onfusion;
nor did they withstand him, although being numerous.

When, therefore, Pandarus, the illustrious son of Lycaon, saw him
rushing through the field, discomfiting the phalanxes before him, he
drew his crooked bow, and smote him rushing on, striking him upon the
right shoulder [on] the cavity of the corslet: the bitter shaft flew on
and broke through to the other side; and the corslet was stained with
blood. Whereupon the illustrious son of Lycaon exclaimed aloud:

"Rush on, ye magnanimous Trojans, spurrers of steeds, for the bravest
of the Greeks is wounded; nor do I think that he will long endure the
violent arrow, if king Apollo, the son of Jove, really urged me
proceeding from Lycia."

Thus he spoke, vaunting; but him [Diomede] the swift arrow did not
subdue: but having retreated, he stood before his horses and chariot,
and thus accosted Sthenelus, son of Capaneus:

"Haste, dear son of Capaneus, descend from thy chariot, that thou mayest
draw from my shoulder the bitter shaft."

Thus he spoke, and Sthenelus leaped from his chariot to the ground, and,
standing by him, drew the swift, deeply-piercing arrow forth from his
shoulder, and the blood spurted out through the twisted mail. Then
Diomede, brave in battle, prayed:

"Hear me, O daughter of aegis-bearing Jove, unwearied, if ever favouring
thou stoodest by me and my sire in the hostile fight, now in turn
befriend me, O Minerva. And grant me to slay this man, and that he may
approach within the aim of my spear, who being beforehand has struck me,
and boasts, and says that I shall not long behold the brilliant light of
the sun."

Thus he spoke, praying, and Pallas Minerva heard him, and made light his
limbs, his feet, and his hands above, and standing near him, spoke
winged words:

"With confidence, now, O Diomede, fight against the Trojans; for into
thy soul have I sent that intrepid ancestral might, such as the
shield-brandishing knight Tydeus was wont to possess: and moreover I
have taken away the darkness from thine eyes, which before was upon
them, that thou mayest discern a god and also a man. Wherefore now, if
any divinity come hither, making trial of thee, do thou by no means
fight against any other immortal gods; but if Venus, daughter of Jove,
should come into battle, wound her at all events with the sharp brass."

Thus on her part having spoken, azure-eyed Minerva departed: but the son
of Tydeus, returning again, was mixed with the van; an