And bore him, deeply groaning, to the ships. Then Jove again the Trojan courage fir’d, And backward to the ditch they forc’d the Greeks. Proud of his prowess, Hector led them on; And as a hound that, fleet of foot, o’ertakes Or boar or lion, object of his chase, Springs from behind, and fastens on his flank, Yet careful watches, lest he turn to bay: So Hector press’d upon the long-hair’d Greeks, Slaying the hindmost; they in terror fled. But, pass’d at length the ditch and palisade, With loss of many by the Trojans slain, Before the ships they rallied from their flight, And one to other call’d: and one and all With hands uplifted, pray’d to all the Gods; While Hector, here and there, on ev’ry side His flying coursers wheel’d, with eyes that flash’d Awful as Gorgon’s, or as blood-stain’d Mars. Juno, the white-arm’d Queen, with pity mov’d, To Pallas thus her winged words address’d: “O Heav’n, brave child of aegis-bearing Jove, Can we, ev’n now, in this their sorest need, Refuse the Greeks our aid, by one subdued, One single man, of pride unbearable, Hector, the son of Priam, who e’en now, Hath caus’d them endless grief?” To whom again The blue-ey’d Goddess, Pallas, thus replied: “I too would fain behold him robb’d of life, In his own country slain by Grecian hands; But that my sire, by ill advice misled, Rages in wrath, still thwarting all my plans; Forgetting now how oft his son I sav’d, Sore wearied with the toils Eurystheus gave. Oft would his tears ascend to Heav’n, and oft From Heav’n would Jove despatch me to his aid; But if I then had known what now I know, When to the narrow gates of Pluto’s realm He sent him forth to bring from Erebus Its guardian dog, he never had return’d In safety from the marge of Styx profound. He holds me now in hatred, and his ear To Thetis lends, who kiss’d his knees, and touch’d His beard, and pray’d him to avenge her son Achilles; yet the time shall come when I Shall be once more his own dear blue-ey’d Maid. But haste thee now, prepare for us thy car, While to the house of aegis-bearing Jove I go, and don my armour for the fight, To prove if Hector of the glancing helm, The son of Priam, will unmov’d behold Us two advancing o’er the pass of war; Or if the flesh of Trojans, slain by Greeks, Shall sate the maw of rav’ning dogs and birds.”