But after Jove, then, had brought the Trojans and Hector near the ships, he left them to endure labour and toil at them incessantly; but he himself turned back his shining eyes apart, looking towards the land of the equestrian Thracians and the close-fighting Mysians, and the illustrious Hippomolgi, milk-nourished, simple in living, and most just men. 411 But to Troy he no longer now turned his bright eyes; for he did not suppose in his mind that any one of the immortals, going, would aid either the Trojans or the Greeks. Footnote 411: (return) Arrian, Exp. Alex. iv. p. 239, referring to this passage of Homer, observes, οἰκοῦσι δὲ ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ οὗτοι αὐτόνομοι, οὐχ ἥκιστα διὰ πενίαν τε καὶ δικαιότητα. Dionysius, Perieg. 309, seems, as Hill observes, to consider the name ἱππημολγοί as applicable not to one single clan, but to the whole of the Sarmatian nomads, milk being one of the principal articles of their diet, as among the Suevi (Cæsar, B.G. iv. 1), and the ancient Germans (id. vi. 22). Callimachus, Hymn iii., applies the epithet to the Cimmerians. The epithet ἀβίων (or ἀβιῶν=_bowless_, not living by archery: cf. Alberti on Hesych. t. i. pp. 17, 794) is involved in doubt, and the ancients themselves were uncertain whether to regard it as a proper name or an epithet. (Cf. Steph. Byz. s. v., p. 7, ed. Pined.; Villois on Apoll. Lex. p. 14; Duport, Gnom. Horn. p. 74, sqq.) It seems best to understand with Strabo, vii. p. 460, nations ἀπ’ ὀλίγων εὐτελῶς ζὧντας. Knight wished to throw out these verses altogether, alleging that allusion is made in them to the discipline of Zamolxis, with which Homer must have been wholly unacquainted. Nor did king Neptune keep a vain watch; for he sat aloft upon the highest summit of the woody Thracian Samos, admiring the war and the battle. For from thence all Ida was visible, and the city of Priam was visible, and the ships of the Greeks. Then coming out of the sea, he sat down, and he pitied the Greeks, subdued by the Trojans, and was very indignant with Jove. But presently he descended down, from the rugged mountain, rapidly advancing on foot, and the high hills and woods trembled beneath the immortal feet of Neptune, advancing. Thrice indeed he strode, advancing, and with the fourth step he reached Ægæ, his destined goal. There distinguished mansions, golden, glittering, ever incorruptible, were erected to him in the depths of the sea. Coming thither, he yoked beneath his chariot the brazen-footed steeds, swiftly flying, crested with golden manes. But he himself placed gold around his person, took his golden lash, well wrought, and ascended his chariot. He proceeded to drive over the billows, and the monsters of the deep 412 sported beneath him on all sides from their recesses, nor were ignorant of their king. For joy the sea separated; and they flew very rapidly, nor was the brazen axle moist beneath. And his well-bounding steeds bore him to the ships of the Greeks.