Gods Continue Battle

But when the goddess, white-armed Hera, heard this plea, forthwith she spake unto Hephaestus, her dear son: "Hephaestus, withhold thee, my glorious son; it is nowise seemly thus to smite an immortal god for mortals' sake."

So spake she, and Hephaestus quenched his wondrous-blazing fire, and once more in the fair river-bed the flood rushed down.

But when the fury of Xanthus was quelled, the twain thereafter ceased, for Hera stayed them, albeit she was wroth; but upon the other gods fell strife heavy and grievous, and in diverse ways the spirit in their breasts was blown. Together then they clashed with a mighty din and the wide earth rang, and round about great heaven pealed as with a trumpet. And Zeus heard it where he sat upon Olympus, and the heart within him laughed aloud in joy as he beheld the gods joining in strife. Then no more held they long aloof, for Ares, piercer of shields, began the fray, and first leapt upon Athene, brazen spear in hand, and spake a word of reviling: "Wherefore now again, thou dog-fly, art thou making gods to clash with gods in strife, in the fierceness of thy daring, as thy proud spirit sets thee on? Rememberest thou not what time thou movedst Diomedes, Tydeus' son, to wound me, and thyself in the sight of all didst grasp the spear and let drive straight at me, and didst rend my fair flesh? Therefore shalt thou now methinks, pay the full price of all that thou hast wrought."

So saying he smote upon her tasselled aegis—the awful aegis against which not even the lightning of Zeus can prevail—thereon blood-stained Ares smote with his long spear. But she gave ground, and seized with her stout hand a stone that lay upon the plain, black and jagged and great, that men of former days had set to be the boundary mark of a field. Therewith she smote furious Ares on the neck, and loosed his limbs. Over seven roods he stretched in his fall, and befouled his hair with dust, and about him his armour clanged. But Pallas Athene broke into a laugh, and vaunting over him she spake winged words: "Fool, not even yet hast thou learned how much mightier than thou I avow me to be, that thou matchest thy strength with mine. On this wise shalt thou satisfy to the full the Avengers invoked of thy mother, who in her wrath deviseth evil against thee, for that thou hast deserted the Achaeans and bearest aid to the overweening Trojans."

When she had thus spoken, she turned from Ares her bright eyes. Him then the daughter of Zeus, Aphrodite, took by the hand, and sought to lead away, as he uttered many a moan, and hardly could he gather back to him his spirit. But when the goddess, white-armed Hera, was ware of her, forthwith she spake winged words to Athene: "Out upon it, thou child of Zeus that beareth the aegis, unwearied one, lo, there again the dog-fly is leading Ares, the bane of mortals, forth from the fury of war amid the throng; nay, have after her."

So spake she, and Athene sped in pursuit, glad at heart, and rushing upon her she smote Aphrodite on the breast with her stout hand; and her knees were loosened where she stood, and her heart melted. So the twain lay upon the bounteous earth, and vaunting over them Athene spake winged words: "In such plight let all now be that are aiders of the Trojans when they fight against the mail-clad Argives, and on this wise bold and stalwart, even as Aphrodite came to bear aid to Ares, and braved my might. Then long ere this should we have ceased from war, having sacked Ilios, that well-peopled city."

So spake she, and the goddess, white-armed Hera smiled thereat. But unto Apollo spake the lord Poseidon, the Shaker of Earth: "Phoebus, wherefore do we twain stand aloof? It beseemeth not, seeing others have begun. Nay, it were the more shameful, if without fighting we should fare back to Olympus, to the house of Zeus with threshold of bronze. Begin, since thou art the younger; it were not meet for me, seeing I am the elder-born and know the more. Fool, how witless is the heart thou hast! Neither rememberest thou all the woes that we twain alone of all the gods endured at Ilios, what time we came at the bidding of Zeus and served the lordly Laomedon for a year's space at a fixed wage, and he was our taskmaster and laid on us his commands. I verily built for the Trojans round about their city a wall, wide and exceeding fair, that the city might never be broken; and thou, Phoebus, didst herd the sleek kine of shambling gait amid the spurs of wooded Ida, the many-ridged. But when at length the glad seasons were bringing to its end the term of our hire, then did dread Laomedon defraud us twain of all hire, and send us away with a threatening word. He threatened that he would bind together our feet and our hands above, and would sell us into isles that lie afar. Aye, and he made as if he would lop off with the bronze the ears of us both. So we twain fared aback with angry hearts, wroth for the hire he promised but gave us not. It is to his folk now that thou showest favour, neither seekest thou with us that the overweening Trojans may perish miserably in utter ruin with their children and their honoured wives."

Then spake unto him lord Apollo, that worketh afar: "Shaker of Earth, as nowise sound of mind wouldest thou count me, if I should war with thee for the sake of mortals, pitiful creatures, that like unto leaves are now full of flaming life, eating the fruit of the field, and now again pine away and perish. Nay, with speed let us cease from strife, and let them do battle by themselves."

So saying he turned him back, for he had shame to deal in blows with his father's brother. But his sister railed at him hotly, even the queen of the wild beasts, Artemis of the wild wood, and spake a word of reviling: "Lo, thou fleest, thou god that workest afar, and to Poseidon hast thou utterly yielded the victory, and given him glory for naught! Fool, why bearest thou a bow thus worthless as wind? Let me no more hear thee in the halls of our father boasting as of old among the immortal gods that thou wouldest do battle in open combat with Poseidon."

So spake she, but Apollo, that worketh afar, answered her not. Howbeit the revered wife of Zeus waxed wroth, and chid the archer queen with words of reviling: "How now art thou fain, thou bold and shameless thing, to stand forth against me? No easy foe I tell thee, am I, that thou shouldst vie with me in might, albeit thou bearest the bow, since it was against women that Zeus made thee a lion, and granted thee to slay whomsoever of them thou wilt. In good sooth it is better on the mountains to be slaying beasts and wild deer than to fight amain with those mightier than thou. Howbeit if thou wilt, learn thou of war, that thou mayest know full well how much mightier am I, seeing thou matchest thy strength with mine."

Therewith she caught both the other's hands by the wrist with her left hand, and with her right took the bow and its gear from her shoulders, and with these self-same weapons, smiling the while, she beat her about the ears, as she turned this way and that; and the swift arrows fell from out the quiver. Then weeping the goddess fled from before her even as a dove that from before a falcon flieth into a hollow rock, a cleft—nor is it her lot to be taken; even so fled Artemis weeping, and left her bow and arrows where they lay. But unto Leto spake the messenger Argeiphontes: "Leto, it is not I that will anywise fight with thee; a hard thing were it to bandy blows with the wives of Zeus, the cloud-gatherer; nay, with a right ready heart boast thou among the immortal gods that thou didst vanquish me with thy great might."

So spake he, and Leto gathered up the curved bow and the arrows that had fallen hither and thither amid the whirl of dust. She then, when she had taken her daughter's bow and arrows, went back; but the maiden came to Olympus, to the house of Zeus with threshold of bronze, and sat down weeping upon her father's knees, while about her the fragrant robe quivered; and her father, the son of Cronos, clasped her to him, and asked of her, laughing gently: "Who now of the sons of heaven, dear child, hath entreated thee thus wantonly as though thou wert working some evil before the face of all?"

Then answered him the fair-crowned huntress of the echoing chase: "Thy wife it was that buffeted me, father, even white-armed Hera, from whom strife and contention have been made fast upon the immortals."

On this wise spake they one to the other; but Phoebus Apollo entered into sacred Ilios, for he was troubled for the wall of the well-builded city, lest the Danaans beyond what was ordained should lay it waste on that day. But the other gods that are for ever went unto Olympus, some of them in wrath and some exulting greatly, and they sate them down beside the Father, the lord of the dark clouds. But Achilles was still slaying alike the Trojans themselves and their single-hooved horses. And as when smoke riseth and reacheth the wide heaven from a city that burneth, and the wrath of the gods driveth it on--it causeth toil to all and upon many doth it let loose woes—even so caused Achilles toil and woes for the Trojans.

And the old man Priam stood upon the heaven-built wall, and was ware of monstrous Achilles, and how before him the Trojans were being driven in headlong rout; and help there was none. Then with a groan he gat him down to the ground from the wall, calling the while to the glorious keepers of the gate along the wall: "Wide open hold ye the gates with your hands until the folk shall come to the city in their rout, for lo, here at hand is Achilles, as he driveth them on; now methinks shall there be sorry work. But whenso they have found respite, being gathered within the wall, then close ye again the double doors, close fitted; for I am adread lest yon baneful man leap within the wall."


- Homer, The Iliad, Book 21 (A. T. Murray translation)


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Now when the goddess of the white arms, Hera, had heard this
immediately she spoke to her own dear son, Hephaistos:
“Hephaistos, hold, my glorious child, since it is not fitting
to batter thus an immortal god for the sake of mortals.”
So she spoke, and Hephaistos quenched his inhuman fire. Now
the lovely waters ran their ripples back in the channel.
But when the strength of Xanthos had been beaten, these two gods
rested, since Hera, for all she was still angry, restrained them.
But upon the other gods descended the wearisome burden
of hatred, and the wind of their fury blew from division,
and they collided with a grand crash, the broad earth echoing
and the huge sky sounded as with trumpets. Zeus heard it
from where he sat on Olympos, and was amused in his deep heart
for pleasure, as he watched the gods’ collision in conflict.
Thereafter they stood not long apart from each other, for Ares
began it, the shield-stabber, and rose up against Athene
with the brazen spear in his hand, and spoke a word of revilement:
“Why once more, you dogfly, have you stirred up trouble among the gods
with the blast of your blown fury, and the pride of your heart driving you?
Do you not remember how you set on Diomedes, Tydeus’
son, to spear me, and yourself laying hold of the far-seen pike
pushed it straight into me and tore my skin in its beauty.
So now I am minded to pay you back for all you have done me.”
He spoke, and stabbed against the ghastly aegis with fluttering
straps, which gives way not even before the bolt of Zeus’ lightning.
There blood-dripping Ares made his stab with the long spear,
but Athene giving back caught up in her heavy hand a stone
that lay in the plain, black and rugged and huge, one which men
of a former time had set there as boundary mark of the cornfield.
With this she hit furious Ares in the neck, and unstrung him.
He spread over seven acres in his fall, and his hair dragged
in the dust, and his armor clashed. But Pallas Athene laughing
stood above him and spoke to him in the winged words of triumph:
“You child; you did not think even this time how much stronger
I can claim I am than you, when you match your fury against me.
Therefore you are paying atonement to your mother’s furies
since she is angry and wishes you ill, because you abandoned
the Achaians, and have given your aid to the insolent Trojans.”
She spoke, and turned the shining of her eyes away. But taking
Ares by the hand the daughter of Zeus, Aphrodite,
led him away, groaning always, his strength scarce gathered back into him.
But now, as the goddess of the white arms, Hera, noticed her
immediately she spoke to Pallas Athene her winged words:
“For shame now, Atrytone, daughter of Zeus of the aegis.
Here again is this dogfly leading murderous Ares
out of the fighting and through the confusion. Quick, go after her!
“She spoke, and Athene swept in pursuit, heart full of gladness,
and caught up with her and drove a blow at her breasts with her ponderous
hand, so that her knees went slack and the heart inside her.
Those two both lay sprawled on the generous earth. But Athene
stood above them and spoke to them in the winged words of triumph:
“Now may all who bring their aid to the Trojans be in
such case as these, when they do battle with the armored Argives,
as daring and as unfortunate, as now Aphrodite
came companion in arms to Ares, and faced my fury.
So we should long ago have rested after our fighting
once having utterly stormed the strong-founded city of Ilion.”
She spoke, and the goddess of the white arms, Hera, smiled on her.
But now the powerful shaker of the earth spoke to Apollo:
“Phoibos, why do you and I stand yet apart. It does not suit
when the others have begun, and it were too shameful if without fighting
we go back to the brazen house of Zeus on Olympos.
Begin, you; you are younger born than I; it is not well
for me to, since I am elder born than you, and know more.
Young fool, what a mindless heart you have. Can you not even
now remember all the evils we endured here by Ilion,
you and I alone of the gods, when to proud Laomedon
we came down from Zeus and for a year were his servants
for a stated hire, and he told us what to do, and to do it?
Then I built a wall for the Trojans about their city,
wide, and very splendid, so none could break into their city,
but you, Phoibos, herded his shambling horn-curved cattle
along the spurs of Ida with all her folds and her forests.
But when the changing seasons brought on the time for our labor
to be paid, then headstrong Laomedon violated and made void
all our hire, and sent us away, and sent threats after us.
For he threatened to hobble our feet and to bind our arms,
to carry us away for slaves in the far-lying islands.
He was even going to strip with bronze the ears from both of us.
Then you and I took our way back with hearts full of anger
and wrath for our hire which he promised us and would not accomplish it.
Yet to his people you give now your grace, and you will not
try with us to bring destruction on the insolent Trojans
evil and complete, with their honored wives and their children.”
In turn the lord who strikes from afar, Apollo, answered him:
“Shaker of the earth, you would have me be as one without prudence
if I am to fight even you for the sake of insignificant
mortals, who are as leaves are, and now flourish and grow warm
with life, and feed on what the ground gives, but then again
fade away and are dead. Therefore let us with all speed
give up this quarrel and let the mortals fight their own battles.”
He spoke so and turned away, for he was too modest
to close and fight in strength of hand with his father’s brother.
But his sister, Artemis of the wild, the lady of wild beasts,
scolded him bitterly and spoke a word of revilement:
“You run from him, striker from afar. You have yielded Poseidon
the victory entire. He can brag, where nothing has happened.
Fool, then why do you wear that bow, which is wind and nothing.
Let me not hear you in the halls of my father boasting
ever again, as you did before among the immortals,
that you could match your strength in combat against Poseidon.”
So she spoke, but Apollo who strikes from afar said nothing
to her; but the august consort of Zeus, full of anger,
scolded the lady of showering arrows in words of revilement:
“How have you had the daring, you shameless hussy, to stand up
and face me? It will be hard for you to match your strength with mine
even if you wear a bow, since Zeus has made you a lion
among women, and given you leave to kill any at your pleasure.
Better for you to hunt down the ravening beasts in the mountains
and deer of the wilds, than try to fight in strength with your betters.
But if you would learn what fighting is, come on. You will find out
how much stronger I am when you try to match strength against me.”
She spoke, and caught both of her arms at the wrists in her left hand
and with her right hand stripped away the bow from her shoulders,
then with her own bow, smiling, boxed her ears as Artemis
tried to twist away, and the flying arrows were scattered.
She got under and free and fled in tears, as a pigeon
in flight from a hawk wings her way into some rock-hollow
and a cave, since it was not destiny for the hawk to catch her.
So she left her archery on the ground, and fled weeping.
Meanwhile the Guide, Argeïphontes, addressed him to Leto:
“Leto, I will not fight with you; since it is a hard thing
to come to blows with the brides of Zeus who gathers the clouds. No,
sooner you may freely speak among the immortal
gods, and claim that you were stronger than I, and beat me.”
So he spoke, but Leto picked up the curved bow and the arrows
which had fallen in the turn of the dust one way and another.
When she had taken up the bow she went back to her daughter.
But the maiden came to the bronze-founded house on Olympos
of Zeus, and took her place kneeling at the knees of her father
and the ambrosial veil trembled about her. Her father
Kronides caught her against him, and laughed softly, and questioned her:
“Who now of the Uranian gods, dear child, has done such
things to you, rashly, as if you were caught doing something wicked?”
Artemis sweet-garlanded lady of clamors answered him:
“It was your wife, Hera of the white arms, who hit me,
father, since hatred and fighting have fastened upon the immortals.”
Now as these two were talking thus to each other, meanwhile
Phoibos Apollo went into the sacred city of Ilion,
since he was concerned for the wall of the strong-founded city
lest the Danaäns storm it on that day, before they were fated.
The rest of the gods who live forever went back to Olympos,
some in anger and others glorying greatly, and sat down
at the side of their father the dark-misted. Meanwhile Achilleus
was destroying alike the Trojans themselves and their single-foot horses;
and as when smoke ascending goes up into the wide sky
from a burning city, with the anger of the gods let loose upon it
which inflicted labor upon them all, and sorrow on many,
so Achilleus inflicted labor and sorrow upon the Trojans.
The aged Priam had taken his place on the god-built bastion,
and looked out and saw gigantic Achilleus, where before him
the Trojans fled in the speed of their confusion, no war strength
left them. He groaned and descended to the ground from the bastion
and beside the wall set in motion the glorious guards of the gateway;
“Hold the gates wide open in your hands, so that our people
in their flight can get inside the city, for here is Achilleus
close by, stampeding them, and I think there will be disaster.
But once they are crowded inside the city and get wind again,
shut once more the door-leaves closely fitted together.
I am afraid this ruinous man may spring into our stronghold.”


- Homer, The Iliad, Book 21 (Richmond Lattimore translation)