Minerva

Created by Jijith Nadumuri at 22 Sep 2011 12:44 and updated at 22 Sep 2011 12:44

ILIAD NOUN

ild.01 While he was thus in two minds, and was drawing his mighty sword from its scabbard, Minerva came down from heaven (for Juno had sent her in the love she bore to them both), and seized the son of Peleus by his yellow hair, visible to him alone, for of the others no man could see her.
ild.01 Achilles turned in amaze, and by the fire that flashed from her eyes at once knew that she was Minerva.
ild.01 And Minerva said, "I come from heaven, if you will hear me, to bid you stay your anger.
ild.01 He stayed his hand on the Silver hilt of his sword, and thrust it back into the scabbard as Minerva bade him.
ild.01 Ofttimes in my father s house have I heard you glory in that you alone of the immortals saved the son of Saturn from ruin, when the others, with Juno, Neptune, and Pallas Minerva would have put him in bonds.
ild.02 But Juno said to Minerva, "Alas, daughter of aegis bearing Jove, unweariable, shall the Argives fly home to their own land over the broad sea, and leave Priam and the Trojans the glory of still keeping Helen, for whose sake so many of the Achaeans have died at Troy, far from their homes? Go about at once among the host, and speak fairly to them, man by man, that they draw not their ships into the sea.
ild.02 Minerva was not slack to do her bidding.
ild.02 Then Ulysses rose, sceptre in hand, and Minerva in the likeness of a herald bade the people be still, that those who were far off might hear him and consider his council.
ild.02 Would, by Father Jove, Minerva, and Apollo, that I had among them Ten more such councillors, for the city of King Priam would then soon fall beneath our hands, and we should sack it.
ild.02 The chiefs about the son of Atreus chose their men and marshalled them, while Minerva went among them holding her priceless aegis that knows neither age nor death.
ild.02 And they that held the strong city of Athens, the people of great Erechtheus, who was born of the soil itself, but Jove s daughter, Minerva, fostered him, and established him at Athens in her own rich sanctuary.
ild.03 This time, with the help of Minerva, Menelaus has vanquished me; another time I may myself be victor, for I too have Gods that will stand by me.
ild.04 Menelaus"," said he, "has two good friends among the Goddesses, Juno of Argos, and Minerva of Alalcomene, but they only sit still and look on, while Venus keeps ever by Alexandrus side to defend him in any danger; indeed she has just rescued him when he made sure that it was all over with him for the victory really did lie with Menelaus.
ild.04 Minerva and Juno muttered their discontent as they sat side by side hatching mischief for the Trojans.
ild.04 Minerva scowled at her father, for she was in a furious passion with him, and said nothing, but Juno could not contain herself.
ild.04 Tell Minerva to go and take part in the fight at once, and let her contrive that the Trojans shall be the first to break their oaths and set upon the Achaeans.
ild.04 The sire of Gods and men heeded her words, and said to Minerva, "Go at once into the Trojan and Achaean hosts, and contrive that the Trojans shall be the first to break their oaths and set upon the Achaeans.
ild.04 This was what Minerva was already eager to do, so down she darted from the topmost summits of Olympus.
ild.04 Then Minerva took the form of Laodocus, son of Antenor, and went through the ranks of the Trojans to find Pandarus, the redoubtable son of Lycaon.
ild.04 Would, by father Jove, Minerva, and Apollo that all were so minded as you are, for the city of Priam would then soon fall beneath our hands, and we should sack it.
ild.04 Stranger though he was, he knew no fear on finding himself single handed among so many, but challenged them to contests of all kinds, and in each one of them was at once victorious, so mightily did Minerva help him.
ild.04 These were inspired of Mars, but the others by Minerva and with them came Panic, Rout, and Strife whose fury never tires, sister and friend of murderous Mars, who, from being at first but low in stature, grows till she uprears her head to heaven, though her feet are still on earth.
ild.04 And now no man would have made light of the fighting if he could have gone about among it scatheless and unwounded, with Minerva leading him by the hand, and protecting him from the storm of spears and arrows.
ild.05 Then Pallas Minerva put valour into the heart of Diomed, son of Tydeus, that he might excel all the other Argives, and cover himself with glory.
ild.05 Minerva, therefore, took Mars by the hand and said, Mars", Mars, bane of men, bloodstained stormer of cities, may we not now leave the Trojans and Achaeans to fight it out, and see to which of the two Jove will vouchsafe the victory? Let us go away, and thus avoid his anger.
ild.05 Meriones then killed Phereclus the son of Tecton, who was the son of Hermon, a man whose hand was skilled in all manner of cunning workmanship, for Pallas Minerva had dearly loved him.
ild.05 Thus he prayed, and Pallas Minerva heard him; she made his limbs supple and quickened his hands and his feet.
ild.05 When she had said this Minerva went away, and the son of Tydeus again took his place among the foremost fighters, three times more fierce even than he had been before.
ild.05 I am in no mind to mount, but will go against them even as I am; Pallas Minerva bids me be afraid of no man, and even though one of them escape, their steeds shall not take both back again.
ild.05 I say further, and lay my saying to your heart if Minerva sees fit to vouchsafe me the glory of killing both, stay your Horses here and make the reins fast to the rim of the Chariot; then be sure you spring Aeneas Horses and drive them from the Trojan to the Achaean ranks.
ild.05 With this he hurled his spear, and Minerva guided it on to Pandarus s nose near the eye.
ild.05 Now the son of Tydeus was in pursuit of the Cyprian Goddess, spear in hand, for he knew her to be feeble and not one of those Goddesses that can lord it among men in battle like Minerva or Enyo the waster of cities, and when at last after a long chase he caught her up, he flew at her and thrust his spear into the flesh of her delicate hand.
ild.05 And now Minerva has egged this son of Tydeus on against yourself, fool that he is for not reflecting that no man who fights with Gods will live long or hear his children prattling about his knees when he returns from battle.
ild.05 But Minerva and Juno, who were looking on, began to taunt Jove with their mocking talk, and Minerva was first to speak.
ild.05 Attend, henceforth, to your own delightful matrimonial duties, and leave all this fighting to Mars and to Minerva.
ild.05 Fierce Mars, to help the Trojans, covered them in a veil of darkness, and went about everywhere among them, inasmuch as Phoebus Apollo had told him that when he saw Pallas, Minerva leave the fray he was to put courage into the hearts of the Trojans for it was she who was helping the Danaans.
ild.05 He doubted whether to pursue the son of Jove, or to make slaughter of the Lycian rank and file; it was not decreed, however, that he should slay the son of Jove; Minerva, therefore, turned him against the main body of the Lycians.
ild.05 Now when the Goddess Juno saw the Argives thus falling, she said to Minerva, "Alas, daughter of aegis bearing Jove, unweariable, the promise we made Menelaus that he should not return till he had sacked the city of Ilius will be of none effect if we let Mars rage thus furiously.
ild.05 Minerva did not gainsay her.
ild.05 Meanwhile Minerva flung her richly embroidered vesture, made with her own hands, on to her father s threshold, and donned the shirt of Jove, arming herself for battle.
ild.05 And Jove answered, "Set Minerva on to him, for she punishes him more often than any one else does.
ild.05 With these words she put heart and soul into them all, while Minerva sprang to the side of the son of Tydeus, whom she found near his Chariot and Horses, cooling the wound that Pandarus had given him.
ild.05 "Diomed, son of Tydeus," replied Minerva, "man after my own heart, fear neither Mars nor any other of the immortals, for I will befriend you.
ild.05 The oaken axle groaned aloud under the burden of the awful Goddess and the hero; Pallas Minerva took the whip and reins, and drove straight at Mars.
ild.05 Bloody Mars was stripping him of his armour, and Minerva donned the helmet of Hades, that he might not see her; when, therefore, he saw Diomed, he made straight for him and let Periphas lie where he had fallen.
ild.05 As soon as they were at close quarters he let fly with his Bronze spear over the reins and yoke, thinking to take Diomed s life, but Minerva caught the spear in her hand and made it fly harmlessly over the Chariot.
ild.05 Diomed then threw, and Pallas Minerva drove the spear into the pit of Mars s stomach where his under girdle went round him.
ild.05 But Juno of Argos and Minerva of Alalcomene, now that they had put a stop to the murderous doings of Mars, went back again to the house of Jove.
ild.06 Tell her to bid the matrons gather at the temple of Minerva in the acropolis; let her then take her key and open the doors of the sacred building; there, upon the knees of Minerva, let her lay the largest, fairest robe she has in her house the one she sets most store by; let her, moreover, promise to sacrifice Twelve yearling heifers that have never yet felt the goad, in the temple of the Goddess, if she will take pity on the town, with the wives and little ones of the Trojans, and keep the son of Tydeus from falling on the goodly city of Ilius; for he fights with fury and fills men s souls with panic.
ild.06 Get the matrons together, and go with offerings to the temple of Minerva driver of the spoil; there, upon the knees of Minerva, lay the largest and fairest robe you have in your house the one you set most store by; promise, moreover, to sacrifice Twelve yearling heifers that have never yet felt the goad, in the temple of the Goddess if she will take pity on the town, with the wives and little ones of the Trojans, and keep the son of Tydeus from off the goodly city of Ilius, for he fights with fury, and fills men s souls with panic.
ild.06 Go, then, to the temple of Minerva, while I seek Paris and exhort him, if he will hear my words.
ild.06 Hecuba took out the largest robe, and the one that was most beautifully enriched with embroidery, as an offering to Minerva: it glittered like a star, and lay at the very bottom of the chest.
ild.06 When they reached the temple of Minerva, lovely Theano, daughter of Cisseus and wife of Antenor, opened the doors, for the Trojans had made her priestess of Minerva.
ild.06 The Women lifted up their hands to the Goddess with a loud cry, and Theano took the robe to lay it upon the knees of Minerva, praying the while to the daughter of great Jove.
ild.06 "Holy Minerva," she cried, "protectress of our city, mighty Goddess, break the spear of Diomed and lay him low before the Scaean gates.
ild.06 Thus she prayed, but Pallas Minerva granted not her prayer.
ild.06 Seeing, then, that she was not within, he stood on the threshold of the Women s rooms and said, Women", tell me, and tell me true, where did Andromache go when she left the house? Was it to my sisters, or to my brothers wives? or is she at the temple of Minerva where the other Women are propitiating the awful Goddess?"
ild.06 His good housekeeper answered, Hector", since you bid me tell you truly, she did not go to your sisters nor to your brothers wives, nor yet to the temple of Minerva, where the other Women are propitiating the awful goddess, but she is on the high wall of Ilius, for she had heard the Trojans were being hard pressed, and that the Achaeans were in great force: she went to the wall in frenzied haste, and the nurse went with her carrying the child.
ild.07 When, therefore, Minerva saw these men making havoc of the Argives, she darted down to Ilius from the summits of Olympus, and Apollo, who was looking on from Pergamus, went out to meet her; for he wanted the Trojans to be victorious.
ild.07 And Minerva answered, "So be it, Far Darter; it was in this mind that I came down from Olympus to the Trojans and Achaeans.
ild.07 Minerva assented, and Helenus son of Priam divined the counsel of the Gods; he therefore went up to Hector and said, Hector" son of Priam, peer of Gods in counsel, I am your brother, let me then persuade you.
ild.07 But Minerva and Apollo, in the likeness of Vultures, perched on father Jove s high oak tree, proud of their men; and the ranks sat close ranged together, bristling with shield and helmet and spear.
ild.07 Would, by father Jove, Minerva, and Apollo, that I were still young and strong as when the Pylians and Arcadians were gathered in fight by the rapid river Celadon under the walls of Pheia, and round about the waters of the river Iardanus.
ild.07 The others quaked and quailed, but my high spirit bade me fight him though none other would venture; I was the youngest man of them all; but when I fought him Minerva vouchsafed me victory.
ild.08 They were frightened and all of them of held their peace, for he had spoken masterfully; but at last Minerva answered, Father", son of Saturn, king of kings, we all know that your might is not to be gainsaid, but we are also sorry for the Danaan warriors, who are perishing and coming to a bad end.
ild.08 Cover him with glory though he is far off; I will promise and I will assuredly perform; if aegis bearing Jove and Minerva grant me to sack the city of Ilius, you shall have the next best meed of honour after my own a tripod, or two Horses with their Chariot, or a Woman who shall go up into your bed.
ild.08 Juno when she saw them had pity upon them, and at once said to Minerva, "Alas, child of aegis bearing Jove, shall you and I take no more thought for the dying Danaans, though it be the last time we ever do so? See how they perish and come to a bad end before the onset of but a single man.
ild.08 Minerva answered, "Would, indeed, this fellow might die in his own land, and fall by the hands of the Achaeans; but my father Jove is mad with spleen, ever foiling me, ever headstrong and unjust.
ild.08 Thus did she speak and white armed Juno, daughter of great Saturn, obeyed her words; she set about harnessing her Gold bedizened steeds, while Minerva daughter of aegis bearing Jove flung her richly vesture, made with her own hands, on to the threshold of her father, and donned the shirt of Jove, arming herself for battle.
ild.08 With this she left them, and Juno said to Minerva, "Of a truth, child of aegis bearing Jove, I am not for fighting men s battles further in defiance of Jove.
ild.08 Minerva and Juno sat alone, apart from Jove, and neither spoke nor asked him questions, but Jove knew what they meant, and said, Minerva" and Juno, why are you so angry? Are you fatigued with killing so many of your dear friends the Trojans? Be this as it may, such is the might of my hands that all the Gods in Olympus cannot turn me; you were both of you trembling all over ere ever you saw the fight and its terrible doings.
ild.08 Minerva and Juno groaned in spirit as they sat side by side and brooded mischief for the Trojans.
ild.08 Minerva sat silent without a word, for she was in a furious passion and bitterly incensed against her father; but Juno could not contain herself and said, "What, dread son of Saturn, are you talking about? We know how great your power is, nevertheless we have compassion upon the Danaan warriors who are perishing and coming to a bad end.
ild.08 Would that I were as sure of being immortal and never growing old, and of being worshipped like Minerva and Apollo, as I am that this day will bring evil to the Argives.
ild.09 "My good friend, when your father Peleus sent you from Phthia to Agamemnon, did he not charge you saying, Son, Minerva and Juno will make you strong if they choose, but check your high temper, for the better part is in goodwill.
ild.09 I will not marry his daughter; she may be fair as Venus, and skilful as Minerva, but I will have none of her: let another take her, who may be a good match for her and who rules a larger kingdom.
ild.10 Diomed answered, "If you bid me take the man of my own choice, how in that case can I fail to think of Ulysses, than whom there is no man more eager to face all kinds of danger and Pallas Minerva loves him well? If he were to go with me we should pass safely through fire itself, for he is quick to see and understand.
ild.10 Pallas Minerva sent them a heron by the wayside upon their right hands; they could not see it for the darkness, but they heard its cry.
ild.10 Ulysses was glad when he heard it and prayed to Minerva: "Hear me," he cried, "daughter of aegis bearing Jove, you who spy out all my ways and who are with me in all my hardships; befriend me in this mine hour, and grant that we may return to the ships covered with glory after having achieved some mighty exploit that shall bring sorrow to the Trojans.
ild.10 Thus they prayed, and Pallas Minerva heard their prayer.
ild.10 But when he had fled so far towards the ships that he would soon have fallen in with the outposts, Minerva infused fresh strength into the son of Tydeus for fear some other of the Achaeans might have the glory of being first to hit him, and he might himself be only second; he therefore sprang forward with his spear and said, "Stand, or I shall throw my spear, and in that case I shall soon make an end of you.
ild.10 Ulysses hung them up aloft in honour of Minerva the Goddess of plunder, and prayed saying, "Accept these, Goddess, for we give them to you in preference to all the Gods in Olympus: therefore speed us still further towards the Horses and sleeping ground of the Thracians.
ild.10 Thereon Minerva put courage into the heart of Diomed, and he smote them right and left.
ild.10 When the son of Tydeus came to the king, he killed him too (which made thirteen), as he was breathing hard, for by the counsel of Minerva an evil dream, the seed of Oeneus, hovered that night over his head.
ild.10 While he was thus hesitating Minerva came up to him and said, "Get back, Diomed, to the ships or you may be driven thither, should some other God rouse the Trojans.
ild.10 But Apollo kept no blind look out when he saw Minerva with the son of Tydeus.
ild.10 Surely some God must have met you and given them to you, for you are both of dear to Jove, and to Jove s daughter Minerva.
ild.10 When they reached the strongly built quarters of the son of Tydeus, they tied the Horses with thongs of leather to the manger, where the steeds of Diomed stood eating their sweet corn, but Ulysses hung the blood stained spoils of Dolon at the stern of his ship, that they might prepare a sacred offering to Minerva.
ild.10 After they had so done and had anointed themselves with oil, they sat down to table, and drawing from a full mixing bowl, made a drink offering of wine to Minerva.
ild.11 On his head Agamemnon set a helmet, with a peak before and behind, and four plumes of Horse hair that nodded menacingly above it; then he grasped two redoubtable Bronze shod spears, and the gleam of his armour shot from him as a flame into the firmament, while Juno and Minerva thundered in honour of the king of rich Mycene.
ild.11 The spear went through the shield and passed on through his richly wrought cuirass, tearing the flesh from his side, but Pallas Minerva did not suffer it to pierce the entrails of the hero.
ild.11 Now there is a certain town, Thryoessa, perched upon a rock on the river Alpheus, the border city Pylus; this they would destroy, and pitched their camp about it, but when they had crossed their whole plain, Minerva darted down by night from Olympus and bade us set ourselves in array; and she found willing soldiers in Pylos, for the men meant fighting.
ild.11 Neleus would not let me arm, and hid my Horses, for he said that as yet I could know nothing about war; nevertheless Minerva so ordered the fight that, all on foot as I was, I fought among our mounted forces and vied with the foremost of them.
ild.11 Thence in full panoply and equipment we came towards noon to the sacred waters of the Alpheus, and there we offered victims to almighty Jove, with a Bull to Alpheus, another to Neptune, and a herd heifer to Minerva.
ild.11 When the sun s rays began to fall upon the earth we joined battle, praying to Jove and to Minerva, and when the fight had begun, I was the first to kill my man and take his Horses to wit the warrior Mulius.
ild.11 Thereon Jove vouchsafed the Pylians a great victory, for we chased them far over the plain, killing the men and bringing in their armour, till we had brought our Horses to Buprasium rich in wheat and to the Olenian rock, with the hill that is called Alision, at which point Minerva turned the people back.
ild.13 Thereon round the two Ajaxes there gathered strong bands of men, of whom not even Mars nor Minerva, marshaller of hosts could make light if they went among them, for they were the picked men of all those who were now awaiting the onset of Hector and the Trojans.
ild.13 But Hector answered, Ajax", braggart and false of tongue, would that I were as sure of being son for evermore to Aegis bearing Jove, with Queen Juno for my mother, and of being held in like honour with Minerva and Apollo, as I am that this day is big with the destruction of the Achaeans; and you shall fall among them if you dare abide my spear; it shall rend your fair body and bid you glut our hounds and birds of prey with your fat and your flesh, as you fall by the ships of the Achaeans.
ild.14 She put on the wondrous robe which Minerva had worked for her with consummate art, and had embroidered with manifold devices; she fastened it about her bosom with Golden clasps, and she girded herself with a girdle that had a hundred tassels: then she fastened her earrings, three brilliant pendants that glistened most beautifully, through the pierced lobes of her ears, and threw a lovely new veil over her head.
ild.15 Achilles will kill Hector to avenge Patroclus, and from that time I will bring it about that the Achaeans shall persistently drive the Trojans back till they fulfil the counsels of Minerva and take Ilius.
ild.15 On this, Jove would have been roused to still more fierce and implacable enmity against the other immortals, had not Minerva, ararmed for the safety of the Gods, sprung from her seat and hurried outside.
ild.15 Now, however, I will give way in spite of my displeasure; furthermore let me tell you, and I mean what I say if contrary to the desire of myself, Minerva driver of the spoil, Juno, Mercury, and King Vulcan, Jove spares steep Ilius, and will not let the Achaeans have the great triumph of sacking it, let him understand that he will incur our implacable resentment.
ild.15 As a carpenter s line gives a true edge to a piece of ship s timber, in the hand of some skilled workman whom Minerva has instructed in all kinds of useful arts even so level was the issue of the fight between the two sides, as they fought some round one and some round another.
ild.15 Jove from heaven was with him, and though he was but one against many, vouchsafed him victory and glory; for he was doomed to an early death, and already Pallas Minerva was hurrying on the hour of his destruction at the hands of the son of Peleus.
ild.15 Minerva lifted the thick veil of darkness from their eyes, and much light fell upon them, alike on the side of the ships and on that where the fight was raging.
ild.16 Would, by father Jove, Minerva, and Apollo, that not a single man of all the Trojans might be left alive, nor yet of the Argives, but that we two might be alone left to tear aside the mantle that veils the brow of Troy.
ild.17 Not Mars himself the lord of hosts, nor yet Minerva, even in their fullest fury could make light of such a battle.
ild.17 And now the fierce groanful fight again raged about Patroclus, for Minerva came down from heaven and roused its fury by the command of far seeing Jove, who had changed his mind and sent her to encourage the Danaans.
ild.17 As when Jove bends his bright bow in heaven in token to mankind either of war or of the chill storms that stay men from their labour and plague the flocks even so, wrapped in such radiant raiment, did Minerva go in among the host and speak man by man to each.
ild.17 Menelaus answered, Phoenix", my good old friend, may Minerva vouchsafe me strength and keep the darts from off me, for so shall I stand by Patroclus and defend him; his death has gone to my heart, but Hector is as a raging fire and deals his blows without ceasing, for Jove is now granting him a time of triumph.
ild.17 Minerva was pleased at his having named herself before any of the other Gods.
ild.18 But Achilles dear to Jove arose, and Minerva flung her tasselled aegis round his strong shoulders; she crowned his head with a halo of Golden cloud from which she kindled a glow of gleaming fire.
ild.18 Minerva also raised her voice from afar, and spread terror unspeakable among the Trojans.
ild.18 Thus spoke Hector; and the Trojans, fools that they were, shouted in applause, for Pallas Minerva had robbed them of their understanding.
ild.18 But the men of the city would not yet consent, and armed themselves for a surprise; their wives and little children kept guard upon the walls, and with them were the men who were past fighting through age; but the others sallied forth with Mars and Pallas Minerva at their head both of them wrought in Gold and clad in Golden raiment, great and fair with their armour as befitting Gods, while they that followed were smaller.
ild.19 The son of Saturn looked down with pity upon them, and said presently to Minerva, "My child, you have quite deserted your hero; is he then gone so clean out of your recollection? There he sits by the ships all desolate for the loss of his dear comrade, and though the others are gone to their dinner he will neither eat nor drink.
ild.19 With these words he urged Minerva, who was already of the same mind.
ild.19 Meanwhile the Achaeans were arming throughout the host, and when Minerva had dropped nectar and ambrosia into Achilles so that no cruel hunger should cause his limbs to fail him, she went back to the house of her mighty father.
ild.20 Juno, Pallas Minerva, earth encircling Neptune, Mercury bringer of good luck and excellent in all cunning all these joined the host that came from the ships; with them also came Vulcan in all his glory, limping, but yet with his thin legs plying lustily under him.
ild.20 When, however, the Olympians came to take their part among men, forthwith uprose strong Strife, rouser of hosts, and Minerva raised her loud voice, now standing by the deep trench that ran outside the wall, and now shouting with all her might upon the shore of the sounding sea.
ild.20 Apollo with his arrows took his stand to face King Neptune, while Minerva took hers against the God of war; the archer goddess Diana with her Golden arrows, sister of far darting Apollo, stood to face Juno; Mercury the lusty bringer of good luck faced Leto, while the mighty eddying river whom men can Scamander, but Gods Xanthus, matched himself against Vulcan.
ild.20 His spear has already put me to Right from Ida, when he attacked our Cattle and sacked Lyrnessus and Pedasus; Jove indeed saved me in that he vouchsafed me strength to fly, else had the fallen by the hands of Achilles and Minerva, who went before him to protect him and urged him to fall upon the Lelegae and Trojans.
ild.20 She called the Gods about her, and said, "Look to it, you two, Neptune and Minerva, and consider how this shall be; Phoebus Apollo has been sending Aeneas clad in full armour to fight Achilles.
ild.20 With these words the dark haired God led the way to the high earth barrow of Hercules, built round solid masonry, and made by the Trojans and Pallas Minerva for him fly to when the sea monster was chasing him from the shore on to the plain.
ild.20 Have you forgotten how when you were alone I chased you from your herds helter skelter down the slopes of Ida? You did not turn round to look behind you; you took refuge in Lyrnessus, but I attacked the city, and with the help of Minerva and father Jove I sacked it and carried its Women into captivity, though Jove and the other Gods rescued you.
ild.20 For of a truth we two, I and Pallas Minerva, have sworn full many a time before all the immortals, that never would we shield Trojans from destruction, not even when all Troy is burning in the flames that the Achaeans shall kindle.
ild.20 Even Mars, who is an immortal, or Minerva, would shrink from flinging himself into the jaws of such a fight and laying about him; nevertheless, so far as in me lies I will show no slackness of hand or foot nor want of endurance, not even for a moment; I will utterly break their ranks, and woe to the Trojan who shall venture within reach of my spear.
ild.20 He hurled his spear as he spoke, but Minerva breathed upon it, and though she breathed but very lightly she turned it back from going towards Achilles, so that it returned to Hector and lay at his feet in front of him.
ild.21 As soon as he had spoken thus, Neptune and Minerva came up to him in the likeness of two men, and took him by the hand to reassure him.
ild.21 Son" of Peleus," said he, "be not so exceeding fearful; we are two Gods, come with Jove s sanction to assist you, I, and Pallas Minerva.
ild.21 All was now covered with the flood of waters, and much goodly armour of the youths that had been slain was rifting about, as also many corpses, but he forced his way against the stream, speeding right onwards, nor could the broad waters stay him, for Minerva had endowed him with great strength.
ild.21 Sword in hand he sprang at once upon Minerva and reviled her.
ild.21 But Minerva laughed and vaunted over him saying, Idiot", have you not learned how far stronger I am than you, but you must still match yourself against me? Thus do your mother s curses now roost upon you, for she is angry and would do you mischief because you have deserted the Achaeans and are helping the Trojans.
ild.21 When Queen Juno saw her, she said to Minerva, "Look, daughter of aegis bearing Jove, unweariable, that vixen Venus is again taking Mars through the crowd out of the battle; go after her at once.
ild.21 Minerva sped after Venus with a will, and made at her, striking her on the bosom with her strong hand so that she fell fainting to the ground, and there they both lay stretched at full length.
ild.21 Then Minerva vaunted over her saying, "May all who help the Trojans against the Argives prove just as redoubtable and stalwart as Venus did when she came across me while she was helping Mars.
ild.22 Then Minerva said, Father", wielder of the lightning, lord of cloud and storm, what mean you? Would you pluck this mortal whose doom has long been decreed out of the jaws of death? Do as you will, but we others shall not be of a mind with you.
ild.22 Thus did he urge Minerva who was already eager, and down she darted from the topmost summits of Olympus.
ild.22 Thereon Minerva went close up to the son of Peleus and said, "Noble Achilles, favoured of heaven, we two shall surely take back to the ships a triumph for the Achaeans by slaying Hector, for all his lust of battle.
ild.22 Thus spoke Minerva.
ild.22 Achilles obeyed her gladly, and stood still, leaning on his Bronze pointed ashen spear, while Minerva left him and went after Hector in the form and with the voice of Deiphobus.
ild.22 Then Minerva said, "Dear brother, my father and mother went down on their knees and implored me, as did all my comrades, to remain inside, so great a fear has fallen upon them all; but I was in an agony of grief when I beheld you; now, therefore, let us two make a stand and fight, and let there be no keeping our spears in reserve, that we may learn whether Achilles shall kill us and bear off our spoils to the ships, or whether he shall fall before you.
ild.22 Thus did Minerva inveigle him by her cunning, and when the two were now close to one another great Hector was first to speak.
ild.22 You have no more chance, and Pallas Minerva will forthwith vanquish you by my spear: you shall now pay me in full for the grief you have caused me on account of my comrades whom you have killed in battle.
ild.22 Hector saw it coming and avoided it; he watched it and crouched down so that it flew over his head and stuck in the ground beyond; Minerva then snatched it up and gave it back to Achilles without Hector s seeing her; Hector thereon said to the son of Peleus, "You have missed your aim, Achilles, peer of the Gods, and Jove has not yet revealed to you the hour of my doom, though you made sure that he had done so.
ild.22 I deemed that the hero Deiphobus was by my side, but he is within the wall, and Minerva has inveigled me; death is now indeed exceedingly near at hand and there is no way out of it for so Jove and his son Apollo the far darter have willed it, though heretofore they have been ever ready to protect me.
ild.22 She told her maids to set a large tripod on the fire, so as to have a warm bath ready for Hector when he came out of battle; poor Woman, she knew not that he was now beyond the reach of baths, and that Minerva had laid him low by the hands of Achilles.
ild.23 Minerva saw the trick which Apollo had played the son of Tydeus, so she brought him his whip and put spirit into his Horses; moreover she went after the son of Admetus in a rage and broke his yoke for him; the mares went one to one side the course, and the other to the other, and the pole was broken against the ground.
ild.23 But the son of Tydeus turned his Horses aside and shot far ahead, for Minerva put fresh strength into them and covered Diomed himself with glory.
ild.23 I do not bid you try to beat the steeds of the son of Tydeus, for Minerva has put running into them, and has covered Diomed with glory; but you must overtake the Horses of the son of Atreus and not be left behind, or Aethe who is so fleet will taunt you.
ild.23 The Achaeans all shouted applause as they saw him straining his utmost, and cheered him as he shot past them; but when they were now nearing the end of the course Ulysses prayed inwardly to Minerva.
ild.23 Thus did he pray, and Pallas Minerva heard his prayer; she made his hands and his feet feel light, and when the runners were at the point of pouncing upon the prize, Ajax, through Minerva s spite slipped upon some offal that was lying there from the Cattle which Achilles had slaughtered in honour of Patroclus, and his mouth and nostrils were all filled with Cow dung.
ild.24 Minerva gave up her seat to her, and she sat down by the side of father Jove.

Arise Greece! from thy silent sleep, 2000 years long it is! Forget not, thy ancient culture, beautiful and marvelous it is!

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