love And marriage, and she bore him twins; and these, Brave and of shapely limb, Mecisteus’ son Struck down, and from their shoulders tore the mail. The warlike Polypoetes overthrew Astyalus; Ulysses smote to earth Pidytes the Percosian with the spear, And Teucer Aretaon, nobly born. The glittering javelin of Antilochus, The son of Nestor, laid Ablerus low; And Agamemnon, king of men, struck down Elatus, who on lofty Pedasus Dwelt, by the smoothly flowing Satnio’s stream. Brave Leitus slew Phylacus in flight, And by Eurypylus Melanthius fell. Then valiant Menelaus took alive Adrastus, whose two coursers, as they scoured The plain in terror, struck against a branch Of tamarisk, and, there entangled, snapped The chariot pole, and, breaking from it, fled Whither were others fleeing. From the car Adrastus to the dust beside the wheel Fell, on his face. There, lifting his huge spear, Atrides Menelaus o’er him stood. Adrastus clasped the warrior’s knees and said:—
“O son of Atreus, take me prisoner, And thou shalt have large ransom. In the house Of my rich father ample treasures lie— Brass, gold, and tempered steel—and he shall send Gifts without end when he shall hear that I Am spared alive and in the Grecian fleet.”
He spake, and moved the conqueror, who now Was minded to give charge that one among His comrades to the Grecian fleet should lead The captive. Agamemnon came in haste, And, lifting up his voice, rebuked him thus:—
“O Menelaus, soft of heart, why thus Art thou concerned for men like these? In sooth, Great are the benefits thy household owes The Trojans. Nay, let none of them escape The doom of swift destruction by our hands. The very babe within his mother’s womb, Even that must die, and all of Ilium born Perish unburied, utterly cut off.”
He spake; the timely admonition changed The purpose of his brother, who thrust back The suppliant hero with his hand; and then King