Page:The Story of the Iliad.djvu/292

252 ground, a hundred feet and more, and Athené laughed when she saw him, and cried: "Fool! hast thou not yet learned how much stronger I am than thou, that thou matchest thy might against me? Lie there and suffer the curses of thy mother; for she is wroth because thou hast betrayed the Greeks and helpest the men of Troy." But Aphrodité took him by the hand, and would have led him away; deep did he groan, and scarce could he gather his spirit together. But when Hera saw it, she cried to Athené, saying: "See now, how Aphrodité would lead Ares out of the battle! Pursue her now, and hinder her." So Athené pursued after her, and smote her on the breast with her heavy hand; and her knees failed beneath her. So these two lay upon the earth, and Athené cried over them: "Now would that all who help the sons of Troy were as brave and strong as these two. Long since had we ceased from war and destroyed the fair city of Troy."

Then the Great Earthshaker spake to Apollo: "Why stand we apart? Surely this