Page 431 - the-iliad

them settle it among themselves.’
He turned away as he spoke, for he would lay no hand
on the brother of his own father. But his sister the huntress
Diana, patroness of wild beasts, was very angry with him
and said, ‘So you would fly, Far-Darter, and hand victory
over to Neptune with a cheap vaunt to boot. Baby, why keep
your bow thus idle? Never let me again hear you bragging
in my father’s house, as you have often done in the presence
of the immortals, that you would stand up and fight with
Neptune.’
Apollo made her no answer, but Jove’s august queen was
angry and upbraided her bitterly. ‘Bold vixen,’ she cried,
‘how dare you cross me thus? For all your bow you will find
it hard to hold your own against me. Jove made you as a lion
among women, and lets you kill them whenever you choose.
You will find it better to chase wild beasts and deer upon
the mountains than to fight those who are stronger than
you are. If you would try war, do so, and find out by pitting
yourself against me, how far stronger I am than you are.’
She caught both Diana’s wrists with her left hand as she
spoke, and with her right she took the bow from her shoul-
ders, and laughed as she beat her with it about the ears while
Diana wriggled and writhed under her blows. Her swift ar-
rows were shed upon the ground, and she fled weeping from
under Juno’s hand as a dove that flies before a falcon to the
cleft of some hollow rock, when it is her good fortune to es-
cape. Even so did she fly weeping away, leaving her bow and
arrows behind her.
Then the slayer of Argus, guide and guardian, said to

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