his throne, lest Neptune's arm should lay His dark dominions open to the day, And pour in light on Pluto's drear abodes, Abhorr'd by men, and dreadful even to gods.(261) [Illustration: THE GODS DESCENDING TO BATTLE.] THE GODS DESCENDING TO BATTLE. Such war the immortals wage; such horrors rend The world's vast concave, when the gods contend First silver-shafted Phoebus took the plain Against blue Neptune, monarch of the main. The god of arms his giant bulk display'd, Opposed to Pallas, war's triumphant maid. Against Latona march'd the son of May. The quiver'd Dian, sister of the day, (Her golden arrows sounding at her side,) Saturnia, majesty of heaven, defied. With fiery Vulcan last in battle stands The sacred flood that rolls on golden sands; Xanthus his name with those of heavenly birth, But called Scamander by the sons of earth. While thus the gods in various league engage, Achilles glow'd with more tha