stained spoils, he placed them in
the chariot, and mounted himself, bloody as to his feet and hands above,
like some lion which has fed upon a bull. Again over Patroclus was the
direful battle extended, grievous, lamentable; and Minerva excited the
contention, descending from heaven; for far-sounding Jove sent her forth
to encourage the Greeks, as his intention was now changed. As Jove
extends a purple rainbow from heaven to mortals, to be a signal either
of war, or of a chilling storm, which causes men to cease from their
works upon the earth, and afflicts the cattle; so she, having obscured
herself in a purple cloud, entered the army of the Greeks, and aroused
every man. First, however, she addressed the son of Atreus, gallant
Menelaus, inciting him, for he was near her, assimilating herself, in
her form and unwearied voice, to Phoenix:

"Thine, of a truth, will shame and disgrace now be, O Menelaus, if the
swift dogs tear the faithful companion of illustrious Achilles beneath
the wall of the Trojans; therefore bravely hold on, and urge on all the
people." Whom, in return, Menelaus, good in the din of war, addressed:
"Phoenix, father, old man long since born, would that Minerva would give
me strength, and ward off the force of the weapons. Then indeed would I
be willing to stand by and defend Patroclus; for dying, he greatly
affected my mind with grief. But Hector has the dreadful force of fire,
nor does he cease slaying with his spear; for to him Jove affords
glory."

Thus he spoke; but the azure-eyed goddess Minerva rejoiced, because to
her he had prayed first of all the gods. But in his shoulders and knees
she put strength, and placed in his bosom the boldness of a fly, which,
although frequently driven away from a human body, persists in
biting,--and the blood of man is sweet to it. With such confidence she
filled his dark soul: and he advanced towards Patroclus, and took aim
with his splendid spear. Now there was among the Trojans one Podes, the
son of Eetion, rich and brave; whom of his people Hector chiefly
honoured, for he was his dear companion in the banquet. Him
yellow-haired Menelaus smote upon the belt while hastening to flight,
and drove the brazen weapon quite through. He, falling, gave a crash,
and Menelaus, the son of Atreus, dragged away the body from the Trojans
to the crowd of his companions. But Apollo, standing near, excited
Hector in the likeness of Phoenops, son of Asias, who, inhabiting
dwel