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