either regarding those who had heard the speech, nor, although he was
general, his [own character for] cowardice, ventured not to come near the
warlike spear, but was most cowardly; and being such, he came to enslave
the descendants of Hercules. Hyllus then returned again back to his ranks;
but the soothsayers, when they saw that the affair could not be arranged by
single combat of one shield, sacrificed, and delayed not, but let fall
forth immediately the propitious slaughter of mortal throats; and some
mounted chariots, and some concealed their sides under the sides of their
shields; but the king of the Athenians gave to his army such orders as
become a high-born man. "O fellow-citizens, now it behooves one to defend
the land that has produced and cherished us."[29] And the other also
besought his allies not to disgrace Argos and Mycenae. But when the signal
was sounded on a Tyrrhenian trumpet, and they joined battle with one
another, what a clash of spears dost thou think sounded, how great a
groaning and lamentation at the same time! And first the dashing on of the
Argive spear broke us; then they again retreated; and next foot being
interchanged with foot, and man standing against man, the battle waged
fierce; and many fell; and there were two cries, O ye who [dwell in]
Athens, O ye who sow the land of the Argives, will ye not avert disgrace
from the city? And with difficulty doing every thing, not without toils did
we put the Argive force to flight; and then the old man, seeing Hyllus
rushing on, Iolaus, stretching forth his right hand, besought him to place
him on the horse-chariot; and seizing the reins in his hands, he pressed
hard upon the horses of Eurystheus. And what happened after this I must
tell by having heard from others, I myself hitherto having seen all; for
passing by the venerable hill of the divine Minerva of Pellene, seeing the
chariot of Eurystheus, he prayed to Juno and Jupiter to be young for one
day, and to work vengeance on his enemies. But you have a marvel to hear;
for two stars standing on the horse-chariot, concealed the chariot in a dim
cloud, the wiser men say it was thy son and Hebe; but he from the obscure
darkness showed forth a youthful image of youthful arms. And the glorious
Iolaus takes the four-horse chariot of Eurystheus at the Scironian
rocks--and having bound his hands in fetters, he comes bringing as glorious
first-fruits of victory, the general, him who before was prosperous;
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