oast, 485
Diomede, whom she must behold no more.
She said, and from her wrist with both hands wiped
The trickling ichor; the effectual touch
Divine chased all her pains, and she was heal'd.
Them Juno mark'd and Pallas, and with speech 490
Sarcastic pointed at Saturnian Jove
To vex him, blue-eyed Pallas thus began.
Eternal father! may I speak my thought,
And not incense thee, Jove? I can but judge
That Venus, while she coax'd some Grecian fair 495
To accompany the Trojans whom she loves
With such extravagance, hath heedless stroked
Her golden clasps, and scratch'd her lily hand.
So she; then smiled the sire of Gods and men,
And calling golden Venus, her bespake. 500
War and the tented field, my beauteous child,
Are not for thee. Thou rather shouldst be found
In scenes of matrimonial bliss. The toils
Of war to Pallas and to Mars belong.
Thus they in heaven. But Diomede the while 505
Sprang on AEneas, conscious of the God
Whose hand o'ershadow'd him, yet even him
Regarding lightly; for he burn'd to slay
AEneas, and to seize his glorious arms.
Thrice then he sprang impetuous to the deed, 510
And thrice Apollo with his radiant shield
Repulsed him. But when ardent as a God
The fourth time he advanced, with thundering-voice
Him thus the Archer of the skies rebuked.
Think, and retire, Tydides! nor affect 515
Equality with Gods; for not the same
Our nature is and theirs who tread the ground.
He spake, and Diomede a step retired,
Not more; the anger of the Archer-God
Declining slow, and with a sullen awe. 520
Then Phoebus, far from all the warrior throng
To his own shrine the sacred dome beneath
Of Pergamus, AEneas bore; there him
Latona and shaft-arm'd Diana heal'd
And glorified within their spacious fane. 525
Meantime the Archer of the silver bow
A visionary form prepared; it seem'd
Himself AEneas, and was arm'd as he.
At once, in contest for that airy form,
Grecians and Trojans on each other's breasts 530
The bull-hide buckler batter'd and light targe.
Then thus Apollo to the warrior God.
Gore-tainted homicide, town-batterer Mars!
Wilt thou not meet and from the fight withdraw
This man Tydides, now so fiery