hurled　him　from　the　heavenly　threshold　till　he　came　fainting　down　to
  earth；　yet　even　this　did　not　relieve　my　mind　from　the　incessant
  anxiety　which　I　felt　about　noble　Hercules　whom　you　and　Boreas　had
  spitefully　conveyed　beyond　the　seas　to　Cos；　after　suborning　the
  tempests；　but　I　rescued　him；　and　notwithstanding　all　his　mighty
  labours　I　brought　him　back　again　to　Argos。　I　would　remind　you　of
  this　that　you　may　learn　to　leave　off　being　so　deceitful；　and
  discover　how　much　you　are　likely　to　gain　by　the　embraces　out　of
  which　you　have　come　here　to　trick　me。〃
  Juno　trembled　as　he　spoke；　and　said；　〃May　heaven　above　and　earth
  below　be　my　witnesses；　with　the　waters　of　the　river　Styx…　and　this
  is　the　most　solemn　oath　that　a　blessed　god　can　take…　nay；　I　swear　also
  by　your　own　almighty　head　and　by　our　bridal　bed…　things　over　which　I
  could　never　possibly　perjure　myself…　that　Neptune　is　not　punishing
  Hector　and　the　Trojans　and　helping　the　Achaeans　through　any　doing　of
  mine；　it　is　all　of　his　own　mere　motion　because　he　was　sorry　to　see　the
  Achaeans　hard　pressed　at　their　ships：　if　I　were　advising　him；　I　should
  tell　him　to　do　as　you　bid　him。〃
  The　sire　of　gods　and　men　smiled　and　answered；　〃If　you；　Juno；　were
  always　to　support　me　when　we　sit　in　council　of　the　gods；　Neptune；　like
  it　or　no；　would　soon　come　round　to　your　and　my　way　of　thinking。　If；
  then；　you　are　speaking　the　truth　and　mean　what　you　say；　go　among　the
  rank　and　file　of　the　gods；　and　tell　Iris　and　Apollo　lord　of　the　bow；
  that　I　want　them…　Iris；　that　she　may　go　to　the　Achaean　host　and　tell
  Neptune　to　leave　off　fighting　and　go　home；　and　Apollo；　that　he　may
  send　Hector　again　into　battle　and　give　him　fresh　strength；　he　will
  thus　forget　his　present　sufferings；　and　drive　the　Achaeans　back　in
  confusion　till　they　fall　among　the　ships　of　Achilles　son　of　Peleus。
  Achilles　will　then　send　his　comrade　Patroclus　into　battle；　and
  Hector　will　kill　him　in　front　of　Ilius　after　he　has　slain　many
  warriors；　and　among　them　my　own　noble　son　Sarpedon。　Achilles　will　kill
  Hector　to　avenge　Patroclus；　and　from　that　time　I　will　bring　it　about
  that　the　Achaeans　shall　persistently　drive　the　Trojans　back　till
  they　fulfil　the　counsels　of　Minerva　and　take　Ilius。　But　I　will　not
  stay　my　anger；　nor　permit　any　god　to　help　the　Danaans　till　I　have
  accomplished　the　desire　of　the　son　of　Peleus；　according　to　the　promise
  I　made　by　bowing　my　head　on　the　day　when　Thetis　touched　my　knees　and
  besought　me　to　give　him　honour。〃
  Juno　heeded　his　words　and　went　from　the　heights　of　Ida　to　great
  Olympus。　Swift　as　the　thought　of　one　whose　fancy　carries　him　over　vast
  continents；　and　he　says　to　himself；　〃Now　I　will　be　here；　or　there；〃
  and　he　would　have　all　manner　of　things…　even　so　swiftly　did　Juno
  wing　her　way　till　she　came　to　high　Olympus　and　went　in　among　the
  gods　who　were　gathered　in　the　house　of　Jove。　When　they　saw　her　they
  all　of　them　came　up　to　her；　and　held　out　their　cups　to　her　by　way　of
  greeting。　She　let　the　others　be；　but　took　the　cup　offered　her　by
  lovely　Themis；　who　was　first　to　come　running　up　to　her。　〃Juno；〃　said
  she；　〃why　are　you　here？　And　you　seem　troubled…　has　your　husband　the
  son　of　Saturn　been　frightening　you？〃
  And　Juno　answered；　〃Themis；　do　not　ask　me　about　it。　You　know　what
  a　proud　and　cruel　disposition　my　husband　has。　Lead　the　gods　to
  table；　where　you　and　all　the　immortals　can　hear　the　wicked　designs
  which　he　has　avowed。　Many　a　one；　mortal　and　immortal；　will　be
  angered　by　them；　however　peaceably　he　may　be　feasting　now。〃
  On　this　Juno　sat　down；　and　the　gods　were　troubled　throughout　the
  house　of　Jove。　Laughter　sat　on　her　lips　but　her　brow　was　furrowed　with
  care；　and　she　spoke　up　in　a　rage。　〃Fools　that　we　are；〃　she　cried；
  〃to　be　thus　madly　angry　with　Jove；　we　keep　on　wanting　to　go　up　to
  him　and　stay　him　by　force　or　by　persuasion；　but　he　sits　aloof　and
  cares　for　nobody；　for　he　knows　that　he　is　much　stronger　than　any　other
  of　the　immortals。　Make　the　best；　therefore；　of　whatever　ills　he　may
  choose　to　send　each　one　of　you；　Mars；　I　take　it；　has　had　a　taste　of
  them　already；　for　his　son　Ascalaphus　has　fallen　in　battle…　the　man
  whom　of　all　others　he　loved　most　dearly　and　whose　father　he　owns
  himself　to　be。〃
  When　he　heard　this　Mars　smote　his　two　sturdy　thighs　with　the　flat　of
  his　hands；　and　said　in　anger；　〃Do　not　blame　me；　you　gods　that　dwell　in
  heaven；　if　I　go　to　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans　and　avenge　the　death　of
  my　son；　even　though　it　end　in　my　being　struck　by　Jove's　lightning
  and　lying　in　blood　and　dust　among　the　corpses。〃
  As　he　spoke　he　gave　orders　to　yoke　his　horses　Panic　and　Rout；
  while　he　put　on　his　armour。　On　this；　Jove　would　have　been　roused　to
  still　more　fierce　and　implacable　enmity　against　the　other　immortals；
  had　not　Minerva；　ararmed　for　the　safety　of　the　gods；　sprung　from　her
  seat　and　hurried　outside。　She　tore　the　helmet　from　his　head　and　the
  shield　from　his　shoulders；　and　she　took　the　bronze　spear　from　his
  strong　hand　and　set　it　on　one　side；　then　she　said　to　Mars；　〃Madman；
  you　are　undone；　you　have　ears　that　hear　not；　or　you　have　lost　all
  judgement　and　understanding；　have　you　not　heard　what　Juno　has　said
  on　coming　straight　from　the　presence　of　Olympian　Jove？　Do　you　wish
  to　go　through　all　kinds　of　suffering　before　you　are　brought　back
  sick　and　sorry　to　Olympus；　after　having　caused　infinite　mischief　to
  all　us　others？　Jove　would　instantly　leave　the　Trojans　and　Achaeans
  to　themselves；　he　would　come　to　Olympus　to　punish　us；　and　would　grip
  us　up　one　after　another；　guilty　or　not　guilty。　Therefore　lay　aside
  your　anger　for　the　death　of　your　son；　better　men　than　he　have　either
  been　killed　already　or　will　fall　hereafter；　and　one　cannot　protect
  every　one's　whole　family。〃
  With　these　words　she　took　Mars　back　to　his　seat。　Meanwhile　Juno
  called　Apollo　outside；　with　Iris　the　messenger　of　the　gods。　〃Jove；〃
  she　said　to　them；　〃desires　you　to　go　to　him　at　once　on　Mt。　Ida；　when
  you　have　seen　him　you　are　to　do　as　he　may　then　bid　you。〃
  Thereon　Juno　left　them　and　resumed　her　seat　inside；　while　Iris　and
  Apollo　made　all　haste　on　their　way。　When　they　reached
  many…fountained　Ida；　mother　of　wild　beasts；　they　found　Jove　seated
  on　topmost　Gargarus　with　a　fragrant　cloud　encircling　his　head　as
  with　a　diadem。　They　stood　before　his　presence；　and　he　was　pleased　with
  them　for　having　been　so　quick　in　obeying　the　orders　his　wife　had　given
  them。
  He　spoke　to　Iris　first。　〃Go；〃　said　he；　〃fleet　Iris；　tell　King
  Neptune　what　I　now　bid　you…　and　tell　him　true。　Bid　him　leave　off
  fighting；　and　either　join　the　company　of　the　gods；　or　go　down　into　the
  sea。　If　he　takes　no　heed　and　disobeys　me；　let　him　consider　well
  whether　he　is　strong　enough　to　hold　his　own　against　me　if　I　attack
  him。　I　am　older　and　much　stronger　than　he　is；　yet　he　is　not　afraid
  to　set　himself　up　as　on　a　level　with　myself；　of　whom　all　the　other
  gods　stand　in　awe。〃
  Iris；　fleet　as　the　wind；　obeyed　him；　and　as　the　cold　hail　or
  snowflakes　that　fly　from　out　the　clouds　before　the　blast　of　Boreas；
  even　so　did　she　wing　her　way　till　she　came　close　up　to　the　great
  shaker　of　the　earth。　Then　she　said；　〃I　have　come；　O　dark…haired　king
  that　holds　the　world　in　his　embrace；　to　bring　you　a　message　from　Jove。
  He　bids　you　leave　off　fighting；　and　either　join　the　company　of　the
  gods　or　go　down　into　the　sea；　if；　however；　you　take　no　heed　and
  disobey　him；　he　says　he　will　come　down　here　and　fight　you。　He　would
  have　you　keep　out　of　his　reach；　for　he　is　older　and　much　stronger　than
  you　are；　and　yet　you　are　not　afraid　to　set　yourself　up　as　on　a　level
  with　himself；　of　whom　all　the　other　gods　stand　in　awe。〃
  Neptune　was　very　angry　and　said；　〃Great　heavens！　strong　as　Jove
  may　be；　he　has　said　more　than　he　can　do　if　he　has　threatened
  violence　against　me；　who　am　of　like　honour　with　himself。　We　were　three
  brothers　whom　Rhea　bore　to　Saturn…　Jove；　myself；　and　Hades　who　rules
  the　world　below。　Heaven　and　earth　were　divided　into　three　parts；　and
  each　of　us　was　to　have　an　equal　share。　When　we　cast　lots；　it　fell　to
  me　to　have　my　dwelling　in　the　sea　for　evermore；　Hades　took　the
  darkness　of　the　realms　under　the　earth；　while　air　and　sky　and　clouds
  were　the　portion　that　fell　to　Jove；　but　earth　and　great　Olympus　are
  the　common　property　of　all。　Therefore　I　will　not　walk　as　Jove　would
  have　me。　For　all　his　strength；　let　him　keep　to　his　own　third　share　and
  be　contented　without　threatening　to　lay　hands　upon　me　as　though　I　were
  nobody。　Let　him　keep　his　bragging　talk　for　his　own　sons　and　daughters；
  who　must　perforce　obey　him。
  Iris　fleet　as　the　wind　then　answered；　〃Am　I　really；　Neptune；　to　take
  this　daring　and　unyielding　message　to　Jove；　or　will　you　reconsider
  your　answer？　Sensible　people　are　open　to　argument；　and　you　know　that
  the　Erinyes　always　range　themselves　on　the　side　of　the　older　person。〃
  Neptune　answered；　〃Goddess　Iris；　your　words　have　been　spoken　in
  season。　It　is　well　when　a　messenger　shows　so　much　discretion。
  Nevertheless　it　cuts　me　to　the　very　heart　that　any　one　should　rebuke
  so　angrily　another　who　is　his　own　peer；　and　of　like　empire　with
  himself。　Now；　however；　I　will　give　way　in　spite　of　my　displeasure；
  furthermore　let　me　tell　you；　and　I　mean　what　I　say…　if　contrary　to　the
  desire　of　myself；　Minerva　d