, longing to satiate
itself with his body. But second Achilles hurled his straight-flying
ashen spear at Asteropaeus, anxiously desiring to slay him. From him
indeed he erred, and struck the lofty bank, and drove the ashen spear up
to the middle in the bank. Then the son of Peleus, drawing his sharp
sword from his thigh, eagerly leaped upon him; but he was not able to
pluck out, with his strong hand, the ashen spear of Achilles, from the
bank. Thrice, indeed, he shook it, desiring to pluck it out, and thrice
he failed in strength. And the fourth time he had determined in his
mind, bending, to snap the ashen spear of AEacides; but Achilles first,
close at hand, took away his life with the sword; for he smote him upon
the belly at the navel, and all his bowels were poured out upon the
ground, and darkness veiled him, dying, as to his eyes. Then Achilles,
leaping upon his breast, despoiled him of his arms, and boasting, spoke:

[Footn