The Iliad (Audiobook) by Homer - Book 20

Book 20: The Gods Join the Battle
Zeus allows the gods to intervene. Achilles rampages through the Trojan ranks. Summary by Dream Audiobooks

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Section twenty of the Iliad by Homer, translated by Samuel Butler.
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Read by
Peter Dan, Book twenty. The gods hold a council and
determine to watch the fight from the hill calicoalone and
the barrow of Hercules. A fight between Achilles and Aeneas

(00:23):
is interrupted by Neptune, who saves Aeneas. Achilles kills many Trojans.
Thus then did the Achaeans arm by their ships round you,
o son of Pelias, who are hungering for battle, while
the Trojans over against them, armed upon the rise of
the plain. Meanwhile, Jove, from the top of many deld

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Olympus bad themis gather the gods in council. Whereon she
went about and called them to the house of Jove.
There was not a river absent except Oceanus, not a
single one of the nymphs that haunt fair groves, or
springs of rivers, and meadows of green grass. When they
reached the house of Clout, compelling Jove, they took their

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seats in the arcades of polished marble, which Vulcan, with
his consummate skill, had made for Father Jove in such wives.
Therefore did they gather in the house of Jove. Neptune,
also lord of the Earthquake, obeyed the call of the
goddess and came up out of the sea to join
them there. Sitting in the midst of them, he asked

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what Jove's purpose might be? Why, said he, wielder of
the lightning? Have you called the gods in council? Are
you considering some matter that concerns the Trojans and Achaeans?
For the blaze of battle is on the point of
being kindled between them? And Jove answered, you know my purpose,
Shaker of Earth, And wherefore I have called you hither.

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I take thought for them, even in their destruction. For
my own part, I shall stay here seated on Mount Olympus,
and look on in peace. But do you others go
about among the Trojans and Achaeans, And how by the side,
as you may be severally disposed. If Acelles fights the
Trojans without hindrance, they will make no stand against him.

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They have ever trembled at the sight of him. And
now that he has roused to such fury about his comrade,
he will override fate itself. And storm their city. Thus
spoke Jove and gave the word for war. Whereon the
gods took their several sides and went into battle. Juno, Pallas, Minerva,
Earth encircling, Neptune, Mercury, bringer of good luck and excellent

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in all cunning. All these joined the hosts that came
from the ships. With them. Also came to Vulcan in
all his glory, limping, but yet with his thin legs
plying lustily under him. Mars of gleaming helmet joined the Trojans,
and with him Apollo of locks unshorn, and the archer
goddess Diana Lito Xanthus, and laughter loving Venus. So long

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as the gods held themselves aloof from mortal warriors, the
Achaeans were triumphant. For Achilles, who had long refused to fight,
was now with them. There was not a Trojan, but
his limbs failed him for fear, as he beheld the fleet,
son of Pelius, all glorious in his armor and looking
like Mars himself. When, however, the Olympians came to take

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their part among men, forthwith uprose strong strife, rouser of hosts,
and Minerva raised her loud voice now standing by the
deep trench that ran outside the wall, and now shouting
with all her might upon the shore of the sounding sea.
Mars also bellowed out upon the other side, dark as
some black thunder cloud, and called on the Trojans at

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the top of his voice, now from the acropolis, and
now speeding up the side of the river Simois, till
he came to the hill Calicolone. Thus did the gods
spur on both hosts to fight and rouse fierce contention
also among themselves. The sire of gods and men thundered
from heaven above, while from beneath Neptune shook the vast

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earth and bad The high hills tremble, the spurs and
crests of many fountain eyed are quaked, as also the
city of the Trojans and the ships of the Achaeans. Hades,
king of the realms below, was struck with fear. He
sprang panic stricken from his throne, and cried aloud in
terror lest Neptune, lord of the earthquake, should crack the

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ground over his head and lay bare his moldy mansions
to the sight of mortals and immortals. Mansion so ghastly,
grim that even the gods shuddered to think of them.
Such was the uproar as the gods came together in battle. Apollo,
with his arrows, took his stand to face King Neptune,
while Minerva took hers against the god of war. The

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archer goddess Diana, with her golden arrows, sister of far
darting Apollo, stood to face Juno Mercury, the lusty bringer
good Luck faced Lito, while the mighty eddying river, whom
men called s commander but gods xanthus matched himself against Vulcan.
The gods, then with us, ranged against one another. But

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the heart of Achilles was set on meeting Hakda, son
of Priam, for it was with his blood that he
longed above all things else to glut the stubborn lord
of battle. Meanwhile, Apollo set Aeneas on to attack the
son of Pelius, and put courage into his heart, speaking
with the voice of ly Chaon, son of Priam, in
his likeness. Therefore, he said to Aeneas Anaeus, counselor of

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the Trojans, where are now the brave words with which
you vaunted over your wine before the Trojan princes, saying
that you would fight Achilles, son of Pelius, in single combat.
And Aeneus answered, why do you thus bid me fight
the proud son of Pelius, when I am in no
mind to do so. Were I to face him now,
it would not be for the first time. His spear

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already put me to flight from Ida when he attacked
our cattle and sacked Linesus and Pedasus. Jove indeed saved me,
and that he v outsafed me strength to fly else
had I fallen by the hands of Achilles and Minerva,
who went before him to protect him and urged him
to fall upon the Lelegae and Trojans, No man may
fight Achilles, for one of the gods is always with

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him as his guardian angel. And even were it not so,
his weapon flies ever straight and fails not to pierce
the flesh of him who is against him. If Heaven
would let me fight him on even terms, he should
not soon overcome me, though he boasts that he is
made of bronze. Then said King Apollo, son to Jove, nay, Hero,

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pray to the ever living gods, for men say that
you were born of Jove's daughter Venus. Whereas Achilles is
son to a goddess of inferior rank. Venus is child
to Jove, while Thetus is but a daughter to the
old man of the sea. Bring, therefore your spear to
bear upon him, and let him not scare you with
his taunts and menaces. As he spoke, he put courage

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into the heart of the shepherd of his people, and
he strode in full armor among the ranks of the
foremost fighters. Nor did the son of Anchises escape the
notice of white armed Juno. As she went forth into
the throng to meet Achilles, she called the gods about her,
and said, look to it, you, two Neptune and Minerva,
and consider how this shall be Febus Apollo has been

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sending a nieas clad in full armor to fight Achilles.
Shall we turn him back at once? Or shall one
of us stand by Achilles and endow him with strength,
so that his heart fails not, and he may learn
that the chiefs of the immortals are on his side,
while the others, who have all along been defending the
Trojans are but vain helpers. Let us all come down

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from Olympus and join in the fight, that this day
he may take no hurt at the hands of the
Trojans hereafter, let him suffer whatever fate may have spun
out for him when he was begotten and his mother
bore him. If Achilles be not thus assured by the
voice of a god, he may come to fear presently
when one of us meets him in battle, for the

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gods are terrible if they are seen face to face. Neptune,
lord of the earthquake, answered her, saying, Juno, restrain your fury.
It is not well. I am not in favor of
forcing the other gods to fight us, for the advantage
is too greatly on our side. Let us take our
places on some hill out of the beaten track, and

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let mortals fight it out among themselves. If Mars or
Phoebus Apollo begin fighting, or keep Achilles in checks so
that he cannot fight, we too will at once raise
the cry of battle, and in that case they will
soon leave the field and go back vanquished to Olympus
among the other gods. With these words, the dark head
god led the way to the high earth barrow of Hercules,

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built round solid masonry and made by the Trojans and
Pallas Minerva for him to fly to. When the sea
monster was chasing him from the shore on to the plain.
Here Neptune and those that were with him took their seats,
wrapped in a thick cloud of darkness. But the other
gods seated themselves on the brower of Calicone, round ye
of Phoebus and Mars, the waster of cities. Thus did

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the gods sit apart and form their plans. But neither
side was willing to begin battle with the other, and Joe,
from his seat on high, was in command over the male. Meanwhile,
the whole plain was alive with men and horses, and
blazing with the gleam of armor. The earth rang again
under the tramp of their feet as they rushed towards

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each other, and two champions by farther foremost of them
all met between the hosts to fight to wit. Anaeus,
son of Anchises, and noble Achilles. Aeneas was first to
stride forward in attack, his darty helmet tossing defiance. As
he came on. He held his strong shield before his
breath and brandished his bronze spear. The son of Peleus,

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from the other side, sprang forth to meet him, like
some fierce lion. That the whole countryside has met to
hunt and kill. At first he bodes no will, But
when some daring youth has struck him with a spear,
he crouches open mouthed his jaw's foam. He roars with fury.
He lashes his tail from side to side about his
ribs and loins, and glares as he springs straight before

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him to find out whether he is to slay or
be slain amongst the foremost of his foes. Even with
such fury did Achilles burn to spring upon Aeneas. When
they were now close up with one another. Achaeus was
first to speak. Aneas said he, why do you stand
thus out before the host to fight me? Is it

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that you hope to reign over the Trojans in the
seat of Priam? Nay, though you kill me, Priam will
not hand his kingdom over to you. He is a
man of sound judgment, and he has sons of his own.
Have the Trojans been allotting you a domain of passing richness,
fair with orchard lawns and corn lands. If you should
slay me this you shall hardly do. I have discomforted

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you once already? Have you forgotten how when you were
alone I chased you from your herds, helped the scalt
down the slopes of Ida. You did not turn round
to look behind you. You took refuge in Learness's But
I attacked the city, and, with the help of Minerva
and Father Jove Ayes, sacked it and carried its women
into captivity. Though Jove and the other gods rescued you,

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you think they will protect you now, but they will
not do so. Therefore, I say, go back into the
host and do not face me, or you will ruin it.
Even a fool may be wise after the event. Then,
Aeneas answered, son of Pelias, think not that your words
can scare me, as though I were a child, I too,

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if I will, can brag and talk unseemly. We know
one another's race and parentage is matters of common fame.
Though neither have you ever seen my parents, nor I yours.
Men say that you are son to noble Pelias, and
that your mother is theete As, fair headed daughter of
the Sea. I have noble Anchises for my father, and

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Venus for my mother. The parents of one or other
of us shall this day mourn a son, for it
will be more than silly talk that your part is
when the fight is over, learn then my lineage, if
you will, and it is known to many in the beginning.
Dardanus was the son of Jove and founded Dardania, for
Ilius was not yet established on the plain of men

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to dwell in, and her people still abode on the
spurs of many, a fountain Ida. Dardanus had a son,
king Erichthonius, who was wealthiest of all men living. He
had three thousand mares that fed by the water meadows,
they and their foals with them. Boreas was enamored of
them as they were feeding, and covered them in the

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semblance of a dark mained stallion. Twelve philifolds did they
conceive and bear him. And these, as they sped over
the rich plain, would go bounding on over the ripe
ears of corn and not break them. Or again, when
they would disport themselves on the broad back of ocean,
they could gallop on the crest of a breaker. Erecthonius

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beget Tros, king of the Trojans, and Tros had three
noble sons, Elus, Asaracus and Ganymede, who was the comeliest
of mortal men, Wherefore the gods carried him off to
be Jove's cup bearer for his beauty's sake, that he
might dwell among the immortals. Elus begat Laomedon, and Laomedan
begat Trithonius, Priam, Lampus, Clethius, and Hecataeon of the stock

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of Mars. But Asarchus was father to CAPPIs, and CAPPIs
to Anchises, who was my father, while Hector is son
to Priam, such do I declare my blood and lineage.
But as for Valor, Jove gives it or takes it
as he will, for he is lord of all. And
now let there be no more of this prating in

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mid battle. As though we were children, we could fling
towrts without end at one another. A hundred odd gallery
would not hold them. The tongue can run all withers
and talk all wise, It can go here and there.
And as a man says, so shall he be gainsaid.
What is the use of our banding heart like women, who,
when they forefowl of one another, go out and wrangle

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in the streets, one half true and the other lies
as rage inspires them. No words of yours shall turn me.
Now that I am fain to fight. Therefore, let us
make trial of one another with our spears. As he spoke,
he drove his spear at the great and terrible shield
of Achilles, which rang out as the points struck it.

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The son of Peleus held the shield before him with
his strong hand, and he was afraid, for he deemed
that an Eas's spear would go through it quite easily,
not reflecting that the God's glorious gifts were little likely
to yield before the blows of mortal men. And indeed
Aeneas's spear did not pierce the shield, for the layer
of gold, the gift of the God, stayed the point.

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It went through two layers. But the God had made
the shield in five, two of bronze, the two innermost
ones of tin, and one of gold. It was in
this that the spear had stayed. Achilles in his turn
through and struck the round shield of Aeneas at the
very edge, where the bronze was thinnest. The spear of
pelian ash went clean through, and the shield rang under

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the blow. Aeneas was afraid and crouched backwards, holding the
shield away from him. The spear, however, flew over his
back and struck quivering in the ground, after having gone
through both circles of the sheltering shield. Aeneas, though he
had avoided the spear, stood still, blinded with fear and
grief because the weapon had gone so near him. Then

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Achilles sprang furiously upon him with a cry as of death,
and with his keen blade drawn, and Aeneas seized a
great stone so huge that two men, as men now are,
would be unable to lift it, but Aeneas wielded it
quite easily. Aeneas would then have struck Achilles as he
was springing towards him, either on the helmet or on
the shield that covered him, and Achilles would have closed

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with him and despatched him with his sword, had not Neptune,
lord of the earthquake, been quick to mark and said
forthwith to the immortals, Alas, I am sorry for great Aeneas,
who will now go down to the House of Hades,
vanquished by the son of Pelius, fool that he was
to give ear to the Council of Apollo. Apollo will
never save him from destruction. Why should this man suffer

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when he is guiltless to no purpose, and in another's quarrel.
Has he not at all times offered acceptable sacrifice to
the gods that dwell in heaven. Let us then snatch
him from death's jaws, Lest the son of Satin be angry.
Should Achilles slay him, it is fated moreover that he
should escape, and that the race of Dardanus, whom Jove

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loved above all the sons born to him of mortal women,
shall not perish shutterly without seed or sign. For now
indeed has Jove hated the blood of Priam. While Aeneas
shall reign over the Trojans, he and his children's children
that shall be born hereafter. Then answered Juno, earth shaker,

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look to this matter yourself, and consider concerning Aeneas, whether
you will save him or suffer him brave though he
be to fall by the hand of Achilles, son of Pelius.
For of a truth we two I and Pallas Minerva
have sworn full many a time before all the immortals,
that never would we shield Trojans from destruction, not even

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when all Troy is burning in the flames that the
Achaeans shall kindle. When Earth encircling Neptune heard this, he
went into the battle amid the clash of spears, and
came to the place where Achilles and Aeneas were. Forthwith
he shed a darkness before the eyes of the son
of Pelius, drew the bronze headed ashen spear from the

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shield of Aeneas and laid it at the feet of Achilles.
Then he lifted Aeneas on high from off the earth,
and hurried him away over the heads of many a
band of warriors, both horse and foot. Did he soar
as the God's hands sped him till he came to
the very fringes of the battle, where the Corconians were
arming themselves for fight. Neptune, shaker of the Earth, then

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came near to him and said, Aeneas, what God has
egged you on to this folly in fighting the son
of Peleus, who is both a mightier man of valor
and more beloved of Heaven than you are, Give way
before him whensoever you meet him, lest you go down
to the house of Hades, even though fate would have
it otherwise. When Achilles is dead, you may then fight

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among the foremost undaunted, for none other of the Achaean
shall slay you. The God left him when he had
given him these instructions, and at once removed the darkness
from before the eyes of Achilles, who opened them wide indeed,
and said, in great anger, alas, what marvel am I
now beholding? Here is my spear upon the ground. But

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I see not him whom I meant to kill when
I hold it of a truth, Aeneas also must be
under Heaven's protection. Although I had thought his boasting was idle,
let him go hang. He will be in no mood
to fight me. Further, seeing how narrowly he has mist
being killed, I will now give my orders to the
Darnaeans and attack some other of the Trojans. He sprang

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forward along the line and cheered his men on as
he did so. Let not the Trojans, he cried, keep
you at arm's length, Achaeans, But go for them and
fight them man for man. However valiant I may be,
I cannot give chase to so many and fight all
of them. Even Mars, who is an immortal or Minerva,
would shrink from flinging himself into the jaws of such

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a fight and laying about him. Nevertheless, so far as
in me lies, I will show no slackness of hand
or foot, nor want of endurance, not even for a moment.
I will utterly break their ranks, and woe to the
trojan who shall venture within reach of mine eyes spear.
Thus did he exalt them. Meanwhile, Hector called upon the
Trojans and declared that he would fight Achilles. Be not afraid,

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proud Trojans, said he to face the son of Peleus.
I could fight God's myself if the battle were one
of words only, But they would be more than a
match for me if we had to use our spears.
Even so, the deed of Achilles will fall somewhat short
of his words. He will do in part, and the
other part he will clip short. I will go up
against him, though his hands be as fire, though his

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hands be fire, and his strength iron. Thus urged, the
Trojans lifted up their spears against the Achaeans and raised
the cry of battle as they flung themselves into the
midst of their ranks. But Phoebus Apollo came up to
Hector and said, Hector, on no account must you challenge
Achilles to single combat. Keep a look out for him

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while you are under cover of the others and away
from the thick of the fight. Otherwise he will either
hit you with a spear or cut you down at
close quarters. Thus he spoke, and Hector drew back within
the crowd, for he was afraid when he heard what
the God had said to him. Achilles then sprang upon
the Trojans with a terrible cry, clothed in valor as

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with a garment. First he killed Aphition, son of Atrnthius,
a leader of much people, whom a nigh at nymph
had borne to Otrnius, waster of cities, in the land
of hide under the snowy heights of Mount Tmolus. Achilles
struck him full on the head as he was coming
on towards him, and split it clean in two, whereon
he fell heavily to the ground, and Achilles vaunted over him, saying,

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you below, son of Otrnia's mighty hero, your death is here,
but your lineage is on the Jadjian lake, where your
father's estate lies by hellas rich in fish, in the
eddying waters of Harmas. Thus did he vaunt, but darkness
closed the eyes of the other. The chariots of the
Achaeans cut him up as their wheels passed over him

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in the front of battle, and after him, Achilles killed
de Melion, a valiant man of war and son to Antennor.
He struck him on the temple through his bronze cheeked helmet.
The helmet did not stay the spear, but it went
right on, crushing the bone, so that the brain inside
was shed in all directions, and his lust of fighting
was ended. Then he struck Hippodamus in the midriff, as

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he was springing down from his chariot in front of
him and trying to escape. He breathed his last bellowing
like a bull bellows when young men are dragging him
to offer him in sacrifice to the King of Helisee.
And the heart of the earth shaker is glad. Even
so did he bellow as he lay dying. Achilles then
went in pursuit of palladoras son of Priam, whom his

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father had always forbidden to fight, because he was the
youngest of his sons, the one he loved best, and
the fastest runner. He and his folly, and showing off
the fleetness of his feet, was rushing about among front
ranks until he lost his life, for Achilles struck him
in the middle of the back as he was darting
past him, he struck him just at the golden fastening

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of his belt, and when the two pieces of the
double breastplate overlapped, the point of the spear, pierced him
through and came out by the navel, whereon he fell
groaning onto his knees, and a cloud of darkness overshadowed
him as he sank, holding his entrails in his hands.
When Hector saw his brother Polodorus with his entrails in

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his hands and sinking down upon the ground, a mist
came over his eyes, and he could not bear to
keep longer at a distance. He therefore poised his spear
and darted towards Achilles like a flame of fire. When
Achilles saw him, he bounded forward and vaunted, saying, this
says he that has wounded my heart most deeply and
has slain my beloved comrade. Not for long shall we

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too quail before one another on the highways of war.
He looked fiercely on Hector and said, draw near, that
you may meet your doom the sooner Hector feared him, not, answered,
son of Peleus, think not that your words can scare me,
as though o'er a child I too, if I will
can brag and talk unseemly, I know that you are

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a mighty warrior, mightier by Father than I. Nevertheless, the
usue lies in the lap of heaven. Whether I worse man,
though I be, may not slay you with my spear,
For this too has been found keen ere. Now he
hurled his spear as he spoke, but Minerva breathed upon it,
And though she breathed but very lightly, she turned it
back from going towards Achilles, so that it returned to

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Hector and lay at his feet in front of him.
Achilles then sprang furiously on him with a loud cry,
bent on killing him, but Apollo caught him up easily
as a god can, and hid him in a thick darkness.
Thrice did Achilles spring towards him, spear in hand, and
thrist did he waste his blow upon the air. When
he rushed forward for the fourth time, as though he

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were a god, he shouted aloud, saying, hound, this time
too you have escaped death. But of a truth, it
came exceedingly near you. Phoebus. Apollo, to whom it seems
you pray before you go into battle, has again saved you.
But if I too have any friend among the gods,
I will surely make an end of you when I
come across you at some other time. Now, however, I

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will pursue and overtake other trojans. On this He struck
Dryops with his spear about the middle of his neck,
and he fell headlong at his feet. There he let
him lie and stayed to Murcos, son of pileto a
man both brave and of great stature, by hitting him
on the knee with a spear. Then he smote him
with his sword and killed him. After this he sprang

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on Laogonus and Dardanus, sons of Bias, and threw them
from their chariot, the one with a blow from a
throned spear, while the other he cut down in hand
to hand fight. There was also Tross the son of Alastor.
He came up to Achilles and clasped his knees in
the hope that he would spare him and not kill him,
but let him go, because they were both of the
same age. Fool he might have known that he would

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not veiled with him, for the man was in no
mood for pity or forbearance. But was in grim earnest. Therefore,
when Tross laid hold of his knees and sought a
hearing for his prayers, Achilles drove his sword into his lever,
and the liver came rolling out, while his bosom was
all covered with the black blood that welled from the wound.
Thust did Death close his eyes as he lay lifeless.

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Achilles then went up to Melius and struck him on
the ear with a spear, and the bronze spear head
came right out at the other ear. He also struck Echolos,
son of Agenor, on the head with his sword, which
became warm with the blood, while Death and stern fate
closed the eyes of Echolus. Next in order, the bronze
point of his spear wounded Ducalian in the forearm, where

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the sinews of the elbow were united, whereon he waited Achilles, handset,
with his arm hanging down, and Death staring him in
the face. Achilles cut his head off with a blow
from his sword and flung at helmet and all away
from him, and the marrow came oozing out of his
back as he lay. He then went in pursuit of
Rigmus Noble son of Peris, who had come from fertile thrace,

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and struck him through the middle with a spear, which
fixed itself in his belly, so that he fell headlong
from his chariot. He also speared a wreath was squaeth
a rigmus in the back as he was turning his
horses in flight, and thrust him from his chariot, while
the horses were struck with panic, as a fire redging
in some mountain glen after long drought, and the dense

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forest is in a blaze, while the wind carries great
tongues of fire in every direction. Even so furiously did
Achilles rage, wielding his spear as though he were a god,
and giving chasta those whom he would slay, till the
dark earth ran with blood. For as one who yokes
broad browed oxen, that they may tread barley in a
threshing floor, and it is soon bruised small under the

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feet of the lowing cattle. Even so did the horses
of Achilles trample on the shields and bodies of the slain.
The axled underneath, and the railing that ran round the
car were bespattered with clots of blood thrown up by
the horses hoofs, and from the tires of the wheels.
But the son of Pelius pressed on to wind still
further glory, and his hands were bedrabbled with gore. End

(28:17):
of Section twenty