by Homer
Then Jove on Ida's top awaked, rose from Saturnia's side,
Stood up, and looked upon the war, and all inverted spied
Since he had seen it, th' Ilians now in rout, the Greeks in fight,
King Neptune, with his long sword, chief, great Hector put down quite,
Laid flat in field, and with a crown of princes compassed,
So stopped up that he scarce could breathe, his mind's sound habit fled,
And he still spitting blood. Indeed, his hurt was not set on
By one that was the weakest Greek. But him Jove looked upon
With eyes of pity; on his wife with horrible aspect,
To whom he said : " O thou in ill most cunning architect,
All arts and comments that exceed'st, not only to enforce
Hector from fight, but with his men to show the Greeks a course,
I fear, as formerly, so now, these ills have with thy hands
Their first fruits sown, and therefore could load all thy limbs with bands.
Forgett'st thou when I hanged thee up, how to thy feet I tied
Two anvils, golden manacles on thy false wrists implied,
And let thee mercilessly hang from our refined heaven
Even to earth's vapours, all the Gods in great Olympus given
To mutinies about thee, yet, though all stood staring on,
None durst dissolve thee, for these hands, had they but seized upon
Thy friend, had headlong, thrown him off from our star-bearing round,
Till he had tumbled out his breath, and piecemeal dashed the ground?
Nor was my angry spirit calmed so soon, for those foul seas,
On which, inducing northern flaws, thou shipwrack'dst Hercules,
And tossed him to the Coan shore, that thou shouldst tempt again
My wrath's importance, when thou seest, besides, how grossly vain
My pow'rs can make thy policies; for from their utmost force
I freed my son, and set him safe in Argos, nurse of horse.
These I remember to thy thoughts, that thou mayst shun these sleights,
And know how badly bed-sports thrive procured by base deceits."
This frighted the offending queen, who with this state excused •
Her kind unkindness : " Witness Earth, and Heaven so far diffused,
Thou Flood whose silent-gliding waves the under ground doth bear,
(Which is the great'st and gravest oath that any God can swear)
Thy sacred head, those secret joys that our young bed gave forth,
By which I never rashly swore, that he who shakes the earth
Not by my counsel did this wrong to Hector and his host,
But, pitying th' oppressed Greeks, their fleet being nearly lost,
Believed their hard condition, yet utterly impelled
By his free mind. Which since I see is so offensive held
To thy high pleasure, I will now advise him not to tread
But where thy tempest-raising feet, O Jupiter, shall lead."
Jove laughed to hear her so submiss, and said : " My fair-eyed love,
If still thus thou and I were one, in counsels held above,
Neptune would still in word and fact be ours, if not in heart.
If then thy tongue and heart agree, from hence to heaven depart
To call the excellent-in-bows, the Rain-bow, and the Sun,
That both may visit both the hosts; the Grecian army one,
And that is Iris, let her haste, and make the Sea-god cease
T' assist the Greeks, and to his court retire from war in peace;
Let Phoebus, on the Trojan part, inspire with wonted pow'r
Great Hector's spirits, make his thoughts forget the late stern hour
And all his anguish, setting on his whole recovered man
To make good his late grace ill fight, and hold in constant wane
The Grecian glories, till they fall in flight before the fleet
Of vexed Achilles. Which extreme will prove the mean to greet
Thee with thy wish, for then the eyes of great Aeacides
(Made witness of the general ill, that doth so near him prease)
Will make his own particular look out, and by degrees
Abate his wrath, that, though himself for no extremities
Will seem reflected, yet his friend may get of him the grace
To help his country in his arms; and he shall make fit place
For his full presence with his death, which shall be well fore-run;
For I will first renown his life with slaughter of my son,
Divine Sarpedon, and his death great Hector's pow'r shall wreak
Ending his ends. Then at once, out shall the fury break
Of fierce Achilles, and with that the flight now felt shall turn,
And then last, till in wrathful flames the long-sieged Ilion burn.
Minerva's counsel shall become grave mean to this my will,
Which no God shall neglect before Achilles take his fill
Of slaughter for his slaughtered friend; even Hector's slaughter thrown
Under his anger; that these facts may then make fully known
My vow's performance, made of late, and, with my bowed head,
Confirmed to Thetis, when her arms embraced my knees, and prayed
That to her city-razing son I would all honour show."
This heard, his charge she seemed t' intend, and to Olympus flew.
But, as the mind of such a man that hath a great way gone,
And either knowing not his way, or then would let alone
His purposed journey, is distract, and in his vexed mind
Resolves now not to go, now goes, still many ways inclined;
So reverend Juno headlong flew, and 'gainst her stomach strived,
For, being amongst th' immortal Gods in high heaven soon arrived,
All rising, welcoming with cups her little absence thence,
She all their courtships overpast with solemn negligence,
Save that which fair-cheeked Themis showed, and her kind cup she took,
For first she ran and met with her, and asked, " What troubled look
She brought to heaven 1 She thought, for truth, that Jove had terrified
Her spirits strangely since she went." The fair-armed Queen replied :
“That truth may easily be supposed; you, Goddess Themis, know
His old severity and pride, but you bear't out with show
And like the banquet's arbiter amongst th' Immortals fare,
Though well you hear amongst them all how bad his actions are,
Nor are all here, nor anywhere, mortals, nor Gods, I fear,
Entirely pleased with what he does, though thus ye banquet here."
Thus took she place, displeasedly; the feast in general
Bewraying privy spleens at Jove; and then, to colour all,
She laughed, but merely from her lips, for over her black brows
Her still-bent forehead was not cleared, yet this her passion's throes
Brought forth in spite, being lately schooled : " Alas, what fools are we
That envy Jove! Or that by act, word, thought, can fantasy
Any resistance to his will! He sits far off, nor cares,
Nor moves, but says he knows his strength, to all degrees compares
His greatness past all other Gods, and that in fortitude,
And every other godlike pow'r, he reigns past all indued.
For which great eminence all you Gods, whatever ill he does,
Sustain with patience. Here is Mars, I think, not free from woes,
And yet he bears them like himself. The great God had a son,
Whom he himself yet justifies, one that from all men won
Just surname of their best beloved, Ascalaphus, yet he,
By Jove's high grace to Troy, is slain." Mars started horribly,
As Juno knew he would, at this, beat with his hurled
-out hands
His brawny thighs, cried out, and said : " O you that have commands
In these high temples, bear with me, if I revenge the death
Of such a son. I'll to the fleet, and though I sink beneath
The fate of being shot to hell by Jove's fell thunder-stone,
And He all grimed amongst the dead with dust and blood, my son
Revenge shall honour." Then he charged Fear and Dismay to join
His horse and chariot. He got arms that over heaven did shine.
And then a wrath more great and grave in Jove had been prepared
Against the Gods than Juno caused, if Pallas had not cared
More for the peace of heaven than Mars; who leaped out of her throne,
Rapt up her helmet, lance, and shield, and made her fane's porch groan
With her egression to his stay, and thus his rage defers :
“Furious and foolish, th' art undone! Hast thou for nought thine ears?
Heard'st thou not Juno being arrived from heaven's great King but now 1
Or wouldst thou he himself should rise, forced with thy rage,- to show,
The dreadful pow'r she urged in him, so justly being stirred 1
Know, thou most impudent and mad, thy wrath had not inferred
Mischief to thee, but to us all. His spirit had instantly
Left both the hosts, and turned his hands to uproars in the sky,
Guilty and guiltless both to wrack in his high rage had gone.
And therefore, as thou lov'st thyself, cease fury for thy son;
Another, far exceeding him in heart and strength of hand,
Or is, or will be shortly, slain. It were a work would stand
Jove in much trouble, to free all from death that would not die."
This threat even nailed him to his throne; when heaven's chief Majesty
Called bright Apollo from his fane, and Iris that had place
Of internunciess from the Gods, to whom she did the grace
Of Jupiter, to this effect: " It is Saturnius' will,
That both, with utmost speed, should stoop to the Idalian hill,
To know his further pleasure there. And this let me advise,
When you arrive, and are in reach of his refulgent eyes,
His pleasure heard, perform it all, of whatsoever kind."
Thus moved she back, and used her throne. Those two outstripped the wind,
And Ida all-enchased with springs they soon attained, and found
Where far-discerning Jupiter, in his repose, had crowned
The brows of Gargarus, and wrapt an odoriferous cloud
About his bosom. Coming near, they stood. Nor now he showed
His angry countenance, since so soon he saw they made th' access
That his loved wife enjoined; but first the fair ambassadress
He thus commanded : " Iris, go to Neptune, and relate
Our pleasure truly, and at large. Command him from the fate
Of human war, and either greet the Gods' society,
Or the divine sea make his seat. If proudly he deny,
Let better counsels be his guides than such as bid me war,
And tempt my charge, though he be strong, for I am stronger far,
And elder born. Nor let him dare to boast even state with me
Whom all Gods else prefer in fear." This said, down hasted she
From Ida's top to Ilion; and like a mighty snow,
Or gelid hail, that from the clouds the northern spirit doth blow;
So fell the windy-footed dame, and found with quick repair
The wat'ry God, -to whom she said: " God with the sable hair,
I came from iEgis -bearing Jove, to bid thee cease from fight,
And visit heaven, or th' ample seas. Which if, in his despite,
Or disobedience, thou deniest, he threatens thee to come,
In opposite fight, to field himself; and therefore warns thee home,
His hands eschewing, since his pow'r is far superior,
His birth before thee; and affirms thy loved heart should abhor
To vaunt equality with him whom every Deity fears."
He answered : " O unworthy thing! Though he be great, he bears
His tongue too proudly, that ourself, born to an equal share
Of state and freedom, he would force. Three brothers born we are
To Saturn, Rhea brought us forth, this Jupiter, and I,
And Pluto, God of under-grounds. The world indifferently
Disposed betwixt us; every one his kingdom; I, the seas,
Pluto the black lot, Jupiter the principalities
Of broad heaven, all the sky and clouds, was sorted out. The earth
And high Olympus common are, and due to either's birth.
Why then should I be awed by him? Content he his great heart
With his third portion, and not think to amplify his part
With terrors of his stronger hands on me, as if I were
The most ignoble of us all. Let him contain in fear
His daughters and his sons, begot by his own person. This
Holds more convenience. They must hear these violent threats of his."
“Shall I," said Iris, " bear from thee an answer so austere?
Or wilt thou change it? Changing minds all noble natures bear.
And well thou know'st, these greatest born the Furies follow still."
He answered : " Iris, thy reply keeps time, and shows thy skill.
O 'tis a most praiseworthy thing, when messengers can tell,
Besides their messages, such things as fit th' occasion well.
But this much grieves my heart and soul, that being in pow'r and state
All-ways his equal, and so fixed by one decree in fate,
He should to me, as under him, ill language give, and chide.
Yet now, though still incensed, I yield, affirming this beside,
And I enforce it with a.threat: That if without consent
Of me, Minerva, Mercury, the Queen of regiment,
And Yulcan, he will either spare high Ilion, or not raze
Her turrets to the lowest stone, and, with both these, not grace
The Greeks as victors absolute, inform him this from me —
His pride and my contempt shall live at endless enmity."
This said, he left the Greeks, and rushed into his wat'ry throne,
Much missed of all th' heroic host. When Jove discerned him gone,
Apollo's service he employed, and said : " Loved Phoebus, go
To Hector; now th' earth-shaking God hath taken sea, and so
Shrunk from the horrors I denounced, which standing, he, and all
The under-seated Deities that circle Saturn's fall,
Had heard of me in such a fight as had gone hard for them.
But both for them and me 'tis best that thus they fly th' extreme
That had not passed us without sweat. Now then, in thy hands take
My adder-fringed affrighting shield, with which such terror shake
That fear may shake the Greeks to flight. Beside this, add thy care,
O Phoebus, far-off shooting God, that this so sickly fare
Of famous Hector be recured, and quickly so excite
His amplest pow'rs, that all the Greeks may grace him with their flight,,
Even to their ship's, and Hellespont; and then will I devise
All words and facts again for Greece, that largely may suffice
To breathe them from their instant toils." Thus from th' Idsean height,
Like air's swift pigeon-killer, stooped the far-shot God of light,
And found great Hector sitting up, not stretched upon his bed,
Nor wheezing with a stopped-up spirit, not in cold sweats, but fed
With fresh and comfortable veins, but his mind all his own,
But round about him all 'his friends, as well as ever known.
And this was with the mind of Jov
e that flew to him before
Apollo came; who, as he saw no sign of any sore,
Asked, like a cheerful visitant: " Why in this sickly kind, r
Great Hector, sitt'st thou so apart? Can any grief of mind
Invade thy fortitude?" He spake, but with a feeble voice :
“O thou, the best of Deities! Why, since I thus rejoice
By thy so serious benefit, demand'st thou, as in mirth
And to my face, if I were ill? For, more than what thy worth
Must needs take note of, doth not Fame from all mouths fill their ears,
That, as my hand at th' Achive fleet was making massacres
Of men whom valiant Ajax led, his strength struck with a stone
All pow'r of more hurt from my breast? My very soul was gone,
And once to-day I thought to see the house of Dis and death."
“Be strong," said he, " for such a spirit now sends the God of breath
From airy Ida as shall run through all Greek spirits in thee.
Apollo with the golden sword, the clear Far-seer, see,
Him, who betwixt death and thy life, 'twixt ruin and those tow'rs
Ere this day oft hath held his shield. Come then, be all thy pow'rs
In wonted vigour, let thy knights with all their horse assay
The Grecian fleet, myself will lead, and scour so clear the way
That flight shall leave no Greek a rub." Thus instantly inspired
Were all his nerves with matchless strength, and then his friends he fired
Against their foes, when to his eyes his ears confirmed the God.
Then, as goodly-headed hart, or goat, bred in the wood
A rout of country huntsmen chase, with all their hounds in cry,
The beast yet or the shady woods, or rocks excessive high
Keep safe, or our unwieldy fates (that even in hunters sway)
Bar them the poor beast's pulling down, when straight the clamorous fray
Calls out a lion, hugely maned, and his abhorred view
Turns headlong in unturning flight (though vent'rous) all the crew;
So hitherto the chasing Greeks their slaughter dealt by troops;
But, after Hector was beheld range here and there, then stoops
The boldest courage, then their heels took in their dropping hearts
And then spake Andrsemonides, a man of far-best parts
Of all th' iEtolians, skilled in darts, strenuous in fights of stand,
And one of whom few of the Greeks could get the better hand
For rhetoric, when they fought with words, with all which being wise
Thus spake he to his Grecian friends : " O mischief! Now mine eyes