man mated with a god--but he was
called son of Borus son of Perieres, with whom his mother was living as
his wedded wife, and who gave great wealth to gain her. The second
company was led by noble Eudorus, son to an unwedded woman. Polymele,
daughter of Phylas the graceful dancer, bore him; the mighty slayer of
Argos was enamoured of her as he saw her among the singing women at a
dance held in honour of Diana the rushing huntress of the golden
arrows; he therefore--Mercury, giver of all good--went with her into an
upper chamber, and lay with her in secret, whereon she bore him a noble
son Eudorus, singularly fleet of foot and in fight valiant. When
Ilithuia goddess of the pains of child-birth brought him to the light
of day, and he saw the face of the sun, mighty Echecles son of Actor
took the mother to wife, and gave great wealth to gain her, but her
father Phylas brought the child up, and took care of him, doting as
fondly upon him as though he were his own son. The third company was
led by Pisander son of Maemalus, the finest spearman among all the
Myrmidons next to Achilles' own comrade Patroclus. The old knight
Phoenix was captain of the fourth company, and Alcimedon, noble son of
Laerceus of the fifth.

When Achilles had chosen his men and had stationed them all with their
captains, he charged them straitly saying, "Myrmidons, remember your
threats against the Trojans while you were at the ships in the time of
my anger, and you were all complaining of me. 'Cruel son of Peleus,'
you would say, 'your mother must have suckled you on gall, so ruthless
are you. You keep us here at the ships against our will; if you are so
relentless it were better we went home over the sea.' Often have you
gathered and thus chided with me. The hour is now come for those high
feats of arms that you have so long been pining for, therefore keep
high hearts each one of you to do battle with the Trojans."

With these words he put heart and soul into them all, and they serried
their companies yet more closely when they heard the words of their
king. As the stones which a builder sets in the wall of some high house
which is to give shelter from the winds--even so closely were the
helmets and bossed shields set against one another. Shield pressed on
shield, helm on helm, and man on man; so close were they that the
horse-hair plumes on the gleaming ridges of their helmets touched each
other as they bent their heads.

In front of them all two