The river grew angry and pondered how to stay Achilles. The son of Peleus sprang on Asteropaios son of Pelegon — child of Axius the river and Periboia — who stood from the water with a spear in each hand, courage from Xanthus for the youths slain in his stream.
Asteropaios said he came from deep Paeonia, eleventh day at Ilios, of Axius's line. Achilles raised the Pelian ash.
One spear struck the shield and the gold stayed it; the other grazed Achilles's right elbow and stuck in the ground. Achilles's throw missed and drove half its length into the bank.
Asteropaios leapt with his sword; Achilles drew the spear from the earth and killed him near the navel. Bowels gushed out, and darkness veiled his eyes.
Achilles stripped him and vaunted that a river's son cannot match the offspring of Zeus — Peleus of Aiakos, Aiakos of Zeus — and that even Oceanus fears Zeus's lightning.
He left the body on the sand for eels and fishes and chased the Paeonians along the bank, killing Thersilochus, Mydon, Astypylus, Mnesus, Thrasius, Oeneus, and Ophelestes, until the river took human form from a deep eddy.
Scamander said Achilles went beyond all men in might and wrong, gods always with him. If Zeus granted him to destroy the Trojans, drive them from the stream and work havoc on the plain; the channels were choked with dead and could not reach the bright sea.
Achilles answered he would not cease until he had penned them in the city and tried Hector face to face. The river called to Apollo that Zeus had charged him to stand by Troy until darkness covered the earth.