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Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

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<strong>Homer</strong>’s <strong>Iliad</strong><br />

There is a river Minyeius that falls into the sea near Arene, and<br />

there they that were mounted (and I with them) waited till<br />

morning, when the companies of foot soldiers came up with us in<br />

force. Thence in full panoply and equipment we came towards<br />

noon to the sacred waters of the Alpheus, and there we offered<br />

victims to almighty Jove, with a bull to Alpheus, another to<br />

Neptune, and a herd-heifer to Minerva. After this we took supper<br />

in our companies, and laid us down to rest each in his armour <strong>by</strong><br />

the river.<br />

“The Epeans were beleaguering the city and were determined to<br />

take it, but ere this might be there was a desperate fight in store for<br />

them. When the sun’s rays began to fall upon the earth we joined<br />

battle, praying to Jove and to Minerva, and when the fight had<br />

begun, I was the first to kill my man and take his horses- to wit the<br />

warrior Mulius. He was son-in-law to Augeas, having married his<br />

eldest daughter, golden-haired Agamede, who knew the virtues of<br />

every herb which grows upon the face of the earth. I speared him as<br />

he was coming towards me, and when he fell headlong in the dust,<br />

I sprang upon his chariot and took my place in the front ranks. The<br />

Epeans fled in all directions when they saw the captain of their<br />

horsemen (the best man they had) laid low, and I swept down on<br />

them like a whirlwind, taking fifty chariots- and in each of them<br />

two men bit the dust, slain <strong>by</strong> my spear. I should have even killed<br />

the two Moliones sons of Actor, unless their real father, Neptune<br />

lord of the earthquake, had hidden them in a thick mist and borne<br />

them out of the fight. Thereon Jove vouchsafed the Pylians a great<br />

victory, for we chased them far over the plain, killing the men and<br />

bringing in their armour, till we had brought our horses to<br />

Buprasium rich in wheat and to the Olenian rock, with the hill that<br />

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