Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Homer’s Iliad
Thus did they converse. But Diomed sprang upon Aeneas, though
he knew him to be in the very arms of Apollo. Not one whit did he
fear the mighty god, so set was he on killing Aeneas and stripping
him of his armour. Thrice did he spring forward with might and
main to slay him, and thrice did Apollo beat back his gleaming
shield. When he was coming on for the fourth time, as though he
were a god, Apollo shouted to him with an awful voice and said,
“Take heed, son of Tydeus, and draw off; think not to match
yourself against gods, for men that walk the earth cannot hold their
own with the immortals.”
The son of Tydeus then gave way for a little space, to avoid the
anger of the god, while Apollo took Aeneas out of the crowd and
set him in sacred Pergamus, where his temple stood. There, within
the mighty sanctuary, Latona and Diana healed him and made him
glorious to behold, while Apollo of the silver bow fashioned a
wraith in the likeness of Aeneas, and armed as he was. Round this
the Trojans and Achaeans hacked at the bucklers about one
another’s breasts, hewing each other’s round shields and light
hide-covered targets. Then Phoebus Apollo said to Mars, “Mars,
Mars, bane of men, blood-stained stormer of cities, can you not go
to this man, the son of Tydeus, who would now fight even with
father Jove, and draw him out of the battle? He first went up to the
Cyprian and wounded her in the hand near her wrist, and
afterwards sprang upon me too, as though he were a god.”
He then took his seat on the top of Pergamus, while murderous
Mars went about among the ranks of the Trojans, cheering them on,
in the likeness of fleet Acamas chief of the Thracians. “Sons of
Priam,” said he, “how long will you let your people be thus
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