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　to　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　on　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；　head…strong；
  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　t