d
the splendour of the sun, the mighty strength of Echecleus, son of
Actor, led her to his house when he had given innumerable
marriage-gifts; whilst aged Phylas carefully nurtured and educated him,
tenderly loving him, as if being his own son. The third, warlike
Pisander led, the son of Maemalus, who, after the companion of the son of
Peleus, surpassed all the Myrmidons in fighting with the spear. The
fourth, the aged knight Phoenix commanded; and Alcimedon, the illustrious
son of Laerceus, the fifth. But when Achilles, marshalling them well,
had placed all with their leaders, he enjoined this strict command:

"Ye Myrmidons, let none of you be forgetful of the threats with which,
at the swift ships, ye did threaten the Trojans, during all my
indignation, and blamed me, each of you [in this manner]: 'O cruel son
of Peleus! surely thy mother nurtured thee in wrath: relentless! thou
who at the ships detainest thy companions against their will. Let us at
least return home again in our sea-traversing barks, since pernicious
wrath has thus fallen upon thy mind.' These things ye frequently said to
me, when assembled; and now the great task of war appears, of which ye
were hitherto desirous. Let each one here, having a valiant heart, fight
against the Trojans."

[Footnote 514: Mercury.]

Thus speaking, he aroused the might and spirit of each, and their ranks
were condensed the more when they heard the king. As when a man
constructs the wall of a lofty mansion with closely-joined stones,
guarding against the violence of the winds, so closely were their
helmets and bossed shields linked: then shield pressed upon shield,
helmet upon helmet, and man upon man; and the horse-hair crests upon the
shining cones of [their helmets] nodding, touched each other; so close
stood they to each other. Before all were armed two warriors. Patroclus
and Automedon, having one mind, to fight in the front of the Myrmidons.
But Achilles hastened to go into his tent; and he opened the lid of a
chest, beautiful, variously adorned, which silver-footed Thetis placed,
to be carried in his ship, having filled it well with garments, and
wind-resisting cloaks, and napped tapestry. And in it was a cup
curiously wrought, nor did any other of men drink dark wine from it,
nor did he pour out [from it] libations to any of the gods, except to
father Jove. This then, taking from the coffer, he first purified with
sulphur, and then washed in a crystal rivulet