e
truly wept to heaven; but me Jove sent down from heaven to aid him. But
had I known this in my prudent[282] mind, when he sent me to [the
dwelling] of the gaoler Pluto to drag from Erebus the dog of hateful
Pluto, he had not escaped the profound stream of the Stygian wave. But
now, indeed, he hates me, and prefers the wish of Thetis, who kissed his
knees, and took his beard in her hand, beseeching him to honour
city-destroying Achilles, The time will be when he will again call me
his dear Minerva. But do thou now harness for us thy solid-hoofed
steeds, while I, having entered the palace of aegis-bearing Jove, equip
myself with arms for war, that I may see whether crest-tossing Hector,
the son of Priam, will rejoice at us, as I appear in the walks[283] of
war. Certainly also some one of the Trojans will satiate the dogs and
birds with his fat and flesh, having fallen at the ships of the Greeks."

[Footnote 282: The Scholiast, and Apollon. Lex. p. 658, interpret
[Greek: peykalimsi, pikrais kai dynetais]. Perhaps "sharp
devising" would be the best translation.]

[Footnote 283: Literally, "bridges," _i. e._ the open spaces
between the different battalions.]

Thus she said: nor did the white-armed goddess Juno disobey her. Juno,
on her part, venerable goddess, daughter of mighty Saturn, running in
haste, caparisoned the golden-bridled steeds. But Minerva, the daughter
of aegis-bearing Jove, let fall upon the pavement of her father her
beauteous variegated robe, which she had wrought and laboured with her
own hands. But she, having put on the coat of mail of cloud-compelling
Jove, was equipped in armour for the tearful war. She mounted her
flaming chariot on her feet, and took her heavy, huge, sturdy spear,
with which she is wont to subdue the ranks of heroic men, with
whomsoever she, sprung from a powerful sire, is enraged. But Juno with
the lash speedily urged on the steeds. The portals of heaven opened
spontaneously, which the Hours[284] guarded, to whom are intrusted the
great heaven and Olympus, either to open the dense cloud, or to close
it. Then through these they guided their goaded steeds.

[Footnote 284: Hence the Hours also possess the office of tending
and harnessing the horses of the sun, as is shown by Dausq. on
Quint. Calab. i. p. 9.]

But father Jove, when he beheld them from Ida, was grievously enraged,
and roused golden-winged Iris to bear this message:

"Away, depart, swift