Homer ILIAD : Rhapsody 6

Page 6

Thus having spoken, crest-tossing Hector departed; but about him the black hide, the border which surrounded his bossy shield, kept striking his ankles and his neck.

But Glaucus, son of Hippolochus, and the son of Tydeus met in the midst of both armies, eager to fight. But when now they were near, going against each other, Diomede, brave in the din of war, first addressed him:

"Who of mortal men art thou, O most brave? For never yet have I beheld thee in the glorious fight: but now indeed thou hast far surpassed all in thy confidence, since thou hast awaited my long-shadowed spear. Certainly they are sons of the hapless who meet my strength. But, if one of the immortals, thou art come from heaven, I would not fight with the celestial gods. For valiant Lycurgus, the son of Dryas, did not live long, who contended with the heavenly gods; he who once pursued the nurses of raving Bacchus through sacred Nyssa; but they all at once cast their sacred implements[240] on the ground, smitten by man-slaying Lycurgus with an ox-goad; but Bacchus, too, terrified, sunk under the wave of the sea, and Thetis received him affrighted in her bosom; for dreadful trembling had seized him, on account of the threat of the man. With him the peaceful-living gods were afterwards enraged, and the son of Saturn rendered him blind, nor did he live much longer, for he became an object of aversion to all the immortal gods. Wherefore I should not wish to fight with the blessed gods. But if thou art any one of mortals, who eat the fruit of the earth, come hither, that thou mayest speedily reach the goal of death."

[Footnote 240: Not merely the thyrsi. See Anthon.]

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