The Greeks had constructed a rampart around their ships, and now instead of besieging Troy they were in a manner besieged themselves, within their rampart.  The next day after the unsuccessful embassy to Achilles, a battle was fought, and the Trojans, favored by Jove, were successful, and succeeded in forcing a passage through the Grecian rampart, and were about to set fire to the ships.  Neptune, seeing the Greeks so pressed, came to their rescue.  He appeared in the form of Calchas the prophet, encouraged the warriors with his shouts, and appealed to each individually till he raised their ardor to such a pitch that they forced the Trojans to give way.  Ajax performed prodigies of valor, and at length encountered Hector.  Ajax shouted defiance, to which Hector replied, and hurled his lance at the huge warrior.  It was well aimed and struck Ajax, where the belts that bore his sword and shield crossed each other on the breast.  The double guard prevented its penetrating and it fell harmless.  Then Ajax, seizing a huge stone, one of those that served to prop the ships, hurled it at Hector.  It struck him in the neck and stretched him on the plain.  His followers instantly seized him and bore him off, stunned and wounded.

While Neptune was thus aiding the Greeks and driving back the Trojans, Jupiter saw nothing of what was going on, for his attention had been drawn from the field by the wiles of Juno.  That goddess had arrayed herself in all her charms, and to crown all had borrowed of Venus her girdle, called “Cestus,” which had the effect to heighten the wearer’s charms to such a degree that they were quite irresistible.  So prepared, Juno went to join her husband, who sat on Olympus watching the battle.  When he beheld her she looked so charming that the fondness of his early love revived, and, forgetting the contending armies and all other affairs of state, he thought only of her and let the battle go as it would.

But this absorption did not continue long, and when, upon turning his eyes downward, he beheld Hector stretched on the plain almost lifeless from pain and bruises, he dismissed Juno in a rage, commanding her to send Iris and Apollo to him.  When Iris came he sent her with a stern message to Neptune, ordering him instantly to quit the field.  Apollo was despatched to heal Hector’s bruises and to inspirit his heart.  These orders were obeyed with such speed that, while the battle still raged, Hector returned to the field and Neptune betook himself to his own dominions.

An arrow from Paris’s bow wounded Machaon, son of Aesculapius, who inherited his father’s art of healing, and was therefore of great value to the Greeks as their surgeon, besides being one of their bravest warriors.  Nestor took Machaon in his chariot and conveyed him from the field.  As they passed the ships of Achilles, that hero, looking out over the field, saw the chariot of Nestor and recognized the old chief, but could not discern who the wounded chief was.  So calling Patroclus, his companion and dearest friend, he sent him to Nestor’s tent to inquire.