es of the brazen-mailed Greeks, looking around for
the hero Machaon: him he saw standing, and round him the brave ranks of
the shield-bearing hosts, who followed him from steed-nourishing Tricca.
Standing near, he spoke winged words:

"Come, O son of AEsculapius, Agamemnon, king of men, calls thee, that
thou mayest see martial Menelaus, the son of Atreus, whom some skilful
archer of the Trojans or of the Lycians has wounded with a dart; a glory
indeed to him, but a grief to us."

Thus he spoke, and incited his soul within his breast. And they
proceeded to go through the host, through the wide army of the Greeks;
but when they had now arrived where fair-haired Menelaus had been
wounded (but around him were collected as many as were bravest, in a
circle, while the godlike hero stood in the midst), instantly thereupon
he extracted the arrow from the well-fitted belt. But while it was being
extracted, the sharp barbs were broken. Then he loosed the variegated
belt, and the girdle beneath, and the plated belt which brass-workers
had forged. But when he perceived the wound, where the bitter shaft had
fallen, having sucked out the blood, he skilfully sprinkled on it
soothing remedies,[179] which, benevolent Chiron had formerly given to
his father.

[Footnote 179: Celsus, Pref. "Podalirius et Machaon, bello
Trajano ducem Agamemnonem secuti, non mediocrem opem
commilitonibus suis attulerunt. Quos tamen Homerus non in
pestilentia neque in variis generibus morborum aliquid attulisse
auxilii, sed vulneribus tantummodo ferro et medicamentis mederi
solitos esse proposuit. Ex quo apparet, has partes medicinae solas
ab his esse tentatas, easque esse vetustissimas."]

Whilst they were thus occupied around warlike Menelaus, meantime the
ranks of the shielded Trojans advanced; and these again put on their
arms, and were mindful of battle. Then would you not see divine
Agamemnon slumbering, nor trembling nor refusing to fight; but hastening
quickly to the glorious fight. He left his steeds, indeed, and his
brass-variegated chariot; and these his servant Eurymedon, son of
Ptolymaeus, the son of Piraeis, held apart panting. Him he strictly
enjoined to keep them near him, against the time when weariness should
seize his limbs, commanding over many. But he on foot traversed the
ranks of the heroes, and whichever of the swift-horsed Greeks he saw
hastening, them standing beside, he encouraged with words:

"Argives! re