“Hear, all ye Gods, and all ye Goddesses, The words I speak, the promptings of my soul. Let none among you, male or female, dare To thwart my counsels: rather all concur, That so these matters I may soon conclude. If, from the rest apart, one God I find Presuming or to Trojans or to Greeks To give his aid, with ignominious stripes Back to Olympus shall that God be driv’n; Or to the gloom of Tartarus profound, Far off, the lowest abyss beneath the earth, With, gates of iron, and with floor of brass, Beneath the shades as far as earth from Heav’n, There will I hurl him, and ye all shall know In strength how greatly I surpass you all. Make trial if ye will, that all may know. A golden cord let down from Heav’n, and all, Both Gods and Goddesses, your strength, apply: Yet would ye fail to drag from Heav’n to earth, Strive as ye may, your mighty master, Jove; But if I choose to make my pow’r be known, The earth itself, and ocean, I could raise, And binding round Olympus’ ridge the cord, Leave them suspended so in middle air: So far supreme my pow’r o’er Gods and men.” He said, and they, confounded by his words, In silence sat; so sternly did he speak. At length the blue-ey’d Goddess, Pallas, said: “O Father, Son of Saturn, King of Kings, Well do we know thy pow’r invincible; Yet deeply grieve we for the warlike Greeks, Condemn’d to hopeless ruin; from the fight, Since such is thy command, we stand aloof; But yet some saving counsel may we give, Lest in thine anger thou destroy them quite.” To whom the Cloud-compeller, smiling, thus: “Be of good cheer, my child; unwillingly I speak, yet will not thwart thee of thy wish.” He said, and straight the brazen-footed steeds, Of swiftest flight, with manes of flowing gold, He harness’d to his chariot; all in gold Himself array’d, the golden lash he grasp’d, Of curious work; and mounting on his car, Urg’d the fleet coursers; nothing loth, they flew Midway betwixt the earth and starry heav’n. To Ida’s spring-abounding hill he came, And to the crest of Gargarus, wild nurse Of mountain beasts; a sacred plot was there, Whereon his incense-honour’d altar stood: There stay’d his steeds the Sire of Gods and men Loos’d from the car, and veil’d with clouds around. Then on the topmost ridge he sat, in pride Of conscious strength; and looking down, survey’d The Trojan city, and the ships of Greece.