Thrice forty warriors, had arrived at Troy. In thirty ships deep-laden with the brave, Aspledon and Orchomenos had sent620 Their chosen youth; them ruled a noble pair, Sons of Astyoche; she, lovely nymph, Received by stealth, on Actor’s stately roof, The embraces of a God, and bore to Mars Twins like himself, Ascalaphus the bold,625 And bold Iälmenus, expert in arms. Beneath Epistrophus and Schedius, took Their destined station on Bœotia’s left, The brave Phocensians; they in forty ships From Cyparissus came, and from the rocks630 Of Python, and from Crissa the divine; From Anemoria, Daulis, Panopeus, And from Hyampolis, and from the banks Of the Cephissus, sacred stream, and from Lilæa, seated at its fountain-head.635 Next from beyond Eubœa’s happy isle In forty ships conveyed, stood forth well armed The Locrians; dwellers in Augeia some The pleasant, some of Opoëis possessed, Some of Calliarus; these Scarpha sent,640 And Cynus those; from Bessa came the rest, From Tarpha, Thronius, and from the brink Of loud Boagrius; Ajax them, the swift, Son of Oïleus led, not such as he From Telamon, big-boned and lofty built,645 But small of limb, and of an humbler crest; Yet he, competitor had none throughout The Grecians of what land soe’er, for skill In ushering to its mark the rapid lance. Elphenor brought (Calchodon’s mighty son)650 The Eubœans to the field. In forty ships From Histrïæa for her vintage famed, From Chalcis, from Iretria, from the gates Of maritime Cerinthus, from the heights Of Dios rock-built citadel sublime,655 And from Caristus and from Styra came His warlike multitudes, all named alike Abantes, on whose shoulders fell behind Their locks profuse,[23] and they were eager all To split the hauberk with the pointed spear.660 Nor Athens had withheld her generous sons, The people of Erectheus. Him of old The teeming glebe produced, a wondrous birth! And Pallas rear’d him: her own unctuous fane She made his habitation, where with bulls665 The youth of Athens, and with slaughter’d lambs Her annual worship celebrate. Then led Menestheus, whom, (sage Nestor’s self except, Thrice school’d in all events of human life,) None rivall’d ever in the just array670 Of horse and man to battle. Fifty ships Black-prowed, had borne them to the distant war. Ajax from Salamis twelve vessels brought, And where the Athenian band in phalanx stood Marshall’d compact, there station’d he his powers.675 The men of Argos and Tyrintha next, And of Hermione, that stands retired With Asine, within her spacious bay; Of Epidaurus, crown’d with purple vines, And of Trœzena, with the Achaian youth680 Of sea-begirt Ægina, and with thine, Maseta, and the dwellers on thy coast, Wave-worn Eïonæ; these all obeyed The dauntless Hero Diomede, whom served Sthenelus, son of Capaneus, a Chief685 Of deathless fame, his second in command, And godlike man, Euryalus, the son Of King Mecisteus, Talaüs’ son, his third. But Diomede controll’d them all, and him