Argissa and Helone; they their youth Gave to control of Polypœtes, son Undaunted of Pirithoüs, son of Jove. Him, to Pirithoüs, (on the self-same day When he the Centaurs punish’d and pursued910 Sheer to Æthicæ driven from Pelion’s heights The shaggy race) Hippodamia bore. Nor he alone them led. With him was join’d Leonteus dauntless warrior, from the bold Coronus sprung, who Cæneus call’d his sire.915 Twice twenty ships awaited their command. Guneus from Cyphus twenty and two ships Led forth; the Enienes him obey’d, And the robust Perœbi, warriors bold, And dwellers on Dodona’s wintry brow.920 To these were join’d who till the pleasant fields Where Titaresius winds; the gentle flood Pours into Peneus all his limpid stores, But with the silver-eddied Peneus flows Unmixt as oil;[27] for Stygian is his stream,925 And Styx is the inviolable oath. Last with his forty ships, Tenthredon’s son, The active Prothoüs came. From the green banks Of Peneus his Magnesians far and near He gather’d, and from Pelion forest-crown’d.930 These were the princes and the Chiefs of Greece. Say, Muse, who most in personal desert Excell’d, and whose were the most warlike steeds And of the noblest strain. Their hue, their age, Their height the same, swift as the winds of heaven935 And passing far all others, were the mares Which drew Eumelus; on Pierian hills The heavenly Archer of the silver bow, Apollo, bred them. But of men, the chief Was Telamonian Ajax, while wrath-bound940 Achilles lay; for he was worthier far, And more illustrious were the steeds which bore The noble son of Peleus; but revenge On Agamemnon leader of the host Was all his thought, while in his gallant ships945 Sharp-keel’d to cut the foaming flood, he lay. Meantime, along the margin of the deep His soldiers hurled the disk, or bent the bow. Or to its mark dispatch’d the quivering lance. Beside the chariots stood the unharness’d steeds950 Cropping the lotus, or at leisure browsed On celery wild, from watery freshes gleaned. Beneath the shadow of the sheltering tent The chariot stood, while they, the charioteers Roam’d here and there the camp, their warlike lord955 Regretting sad, and idle for his sake. As if a fire had burnt along the ground, Such seem’d their march; earth groan’d their steps beneath; As when in Arimi, where fame reports Typhoëus stretch’d, the fires of angry Jove960 Down darted, lash the ground, so groan’d the earth Beneath them, for they traversed swift the plain. And now from Jove, with heavy tidings charged, Wind-footed Iris to the Trojans came. It was the time of council, when the throng965 At Priam’s gate assembled, young and old: Them, standing nigh, the messenger of heaven Accosted with the voice of Priam’s son, Polites. He, confiding in his speed For sure deliverance, posted was abroad970 On Æsyeta’s tomb,[28] intent to watch When the Achaian host should leave the fleet. The Goddess in his form thus them address’d. Oh, ancient Monarch! Ever, evermore