Regarding lightly; for he burn’d to slay
AEneas, and to seize his glorious arms. 
Thrice then he sprang impetuous to the deed, 510
And thrice Apollo with his radiant shield
Repulsed him.  But when ardent as a God
The fourth time he advanced, with thundering-voice
Him thus the Archer of the skies rebuked. 

    Think, and retire, Tydides! nor affect 515

Equality with Gods; for not the same
Our nature is and theirs who tread the ground. 

    He spake, and Diomede a step retired,

Not more; the anger of the Archer-God
Declining slow, and with a sullen awe. 520
Then Phoebus, far from all the warrior throng
To his own shrine the sacred dome beneath
Of Pergamus, AEneas bore; there him
Latona and shaft-arm’d Diana heal’d
And glorified within their spacious fane. 525
Meantime the Archer of the silver bow
A visionary form prepared; it seem’d
Himself AEneas, and was arm’d as he. 
At once, in contest for that airy form,
Grecians and Trojans on each other’s breasts 530
The bull-hide buckler batter’d and light targe. 

    Then thus Apollo to the warrior God. 

Gore-tainted homicide, town-batterer Mars! 
Wilt thou not meet and from the fight withdraw
This man Tydides, now so fiery grown 535
That he would even cope with Jove himself? 
First Venus’ hand he wounded, and assail’d
Impetuous as a God, next, even me. 
He ceased, and on the topmost turret sat
Of Pergamus.  Then all-destroyer Mars 540
Ranging the Trojan host, rank after rank
Exhorted loud, and in the form assumed
Of Acamas the Thracian leader bold,
The godlike sons of Priam thus harangued. 

    Ye sons of Priam, monarch Jove-beloved! 545

How long permit ye your Achaian foes
To slay the people?—­till the battle rage
(Push’d home to Ilium) at her solid gates? 
Behold—­a Chief disabled lies, than whom
We reverence not even Hector more, 550
AEneas; fly, save from the roaring storm
The noble Anchisiades your friend. 

    He said; then every heart for battle glow’d;

And thus Sarpedon with rebuke severe
Upbraiding generous Hector, stern began. 555

    Where is thy courage, Hector? for thou once

Hadst courage.  Is it fled?  In other days
Thy boast hath been that without native troops
Or foreign aids, thy kindred and thyself
Alone, were guard sufficient for the town. 560
But none of all thy kindred now appears;
I can discover none; they stand aloof
Quaking, as dogs that hear the lion’s roar. 
We bear the stress, who are but Troy’s allies;
Myself am such, and from afar I came; 565