That both th' Atrides followéd. Fair PheretiadesThe 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.
A multitude remain in Troy, will fight for Priam's sake,
Of other lands and languages; let ev'ry leader then
Bring forth well-arm'd into the field his sev'ral bands of men."
Strong Hector knew a Deity gave charge to this assay,
Dismiss'd the council straight; like waves, clusters to arms do
sway;
The ports are all wide open set; out rush'd the troops in swarms,
Both horse and foot; the city run with sudden-cried alarms.
A column stands without the town, that high his head doth raise,
A little distant, in a plain trod down with divers ways,
Which men do Batieia call, but the Immortals name
Myrine's famous sepulchre, the wondrous active dame.
Here were th' auxiliary bands, that came in Troy's defence,
Distinguish'd under sev'ral guides of special excellence.
The duke of all the Trojan pow'r great helm-deck'd Hector was,
Which stood of many mighty men well-skill'd in darts of brass.
Æneas of commixéd seed (a Goddess with a man,
Anchises with the Queen of love) the troops Dardanian
Led to the field; his lovely sire in Ida's lower shade
Begat him of sweet Cyprides; he solely was not made
Chief leader of the Dardan pow'rs, Antenor's valiant sons,
Archilochus and Acamas, were joind companions.
Who in Zelia dwelt beneath the sacred foot of Ide,
That drank of black Æsepus' stream, and wealth made full of pride,
The Aphnii, Lycaon's son, whom Phœbus gave his bow,
Prince Pandarus did lead to field. Who Adrestinus owe,
Apesus' city, Pityæ, and mount Tereiës,
Adrestus and stout Amphius led; who did their sire displease,
(Merops Percosius, that excell'd all Troy in heav'nly skill
Of futures-searching prophecy) for, much against his will,
His sons were agents in those arms; whom since they disobey'd,
The fates, in letting slip their threads, their hasty valours
stay'd.
Who in Percotes, Practius, Arisba, did abide,
Who Sestus and Abydus bred, Hyrtacides did guide;
Prince Asius Hyrtacides, that, through great Selees' force,
Brought from Arisba to that fight the great and fiery horse.
Pylæus, and Hippothous, the stout Pelasgians led,
Of them Larissa's fruitful soil before bad nourishéd;
These were Pelasgian Pithus' sons, son of Teutamidas.
The Thracian guides were Pirous, and valiant Acamas,
Of all that the impetuous flood of Hellespont enclos'd.
Euphemus, the Ciconian troops, in his command dispos'd,
