Athena seated Ares again. Hera called Apollo outside and Iris, messenger of the gods, and gave them Zeus's command.
They ran to Ida and found Zeus on Gargaros wrapped in fragrant cloud. He told Iris to go to Poseidon and command him truly: leave battle and go to the gods or into the bright sea. If Poseidon refused, he should think whether he could withstand Zeus, who was older and stronger though they were brothers.
Iris went like snow or hail from a cloud and spoke to the earth-shaker. Poseidon was angry and said Zeus spoke with arrogance.
They were three brothers, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades, sons of Cronus and Rhea; the world had been divided in three, and the sea was his lot, while Olympus and earth were common. Zeus should not frighten him like a coward.
Iris answered carefully: should she carry back that hard word, or would he bend? The hearts of good men can be turned, and the Erinyes always follow the elder-born.
Poseidon gave way. He said it was bitter for Zeus to threaten an equal brother, but he would yield for now. If Zeus spared high Troy against the will of himself, Hera, Athena, Hermes, and Hephaestus, there would be anger between them forever.
The shaker of earth left the Achaean army and went into the sea, and the Argives missed him. Zeus then told Apollo to go to Hector, shake the aegis, and terrify the Achaeans. Let Hector fight until the Danaans reached the ships and Hellespont; from there Zeus would plan relief.
Apollo obeyed. He came down Ida like a hawk, found Hector sitting up but still weak, and asked why he sat away from the fight.
Hector answered faintly that Aias had struck him with a stone when he was fighting at the ships; he thought he had seen the dead. Apollo told him to take courage: Zeus had sent him a strong helper, Phoebus Apollo of the golden sword, who had long guarded him and his city.
Apollo breathed great strength into the shepherd of the people.
As a stalled horse breaks its tether and gallops to a river, head high and mane streaming, proud in its beauty, so Hector moved lightly again through the front ranks. When the Trojans saw him alive and strong, their courage returned; when the Achaeans saw him, fear came on them.