Page 293 - the-iliad

‘Madman, you are undone; you have ears that hear not, or
you have lost all judgement and understanding; have you
not heard what Juno has said on coming straight from the
presence of Olympian Jove? Do you wish to go through all
kinds of suffering before you are brought back sick and sor-
ry to Olympus, after having caused infinite mischief to all
us others? Jove would instantly leave the Trojans and Achae-
ans to themselves; he would come to Olympus to punish us,
and would grip us up one after another, guilty or not guilty.
Therefore lay aside your anger for the death of your son; bet-
ter men than he have either been killed already or will fall
hereafter, and one cannot protect every one’s whole family.’
With these words she took Mars back to his seat. Mean-
while Juno called Apollo outside, with Iris the messenger of
the gods. ‘Jove,’ she said to them, ‘desires you to go to him
at once on Mt. Ida; when you have seen him you are to do as
he may then bid you.’
Thereon Juno left them and resumed her seat inside,
while Iris and Apollo made all haste on their way. When
they reached many-fountained Ida, mother of wild beasts,
they found Jove seated on topmost Gargarus with a fragrant
cloud encircling his head as with a diadem. They stood be-
fore his presence, and he was pleased with them for having
been so quick in obeying the orders his wife had given
them.
He spoke to Iris first. ‘Go,’ said he, ‘fleet Iris, tell King
Neptune what I now bid you—and tell him true. Bid him
leave off fighting, and either join the company of the gods,
or go down into the sea. If he takes no heed and disobeys

The Iliad