Book V

.

Crying aloud with pain, the goddess dropped her son from her arms, but Apollo enveloped him in a thick cloud, thus saving him from the wrath of the furious Greeks. Meanwhile the swift-footed Iris hastened down from heaven to the aid of Venus, whom she conducted to where Mars sat on the left of the battlefield, watching the conflict. At the entreaty of his wounded sister.

Mars resigned to her his steeds With trappings of bright gold. She climbed the car, Still grieving, and, beside her, Iris took Her seat, and caught the reins and plied the lash. On flew the coursers, on, with willing speed, And soon were at the mansion of the gods On high Olympus.

BRYANT, _Iliad_,