The Argonautica

Already overhead a bird of Ares came darting;

they saw that island bird in swift, headlong flight.

It shook its wings above the ship as she sped onward

and shot a feather at Argo; it struck the left shoulder

of noble Oileus; wounded, he let the oar fall from his hands.

His comrades stared amazed to see the feathered missile.

Erybotes, seated beside him, drew the feather out

and bound the wound, first taking his scabbard's leather strap

which hung beside it; then another bird appeared,

darting behind the first; but hero Clytius confronted it,

Eurytus' son, for he had already bent his curving bow

and sent a swift shaft at the bird; and instantly after

he struck it; whirling, it fell close beside the swift ship.

Then Amphidamas, Aleus' son, spoke out:

The Island of Ares is near us; now you yourselves know it

from seeing these birds. I do not expect our own arrows

to help us enough for landing. Let us devise another

protective stratagem, if landing there remains your purpose,

remembering every charge prophetic Phineus gave.

For not even Heracles, once arrived in Arcadia,

could drive away the birds that swam Stymphalian Lake

with arrows; that I myself have seen with my own eyes.

Instead, he gripped a bronze clapper and shook it hard,

making it thunder from a towering lookout; the birds fled