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

ye are foes to Thebans."THE THEBAIDThen was each of them hastening pastthe other for fear of Amphion. -Yet it was not for themselvesthey feared anything, but lest the gory and wounded bodiesthat were upon their backs should be left. Now ThebanAmphion was greatly menacing them, and he delivered a castat the man of them who was in front, to wit, Dymas, and thespear fell near him without danger. Then came the greatspiritedsoldier Aepytus, a Theban, and delivered a strong verybrave lethal cast of a spear at Hopleus, on whom was the bodyof Tydeus, so that it broke his back there, and pierced the bodyof Tydeus that was upon his back, and he fell owing to thatwound. Dymas, however, glanced back, and saw too many ofthe Thebans pressing him heavily, and he did not know whetherhe should ask for quarter or give them battle. Yet this is theplan he adopted. He laid down the body that was upon him,to wit, Parthenopaeus' body, and placed his strong tiger's skinthat was round him in his left hand, and his blazing flamingswordin his right, and in that guise he turned about upon thehosts like a full-angry lion which heroes do not tackle after hisanguish about his whelps, so that he is indifferent whether to dieor live.Then he and the Theban veteran, Amphion, encounteredin battle and strife;and there Amphion dealt Dymas a swordstroke,and struck off his powerful right arm at the shoulder, andthe Thebans dragged the body of Parthenopaeus away. WhenDymas saw that, however, he was miserably and sadly beggingthe body, begging his lord from them, and he said to them: "Bythe gods that are yours, men," said he, " show gentleness tothe body ye drag, and give to birds and flocks my body, for thatis more just than the body which ye have." Then said Amphionto him ": The body of thy lord will be given up to thee, andthou thyself wilt be let away as thou art, if thou should betrayand abandon the Greeks to me."Dymas answered him, and thisis what he said :" Indeed I would not do that though it were tosave my lord alive, provided that for myself no evil shouldattach to me." And no sooner had he said that than he ran his259 17-2