Provided by The Internet Classics Archive. See bottom for copyright ...

than any of you. I am by lineage son to a noble sire, Tydeus, who
lies buried at Thebes. For Portheus had three noble sons, two of whom,
Agrius and Melas, abode in Pleuron and rocky Calydon. The third was
the knight Oeneus, my father's father, and he was the most valiant
of them all. Oeeneus remained in his own country, but my father (as
Jove and the other gods ordained it) migrated to Argos. He married
into the family of Adrastus, and his house was one of great abundance,
for he had large estates of rich corn-­‐growing land, with much orchard
ground as well, and he had many sheep; moreover he excelled all the
Argives in the use of the spear. You must yourselves have heard whether
these things are true or no; therefore when I say well despise not
my words as though I were a coward or of ignoble birth. I say, then,
let us go to the fight as we needs must, wounded though we be. When
there, we may keep out of the battle and beyond the range of the spears
lest we get fresh wounds in addition to what we have already, but
we can spur on others, who have been indulging their spleen and holding
aloof from battle hitherto."
Thus did he speak; whereon they did even as he had said and set out,
King Agamemnon leading the way.
Meanwhile Neptune had kept no blind look-­‐out, and came up to them
in the semblance of an old man. He took Agamemnon's right hand in
his own and said, "Son of Atreus, I take it Achilles is glad now that
he sees the Achaeans routed and slain, for he is utterly without remorse-­‐
may he come to a bad end and heaven confound him. As for yourself,
the blessed gods are not yet so bitterly angry with you but that the
princes and counsellors of the Trojans shall again raise the dust