“Father Jove, art thou not incensed beholding these violent deeds? Ever, of a truth, are we deities suffering most grievous woes from the machinations of each other, and [whilst] conferring favour upon men. We all are indignant with thee; 232 for thou hast begotten a mad, pernicious daughter, to whom evil works are ever a care. For all the other gods, as many as are in Olympus, obey thee, and unto thee each of us is subject. But her thou restrainest not by words, nor by any act, but dost indulge her, since thou thyself didst beget this destructive daughter. Who now has urged on Diomede, the overbearing son of Tydeus, to rage against the immortal gods. Venus he first wounded, in close fight, in the hand at the wrist; and, equal to a god, he afterwards rushed on myself; but my swift feet withdrew me; [otherwise] I should certainly for a long time have endured woes there amidst the dreadful heaps of slain, or living should have been exhausted by the strokes of the brass.” Footnote 232: (return) Or, “through thee we are all at variance,” taking σοί as put for διά σέ with Lesbonax, πεοί σχημ. p. 186; Hesychius, t. ii. p. 1234, and the Scholiast. Him sternly regarding, cloud-compelling Jove addressed: “Complain not to me, inconstant one, sitting by me: for thou art most hateful to me, of all the gods that possess Olympus: for to thee discord is ever grateful, and wars and battles: thou hast thy mother Juno’s insufferable and unbending disposition, which I myself can scarcely repress with words. Wherefore I think thou sufferest these things by her instigation. Yet no longer can I endure thy suffering pain, for thou art my offspring, and to me thy mother brought thee forth. But hadst thou, destructive as thou art, been born of any other of the gods, even long since hadst thou been far lower than the sons of Uranus.” Thus he spoke, and ordered Pæon to heal him: and Pæon healed him, spreading [on his wound] pain-assuaging medicines; for he was not by any means mortal. As when fig-tree juice, 233 on being stirred about, curdles the white milk, fluid before, and it very rapidly coagulates, while one is mixing it; thus at that time did he speedily heal impetuous Mars. Hebe then washed him, and put on him beautiful garments. Then, exulting in glory, near Saturnian Jove he sat down. And now again Argive Juno and the powerful assistant Minerva returned to the palace of mighty Jove, after having stayed man-slaying Mars from his deeds of slaughter. Footnote 233: (return) Used as rennet. BOOK THE SIXTH. ARGUMENT.