Homer ILIAD : Rhapsody 5

Page 22

"Shame! ye Greeks! foul subjects of disgrace! admirable in form [alone]. As long, indeed, as divine Achilles was wont to be engaged in the war, the Trojans were not in the habit of advancing beyond the Dardan gates; for they dreaded his mighty spear; but now they fight at the hollow ships, far away from the city."

Thus saying, she aroused the strength and courage of each. The azure-eyed goddess Minerva rushed towards the son of Tydeus; but she found that prince by his steeds and chariot, cooling the wound which Pandarus had inflicted on him with a shaft. For perspiration had afflicted him beneath the broad belt of his well-orbed shield: with this was he afflicted, and he was fatigued as to his hand; and raising the belt, he wiped away the black gore. Then the goddess touched the yoke of the horses, and said:

"Little like himself has Tydeus begotten a son. Tydeus was certainly small in body, but a warrior. And even when I suffered him not to fight, nor to rush furiously to battle, when he came far from the Greeks, an ambassador to Thebes to the numerous Cadmeans, I commanded him to feast quietly in the palaces; but he, retaining his doughty spirit, as before, challenged the youths, the Cadmeans, and easily conquered them in everything; so great an auxiliary was I to him. But thee, indeed, I stand by and preserve, and I exhort thee freely to fight against the Trojans. But either weariness, from great toil, has entered thy limbs, or at least disheartening fear in some manner possesses thee. Thou art not henceforth to be deemed at least the son of Tydeus, the gallant son of AEneus."

But her valiant Diomede answering addressed: "I know thee, O goddess, daughter of aegis-bearing Jove; therefore will I willingly tell this word to thee, nor will I conceal it. Neither does any disheartening fear possess me, nor any sloth: but as yet I am mindful of thy mandates, which thou didst enjoin. Thou didst not suffer me to fight with the other happy gods; but if Venus, the daughter of Jove, should come into the battle, to wound her at least with the sharp steel. Wherefore now I myself retire, and have ordered all the other Greeks to be collected here: for I perceive Mars dispensing the battle."

But him the azure-eyed goddess Minerva then answered: "Diomede, son of Tydeus, most dear to my soul, neither fear this Mars at all, nor any other of the immortals; such an auxiliary am I to thee. But come, first direct thy solid-hoofed steeds against Mars, strike him in close combat, nor regard impetuous Mars, this frenzied and unnatural pest, shifter from one to another; who lately haranguing promised me and Juno, that he would fight against the Trojans, and aid the Greeks; but now he mixes with the Trojans, and has forgotten these."

Thus having said, she forced Sthenelus from his horses to the ground, dragging him back with her hand; but he promptly leaped down. Then the goddess herself, infuriate, ascended the chariot beside noble Diomede, and greatly did the beechen axle groan under the weight; for it bore a dreadful goddess and a very brave hero. Then Pallas Minerva seized the scourge and the reins. Straightway she drove the solid-hoofed steeds against Mars first. He, indeed, had just slain huge Periphas, the illustrious son of Ochesius, by far the bravest of the AEtolians. Him indeed gore-stained Mars slew; but Minerva put on the helmet of Pluto that impetuous Mars might not see her.

But when man-slaughtering Mars saw noble Diomede, he suffered huge Periphas to lie there, where first slaying him he had taken away his life, but he went straight against horse breaking Diomede. And when these came near, advancing against each other, Mars first, over the yoke and the reins of the steeds, stretched himself forward with his brazen spear, eager to take away his life. It then the azure-eyed goddess Minerva having caught in her hand, turned from the chariot, so as to be borne away in vain. But next Diomede, valiant in the din of war, made the attack with his brazen spear; and Pallas Minerva firmly fastened it in his lowest flank, where he was girt with his belt. In that very part striking, she wounded him, and tore his beautiful skin, and drew out the spear again. Then roared brazen Mars, as loud as nine or ten thousand men roar in war, joining the strife of battle. And then fear seized the terrified Greeks and Trojans, so loud bellowed Mars, insatiate of war.

And as when from the clouds, a gloomy haze appears, a heavy-blowing wind arising from heat; such did brazen Mars appear to Diomede, son of Tydeus, going amid the clouds into the broad heaven. Quickly he reached lofty Olympus, the seat of the gods, and sat near Saturnian Jove, grieving in his heart, and showed the immortal blood flowing down from the wound, and complaining, he spoke winged words:

"Father Jove, art thou not incensed beholding these violent deeds? Ever, of a truth, are we deities suffering most grievous woes from the machinations of each other, and [whilst] conferring favour upon men. We all are indignant with thee;[232] for thou hast begotten a mad, pernicious daughter, to whom evil works are ever a care. For all the other gods, as many as are in Olympus, obey thee, and unto thee each of us is subject. But her thou restrainest not by words, nor by any act, but dost indulge her, since thou thyself didst beget this destructive daughter. Who now has urged on Diomede, the overbearing son of Tydeus, to rage against the immortal gods. Venus he first wounded, in close fight, in the hand at the wrist; and, equal to a god, he afterwards rushed on myself; but my swift feet withdrew me; [otherwise] I should certainly for a long time have endured woes there amidst the dreadful heaps of slain, or living should have been exhausted by the strokes of the brass."

[Footnote 232: Or, "through thee we are all at variance," taking [Greek: soi] as put for [Greek: dia se] with Lesbonax, [Greek: peoi schem]. p. 186; Hesychius, t. ii. p. 1234, and the Scholiast.]

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