Hector, who has hitherto been avoiding him, but who,
seeing one of his brothers fall beneath the Greek's blows, meets him
bravely. But, as the moment of Hector's death has not yet come, the
gods separate these two fighters, although their hatred is such that,
whenever they catch a glimpse of each other, they rush forward to
renew the fight.

_Book XXI._ Fleeing before the Greeks, the Trojans reach the Xanthus
River, into which Achilles plunges after them, and where, after
killing hosts of victims, he secures a dozen prisoners to sacrifice on
his friend's tomb. Hearing Achilles refuse mercy to a young Trojan,
and enraged because he has choked his bed with corpses, the River God
suddenly rises to chide him, but Achilles is now in so defiant a mood
that he is ready to fight even the gods themselves. In spite of his
courage he would, however, have been drowned, had not Neptune and
Minerva come to his rescue, fighting the waters with fire, and
assuring him Hector will soon lie lifeless at his feet.

He ceased; wide conflagration blazing round;
The bubbled waters yield a hissing sound.
As when the flames beneath a cauldron rise,
To melt the fat of some rich sacrifice,
Amid the fierce embrace of circling fires
The waters foam, the heavy smoke aspires:
So boils the imprison'd flood, forbid to flow,
And choked with vapors feels his bottom glow.

The course of this day's fighting is anxiously watched by old King
Priam from the top of the Trojan ramparts, and, when he sees
Achilles' forces pursuing his fleeing army across the plain, he orders
the gates opened to admit the fugitives, and quickly closed again so
the foe cannot enter too. To facilitate this move, Apollo assumes the
guise of Hector and decoys Achilles away from the gates until the bulk
of the Trojan army is safe.

_Book XXII._ Meantime the real Hector is stationed beside the gate,
and Achilles, suddenly perceiving he has been pursuing a mere phantom,
darts with a cry of wrath toward his foe. Seeing him coming, Hector's
parents implore him to seek refuge within the walls, but the young man
is too brave to accept such a proposal. Still, when he sees the fire
in Achilles' eyes, he cannot resist an involuntary recoil, and
turning, flees, with Achilles in close pursuit, hurling taunts at him.

These warriors circle the citadel, until the gods, looking on, knowing
they can no longer defer Hector's death, but wishing it to be
glorious, send Apollo dow