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　corpes；　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…bothways。　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　off…spring；　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。
  BOOK　VI
  THE　fight　between　Trojans　and　Achaeans　was　now　left　to　rage　as　it
  would；　and　the　tide　of　war　surged　hither　and　thither　over　the　plain　as
  they　aimed　their　bronze…shod　spears　at　one　another　between　the　streams
  of　Simois　and　Xanthus。
  First；　Ajax　son　of　Telamon；　tower　of　strength　to　the　Achaeans；　broke
  a　phalanx　of　the　Trojans；　and　came　to　the　assistance　of　his　comrades
  by　killing　Acamas　son　of　Eussorus；　the　best　man　among　the　Thracians；
  being　both　brave　and　of　great　stature。　The　spear　struck　the　projecting
  peak　of　his　helmet：　its　bronze　point　then　went　through　his　forehead
  into　the　brain；　and　darkness　veiled　his　eyes。
  Then　Diomed　killed　Axylus　son　of　Teuthranus；　a　rich　man　who　lived　in
  the　strong　city　of　Arisbe；　and　was　beloved　by　all　men；　for　he　had　a
  house　by　the　roadside；　and　entertained　every　one　who　passed；　howbeit
  not　one　of　his　guests　stood　before　him　to　save　his　life；　and　Diomed
  killed　both　him　and　his　squire　Calesius；　who　was　then　his
  charioteer…　so　the　pair　passed　beneath　the　earth。
  Euryalus　killed　Dresus　and　Opheltius；　and　then　went　in　pursuit　of
  Aesepus　and　Pedasus；　whom　the　naiad　nymph　Abarbarea　had　borne　to　noble
  Bucolion。　Bucolion　was　eldest　son　to　Laomedon；　but　he　was　a　bastard。
  While　tending　his　sheep　he　had　converse　with　the　nymph；　and　she
  conceived　twin　sons；　these　the　son　of　Mecisteus　now　slew；　and　he
  stripped　the　armour　from　their　shoulders。　Polypoetes　then　killed
  Astyalus；　Ulysses　Pidytes　of　Percote；　and　Teucer　Aretaon。　Ablerus　fell
  by　the　spear　of　Nestor's　son　Antilochus；　and　Agamemnon；　king　of　men；
  killed　Elatus　who　dwelt　in　Pedasus　by　the　banks　of　the　river
  Satnioeis。　Leitus　killed　Phylacus　as　he　was　flying；　and　Eurypylus　slew
  Melanthus。
  Then　Menelaus　of　the　loud　war…cry　took　Adrestus　alive；　for　his
  horses　ran　into　a　tamarisk　bush；　as　they　were　flying　wildly　over　the
  plain；　and　broke　the　pole　from　the　car；　they　went　on　towards　the
  city　along　with　the　others　in　full　flight；　but　Adrestus　rolled　out；
  and　fell　in　the　dust　flat　on　his　face　by　the　wheel　of　his　chariot；
  Menelaus　came　up　to　him　spear　in　hand；　but　Adrestus　caught　him　by
  the　knees　begging　for　his　life。　〃Take　me　alive；〃　he　cried；　〃son　of
  Atreus；　and　you　shall　have　a　full　ransom　for　me：　my　father　is　rich　and
  has　much　treasure　of　gold；　bronze；　and　wrought　iron　laid　by　in　his
  house。　From　this　store　he　will　give　you　a　large　ransom　should　he
  hear　of　my　being　alive　and　at　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans。〃
  Thus　did　he　plead；　and　Menelaus　was　for　yielding　and　giving　him　to　a
  squire　to　take　to　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans；　but　Agamemnon　came
  running　up　to　him　and　rebuked　him。　〃My　good　Menelaus；〃　said　he；
  〃this　is　no　time　for　giving　quarter。　Has；　then；　your　house　fared　so
  well　at　the　hands　of　the　Trojans？　Let　us　not　spare　a　single　one　of
  them…　not　even　the　child　unborn　and　in　its　mother's　womb；　let　not　a
  man　of　them　be　left　alive；　but　let　all　in　Ilius　perish；　unheeded　and
  forgotten。〃
  Thus　did　he　speak；　and　his　brother　was　persuaded　by　him；　for　his
  words　were　just。　Menelaus；　therefore；　thrust　Adrestus　from　him；
  whereon　King　Agamemnon　struck　him　in　the　flank；　and　he　fell：　then
  the　son　of　Atreus　planted　his　foot　upon　his　breast　to　draw　his　spear
  from　the　body。
  Meanwhile　Nestor　shouted　to　the　Argives；　saying；　〃My　friends；　Danaan
  warriors；　servants　of　Mars；　let　no　man　lag　that　he　may　spoil　the　dead；
  and　bring　back　much　booty　to　the　ships。　Let　us　kill　as　many　as　we　can；
  the　bodies　will　lie　upon　the　plain；　and　you　can　despoil　them　later
  at　your　leisure。〃
  With　these　words　he　put　heart　and　soul　into　them　all。　And　now　the
  Trojans　would　have　been　routed　and　driven　back　into　Ilius；　had　not
  Priam's　son　Helenus；　wisest　of　augurs；　said　to　Hector　and　Aeneas；
  〃Hector　and　Aeneas；　you　two　are　the　mainstays　of　the　Trojans　and
  Lycians；　for　you　are　foremost　at　all　times；　alike　in　fight　and
  counsel；　hold　your　ground　here；　and　go　about　among　the　host　to　rally
  them　in　front　of　the　gates；　or　they　will　fling　themselves　into　the
  arms　of　their　wives；　to　the　great　joy　of　our　foes。　Then；　when　you　have
  put　heart　into　all　our　companies；　we　will　stand　firm　here　and　fight
  the　Danaans　however　hard　they　press　us；　for　there　is　nothing　else　to
  be　done。　Meanwhile　do　you；　Hector；　go　to　the　city　and　tell　our
  mother　what　is　happening。　Tell　her　to　bid　the　matrons　gather　at　the
  temple　of　Minerva　in　the　acropolis；　let　her　then　take　her　key　and　open
  the　doors　of　the　sacred　building；　there；　upon　the　knees　of　Minerva；
  let　her　lay　the　largest；　fairest　robe　she　has　in　her　house…　the　one
  she　sets　most　store　by；　let　her；　moreover；　promise　to　sacrifice　twelve
  yearling　heifers　that　have　never　yet　felt　the　goad；　in　the　temple　of
  the　goddess；　if　she　will　take　pity　on　the　town；　with　the　wives　and
  little　ones　of　the　Trojans；　and　keep　the　son　of　Tydeus　from　falling　on
  the　goodly　city　of　Ilius；　for　he　fights　with　fury　and　fills　men's
  souls　with　panic。　I　hold　him　mightiest　of　them　all；　we　did　not　fear
  even　their　great　champion　Achilles；　son　of　a　goddess　though　he　be；
  as　we　do　this　man：　his　rage　i