During the Trojan war, Mars interested himself on the side of the Trojans;
but while he defended these favourites of Venus with great activity, he was
wounded by Diomedes, and hastily retreated to Heaven, complaining to
Jupiter that Minerva had directed the unerring weapon of his antagonist.
"Wild with his pain, he sought the bright abodes,
There, sullen, sate beneath the sire of gods,
Shewed the celestial blood, and with a groan,
Thus poured his plaints before the immortal throne.
Can Jove, supine, flagitious acts survey
And brook the furies of the daring day?
For mortal men, celestial powers engage,
And gods on gods exert eternal rage.
From thee, O father! all these ills we bear,
And thy fell daughter with the shield and spear.
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Thou gavest that fury to the realms of light,
Pernicious, wild, regardless of the right;
All Heaven besides, reveres thy sovereign sway,
Thy voice we hear, and thy behests obey:
'Tis hers to offend, and e'en offending, share
Thy breast, thy counsels, thy distinguished care:
So boundless she, and thou so partial grown,
Well may we deem, the wondrous birth thine own;
Now frantic Diomed, at her command,
Against the immortals lifts his raging hand;
The heavenly Venus first his fury found:
Me next encountering, me he dared to wound:
Vanquished I fled; e'en I, the god of fight,
From mortal madness, scarce was saved by flight,
Else hadst thou seen me sink on yonder plain,
Heaped round, and heaving under loads of slain,
Or pierced with Grecian darts, for ages lie
Condemned to pain, though fated not to die.'"