Dione then wiped the ichor from the hand of Venus, and at her touch the wound healed and the pain ceased. Meanwhile, on the plain before Troy Diomede still eagerly pursued Æneas, though knowing that the hero was under divine protection. Thrice did he rush on, and thrice did Apollo drive him back, but when he made the fourth attempt, The archer of the skies, Apollo, thus With menacing words rebuked him: "Diomed, Beware; desist, nor think to make thyself The equal of a god. The deathless race Of gods is not as those who walk the earth." BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book V. Diomede shrank back, fearing the wrath of the Far-darter, and Apollo bore Æneas away, and set him down in his own temple in sacred Perʹga-mus, the citadel of Troy. There Diana and La-toʹna, the mother of Apollo, healed his wound and restored his health and strength. Then Apollo begged Mars to assist the Trojans in the battle, and particularly to drive from the field the impious son of Tydeus, who had dared to attack the immortals with his spear, and would now fight even with Jupiter himself. The god of war consented, and assuming the form of Acʹa-mas, a Thracian leader, he went through the Trojan ranks encouraging the chiefs to fight bravely. "O sons of Priam, him who claims descent From Jupiter! how long will ye submit To see your people slaughtered by the Greeks? Is it until the battle-storm shall reach Your city's stately portals?" POPE, _Iliad_, Book V. The hero Sarpedon also appealed to Hector, and then the Trojan commander in chief, leaping from his chariot, and brandishing his javelins, rushed among his troops exhorting them to battle. Terrible The conflict that ensued. The men of Troy Made head against the Greeks: the Greeks stood firm, Nor ever thought of flight. BRYANT, _Iliad_, Book V. Soon, however, the Greeks were forced to fall back. Their great chiefs, Agamemnon and Menelaus, and the two Ajaxes and Ulysses, performed wondrous deeds of courage, slaying many Trojan warriors. But Minerva had left the field, and Mars was fighting on the Trojan side. Æneas, too, had returned to the battle with renewed strength and courage, and Hector and Sarpedon were in the front, dealing death among the enemy. The fierce god of war and mighty Hector fought side by side, and they slew numbers of Argive warriors. Such destruction of her beloved Greeks was not pleasing to Juno, who was watching the conflict from her place on high Olympus, and she begged of Jupiter to permit her to drive Mars from the battle. Jupiter consented, but he advised her to intrust that work to Minerva, who had often before "brought grievous troubles on the god of war." Juno obeyed. Then the two goddesses, who had already mounted the queen of heaven's own grand chariot, glittering with gold and silver and brass, set out for the Grecian camp.