nourished them at the manger, and two, skilled in rousing terror, he gave to Æneas. If ve can take these, we shall have borne away excellent glory."
Thus they were speaking such things to each other; but the others soon drew near, urging onward their swift steeds. The illustrious son of Lycaon first accosted Diomede:
"Stout-hearted, warlike-minded, son of illustrious Tydeus, certainly my swift shaft, my bitter arrow has not stain thee. Now again will I try with my spear, whether I can hit my mark."[1]
He said, and brandishing [it], he sent forth his long-shadowed spear, and struck the shield of Tydides: but the brazen spear flying straight through, approached the corselet. Then the son of Lycaon shouted loudly over him:
"Thou art wounded in the flank, through and through, nor do I think thou wilt endure it much longer: but to me hast thou given great glory."
But him the valiant son of Tydeus, undisturbed, addressed: "Thou hast erred, nor hast thou reached thine aim;[2] but I certainly think thou wilt not cease, till one of you at least, having fallen, shall satiate Mars, the warrior of the bull's-hide shield, with his blood."
Thus having spoken, he hurled forth [his lance], and Minerva directed the weapon to his nose, near the eye; and it passed quite through his white teeth: and then unwearied, the brass cut the root of his tongue, and the point came out at the bottom of his chin. From his chariot he fell, and his variegated, shining[3] arms resounded upon him; but his swift-footed steeds started aside through fright, and there were his soul and strength dissolved. Æneas then bounded down with his shield and long spear, fearing lest the Greeks by any means should take the body away from him. He walked round it, therefore, like a lion, confiding in his strength: and before him he stretched out his lance, and his shield equal on all sides, shouting dreadfully, eager to slay him, whoever might come against him. But the son of Tydeus seized in his grasp a hand-stone, a huge affair, such as no two men could carry, such at least as
