Fame now had spread the tidings, a great fleetof Greek ships was at that time on its way,an army of brave men. The Trojans stood,all ready to prevent the hostile Greeksfrom landing on their shores. By the decreeof Fate, the first man killed of the invaders' forcewas strong Protesilaus, by the spearof valiant Hector, whose unthought-of powerat that time was discovered by the Greeksto their great cost. The Phyrgians also learned,at no small cost of blood, what warlike strengthcame from the Grecian land. The Sigean shoresgrew red with death-blood: Cygnus, Neptune's son,there slew a thousand men: for which, in wrath,Achilles pressed his rapid chariotstraight through the Trojan army; making a lanewith his great spear, shaped from a Pelion tree.And as he sought through the fierce battle's press,either for Cygnus or for Hector, hemet Cygnus and engaged at once with him(Fate had preserved great Hector from such foetill ten years from that day).Cheering his steeds,their white necks pressed upon the straining yoke,he steered the chariot towards his foe,and, brandishing the spear with his strong arm,he cried, “Whoever you may be, you havethe consolation of a glorious deathyou die by me, Haemonian Achilles!”His heavy spear flew after the fierce words.Although the spear was whirled direct and true,yet nothing it availed with sharpened point.It only bruised, as with a blunted stroke,the breast of Cygnus! “By report we knewof you before this battle, goddess born.”The other answered him, “But why are yousurprised that I escape the threatened wound?”(Achilles was surprised). “This helmet crowned,great with its tawny horse-hair, and this shield,broad-hollowed, on my left arm, are not heldfor help in war: they are but ornament,as Mars wears armor. All of them shall beput off, and I will fight with you unhurt.It is a privilege that I was bornnot as you, of a Nereid but of himwhose powerful rule is over Nereus,his daughters and their ocean.” So, he spoke.Immediately he threw his spear against Achilles,destined to pierce the curving shield through brass,and through nine folds of tough bull's hide.It stopped there, for it could not pierce the tenth.The hero wrenched it out, and hurled againa quivering spear at Cygnus, with great strength.The Trojan stood unwounded and unharmed.Nor did a third spear injure Cygnus, thoughhe stood there with his body all exposed.Achilles raged at this, as a wild bullin open circus, when with dreadful hornshe butts against the hanging purple robeswhich stir his wrath and there observes how theyevade him, quite unharmed by his attack.Achilles then examined his good spear,to see if by some chance the iron pointwas broken from it, but the point was firm,fixed on the wooden shaft. “My hand is weak,”he said, “but is it possible its strengthforsook me though it never has before?For surely I had my accustomed strength,when first I overthrew Lyrnessus' walls,or when I won the isle of Tenedosor Thebes (then under King Eetion)and I drenched both with their own peoples' blood,or when the river Caycus ran redwith slaughter of its people, or, when twiceTelephus felt the virtue of my spear.On this field also, where such heaps lie slain,my right hand surely has proved its true might;and it is mighty.”So he spoke of strength,remembered. But as if in proof againsthis own distrust, he hurled a spear againstMenoetes, a soldier in the Lycian ranks.The sharp spear tore the victim's coat of mailand pierced his breast beneath. Achilles, whenhe saw his dying head strike on the earthwrenched the same spear from out the reeking wound,and said, “This is the hand, and this the spearI conquered with; and I will use the sameagainst him who in luck escaped their power;and the result should favor as I praythe helpful gods.”And, as he said such words,in haste he hurled his ashen spear, againat Cygnus. It went straight and struck unshunned.Resounding on the shoulder of that foe,it bounced back as if it hit a wallor solid cliff. Yet when Achilles sawjust where the spear struck, Cygnus therewas stained with blood. He instantly rejoiced;but vainly, for it was Menoetes' blood!Then in a sudden rage, Achilles leapeddown headlong from his lofty chariot;and, seeking his god-favored foe, he struckin conflict fiercely, with his gleaming sword.Although he saw that he had pierced both shieldand helmet through, he did not harm the foe—his sword was even blunted on the flesh.Achilles could not hold himself for rage,but furious, with his sword-hilt and his shieldhe battered wildly the uncovered faceand hollow-temples of his Trojan foe.Cygnus gave way; Achilles rushed on him,buffeting fiercely, so that he could notrecover from the shock. Fear seized uponCygnus, and darkness swam before his eyes.Then, as he moved back with retreating steps,a large stone hindered him and blocked his way.His back pushed against this, Achilles seizedand dashed him violently to the ground.Then pressing with buckler and hard knees the breastof Cygnus, he unlaced the helmet thongs,wound them about the foeman's neck and drewthem tightly under his chin, till Cygnus' throatcould take no breath of life. Achilles roseeager to strip his conquered foe but foundhis empty armor, for the god of oceanhad changed the victim into that white birdwhose name he lately bore.
Fecerat haec notum Graias cum milite fortiadventare rates, neque inexspectatus in armishostis adest: prohibent aditus litusque tuenturTroes, et Hectorea primus fataliter hasta,Protesilae, cadis, commissaque proelia magnostant Danais, fortisque animae nece cognitus Hector.Nec Phryges exiguo, quid Achaica dextera possitsanguine senserunt. Et iam Sigea rubebantlitora, iam leto proles Neptunia Cygnusmille viros dederat, iam curru instabat Achillestotaque Peliacae sternebat cuspidis ictuagmina, perque acies aut Cygnum aut Hectora quaerenscongreditur Cygno (decimum dilatus in annumHector erat): tum colla iugo canentia pressosexhortatus equos currum direxit in hostemconcutiensque suis vibrantia tela lacertis“quisquis es, o iuvenis” dixit “solamen habetomortis, ab Haemonio quod sis iugulatus Achille.”Hactenus Aeacides; vocem gravis hasta secuta est.Sed quamquam certa nullus fuit error in hasta,nil tamen emissi profecit acumine ferriutque hebeti pectus tantummodo contudit ictu.“Nate dea, nam te fama praenovimus,” inquitille “quid a nobis vulnus miraris abesse?”(mirabatur enim) “non haec, quam cernis, equinisfulva iubis cassis neque onus cava parma sinistraeauxilio mihi sunt: decor est quaesitus ab istis.Mars quoque ob hoc capere arma solet! Removebitur omnetegminis officium, tamen indestrictus abibo.Est aliquid non esse satum Nereide, sed quiNereaque et natas et totum temperat aequor.”Dixit et haesurum clipei curvamine telummisit in Aeaciden, quod et aes et proxima rupitterga novena boum, decimo tamen orbe moratum est.Excutit hoc heros rursusque trementia fortitela manu torsit: rursus sine vulnere corpussincerumque fuit! Nec tertia cuspis apertumet se praebentem valuit destringere Cygnum.Haud secus exarsit, quam circo taurus aperto,cum sua terribili petit inritamina cornu,poeniceas vestes, elusaque vulnera sentit.Num tamen exciderit ferrum, considerat hastae:haerebat ligno. “Manus est mea debilis ergo,quasque” ait “ante habuit vires, effudit in uno?Nam certe valuit, vel cum Lyrnesia primusmoenia deieci, vel cum Tenedonque suoqueEetioneas inplevi sanguine Thebas,vel cum purpureus populari caede Caicusfluxit opusque meae bis sensit Telephus hastae.Hic quoque tot caesis, quorum per litus acervoset feci et video, valuit mea dextra valetque.”Dixit et, ante actis veluti male crederet, hastammisit in adversum Lycia de plebe Menoetenloricamque simul subiectaque pectora rupit.Quo plangente gravem moribundo pectore terramextrahit illud idem calido de vulnere telumatque ait: “Haec manus est, haec, qua modo vicimus, hasta:utar in hoc isdem; sit in hoc, precor, exitus idem!”Sic fatus Cygnum repetit, nec fraxinus erratinque umero sonuit non evitata sinistro,inde velut muro solidaque a caute repulsa est;qua tamen ictus erat, signatum sanguine Cygnumviderat et frustra fuerat gavisus Achilles:vulnus erat nullum, sanguis fuit ille Menoetae!Tum vero praeceps curru fremebundus ab altodesilit et nitido securum comminus hostemense petens parmam gladio galeamque cavaricernit et in duro laedi quoque corpore ferrum!Haud tulit ulterius, clipeoque adversa reductoter quater ora viri, capulo cava tempora pulsatcedentique sequens instat turbatque ruitqueattonitoque negat requiem: pavor occupat illum,ante oculosque natant tenebrae, retroque ferentiaversos passus medio lapis obstitit arvo.Quem super inpulsum resupino corpore Cygnumvi multa vertit terraeque adflixit Achilles.Tum clipeo genibusque premens praecordia durisvincla trahit galeae: quae presso subdita mentoelidunt fauces et respiramen utrumqueeripiunt animae. Victum spoliare parabat:arma relicta videt; corpus deus aequoris albamcontulit in volucrem, cuius modo nomen habebat.
There was a trucefor many days after this opening fightwhile both sides resting, laid aside their arms.A watchful guard patroled the Phrygian walls;the Grecian trenches had their watchful guard.Then, on a festal day, Achilles gavethe blood of a slain heifer to obtainthe favor of Athena for their cause.The entrails burned upon the altar, whilethe odor, grateful to the deities,was mounting to the skies. When sacred riteswere done, a banquet for the heroes wasserved on their tables. There the Grecian chiefsreclined on couches; while they satisfiedthemselves with roasted flesh, and banished cares:and thirst with wine. Nor harp nor singing voicenor long pipe made of boxwood pierced with holes,delighted them. They talked of their own deedsand valor, all that thrilling night: and eventhe strength of enemies whom they had metand overcome. What else could they admitor think of, while the great Achilles spokeor listened to them? But especiallythe recent victory over Cygnus heldthem ardent. Wonderful it seemed to themthat such a youth could be composed of fleshnot penetrable by the sharpest spear;of flesh which blunted even hardened steel,and never could be wounded. All the Greeks,and even Achilles wondered at the thought.Then Nestor said to them: “During your time,Cygnus has been the only man you knewwho could despise all weapons and whose fleshcould not be pierced by thrust of sword or spear.But long ago I saw another manable to bear unharmed a thousand strokes,Caeneus of Thessaly, Caeneus who livedupon Mt. Othrys. He was famed in waryet, strange to say, by birth he was a woman!”Then all expressed the greatest wonderment,and begged to hear the story of his life.Achilles cried, “O eloquent old man!The wisdom of our age! All of us wishto hear, who was this Caeneus? Why was hechanged to the other sex? in what campaigns,and in what wars was he so known to you?Who conquered him, if any ever did?”The aged man replied to them with care:—“Although my great age is a harm to me,and many actions of my early daysescape my memory; yet, most of themare well remembered. Nothing of old days,amid so many deeds of war and peace,can be more firmly fixed upon my mindthan the strange story I shall tell of him.“If long extent of years made anyonea witness of most wonderful eventsand many, truly I may say to youthat I have lived two hundred years; and nowhave entered my third century.The daughter of Elatus, Caenis, wasremarkable for charm—most beautifulof all Thessalian maidens—many sighedfor her in vain through all the neighboring townsand yours, Achilles, for that was her home.But Peleus did not try to win her love,for he was either married at that timeto your dear mother, or was pledged to her.“Caenis never became the willing brideof any suitor; but report declares,while she was walking on a lonely shore,the god of ocean saw and ravished her.And in the joy of that love Neptune said,‘Request of me whatever you desire,and nothing shall deny your dearest wish!’—the story tells us that he made this pledge.And Caenis said to Neptune, ‘The great wrong,which I have suffered from you justifiesthe wonderful request that I must make;I ask that I may never suffer suchan injury again. Grant I may beno longer woman, and I'll ask no more.’while she was speaking to him, the last wordsof her strange prayer were uttered in so deep,in such a manly tone, it seemed indeedthey must be from a man.—That was a fact:Neptune not only had allowed her prayerbut made the new man proof against all woundsof spear or sword. Rejoicing in the gifthe went his way as Caeneus Atracides,spent years in every manful exercise,and roamed the plains of northern Thessaly.
Hic labor, haec requiem multorum pugna dierumattulit, et positis pars utraque substitit armis.Dumque vigil Phrygios servat custodia muroset vigil Argolicas servat custodia fossas,festa dies aderat, qua Cygni victor AchillesPallada mactatae placabat sanguine vaccae.Cuius ut inposuit prosecta calentibus ariset dis acceptus penetravit in aethera nidor,sacra tulere suam, pars est data cetera mensis.Discubuere toris proceres et corpora tostacarne replent vinoque levant curasque sitimque.Non illos citharae, non illos carmina vocumlongave multifori delectat tibia buxi,sed noctem sermone trahunt, virtusque loquendimateria est: pugnas referunt hostisque suasque,inque vices adita atque exhausta pericula saepecommemorare iuvat,— quid enim loqueretur Achilles,aut quid apud magnum potius loquerentur Achillem?Proxima praecipue domito victoria Cygnoin sermone fuit. Visum mirabile cunctis,quod iuvenis corpus nullo penetrabile teloinvictumque a vulnere erat ferrumque terebat.Hoc ipse Aeacides, hoc mirabantur Achivi,cum sic Nestor ait: “Vestro fuit unicus aevocontemptor ferri nulloque forabilis ictuCygnus. At ipse olim patientem vulnera millecorpore non laeso Perrhaebum Caenea vidi,Caenea Perrhaebum, qui factis inclitus Othrynincoluit; quoque id mirum magis esset in illo,femina natus erat.” Monstri novitate ferunturquisquis adest, narretque rogant. Quos inter Achilles:“Dic age! nam cunctis eadem est audire voluntas,o facunde senex, aevi prudentia nostri,quis fuerit Caeneus, cur in contraria versus,qua tibi militia, cuius certamine pugnaecognitus, a quo sit victus, si victus ab ullo est.”Tum senior: “Quamvis obstet mihi tarda vetustas,multaque me fugiant primis spectata sub annis,plura tamen memini. Nec, quae magis haereat ullapectore res nostro est inter bellique domiqueacta tot. Ac siquem potuit spatiosa senectusspectatorem operum multorum reddere, vixiannos bis centum; nunc tertia vivitur aetas.Clara decore fuit proles Elateia Caenis,Thessalidum virgo pulcherrima, perque propinquasperque tuas urbes (tibi enim popularis, Achille),multorum frustra votis optata procorum.Temptasset Peleus thalamos quoque forsitan illos,sed iam aut contigerant illi conubia matris,aut fuerant promissa, tuae. Nec Caenis in ullosdenupsit thalamos secretaque litora carpensaequorei vim passa dei est (ita fama ferebat),utque novae Veneris Neptunus gaudia cepit,“sint tua vota licet” dixit “secura repulsae:elige, quid voveas!” (eadem hoc quoque fama ferebat).“Magnum” Caenis ait “facit haec iniuria votum;tale pati iam posse nihil; da, femina ne sim:omnia praestiteris.” Graviore novissima dixitverba sono, poteratque viri vox illa videri,sicut erat; nam iam voto deus aequoris altiadnuerat dederatque super, ne saucius ullisvulneribus fieri ferrove occumbere posset.Munere laetus abit studiisque virilibus aevumexigit Atracides Peneiaque arva pererrat.
“The son of bold Ixion, Pirithouswedding Hippodame, had asked as gueststhe cloud-born centaurs to recline aroundthe ordered tables, in a cool cave, setunder some shading trees. Thessalian chiefswere there and I myself was with them there.The festal place resounded with the routin noisy clamor, singing nuptial verse;and in the great room, filled with smoking fire,the maiden came escorted by a crowdof matrons and young married women; shemost beautiful of all that lovely throng.“And so Pirithous, the fortunate son,of bold Ixion, was so praised by all,for his pure joy and lovely wife,it seemed his very blessings must have ledto fatal harm: for savage Eurytus,wildest of the wild centaurs, now inflamedwith sudden envy, drunkenness, and lust,upset the tables and made havoc thereso dreadful, that the banquet suddenlywas changed from love to uproar. Seized by the hair,the bride was violently dragged away.When Eurytus caught up Hippodameeach one of all the centaurs took at willthe maid or matron that he longed for most.The palace, seeming like a captured town,resounded with affrighted shrieks of women.At once we all sprang up. And Theseus cried,“What madness, Eurytus, has driven youto this vile wickedness! While I have life,you dare attack Pirithous. You knownot what you do, for one wrong injures both!’The valiant hero did not merely talk:he pushed them off as they were pressing on,and rescued her whom Eurytus had seized.Since Eurytus could not defend such deedswith words, he turned and beat with violent handsthe face of him who saved the bride and struckhis generous breast. By chance, an ancient bowlwas near at hand. This rough with figures carved,the son of Aegeus caught and hurled it fullin that vile centaur's face. He, spouting outthick gouts of blood, and bleeding from his wounds—his brains and wine mixed,—kicked the blood-soaked sand.His double membered centaur brothers, wildwith passion at his death, all shouted out,‘To arms! to arms!’ Their courage raised by wine!In their first onset, hurled cups flew about,and shattered wine casks, hollow basins—thingsbefore adapted to a banquet, nowfor death and carnage in the furious fight.Amycus first (Opinion's son) began to spoilthe inner sanctuary of its gifts.He snatched up from that shrine a chandelier,adorned with glittering lamps, and lifted high,with all the force of one who strives to breakthe bull s white neck with sacrificial axe,he dashed it at the head of Celadon,one of the Lapithae, and crushed his skullinto the features of his face. His eyesleaped from his sockets, and the shattered bonesof his smashed face gave way so that his nosewas driven back and fastened in his throat.But Belates of Pella tore awaya table-leg of maple wood and felledAmycus to the ground; his sunken chincast down upon his breast; and, as he spathis teeth out mixed with blood, a second blowdespatched him to the shades of Tartarus.“Gryneus, seeing a smoking altar, cried,‘Good use for this,’ with which words he raised upthat heavy, blazing altar. Hurling itinto the middle of the Lapithae,he struck down Broteas and Orius:Mycale, mother of that Orius,was famous for her incantations,which she had often used to conjure downthe shining twin-horns of the unwilling moon.Exadius threatened, ‘You shall not escape!Let me but have a weapon!’ And with that,he whirled the antlers of a votive stag,which he found there, hung on a tall pine-tree;and with that double-branching horn he piercedthe eyes of Gryneus, and he gouged them out.One eye stuck to the horn; the other rolleddown on his beard, to which it strictly clungin dreadful clotted gore.Then Rhoetus snatcheda blazing brand of plum-wood from an altarand whirling it upon the right, smashed throughthe temples of Charaxus, wonderfulwith golden hair. Seized by the violent flames,his yellow locks burned fiercely, as a fieldof autumn grain; and even the scorching bloodgave from the sore wound a terrific noiseas a red-hot iron in pincers which the smithlifts out and plunges in the tepid pool,hissing and sizzling. Charaxus shookthe fire from his burnt locks; and heaved up onhis shoulders a large threshold stone torn fromthe ground—a weight sufficient for a teamof oxen. The vast weight impeded him,so that it could not even touch his foe—and yet, the massive stone did hit his friend,Cometes, who was standing near to him,and crushed him down. Then Rhoetus, crazed with joy,exulting yelled, ‘I pray that all of youmay be so strong!’ Wielding his half-burnt stakewith heavy blows again and again, he brokethe sutures of his enemy's skull, untilthe bones were mingled with his oozing brains.“Victorious, then rushed he upon Evagrus,and Corythus and Dryas. First of thesewas youthful Corythus, whose cheeks were thenjust covered with soft down. When he fell dead,Evagrus cried, ‘What glory do you get,killing a boy?’ But Rhoetus did not givehim time for uttering one word more. He pushedthe red hot stake into the foeman's mouth,while he still spoke, and down into his lungs.He then pursued the savage Dryas, whilewhirling the red fire fast about his head;but not with like success, for, while he stillrejoiced in killings, Dryas turned and piercedhim with a stake where neck and shoulder meet.“Rhoetus groaned and with a great effort pulledthe stake out from the bone, then fled away,drenched in his blood. And Orneus followed him.Lycabas fled, and Medon with a woundin his right shoulder. Thaumas and Pisenorand Mermerus fled with them. Mermerus,who used to excell all others in a race,ran slowly, crippled by a recent wound.Pholus and Melaneus ran for their livesand with them Abas, hunter of wild boarsand Asbolus, the augur, who in vainhad urged his friends to shun that hapless fight.As Nessus joined the rout, he said to him,‘You need not flee, for you shall be reserveda victim for the bow of Hercules!’but neither Lycidas, Eurynomusnor Areos, nor Imbreus had escapedfrom death: for all of these the strong right handof Dryas pierced, as they confronted him.Crenaeus there received a wound in front.Although he turned in flight, as he looked back,a heavy javelin between his eyespierced through him, where his nose and forehead joined.
Duxerat Hippodamen audaci Ixione natus,nubigenasque feros positis ex ordine mensisarboribus tecto discumbere iusserat antro.Haemonii proceres aderant, aderamus et ipsi,festaque confusa resonabat regia turba.Ecce canunt Hymenaeon, et ignibus atria fumant,cinctaque adest virgo matrum nuruumque caterva;praesignis facie. Felicem diximus illaconiuge Pirithoum: quod paene fefellimus omen.Nam tibi, saevorum saevissime Centaurorum,Euryte, quam vino pectus, tam virgine visaardet, et ebrietas geminata libidine regnat.Protinus eversae turbant convivia mensae,raptaturque comis per vim nova nupta prehensis.Eurytus Hippodamen, alii, quam quisque probabant,aut poterant, rapiunt, captaeque erat urbis imago.Femineo clamore sonat domus: ocius omnessurgimus, et primus “quae te vecordia,” Theseus“Euryte, pulsat” ait, “qui me vivente lacessasPirithoum violesque duos ignarus in uno?”Ille nihil contra (neque enim defendere verbistalia facta potest), sed vindicis ora protervisinsequitur manibus generosaque pectora pulsat.Forte fuit iuxta signis exstantibus asperantiquus crater; quem vastum vastior ipsosustulit Aegides adversaque misit in ora.Sanguinis ille globos pariter cerebrumque merumquevulnere et ore vomens madida resupinus harenacalcitrat. Ardescunt germani caede bimembrescertatimque omnes uno ore “arma, arma” loquuntur.Vina dabant animos, et prima pocula pugnamissa volant fragilesque cadi curvique lebetes,res epulis quondam, tum bello et caedibus aptae.Primus Ophionides Amycus penetralia donishaud timuit spoliare suis et primus ab aedelampadibus densum rapuit funale coruscis,elatumque alte, veluti qui candida taurirumpere sacrifica molitur colla securi,inlisit fronti Lapithae Celadontis et ossanon cognoscendo confusa relinquit in ore.Exsiluere oculi, disiectisque ossibus orisacta retro naris medioque est fixa palato.Hunc pede convulso mensae Pellaeus acernaestravit humi Pelates deiecto in pectora mento,cumque atro mixtos sputantem sanguine dentesvulnere Tartareas geminato mittit ad umbras.Proximus ut steterat, spectans altaria vultufumida terribili “cur non” ait “utimur istis?”cumque suis Gryneus inmanem sustulit aramignibus et medium Lapitharum iecit in agmendepressitque duos, Brotean et Orion: Oriomater erat Mycale, quam deduxisse canendosaepe reluctantis constabat cornua lunae.“Non inpune feres, teli modo copia detur!”dixerat Exadius telique habet instar, in altaquae fuerant pinu votivi cornua cervi.Figitur hinc duplici Gryneus in lumina ramoeruiturque oculos, quorum pars cornibus haeret,pars fluit in barbam concretaque sanguine pendet.Ecce rapit mediis flagrantem Rhoetus ab arispruniceum torrem dextraque a parte Charaxitempora perstringit fulvo protecta capillo.Correpti rapida, veluti seges arida, flammaarserunt crines, et vulnere sanguis inustusterribilem stridore sonum dedit, ut dare ferrumigne rubens plerumque solet, quod forcipe curvacum faber eduxit, lacubus demittit: at illudstridet et in tepida submersum sibilat unda.Saucius hirsutis avidum de crinibus ignemexcutit inque umeros limen tellure revulsumtollit, onus plaustri, quod ne permittat in hostem,ipsa facit gravitas: socium quoque saxea molesoppressit spatio stantem propiore Cometen.Gaudia nec retinet Rhoetus: “Sic, conprecor,” inquit“cetera sit fortis castrorum turba tuorum!”semicremoque novat repetitum stipite vulnus,terque quaterque gravi iuncturas verticis icturupit, et in liquido sederunt ossa cerebro.Victor ad Euagrum Corythumque Dryantaque transit;e quibus ut prima tectus lanugine malasprocubuit Corythus, “puero quae gloria fusoparta tibi est?” Euagrus ait, nec dicere Rhoetusplura sinit rutilasque ferox in aperta loquentiscondidit ora viri perque os in pectora flammas.Te quoque, saeve Drya, circum caput igne rotatoinsequitur; sed non in te quoque constitit idemexitus: adsiduae successu caedis ovantem,qua iuncta est umero cervix, sude figis obusta.Ingemuit duroque sudem vix osse revellitRhoetus et ipse suo madefactus sanguine fugit.Fugit et Orneus Lycabasque et saucius armodexteriore Medon et cum Pisenore Thaumas,quique pedum nuper certamine vicerat omnesMermeros (accepto tum vulnere tardius ibat!),et Pholus et Melaneus et Abas praedator aprorum,quique suis frustra bellum dissuaserat augur,Astylos: ille etiam metuenti vulnera Nesso“ne fuge! ad Herculeos” inquit “servaberis arcus.”At non Eurynomus Lycidasque et Areos et Imbreuseffugere necem: quos omnes dextra Dryantisperculit adversos. Adversum tu quoque, quamvisterga fugae dederas, vulnus, Crenaee, tulisti;nam grave respiciens inter duo lumina ferrum,qua naris fronti committitur, accipis, imae.
“In all this uproar, Aphidas lay flat,in endless slumber from the wine he drank,incessant, and his nerveless hand still heldthe cup of mixed wine, as he lay full stretched,upon a shaggy bear-skin from Mount Ossa.When Phorbas saw him, harmless in that sleep,he laid his fingers in his javelin's thong,and shouted loudly, ‘Mix your wine, down there,with waters of the Styx!’ And stopping talk,let fly his javelin at the sleeping youth—the ashen shaft, iron-tipped, was driven throughhis neck, exposed, as he by chance lay there—his head thrown back. He did not even feela touch of death—and from his deep-pierced throathis crimson blood flowed out upon the couch,and in the wine-bowl still grasped in his hand.“I saw Petraeus when he strove to tearup from the earth, an acorn-bearing oak.And, while he struggled with it, back and forth,and was just ready to wrench up the trunk,Pirithous hurled a well aimed spear at him,transfixed his ribs, and pinned his body tight,writhing, to that hard oak: and Lycus felland Chromis fell, before Pirithous.“They gave less glory to the conquerorthan Helops or than Dictys. Helops waskilled by a javelin, which pierced his templesfrom the right side, clear through to his left ear.And Dictys, running in a desperate haste,hoping in vain, to escape Ixion's son,slipped on the steep edge of a precipice;and, as he fell down headlong crashed intothe top of a huge ash-tree, which impaledhis dying body on its broken spikes.“Aphareus, eager to avenge him triedto lift a rock from that steep mountain side;but as he heaved, the son of Aegeus struckhim squarely with an oaken club; and smashed,and broke the huge bones of that centaur's arm.He has no time, and does not want to givethat useless foe to death. He leaps uponthe back of tall Bienor, never trainedto carry riders, and he fixed his kneesfirm in the centaur's ribs, and holding tightto the long hair, seized by his left hand, struckand shattered the hard features and fierce faceand bony temples with his club of gnarledstrong oak. And with it, he struck to the groundNedymnus and Lycopes, dart expert,and Hippasus, whose beard hid all his breast.And Rhipheus taller than the highest treesand Thereus, who would carry home alivethe raging bears, caught in Thessalian hills.Demoleon could no longer stand and lookon Theseus and his unrestrained success.He struggled with vast effort to tear upan old pine, trunk and all, with its long roots,and, failing shortly in that first attempt,he broke it off and hurled it at his foe.But Theseus saw the pine tree in its flightand, warned by Pallas, got beyond its range—his boast was, Pallas had directed him!And yet, the missle was not launched in vain.It sheared the left shoulder and the breastfrom tall Crantor. He, Achilles, wasyour father's armor bearer and was givenby King Amyntor, when he sued for peace.“When Peleus at a distance saw him tornand mangled, he exclaimed, ‘At least receivethis sacrifice, O Crantor! most beloved!Dearest of young men!’ And with sturdy armand all his strength of soul as well, he hurledhis ashen lance against Demoleon,which piercing through his shivered ribs, hung thereand quivered in the bones. The centaur wrenchedthe wooden shaft out, with his frenzied hands,but could not move the pointed head, which stuckwithin his lungs. His very anguish gavehim such a desperation, that he roseagainst his foe and trampled and beat downthe hero with his hoofs, Peleus allowedthe blows to fall on helm and ringing shield.Protected so, he watched his time and thrustup through the centaur's shoulder. By one strokehe pierced two breasts, where horse and man-form met.Before this, Peleus with the spear had killedboth Myles and Phlegraeus and with the swordIphinous and Clanis. Now he killedDorylas, who was clad in a wolfskin capand fought with curving bull's horns dripping blood.“To him I said, for courage gave me strength,‘Your horns! how much inferior to my steel!’—and threw my spear. Since he could not avoidthe gleaming point, he held up his right handto shield his forehead from the threatened wound.His hand was pierced and pinned against his forehead.He shouted madly. Peleus, near him whilehe stood there pinned and helpless with his wound,struck him with sharp sword in the belly deep.He leaped forth fiercely, as he trailed his bowelsupon the ground, with his entangled legstreading upon them, bursting them, he fellwith empty belly, lifeless to the earth.“Cyllarus, beauty did not save your life—if beauty is in any of your tribe—your golden beard was in its early growth,your golden hair came flowing to your shoulders.in your bright face there was a pleasing glance.The neck and shoulders and the hands and breast,:and every aspect of his human formresembled those admired statues whichour gifted artists carve. Even the shapeof the fine horse beneath the human formwas perfect too. Give him the head and neckof a full-blooded horse, and he would seema steed for Castor, for his back was shapedso comfortable to be sat uponand muscle swelled upon his arching chest.His lustrous body was as black as pitch,and yet his legs and flowing tailwere white as snow.Many a female of his kindloved him, but only Hylonome gainedhis love. There was no other centaur maidso beautiful as she within the woods.By coaxing ways she had won Cyllarus,by loving and confessing love. By daintiness,so far as that was possible in oneof such a form, she held his love; for nowshe smoothed her long locks with a comb; and nowshe decked herself with rosemary and nowwith violets or with roses in her hair;and sometimes she wore lilies, white as snow;and twice each day she bathed her lovely face,in the sweet stream that falls down from the heightof wooded Pagasa; and daily, twiceshe dipped her body in the stream. She woreupon her shoulders and left side a skin,greatly becoming, of selected worth.“Their love was equal, and together theywould wander over mountain-sides, and resttogether in cool caves; and so it was,they went together to that palace-cave,known to the Lapithae. Together theyfought fiercely in this battle, side by side.Thrown by an unknown hand, a javelin piercedCyllarus, just below the fatal spotwhere the chest rises to the neck—his heart,though only slightly wounded, grew quite cold,and his whole body felt cold, afterwards,as quickly as the weapon was drawn out.Then Hylonome held in her embracethe dying body; fondled the dread woundand, fixing her lips closely to his lipsendeavored to hold back his dying breath.But soon she saw that he indeed was dead.With mourning words, which clamor of the fightprevented me from hearing, she threw herselfon the spear that pierced her Cyllarus and fellupon his breast, embracing him in death.
In tanto fremitu cunctis sine fine iacebatsopitus venis et inexperrectus Aphidaslanguentique manu carchesia mixta tenebat,fusus in Ossaeae villosis pellibus ursae.Quem procul ut vidit frustra nulla arma moventem,inserit amento digitos “miscenda” que dixit“cum Styge vina bibes!” Phorbas; nec plura moratusin iuvenem torsit iaculum, ferrataque collofraxinus, ut casu iacuit resupinus, adacta est.Mors caruit sensu, plenoque e gutture fluxitinque toros inque ipsa niger carchesia sanguis.Vidi ego Petraeum conantem tollere terraglandiferam quercum; quam dum conplexibus ambitet quatit huc illuc labefactaque robora iactat,lancea Pirithoi costis inmissa Petraeipectora cum duro luctantia robore fixit.Pirithoi cecidisse Lycum virtute ferebant,Pirithoi virtute Chromin. Sed uterque minoremvictori titulum quam Dictys Helopsque dederunt:fixus Helops iaculo, quod pervia tempora fecitet missum a dextra laevam penetravit ad aurem;Dictys, ab ancipiti delapsus acumine montis,dum fugit instantem trepidans Ixione natum,decidit in praeceps et pondere corporis ornumingentem fregit suaque induit ilia fractae.Victor adest Aphareus saxumque e monte revulsummittere conatur: mittentem stipite quernooccupat Aegides cubitique ingentia frangitossa; nec ulterius dare corpus inutile letoaut vacat aut curat tergoque Bienoris altiinsilit haud solito quemquam portare nisi ipsum,opposuitque genu costis prensamque sinistracaesariem retinens vultum minitantiaque orarobore nodoso praeduraque tempora fregit:robore Nedymnum iaculatoremque Lycopensternit et inmissa protectum pectora barbaHippason et summis exstantem Riphea silvisThereaque, Haemoniis qui prensos montibus ursosferre domum vivos indignantesque solebat.Haud tulit utentem pugnae successibus ultraThesea Demoleon: solido divellere dumoannosam pinum magno molimine temptat;quod quia non potuit, praefractam misit in hostem.Sed procul a telo Theseus veniente recessitPallados admonitu: credi sic ipse volebat.Non tamen arbor iners cecidit; nam Crantoris altiabscidit iugulo pectusque umerumque sinistrum.Armiger ille tui fuerat genitoris, Achille,quem Dolopum rector, bello superatus, AmyntorAeacidae dederat pacis pignusque fidemque.Hunc procul ut foedo disiectum vulnere Peleusvidit, “at inferias, iuvenum gratissime Crantor,accipe” ait, validoque in Demoleonta lacertofraxineam misit, mentis quoque viribus, hastam.Quae laterum cratem praerupit et ossibus haerensintremuit. Trahit ille manu sine cuspide lignum(id quoque vix sequitur), cuspis pulmone retenta est.Ipse dolor vires animo dabat: aeger in hostemerigitur pedibusque virum proculcat equinis.Excipit ille ictus galea clipeoque sonantidefensatque umeros praetentaque sustinet armaperque armos uno duo pectora perforat ictu.Ante tamen leto dederat Phlegraeon et Hyleneminus, Iphinoum conlato Marte Claninque;additur his Dorylas, qui tempora tecta gerebatpelle lupi saevique vicem praestantia telicornua vara boum multo rubefacta cruore.Huic ego (nam vires animus dabat) “adspice,” dixi,“quantum concedant nostro tua cornua ferro!”et iaculum torsi; quod cum vitare nequiret,opposuit dextram passurae vulnera fronti:adfixa est cum fronte manus. Fit clamor, at illumhaerentem Peleus et acerbo vulnere victum(stabat enim propior) mediam ferit ense sub alvum.Prosiluit terraque ferox sua viscera traxittractaque calcavit calcataque rupit et illiscrura quoque inpediit et inani concidit alvo.Nec te pugnantem tua, Cyllare, forma redemit,si modo naturae formam concedimus illi:barba erat incipiens, barbae color aureus, aureaex umeris medios coma dependebat in armos.Gratus in ore vigor; cervix umerique manusquepectoraque artificum laudatis proxima signis,et quacumque vir est; nec equi mendosa sub illodeteriorque viro facies: da colla caputque,Castore dignus erit; sic tergum sessile, sic suntpectora celsa toris. Totus pice nigrior atra;candida cauda tamen, color est quoque cruribus albus.Multae illum petiere sua de gente, sed unaabstulit Hylonome, qua nulla decentior intersemiferos altis habitavit femina silvis.Haec et blanditiis et amando et amare fatendoCyllaron una tenet; cultus quoque, quantus in illisesse potest membris, ut sit coma pectine levis,ut modo rore maris, modo se violave rosaveinplicet, interdum candentia lilia gestet,bisque die lapsis Pagasaeae vertice silvaefontibus ora lavet, bis flumine corpora tingat,nec nisi quae deceant electarumque ferarumaut umero aut lateri praetendat vellera laevo.Par amor est illis: errant in montibus una,antra simul subeunt; et tum Lapitheia tectaintrarant pariter, pariter fera bella gerebant.Auctor in incerto est: iaculum de parte sinistravenit et inferius qua collo pectora subsunt,Cyllare, te fixit; parvo cor vulnere laesumcorpore cum toto post tela educta refrixit.Protinus Hylonome morientes excipit artusinpositaque manu vulnus fovet oraque ad oraadmovet atque animae fugienti obsistere temptat.Ut videt exstinctum, dictis, quae clamor ad auresarcuit ire meas, telo, quod inhaeserat illi,incubuit moriensque suum conplexa maritum est.