avoiding the wrath of far-darting Apollo. But Apollo placed Æneas apart from the crown, in sacred Pergamus, where his temple was.[1] Latona and shaft-rejoicing Diana healed him in the mighty shrine, and adorned him with glory. But silver-bowed Apollo formed a phantom like unto Æneas himself, and such in arms. Around the phantom the Trojans and the noble Greeks smote on each others' breasts the well-orbed ox-hide shields, and the light bucklers. Then at length Phœbus Apollo addressed impetuous Mars:
"Mars! Mars! man-slaughterer, gore-tainted, well-battering! wouldst not thou now, meeting this man, the son of Tydeus, withdraw him from the battle, who would even now fight with father Jove? First, indeed, in close combat he wounded Venus in the hand, at the wrist; but then he rushed on me, like unto a god."
Thus having spoken, he sat down on lofty Pergamus; but destructive Mars aroused the ranks of the Trojans, going through them, assimilating himself to Acamus, the swift leader of the Thracians, and thus he harangued the Jove-nourished sons of Priam:
"Ye sons of Priam, Jove-nourished king, how long will ye yet suffer the people to be slain by the Greeks? Is it until they fight around the well-made gates? A hero lies prostrate, whom we honored equally with noble Hector, the son of magnanimous Anchises. But come, let us rescue from the tumult our excellent companion."
Thus having spoken, he excited the might and courage of each. Then Sarpedon much rebuked noble Hector:
"Hector, where now has that strength gone, which thou didst formerly possess? Thou saidst, I ween, that thou alone, with thy kindred and thy brothers, couldst defend the city without the forces and allies. Now I can neither see nor perceive any of these; but they crouch down, like dogs about a lion: we, on the contrary, who are here mere allies, bear the brunt of the fight. Even I, being thine ally, have come from a very great distance; for far off is Lycia, at eddying Xanthus, where I left my beloved wife and my infant son, and many possessions, which he who is poor
- ↑ "On the Trojan citadel of Pergamus itself was a temple of Apollo, with Diana and Latona; and hence Homer represents these three duties as protecting the falling city." — Müller, Dorians, vol. i. p. 248.
