The Argonautica

was shattered; writhing helpless, he rolled there in the sand,

and filled his fated portion. No mortal may ever

escape it; round us everywhere a mighty net lies spread.

He thought himself beyond the bitter heroes' bane,

but fate bound Cyzicus in combat that same night

fighting those men; and many other champions fell.

Heracles there in combat slew warrior Telecles

and Megabrontes; there Acastus struck Sphodris dead.

Peleus took Zelus and Gephyrus, loud in battle.

Then good-speared Telamon struck Basileus dead;

Idas killed Promeus, Clytius killed Hyacinthus;

both sons of Tyndareus slew Megalossaces and Phlogius.

After them Oeneus' son took bold Itymoneus,

and Artaceus, leader of men; all these even now

the dwellers glorify each man with hero honors.

The rest gave ground and fled, as flocking doves will flee

in fear beneath the fierce massed rush of swift-winged hawks.

In one loud mass they fell upon the gates; at once

the city filled with groans as battle's tide reversed.

At dawn both saw their ruinous, unanswerable error;

bitter grief seized the Minyan heroes when they saw

before them lay Aeneus' son, king Cyzicus,

fallen there prostrate in mingled dust and blood.

For three whole days they mourned and tore out their hair,