The Iliad of Homer Part 12

[Footnote 203: Schol.: ????sta?, ?? t?? ????? ????? d?a?e?e???

?????????. Apoll. Lex. p. 854: ?? a????e? p??s????te? ?at?

?????, ?a? ???a ??ta t?? s??e???? t? ???ata ??????????te?.]

Then he seized Echemon and Chromius, two sons of Dardanian Priam, being in one chariot. As when a lion, leaping amidst the herd, has broken the neck of a heifer or of an ox pasturing in a thicket; so did the son of Tydeus forcibly dislodge them both from the chariot against their wills, and then spoiled them of their arms. But the steeds he gave to his companions, to drive to the ships.

But him aeneas beheld devastating the ranks of men, and he hastened to go both through the battle and the din o spears, seeking G.o.dlike Pandarus, if anywhere he might find him. He found the blameless and valiant son of Lycaon, and stood before him, and spoke [this] word to him:

"O Pandarus, where are thy bow and thy winged shafts, and thy renown, with which no man here at least contends with thee, nor does any person in Lycia boast to be braver than thou? But come, having raised thy hands to Jove, aim an arrow against this man, (whoever he be, who is thus prevailing, and who has already wrought many ills against the Trojans, since he has relaxed the knees of many and of brave), unless he be some G.o.d, wrathful against the Trojans, angry on account of sacrifices [not offered]: and unless the severe wrath of a deity be upon us."

Him the ill.u.s.trious son of Lycaon answered in turn: "aeneas, counsellor of the brazen-mailed Trojans, I a.s.similate him in all respects to the warlike son of Tydeus, recognizing him by his shield and oblong helmet, and looking on his steeds: but I do not know certainly whether he be a G.o.d. But if this man, whom I speak of, be the warlike son of Tydeus, he does not perform these frantic deeds without divine aid, but some one of the immortals stands near, wrapped round as to his shoulders[204] in a cloud, who has turned into another course the swift shaft just about to hit him. For but just now I aimed an arrow at him, and struck him on the right shoulder, entirely through the cavity of his corslet; and I thought I should hurl him down to Plato; yet did I not altogether subdue him; some G.o.d, of a truth, is wrathful. And steeds and chariots are not present, which I might ascend: but somewhere in the palaces of Lycaon [are] eleven chariots, beautiful, newly-built, lately made: coverings are spread around them: and beside each of them stand steeds yoked in pairs, eating white barley and wheat. Of a truth the aged warrior Lycaon gave me, on setting out, very many commands in his well-built palaces: he ordered me, having ascended my steeds and my chariot, to command the Trojans in the fierce conflicts; but I heeded him not (and truly it would have been much better), sparing my steeds, lest they, accustomed to feed largely, should want food, to my cost[205], the men being shut up [in the city]. Thus I left them; but I have come on foot to Troy, relying on my bow and arrows, but these were not destined to profit me.

For lately I aimed [a shaft] at two chiefs, at the son of Tydeus and the son of Atreus; and having struck, I drew blood manifestly from both; but I roused them the more. Therefore, with evil fate I took down my curved bow from the peg, on that day when I led the Trojans to pleasant Ilium, doing a favour to divine Hector. But if I shall return, and shall with these eyes behold my country, and my wife, and my lofty-roofed great palace, immediately may some hostile man cut off my head, if I do not put this bow into the shining fire, having broken it with my hands; for it attends on me to no purpose."

[Footnote 204: Cf. Hor. Od. i. 2, 31: "Nube candentes humeros amictus."]

[Footnote 205: Observe the force of ??.]

Him then aeneas, the leader of the Trojans, addressed in turn: "Speak not so: but it will not be otherwise, before that we twain, with horses and chariot, going against this man, make trial of him with arms. But come, ascend my chariot; that thou mayest see of what kind are the steeds of Tros, skilful in the plain to pursue rapidly here and there, and to retreat; they also shall bring us safe again to the city, if Jove will a second time afford glory to Diomede, the son of Tydeus. But come, take the whip now, and the shining reins, and I will descend from the chariot, that I may fight; or do thou await this man, and the steeds shall be my care."

Him then the ill.u.s.trious son of Lycaon answered in turn: "aeneas, do thou thyself hold the reins and thy own steeds: the better will they bear along the curved chariot under their accustomed charioteer, if we shall fly back from the son of Tydeus; lest they, taking fright, should become restive, and be unwilling to bear us away from the war, missing thy voice, and the son of magnanimous Tydeus, rushing on us, should slay ourselves, and drive away thy solid-hoofed steeds. But do thou thyself drive the chariot and thy own steeds, but with my sharp spear will I receive him advancing."

Thus having said, ascending the variegated chariot, they directed the swift steeds impetuously against the son of Tydeus. But Sthenelus, the ill.u.s.trious son of Capaneus, perceived them, and immediately to the son of Tydeus he spoke winged words:

"Diomede, son of Tydeus, most dear to my soul, I perceive two valiant men eager to fight against thee, possessing immense might; one, indeed, well-skilled in the bow,[206] Pandarus, and moreover he boasts to be the son of Lycaon, and aeneas, [who] boasts to be born the son of magnanimous Anchises; but Venus is his mother. But come, let us now retire, having ascended our horses, nor thus, I pray thee, run furiously through the van, lest thou shouldst lose thy dear life."

But him sternly regarding, brave Diomede thus addressed: "Talk not to me of retreat,[207] since I think thou wilt not persuade me. It becomes not my nature to fight in a skulking manner, nor to tremble; as yet my strength is unimpaired. I am averse to mount the chariot, but even as I am will I advance to meet them: spear-brandishing Minerva does not suffer me to tremble. Never shall the swift horses bear these twain both back again from us, supposing even one of them shall escape. But another thing I tell thee, and do thou lay it up in thy soul, if most prudent Minerva should grant me the glory to kill both, then do thou detain here these swift steeds, stretching forth the reins from the rim, and, mindful, rush upon the horses of aeneas, and drive them from the Trojans to the well-greaved Greeks. For they are of that breed which far-seeing Jove gave as a price to Tros for his son Ganymede; wherefore they are the best of steeds, as many as are under the east and the sun. From this breed Anchises, king of men, stole them, having supplied mares without the knowledge of Laomedon: of the breed of these six were foaled in his courts. Reserving four himself, he nourished them at the manger, and two, skilled in rousing terror, he gave to aeneas. If we can take these, we shall have borne away excellent glory."

[Footnote 206: This bold change of construction, where one would have expected t?? ??, t??, d?, has been noticed by Lesbonax, p.

186.]

[Footnote 207: But Anthon, I think, with more spirit, renders this, "Speak not at all fearward."]

Thus they were speaking such things to each other; but the others soon drew near, urging onward their swift steeds. The ill.u.s.trious son of Lycaon first accosted Diomede:

"Stout-hearted, warlike-minded, son of ill.u.s.trious Tydeus, certainly my swift shaft, my bitter arrow has not slain thee. Now again will I try with my spear, whether I can hit my mark." [208]

He said, and brandishing [it], he sent forth his long-shadowed spear, and struck the shield of Tydides: but the brazen spear flying straight through, approached the corslet. Then the son of Lycaon shouted loudly over him:

"Thou art wounded in the flank, through and through, nor do I think thou wilt endure it much longer: but to me hast thou given great glory."

But him the valiant son of Tydeus, undisturbed, addressed: "Thou hast erred, nor hast thou reached thine aim;[209] but I certainly think thou wilt not cease, till one of you at least, having fallen, shall satiate Mars, the warrior of the bull's-hide shield, with his blood."

[Footnote 208: This is the best manner of expressing the full meaning of t????.]

[Footnote 209: _I. e._ given a mortal wound.]

Thus having spoken, he hurled forth [his lance], and Minerva directed the weapon to his nose, near the eye; and it pa.s.sed quite through his white teeth: and then unwearied, the bra.s.s cut the root of his tongue, and the point came out at the bottom of his chin. From his chariot he fell, and his variegated, shining [210] arms resounded upon him; but his swift-footed steeds started aside through fright, and there were his soul and strength dissolved. aeneas then bounded down with his shield and long spear, fearing lest the Greeks by any means should take the body away from him. He walked round it, therefore, like a lion, confiding in his strength: and before him he stretched out his lance, and his shield equal on all sides, shouting dreadfully, eager to slay him, whoever might come against him. But the son of Tydeus seized in his grasp a hand-stone, a huge affair, such as no two men could carry, such at least as mortals are now; but he even alone easily wielded it. With it he struck aeneas on the hip, where the thigh is turned in the hip;--they call it the socket;--the socket he smote violently, and broke besides both tendons, and the rugged stone tore off the skin. But the hero having fallen on his knees, remained so, and supported himself with his strong hand upon the ground, and dark night veiled his eyes.

[Footnote 210: But b.u.t.tm. Lexil. p. 65 prefers "agile," _i. e._ easily-wielded.]

And there, of a truth, aeneas, the king of men, had perished, unless Venus, the daughter of Jove, had quickly perceived him, his mother, who brought him forth to Anchises as he fed his oxen;[211] but around her own dear son she spread her white arms, and before him she extended the folds of her shining robe, as a fence against arrows, lest any of the swift-horsed Greeks having cast the steel into his breast, should take away his life. She, indeed, stealthily bore off her beloved son from the battle. Nor was the son of Capaneus forgetful of those 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 aeneas, 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 G.o.ddess, nor [one]

of those G.o.ddesses 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 [G.o.ddess] in the extremity of the hand, bounding on with the sharp bra.s.s. 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 G.o.ddess, ichor, such, to wit, as flows from the blessed G.o.ds. 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: Cf. Theocrit. i. 105: ?? ???eta? t?? ??p??? ?

???????, ??pe p?t' ?d??, ??pe p?t' ????sa?. See Hymn, in Vener.

54, sqq.; and Grote, Hist. of Greece, vol. i. p. 73.]

[Footnote 212: It is well known that these battles and woundings of the G.o.ds 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, Cla.s.sic 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 G.o.ds, 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 G.o.ddess 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 G.o.ds, 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 aeneas, 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 G.o.ddesses, 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 Aloeus, 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 Eeribaea, 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-p.r.o.nged shaft. Then most irremediable pain seized her. Amongst these Pluto also endured a swift shaft, when the same hero, the son of aegis-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 Paeon healed him, sprinkling pain-a.s.suaging 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 G.o.ds that dwell in Olympus. But against thee azure-eyed G.o.ddess 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 aegialea, the very prudent daughter of Adrastus, the n.o.ble 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: Speaking of these humiliations of the G.o.ds, Grote, Hist. t. i. p. 78, well observes: "The G.o.d who serves is for a time degraded; but the supreme G.o.d 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 G.o.ddess 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 G.o.ds 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 aeneas, conscious that Apollo himself held over him his hands. But he revered not the mighty G.o.d, for he always longed to slay aeneas, 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 G.o.d, the far-darting Apollo menacing terribly, addressed him: "Consider, O son of Tydeus, and retire, nor wish to think things equal with the G.o.ds; for the race of the immortal G.o.ds 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 aeneas 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 aeneas himself and such in arms. Around the phantom the Trojans and the n.o.ble Greeks smote on each others' b.r.e.a.s.t.s the well-battered ox-hide shields, and the light bucklers. Then at length Phbus Apollo addressed impetuous Mars:

[Footnote 214: "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."--?uller, 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 a.s.sailed me, like unto a G.o.d."

Thus having spoken, he sat down on lofty Pergamus; but destructive Mars aroused the ranks of the Trojans, going through them, a.s.similating 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 n.o.ble Hector, the son of magnanimous Anchises. But come, let us rescue from the a.s.sault our excellent companion."

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