And six score strong Bœotian youths in ev’ry burthen went.
But those who in Aspledon dwelt, and Minian Orchomen,
God Mars’s sons did lead (Ascalaphus and Ialmen)
Who in Azidon Actor’s house did of Astyoche come;
The bashful maid, as she went up into the higher room,
The War-god secretly compress’d. In safe conduct of these,
Did thirty hollow-bottom’d barks divide the wavy seas.
Brave Schedius and Epistrophus, the Phocian captains were,
(Naubolida-Iphitus’ sons) all proof ‘gainst any fear;
With them the Cyparissians went, and bold Pythonians,
Men of religious Chrysa’s soil, and fat Daulidians,
Panopæans, Anemores, and fierce Hyampolists;
And those that dwell where Cephisus casts up his silken mists;
The men that fair Lilæa held, near the Cephisian spring;
All which did forty sable barks to that designment bring.
About th’ entoil’d Phocensian fleet had these their sail assign’d;
And near to the sinister wing the arm’d Bœotians shin’d.
Ajax the less, Oïleus’ son, the Locrians led to war;
Not like to Ajax Telamon, but lesser man by far,
Little he was, and ever wore a breastplate made of linne,
But for the manage of his lance he gen’ral praise did win.
The dwellers of Caliarus, of Bessa, Opoën,
The youths of Cynus, Scarphis, and Augias, lovely men,
Of Tarphis, and of Thronius, near flood Boagrius’ fall;
Twice-twenty martial barks of these, less Ajax sail’d withal.
Who near Eubœa’s blesséd soil their habitations had,
Strength-breathing Abants, who their seats in sweet Eubœa made,
The Histiæans rich in grapes, the men of Chalcida,
The Cerinths bord’ring on the sea, of rich Eretria,
Of Dion’s highly-seated town, Charistus, and of Styre,
All these the duke Alphenor led, a flame of Mars’s fire,
Surnam’d Chalcodontiades, the mighty Abants’ guide,
Swift men of foot, whose broad-set backs their trailing hair did bide,
Well-seen in fight, and soon could pierce with far extended darts
The breastplates of their enemies, and reach their dearest hearts.
Forty black men of war did sail in this Alphenor’s charge.
The soldiers that in Athens dwelt, a city builded large,
The people of Eristhius, whom Jove-sprung Pallas fed,
And plenteous-feeding Tellus brought out of her flow’ry bed;
Him Pallas placed in her rich fane, and, ev’ry ended year,
Of bulls and lambs th’ Athenian youths please him with off’rings there;
Mighty Menestheus, Peteus’ son, had their divided care;
For horsemen and for targeteers none could with him compare,
Nor put them into better place, to hurt or to defend;
But Nestor (for he elder was) with him did sole contend;
With him came fifty sable sail. And out of Salamine
Great Ajax brought twelve sail, that with th’ Athenians did combine.
Who did in fruitful Argos dwell, or strong Tiryntha keep,
Hennion, or in Asinen whose bosom is so deep,
Trœzena, Eïon, Epidaure where Bacchus crowns his head,
Ægina, and Maseta’s soil, did follow Diomed,
And Sthenelus, the dear-lov’d son of famous Capaneus
Together with Euryalus, heir of Mecisteus,
The king of Talæonides; past whom in deeds of war,
The famous soldier Diomed of all was held by far.
Four score black ships did follow these. The men fair Mycene held,
The wealthy Corinth, Cleon that for beauteous site excell’d,
Aræthyrea’s lovely seat, and in Ornia’s plain,
And Sicyona, where at first did king Adrastus reign,
High-seated Gonoëssa’s towers, and Hyperisius,
That dwelt in fruitful Pellenen, and in divine Ægius,
With all the sea-side borderers, and wide Helice’s friends,
To Agamemnon ev’ry town her native birth commends,
In double-fifty sable barks. With him a world of men
Most strong and full of valour went, and he in triumph then
Put on his most resplendent arms, since he did over-shine
The whole heroic host of Greece, in pow’r of that design.
Who did in Lacedæmon’s rule th’ unmeasur’d concave hold,
High Pharis, Sparta, Messe’s tow’rs, for doves so much extoll’d,
Bryseia’s and Augia’s grounds, strong Laa, Oetylon,
Amyclas, Helos’ harbour-town, that Neptune beats upon,
All these did Menelaus lead (his brother, that in cries
Of war was famous). Sixty ships convey’d these enemies
To Troy in chief, because their king was chiefly injur’d there,
In Helen’s rape, and did his best to make them buy it dear.
Who dwelt in Pylos’ sandy soil, and Arene the fair,
In Thryon, near Alpheus’ flood, and Aepy full of air,
In Cyparisscus, Amphigen, and little Pteleon,
The town where all the Iliots dwelt, and famous Doreon,
Where all the Muses, opposite, in strife of poesy,
To ancient Thamyris of Thrace, did use him cruelly,
(He coming from Eurytus’ court, the wise Œchalian king,)
Because he proudly durst affirm he could more sweetly sing
Than that Pierian race of Jove; who, angry with his vaunt,
Bereft his eyesight, and his song, that did the ear enchant,
And of his skill to touch his harp disfurnishéd his hand.
All these in ninety hollow keels grave Nestor did command.
The richly-blest inhabitants of the Arcadian land
Below Cyllene’s mount (that by Epytus’ tomb did stand)
Where dwelt the bold near-fighting men, who did in Phæneus live,
And Orchomen, where flocks of sheep the shepherds clust’ring drive,
In Ripe, and in Stratié, the fair Mantinean town,
And strong Enispe, that for height is ever weather-blown,
Tegea, and in Stymphalus, Parrhasia strongly wall’d,
All these Alcæus’ son to field (king Agapenor) call’d;
In sixty barks he brought them on, and ev’ry bark well-mann’d
With fierce Arcadian’s, skill’d to use the utmost of a band.
King Agamemnon, on these men, did well-built ships bestow
To pass the gulfy purple sea, that did no sea rites know.
They, who in Hermin, Buphrasis, and Elis, did remain,
What Olen’s cliffs, Alisius, and Myrsin did contain,
Were led to war by twice-two dukes (and each ten ships did bring,
Which many vent’rous Epians did serve for burthening,)
Beneath Amphimachus’s charge, and valiant Thalpius,
(Son of Eurytus-Actor one, the other Cteatus,)
Diores Amaryncides the other did employ,
The fourth divine Polixenus (Agasthenes’s joy).
The king of fair Angeiades, who from Dulichius came,
And from Echinaus’ sweet isles, which hold their holy frame
By ample Elis region, Meges Phylides led;
Whom duke Phyleus, Jove’s belov’d, begat, and whilome fled
To large Dulichius, for the wrath that fir’d his father’s breast.
Twice-twenty ships with ebon sails were in his charge address’d.
The warlike men of Cephale, and those of Ithaca,
Woody Neritus, and the men of wet Crocylia,
Sharp Ægilipa, Samos’ isle, Zacynthus sea inclos’d,
Epirus, and the men that hold the continent oppos’d,
All these did wise Ulysses lead, in counsel peer to Jove;
> Twelve ships he brought, which in their course vermilion sterns did move.
Thoas, Andremon’s well-spoke son, did guide th’ Ætolians well,
Those that in Pleuron, Olenon, and strong Pylene dwell,
Great Chalcis, that by sea-side stands, and stony Calydon;
(For now no more of Œneus’ sons surviv’d; they all were gone;
No more his royal self did live, no more his noble son
The golden Meleager now, their glasses all were run)
All things were left to him in charge, th’ Ætolians’ chief he was,
And forty ships to Trojan wars the seas with him did pass.
The royal soldier Idomen did lead the Cretans stout,
The men of Gnossus, and the town Gortyna wall’d about,
Of Lictus, and Miletus’ tow’rs, of white Lycastus’ state,
Of Phæstus, and of Rhytius, the cities fortunate.
And all the rest inhabiting the hundred towns of Crete;
Whom warlike Idomen did lead, co-partner in the fleet
With kill-man Merion. Eighty ships with them did Troy invade.
Tlepolemus Heraclides, right strong and bigly made,
Brought nine tall ships of war from Rhodes, which haughty Rhodians mann’d,
Who dwelt in three dissever’d parts of that most pleasant land,
Which Lyndus and Jalissus were, and bright Camirus, call’d.
Tlepolemus commanded these, in battle unappall’d;
Whom fair Astyoche brought forth, by force of Hercules,
Led out of Ephyr with his hand, from river Selleës,
When many towns of princely youths he levell’d with the ground.
Tlepolem, in his father’s house (for building much renown’d)
Brought up to headstrong state of youth, his mother’s brother slew,
The flow’r of arms, Licymnius, that somewhat aged grew;
Then straight he gather’d him a fleet, assembling bands of men,
And fled by sea, to shun the threats’ that were denouncéd then
By other sons and nephews of th’ Alciden fortitude.
He in his exile came to Rhodes, driv’n in with tempests rude.
The Rhodians were distinct in tribes, and great with Jove did stand,
The King of men and Gods, who gave much treasure to their land.
Nirëus, out of Syma’s hav’n three well-built barks did bring;
Nirëus, fair Aglaia’s son, and Charopes’ the king;
Nirëus was the fairest man that to fair Ilion came
Of all the Greeks, save Peleus’ son, who pass’d for gen’ral frame;
But weak this was, not fit for war, and therefore few did guide.
Who did in Cassus, Nisyrus, and Crapathus, abide,
In Co, Eurypylus’s town, and in Calydna’s soils,
Phidippus and bold Antiphus did guide to Trojan toils,
(The sons of crownéd Thessalus, deriv’d from Hercules)
Who went with thirty hollow ships well-order’d to the seas.
Now will I sing the sackful troops Pelasgian Argos held,
That in deep Alus, Alopé, and soft Trechina dwell’d,
In Phthia, and in Hellade where live the lovely dames,
The Myrmidons, Hellenians, and Achives, rob’d of fames;
All which the great Æacides in fifty ships did lead.
For these forgat war’s horrid voice, because they lack’d their head
That would have brought them bravely forth; but now at fleet did lie
That wind-like user of his feet, fair Thetis’ progeny,
Wroth for bright-cheek’d Briseis’ loss, whom from Lyrnessus’ spoils
(His own exploit) he brought away as trophy of his toils,
When that town was depopulate; he sunk the Theban tow’rs;
Myneta, and Epistrophus, he sent to Pluto’s bow’rs,
Who came of king Evenus’ race, great Helepiades;
Yet now he idly lives enrag’d, but soon must leave his ease.
Of those that dwelt in Phylace, and flow’ry Pyrason
The wood of Ceres, and the soil that sheep are fed upon
Iton, and Antron built by sea, and Pteleus full of grass,
Protesilaus, while he liv’d, the worthy captain was,
Whom now the sable earth detains; his tear-torn-facéd spouse
He woeful left in Phylace, and his half-finish’d house;
A fatal Dardan first his life, of all the Greeks, bereft,
As he was leaping from his ship; yet were his men unleft
Without a chief, for though they wish’d to have no other man
But good Protesilay their guide, Podarces yet began
To govern them, (Iphitis’ son, the son of Phylacus)
Most rich in sheep, and brother to short-liv’d Protesilaus,
Of younger birth, less, and less strong, yet serv’d he to direct
The companies, that still did more their ancient duke affect.
Twice-twenty jetty sails with him the swelling stream did take.
But those that did in Pheres dwell, at the Bœbeian lake,
In Bœbe, and in Glaphyra, Iaolcus builded fair,
In thrice-six ships to Pergamus did through the seas repair,
With old Admetus’ tender son, Eumelus, whom he bred
Of Alcest, Pelius’ fairest child of all his female seed.
The soldiers that before the siege Methone’s vales did hold,
Thaumacie, flow’ry Melibœ, and Olison the cold,
Duke Philoctetes governéd, in darts of finest sleight;
Sev’n vessels in his charge convey’d their honourable freight,
By fifty rowers in a bark, most expert in the bow;
But he in sacred Lemnos lay, brought miserably low
By torment of an ulcer grown with Hydra’s poison’d blood,
Whose sting was such, Greece left him there in most impatient mood;
Yet thought they on him at his ship and choos’d, to lead his men,
Medon, Oïleus’ bastard son, brought forth to him by Rhen.
From Tricce, bleak Ithomen’s clifts, and hapless Oechaly,
(Eurytus’ city, rul’d by him in wilful tyranny,)
In charge of Æsculapius’ sons, physician highly prais’d,
Machaon, Podalirius, were thirty vessels rais’d.
Who near Hyperia’s fountain dwelt, and in Ormenius,
The snowy tops of Titanus, and in Asterius,
Evemon’s son, Eurypylus, did lead into the field;
Whose towns did forty black-sail’d ships to that encounter yield.
Who Gyrton, and Argissa, held, Orthen, and Elon’s seat,
And chalky Oloössone, were led by Polypœte,
The issue of Pirithous, the son of Jupiter.
Him the Athenian Theseus’ friend Hippodamy did bear,
When he the bristled savages did give Ramnusia,
And drove them out of Pelius, as far as Æthica.
He came not single, but with him Leonteus, Coron’s son,
An arm of Mars, and Coron’s life Cenëus’ seed begun.
Twice-twenty ships attended these. Gunëus next did bring
From Cyphus twenty sail and two; the Enians following;
And fierce Peræbi, that about Dodon’s frozen mould
Did plant their houses; and the men that did the meadows hold,
Which Titaresius decks with flow’rs and his sweet current leads
Into the bright Peneïus, that hath the silver heads,
Yet with his admirable stream doth not his waves commix,
But glides aloft on it like oil; for ’tis the flood of Styx,
By which th’ immortal Gods do swear. Teuthredon’s honour’d birth,
Prothous, led the Magnets forth, who near the shady earth
Of Pelius, and Peneïon, dwelt; forty revengeful sail
Did follow him. These were the dukes and princes of avail
That came from Greece.
But now the man, that overshin’d them all,
Sing, Muse; and their most famous steeds to my recital call,
That both th’ Atrides followéd. Fair Pheretiades
The bravest mares did bring by much; Eumelius manag’d these,
Swift of their feet as birds of wing, both of one hair did shine,
Both of an age, both of a height, as measur’d by a line,
Whom silver-bow’d Apollo bred in the Pierian mead,
Both slick and dainty, yet were both in war of wondrous dread.
Great Ajax Telamon for strength pass’d all the peers of war,
While vex’d Achilles was away; but he surpass’d him far.
The horse that bore that faultless man were likewise past compare;
Yet lay he at the crook’d-stern’d ships, and fury was his fare,
For Atreus’ son’s ungracious deed, his men yet pleas’d their hearts
With throwing of the holéd stone, with hurling of their darts,
And shooting fairly on the shore; their horse at chariots fed
On greatest parsley, and on sedge that in the fens is bred.
His princes’ tents their chariots held, that richly cover’d were.
His princes, amorous of their chief, walk’d storming here and there
About the host, and scorn’d to fight: their breaths as they did pass
Before them flew, as if a fire fed on the trembling grass;
Earth under-groan’d their high-rais’d feet, as when offended Jove,
In Arime, Typhœius with rattling thunder drove
Beneath the earth; in Arime, men say, the grave is still,
Where thunder tomb’d Typhœius, and is a monstrous hill;
And as that thunder made earth groan, so groan’d it as they past,
They trod with such hard-set-down steps, and so exceeding fast.
To Troy the rainbow-girded Dame right heavy news relates
From Jove, as all to council drew in Priam’s palace-gates,
Resembling Priam’s son in voice, Polites, swift of feet;
In trust whereof, as sentinel, to see when from the fleet
The Grecians sallied, he was set upon the lofty brow
Of aged Æsyetes’ tomb; and this did Iris show:
“O Priam, thou art always pleas’d with indiscreet advice,
And fram’st thy life to times of peace, when such a war doth rise
As threats inevitable spoil. I never did behold
Such and so mighty troops of men, who trample on the mould
In number like Autumnus’ leaves, or like the marine sand,
All ready round about the walls to use a ruining hand.
Hector, I therefore charge thee most, this charge to undertake.
The Complete Poetical Works of George Chapman Page 53