Togail na Tebe = The Thebiad of Statius : the Irish text

THE THEBAIDPhorbas answered her, and said :" Dost thou see there," said he,"Dryas from the cold-sided hills of Tanagrae, from the frigidnorth zone, with 1000 archers in his train ? And dost thou seea grandson of Neptune there with the figure of a trident on hisarms ? Yonder among the allies of Eteocles are heroes of thecity of Ocalea, reckless soldiers of Medeon, fresh bright warriorsof Nisa, and resolute champions of the citadel of Thisbe.Andnext to them is cruel victorious Eurymedon, son of Faunus, godof the woods—and it is he that succours and saves from everyperil of woods—and the rich and prosperous hosts of Erythraealong with him, and the 'hosts that came from the city of Scolos,and from the citadel of Eteonos, and from the city of Hyle, andfrom the citadel of Schoenos.Sharp piercing javelins, and roundbossy shields are theirs. And there also are the hordes of thecitadel of Onchestos of the seed of Neptune, god of the sea, andit is he that roughens and calms the chill stormy sea. And thereare the men that are from Mycalessos on the confines of Greeceand the Thebans, and along the river Melas and the fountain ofGargaphie, to wit, a wonderful fountain, and along the river ofHaliartos [oppidum]. Hard and heavy-topped trunks of trees werearms for those, and full rough lions' skins were helmets on theirheads, and hard branching hurdles were shields for them.Andthere are hordes of mount Helicon from the river Permessus,towit,a river which flows in an alpine mountain in the North of theThebans, and from the river Olmius. And all those heroes weremelodious harpers from the Muses, to wit, the goddesses ofmelody."And when Phorbas had said those words, and applied thosedescriptions to the hosts, Antigone spoke, and said :" Greatindeed," said she, " is the resemblance between those twainbrothers yonder, whom I see away among the hosts; for they arefair and equally matched as regards both arms and dress. AndI should like," said she, "if my own two brothers were yon fellowship.""Indeed, maiden," said Phorbas, "thou art not the firstperson that has called them so, for multitudes have called themi/i