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Vol. 41 : Aphrodite wounded

Aphrodite saw Aeneas fall, and with a cry, she flew down to her son. She threw her shining cloak over his body, and tenderly picked him up in her arms. But as she did, Diomedes came running across the battlefield, another spear in his arm, and he stabbed the goddess in the wrist.

Aphrodite screamed in pain. Ichor — the blood of the gods — dripped down her arm. She let go of Aeneas, who, still unconscious, fell to the ground. Diomedes saw him fall and raised his spear to end Aeneas'life.

At that moment, Apollo, defender of Troy, hid Aeneas in a mist. He picked him up and flew back into the city. Aphrodite fled. When the mist had disappeared, both the goddess and her son had also disappeared.

"So it's not enough that you destroyed Helen's life," Diomedes yelled. "You have to join the fighting too."

Athena was waiting with Zeus when Aphrodite arrived at Mt. Olympus sobbing, her injured wrist wrapped in cloth. "Look at what Diomedes has done," she said. "He fights the gods themselves. It isn't fair."

"Diomedes?" Athena said. "It looks to me like you've just pricked yourself on a pin. Father, she's probably been seducing another Greek woman for the Trojans."

Zeus laughed. "The battlefield is no place for you, my daughter," he said, patting her head. Leave war to Athena and Ares."

Meanwhile, Apollo had returned to the battlefield and was fighting Diomedes, smashing his shield and easily beating him back. As he fought, Apollo looked around. Where was Ares? Leaving Diomedes, he found Ares sitting on the bank of a nearby river, looking bored.

"What are you doing here?" Apollo asked.

Ares told him what Athena had said.

"Idiot, she has tricked you. Look, she's back on the battlefield, helping the Greeks. Now go and help the Trojans. They need you."

With a roar of anger, Ares charged into battle, and darkness covered the land, as he filled the Trojans with a thirst for blood.