Thus he, vain-glorious; but not so was quell’d The godlike chief; back he withdrew, and stood Beside his car, and thus to Sthenelus, The son of Capaneus, his speech address’d: “Up, gentle son of Capaneus, descend From off the car, and from my shoulder draw This stinging arrow forth.” He said, and down Leap’d from the chariot Sthenelus, and stood Beside him; and as forth he drew the shaft, Gush’d out the blood, and dyed the twisted mail. Then thus the valiant son of Tydeus pray’d: “Hear me, thou child of aegis-bearing Jove, Unconquer’d! if amid the deadly fight Thy friendly aid my father e’er sustain’d, Let me in turn thy favour find; and grant Within my reach and compass of my spear That man may find himself, who unawares Hath wounded me, and vainly boasting deems I shall not long behold the light of day.” Thus pray’d the chief, and Pallas heard his pray’r; To all his limbs, to feet and hands alike, She gave fresh vigour; and with winged words, Beside him as she stood, address’d him thus: “Go fearless onward, Diomed, to meet The Trojan hosts; for I within thy breast Thy father’s dauntless courage have infus’d, Such as of old in Tydeus’ bosom dwelt, Bold horseman, buckler-clad; and from thine eyes The film that dimm’d them I have purg’d away, That thou mayst well ’twixt Gods and men discern. If then some God make trial of thy force, With other of th’ Immortals fight thou not; But should Jove’s daughter Venus dare the fray Thou needst not shun at her to cast thy spear.” This said, the blue-ey’d Goddess disappear’d. Forthwith again amid the foremost ranks Tydides mingled; keenly as before His spirit against the Trojans burn’d to fight, With threefold fury now he sought the fray. As when a hungry lion has o’erleap’d The sheepfold; him the guardian of the flock Has wounded, not disabled; by his wound To rage excited, but not forc’d to fly, The fold he enters, scares the trembling sheep, That, closely huddled, each on other press, Then pounces on his prey, and leaps the fence: So pounc’d Tydides on the Trojan host. Astynous and Hypeiron then he slew, His people’s guardian; through the breast of one He drove his spear, and with his mighty sword He smote the other on the collar-bone, The shoulder sev’ring from the neck and back. Them left he there to lie; of Abas then And Polyeidus went in hot pursuit, Sons of Eurydamas, an aged seer, Whose visions stay’d them not; but both were doom’d A prey to valiant Diomed to fall. Xanthus and Thoon then the hero slew, The sons of Phaenops, children of his age: He, worn with years, no other sons begot, Heirs of his wealth; they two together fell, And to their father left a load of grief, That from the battle they return’d not home, And distant kindred all his substance shar’d. On Chromius and Echemon next he fell, Two sons of Priam on one chariot borne; And as a lion springs upon a herd, And breaks the neck of heifer or of steer, Feeding in woodland glade; with such a spring