1  οἳ δὲ θεοὶ πὰρ Ζηνὶ καθήμενοι ἠγορόωντο
2  χρυσέῳ ἐν δαπέδῳ, μετὰ δέ σφισι πότνια Ἥβη
3  νέκταρ ἐοινοχόει· τοὶ δὲ χρυσέοις δεπάεσσι
4  δειδέχατʼ ἀλλήλους, Τρώων πόλιν εἰσορόωντες·
5  αὐτίκʼ ἐπειρᾶτο Κρονίδης ἐρεθιζέμεν Ἥρην
6  κερτομίοις ἐπέεσσι παραβλήδην ἀγορεύων·
7  δοιαὶ μὲν Μενελάῳ ἀρηγόνες εἰσὶ θεάων
8  Ἥρη τʼ Ἀργείη καὶ Ἀλαλκομενηῒς Ἀθήνη.
9  ἀλλʼ ἤτοι ταὶ νόσφι καθήμεναι εἰσορόωσαι
10  τέρπεσθον· τῷ δʼ αὖτε φιλομειδὴς Ἀφροδίτη
11  αἰεὶ παρμέμβλωκε καὶ αὐτοῦ κῆρας ἀμύνει·
12  καὶ νῦν ἐξεσάωσεν ὀϊόμενον θανέεσθαι.
13  ἀλλʼ ἤτοι νίκη μὲν ἀρηϊφίλου Μενελάου·
14  ἡμεῖς δὲ φραζώμεθʼ ὅπως ἔσται τάδε ἔργα,
15  ἤ ῥʼ αὖτις πόλεμόν τε κακὸν καὶ φύλοπιν αἰνὴν
16  ὄρσομεν, ἦ φιλότητα μετʼ ἀμφοτέροισι βάλωμεν.
17  εἰ δʼ αὖ πως τόδε πᾶσι φίλον καὶ ἡδὺ γένοιτο,
18  ἤτοι μὲν οἰκέοιτο πόλις Πριάμοιο ἄνακτος,
19  αὖτις δʼ Ἀργείην Ἑλένην Μενέλαος ἄγοιτο.
20  ὣς ἔφαθʼ, αἳ δʼ ἐπέμυξαν Ἀθηναίη τε καὶ Ἥρη·
21  πλησίαι αἵ γʼ ἥσθην, κακὰ δὲ Τρώεσσι μεδέσθην.
22  ἤτοι Ἀθηναίη ἀκέων ἦν οὐδέ τι εἶπε
23  σκυζομένη Διὶ πατρί, χόλος δέ μιν ἄγριος ᾕρει·
24  Ἥρῃ δʼ οὐκ ἔχαδε στῆθος χόλον, ἀλλὰ προσηύδα·
25  αἰνότατε Κρονίδη ποῖον τὸν μῦθον ἔειπες·
26  πῶς ἐθέλεις ἅλιον θεῖναι πόνον ἠδʼ ἀτέλεστον,
27  ἱδρῶ θʼ ὃν ἵδρωσα μόγῳ, καμέτην δέ μοι ἵπποι
28  λαὸν ἀγειρούσῃ, Πριάμῳ κακὰ τοῖό τε παισίν.
29  ἕρδʼ· ἀτὰρ οὔ τοι πάντες ἐπαινέομεν θεοὶ ἄλλοι.
30  τὴν δὲ μέγʼ ὀχθήσας προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς·
31  δαιμονίη τί νύ σε Πρίαμος Πριάμοιό τε παῖδες
32  τόσσα κακὰ ῥέζουσιν, ὅ τʼ ἀσπερχὲς μενεαίνεις
33  Ἰλίου ἐξαλαπάξαι ἐϋκτίμενον πτολίεθρον;
34  εἰ δὲ σύ γʼ εἰσελθοῦσα πύλας καὶ τείχεα μακρὰ
35  ὠμὸν βεβρώθοις Πρίαμον Πριάμοιό τε παῖδας
36  ἄλλους τε Τρῶας, τότε κεν χόλον ἐξακέσαιο.
37  ἕρξον ὅπως ἐθέλεις· μὴ τοῦτό γε νεῖκος ὀπίσσω
38  σοὶ καὶ ἐμοὶ μέγʼ ἔρισμα μετʼ ἀμφοτέροισι γένηται.
39  ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, σὺ δʼ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλεο σῇσιν·
40  ὁππότε κεν καὶ ἐγὼ μεμαὼς πόλιν ἐξαλαπάξαι
41  τὴν ἐθέλω ὅθι τοι φίλοι ἀνέρες ἐγγεγάασι,
42  μή τι διατρίβειν τὸν ἐμὸν χόλον, ἀλλά μʼ ἐᾶσαι·
43  καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ σοὶ δῶκα ἑκὼν ἀέκοντί γε θυμῷ·
44  αἳ γὰρ ὑπʼ ἠελίῳ τε καὶ οὐρανῷ ἀστερόεντι
45  ναιετάουσι πόληες ἐπιχθονίων ἀνθρώπων,
46  τάων μοι περὶ κῆρι τιέσκετο Ἴλιος ἱρὴ
47  καὶ Πρίαμος καὶ λαὸς ἐϋμμελίω Πριάμοιο.
48  οὐ γάρ μοί ποτε βωμὸς ἐδεύετο δαιτὸς ἐΐσης
49  λοιβῆς τε κνίσης τε· τὸ γὰρ λάχομεν γέρας ἡμεῖς.
50  τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη·
51  ἤτοι ἐμοὶ τρεῖς μὲν πολὺ φίλταταί εἰσι πόληες
52  Ἄργός τε Σπάρτη τε καὶ εὐρυάγυια Μυκήνη·
53  τὰς διαπέρσαι ὅτʼ ἄν τοι ἀπέχθωνται περὶ κῆρι·
54  τάων οὔ τοι ἐγὼ πρόσθʼ ἵσταμαι οὐδὲ μεγαίρω.
55  εἴ περ γὰρ φθονέω τε καὶ οὐκ εἰῶ διαπέρσαι,
56  οὐκ ἀνύω φθονέουσʼ ἐπεὶ ἦ πολὺ φέρτερός ἐσσι.
57  ἀλλὰ χρὴ καὶ ἐμὸν θέμεναι πόνον οὐκ ἀτέλεστον·
58  καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ θεός εἰμι, γένος δέ μοι ἔνθεν ὅθεν σοί,
59  καί με πρεσβυτάτην τέκετο Κρόνος ἀγκυλομήτης,
60  ἀμφότερον γενεῇ τε καὶ οὕνεκα σὴ παράκοιτις
61  κέκλημαι, σὺ δὲ πᾶσι μετʼ ἀθανάτοισιν ἀνάσσεις.
62  ἀλλʼ ἤτοι μὲν ταῦθʼ ὑποείξομεν ἀλλήλοισι,
63  σοὶ μὲν ἐγώ, σὺ δʼ ἐμοί· ἐπὶ δʼ ἕψονται θεοὶ ἄλλοι
64  ἀθάνατοι· σὺ δὲ θᾶσσον Ἀθηναίῃ ἐπιτεῖλαι
65  ἐλθεῖν ἐς Τρώων καὶ Ἀχαιῶν φύλοπιν αἰνήν,
66  πειρᾶν δʼ ὥς κε Τρῶες ὑπερκύδαντας Ἀχαιοὺς
67  ἄρξωσι πρότεροι ὑπὲρ ὅρκια δηλήσασθαι.
68  ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἀπίθησε πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε·
69  αὐτίκʼ Ἀθηναίην ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·
70  αἶψα μάλʼ ἐς στρατὸν ἐλθὲ μετὰ Τρῶας καὶ Ἀχαιούς,
71  πειρᾶν δʼ ὥς κε Τρῶες ὑπερκύδαντας Ἀχαιοὺς
72  ἄρξωσι πρότεροι ὑπὲρ ὅρκια δηλήσασθαι.
73  ὣς εἰπὼν ὄτρυνε πάρος μεμαυῖαν Ἀθήνην,
74  βῆ δὲ κατʼ Οὐλύμποιο καρήνων ἀΐξασα.
75  οἷον δʼ ἀστέρα ἧκε Κρόνου πάϊς ἀγκυλομήτεω
76  ἢ ναύτῃσι τέρας ἠὲ στρατῷ εὐρέϊ λαῶν
77  λαμπρόν· τοῦ δέ τε πολλοὶ ἀπὸ σπινθῆρες ἵενται·
78  τῷ ἐϊκυῖʼ ἤϊξεν ἐπὶ χθόνα Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη,
79  κὰδ δʼ ἔθορʼ ἐς μέσσον· θάμβος δʼ ἔχεν εἰσορόωντας
80  Τρῶάς θʼ ἱπποδάμους καὶ ἐϋκνήμιδας Ἀχαιούς·
81  ὧδε δέ τις εἴπεσκεν ἰδὼν ἐς πλησίον ἄλλον·
82  ἦ ῥʼ αὖτις πόλεμός τε κακὸς καὶ φύλοπις αἰνὴ
83  ἔσσεται, ἢ φιλότητα μετʼ ἀμφοτέροισι τίθησι
84  Ζεύς, ὅς τʼ ἀνθρώπων ταμίης πολέμοιο τέτυκται.
85  ὣς ἄρα τις εἴπεσκεν Ἀχαιῶν τε Τρώων τε.
86  ἣ δʼ ἀνδρὶ ἰκέλη Τρώων κατεδύσεθʼ ὅμιλον
87  Λαοδόκῳ Ἀντηνορίδῃ κρατερῷ αἰχμητῇ,
88  Πάνδαρον ἀντίθεον διζημένη εἴ που ἐφεύροι.
89  εὗρε Λυκάονος υἱὸν ἀμύμονά τε κρατερόν τε
90  ἑσταότʼ· ἀμφὶ δέ μιν κρατεραὶ στίχες ἀσπιστάων
91  λαῶν, οἵ οἱ ἕποντο ἀπʼ Αἰσήποιο ῥοάων·
92  ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱσταμένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·
93  ἦ ῥά νύ μοί τι πίθοιο Λυκάονος υἱὲ δαΐφρον.
94  τλαίης κεν Μενελάῳ ἐπιπροέμεν ταχὺν ἰόν,
95  πᾶσι δέ κε Τρώεσσι χάριν καὶ κῦδος ἄροιο,
96  ἐκ πάντων δὲ μάλιστα Ἀλεξάνδρῳ βασιλῆϊ.
97  τοῦ κεν δὴ πάμπρωτα παρʼ ἀγλαὰ δῶρα φέροιο,
98  αἴ κεν ἴδῃ Μενέλαον ἀρήϊον Ἀτρέος υἱὸν
99  σῷ βέλεϊ δμηθέντα πυρῆς ἐπιβάντʼ ἀλεγεινῆς.
100  ἀλλʼ ἄγʼ ὀΐστευσον Μενελάου κυδαλίμοιο,
101  εὔχεο δʼ Ἀπόλλωνι Λυκηγενέϊ κλυτοτόξῳ
102  ἀρνῶν πρωτογόνων ῥέξειν κλειτὴν ἑκατόμβην
103  οἴκαδε νοστήσας ἱερῆς εἰς ἄστυ Ζελείης.
104  ὣς φάτʼ Ἀθηναίη, τῷ δὲ φρένας ἄφρονι πεῖθεν·
105  αὐτίκʼ ἐσύλα τόξον ἐΰξοον ἰξάλου αἰγὸς
106  ἀγρίου, ὅν ῥά ποτʼ αὐτὸς ὑπὸ στέρνοιο τυχήσας
107  πέτρης ἐκβαίνοντα δεδεγμένος ἐν προδοκῇσι
108  βεβλήκει πρὸς στῆθος· ὃ δʼ ὕπτιος ἔμπεσε πέτρῃ.
109  τοῦ κέρα ἐκ κεφαλῆς ἑκκαιδεκάδωρα πεφύκει·
110  καὶ τὰ μὲν ἀσκήσας κεραοξόος ἤραρε τέκτων,
111  πᾶν δʼ εὖ λειήνας χρυσέην ἐπέθηκε κορώνην.
112  καὶ τὸ μὲν εὖ κατέθηκε τανυσσάμενος ποτὶ γαίῃ
113  ἀγκλίνας· πρόσθεν δὲ σάκεα σχέθον ἐσθλοὶ ἑταῖροι
114  μὴ πρὶν ἀναΐξειαν ἀρήϊοι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν
115  πρὶν βλῆσθαι Μενέλαον ἀρήϊον Ἀτρέος υἱόν.
116  αὐτὰρ ὁ σύλα πῶμα φαρέτρης, ἐκ δʼ ἕλετʼ ἰὸν
117  ἀβλῆτα πτερόεντα μελαινέων ἕρμʼ ὀδυνάων·
118  αἶψα δʼ ἐπὶ νευρῇ κατεκόσμει πικρὸν ὀϊστόν,
119  εὔχετο δʼ Ἀπόλλωνι Λυκηγενέϊ κλυτοτόξῳ
120  ἀρνῶν πρωτογόνων ῥέξειν κλειτὴν ἑκατόμβην
121  οἴκαδε νοστήσας ἱερῆς εἰς ἄστυ Ζελείης.
122  ἕλκε δʼ ὁμοῦ γλυφίδας τε λαβὼν καὶ νεῦρα βόεια·
123  νευρὴν μὲν μαζῷ πέλασεν, τόξῳ δὲ σίδηρον.
124  αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ κυκλοτερὲς μέγα τόξον ἔτεινε,
125  λίγξε βιός, νευρὴ δὲ μέγʼ ἴαχεν, ἆλτο δʼ ὀϊστὸς
126  ὀξυβελὴς καθʼ ὅμιλον ἐπιπτέσθαι μενεαίνων.
127  οὐδὲ σέθεν Μενέλαε θεοὶ μάκαρες λελάθοντο
128  ἀθάνατοι, πρώτη δὲ Διὸς θυγάτηρ ἀγελείη,
129  ἥ τοι πρόσθε στᾶσα βέλος ἐχεπευκὲς ἄμυνεν.
130  ἣ δὲ τόσον μὲν ἔεργεν ἀπὸ χροὸς ὡς ὅτε μήτηρ
131  παιδὸς ἐέργῃ μυῖαν ὅθʼ ἡδέϊ λέξεται ὕπνῳ,
132  αὐτὴ δʼ αὖτʼ ἴθυνεν ὅθι ζωστῆρος ὀχῆες
133  χρύσειοι σύνεχον καὶ διπλόος ἤντετο θώρηξ.
134  ἐν δʼ ἔπεσε ζωστῆρι ἀρηρότι πικρὸς ὀϊστός·
135  διὰ μὲν ἂρ ζωστῆρος ἐλήλατο δαιδαλέοιο,
136  καὶ διὰ θώρηκος πολυδαιδάλου ἠρήρειστο
137  μίτρης θʼ, ἣν ἐφόρει ἔρυμα χροὸς ἕρκος ἀκόντων,
138  ἥ οἱ πλεῖστον ἔρυτο· διὰ πρὸ δὲ εἴσατο καὶ τῆς.
139  ἀκρότατον δʼ ἄρʼ ὀϊστὸς ἐπέγραψε χρόα φωτός·
140  αὐτίκα δʼ ἔρρεεν αἷμα κελαινεφὲς ἐξ ὠτειλῆς.
141  ὡς δʼ ὅτε τίς τʼ ἐλέφαντα γυνὴ φοίνικι μιήνῃ
142  Μῃονὶς ἠὲ Κάειρα παρήϊον ἔμμεναι ἵππων·
143  κεῖται δʼ ἐν θαλάμῳ, πολέες τέ μιν ἠρήσαντο
144  ἱππῆες φορέειν· βασιλῆϊ δὲ κεῖται ἄγαλμα,
145  ἀμφότερον κόσμός θʼ ἵππῳ ἐλατῆρί τε κῦδος·
146  τοῖοί τοι Μενέλαε μιάνθην αἵματι μηροὶ
147  εὐφυέες κνῆμαί τε ἰδὲ σφυρὰ κάλʼ ὑπένερθε.
148  ῥίγησεν δʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτα ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων
149  ὡς εἶδεν μέλαν αἷμα καταρρέον ἐξ ὠτειλῆς·
150  ῥίγησεν δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ἀρηΐφιλος Μενέλαος.
151  ὡς δὲ ἴδεν νεῦρόν τε καὶ ὄγκους ἐκτὸς ἐόντας
152  ἄψορρόν οἱ θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἀγέρθη.
153  τοῖς δὲ βαρὺ στενάχων μετέφη κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων
154  χειρὸς ἔχων Μενέλαον, ἐπεστενάχοντο δʼ ἑταῖροι·
155  φίλε κασίγνητε θάνατόν νύ τοι ὅρκιʼ ἔταμνον
156  οἶον προστήσας πρὸ Ἀχαιῶν Τρωσὶ μάχεσθαι,
157  ὥς σʼ ἔβαλον Τρῶες, κατὰ δʼ ὅρκια πιστὰ πάτησαν.
158  οὐ μέν πως ἅλιον πέλει ὅρκιον αἷμά τε ἀρνῶν
159  σπονδαί τʼ ἄκρητοι καὶ δεξιαὶ ᾗς ἐπέπιθμεν.
160  εἴ περ γάρ τε καὶ αὐτίκʼ Ὀλύμπιος οὐκ ἐτέλεσσεν,
161  ἔκ τε καὶ ὀψὲ τελεῖ, σύν τε μεγάλῳ ἀπέτισαν
162  σὺν σφῇσιν κεφαλῇσι γυναιξί τε καὶ τεκέεσσιν.
163  εὖ γὰρ ἐγὼ τόδε οἶδα κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμόν·
164  ἔσσεται ἦμαρ ὅτʼ ἄν ποτʼ ὀλώλῃ Ἴλιος ἱρὴ
165  καὶ Πρίαμος καὶ λαὸς ἐϋμμελίω Πριάμοιο,
166  Ζεὺς δέ σφι Κρονίδης ὑψίζυγος αἰθέρι ναίων
167  αὐτὸς ἐπισσείῃσιν ἐρεμνὴν αἰγίδα πᾶσι
168  τῆσδʼ ἀπάτης κοτέων· τὰ μὲν ἔσσεται οὐκ ἀτέλεστα·
169  ἀλλά μοι αἰνὸν ἄχος σέθεν ἔσσεται ὦ Μενέλαε
170  αἴ κε θάνῃς καὶ πότμον ἀναπλήσῃς βιότοιο.
171  καί κεν ἐλέγχιστος πολυδίψιον Ἄργος ἱκοίμην·
172  αὐτίκα γὰρ μνήσονται Ἀχαιοὶ πατρίδος αἴης·
173  κὰδ δέ κεν εὐχωλὴν Πριάμῳ καὶ Τρωσὶ λίποιμεν
174  Ἀργείην Ἑλένην· σέο δʼ ὀστέα πύσει ἄρουρα
175  κειμένου ἐν Τροίῃ ἀτελευτήτῳ ἐπὶ ἔργῳ.
176  καί κέ τις ὧδʼ ἐρέει Τρώων ὑπερηνορεόντων
177  τύμβῳ ἐπιθρῴσκων Μενελάου κυδαλίμοιο·
178  αἴθʼ οὕτως ἐπὶ πᾶσι χόλον τελέσειʼ Ἀγαμέμνων,
179  ὡς καὶ νῦν ἅλιον στρατὸν ἤγαγεν ἐνθάδʼ Ἀχαιῶν,
180  καὶ δὴ ἔβη οἶκον δὲ φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν
181  σὺν κεινῇσιν νηυσὶ λιπὼν ἀγαθὸν Μενέλαον.
182  ὥς ποτέ τις ἐρέει· τότε μοι χάνοι εὐρεῖα χθών.
183  τὸν δʼ ἐπιθαρσύνων προσέφη ξανθὸς Μενέλαος·
184  θάρσει, μηδέ τί πω δειδίσσεο λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν·
185  οὐκ ἐν καιρίῳ ὀξὺ πάγη βέλος, ἀλλὰ πάροιθεν
186  εἰρύσατο ζωστήρ τε παναίολος ἠδʼ ὑπένερθε
187  ζῶμά τε καὶ μίτρη, τὴν χαλκῆες κάμον ἄνδρες.
188  τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων·
189  αἲ γὰρ δὴ οὕτως εἴη φίλος ὦ Μενέλαε·
190  ἕλκος δʼ ἰητὴρ ἐπιμάσσεται ἠδʼ ἐπιθήσει
191  φάρμαχʼ ἅ κεν παύσῃσι μελαινάων ὀδυνάων.
192  ἦ καὶ Ταλθύβιον θεῖον κήρυκα προσηύδα·
193  Ταλθύβιʼ ὅττι τάχιστα Μαχάονα δεῦρο κάλεσσον
194  φῶτʼ Ἀσκληπιοῦ υἱὸν ἀμύμονος ἰητῆρος,
195  ὄφρα ἴδῃ Μενέλαον ἀρήϊον Ἀτρέος υἱόν,
196  ὅν τις ὀϊστεύσας ἔβαλεν τόξων ἐῢ εἰδὼς
197  Τρώων ἢ Λυκίων, τῷ μὲν κλέος, ἄμμι δὲ πένθος.
198  ὣς ἔφατʼ, οὐδʼ ἄρα οἱ κῆρυξ ἀπίθησεν ἀκούσας,
199  βῆ δʼ ἰέναι κατὰ λαὸν Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων
200  παπταίνων ἥρωα Μαχάονα· τὸν δὲ νόησεν
201  ἑσταότʼ· ἀμφὶ δέ μιν κρατεραὶ στίχες ἀσπιστάων
202  λαῶν, οἵ οἱ ἕποντο Τρίκης ἐξ ἱπποβότοιο.
203  ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱστάμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·
204  ὄρσʼ Ἀσκληπιάδη, καλέει κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων,
205  ὄφρα ἴδῃς Μενέλαον ἀρήϊον ἀρχὸν Ἀχαιῶν,
206  ὅν τις ὀϊστεύσας ἔβαλεν τόξων ἐῢ εἰδὼς
207  Τρώων ἢ Λυκίων, τῷ μὲν κλέος, ἄμμι δὲ πένθος.
208  ὣς φάτο, τῷ δʼ ἄρα θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ὄρινε·
209  βὰν δʼ ἰέναι καθʼ ὅμιλον ἀνὰ στρατὸν εὐρὺν Ἀχαιῶν.
210  ἀλλʼ ὅτε δή ῥʼ ἵκανον ὅθι ξανθὸς Μενέλαος
211  βλήμενος ἦν, περὶ δʼ αὐτὸν ἀγηγέραθʼ ὅσσοι ἄριστοι
212  κυκλόσʼ, ὃ δʼ ἐν μέσσοισι παρίστατο ἰσόθεος φώς,
213  αὐτίκα δʼ ἐκ ζωστῆρος ἀρηρότος ἕλκεν ὀϊστόν·
214  τοῦ δʼ ἐξελκομένοιο πάλιν ἄγεν ὀξέες ὄγκοι.
215  λῦσε δέ οἱ ζωστῆρα παναίολον ἠδʼ ὑπένερθε
216  ζῶμά τε καὶ μίτρην, τὴν χαλκῆες κάμον ἄνδρες.
217  αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ ἴδεν ἕλκος ὅθʼ ἔμπεσε πικρὸς ὀϊστός,
218  αἷμʼ ἐκμυζήσας ἐπʼ ἄρʼ ἤπια φάρμακα εἰδὼς
219  πάσσε, τά οἵ ποτε πατρὶ φίλα φρονέων πόρε Χείρων.
220  ὄφρα τοὶ ἀμφεπένοντο βοὴν ἀγαθὸν Μενέλαον,
221  τόφρα δʼ ἐπὶ Τρώων στίχες ἤλυθον ἀσπιστάων·
222  οἳ δʼ αὖτις κατὰ τεύχεʼ ἔδυν, μνήσαντο δὲ χάρμης.
223  ἔνθʼ οὐκ ἂν βρίζοντα ἴδοις Ἀγαμέμνονα δῖον
224  οὐδὲ καταπτώσσοντʼ οὐδʼ οὐκ ἐθέλοντα μάχεσθαι,
225  ἀλλὰ μάλα σπεύδοντα μάχην ἐς κυδιάνειραν.
226  ἵππους μὲν γὰρ ἔασε καὶ ἅρματα ποικίλα χαλκῷ·
227  καὶ τοὺς μὲν θεράπων ἀπάνευθʼ ἔχε φυσιόωντας
228  Εὐρυμέδων υἱὸς Πτολεμαίου Πειραΐδαο·
229  τῷ μάλα πόλλʼ ἐπέτελλε παρισχέμεν ὁππότε κέν μιν
230  γυῖα λάβῃ κάματος πολέας διὰ κοιρανέοντα·
231  αὐτὰρ ὃ πεζὸς ἐὼν ἐπεπωλεῖτο στίχας ἀνδρῶν·
232  καί ῥʼ οὓς μὲν σπεύδοντας ἴδοι Δαναῶν ταχυπώλων,
233  τοὺς μάλα θαρσύνεσκε παριστάμενος ἐπέεσσιν·
234  Ἀργεῖοι μή πώ τι μεθίετε θούριδος ἀλκῆς·
235  οὐ γὰρ ἐπὶ ψευδέσσι πατὴρ Ζεὺς ἔσσετʼ ἀρωγός,
236  ἀλλʼ οἵ περ πρότεροι ὑπὲρ ὅρκια δηλήσαντο
237  τῶν ἤτοι αὐτῶν τέρενα χρόα γῦπες ἔδονται,
238  ἡμεῖς αὖτʼ ἀλόχους τε φίλας καὶ νήπια τέκνα
239  ἄξομεν ἐν νήεσσιν, ἐπὴν πτολίεθρον ἕλωμεν.
240  οὕς τινας αὖ μεθιέντας ἴδοι στυγεροῦ πολέμοιο,
241  τοὺς μάλα νεικείεσκε χολωτοῖσιν ἐπέεσσιν·
242  Ἀργεῖοι ἰόμωροι ἐλεγχέες οὔ νυ σέβεσθε;
243  τίφθʼ οὕτως ἔστητε τεθηπότες ἠΰτε νεβροί,
244  αἵ τʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν ἔκαμον πολέος πεδίοιο θέουσαι
245  ἑστᾶσʼ, οὐδʼ ἄρα τίς σφι μετὰ φρεσὶ γίγνεται ἀλκή·
246  ὣς ὑμεῖς ἔστητε τεθηπότες οὐδὲ μάχεσθε.
247  ἦ μένετε Τρῶας σχεδὸν ἐλθέμεν ἔνθά τε νῆες
248  εἰρύατʼ εὔπρυμνοι πολιῆς ἐπὶ θινὶ θαλάσσης,
249  ὄφρα ἴδητʼ αἴ κʼ ὔμμιν ὑπέρσχῃ χεῖρα Κρονίων;
250  ὣς ὅ γε κοιρανέων ἐπεπωλεῖτο στίχας ἀνδρῶν·
251  ἦλθε δʼ ἐπὶ Κρήτεσσι κιὼν ἀνὰ οὐλαμὸν ἀνδρῶν.
252  οἳ δʼ ἀμφʼ Ἰδομενῆα δαΐφρονα θωρήσσοντο·
253  Ἰδομενεὺς μὲν ἐνὶ προμάχοις συῒ εἴκελος ἀλκήν,
254  Μηριόνης δʼ ἄρα οἱ πυμάτας ὄτρυνε φάλαγγας.
255  τοὺς δὲ ἰδὼν γήθησεν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων,
256  αὐτίκα δʼ Ἰδομενῆα προσηύδα μειλιχίοισιν·
257  Ἰδομενεῦ περὶ μέν σε τίω Δαναῶν ταχυπώλων
258  ἠμὲν ἐνὶ πτολέμῳ ἠδʼ ἀλλοίῳ ἐπὶ ἔργῳ
259  ἠδʼ ἐν δαίθʼ, ὅτε πέρ τε γερούσιον αἴθοπα οἶνον
260  Ἀργείων οἳ ἄριστοι ἐνὶ κρητῆρι κέρωνται.
261  εἴ περ γάρ τʼ ἄλλοι γε κάρη κομόωντες Ἀχαιοὶ
262  δαιτρὸν πίνωσιν, σὸν δὲ πλεῖον δέπας αἰεὶ
263  ἕστηχʼ, ὥς περ ἐμοί, πιέειν ὅτε θυμὸς ἀνώγοι.
264  ἀλλʼ ὄρσευ πόλεμον δʼ οἷος πάρος εὔχεαι εἶναι.
265  τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ Ἰδομενεὺς Κρητῶν ἀγὸς ἀντίον ηὔδα·
266  Ἀτρεΐδη μάλα μέν τοι ἐγὼν ἐρίηρος ἑταῖρος
267  ἔσσομαι, ὡς τὸ πρῶτον ὑπέστην καὶ κατένευσα·
268  ἀλλʼ ἄλλους ὄτρυνε κάρη κομόωντας Ἀχαιοὺς
269  ὄφρα τάχιστα μαχώμεθʼ, ἐπεὶ σύν γʼ ὅρκιʼ ἔχευαν
270  Τρῶες· τοῖσιν δʼ αὖ θάνατος καὶ κήδεʼ ὀπίσσω
271  ἔσσετʼ ἐπεὶ πρότεροι ὑπὲρ ὅρκια δηλήσαντο.
272  ὣς ἔφατʼ, Ἀτρεΐδης δὲ παρῴχετο γηθόσυνος κῆρ·
273  ἦλθε δʼ ἐπʼ Αἰάντεσσι κιὼν ἀνὰ οὐλαμὸν ἀνδρῶν·
274  τὼ δὲ κορυσσέσθην, ἅμα δὲ νέφος εἵπετο πεζῶν.
275  ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἀπὸ σκοπιῆς εἶδεν νέφος αἰπόλος ἀνὴρ
276  ἐρχόμενον κατὰ πόντον ὑπὸ Ζεφύροιο ἰωῆς·
277  τῷ δέ τʼ ἄνευθεν ἐόντι μελάντερον ἠΰτε πίσσα
278  φαίνετʼ ἰὸν κατὰ πόντον, ἄγει δέ τε λαίλαπα πολλήν,
279  ῥίγησέν τε ἰδών, ὑπό τε σπέος ἤλασε μῆλα·
280  τοῖαι ἅμʼ Αἰάντεσσι διοτρεφέων αἰζηῶν
281  δήϊον ἐς πόλεμον πυκιναὶ κίνυντο φάλαγγες
282  κυάνεαι, σάκεσίν τε καὶ ἔγχεσι πεφρικυῖαι.
283  καὶ τοὺς μὲν γήθησεν ἰδὼν κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων,
284  καί σφεας φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·
285  Αἴαντʼ Ἀργείων ἡγήτορε χαλκοχιτώνων,
286  σφῶϊ μέν· οὐ γὰρ ἔοικʼ ὀτρυνέμεν· οὔ τι κελεύω·
287  αὐτὼ γὰρ μάλα λαὸν ἀνώγετον ἶφι μάχεσθαι.
288  αἲ γὰρ Ζεῦ τε πάτερ καὶ Ἀθηναίη καὶ Ἄπολλον
289  τοῖος πᾶσιν θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσι γένοιτο·
290  τώ κε τάχʼ ἠμύσειε πόλις Πριάμοιο ἄνακτος
291  χερσὶν ὑφʼ ἡμετέρῃσιν ἁλοῦσά τε περθομένη τε.
292  ὣς εἰπὼν τοὺς μὲν λίπεν αὐτοῦ, βῆ δὲ μετʼ ἄλλους·
293  ἔνθʼ ὅ γε Νέστορʼ ἔτετμε λιγὺν Πυλίων ἀγορητὴν
294  οὓς ἑτάρους στέλλοντα καὶ ὀτρύνοντα μάχεσθαι
295  ἀμφὶ μέγαν Πελάγοντα Ἀλάστορά τε Χρομίον τε
296  Αἵμονά τε κρείοντα Βίαντά τε ποιμένα λαῶν·
297  ἱππῆας μὲν πρῶτα σὺν ἵπποισιν καὶ ὄχεσφι,
298  πεζοὺς δʼ ἐξόπιθε στῆσεν πολέας τε καὶ ἐσθλοὺς
299  ἕρκος ἔμεν πολέμοιο· κακοὺς δʼ ἐς μέσσον ἔλασσεν,
300  ὄφρα καὶ οὐκ ἐθέλων τις ἀναγκαίῃ πολεμίζοι.
301  ἱππεῦσιν μὲν πρῶτʼ ἐπετέλλετο· τοὺς γὰρ ἀνώγει
302  σφοὺς ἵππους ἐχέμεν μηδὲ κλονέεσθαι ὁμίλῳ·
303  μηδέ τις ἱπποσύνῃ τε καὶ ἠνορέηφι πεποιθὼς
304  οἶος πρόσθʼ ἄλλων μεμάτω Τρώεσσι μάχεσθαι,
305  μηδʼ ἀναχωρείτω· ἀλαπαδνότεροι γὰρ ἔσεσθε.
306  ὃς δέ κʼ ἀνὴρ ἀπὸ ὧν ὀχέων ἕτερʼ ἅρμαθʼ ἵκηται
307  ἔγχει ὀρεξάσθω, ἐπεὶ ἦ πολὺ φέρτερον οὕτω.
308  ὧδε καὶ οἱ πρότεροι πόλεας καὶ τείχεʼ ἐπόρθεον
309  τόνδε νόον καὶ θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἔχοντες.
310  ὣς ὃ γέρων ὄτρυνε πάλαι πολέμων ἐῢ εἰδώς·
311  καὶ τὸν μὲν γήθησεν ἰδὼν κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων,
312  καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·
313  ὦ γέρον εἴθʼ ὡς θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσι φίλοισιν
314  ὥς τοι γούναθʼ ἕποιτο, βίη δέ τοι ἔμπεδος εἴη·
315  ἀλλά σε γῆρας τείρει ὁμοίϊον· ὡς ὄφελέν τις
316  ἀνδρῶν ἄλλος ἔχειν, σὺ δὲ κουροτέροισι μετεῖναι.
317  τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·
318  Ἀτρεΐδη μάλα μέν τοι ἐγὼν ἐθέλοιμι καὶ αὐτὸς
319  ὣς ἔμεν ὡς ὅτε δῖον Ἐρευθαλίωνα κατέκταν.
320  ἀλλʼ οὔ πως ἅμα πάντα θεοὶ δόσαν ἀνθρώποισιν·
321  εἰ τότε κοῦρος ἔα νῦν αὖτέ με γῆρας ὀπάζει.
322  ἀλλὰ καὶ ὧς ἱππεῦσι μετέσσομαι ἠδὲ κελεύσω
323  βουλῇ καὶ μύθοισι· τὸ γὰρ γέρας ἐστὶ γερόντων.
324  αἰχμὰς δʼ αἰχμάσσουσι νεώτεροι, οἵ περ ἐμεῖο
325  ὁπλότεροι γεγάασι πεποίθασίν τε βίηφιν.
326  ὣς ἔφατʼ, Ἀτρεΐδης δὲ παρῴχετο γηθόσυνος κῆρ.
327  εὗρʼ υἱὸν Πετεῶο Μενεσθῆα πλήξιππον
328  ἑσταότʼ· ἀμφὶ δʼ Ἀθηναῖοι μήστωρες ἀϋτῆς·
329  αὐτὰρ ὃ πλησίον ἑστήκει πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς,
330  πὰρ δὲ Κεφαλλήνων ἀμφὶ στίχες οὐκ ἀλαπαδναὶ
331  ἕστασαν· οὐ γάρ πώ σφιν ἀκούετο λαὸς ἀϋτῆς,
332  ἀλλὰ νέον συνορινόμεναι κίνυντο φάλαγγες
333  Τρώων ἱπποδάμων καὶ Ἀχαιῶν· οἳ δὲ μένοντες
334  ἕστασαν ὁππότε πύργος Ἀχαιῶν ἄλλος ἐπελθὼν
335  Τρώων ὁρμήσειε καὶ ἄρξειαν πολέμοιο.
336  τοὺς δὲ ἰδὼν νείκεσσεν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων,
337  καί σφεας φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·
338  ὦ υἱὲ Πετεῶο διοτρεφέος βασιλῆος,
339  καὶ σὺ κακοῖσι δόλοισι κεκασμένε κερδαλεόφρον
340  τίπτε καταπτώσσοντες ἀφέστατε, μίμνετε δʼ ἄλλους;
341  σφῶϊν μέν τʼ ἐπέοικε μετὰ πρώτοισιν ἐόντας
342  ἑστάμεν ἠδὲ μάχης καυστείρης ἀντιβολῆσαι·
343  πρώτω γὰρ καὶ δαιτὸς ἀκουάζεσθον ἐμεῖο,
344  ὁππότε δαῖτα γέρουσιν ἐφοπλίζωμεν Ἀχαιοί.
345  ἔνθα φίλʼ ὀπταλέα κρέα ἔδμεναι ἠδὲ κύπελλα
346  οἴνου πινέμεναι μελιηδέος ὄφρʼ ἐθέλητον·
347  νῦν δὲ φίλως χʼ ὁρόῳτε καὶ εἰ δέκα πύργοι Ἀχαιῶν
348  ὑμείων προπάροιθε μαχοίατο νηλέϊ χαλκῷ.
349  τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·
350  Ἀτρεΐδη ποῖόν σε ἔπος φύγεν ἕρκος ὀδόντων;
351  πῶς δὴ φῂς πολέμοιο μεθιέμεν ὁππότʼ Ἀχαιοὶ
352  Τρωσὶν ἐφʼ ἱπποδάμοισιν ἐγείρομεν ὀξὺν Ἄρηα;
353  ὄψεαι αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσθα καὶ αἴ κέν τοι τὰ μεμήλῃ
354  Τηλεμάχοιο φίλον πατέρα προμάχοισι μιγέντα
355  Τρώων ἱπποδάμων· σὺ δὲ ταῦτʼ ἀνεμώλια βάζεις.
356  τὸν δʼ ἐπιμειδήσας προσέφη κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων
357  ὡς γνῶ χωομένοιο· πάλιν δʼ ὅ γε λάζετο μῦθον·
358  διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ
359  οὔτέ σε νεικείω περιώσιον οὔτε κελεύω·
360  οἶδα γὰρ ὥς τοι θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσι φίλοισιν
361  ἤπια δήνεα οἶδε· τὰ γὰρ φρονέεις ἅ τʼ ἐγώ περ.
362  ἀλλʼ ἴθι ταῦτα δʼ ὄπισθεν ἀρεσσόμεθʼ εἴ τι κακὸν νῦν
363  εἴρηται, τὰ δὲ πάντα θεοὶ μεταμώνια θεῖεν.
364  ὣς εἰπὼν τοὺς μὲν λίπεν αὐτοῦ, βῆ δὲ μετʼ ἄλλους.
365  εὗρε δὲ Τυδέος υἱὸν ὑπέρθυμον Διομήδεα
366  ἑσταότʼ ἔν θʼ ἵπποισι καὶ ἅρμασι κολλητοῖσι·
367  πὰρ δέ οἱ ἑστήκει Σθένελος Καπανήϊος υἱός.
368  καὶ τὸν μὲν νείκεσσεν ἰδὼν κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων,
369  καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·
370  ὤ μοι Τυδέος υἱὲ δαΐφρονος ἱπποδάμοιο
371  τί πτώσσεις, τί δʼ ὀπιπεύεις πολέμοιο γεφύρας;
372  οὐ μὲν Τυδέϊ γʼ ὧδε φίλον πτωσκαζέμεν ἦεν,
373  ἀλλὰ πολὺ πρὸ φίλων ἑτάρων δηΐοισι μάχεσθαι,
374  ὡς φάσαν οἵ μιν ἴδοντο πονεύμενον· οὐ γὰρ ἔγωγε
375  ἤντησʼ οὐδὲ ἴδον· περὶ δʼ ἄλλων φασὶ γενέσθαι.
376  ἤτοι μὲν γὰρ ἄτερ πολέμου εἰσῆλθε Μυκήνας
377  ξεῖνος ἅμʼ ἀντιθέῳ Πολυνείκεϊ λαὸν ἀγείρων·
378  οἳ δὲ τότʼ ἐστρατόωνθʼ ἱερὰ πρὸς τείχεα Θήβης,
379  καί ῥα μάλα λίσσοντο δόμεν κλειτοὺς ἐπικούρους·
380  οἳ δʼ ἔθελον δόμεναι καὶ ἐπῄνεον ὡς ἐκέλευον·
381  ἀλλὰ Ζεὺς ἔτρεψε παραίσια σήματα φαίνων.
382  οἳ δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν ᾤχοντο ἰδὲ πρὸ ὁδοῦ ἐγένοντο,
383  Ἀσωπὸν δʼ ἵκοντο βαθύσχοινον λεχεποίην,
384  ἔνθʼ αὖτʼ ἀγγελίην ἐπὶ Τυδῆ στεῖλαν Ἀχαιοί.
385  αὐτὰρ ὃ βῆ, πολέας δὲ κιχήσατο Καδμεΐωνας
386  δαινυμένους κατὰ δῶμα βίης Ἐτεοκληείης.
387  ἔνθʼ οὐδὲ ξεῖνός περ ἐὼν ἱππηλάτα Τυδεὺς
388  τάρβει, μοῦνος ἐὼν πολέσιν μετὰ Καδμείοισιν,
389  ἀλλʼ ὅ γʼ ἀεθλεύειν προκαλίζετο, πάντα δʼ ἐνίκα
390  ῥηϊδίως· τοίη οἱ ἐπίρροθος ἦεν Ἀθήνη.
391  οἳ δὲ χολωσάμενοι Καδμεῖοι κέντορες ἵππων
392  ἂψ ἄρʼ ἀνερχομένῳ πυκινὸν λόχον εἷσαν ἄγοντες
393  κούρους πεντήκοντα· δύω δʼ ἡγήτορες ἦσαν,
394  Μαίων Αἱμονίδης ἐπιείκελος ἀθανάτοισιν,
395  υἱός τʼ Αὐτοφόνοιο μενεπτόλεμος Πολυφόντης.
396  Τυδεὺς μὲν καὶ τοῖσιν ἀεικέα πότμον ἐφῆκε·
397  πάντας ἔπεφνʼ, ἕνα δʼ οἶον ἵει οἶκον δὲ νέεσθαι·
398  Μαίονʼ ἄρα προέηκε θεῶν τεράεσσι πιθήσας.
399  τοῖος ἔην Τυδεὺς Αἰτώλιος· ἀλλὰ τὸν υἱὸν
400  γείνατο εἷο χέρεια μάχῃ, ἀγορῇ δέ τʼ ἀμείνω.
401  ὣς φάτο, τὸν δʼ οὔ τι προσέφη κρατερὸς Διομήδης
402  αἰδεσθεὶς βασιλῆος ἐνιπὴν αἰδοίοιο·
403  τὸν δʼ υἱὸς Καπανῆος ἀμείψατο κυδαλίμοιο·
404  Ἀτρεΐδη μὴ ψεύδεʼ ἐπιστάμενος σάφα εἰπεῖν·
405  ἡμεῖς τοι πατέρων μέγʼ ἀμείνονες εὐχόμεθʼ εἶναι·
406  ἡμεῖς καὶ Θήβης ἕδος εἵλομεν ἑπταπύλοιο
407  παυρότερον λαὸν ἀγαγόνθʼ ὑπὸ τεῖχος ἄρειον,
408  πειθόμενοι τεράεσσι θεῶν καὶ Ζηνὸς ἀρωγῇ·
409  κεῖνοι δὲ σφετέρῃσιν ἀτασθαλίῃσιν ὄλοντο·
410  τὼ μή μοι πατέρας ποθʼ ὁμοίῃ ἔνθεο τιμῇ.
411  τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσέφη κρατερὸς Διομήδης·
412  τέττα, σιωπῇ ἧσο, ἐμῷ δʼ ἐπιπείθεο μύθῳ·
413  οὐ γὰρ ἐγὼ νεμεσῶ Ἀγαμέμνονι ποιμένι λαῶν
414  ὀτρύνοντι μάχεσθαι ἐϋκνήμιδας Ἀχαιούς·
415  τούτῳ μὲν γὰρ κῦδος ἅμʼ ἕψεται εἴ κεν Ἀχαιοὶ
416  Τρῶας δῃώσωσιν ἕλωσί τε Ἴλιον ἱρήν,
417  τούτῳ δʼ αὖ μέγα πένθος Ἀχαιῶν δῃωθέντων.
418  ἀλλʼ ἄγε δὴ καὶ νῶϊ μεδώμεθα θούριδος ἀλκῆς.
419  ἦ ῥα καὶ ἐξ ὀχέων σὺν τεύχεσιν ἆλτο χαμᾶζε·
420  δεινὸν δʼ ἔβραχε χαλκὸς ἐπὶ στήθεσσιν ἄνακτος
421  ὀρνυμένου· ὑπό κεν ταλασίφρονά περ δέος εἷλεν.
422  ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἐν αἰγιαλῷ πολυηχέϊ κῦμα θαλάσσης
423  ὄρνυτʼ ἐπασσύτερον Ζεφύρου ὕπο κινήσαντος·
424  πόντῳ μέν τε πρῶτα κορύσσεται, αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα
425  χέρσῳ ῥηγνύμενον μεγάλα βρέμει, ἀμφὶ δέ τʼ ἄκρας
426  κυρτὸν ἐὸν κορυφοῦται, ἀποπτύει δʼ ἁλὸς ἄχνην·
427  ὣς τότʼ ἐπασσύτεραι Δαναῶν κίνυντο φάλαγγες
428  νωλεμέως πόλεμον δέ· κέλευε δὲ οἷσιν ἕκαστος
429  ἡγεμόνων· οἳ δʼ ἄλλοι ἀκὴν ἴσαν, οὐδέ κε φαίης
430  τόσσον λαὸν ἕπεσθαι ἔχοντʼ ἐν στήθεσιν αὐδήν,
431  σιγῇ δειδιότες σημάντορας· ἀμφὶ δὲ πᾶσι
432  τεύχεα ποικίλʼ ἔλαμπε, τὰ εἱμένοι ἐστιχόωντο.
433  Τρῶες δʼ, ὥς τʼ ὄϊες πολυπάμονος ἀνδρὸς ἐν αὐλῇ
434  μυρίαι ἑστήκασιν ἀμελγόμεναι γάλα λευκὸν
435  ἀζηχὲς μεμακυῖαι ἀκούουσαι ὄπα ἀρνῶν,
436  ὣς Τρώων ἀλαλητὸς ἀνὰ στρατὸν εὐρὺν ὀρώρει·
437  οὐ γὰρ πάντων ἦεν ὁμὸς θρόος οὐδʼ ἴα γῆρυς,
438  ἀλλὰ γλῶσσα μέμικτο, πολύκλητοι δʼ ἔσαν ἄνδρες.
439  ὄρσε δὲ τοὺς μὲν Ἄρης, τοὺς δὲ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη
440  Δεῖμός τʼ ἠδὲ Φόβος καὶ Ἔρις ἄμοτον μεμαυῖα,
441  Ἄρεος ἀνδροφόνοιο κασιγνήτη ἑτάρη τε,
442  ἥ τʼ ὀλίγη μὲν πρῶτα κορύσσεται, αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα
443  οὐρανῷ ἐστήριξε κάρη καὶ ἐπὶ χθονὶ βαίνει·
444  ἥ σφιν καὶ τότε νεῖκος ὁμοίϊον ἔμβαλε μέσσῳ
445  ἐρχομένη καθʼ ὅμιλον ὀφέλλουσα στόνον ἀνδρῶν.
446  οἳ δʼ ὅτε δή ῥʼ ἐς χῶρον ἕνα ξυνιόντες ἵκοντο,
447  σύν ῥʼ ἔβαλον ῥινούς, σὺν δʼ ἔγχεα καὶ μένεʼ ἀνδρῶν
448  χαλκεοθωρήκων· ἀτὰρ ἀσπίδες ὀμφαλόεσσαι
449  ἔπληντʼ ἀλλήλῃσι, πολὺς δʼ ὀρυμαγδὸς ὀρώρει.
450  ἔνθα δʼ ἅμʼ οἰμωγή τε καὶ εὐχωλὴ πέλεν ἀνδρῶν
451  ὀλλύντων τε καὶ ὀλλυμένων, ῥέε δʼ αἵματι γαῖα.
452  ὡς δʼ ὅτε χείμαρροι ποταμοὶ κατʼ ὄρεσφι ῥέοντες
453  ἐς μισγάγκειαν συμβάλλετον ὄβριμον ὕδωρ
454  κρουνῶν ἐκ μεγάλων κοίλης ἔντοσθε χαράδρης,
455  τῶν δέ τε τηλόσε δοῦπον ἐν οὔρεσιν ἔκλυε ποιμήν·
456  ὣς τῶν μισγομένων γένετο ἰαχή τε πόνος τε.
457  πρῶτος δʼ Ἀντίλοχος Τρώων ἕλεν ἄνδρα κορυστὴν
458  ἐσθλὸν ἐνὶ προμάχοισι Θαλυσιάδην Ἐχέπωλον·
459  τόν ῥʼ ἔβαλε πρῶτος κόρυθος φάλον ἱπποδασείης,
460  ἐν δὲ μετώπῳ πῆξε, πέρησε δʼ ἄρʼ ὀστέον εἴσω
461  αἰχμὴ χαλκείη· τὸν δὲ σκότος ὄσσε κάλυψεν,
462  ἤριπε δʼ ὡς ὅτε πύργος ἐνὶ κρατερῇ ὑσμίνῃ.
463  τὸν δὲ πεσόντα ποδῶν ἔλαβε κρείων Ἐλεφήνωρ
464  Χαλκωδοντιάδης μεγαθύμων ἀρχὸς Ἀβάντων,
465  ἕλκε δʼ ὑπʼ ἐκ βελέων, λελιημένος ὄφρα τάχιστα
466  τεύχεα συλήσειε· μίνυνθα δέ οἱ γένεθʼ ὁρμή.
467  νεκρὸν γὰρ ἐρύοντα ἰδὼν μεγάθυμος Ἀγήνωρ
468  πλευρά, τά οἱ κύψαντι παρʼ ἀσπίδος ἐξεφαάνθη,
469  οὔτησε ξυστῷ χαλκήρεϊ, λῦσε δὲ γυῖα.
470  ὣς τὸν μὲν λίπε θυμός, ἐπʼ αὐτῷ δʼ ἔργον ἐτύχθη
471  ἀργαλέον Τρώων καὶ Ἀχαιῶν· οἳ δὲ λύκοι ὣς
472  ἀλλήλοις ἐπόρουσαν, ἀνὴρ δʼ ἄνδρʼ ἐδνοπάλιζεν.
473  ἔνθʼ ἔβαλʼ Ἀνθεμίωνος υἱὸν Τελαμώνιος Αἴας
474  ἠΐθεον θαλερὸν Σιμοείσιον, ὅν ποτε μήτηρ
475  Ἴδηθεν κατιοῦσα παρʼ ὄχθῃσιν Σιμόεντος
476  γείνατʼ, ἐπεί ῥα τοκεῦσιν ἅμʼ ἕσπετο μῆλα ἰδέσθαι·
477  τοὔνεκά μιν κάλεον Σιμοείσιον· οὐδὲ τοκεῦσι
478  θρέπτρα φίλοις ἀπέδωκε, μινυνθάδιος δέ οἱ αἰὼν
479  ἔπλεθʼ ὑπʼ Αἴαντος μεγαθύμου δουρὶ δαμέντι.
480  πρῶτον γάρ μιν ἰόντα βάλε στῆθος παρὰ μαζὸν
481  δεξιόν· ἀντικρὺ δὲ διʼ ὤμου χάλκεον ἔγχος
482  ἦλθεν· ὁ δʼ ἐν κονίῃσι χαμαὶ πέσεν αἴγειρος ὣς
483  ἥ ῥά τʼ ἐν εἱαμενῇ ἕλεος μεγάλοιο πεφύκει
484  λείη, ἀτάρ τέ οἱ ὄζοι ἐπʼ ἀκροτάτῃ πεφύασι·
485  τὴν μέν θʼ ἁρματοπηγὸς ἀνὴρ αἴθωνι σιδήρῳ
486  ἐξέταμʼ, ὄφρα ἴτυν κάμψῃ περικαλλέϊ δίφρῳ·
487  ἣ μέν τʼ ἀζομένη κεῖται ποταμοῖο παρʼ ὄχθας.
488  τοῖον ἄρʼ Ἀνθεμίδην Σιμοείσιον ἐξενάριξεν
489  Αἴας διογενής· τοῦ δʼ Ἄντιφος αἰολοθώρηξ
490  Πριαμίδης καθʼ ὅμιλον ἀκόντισεν ὀξέϊ δουρί.
491  τοῦ μὲν ἅμαρθʼ, ὃ δὲ Λεῦκον Ὀδυσσέος ἐσθλὸν ἑταῖρον
492  βεβλήκει βουβῶνα, νέκυν ἑτέρωσʼ ἐρύοντα·
493  ἤριπε δʼ ἀμφʼ αὐτῷ, νεκρὸς δέ οἱ ἔκπεσε χειρός.
494  τοῦ δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς μάλα θυμὸν ἀποκταμένοιο χολώθη,
495  βῆ δὲ διὰ προμάχων κεκορυθμένος αἴθοπι χαλκῷ,
496  στῆ δὲ μάλʼ ἐγγὺς ἰὼν καὶ ἀκόντισε δουρὶ φαεινῷ
497  ἀμφὶ ἓ παπτήνας· ὑπὸ δὲ Τρῶες κεκάδοντο
498  ἀνδρὸς ἀκοντίσσαντος· ὃ δʼ οὐχ ἅλιον βέλος ἧκεν,
499  ἀλλʼ υἱὸν Πριάμοιο νόθον βάλε Δημοκόωντα
500  ὅς οἱ Ἀβυδόθεν ἦλθε παρʼ ἵππων ὠκειάων.
501  τόν ῥʼ Ὀδυσεὺς ἑτάροιο χολωσάμενος βάλε δουρὶ
502  κόρσην· ἣ δʼ ἑτέροιο διὰ κροτάφοιο πέρησεν
503  αἰχμὴ χαλκείη· τὸν δὲ σκότος ὄσσε κάλυψε,
504  δούπησεν δὲ πεσών, ἀράβησε δὲ τεύχεʼ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ.
505  χώρησαν δʼ ὑπό τε πρόμαχοι καὶ φαίδιμος Ἕκτωρ·
506  Ἀργεῖοι δὲ μέγα ἴαχον, ἐρύσαντο δὲ νεκρούς,
507  ἴθυσαν δὲ πολὺ προτέρω· νεμέσησε δʼ Ἀπόλλων
508  Περγάμου ἐκκατιδών, Τρώεσσι δὲ κέκλετʼ ἀΰσας·
509  ὄρνυσθʼ ἱππόδαμοι Τρῶες μηδʼ εἴκετε χάρμης
510  Ἀργείοις, ἐπεὶ οὔ σφι λίθος χρὼς οὐδὲ σίδηρος
511  χαλκὸν ἀνασχέσθαι ταμεσίχροα βαλλομένοισιν·
512  οὐ μὰν οὐδʼ Ἀχιλεὺς Θέτιδος πάϊς ἠϋκόμοιο
513  μάρναται, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ νηυσὶ χόλον θυμαλγέα πέσσει.
514  ὣς φάτʼ ἀπὸ πτόλιος δεινὸς θεός· αὐτὰρ Ἀχαιοὺς
515  ὦρσε Διὸς θυγάτηρ κυδίστη Τριτογένεια
516  ἐρχομένη καθʼ ὅμιλον, ὅθι μεθιέντας ἴδοιτο.
517  ἔνθʼ Ἀμαρυγκείδην Διώρεα μοῖρα πέδησε·
518  χερμαδίῳ γὰρ βλῆτο παρὰ σφυρὸν ὀκριόεντι
519  κνήμην δεξιτερήν· βάλε δὲ Θρῃκῶν ἀγὸς ἀνδρῶν
520  Πείρως Ἰμβρασίδης ὃς ἄρʼ Αἰνόθεν εἰληλούθει.
521  ἀμφοτέρω δὲ τένοντε καὶ ὀστέα λᾶας ἀναιδὴς
522  ἄχρις ἀπηλοίησεν· ὃ δʼ ὕπτιος ἐν κονίῃσι
523  κάππεσεν ἄμφω χεῖρε φίλοις ἑτάροισι πετάσσας
524  θυμὸν ἀποπνείων· ὃ δʼ ἐπέδραμεν ὅς ῥʼ ἔβαλέν περ
525  Πείροος, οὖτα δὲ δουρὶ παρʼ ὀμφαλόν· ἐκ δʼ ἄρα πᾶσαι
526  χύντο χαμαὶ χολάδες, τὸν δὲ σκότος ὄσσε κάλυψε.
527  τὸν δὲ Θόας Αἰτωλὸς ἀπεσσύμενον βάλε δουρὶ
528  στέρνον ὑπὲρ μαζοῖο, πάγη δʼ ἐν πνεύμονι χαλκός·
529  ἀγχίμολον δέ οἱ ἦλθε Θόας, ἐκ δʼ ὄβριμον ἔγχος
530  ἐσπάσατο στέρνοιο, ἐρύσσατο δὲ ξίφος ὀξύ,
531  τῷ ὅ γε γαστέρα τύψε μέσην, ἐκ δʼ αἴνυτο θυμόν.
532  τεύχεα δʼ οὐκ ἀπέδυσε· περίστησαν γὰρ ἑταῖροι
533  Θρήϊκες ἀκρόκομοι δολίχʼ ἔγχεα χερσὶν ἔχοντες,
534  οἵ ἑ μέγαν περ ἐόντα καὶ ἴφθιμον καὶ ἀγαυὸν
535  ὦσαν ἀπὸ σφείων· ὃ δὲ χασσάμενος πελεμίχθη.
536  ὣς τώ γʼ ἐν κονίῃσι παρʼ ἀλλήλοισι τετάσθην,
537  ἤτοι ὃ μὲν Θρῃκῶν, ὃ δʼ Ἐπειῶν χαλκοχιτώνων
538  ἡγεμόνες· πολλοὶ δὲ περὶ κτείνοντο καὶ ἄλλοι.
539  ἔνθά κεν οὐκέτι ἔργον ἀνὴρ ὀνόσαιτο μετελθών,
540  ὅς τις ἔτʼ ἄβλητος καὶ ἀνούτατος ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ
541  δινεύοι κατὰ μέσσον, ἄγοι δέ ἑ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη
542  χειρὸς ἑλοῦσʼ, αὐτὰρ βελέων ἀπερύκοι ἐρωήν·
543  πολλοὶ γὰρ Τρώων καὶ Ἀχαιῶν ἤματι κείνῳ
544  πρηνέες ἐν κονίῃσι παρʼ ἀλλήλοισι τέταντο.


The exploits of Diomed, who, though wounded by Pandarus,
      continues fighting—He kills Pandarus and wounds AEneas—Venus
      rescues AEneas, but being wounded by Diomed, commits him to the
      care of Apollo and goes to Olympus, where she is tended by her
      mother Dione—Mars encourages the Trojans, and AEneas returns to
      the fight cured of his wound—Minerva and Juno help the Achaeans,
      and by the advice of the former Diomed wounds Mars, who returns
      to Olympus to get cured.

      Then Pallas Minerva put valour into the heart of Diomed, son of
      Tydeus, that he might excel all the other Argives, and cover
      himself with glory. She made a stream of fire flare from his
      shield and helmet like the star that shines most brilliantly in
      summer after its bath in the waters of Oceanus—even such a fire
      did she kindle upon his head and shoulders as she bade him speed
      into the thickest hurly-burly of the fight.

      Now there was a certain rich and honourable man among the
      Trojans, priest of Vulcan, and his name was Dares. He had two
      sons, Phegeus and Idaeus, both of them skilled in all the arts of
      war. These two came forward from the main body of Trojans, and
      set upon Diomed, he being on foot, while they fought from their
      chariot. When they were close up to one another, Phegeus took aim
      first, but his spear went over Diomed’s left shoulder without
      hitting him. Diomed then threw, and his spear sped not in vain,
      for it hit Phegeus on the breast near the nipple, and he fell
      from his chariot. Idaeus did not dare to bestride his brother’s
      body, but sprang from the chariot and took to flight, or he would
      have shared his brother’s fate; whereon Vulcan saved him by
      wrapping him in a cloud of darkness, that his old father might
      not be utterly overwhelmed with grief; but the son of Tydeus
      drove off with the horses, and bade his followers take them to
      the ships. The Trojans were scared when they saw the two sons of
      Dares, one of them in fright and the other lying dead by his
      chariot. Minerva, therefore, took Mars by the hand and said,
      “Mars, Mars, bane of men, blood-stained stormer of cities, may we
      not now leave the Trojans and Achaeans to fight it out, and see
      to which of the two Jove will vouchsafe the victory? Let us go
      away, and thus avoid his anger.”

      So saying, she drew Mars out of the battle, and set him down upon
      the steep banks of the Scamander. Upon this the Danaans drove the
      Trojans back, and each one of their chieftains killed his man.
      First King Agamemnon flung mighty Odius, captain of the Halizoni,
      from his chariot. The spear of Agamemnon caught him on the broad
      of his back, just as he was turning in flight; it struck him
      between the shoulders and went right through his chest, and his
      armour rang rattling round him as he fell heavily to the ground.

      Then Idomeneus killed Phaesus, son of Borus the Meonian, who had
      come from Varne. Mighty Idomeneus speared him on the right
      shoulder as he was mounting his chariot, and the darkness of
      death enshrouded him as he fell heavily from the car.

      The squires of Idomeneus spoiled him of his armour, while
      Menelaus, son of Atreus, killed Scamandrius the son of Strophius,
      a mighty huntsman and keen lover of the chase. Diana herself had
      taught him how to kill every kind of wild creature that is bred
      in mountain forests, but neither she nor his famed skill in
      archery could now save him, for the spear of Menelaus struck him
      in the back as he was flying; it struck him between the shoulders
      and went right through his chest, so that he fell headlong and
      his armour rang rattling round him.

      Meriones then killed Phereclus the son of Tecton, who was the son
      of Hermon, a man whose hand was skilled in all manner of cunning
      workmanship, for Pallas Minerva had dearly loved him. He it was
      that made the ships for Alexandrus, which were the beginning of
      all mischief, and brought evil alike both on the Trojans and on
      Alexandrus himself; for he heeded not the decrees of heaven.
      Meriones overtook him as he was flying, and struck him on the
      right buttock. The point of the spear went through the bone into
      the bladder, and death came upon him as he cried aloud and fell
      forward on his knees.

      Meges, moreover, slew Pedaeus, son of Antenor, who, though he was
      a bastard, had been brought up by Theano as one of her own
      children, for the love she bore her husband. The son of Phyleus
      got close up to him and drove a spear into the nape of his neck:
      it went under his tongue all among his teeth, so he bit the cold
      bronze, and fell dead in the dust.

      And Eurypylus, son of Euaemon, killed Hypsenor, the son of noble
      Dolopion, who had been made priest of the river Scamander, and
      was honoured among the people as though he were a god. Eurypylus
      gave him chase as he was flying before him, smote him with his
      sword upon the arm, and lopped his strong hand from off it. The
      bloody hand fell to the ground, and the shades of death, with
      fate that no man can withstand, came over his eyes.

      Thus furiously did the battle rage between them. As for the son
      of Tydeus, you could not say whether he was more among the
      Achaeans or the Trojans. He rushed across the plain like a winter
      torrent that has burst its barrier in full flood; no dykes, no
      walls of fruitful vineyards can embank it when it is swollen with
      rain from heaven, but in a moment it comes tearing onward, and
      lays many a field waste that many a strong man’s hand has
      reclaimed—even so were the dense phalanxes of the Trojans driven
      in rout by the son of Tydeus, and many though they were, they
      dared not abide his onslaught.

      Now when the son of Lycaon saw him scouring the plain and driving
      the Trojans pell-mell before him, he aimed an arrow and hit the
      front part of his cuirass near the shoulder: the arrow went right
      through the metal and pierced the flesh, so that the cuirass was
      covered with blood. On this the son of Lycaon shouted in triumph,
      “Knights Trojans, come on; the bravest of the Achaeans is
      wounded, and he will not hold out much longer if King Apollo was
      indeed with me when I sped from Lycia hither.”

      Thus did he vaunt; but his arrow had not killed Diomed, who
      withdrew and made for the chariot and horses of Sthenelus, the
      son of Capaneus. “Dear son of Capaneus,” said he, “come down from
      your chariot, and draw the arrow out of my shoulder.”

      Sthenelus sprang from his chariot, and drew the arrow from the
      wound, whereon the blood came spouting out through the hole that
      had been made in his shirt. Then Diomed prayed, saying, “Hear me,
      daughter of aegis-bearing Jove, unweariable, if ever you loved my
      father well and stood by him in the thick of a fight, do the like
      now by me; grant me to come within a spear’s throw of that man
      and kill him. He has been too quick for me and has wounded me;
      and now he is boasting that I shall not see the light of the sun
      much longer.”

      Thus he prayed, and Pallas Minerva heard him; she made his limbs
      supple and quickened his hands and his feet. Then she went up
      close to him and said, “Fear not, Diomed, to do battle with the
      Trojans, for I have set in your heart the spirit of your knightly
      father Tydeus. Moreover, I have withdrawn the veil from your
      eyes, that you know gods and men apart. If, then, any other god
      comes here and offers you battle, do not fight him; but should
      Jove’s daughter Venus come, strike her with your spear and wound
      her.”

      When she had said this Minerva went away, and the son of Tydeus
      again took his place among the foremost fighters, three times
      more fierce even than he had been before. He was like a lion that
      some mountain shepherd has wounded, but not killed, as he is
      springing over the wall of a sheep-yard to attack the sheep. The
      shepherd has roused the brute to fury but cannot defend his
      flock, so he takes shelter under cover of the buildings, while
      the sheep, panic-stricken on being deserted, are smothered in
      heaps one on top of the other, and the angry lion leaps out over
      the sheep-yard wall. Even thus did Diomed go furiously about
      among the Trojans.

      He killed Astynous, and Hypeiron shepherd of his people, the one
      with a thrust of his spear, which struck him above the nipple,
      the other with a sword-cut on the collar-bone, that severed his
      shoulder from his neck and back. He let both of them lie, and
      went in pursuit of Abas and Polyidus, sons of the old reader of
      dreams Eurydamas: they never came back for him to read them any
      more dreams, for mighty Diomed made an end of them. He then gave
      chase to Xanthus and Thoon, the two sons of Phaenops, both of
      them very dear to him, for he was now worn out with age, and
      begat no more sons to inherit his possessions. But Diomed took
      both their lives and left their father sorrowing bitterly, for he
      nevermore saw them come home from battle alive, and his kinsmen
      divided his wealth among themselves.

      Then he came upon two sons of Priam, Echemmon and Chromius, as
      they were both in one chariot. He sprang upon them as a lion
      fastens on the neck of some cow or heifer when the herd is
      feeding in a coppice. For all their vain struggles he flung them
      both from their chariot and stripped the armour from their
      bodies. Then he gave their horses to his comrades to take them
      back to the ships.

      When Aeneas saw him thus making havoc among the ranks, he went
      through the fight amid the rain of spears to see if he could find
      Pandarus. When he had found the brave son of Lycaon he said,
      “Pandarus, where is now your bow, your winged arrows, and your
      renown as an archer, in respect of which no man here can rival
      you nor is there any in Lycia that can beat you? Lift then your
      hands to Jove and send an arrow at this fellow who is going so
      masterfully about, and has done such deadly work among the
      Trojans. He has killed many a brave man—unless indeed he is some
      god who is angry with the Trojans about their sacrifices, and
      has set his hand against them in his displeasure.”

      And the son of Lycaon answered, “Aeneas, I take him for none
      other than the son of Tydeus. I know him by his shield, the visor
      of his helmet, and by his horses. It is possible that he may be a
      god, but if he is the man I say he is, he is not making all this
      havoc without heaven’s help, but has some god by his side who is
      shrouded in a cloud of darkness, and who turned my arrow aside
      when it had hit him. I have taken aim at him already and hit him
      on the right shoulder; my arrow went through the breast-piece of
      his cuirass; and I made sure I should send him hurrying to the
      world below, but it seems that I have not killed him. There must
      be a god who is angry with me. Moreover I have neither horse nor
      chariot. In my father’s stables there are eleven excellent
      chariots, fresh from the builder, quite new, with cloths spread
      over them; and by each of them there stand a pair of horses,
      champing barley and rye; my old father Lycaon urged me again and
      again when I was at home and on the point of starting, to take
      chariots and horses with me that I might lead the Trojans in
      battle, but I would not listen to him; it would have been much
      better if I had done so, but I was thinking about the horses,
      which had been used to eat their fill, and I was afraid that in
      such a great gathering of men they might be ill-fed, so I left
      them at home and came on foot to Ilius armed only with my bow and
      arrows. These it seems, are of no use, for I have already hit two
      chieftains, the sons of Atreus and of Tydeus, and though I drew
      blood surely enough, I have only made them still more furious. I
      did ill to take my bow down from its peg on the day I led my band
      of Trojans to Ilius in Hector’s service, and if ever I get home
      again to set eyes on my native place, my wife, and the greatness
      of my house, may some one cut my head off then and there if I do
      not break the bow and set it on a hot fire—such pranks as it
      plays me.”

      Aeneas answered, “Say no more. Things will not mend till we two
      go against this man with chariot and horses and bring him to a
      trial of arms. Mount my chariot, and note how cleverly the horses
      of Tros can speed hither and thither over the plain in pursuit or
      flight. If Jove again vouchsafes glory to the son of Tydeus they
      will carry us safely back to the city. Take hold, then, of the
      whip and reins while I stand upon the car to fight, or else do
      you wait this man’s onset while I look after the horses.”

      “Aeneas,” replied the son of Lycaon, “take the reins and drive;
      if we have to fly before the son of Tydeus the horses will go
      better for their own driver. If they miss the sound of your voice
      when they expect it they may be frightened, and refuse to take us
      out of the fight. The son of Tydeus will then kill both of us and
      take the horses. Therefore drive them yourself and I will be
      ready for him with my spear.”

      They then mounted the chariot and drove full speed towards the
      son of Tydeus. Sthenelus, son of Capaneus, saw them coming and
      said to Diomed, “Diomed, son of Tydeus, man after my own heart, I
      see two heroes speeding towards you, both of them men of might
      the one a skilful archer, Pandarus son of Lycaon, the other,
      Aeneas, whose sire is Anchises, while his mother is Venus. Mount
      the chariot and let us retreat. Do not, I pray you, press so
      furiously forward, or you may get killed.”

      Diomed looked angrily at him and answered: “Talk not of flight,
      for I shall not listen to you: I am of a race that knows neither
      flight nor fear, and my limbs are as yet unwearied. I am in no
      mind to mount, but will go against them even as I am; Pallas
      Minerva bids me be afraid of no man, and even though one of them
      escape, their steeds shall not take both back again. I say
      further, and lay my saying to your heart—if Minerva sees fit to
      vouchsafe me the glory of killing both, stay your horses here and
      make the reins fast to the rim of the chariot; then be sure you
      spring Aeneas’ horses and drive them from the Trojan to the
      Achaean ranks. They are of the stock that great Jove gave to Tros
      in payment for his son Ganymede, and are the finest that live and
      move under the sun. King Anchises stole the blood by putting his
      mares to them without Laomedon’s knowledge, and they bore him six
      foals. Four are still in his stables, but he gave the other two
      to Aeneas. We shall win great glory if we can take them.”

      Thus did they converse, but the other two had now driven close up
      to them, and the son of Lycaon spoke first. “Great and mighty
      son,” said he, “of noble Tydeus, my arrow failed to lay you low,
      so I will now try with my spear.”

      He poised his spear as he spoke and hurled it from him. It struck
      the shield of the son of Tydeus; the bronze point pierced it and
      passed on till it reached the breastplate. Thereon the son of
      Lycaon shouted out and said, “You are hit clean through the
      belly; you will not stand out for long, and the glory of the
      fight is mine.”

      But Diomed all undismayed made answer, “You have missed, not hit,
      and before you two see the end of this matter one or other of you
      shall glut tough-shielded Mars with his blood.”

      With this he hurled his spear, and Minerva guided it on to
      Pandarus’s nose near the eye. It went crashing in among his white
      teeth; the bronze point cut through the root of his tongue,
      coming out under his chin, and his glistening armour rang
      rattling round him as he fell heavily to the ground. The horses
      started aside for fear, and he was reft of life and strength.

      Aeneas sprang from his chariot armed with shield and spear,
      fearing lest the Achaeans should carry off the body. He bestrode
      it as a lion in the pride of strength, with shield and spear
      before him and a cry of battle on his lips resolute to kill the
      first that should dare face him. But the son of Tydeus caught up
      a mighty stone, so huge and great that as men now are it would
      take two to lift it; nevertheless he bore it aloft with ease
      unaided, and with this he struck Aeneas on the groin where the
      hip turns in the joint that is called the “cup-bone.” The stone
      crushed this joint, and broke both the sinews, while its jagged
      edges tore away all the flesh. The hero fell on his knees, and
      propped himself with his hand resting on the ground till the
      darkness of night fell upon his eyes. And now Aeneas, king of
      men, would have perished then and there, had not his mother,
      Jove’s daughter Venus, who had conceived him by Anchises when he
      was herding cattle, been quick to mark, and thrown her two white
      arms about the body of her dear son. She protected him by
      covering him with a fold of her own fair garment, lest some
      Danaan should drive a spear into his breast and kill him.

      Thus, then, did she bear her dear son out of the fight. But the
      son of Capaneus was not unmindful of the orders that Diomed had
      given him. He made his own horses fast, away from the
      hurly-burly, by binding the reins to the rim of the chariot. Then
      he sprang upon Aeneas’s horses and drove them from the Trojan to
      the Achaean ranks. When he had so done he gave them over to his
      chosen comrade Deipylus, whom he valued above all others as the
      one who was most like-minded with himself, to take them on to the
      ships. He then remounted his own chariot, seized the reins, and
      drove with all speed in search of the son of Tydeus.

      Now the son of Tydeus was in pursuit of the Cyprian goddess,
      spear in hand, for he knew her to be feeble and not one of those
      goddesses that can lord it among men in battle like Minerva or
      Enyo the waster of cities, and when at last after a long chase he
      caught her up, he flew at her and thrust his spear into the flesh
      of her delicate hand. The point tore through the ambrosial robe
      which the Graces had woven for her, and pierced the skin between
      her wrist and the palm of her hand, so that the immortal blood,
      or ichor, that flows in the veins of the blessed gods, came
      pouring from the wound; for the gods do not eat bread nor drink
      wine, hence they have no blood such as ours, and are immortal.
      Venus screamed aloud, and let her son fall, but Phoebus Apollo
      caught him in his arms, and hid him in a cloud of darkness, lest
      some Danaan should drive a spear into his breast and kill him;
      and Diomed shouted out as he left her, “Daughter of Jove, leave
      war and battle alone, can you not be contented with beguiling
      silly women? If you meddle with fighting you will get what will
      make you shudder at the very name of war.”

      The goddess went dazed and discomfited away, and Iris, fleet as
      the wind, drew her from the throng, in pain and with her fair
      skin all besmirched. She found fierce Mars waiting on the left of
      the battle, with his spear and his two fleet steeds resting on a
      cloud; whereon she fell on her knees before her brother and
      implored him to let her have his horses. “Dear brother,” she
      cried, “save me, and give me your horses to take me to Olympus
      where the gods dwell. I am badly wounded by a mortal, the son of
      Tydeus, who would now fight even with father Jove.”

      Thus she spoke, and Mars gave her his gold-bedizened steeds. She
      mounted the chariot sick and sorry at heart, while Iris sat
      beside her and took the reins in her hand. She lashed her horses
      on and they flew forward nothing loth, till in a trice they were
      at high Olympus, where the gods have their dwelling. There she
      stayed them, unloosed them from the chariot, and gave them their
      ambrosial forage; but Venus flung herself on to the lap of her
      mother Dione, who threw her arms about her and caressed her,
      saying, “Which of the heavenly beings has been treating you in
      this way, as though you had been doing something wrong in the
      face of day?”

      And laughter-loving Venus answered, “Proud Diomed, the son of
      Tydeus, wounded me because I was bearing my dear son Aeneas, whom
      I love best of all mankind, out of the fight. The war is no
      longer one between Trojans and Achaeans, for the Danaans have now
      taken to fighting with the immortals.”

      “Bear it, my child,” replied Dione, “and make the best of it. We
      dwellers in Olympus have to put up with much at the hands of men,
      and we lay much suffering on one another. Mars had to suffer when
      Otus and Ephialtes, children of Aloeus, bound him in cruel bonds,
      so that he lay thirteen months imprisoned in a vessel of bronze.
      Mars would have then perished had not fair Eeriboea, stepmother
      to the sons of Aloeus, told Mercury, who stole him away when he
      was already well-nigh worn out by the severity of his bondage.
      Juno, again, suffered when the mighty son of Amphitryon wounded
      her on the right breast with a three-barbed arrow, and nothing
      could assuage her pain. So, also, did huge Hades, when this same
      man, the son of aegis-bearing Jove, hit him with an arrow even at
      the gates of hell, and hurt him badly. Thereon Hades went to the
      house of Jove on great Olympus, angry and full of pain; and the
      arrow in his brawny shoulder caused him great anguish till Paeeon
      healed him by spreading soothing herbs on the wound, for Hades
      was not of mortal mould. Daring, headstrong, evildoer who recked
      not of his sin in shooting the gods that dwell in Olympus. And
      now Minerva has egged this son of Tydeus on against yourself,
      fool that he is for not reflecting that no man who fights with
      gods will live long or hear his children prattling about his
      knees when he returns from battle. Let, then, the son of Tydeus
      see that he does not have to fight with one who is stronger than
      you are. Then shall his brave wife Aegialeia, daughter of
      Adrestus, rouse her whole house from sleep, wailing for the loss
      of her wedded lord, Diomed the bravest of the Achaeans.”

      So saying, she wiped the ichor from the wrist of her daughter
      with both hands, whereon the pain left her, and her hand was
      healed. But Minerva and Juno, who were looking on, began to taunt
      Jove with their mocking talk, and Minerva was first to speak.
      “Father Jove,” said she, “do not be angry with me, but I think
      the Cyprian must have been persuading some one of the Achaean
      women to go with the Trojans of whom she is so very fond, and
      while caressing one or other of them she must have torn her
      delicate hand with the gold pin of the woman’s brooch.”

      The sire of gods and men smiled, and called golden Venus to his
      side. “My child,” said he, “it has not been given you to be a
      warrior. Attend, henceforth, to your own delightful matrimonial
      duties, and leave all this fighting to Mars and to Minerva.”

      Thus did they converse. But Diomed sprang upon Aeneas, though he
      knew him to be in the very arms of Apollo. Not one whit did he
      fear the mighty god, so set was he on killing Aeneas and
      stripping him of his armour. Thrice did he spring forward with
      might and main to slay him, and thrice did Apollo beat back his
      gleaming shield. When he was coming on for the fourth time, as
      though he were a god, Apollo shouted to him with an awful voice
      and said, “Take heed, son of Tydeus, and draw off; think not to
      match yourself against gods, for men that walk the earth cannot
      hold their own with the immortals.”

      The son of Tydeus then gave way for a little space, to avoid the
      anger of the god, while Apollo took Aeneas out of the crowd and
      set him in sacred Pergamus, where his temple stood. There, within
      the mighty sanctuary, Latona and Diana healed him and made him
      glorious to behold, while Apollo of the silver bow fashioned a
      wraith in the likeness of Aeneas, and armed as he was. Round this
      the Trojans and Achaeans hacked at the bucklers about one
      another’s breasts, hewing each other’s round shields and light
      hide-covered targets. Then Phoebus Apollo said to Mars, “Mars,
      Mars, bane of men, blood-stained stormer of cities, can you not
      go to this man, the son of Tydeus, who would now fight even with
      father Jove, and draw him out of the battle? He first went up to
      the Cyprian and wounded her in the hand near her wrist, and
      afterwards sprang upon me too, as though he were a god.”

      He then took his seat on the top of Pergamus, while murderous
      Mars went about among the ranks of the Trojans, cheering them on,
      in the likeness of fleet Acamas chief of the Thracians. “Sons of
      Priam,” said he, “how long will you let your people be thus
      slaughtered by the Achaeans? Would you wait till they are at the
      walls of Troy? Aeneas the son of Anchises has fallen, he whom we
      held in as high honour as Hector himself. Help me, then, to
      rescue our brave comrade from the stress of the fight.”

      With these words he put heart and soul into them all. Then
      Sarpedon rebuked Hector very sternly. “Hector,” said he, “where
      is your prowess now? You used to say that though you had neither
      people nor allies you could hold the town alone with your
      brothers and brothers-in-law. I see not one of them here; they
      cower as hounds before a lion; it is we, your allies, who bear
      the brunt of the battle. I have come from afar, even from Lycia
      and the banks of the river Xanthus, where I have left my wife, my
      infant son, and much wealth to tempt whoever is needy;
      nevertheless, I head my Lycian soldiers and stand my ground
      against any who would fight me though I have nothing here for the
      Achaeans to plunder, while you look on, without even bidding your
      men stand firm in defence of their wives. See that you fall not
      into the hands of your foes as men caught in the meshes of a net,
      and they sack your fair city forthwith. Keep this before your
      mind night and day, and beseech the captains of your allies to
      hold on without flinching, and thus put away their reproaches
      from you.”

      So spoke Sarpedon, and Hector smarted under his words. He sprang
      from his chariot clad in his suit of armour, and went about among
      the host brandishing his two spears, exhorting the men to fight
      and raising the terrible cry of battle. Then they rallied and
      again faced the Achaeans, but the Argives stood compact and firm,
      and were not driven back. As the breezes sport with the chaff
      upon some goodly threshing-floor, when men are winnowing—while
      yellow Ceres blows with the wind to sift the chaff from the
      grain, and the chaff-heaps grow whiter and whiter—even so did the
      Achaeans whiten in the dust which the horses’ hoofs raised to the
      firmament of heaven, as their drivers turned them back to battle,
      and they bore down with might upon the foe. Fierce Mars, to help
      the Trojans, covered them in a veil of darkness, and went about
      everywhere among them, inasmuch as Phoebus Apollo had told him
      that when he saw Pallas Minerva leave the fray he was to put
      courage into the hearts of the Trojans—for it was she who was
      helping the Danaans. Then Apollo sent Aeneas forth from his rich
      sanctuary, and filled his heart with valour, whereon he took his
      place among his comrades, who were overjoyed at seeing him alive,
      sound, and of a good courage; but they could not ask him how it
      had all happened, for they were too busy with the turmoil raised
      by Mars and by Strife, who raged insatiably in their midst.

      The two Ajaxes, Ulysses and Diomed, cheered the Danaans on,
      fearless of the fury and onset of the Trojans. They stood as
      still as clouds which the son of Saturn has spread upon the
      mountain tops when there is no air and fierce Boreas sleeps with
      the other boisterous winds whose shrill blasts scatter the clouds
      in all directions—even so did the Danaans stand firm and
      unflinching against the Trojans. The son of Atreus went about
      among them and exhorted them. “My friends,” said he, “quit
      yourselves like brave men, and shun dishonour in one another’s
      eyes amid the stress of battle. They that shun dishonour more
      often live than get killed, but they that fly save neither life
      nor name.”

      As he spoke he hurled his spear and hit one of those who were in
      the front rank, the comrade of Aeneas, Deicoon son of Pergasus,
      whom the Trojans held in no less honour than the sons of Priam,
      for he was ever quick to place himself among the foremost. The
      spear of King Agamemnon struck his shield and went right through
      it, for the shield stayed it not. It drove through his belt into
      the lower part of his belly, and his armour rang rattling round
      him as he fell heavily to the ground.

      Then Aeneas killed two champions of the Danaans, Crethon and
      Orsilochus. Their father was a rich man who lived in the strong
      city of Phere and was descended from the river Alpheus, whose
      broad stream flows through the land of the Pylians. The river
      begat Orsilochus, who ruled over much people and was father to
      Diocles, who in his turn begat twin sons, Crethon and Orsilochus,
      well skilled in all the arts of war. These, when they grew up,
      went to Ilius with the Argive fleet in the cause of Menelaus and
      Agamemnon sons of Atreus, and there they both of them fell. As
      two lions whom their dam has reared in the depths of some
      mountain forest to plunder homesteads and carry off sheep and
      cattle till they get killed by the hand of man, so were these two
      vanquished by Aeneas, and fell like high pine-trees to the
      ground.

      Brave Menelaus pitied them in their fall, and made his way to the
      front, clad in gleaming bronze and brandishing his spear, for
      Mars egged him on to do so with intent that he should be killed
      by Aeneas; but Antilochus the son of Nestor saw him and sprang
      forward, fearing that the king might come to harm and thus bring
      all their labour to nothing; when, therefore Aeneas and Menelaus
      were setting their hands and spears against one another eager to
      do battle, Antilochus placed himself by the side of Menelaus.
      Aeneas, bold though he was, drew back on seeing the two heroes
      side by side in front of him, so they drew the bodies of Crethon
      and Orsilochus to the ranks of the Achaeans and committed the two
      poor fellows into the hands of their comrades. They then turned
      back and fought in the front ranks.

      They killed Pylaemenes peer of Mars, leader of the Paphlagonian
      warriors. Menelaus struck him on the collar-bone as he was
      standing on his chariot, while Antilochus hit his charioteer and
      squire Mydon, the son of Atymnius, who was turning his horses in
      flight. He hit him with a stone upon the elbow, and the reins,
      enriched with white ivory, fell from his hands into the dust.
      Antilochus rushed towards him and struck him on the temples with
      his sword, whereon he fell head first from the chariot to the
      ground. There he stood for a while with his head and shoulders
      buried deep in the dust—for he had fallen on sandy soil till his
      horses kicked him and laid him flat on the ground, as Antilochus
      lashed them and drove them off to the host of the Achaeans.

      But Hector marked them from across the ranks, and with a loud cry
      rushed towards them, followed by the strong battalions of the
      Trojans. Mars and dread Enyo led them on, she fraught with
      ruthless turmoil of battle, while Mars wielded a monstrous spear,
      and went about, now in front of Hector and now behind him.

      Diomed shook with passion as he saw them. As a man crossing a
      wide plain is dismayed to find himself on the brink of some great
      river rolling swiftly to the sea—he sees its boiling waters and
      starts back in fear—even so did the son of Tydeus give ground.
      Then he said to his men, “My friends, how can we wonder that
      Hector wields the spear so well? Some god is ever by his side to
      protect him, and now Mars is with him in the likeness of mortal
      man. Keep your faces therefore towards the Trojans, but give
      ground backwards, for we dare not fight with gods.”

      As he spoke the Trojans drew close up, and Hector killed two men,
      both in one chariot, Menesthes and Anchialus, heroes well versed
      in war. Ajax son of Telamon pitied them in their fall; he came
      close up and hurled his spear, hitting Amphius the son of
      Selagus, a man of great wealth who lived in Paesus and owned much
      corn-growing land, but his lot had led him to come to the aid of
      Priam and his sons. Ajax struck him in the belt; the spear
      pierced the lower part of his belly, and he fell heavily to the
      ground. Then Ajax ran towards him to strip him of his armour, but
      the Trojans rained spears upon him, many of which fell upon his
      shield. He planted his heel upon the body and drew out his spear,
      but the darts pressed so heavily upon him that he could not strip
      the goodly armour from his shoulders. The Trojan chieftains,
      moreover, many and valiant, came about him with their spears, so
      that he dared not stay; great, brave and valiant though he was,
      they drove him from them and he was beaten back.

      Thus, then, did the battle rage between them. Presently the
      strong hand of fate impelled Tlepolemus, the son of Hercules, a
      man both brave and of great stature, to fight Sarpedon; so the
      two, son and grandson of great Jove, drew near to one another,
      and Tlepolemus spoke first. “Sarpedon,” said he, “councillor of
      the Lycians, why should you come skulking here you who are a man
      of peace? They lie who call you son of aegis-bearing Jove, for
      you are little like those who were of old his children. Far other
      was Hercules, my own brave and lion-hearted father, who came here
      for the horses of Laomedon, and though he had six ships only, and
      few men to follow him, sacked the city of Ilius and made a
      wilderness of her highways. You are a coward, and your people are
      falling from you. For all your strength, and all your coming from
      Lycia, you will be no help to the Trojans but will pass the gates
      of Hades vanquished by my hand.”

      And Sarpedon, captain of the Lycians, answered, “Tlepolemus, your
      father overthrew Ilius by reason of Laomedon’s folly in refusing
      payment to one who had served him well. He would not give your
      father the horses which he had come so far to fetch. As for
      yourself, you shall meet death by my spear. You shall yield glory
      to myself, and your soul to Hades of the noble steeds.”

      Thus spoke Sarpedon, and Tlepolemus upraised his spear. They
      threw at the same moment, and Sarpedon struck his foe in the
      middle of his throat; the spear went right through, and the
      darkness of death fell upon his eyes. Tlepolemus’s spear struck
      Sarpedon on the left thigh with such force that it tore through
      the flesh and grazed the bone, but his father as yet warded off
      destruction from him.

      His comrades bore Sarpedon out of the fight, in great pain by the
      weight of the spear that was dragging from his wound. They were
      in such haste and stress as they bore him that no one thought of
      drawing the spear from his thigh so as to let him walk uprightly.
      Meanwhile the Achaeans carried off the body of Tlepolemus,
      whereon Ulysses was moved to pity, and panted for the fray as he
      beheld them. He doubted whether to pursue the son of Jove, or to
      make slaughter of the Lycian rank and file; it was not decreed,
      however, that he should slay the son of Jove; Minerva, therefore,
      turned him against the main body of the Lycians. He killed
      Coeranus, Alastor, Chromius, Alcandrus, Halius, Noemon, and
      Prytanis, and would have slain yet more, had not great Hector
      marked him, and sped to the front of the fight clad in his suit
      of mail, filling the Danaans with terror. Sarpedon was glad when
      he saw him coming, and besought him, saying, “Son of Priam, let
      me not be here to fall into the hands of the Danaans. Help me,
      and since I may not return home to gladden the hearts of my wife
      and of my infant son, let me die within the walls of your city.”

      Hector made him no answer, but rushed onward to fall at once upon
      the Achaeans and kill many among them. His comrades then bore
      Sarpedon away and laid him beneath Jove’s spreading oak tree.
      Pelagon, his friend and comrade, drew the spear out of his thigh,
      but Sarpedon fainted and a mist came over his eyes. Presently he
      came to himself again, for the breath of the north wind as it
      played upon him gave him new life, and brought him out of the
      deep swoon into which he had fallen.

      Meanwhile the Argives were neither driven towards their ships by
      Mars and Hector, nor yet did they attack them; when they knew
      that Mars was with the Trojans they retreated, but kept their
      faces still turned towards the foe. Who, then, was first and who
      last to be slain by Mars and Hector? They were valiant Teuthras,
      and Orestes the renowned charioteer, Trechus the Aetolian
      warrior, Oenomaus, Helenus the son of Oenops, and Oresbius of the
      gleaming girdle, who was possessed of great wealth, and dwelt by
      the Cephisian lake with the other Boeotians who lived near him,
      owners of a fertile country.

      Now when the goddess Juno saw the Argives thus falling, she said
      to Minerva, “Alas, daughter of aegis-bearing Jove, unweariable,
      the promise we made Menelaus that he should not return till he
      had sacked the city of Ilius will be of no effect if we let Mars
      rage thus furiously. Let us go into the fray at once.”

      Minerva did not gainsay her. Thereon the august goddess, daughter
      of great Saturn, began to harness her gold-bedizened steeds. Hebe
      with all speed fitted on the eight-spoked wheels of bronze that
      were on either side of the iron axle-tree. The felloes of the
      wheels were of gold, imperishable, and over these there was a
      tire of bronze, wondrous to behold. The naves of the wheels were
      silver, turning round the axle upon either side. The car itself
      was made with plaited bands of gold and silver, and it had a
      double top-rail running all round it. From the body of the car
      there went a pole of silver, on to the end of which she bound the
      golden yoke, with the bands of gold that were to go under the
      necks of the horses. Then Juno put her steeds under the yoke,
      eager for battle and the war-cry.

      Meanwhile Minerva flung her richly embroidered vesture, made with
      her own hands, on to her father’s threshold, and donned the shirt
      of Jove, arming herself for battle. She threw her tasselled aegis
      about her shoulders, wreathed round with Rout as with a fringe,
      and on it were Strife, and Strength, and Panic whose blood runs
      cold; moreover there was the head of the dread monster Gorgon,
      grim and awful to behold, portent of aegis-bearing Jove. On her
      head she set her helmet of gold, with four plumes, and coming to
      a peak both in front and behind—decked with the emblems of a
      hundred cities; then she stepped into her flaming chariot and
      grasped the spear, so stout and sturdy and strong, with which she
      quells the ranks of heroes who have displeased her. Juno lashed
      the horses on, and the gates of heaven bellowed as they flew open
      of their own accord—gates over which the Hours preside, in whose
      hands are Heaven and Olympus, either to open the dense cloud that
      hides them, or to close it. Through these the goddesses drove
      their obedient steeds, and found the son of Saturn sitting all
      alone on the topmost ridges of Olympus. There Juno stayed her
      horses, and spoke to Jove the son of Saturn, lord of all. “Father
      Jove,” said she, “are you not angry with Mars for these high
      doings? how great and goodly a host of the Achaeans he has
      destroyed to my great grief, and without either right or reason,
      while the Cyprian and Apollo are enjoying it all at their ease
      and setting this unrighteous madman on to do further mischief. I
      hope, Father Jove, that you will not be angry if I hit Mars hard,
      and chase him out of the battle.”

      And Jove answered, “Set Minerva on to him, for she punishes him
      more often than any one else does.”

      Juno did as he had said. She lashed her horses, and they flew
      forward nothing loth midway betwixt earth and sky. As far as a
      man can see when he looks out upon the sea from some high beacon,
      so far can the loud-neighing horses of the gods spring at a
      single bound. When they reached Troy and the place where its two
      flowing streams Simois and Scamander meet, there Juno stayed them
      and took them from the chariot. She hid them in a thick cloud,
      and Simois made ambrosia spring up for them to eat; the two
      goddesses then went on, flying like turtledoves in their
      eagerness to help the Argives. When they came to the part where
      the bravest and most in number were gathered about mighty Diomed,
      fighting like lions or wild boars of great strength and
      endurance, there Juno stood still and raised a shout like that of
      brazen-voiced Stentor, whose cry was as loud as that of fifty men
      together. “Argives,” she cried; “shame on cowardly creatures,
      brave in semblance only; as long as Achilles was fighting, if his
      spear was so deadly that the Trojans dared not show themselves
      outside the Dardanian gates, but now they sally far from the city
      and fight even at your ships.”

      With these words she put heart and soul into them all, while
      Minerva sprang to the side of the son of Tydeus, whom she found
      near his chariot and horses, cooling the wound that Pandarus had
      given him. For the sweat caused by the hand that bore the weight
      of his shield irritated the hurt: his arm was weary with pain,
      and he was lifting up the strap to wipe away the blood. The
      goddess laid her hand on the yoke of his horses and said, “The
      son of Tydeus is not such another as his father. Tydeus was a
      little man, but he could fight, and rushed madly into the fray
      even when I told him not to do so. When he went all unattended as
      envoy to the city of Thebes among the Cadmeans, I bade him feast
      in their houses and be at peace; but with that high spirit which
      was ever present with him, he challenged the youth of the
      Cadmeans, and at once beat them in all that he attempted, so
      mightily did I help him. I stand by you too to protect you, and I
      bid you be instant in fighting the Trojans; but either you are
      tired out, or you are afraid and out of heart, and in that case I
      say that you are no true son of Tydeus the son of Oeneus.”

      Diomed answered, “I know you, goddess, daughter of aegis-bearing
      Jove, and will hide nothing from you. I am not afraid nor out of
      heart, nor is there any slackness in me. I am only following your
      own instructions; you told me not to fight any of the blessed
      gods; but if Jove’s daughter Venus came into battle I was to
      wound her with my spear. Therefore I am retreating, and bidding
      the other Argives gather in this place, for I know that Mars is
      now lording it in the field.”

      “Diomed, son of Tydeus,” replied Minerva, “man after my own
      heart, fear neither Mars nor any other of the immortals, for I
      will befriend you. Nay, drive straight at Mars, and smite him in
      close combat; fear not this raging madman, villain incarnate,
      first on one side and then on the other. But now he was holding
      talk with Juno and myself, saying he would help the Argives and
      attack the Trojans; nevertheless he is with the Trojans, and has
      forgotten the Argives.”

      With this she caught hold of Sthenelus and lifted him off the
      chariot on to the ground. In a second he was on the ground,
      whereupon the goddess mounted the car and placed herself by the
      side of Diomed. The oaken axle groaned aloud under the burden of
      the awful goddess and the hero; Pallas Minerva took the whip and
      reins, and drove straight at Mars. He was in the act of stripping
      huge Periphas, son of Ochesius and bravest of the Aetolians.
      Bloody Mars was stripping him of his armour, and Minerva donned
      the helmet of Hades, that he might not see her; when, therefore,
      he saw Diomed, he made straight for him and let Periphas lie
      where he had fallen. As soon as they were at close quarters he
      let fly with his bronze spear over the reins and yoke, thinking
      to take Diomed’s life, but Minerva caught the spear in her hand
      and made it fly harmlessly over the chariot. Diomed then threw,
      and Pallas Minerva drove the spear into the pit of Mars’s stomach
      where his under-girdle went round him. There Diomed wounded him,
      tearing his fair flesh and then drawing his spear out again. Mars
      roared as loudly as nine or ten thousand men in the thick of a
      fight, and the Achaeans and Trojans were struck with panic, so
      terrible was the cry he raised.

      As a dark cloud in the sky when it comes on to blow after heat,
      even so did Diomed son of Tydeus see Mars ascend into the broad
      heavens. With all speed he reached high Olympus, home of the
      gods, and in great pain sat down beside Jove the son of Saturn.
      He showed Jove the immortal blood that was flowing from his
      wound, and spoke piteously, saying, “Father Jove, are you not
      angered by such doings? We gods are continually suffering in the
      most cruel manner at one another’s hands while helping mortals;
      and we all owe you a grudge for having begotten that mad
      termagant of a daughter, who is always committing outrage of some
      kind. We other gods must all do as you bid us, but her you
      neither scold nor punish; you encourage her because the pestilent
      creature is your daughter. See how she has been inciting proud
      Diomed to vent his rage on the immortal gods. First he went up to
      the Cyprian and wounded her in the hand near her wrist, and then
      he sprang upon me too as though he were a god. Had I not run for
      it I must either have lain there for long enough in torments
      among the ghastly corpses, or have been eaten alive with spears
      till I had no more strength left in me.”

      Jove looked angrily at him and said, “Do not come whining here,
      Sir Facing-both-ways. I hate you worst of all the gods in
      Olympus, for you are ever fighting and making mischief. You have
      the intolerable and stubborn spirit of your mother Juno: it is
      all I can do to manage her, and it is her doing that you are now
      in this plight: still, I cannot let you remain longer in such
      great pain; you are my own offspring, and it was by me that your
      mother conceived you; if, however, you had been the son of any
      other god, you are so destructive that by this time you should
      have been lying lower than the Titans.”

      He then bade Paeeon heal him, whereon Paeeon spread pain-killing
      herbs upon his wound and cured him, for he was not of mortal
      mould. As the juice of the fig-tree curdles milk, and thickens it
      in a moment though it is liquid, even so instantly did Paeeon
      cure fierce Mars. Then Hebe washed him, and clothed him in goodly
      raiment, and he took his seat by his father Jove all glorious to
      behold.

      But Juno of Argos and Minerva of Alalcomene, now that they had
      put a stop to the murderous doings of Mars, went back again to
      the house of Jove.