“If, stag-ey’d Queen, in synod of the Gods Thy counsels shall indeed with mine agree, Neptune, how strong soe’er his wish, must change His course, obedient to thy will and mine; And if in all sincerity thou speak, Go to th’ assembled Gods, and hither send Iris, and Phoebus of the silver bow; That she may to the Grecian camp repair, And bid that Neptune from the battle-field Withdraw, and to his own domain retire; While Phoebus Hector to the fight restores, Inspiring new-born vigour, and allaying The mortal pains which bow his spirit down: Then, heartless fear infusing in the Greeks, Put them to flight, that flying they may fall Beside Achilles’ ships; his comrade then, Patroclus, he shall send to battle forth To be by Hector slain, in front of Troy; Yet not to fall till many valiant youths Have felt his prowess; and, amid the rest, My son, Sarpedon; by his comrade’s death Enrag’d, Achilles Hector shall subdue; Thenceforth my counsel is, that from the ships The Trojan force shall still be backward driv’n, Until at length, by Pallas’ deep designs, The Greeks possess the lofty walls of Troy. Yet will not I my anger intermit, Nor suffer other of th’ immortal Gods To aid the Greeks, till Peleus’ son behold His wish accomplish’d, and the boon obtain’d I promis’d once, and with a nod confirm’d, That day when sea-born Thetis clasp’d my knees, And pray’d me to avenge her warrior son.” Thus he; the white-arm’d Queen of Heav’n submiss His mandate heard; and from th’ Idaean mount With rapid flight to high Olympus sped. Swift as the mind of man, who many a land Hath travell’d o’er, and with reflective thought Recalls, “here was I such a day, or here,” And in a moment many a scene surveys; So Juno sped o’er intervening space; Olympus’ heights she reach’d, and in the house Of Jove appear’d amid th’ assembled Gods. They at her coming rose, with golden cups Greeting their Queen’s approach; the rest she pass’d, And from the hand of fair-fac’d Themis took The proffer’d cup, who first had run to meet, And thus with winged words address’d the Queen: “Juno, why com’st thou hither? and with looks Of one distraught with, fear? hath Saturn’s son, Thy mighty Lord, thus sore affrighted thee?” To whom the white-arm’d Goddess, Juno, thus: “Forbear thy questions, Themis; well thou know’st How haughty and imperious is his mind; Thou for the Gods in haste prepare the feast; Then shalt thou learn, amid th’ Immortals all, What evil he designs; nor all, I ween, His counsels will approve, or men, or Gods, Though now in blissful ignorance they feast.” She said, and sat; the Gods, oppress’d with care, Her farther speech awaited; on her lips There dwelt indeed a smile, but not a ray Pass’d o’er her dark’ning brow, as thus her wrath Amid th’ assembled Gods found vent in words: