Taphians

Guneus, king of Ænian men, marshall'd galleys two and ten; hard thereby the bulwarks tower of the lords of Elis' power, whom the host Epeans name; Aretus to lead them came.

Led the Taphian's argent oar there withal which own for lord Phylæus' scion Meges, who from the Echinad Isles, whereto no man sails, his war-host drew.

Aias Salamis' fosterling held in touch his rightward wing with their left who nearest lay; helm-obeying keels were they, twelve, which, marshall'd uttermost, closed the line that fringed the coast, as I heard; and now might mark, whoso with barbaric bark meets him from the grapple stern, never home shall he return.

Lo, the goodly sea array that mine eyes have seen to-day! Erst the great war-muster's story through mine home rang; now its glory in mine heart shall live for aye.

And opposite in the shield of bronze her image appeared clear to the view as she stood; and in it there was a well-wooded pasturage of oxen.

And about the oxen the Teleboae and the sons of Eletryon were fighting, the one party defending themselves, the others, the Taphian raiders, longing to rob them; and the dewy meadow was drenched with their blood, and the many were overmastering the few herdsmen.

And therein were fashioned two chariots racing, and the one in front Pelops was guiding as he shook the reins, and with him was Hippodamia at his side; and in pursuit Myrtilus urged his steeds, and with him Oenomaus had grasped his couched spear, but fell as the axle swerved and broke in the nave, while he was eager to pierce the back of Pelops.

And in it was wrought Phoebus Apollo, a stripling not yet grown up, in the act of shooting at mighty Tityos, who was boldly dragging his mother by her veil, Tityos whom glorious Elethe bare but Earth nursed him and gave him second birth.

And he boasts himself to be the son of Helios; and all around dwell countless tribes of Colchians.

And he might match himself with Ares in his dread war-cry and giant strength.

Nay, to seize the fleece in spite of Aeetes is no easy task; so huge a serpent keeps guard round and about it, deathless and sleepless, which Earth herself brought forth on the sides of Caucasus by the rock of Taphian, where Taphian, they say, smitten by the bolt of Zeus, son of Cronos, when he lifted against the god his sturdy hands, dropped from his head hot gore; and in such plight he reached the mountains and the plain of Nysa, where to this day he lies whelmed beneath the waters of the Cerbonian Lake.

Thus he spake, and straightway many a cheek grew pale when they heard of so mighty an adventure.

So saying, she bound on her glittering gold sandals, imperishable, with which she can fly like the wind over land or sea.

She grasped the redoubtable bronze-shod spear, so stout and sturdy and strong, wherewith she quells the ranks of heroes who have displeased her, and down she darted from the topmost summits of Olympus, whereon forthwith she was in Ithaca, at the gateway of Ulysses' house, disguised as a visitor, Mentes, chief of the Taphian, and she held a bronze spear in her hand.

There she found the lordly suitors seated on hides of the oxen which they had killed and eaten, and playing drafts in front of the house.

Men-servants and pages were bustling about to wait upon them, some mixing wine with water in the mixing bowls, some cleaning down the tables with wet sponges and laying them out again, and some cutting up great quantities of meat.

Tell me also truly, for I want to know, are you a stranger to this house, or have you been here in my father's time? In the old days we had many visitors, for my father went about much by himself.

And Minerva answered, I will tell you truly and particularly all about it.

I am Mentes, son of Anchialus, and I am king of the Taphian.

I have come here with my ship and crew, on a voyage to men of a foreign tongue being bound for Temesa, with a cargo of iron, and I shall bring back copper.