Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Homer’s Iliad
while I stand upon the car to fight, or else do you wait this man’s
onset while I look after the horses.”
“Aeneas.” replied the son of Lycaon, “take the reins and drive; if
we have to fly before the son of Tydeus the horses will go better for
their own driver. If they miss the sound of your voice when they
expect it they may be frightened, and refuse to take us out of the
fight. The son of Tydeus will then kill both of us and take the
horses. Therefore drive them yourself and I will be ready for him
with my spear.”
They then mounted the chariot and drove full-speed towards the
son of Tydeus. Sthenelus, son of Capaneus, saw them coming and
said to Diomed, “Diomed, son of Tydeus, man after my own heart,
I see two heroes speeding towards you, both of them men of might
the one a skilful archer, Pandarus son of Lycaon, the other, Aeneas,
whose sire is Anchises, while his mother is Venus. Mount the
chariot and let us retreat. Do not, I pray you, press so furiously
forward, or you may get killed.”
Diomed looked angrily at him and answered: “Talk not of flight,
for I shall not listen to you: I am of a race that knows neither flight
nor fear, and my limbs are as yet unwearied. 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. 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. They are of the
90