Thus saying, she aroused the strength and courage of each. The azure-eyed goddess Minerva rushed towards the son of Tydeus; but she found that prince by his steeds and chariot, cooling the wound which Pandarus had inflicted on him with a shaft. For perspiration had afflicted him beneath the broad belt of his well-orbed shield: with this was he afflicted, and he was fatigued as to his hand; and raising the belt, he wiped away the black gore. Then the goddess touched the yoke of the horses, and said: “Little like himself has Tydeus begotten a son. Tydeus was certainly small in body, but a warrior. And even when I suffered him not to fight, nor to rush furiously to battle, when he came far from the Greeks, an ambassador to Thebes to the numerous Cadmeans, I commanded him to feast quietly in the palaces; but he, retaining his doughty spirit, as before, challenged the youths, the Cadmeans, and easily conquered them in everything; so great an auxiliary was I to him. But thee, indeed, I stand by and preserve, and I exhort thee freely to fight against the Trojans. But either weariness, from great toil, has entered thy limbs, or at least disheartening fear in some manner possesses thee. Thou art not henceforth to be deemed at least the son of Tydeus, the gallant son of Æneus.” But her valiant Diomede answering addressed: “I know thee, O goddess, daughter of ægis-bearing Jove; therefore will I willingly tell this word to thee, nor will I conceal it. Neither does any disheartening fear possess me, nor any sloth: but as yet I am mindful of thy mandates, which thou didst enjoin. Thou didst not suffer me to fight with the other happy gods; but if Venus, the daughter of Jove, should come into the battle, to wound her at least with the sharp steel. Wherefore now I myself retire, and have ordered all the other Greeks to be collected here: for I perceive Mars dispensing the battle.” But him the azure-eyed goddess Minerva then answered: “Diomede, son of Tydeus, most dear to my soul, neither fear this Mars at all, nor any other of the immortals; such an auxiliary am I to thee. But come, first direct thy solid-hoofed steeds against Mars, strike him in close combat, nor regard impetuous Mars, this frenzied and unnatural pest, shifter from one to another; who lately haranguing promised me and Juno, that he would fight against the Trojans, and aid the Greeks; but now he mixes with the Trojans, and has forgotten these.”