Page:The Story of the Iliad.djvu/294

254, thou wouldst not call me wise were I to fight with thee for the sake of miserable men. For they are but as the leaves. For to-day they be in the midst of their life, eating the fruit of the ground, and to-morrow they perish utterly. Let others strive; but we will not fight together." And he turned to depart; for he feared to join battle with the brother of his sire. But his sister Artemis, the great huntress of beasts, was very wroth when she saw him depart, and rebuked him, crying: "Dost thou fly, Far-Shooter, and yield the victory to Poseidon? For what then hast thou thy bow? Never let me hear thee boast again, as thou hast been wont to boast in the hall of thy father, that thou wouldst do battle with Poseidon!" No answer made Apollo; but the wife of Zeus spake to her in wrath: "How thinkest thou, shameless one, to stand against me? No easy one am I for thee to match, for all that thou hast a bow, and that Zeus hath made thee a devouring lioness for women to slay whom thou wilt. 'Tis better for thee to hunt