at an auxiliary was I to him. But thee, indeed, I
stand by and preserve, and I exhort thee freely to fight against the
Trojans. But either weariness, from great toil, has entered thy limbs,
or at least disheartening fear in some manner possesses thee. Thou art
not henceforth to be deemed at least the son of Tydeus, the gallant son
of AEneus."

But her valiant Diomede answering addressed: "I know thee, O goddess,
daughter of aegis-bearing Jove; therefore will I willingly tell this word
to thee, nor will I conceal it. Neither does any disheartening fear
possess me, nor any sloth: but as yet I am mindful of thy mandates,
which thou didst enjoin. Thou didst not suffer me to fight with the
other happy gods; but if Venus, the daughter of Jove, should come into
the battle, to wound her at least with the sharp steel. Wherefore now I
myself retire, and have ordered all the other Greeks to be collected
here: for I perceive Mars dispensing the battle."

But him the azure-eyed goddess Minerva then answered: "Diomede, son of
Tydeus, most dear to my soul, neither fear this Mars at all, nor any
other of the immortals; such an auxiliary am I to thee. But come, first
direct thy solid-hoofed steeds against Mars, strike him in close combat,
nor regard impetuous Mars, this frenzied and unnatural pest, shifter
from one to another; who lately haranguing promised me and Juno, that he
would fight against the Trojans, and aid the Greeks; but now he mixes
with the Trojans, and has forgotten these."

Thus having said, she forced Sthenelus from his horses to the ground,
dragging him back with her hand; but he promptly leaped down. Then the
goddess herself, infuriate, ascended the chariot beside noble Diomede,
and greatly did the beechen axle groan under the weight; for it bore a
dreadful goddess and a very brave hero. Then Pallas Minerva seized the
scourge and the reins. Straightway she drove the solid-hoofed steeds
against Mars first. He, indeed, had just slain huge Periphas, the
illustrious son of Ochesius, by far the bravest of the AEtolians. Him
indeed gore-stained Mars slew; but Minerva put on the helmet of Pluto
that impetuous Mars might not see her.

But when man-slaughtering Mars saw noble Diomede, he suffered huge
Periphas to lie there, where first slaying him he had taken away his
life, but he went straight against horse breaking Diomede. And when
these came near, advancing against each other, Mars first, over the yoke
and the reins