Clonie was there, Polemusa, Derinoe, Evandre, and Antandre, and Bremusa, Hippothoe, dark-eyed Harmothoe, Alcibie, Derimacheia, Antibrote, and Thermodosa glorying with the spear. As when in the broad sky amidst the stars the moon rides over all pre-eminent, when through the thunderclouds the cleaving heavens open, when sleep the fury-breathing winds so peerless was she mid that charging host. And with her followed twelve beside, each one a princess, hot for war and battle grim, far-famous each, yet handmaids unto her: Penthesileia far outshone them all. Yea, and her warrior spirit pricked her on, of murder's dread pollution thus to cleanse her soul, and with such sacrifice to appease the Awful Ones, the Erinnyes, who in wrath for her slain sister straightway haunted her unseen: for ever round the sinner's steps they hover none may 'scape those Goddesses. So came she to the far-famed land of Troy. Then from Thermodon, from broad-sweeping streams, came, clothed upon with beauty of Goddesses, Penthesileia - came athirst indeed for groan-resounding battle, but yet more fleeing abhorred reproach and evil fame, lest they of her own folk should rail on her because of her own sister's death, for whom ever her sorrows waxed, Hippolyte, whom she had struck dead with her mighty spear, not of her will - 'twas at a stag she hurled.
Ay, all these they remembered, while they stayed thus in their town, and o'er them anguished grief hovered dark-winged, as though that very day all Troy with shrieks were crumbling down in fire. Of those already dead they thought of all whose lives he reft away as by Scamander's outfall on he rushed, and all that in mid-flight to that high wall he slew, how he quelled Hector, how he haled his corse round Troy - yea, and of all beside laid low by him since that first day whereon o'er restless seas he brought the Trojans doom. When godlike Hector by Peleides slain passed, and the pyre had ravined up his flesh, and earth had veiled his bones, the Trojans then tarried in Priam's city, sore afraid before the might of stout-heart Aeacus' son: as kine they were, that midst the copses shrink from faring forth to meet a lion grim, but in dense thickets terror-huddled cower so in their fortress shivered these to see that mighty man.
The Returns THE FALL OF TROY BOOK 1, TRANSLATED BY A.
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