Named Thryoëssa, and, with ardor fired To lay it waste, that city they besieged.860 Now when their host had traversed all the plain, Minerva from Olympus flew by night And bade us arm; nor were the Pylians slow To assemble, but impatient for the fight. Me, then, my father suffer’d not to arm,865 But hid my steeds, for he supposed me raw As yet, and ignorant how war is waged. Yet, even thus, unvantaged and on foot, Superior honors I that day acquired To theirs who rode, for Pallas led me on870 Herself to victory. There is a stream Which at Arena falls into the sea, Named Minuëius; on that river’s bank The Pylian horsemen waited day’s approach, And thither all our foot came pouring down.875 The flood divine of Alpheus thence we reach’d At noon, all arm’d complete; there, hallow’d rites We held to Jove omnipotent, and slew A bull to sacred Alpheus, with a bull To Neptune, and a heifer of the herd880 To Pallas; then, all marshall’d as they were, From van to rear our legions took repast, And at the river’s side slept on their arms. Already the Epean host had round Begirt the city, bent to lay it waste,885 A task which cost them, first, both blood and toil, For when the radiant sun on the green earth Had risen, with prayer to Pallas and to Jove, We gave them battle. When the Pylian host And the Epeans thus were close engaged,890 I first a warrior slew, Mulius the brave, And seized his coursers. He the eldest-born Of King Augeias’ daughters had espoused The golden Agamede; not an herb The spacious earth yields but she knew its powers,895 Him, rushing on me, with my brazen lance I smote, and in the dust he fell; I leap’d Into his seat, and drove into the van. A panic seized the Epeans when they saw The leader of their horse o’erthrown, a Chief900 Surpassing all in fight. Black as a cloud With whirlwind fraught, I drove impetuous on, Took fifty chariots, and at side of each Lay two slain warriors, with their teeth the soil Grinding, all vanquish’d by my single arm.905 I had slain also the Molions, sons Of Actor, but the Sovereign of the deep Their own authentic Sire, in darkness dense Involving both, convey’d them safe away. Then Jove a victory of prime renown910 Gave to the Pylians; for we chased and slew And gather’d spoil o’er all the champain spread With scatter’d shields, till we our steeds had driven To the Buprasian fields laden with corn, To the Olenian rock, and to a town915 In fair Colona situate, and named Alesia. There it was that Pallas turn’d Our people homeward; there I left the last Of all the slain, and he was slain by me. Then drove the Achaians from Buprasium home920 Their coursers fleet, and Jove, of Gods above, Received most praise, Nestor of men below. Such once was I. But brave Achilles shuts His virtues close, an unimparted store; Yet even he shall weep, when all the host,925 His fellow-warriors once, shall be destroy’d. But recollect, young friend! the sage advice Which when thou earnest from Phthia to the aid