selves with the Trojans. When the gods joined in the com-
bat and Neptune shook the earth and Jupiter thundered
from above, there was such tumult in the air that even the
dark god of the underworld was terrified. In the batde of
the gods, Apollo encountered Neptune, Pallas fought against
Mars, Diana and Juno opposed each other, Hermes was
pitted against Latona, and Xanthus or Scamander, the river
god, strove against Vulcan. It was not long before Jupiter's
fear was realized, and the mortals needed the aid of the
gods, ^neas, encouraged by Apollo to confront Achilles,
was rescued only by the intervention of Neptune, who, re-
memberingJhatjt_ffiaaJhe-wilLQf/at£jJiat^^Eneas should be
spared to~perpetuate the Dardan race,_sijstcbedjiim-awayin
a cloud, altKougli he was hiinself aiding the Greeks.
Mad with rage and spattered with blood, Achilles pursued
the flying Trojans about the plain, sparing none, except the
twelve youths who were to be butchered on the funeral pile
of Patroclus. He stood in the river, filling it with slaugh-
tered bodies until, indignant at the insults offered him, the
river god Scamander caused his waters to rush after Achillea
so that he fled for his life. Far across the plain it chased
him, and was only stopped by the fires of Vulcan, summoned
by Juno.
By an artifice of Apollo, Achilles was decoyed away from
the gates of Troy long enough to allow the Trojans to enter.
