BOOK THE TWENTY-FIRST.
ARGUMENT.
But when they at last reached the course of the fairly-flowing river, the eddying Xanthus, which immortal Jove begat; there separating them, he pursued some indeed through the plain toward the city, by the [same] way that the Greeks, on the preceding day, being astounded, had fled, when illustrious Hector raged. By that way were they poured forth terrified; but Juno expanded a dense cloud before them, to check them: but the other half were rolled into the deep-flowing river, with silver eddies. But they fell in with a great noise; and the deep streams resounded, and the banks around murmured; but they, with clamor, swam here and there, whirled about in the eddies.[1] As when locusts, driven by the force of fire, fly into the air, to escape to a river, but the indefatigable fire, suddenly kindled, blazes, and they fall, through terror into the water: thus, by Achilles, was the resounding river of deep-eddied Xanthus filled promiscuously with horses and men. But the Jove-sprung [hero] left his spear
- ↑ Virg. Æn. i. 118: "Apparent rari nantes in gurgite vasto." With the following description maybe compared Æsch. Ag. 670: Ὁρῶμεν ἀνθοῦν πέλαγος Αἰγαῖον νεκρῶν ἀνδρῶν Ἀχαίων ναυτικῶν τ' ἐρειπίων. Aristid. Panath. p. 142. Ώς δὲ ἑώρα τὴν θάλατταν αἵματι καὶ ῥοθίῳ ῥέουσαν, καὶ πάντα νέκρων καὶ ναυαγίων μεστά.