Page:Iliad Buckley.djvu/112

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100
ILIAD. V.
697—733.

revived, for the breeze of Boreas, breathing upon him around, refreshed in 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 Ætolian spear-man Trechus, and Œnomaus, and Helenus of the race of Œnops, and Oresbius of flexible[1] belt, who dwelt in Hyla, near the lake Cephissus, very intent on wealth: and near him dwelt other Bœotians, having a very rich territory.

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 ægis-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 axle-tree 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[2] 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.

Minerva, on the other hand, the daughter of ægis-bearing

  1. 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.
  2. δίφρος is properly the seat, but is here put for the whole chariot