spirit him panting with
difficulty.

But the Greeks, on account of Mars and brazen-helmed Hector, neither
were driven at any time back to their sable ships, nor did they advance
forward to battle; but always kept giving ground, since they had heard
that Mars was with the Trojans.

Then whom first, whom last did Hector, the son of Priam, and brazen Mars
slay? The godlike Teuthras, and moreover the knight Orestes, the AEtolian
spearman Trechus, and oenomaus, and Helenus of the race of oenops, and
Oresbius of flexible[226] belt, who dwelt in Hyla, near the lake
Cephissus, very intent on wealth: and near him dwelt other Boeotians,
having a very rich territory.

[Footnote 226: Cf. Buttm. Lexil. p. 66. I. e. "a belt which he
could easily move, and which, from its suppleness and
flexibility, yielded to the pressure of his person."--Anthon.]

When therefore the white-armed goddess Juno perceived these Greeks
perishing in the violent engagement, straightway to Minerva she
addressed winged words:

"Strange! O daughter of aegis-bearing Jove, unwearied one, certainly we
have made a vain promise to Menelaus, that he should return after having
destroyed well-walled Ilium, if we suffer destructive Mars thus to rage.
But come, let us too bethink ourselves of some powerful aid."

Thus she spoke; nor did the azure-eyed goddess Minerva disobey her.
Juno, on her part, venerable goddess, daughter of mighty Saturn, quickly
moving, harnessed her gold-caparisoned steeds; but Hebe speedily applied
to the chariot, to the iron axletree on both sides, the curved wheels,
golden, with eight spokes. Of these, indeed, the felloe is of gold,
imperishable: but above [are] brazen tires fastened on them, wonderful
to be seen; but the circular naves on both sides are of silver; and the
body[227] was stretched on with gold and silver thongs (there was a
double circular rim); from this projected a silver pole; at its
extremity she bound the golden, beauteous yoke, and to it attached the
beautiful golden poitrels. But Juno, longing for conquest and battle,
led the swift-footed steeds under the yoke.

[Footnote 227: [Greek: dioros] is properly the seat, but is here
put for the whole chariot.]

Minerva, on the other hand, the daughter of aegis-bearing Jove, let flow
down on her father's floor her dainty robe of variegated hue, which she
herself had wrought and worked with her own hands: then she, having put
on her tunic, equipped herse