Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Homer’s Iliad
will be disgraceful to us if we return to Jove’s bronze-floored
mansion on Olympus without having fought each other; therefore
come on, you are the younger of the two, and I ought not to attack
you, for I am older and have had more experience. Idiot, you have
no sense, and forget how we two alone of all the gods fared hardly
round about Ilius when we came from Jove’s house and worked for
Laomedon a whole year at a stated wage and he gave us his orders.
I built the Trojans the wall about their city, so wide and fair that it
might be impregnable, while you, Phoebus, herded cattle for him
in the dales of many valleyed Ida. When, however, the glad hours
brought round the time of payment, mighty Laomedon robbed us
of all our hire and sent us off with nothing but abuse. He
threatened to bind us hand and foot and sell us over into some
distant island. He tried, moreover, to cut off the ears of both of us,
so we went away in a rage, furious about the payment he had
promised us, and yet withheld; in spite of all this, you are now
showing favour to his people, and will not join us in compassing
the utter ruin of the proud Trojans with their wives and children.”
And King Apollo answered, “Lord of the earthquake, you would
have no respect for me if I were to fight you about a pack of
miserable mortals, who come out like leaves in summer and eat the
fruit of the field, and presently fall lifeless to the ground. Let us
stay this fighting at once and let them settle it among themselves.”
He turned away as he spoke, for he would lay no hand on the
brother of his own father. But his sister the huntress Diana,
patroness of wild beasts, was very angry with him and said, “So
you would fly, Far-Darter, and hand victory over to Neptune with a
cheap vaunt to boot. Baby, why keep your bow thus idle? Never let
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