LITMIR.BIZ

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fair Lilaea views the rising flood.

      These, ranged in order on the floating tide,

      Close, on the left, the bold Boeotians’ side.

      Fierce Ajax led the Locrian squadrons on,

      Ajax the less, Oileus’ valiant son;

      Skill’d to direct the flying dart aright;

      Swift in pursuit, and active in the fight.

      Him, as their chief, the chosen troops attend,

      Which Bessa, Thronus, and rich Cynos send;

      Opus, Calliarus, and Scarphe’s bands;

      And those who dwell where pleasing Augia stands,

      And where Boagrius floats the lowly lands,

      Or in fair Tarphe’s sylvan seats reside:

      In forty vessels cut the yielding tide.

      Euboea next her martial sons prepares,

      And sends the brave Abantes to the wars:

      Breathing revenge, in arms they take their way

      From Chalcis’ walls, and strong Eretria;

      The Isteian fields for generous vines renown’d,

      The fair Caristos, and the Styrian ground;

      Where Dios from her towers o’erlooks the plain,

      And high Cerinthus views the neighbouring main.

      Down their broad shoulders falls a length of hair;

      Their hands dismiss not the long lance in air;

      But with protended spears in fighting fields

      Pierce the tough corslets and the brazen shields.

      Twice twenty ships transport the warlike bands,

      Which bold Elphenor, fierce in arms, commands.

      Full fifty more from Athens stem the main,

      Led by Menestheus through the liquid plain.

      (Athens the fair, where great Erectheus sway’d,

      That owed his nurture to the blue-eyed maid,

      But from the teeming furrow took his birth,

      The mighty offspring of the foodful earth.

      Him Pallas placed amidst her wealthy fane,

      Adored with sacrifice and oxen slain;

      Where, as the years revolve, her altars blaze,

      And all the tribes resound the goddess’ praise.)

      No chief like thee, Menestheus! Greece could yield,

      To marshal armies in the dusty field,

      The extended wings of battle to display,

      Or close the embodied host in firm array.

      Nestor alone, improved by length of days,

      For martial conduct bore an equal praise.

      With these appear the Salaminian bands,

      Whom the gigantic Telamon commands;

      In twelve black ships to Troy they steer their course,

      And with the great Athenians join their force.

      Next move to war the generous Argive train,

      From high Troezene, and Maseta’s plain,

      And fair Ægina circled by the main:

      Whom strong Tyrinthe’s lofty walls surround,

      And Epidaure with viny harvests crown’d:

      And where fair Asinen and Hermoin show

      Their cliffs above, and ample bay below.

      These by the brave Euryalus were led,

      Great Sthenelus, and greater Diomed;

      But chief Tydides bore the sovereign sway:

      In fourscore barks they plough the watery way.

      The proud Mycene arms her martial powers,

      Cleone, Corinth, with imperial towers,

      Fair Araethyrea, Ornia’s fruitful plain,

      And Ægion, and Adrastus’ ancient reign;

      And those who dwell along the sandy shore,

      And where Pellene yields her fleecy store,

      Where Helice and Hyperesia lie,

      And Gonoessa’s spires salute the sky.

      Great Agamemnon rules the numerous band,

      A hundred vessels in long order stand,

      And crowded nations wait his dread command.

      High on the deck the king of men appears,

      And his refulgent arms in triumph wears;

      Proud of his host, unrivall’d in his reign,

      In silent pomp he moves along the main.

      His brother follows, and to vengeance warms

      The hardy Spartans, exercised in arms:

      Phares and Brysia’s valiant troops, and those

      Whom Lacedaemon’s lofty hills inclose;

      Or Messe’s towers for silver doves renown’d,

      Amyclae, Laas, Augia’s happy ground,

      And those whom OEtylos’ low walls contain,

      And Helos, on the margin of the main:

      These, o’er the bending ocean, Helen’s cause,

      In sixty ships with Menelaus draws:

      Eager and loud from man to man he flies,

      Revenge and fury flaming in his eyes;

      While vainly fond, in fancy oft he hears

      The fair one’s grief, and sees her falling tears.

      In ninety sail, from Pylos’ sandy coast,

      Nestor the sage conducts his chosen host:

      From Amphigenia’s ever-fruitful land,

      Where Æpy high, and little Pteleon stand;

      Where beauteous Arene her structures shows,

      And Thryon’s walls Alpheus’ streams inclose:

      And Dorion, famed for Thamyris’ disgrace,

      Superior once of all the tuneful race,

      Till, vain of mortals’ empty praise, he strove

      To match the seed of cloud-compelling Jove!

      Too daring bard! whose unsuccessful pride

      The immortal Muses in their art defied.

      The avenging Muses of the light of day

      Deprived his eyes, and snatch’d his voice away;

      No more his heavenly voice was heard to sing,

      His hand no more awaked the silver string.

      Where under high Cyllene, crown’d with wood,

      The shaded tomb of old Æpytus stood;

      From Ripe, Stratie, Tegea’s bordering towns,

      The Phenean fields, and Orchomenian downs,

      Where the fat herds in plenteous pasture rove;

      And Stymphelus with her surrounding grove;

      Parrhasia,

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