Book XI

whom from fruitful Elis debts were due; And then the princes of the Pyleans came, And made division of the spoil. For much The Epeians owed us: we were yet but few In Pylos, and had suffered grievously. The mighty Hercules in former years Had made us feel his wrath, and of our men Had slain the bravest: of the twelve who drew Their birth from Neleus, I alone am left; The others fell. The Epeians brazen-mailed Saw this, delighted, and insulted us And did us wrong. When now the spoil was shared The old man for himself reserved a herd Of oxen, and a numerous flock of sheep⁠— Three hundred, with their shepherds⁠—for to him Large debts were due in Elis. He had sent Four horses once, of peerless speed, with cars, To win a tripod, the appointed prize. Augeias, king of men, detained them there, And sent the grieving charioteer away. My father, angered at the monarch’s words And acts, took large amends, and gave the rest To share among the people, that no one Might leave the ground, defrauded of his right. All this was justly done, and we performed Due sacrifices to the gods, throughout The city;⁠—when the third day came, and brought The Epeians all at once, in all their strength⁠— Both men on foot and prancing steeds. With these Came the Molions twain, well armed, though young And yet untrained to war. There is a town Named Thryoëssa, on a lofty hill Far off beside Alpheius, on the edge Of sandy Pylos. They beleaguered this, And sought to overthrow it. As they crossed The plain, Minerva came, a messenger, By night from Mount Olympus, bidding us Put on our armor. Not unwillingly The Pyleans mustered, but in eager haste For battle. Yet did Neleus not consent That I should arm myself⁠—he hid my steeds; For still he deemed me inexpert in war. Yet even then, although I fought on foot, I won great honor even among the knights; For so had Pallas favored me. A stream Named Minyeius pours into the sea Near to Arena, where the Pylean knights Waited the coming of the holy morn, While those who fought on foot came thronging Thence, with our host complete, and all in arms, We marched, and reached at noon the sacred stream at Alpheius, where to Jove Omnipotent We offered chosen victims, and a bull To the