Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Homer’s Iliad
BOOK V
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. She made a stream of fire flare from his shield and
helmet like the star that shines most brilliantly in summer after its
bath in the waters of Oceanus- even such a fire did she kindle upon
his head and shoulders as she bade him speed into the thickest
hurly-burly of the fight.
Now there was a certain rich and honourable man among the
Trojans, priest of Vulcan, and his name was Dares. He had two
sons, Phegeus and Idaeus, both of them skilled in all the arts of
war. These two came forward from the main body of Trojans, and
set upon Diomed, he being on foot, while they fought from their
chariot. When they were close up to one another, Phegeus took aim
first, but his spear went over Diomed’s left shoulder without
hitting him. Diomed then threw, and his spear sped not in vain, for
it hit Phegeus on the breast near the nipple, and he fell from his
chariot. Idaeus did not dare to bestride his brother’s body, but
sprang from the chariot and took to flight, or he would have shared
his brother’s fate; whereon Vulcan saved him by wrapping him in a
cloud of darkness, that his old father might not be utterly
overwhelmed with grief; but the son of Tydeus drove off with the
horses, and bade his followers take them to the ships. The Trojans
were scared when they saw the two sons of Dares, one of them in
fright and the other lying dead by his chariot. 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
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