Page:The Story of the Iliad.djvu/93

Rh Then Hector passed through the ranks, bidding them be of good heart, and so departed to the city.

And when he was gone, Glaucus the Lycian and Diomed met in the space between the two hosts. Then first spake Diomed: "Tell me, thou mighty man of valour, who thou art of mortal men, for never before have I seen thee in the battle; but now thou comest out far before the ranks of thy fellows, and art willing to abide my spear. Luckless are the fathers of them that set themselves against my might. Yet, if thou be one of the immortal gods, and hast come down from heaven, I fight thee not. I dare not match myself with the gods of heaven. For King Lycurgus, son of Dryas, that fought with the gods, lived not long. Through the land of Nysa did he drive the nursing mothers of Bacchus, wielding an oxgoad in his fury, so that they dropped their wands for fear; and Bacchus also fled and leapt into the waves of the salt sea, being sore afraid; and Thetis took him to her bosom. Nevertheless, the gods that live at ease were wroth with Lycurgus, for all that he thus