so great, all
bearing long spears; for they were as the host of the Centaurs and the
Giants. Then he asked with a sly smile; 'Who of the deathless gods will
help the Frogs and who the Mice?'

And he said to Athena;

(ll. 174-176) 'My daughter, will you go aid the Mice? For they all
frolic about your temple continually, delighting in the fat of sacrifice
and in all kinds of food.'

(ll. 177-196) So then said the son of Cronos. But Athena answered him:
'I would never go to help the Mice when they are hard pressed, for they
have done me much mischief, spoiling my garlands and my lamps too,
to get the oil. And this thing that they have done vexes my heart
exceedingly: they have eaten holes in my sacred robe, which I wove
painfully spinning a fine woof on a fine warp, and made it full of
holes. And now the money-lender is at me and charges me interest which
is a bitter thing for immortals. For I borrowed to do my weaving, and
have nothing with which to repay. Yet even so I will not help the Frogs;
for they also are not considerable: once, when I was returning early
from war, I was very tired, and though I wanted to sleep, they would not
let me even doze a little for their outcry; and so I lay sleepless with
a headache until cock-crow. No, gods, let us refrain from helping these
hosts, or one of us may get wounded with a sharp spear; for they fight
hand to hand, even if a god comes against them. Let us rather all amuse
ourselves watching the fight from heaven.'

(ll. 197-198) So said Athena. And the other gods agreed with her, and
all went in a body to one place.

(ll. 199-201) Then gnats with great trumpets sounded the fell note
of war, and Zeus the son of Cronos thundered from heaven, a sign of
grievous battle.

(ll. 202-223) First Loud-croaker wounded Lickman in the belly, right
through the midriff. Down fell he on his face and soiled his soft fur
in the dust: he fell with a thud and his armour clashed about him. Next
Troglodyte shot at the son of Mudman, and drove the strong spear deep
into his breast; so he fell, and black death seized him and his spirit
flitted forth from his mouth. Then Beety struck Pot-visitor to the heart
and killed him, and Bread-nibbler hit Loud-crier in the belly, so that
he fell on his face and his spirit flitted forth from his limbs. Now
when Pond-larker saw Loud-crier perishing, he struck in quickly and
wounded Troglodyte in his soft neck with a rock like a mill-stone, so
that darkness