all　made　a　fierce　fight　over　one　poor　wretch；　glaring　evilly　at　one　another　with　furious　eyes　and　fighting　equally　with　claws　and　hands。　　By　them　stood　Darkness　of　Death；　mournful　and　fearful；　pale；　shrivelled；　shrunk　with　hunger；　swollen…kneed。　　Long　nails　tipped　her　hands；　and　she　dribbled　at　the　nose；　and　from　her　cheeks　blood　dripped　down　to　the　ground。　　She　stood　leering　hideously；　and　much　dust　sodden　with　tears　lay　upon　her　shoulders。
  （ll。　270…285）　Next；　there　was　a　city　of　men　with　goodly　towers；　and　seven　gates　of　gold；　fitted　to　the　lintels；　guarded　it。　　The　men　were　making　merry　with　festivities　and　dances；　some　were　bringing　home　a　bride　to　her　husband　on　a　well…wheeled　car；　while　the　bridal…song　swelled　high；　and　the　glow　of　blazing　torches　held　by　handmaidens　rolled　in　waves　afar。　　And　these　maidens　went　before；　delighting　in　the　festival；　and　after　them　came　frolicsome　choirs；　the　youths　singing　soft…mouthed　to　the　sound　of　shrill　pipes；　while　the　echo　was　shivered　around　them；　and　the　girls　led　on　the　lovely　dance　to　the　sound　of　lyres。　　Then　again　on　the　other　side　was　a　rout　of　young　men　revelling；　with　flutes　playing；　some　frolicking　with　dance　and　song；　and　others　were　going　forward　in　time　with　a　flute　player　and　laughing。　　The　whole　town　was　filled　with　mirth　and　dance　and　festivity。
  （ll。　285…304）　Others　again　were　mounted　on　horseback　and　galloping　before　the　town。　　And　there　were　ploughmen　breaking　up　the　good　soul；　clothed　in　tunics　girt　up。　　Also　there　was　a　wide　cornland　and　some　men　were　reaping　with　sharp　hooks　the　stalks　which　bended　with　the　weight　of　the　cars　　as　if　they　were　reaping　Demeter's　grain：　others　were　binding　the　sheaves　with　bands　and　were　spreading　the　threshing　floor。　　And　some　held　reaping　hooks　and　were　gathering　the　vintage；　while　others　were　taking　from　the　reapers　into　baskets　white　and　black　clusters　from　the　long　rows　of　vines　which　were　heavy　with　leaves　and　tendrils　of　silver。　　Others　again　were　gathering　them　into　baskets。　　Beside　them　was　a　row　of　vines　in　gold；　the　splendid　work　of　cunning　Hephaestus：　it　had　shivering　leaves　and　stakes　of　silver　and　was　laden　with　grapes　which　turned　black　（5）。　　And　there　were　men　treading　out　the　grapes　and　others　drawing　off　liquor。　　Also　there　were　men　boxing　and　wrestling；　and　huntsmen　chasing　swift　hares　with　a　leash　of　sharp…toothed　dogs　before　them；　they　eager　to　catch　the　hares；　and　the　hares　eager　to　escape。
  （ll　305…313）　Next　to　them　were　horsemen　hard　set；　and　they　contended　and　laboured　for　a　prize。　　The　charioteers　standing　on　their　well…woven　cars；　urged　on　their　swift　horses　with　loose　rein；　the　jointed　cars　flew　along　clattering　and　the　naves　of　the　wheels　shrieked　loudly。　　So　they　were　engaged　in　an　unending　toil；　and　the　end　with　victory　came　never　to　them；　and　the　contest　was　ever　unwon。　　And　there　was　set　out　for　them　within　the　course　a　great　tripod　of　gold；　the　splendid　work　of　cunning　Hephaestus。
  （ll。　314…317）　And　round　the　rim　Ocean　was　flowing；　with　a　full　stream　as　it　seemed；　and　enclosed　all　the　cunning　work　of　the　shield。　　Over　it　swans　were　soaring　and　calling　loudly；　and　many　others　were　swimming　upon　the　surface　of　the　water；　and　near　them　were　shoals　of　fish。
  （ll。　318…326）　A　wonderful　thing　the　great　strong　shield　was　to　see　　even　for　Zeus　the　loud…thunderer；　by　whose　will　Hephaestus　made　it　and　fitted　it　with　his　hands。　　This　shield　the　valiant　son　of　Zeus　wielded　masterly；　and　leaped　upon　his　horse…chariot　like　the　lightning　of　his　father　Zeus　who　holds　the　aegis；　moving　lithely。　　And　his　charioteer；　strong　Iolaus；　standing　upon　the　car；　guided　the　curved　chariot。
  （ll。　327…337）　Then　the　goddess　grey…eyed　Athene　came　near　them　and　spoke　winged　words；　encouraging　them：　‘Hail；　offspring　of　far…famed　Lynceus！　　Even　now　Zeus　who　reigns　over　the　blessed　gods　gives　you　power　to　slay　Cycnus　and　to　strip　off　his　splendid　armour。　　Yet　I　will　tell　you　something　besides；　mightiest　of　the　people。　　When　you　have　robbed　Cycnus　of　sweet　life；　then　leave　him　there　and　his　armour　also；　and　you　yourself　watch　man…slaying　Ares　narrowly　as　he　attacks；　and　wherever　you　shall　see　him　uncovered　below　his　cunningly…wrought　shield；　there　wound　him　with　your　sharp　spear。　　Then　draw　back；　for　it　is　not　ordained　that　you　should　take　his　horses　or　his　splendid　armour。'
  （ll。　338…349）　So　said　the　bright…eyed　goddess　and　swiftly　got　up　into　the　car　with　victory　and　renown　in　her　hands。　　Then　heaven…　nurtured　Iolaus　called　terribly　to　the　horses；　and　at　his　cry　they　swiftly　whirled　the　fleet　chariot　along；　raising　dust　from　the　plain；　for　the　goddess　bright…eyed　Athene　put　mettle　into　them　by　shaking　her　aegis。　　And　the　earth　groaned　all　round　them。
  And　they；　horse…taming　Cycnus　and　Ares；　insatiable　in　war；　came　on　together　like　fire　or　whirlwind。　　Then　their　horses　neighed　shrilly；　face　to　face；　and　the　echo　was　shivered　all　round　them。　　And　mighty　Heracles　spoke　first　and　said　to　that　other：
  （ll。　350…367）　‘Cycnus；　good　sir！　　Why；　pray；　do　you　set　your　swift　horses　at　us；　men　who　are　tried　in　labour　and　pain？　　Nay；　guide　your　fleet　car　aside　and　yield　and　go　out　of　the　path。　　It　is　to　Trachis　I　am　driving　on；　to　Ceyx　the　king；　who　is　the　first　in　Trachis　for　power　and　for　honour；　and　that　you　yourself　know　well；　for　you　have　his　daughter　dark…eyed　Themistinoe　to　wife。　　Fool！　　For　Ares　shall　not　deliver　you　from　the　end　of　death；　if　we　two　meet　together　in　battle。　　Another　time　ere　this　I　declare　he　has　made　trial　of　my　spear；　when　he　defended　sandy　Pylos　and　stood　against　me；　fiercely　longing　for　fight。　　Thrice　was　he　stricken　by　my　spear　and　dashed　to　earth；　and　his　shield　was　pierced；　but　the　fourth　time　I　struck　his　thigh；　laying　on　with　all　my　strength；　and　tare　deep　into　his　flesh。　　And　he　fell　headlong　in　the　dust　upon　the　ground　through　the　force　of　my　spear…thrust；　then　truly　he　would　have　been　disgraced　among　the　deathless　gods；　if　by　my　hands　he　had　left　behind　his　bloody　spoils。'
  （ll。　368…385）　So　said　he。　　But　Cycnus　the　stout　spearman　cared　not　to　obey　him　and　to　pull　up　the　horses　that　drew　his　chariot。　　Then　it　was　that　from　their　well…woven　cars　they　both　leaped　straight　to　the　ground；　the　son　of　Zeus　and　the　son　of　the　Lord　of　War。　　The　charioteers　drove　near　by　their　horses　with　beautiful　manes；　and　the　wide　earth　rang　with　the　beat　of　their　hoofs　as　they　rushed　along。　　As　when　rocks　leap　forth　from　the　high　peak　of　a　great　mountain；　and　fall　on　one　another；　and　many　towering　oaks　and　pines　and　long…rooted　poplars　are　broken　by　them　as　they　whirl　swiftly　down　until　they　reach　the　plain；　so　did　they　fall　on　one　another　with　a　great　shout：　and　all　the　town　of　the　Myrmidons；　and　famous　Iolcus；　and　Arne；　and　Helice；　and　grassy　Anthea　echoed　loudly　at　the　voice　of　the　two。　　With　an　awful　cry　they　closed：　and　wise　Zeus　thundered　loudly　and　rained　down　drops　of　blood；　giving　the　signal　for　battle　to　his　dauntless　son。
  （ll。　386…401）　As　a　tusked　boar；　that　is　fearful　for　a　man　to　see　before　him　in　the　glens　of　a　mountain；　resolves　to　fight　with　the　huntsmen　and　white　tusks；　turning　sideways；　while　foam　flows　all　round　his　mouth　as　he　gnashes；　and　his　eyes　are　like　glowing　fire；　and　he　bristles　the　hair　on　his　mane　and　around　his　neck　　like　him　the　son　of　Zeus　leaped　from　his　horse…chariot。　　And　when　the　dark…winged　whirring　grasshopper；　perched　on　a　green　shoot；　begins　to　sing　of　summer　to　men　　his　food　and　drink　is　the　dainty　dew　　and　all　day　long　from　dawn　pours　forth　his　voice　in　the　deadliest　heat；　when　Sirius　scorches　the　flesh　（then　the　beard　grows　upon　the　millet　which　men　sow　in　summer）；　when　the　crude　grapes　which　Dionysus　gave　to　men　　a　joy　and　a　sorrow　both　　begin　to　colour；　in　that　season　they　fought　and　loud　rose　the　clamour。
  （ll。　402…412）　As　two　lions　（6）　on　either　side　of　a　slain　deer　spring　at　one　another　in　fury；　and　there　is　a　fearful　snarling　and　a　clashing　also　of　teeth　　like　vultures　with　crooked　talons　and　hooked　beak　that　fight　and　scream　aloud　on　a　high　rock　over　a　mountain　goat　or　fat　wild…deer　which　some　active　man　has　shot　with　an　arrow　from　the　string；　and　himself　has　wandered　away　elsewhere；　not　knowing　the　place；　but　they　quickly　mark　it　and　vehemently　do　keen　battle　about　it　　like　these　they　two　rushed　upon　one　another　with　a　shout。
  （ll。　413…423）　Then　Cycnus；　eager　to　kill　the　son　of　almighty　Zeus；　struck　upon　his　shield　with　a　brazen　spear；　but　did　not　break　the　bronze；　and　the　gift　of　the　god　saved　his　foe。　　But　the　son　of　Amphitryon；　mighty　Heracles；　with　his　long　spear　struck　Cycnus　violently　in　the　neck　beneath　the　chin；　where　it　was　unguarded　between　helm　and　shield。　　And　the　deadly　spear　cut　through　the　two　sinews；　for　the　hero's　full　strength　lighted　on　his　foe。　　And　Cycnus　fell　as　an　oak　falls　or　a　lofty　pine　that　is　stricken　by　the　lurid　thunderbolt　of　Zeus；　even　so　he　fell；　and　his　armour　adorned　with　bronze　clashed　about　him。
  （ll。　424…442）　Then　the　stout　hearted　son　of　Zeus　let　him　be；　and　himself　watched　for　the　onset　of　manslaying　Ares：　fiercely　he　stared；　like　a　lion　who　has　come　upon　a　body　and　full　eagerly　rips　the　hide　with　his　strong　claws　and　takes　away　the　sweet　life　with　all　speed：　his　dark　heart　is　filled　with　rage　and　his　eyes　glare　fiercely；　w