The Iliad of Homer, Homer [reading fiction TXT] 📗

commands which warlike Diomede gave him: but he detained his own solid-hoofed steeds apart from the tumult, having stretched forth the reins from the rim; and rushing forward, drove from the Trojans to the well-greaved Greeks the beautiful-maned steeds of Æneas, and gave them to Deipylus, his beloved companion (whom he honoured above all his coevals, because he possessed in his mind sentiments congenial with himself), to drive them to the hollow ships: but the hero himself, having ascended his chariot, took the splendid reins; and instantly drove his solid-hoofed steeds after the son of Tydeus with ardour; but Diomede pursued Venus with the cruel steel, 212 knowing that she was an unwarlike goddess, nor [one] of those goddesses who administer the war of men, neither Minerva, nor city-destroying Bellona. But when he had now overtaken her, having pursued her through a great crowd, then the son of magnanimous Tydeus, having stretched forward, wounded the feeble [goddess] in the extremity of the hand, bounding on with the sharp brass. Instantly the spear pierced through the skin, through her ambrosial robe (which the Graces themselves had wrought), at the extremity [of the hand] above the palm. Immortal blood flowed from the goddess, ichor, such, to wit, as flows from the blessed gods. For they eat not bread, nor drink dark wine; therefore are they bloodless, and are called immortal. But she screaming aloud, cast her son from her: and him Phoebus Apollo rescued in his hands in a sable cloud, lest any of the swift-horsed Greeks, casting the steel into his breast, should take away his life. But warlike Diomede shouted loudly after her: Footnote 211:(return) Cf. Theocrit. i. 105: Ού λέγεται τὰν Κύπριν ὸ βουκόλος, ἕρπε ποτ' Ἰδὰν, Ἔρπε ποτ' Ἀγχίσαν. See Hymn, in Vener. 54, sqq.; and Grote, Hist. of Greece, vol. i. p. 73. Footnote 212:(return) It is well known that these battles and woundings of the gods gave so much scandal to Plato, that he wished to cast Homer out of his republic, much to the indignation of Heraclides Ponticus, Alleg. Hom. p. 511. The fathers of the early church made no small use of Plato's opinion on this head. Cf. Euseb. P. E. ii. 10; Tertull. Apol. § xiv.; Augustin, C. D. ii. 14; Minucius Felix, 22; who all make use of his testimony as an argument against Paganism. See Coleridge, Classic Poets, p. 64.

"Withdraw, O daughter of Jove, from war and battle. Is it not sufficient that thou dost practise deception upon feeble women? But if thou wilt go to the war, I certainly think thou wilt hereafter dread battle, even though thou but hearest of it elsewhere."

Thus he spoke: but she departed, distracted [with pain], for she was grievously exhausted. But swift-footed Iris having taken her, led her outside the crowd, oppressed with griefs; but she began to turn livid as to her beauteous skin. Then she found impetuous Mars sitting at the left of the battle; and his spear and swift horses had been enveloped in darkness. But she, falling on her knees, with many entreaties besought from her dear brother his golden-frontleted steeds:

"Dear brother, render me a service, and give me thy steeds, that I may go to Olympus, where is the seat of the immortals. I am grievously oppressed with a wound which a mortal man, the son of Tydeus, inflicted on me, who now would fight even with father Jove."

Thus she spoke: but Mars gave her the golden-frontleted steeds. But she mounted the chariot, grieving in her heart; and Iris mounted beside her, and took the reins in her hands, and scourged them to go on, and they flew not unwillingly. And immediately then they reached the seat of the gods, the lofty Olympus. There nimble, swift-footed Iris stayed the steeds, having loosed them from the chariot, and set before them ambrosial fodder. But the goddess Venus fell at the knees of her mother Dione; and she embraced her daughter in her arms, and soothed her with her hand, and addressed her, and said:

"Which of the heavenly gods, beloved daughter, has wantonly done such things to thee, as if thou hadst openly wrought some evil?"

But her laughter-loving Venus answered: "The son of Tydeus, haughty Diomede, has wounded me, because I was withdrawing from battle my beloved son Æneas, who is by far most dear to me of all. For it is no longer the destructive contest of Trojans and of Greeks; but now the Greeks fight even with the immortals."

But her Dione, divine one of goddesses, answered: "Endure, my daughter, and bear up, although grieved; for many of us, possessing Olympian habitations, have in times past endured pains at the hand of men, 213 imposing heavy griefs on one another. Mars, in the first place, endured it, when Otus and valiant Ephialtes, the sons of Aloëus, bound him in a strong chain. He was chained in a brazen prison for thirteen months: and perhaps Mars, insatiate of war, had perished there, had not his stepmother, all-fair Eëribæa, told it to Mercury; but he stole Mars away, already exhausted, for the cruel chain subdued him. Juno also suffered, when the brave son of Amphitryon smote her in the right breast with a three-pronged shaft. Then most irremediable pain seized her. Amongst these Pluto also endured a swift shaft, when the same hero, the son of ægis-bearing Jove, afflicted him with pains at Pylos amongst the dead, having wounded him. But he went to the palace of Jove, and the lofty Olympus, grieving in his heart, and transfixed with pains; for the shaft had pierced into his huge shoulder, and tortured his soul. But Pæon healed him, sprinkling pain-assuaging remedies, for he was not at all mortal. Audacious, regardless one! who felt no compunction in doing lawless deeds,--who with his bow violated the gods that dwell in Olympus. But against thee azure-eyed goddess Minerva has excited this man. Infatuate! nor does the son of Tydeus know this in his mind, that he is by no means long-lived who fights with the immortals, nor ever at his knees will sons lisp a father's name, as he returns from war and dreadful battle. Therefore, let the son of Tydeus now, though he be very brave, have a care, lest a better than thou fight with him: lest at a future time Ægialëa, the very prudent daughter of Adrastus, the noble spouse of horse-taming Diomede, grieving, should rouse her servants from sleep, longing for the husband of her youth, the bravest of the Greeks."

Footnote 213:(return) Speaking of these humiliations of the gods, Grote, Hist. t. i. p. 78, well observes: "The god who serves is for a time degraded; but the supreme god who commands the servitude is in the like proportion exalted, whilst the idea of some sort of order and government among these super-human beings was never lost sight of."

She spoke, and with her palms wiped off the ichor from her hand: the hand was healed, and the severe pains mitigated. But then Minerva and Juno looking on, provoked Saturnian Jove with heart-cutting words; but amidst them azure-eyed goddess Minerva thus began speaking:

"Father Jove, wilt thou indeed be angry with me on account of what I shall say? Surely it must be that Venus, inspiring some one of the Grecian women with a desire of accompanying the Trojans, whom now she exceedingly loves, while caressing one of those fair-robed Grecian women, has torn her delicate hand against a golden buckle."

Thus she spoke: but the father of men and gods smiled, and having called, he thus accosted golden Venus:

"Not to thee, daughter mine, are intrusted warlike works; but do thou confine thyself to the desirable offices of marriage, and all these things shall be a care to swift Mars and to Minerva."

Thus they, indeed, were speaking such things to each other. But Diomede, doughty in the din of battle, rushed upon Æneas, conscious that Apollo himself held over him his hands. But he revered not the mighty god, for he always longed to slay Æneas, and despoil him of his glorious armour. Thrice then, immediately, he rushed on, eager to slay him, and thrice Apollo repelled his shield with violence; but when at length the fourth time he rushed on, like a god, the far-darting Apollo menacing terribly, addressed him: "Consider, O son of Tydeus, and retire, nor wish to think things equal with the gods; for the race of the immortal gods and of men walking on the earth is in nowise similar."

Thus he spoke: but the son of Tydeus retired a little, biding the wrath of far-darting Apollo. But Apollo placed Æneas apart from the crowd, in sacred Pergamus, where his temple was. 214 Latona and shaft-rejoicing Diana healed him in the mighty shrine, and adorned him with glory. But silver-bowed Apollo formed a phantom like unto Æneas himself and such in arms. Around the phantom the Trojans and the noble Greeks smote on each others' breasts the well-battered ox-hide shields, and the light bucklers. Then at length Phœbus Apollo addressed impetuous Mars:

Footnote 214:(return) "On the Trojan citadel of Pergamus itself was a temple of Apollo, Diana and Latona; and hence Homer represents these three deities protecting the falling city."--Μüller, Dorians, vol. i. p. 248.

"Mars! Mars! man-slaughterer, gore-tainted, wall-batterer! wouldst not thou now, meeting this man, the son of Venus, withdraw him from the battle, who would even now cope with father Jove? First, indeed, in close combat, he wounded Venus in the hand, at the wrist; but then he assailed me, like unto a god."

Thus having spoken, he sat down on lofty Pergamus; but destructive Mars aroused the ranks of the Trojans, going through them, assimilating himself to Acamus, the swift leader of the Thracians, and thus he harangued the Jove-nourished sons of Priam:

"Ye sons of Priam, Jove-nourished king, how long will ye suffer the people to be slain by the Greeks? Is it until they fight around the well-made gates? A hero lies prostate, whom we honoured equally with noble Hector, the son of magnanimous Anchises. But come, let us rescue from the assault our excellent companion."

Thus having spoken, he excited the might and courage of heart. Then Sarpedon much rebuked noble Hector:

Hector, where now has that strength gone, which thou didst formerly possess? Thou saidst, I ween, that thou, with thy kindred and thy brothers, couldst defend the city without the forces and allies. Now I can neither see nor perceive any of these; but they crouch down, like dogs but a lion: we, on the contrary, who are here mere allies, bear the brunt of the fight. Even I, being thine ally, have come from a very great distance; for far off is Lycia, at lying Xanthus, where I left my beloved wife and my infant son, and many possessions, which he who is poor covets: but I, nevertheless, exhort the Lycians, and ready myself to fight with that hero; and yet there is here to me such store as the Greeks can carry or let. But thou standest still, and dost not exhort even the forces to stand and to defend their wives. Beware perchance, as though ensnared in the meshes of an a turing net, thou become a prey and a spoil to hostile for quickly will they destroy thy well-inhabited city. As it behoves thee, both night and day, to interest thyself in these matters, beseeching the chiefs of thy far-summoned force to persevere with ardour, and forego their violent strife.

Thus spoke Sarpedon, but his speech gnawed the heart of Hector, and immediately he leaped from his chariot with his armour to the ground, and brandishing his sharp spear, went in all directions through the army, exhorting the battle; and he stirred up a grievous conflict. The Trojans rallied and stood against