Henceforth thou art not worthy to be deem’d Son of Oenides, Tydeus famed in arms. To whom thus valiant Diomede replied.970 I know thee well, oh Goddess sprung from Jove! And therefore willing shall, and plain, reply. Me neither weariness nor heartless fear Restrains, but thine injunctions which impress My memory, still, that I should fear to oppose975 The blessed Gods in fight, Venus except, Whom in the battle found thou badest me pierce With unrelenting spear; therefore myself Retiring hither, I have hither call’d The other Argives also, for I know980 That Mars, himself in arms, controls the war. Him answer’d then the Goddess azure-eyed. Tydides! Diomede, my heart’s delight! Fear not this Mars,[22] nor fear thou other power Immortal, but be confident in me.985 Arise. Drive forth. Seek Mars; him only seek; Him hand to hand engage; this fiery Mars Respect not aught, base implement of wrong And mischief, shifting still from side to side. He promised Juno lately and myself990 That he would fight for Greece, yet now forgets His promise, and gives all his aid to Troy. So saying, she backward by his hand withdrew The son of Capaneus, who to the ground Leap’d instant; she, impatient to his place995 Ascending, sat beside brave Diomede. Loud groan’d the beechen axle, under weight Unwonted, for it bore into the fight An awful Goddess, and the chief of men. Quick-seizing lash and reins Minerva drove1000 Direct at Mars. That moment he had slain Periphas, bravest of Ætolia’s sons, And huge of bulk; Ochesius was his sire. Him Mars the slaughterer had of life bereft Newly, and Pallas to elude his sight1005 The helmet fixed of Ades on her head.[23] Soon as gore-tainted Mars the approach perceived Of Diomede, he left the giant length Of Periphas extended where he died, And flew to cope with Tydeus’ valiant son.1010 Full nigh they came, when Mars on fire to slay The hero, foremost with his brazen lance Assail’d him, hurling o’er his horses’ heads. But Athenæan Pallas in her hand The flying weapon caught and turn’d it wide,1015 Baffling his aim. Then Diomede on him Rush’d furious in his turn, and Pallas plunged The bright spear deep into his cinctured waist Dire was the wound, and plucking back the spear She tore him. Bellow’d brazen-throated Mars1020 Loud as nine thousand warriors, or as ten Join’d in close combat. Grecians, Trojans shook Appall’d alike at the tremendous voice Of Mars insatiable with deeds of blood. Such as the dimness is when summer winds1025 Breathe hot, and sultry mist obscures the sky, Such brazen Mars to Diomede appear’d By clouds accompanied in his ascent Into the boundless ether. Reaching soon The Olympian heights, seat of the Gods, he sat1030 Beside Saturnian Jove; wo fill’d his heart; He show’d fast-streaming from the wound his blood Immortal, and impatient thus complain’d. Jove, Father! Seest thou these outrageous acts Unmoved with anger? Such are day by day1035 The dreadful mischiefs by the Gods contrived