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that　had　feet　of　cyanus；　on　it　there　was　a　vessel　of　bronze　and
an　onion　to　give　relish　to　the　drink；　with　honey　and　cakes　of
barley…meal。　There　was　also　a　cup　of　rare　workmanship　which　the
old　man　had　brought　with　him　from　home；　studded　with　bosses　of
gold；　it　had　four　handles；　on　each　of　which　there　were　two　golden
doves　feeding；　and　it　had　two　feet　to　stand　on。　Any　one　else
would　hardly　have　been　able　to　lift　it　from　the　table　when　it　was
full；　but　Nestor　could　do　so　quite　easily。　In　this　the　woman；　as
fair　as　a　goddess；　mixed　them　a　mess　with　Pramnian　wine；　she
grated　goat's　milk　cheese　into　it　with　a　bronze　grater；　threw　in
a　handful　of　white　barley…meal；　and　having　thus　prepared　the　mess
she　bade　them　drink　it。　When　they　had　done　so　and　had　thus
quenched　their　thirst；　they　fell　talking　with　one　another；　and　at
this　moment　Patroclus　appeared　at　the　door。

When　the　old　man　saw　him　he　sprang　from　his　seat；　seized　his
hand；　led　him　into　the　tent；　and　bade　him　take　his　place　among
them；　but　Patroclus　stood　where　he　was　and　said；　〃Noble　sir；　I
may　not　stay；　you　cannot　persuade　me　to　e　in；　he　that　sent　me
is　not　one　to　be　trifled　with；　and　he　bade　me　ask　who　the　wounded
man　was　whom　you　were　bearing　away　from　the　field。　I　can　now　see
for　myself　that　he　is　Machaon；　shepherd　of　his　people。　I　must　go
back　and　tell　Achilles。　You；　sir；　know　what　a　terrible　man　he　is；
and　how　ready　to　blame　even　where　no　blame　should　lie。〃

And　Nestor　answered；　〃Why　should　Achilles　care　to　know　how　many
of　the　Achaeans　may　be　wounded？　He　recks　not　of　the　dismay　that
reigns　in　our　host；　our　most　valiant　chieftains　lie　disabled；
brave　Diomed；　son　of　Tydeus；　is　wounded；　so　are　Ulysses　and
Agamemnon；　Eurypylus　has　been　hit　with　an　arrow　in　the　thigh；　and
I　have　just　been　bringing　this　man　from　the　fieldhe　too　wounded
with　an　arrow。　Nevertheless；　Achilles；　so　valiant　though　he　be；
cares　not　and　knows　no　ruth。　Will　he　wait　till　the　ships；　do　what
we　may；　are　in　a　blaze；　and　we　perish　one　upon　the　other？　As　for
me；　I　have　no　strength　nor　stay　in　me　any　longer；　would　that　I
were　still　young　and　strong　as　in　the　days　when　there　was　a　fight
between　us　and　the　men　of　Elis　about　some　cattle…raiding。　I　then
killed　Itymoneus；　the　valiant　son　of　Hypeirochus；　a　dweller　in
Elis；　as　I　was　driving　in　the　spoil；　he　was　hit　by　a　dart　thrown
by　my　hand　while　fighting　in　the　front　rank　in　defence　of　his
cows；　so　he　fell　and　the　country　people　around　him　were　in　great
fear。　We　drove　off　a　vast　quantity　of　booty　from　the　plain；　fifty
herds　of　cattle　and　as　many　flocks　of　sheep；　fifty　droves　also　of
pigs；　and　as　many　wide…spreading　flocks　of　goats。　Of　horses；
moreover；　we　seized　a　hundred　and　fifty；　all　of　them　mares；　and
many　had　foals　running　with　them。　All　these　did　we　drive　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　e；　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　former　years　Hercules　had　e；　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　sheepthree　hundred　in　alland　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。　This　they　would　destroy；　and　pitched　their　camp　about
it；　but　when　they　had　crossed　their　whole　plain；　Minerva　darted
down　by　night　from　Olympus　and　bade　us　set　ourselves　in　array；
and　she　found　willing　soldiers　in　Pylos；　for　the　men　meant
fighting。　Neleus　would　not　let　me　arm；　and　hid　my　horses；　for　he
said　that　as　yet　I　could　know　nothing　about　war；　nevertheless
Minerva　so　ordered　the　fight　that；　all　on　foot　as　I　was；　I　fought
among　our　mounted　forces　and　vied　with　the　foremost　of　them。
There　is　a　river　Minyeius　that　falls　into　the　sea　near　Arene；　and
there　they　that　were　mounted　（and　I　with　them）　waited　till
morning；　when　the　panies　of　foot　soldiers　came　up　with　us　in
force。　Thence　in　full　panoply　and　equipment　we　came　towards　noon
to　the　sacred　waters　of　the　Alpheus；　and　there　we　offered　victims
to　almighty　Jove；　with　a　bull　to　Alpheus；　another　to　Neptune；　and
a　herd…heifer　to　Minerva。　After　this　we　took　supper　in　our
panies；　and　laid　us　down　to　rest　each　in　his　armour　by　the
river。

〃The　Epeans　were　beleaguering　the　city　and　were　determined　to
take　it；　but　ere　this　might　be　there　was　a　desperate　fight　in
store　for　them。　When　the　sun's　rays　began　to　fall　upon　the　earth
we　joined　battle；　praying　to　Jove　and　to　Minerva；　and　when　the
fight　had　begun；　I　was　the　first　to　kill　my　man　and　take　his
horsesto　wit　the　warrior　Mulius。　He　was　son…in…law　to　Augeas；
having　married　his　eldest　daughter；　golden…haired　Agamede；　who
knew　the　virtues　of　every　herb　which　grows　upon　the　face　of　the
earth。　I　speared　him　as　he　was　ing　towards　me；　and　when　he
fell　headlong　in　the　dust；　I　sprang　upon　his　chariot　and　took　my
place　in　the　front　ranks。　The　Epeans　fled　in　all　directions　when
they　saw　the　captain　of　their　horsemen　（the　best　man　they　had）
laid　low；　and　I　swept　down　on　them　like　a　whirlwind；　taking　fifty
chariotsand　in　each　of　them　two　men　bit　the　dust；　slain　by　my
spear。　I　should　have　even　killed　the　two　Moliones；　sons　of　Actor；
unless　their　real　father；　Neptune　lord　of　the　earthquake；　had
hidden　them　in　a　thick　mist　and　borne　them　out　of　the　fight。
Thereon　Jove　vouchsafed　the　Pylians　a　great　victory；　for　we
chased　them　far　over　the　plain；　killing　the　men　and　bringing　in
their　armour；　till　we　had　brought　our　horses　to　Buprasium；　rich
in　wheat；　and　to　the　Olenian　rock；　with　the　hill　that　is　called
Alision；　at　which　point　Minerva　turned　the　people　back。　There　I
slew　the　last　man　and　left　him；　then　the　Achaeans　drove　their
horses　back　from　Buprasium　to　Pylos　and　gave　thanks　to　Jove　among
the　gods；　and　among　mortal　men　to　Nestor。

〃Such　was　I　among　my　peers；　as　surely　as　ever　was；　but　Achilles
is　for　keeping　all　his　valour　for　himself；　bitterly　will　he　rue
it　hereafter　when　the　host　is　being　cut　to　pieces。　My　good
friend；　did　not　Menoetius　charge　you　thus；　on　the　day　when　he
sent　you　from　Phthia　to　Agamemnon？　Ulysses　and　I　were　in　the
house；　inside；　and　heard　all　that　he　said　to　you；　for　we　came　to
the　fair　house　of　Peleus　while　beating　up　recruits　throughout　all
Achaea；　and　when　we　got　there　we　found　Menoetius　and　yourself；
and　Achilles　with　you。　The　old　knight　Peleus　was　in　the　outer
court；　roasting　the　fat　thigh…bones　of　a　heifer　to　Jove　the　lord
of　thunder；　and　he　held　a　gold　chalice　in　his　hand　from　which　he
poured　drink…offerings　of　wine　over　the　burning　sacrifice。　You
two　were　busy　cutting　up　the　heifer；　and　at　that　moment　we　stood
at　the　gates；　whereon　Achilles　sprang　to　his　feet；　led　us　by　the
hand　into　the　house；　placed　us　at　table；　and　set　before　us　such
hospitable　entertainment　as　guests　expect。　When　we　had　satisfied
ourselves　with　meat　and　drink；　I　said　my　say　and　urged　both　of
you　to　join　us。　You　were　ready　enough　to　do　so；　and　the　two　old
men　charged　you　much　and　straitly。　Old　Peleus　bade　his　son
Achilles　fight　ever　among　the　foremost　and　outvie　his　peers；
while　Menoetius　the　son　of　Actor　spoke　thus　to　you：　'My　son；'
said　he；　'Achilles　is　of　nobler　birth　than　you　are；　but　you　are
older　than　he；　though　he　is　far　the　better　man　of　the　two。
Counsel　him　wisely；　guide　him　in　the　right　way；　and　he　will
follow　you　to　his　own　profit。'　Thus　did　your　father　charge　you；
but　you　have　forgotten；　nevertheless；　even　now；　say　all　this　to
Achilles　if　he　will　listen　to　you。　Who　knows　but　with　heaven's
help　you　may　talk　him　over；　for　it　is　good　to　take　a　friend's
advice。　If；　however；　he　is　fearful　about　some　oracle；　or　if　his
mother　has　told　him　something　from　Jove；　then　let　him　send　you；
and　let　the　rest　of　the　Myrmidons　follow　with　you；　if　perchance
you　may　bring　light　and　saving　to　the　Danaans。　And　let　him　send
you　into　battle　clad　in　his　own　armour；　that　the　Trojans　may
mistake　you　for　him　and　leave　off　fighting；　the　sons　of　the
Achaeans