d hurl'd his spear. He pierced a friend
Of brave AEneas, warring in the van,
Deicoeon son of Pergasus, in Troy 635
Not less esteem'd than Priam's sons themselves,
Such was his fame in foremost fight acquired.
Him Agamemnon on his buckler smote,
Nor stayed the weapon there, but through his belt
His bowels enter'd, and with hideous clang 640
And outcry[14] of his batter'd arms he fell.
AEneas next two mightiest warriors slew,
Sons of Diocles, of a wealthy sire,
Whose house magnificent in Phaerae stood,
Orsilochus and Crethon. Their descent 645
From broad-stream'd Alpheus, Pylian flood, they drew.
Alpheus begat Orsilochus, a prince
Of numerous powers. Orsilochus begat
Warlike Diodes. From Diodes sprang
Twins, Crethon and Orsilochus, alike 650
Valiant, and skilful in all forms of war.
Their boyish prime scarce past, they, with the Greeks
Embarking, in their sable ships had sail'd
To steed-fam'd Ilium; just revenge they sought
For Atreus' sons, but perished first themselves. 655
As two young lions, in the deep recess
Of some dark forest on the mountain's brow
Late nourished by their dam, forth-issuing, seize
The fatted flocks and kine, both folds and stalls
Wasting rapacious, till, at length, themselves 660
Deep-wounded perish by the hand of man,
So they, both vanquish'd by AEneas, fell,
And like two lofty pines uprooted, lay.
Them fallen in battle Menelaus saw
With pity moved; radiant in arms he shook 665
His brazen spear, and strode into the van.
Mars urged him furious on, conceiving hope
Of his death also by AEneas' hand.
But him the son of generous Nestor mark'd
Antilochus, and to the foremost fight 670
Flew also, fearing lest some dire mischance
The Prince befalling, at one fatal stroke
Should frustrate all the labors of the Greeks.
They, hand to hand, and spear to spear opposed,
Stood threatening dreadful onset, when beside 675
The Spartan chief Antilochus appear'd.
AEneas, at the sight of two combined,
Stood not, although intrepid. They the dead
Thence drawing far into the Grecian host
To their associates gave the hapless pair, 680
Then, both returning, fought in front again.
Next, fierce as