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

;THE THEBAIDthou wilt fall by us in this battle." When Parthenopaeus heardthat, however, he said ": Not of the fleeing Theban stock is mylady mother at all," said he, " but of the manly Arcadian stockof Atalanta." Now Amphion did not endure listening to that,and he delivered a very strong cast of the thick huge spear thatwas in his hand at Parthenopaeus. When he saw the shimmeringof the spear approaching him, he deftly avoided it, and letthe spear pass him. The anger of Amphion was the greater thata missing cast should be delivered by him. And while they werethus, Diana came to the middle of the battle to aid Parthenopaeus,and she assumed the form of Dorceus, a Greek, for he wasfamily tutor to Parthenopaeus, and by Dorceus did Parthenopaeus'mother enjoin him against going on that journey. And when shehad assumed his form, then she said to Parthenopaeus: " Enoughof Thebans hast thou wounded, lad," said she, " and arise and gosafe and sound unto the sea whence thou hast come, for thehonour of the gods." He did not accept that, and this is whathe said ": O comrade Dorceus," said he, " let me slay the manthat wounded me, to wit, Amphion, and let us not wound Thebansany more ; and when he shall fall by me, I shall give his horseand his dress to Diana, and I shall give his quiver to my mother."And when he had said that, it was revealed to Venus, thegoddess, that Diana was assisting the Greeks. And she urgedher lover, to wit, Mars, son of Jove the god of battle, that heshould go to assist the Thebans.For Harmonia, daughter of Marsand Venus, was gi-andmother of the Thebans, and therefore shesent the cruel battle-powerful one, to wit, Mars, unto Dianaand when he arrived he continued reviling the maiden greatly,and this is what he said : " It is not for thee, Diana," saidhe, "to marshal battalions of valour or heroism, but to shootwarlike arrows in hunting." And she came silently to rescueParthenopaeus.And thereafter came Mars to incite the Thebans against theGreeks. And the one of them he incited first was Dryas, son ofOrion, and that lad exercised his heroic activity on the Arcadiansand on all the assemblies that were along with Parthenopaeusengaging in that battle. And Dryas did not contract weakness245