The voice of Themis, but (the billows left)
Came also; in the midst his seat he took, 20
And ask’d, incontinent, the mind of Jove.[3]

    King of the lightnings! wherefore hast thou call’d

The Gods to council?  Hast thou aught at heart
Important to the hosts of Greece and Troy? 
For on the battle’s fiery edge they stand. 25

    To whom replied Jove, Sovereign of the storms,

Thou know’st my council, Shaker of the shores! 
And wherefore ye are call’d.  Although ordain’d
So soon to die, they interest me still. 
Myself, here seated on Olympus’ top, 30
With contemplation will my mind indulge
Of yon great spectacle; but ye, the rest,
Descend into the field, Trojan or Greek
Each to assist, as each shall most incline. 
For should Achilles in the field no foe 35
Find save the Trojans, quickly should they fly
Before the rapid force of Peleus’ son. 
They trembled ever at his look, and since
Such fury for his friend hath fired his heart,
I fear lest he anticipate the will 40
Of Fate, and Ilium perish premature. 

    So spake the son of Saturn kindling war

Inevitable, and the Gods to fight
’Gan move with minds discordant.  Juno sought
And Pallas, with the earth-encircling Power 45
Neptune, the Grecian fleet, with whom were join’d
Mercury, teacher of all useful arts,
And Vulcan, rolling on all sides his eyes
Tremendous, but on disproportion’d legs,
Not without labor hard, halting uncouth. 50
Mars, warrior-God, on Ilium’s part appear’d
With Phoebus never-shorn, Dian shaft-arm’d,
Xanthus, Latona, and the Queen of smiles,
Venus.  So long as the immortal Gods
Mixed not with either host, Achaia’s sons 55
Exulted, seeing, after tedious pause,
Achilles in the field, and terror shook
The knees of every Trojan, at the sight
Of swift Achilles like another Mars
Panting for blood, and bright in arms again. 60
But when the Olympian Powers had enter’d once
The multitude, then Discord, at whose voice
The million maddens, vehement arose;
Then, Pallas at the trench without the wall
By turns stood shouting, and by turns a shout 65
Sent terrible along the sounding shore,
While, gloomy as a tempest, opposite,
Mars from the lofty citadel of Troy
Now yell’d aloud, now running o’er the hill
Callicolone, on the Simois’ side. 70

    Thus the Immortals, ever-blest, impell’d

Both hosts to battle, and dire inroad caused
Of strife among them.  Sudden from on high
The Sire of Gods and men thunder’d; meantime,
Neptune the earth and the high mountains shook; 75
Through all her base and to her topmost peak