Page 222 - the-iliad

by night to Pylus, the city of Neleus, taking them within
the city; and the heart of Neleus was glad in that I had taken
so much, though it was the first time I had ever been in the
field. At daybreak the heralds went round crying that all in
Elis to whom there was a debt owing should come; and the
leading Pylians assembled to divide the spoils. There were
many to whom the Epeans owed chattels, for we men of
Pylus were few and had been oppressed with wrong; in for-
mer years Hercules had come, and had laid his hand heavy
upon us, so that all our best men had perished. Neleus had
had twelve sons, but I alone was left; the others had all been
killed. The Epeans presuming upon all this had looked
down upon us and had done us much evil. My father chose
a herd of cattle and a great flock of sheep—three hundred
in all—and he took their shepherds with him, for there was
a great debt due to him in Elis, to wit four horses, winners
of prizes. They and their chariots with them had gone to the
games and were to run for a tripod, but King Augeas took
them, and sent back their driver grieving for the loss of his
horses. Neleus was angered by what he had both said and
done, and took great value in return, but he divided the rest,
that no man might have less than his full share.
‘Thus did we order all things, and offer sacrifices to the
gods throughout the city; but three days afterwards the
Epeans came in a body, many in number, they and their
chariots, in full array, and with them the two Moliones in
their armour, though they were still lads and unused to
fighting. Now there is a certain town, Thryoessa, perched
upon a rock on the river Alpheus, the border city Pylus.

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