Rescue him, lest if by Achilles’ arm
This hero perish, Jove himself be wroth; 370
For he is destined to survive, lest all
The house of Dardanus (whom Jove beyond
All others loved, his sons of woman born)
Fail with AEneas, and be found no more. 
Saturnian Jove hath hated now long time 375
The family of Priam, and henceforth
AEneas and his son, and his sons’ sons,
Shall sway the sceptre o’er the race of Troy. 

    To whom, majestic thus the spouse of Jove. 

Neptune! deliberate thyself, and choose 380
Whether to save AEneas, or to leave
The hero victim of Achilles’ ire. 
For Pallas and myself ofttimes have sworn
In full assembly of the Gods, to aid
Troy never, never to avert the day 385
Of her distress, not even when the flames
Kindled by the heroic sons of Greece,
Shall climb with fury to her topmost towers. 

    She spake; then Neptune, instant, through the throng

Of battle flying, and the clash of spears, 390
Came where Achilles and AEneas fought. 
At once with shadows dim he blurr’d the sight
Of Peleus’ son, and from the shield, himself,
Of brave AEneas the bright-pointed ash
Retracting, placed it at Achilles’ feet. 395
Then, lifting high AEneas from the ground,
He heaved him far remote; o’er many a rank
Of heroes and of bounding steeds he flew,
Launch’d into air from the expanded palm
Of Neptune, and alighted in the rear 400
Of all the battle where the Caucons stood. 
Neptune approach’d him there, and at his side
Standing, in accents wing’d, him thus bespake. 

    What God, AEneas! tempted thee to cope

Thus inconsiderately with the son 405
Of Peleus, both more excellent in fight
Than thou, and more the favorite of the skies? 
From him retire hereafter, or expect
A premature descent into the shades. 
But when Achilles shall have once fulfill’d 410
His destiny, in battle slain, then fight
Fearless, for thou canst fall by none beside. 

    So saying, he left the well-admonish’d Chief,

And from Achilles’ eyes scatter’d the gloom
Shed o’er them by himself.  The hero saw 415
Clearly, and with his noble heart incensed
By disappointment, thus conferring, said. 

    Gods!  I behold a prodigy.  My spear

Lies at my foot, and he at whom I cast
The weapon with such deadly force, is gone! 420
AEneas therefore, as it seems, himself
Interests the immortal Gods, although
I deem’d his boast of their protection vain. 
I reck not.  Let him go.  So gladly ’scaped
From slaughter now, he shall not soon again 425
Feel an ambition to contend with me.