further mischief. I
hope, Father Jove, that you will not be angry if I hit Mars hard, and
chase him out of the battle."

And Jove answered, "Set Minerva on to him, for she punishes him more
often than any one else does."

Juno did as he had said. She lashed her horses, and they flew forward
nothing loth midway betwixt earth and sky. As far as a man can see when
he looks out upon the sea from some high beacon, so far can the
loud-neighing horses of the gods spring at a single bound. When they
reached Troy and the place where its two flowing streams Simois and
Scamander meet, there Juno stayed them and took them from the chariot.
She hid them in a thick cloud, and Simois made ambrosia spring up for
them to eat; the two goddesses then went on, flying like turtledoves in
their eagerness to help the Argives. When they came to the part where
the bravest and most in number were gathered about mighty Diomed,
fighting like lions or wild boars of great strength and endurance,
there Juno stood still and raised a shout like that of brazen-voiced
Stentor, whose cry was as loud as that of fifty men together.
"Argives," she cried; "shame on cowardly creatures, brave in semblance
only; as long as Achilles was fighting, if his spear was so deadly that
the Trojans dared not show themselves outside the Dardanian gates, but
now they sally far from the city and fight even at your ships."

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. For
the sweat caused by the hand that bore the weight of his shield
irritated the hurt: his arm was weary with pain, and he was lifting up
the strap to wipe away the blood. The goddess laid her hand on the yoke
of his horses and said, "The son of Tydeus is not such another as his
father. Tydeus was a little man, but he could fight, and rushed madly
into the fray even when I told him not to do so. When he went all
unattended as envoy to the city of Thebes among the Cadmeans, I bade
him feast in their houses and be at peace; but with that high spirit
which was ever present with him, he challenged the youth of the
Cadmeans, and at once beat them in all that he attempted, so mightily
did I help him. I stand by you too to protect you, and I bid you be
instant in fighting the Trojans; but either you are tired out, or you
are afraid and out of heart, and in that