the trench, at full speed they reached the city of the
land of Cadmus. And the paean and the trumpets at the same time from them
resounded, and off the walls from us. And first indeed Parthenopaeus the son
of the huntress (_Atalanta_) led his division horrent with their thick
shields against the Neitan[35] gate, having a family device in the middle
of his shield, Atalanta destroying the AEtolian boar with her
distant-wounding bow. And against the Praetan gate marched the prophet
Amphiaraues, having victims in his car, not bearing an insolent emblem, but
modestly having his arms without a device. But against the Ogygian gate
stood Prince Hippomedon, bearing an emblem in the middle of his shield, the
Argus gazing with his spangled[36] eyes, [some eyes indeed with the rising
of the stars awake,[37] and some with the setting closed, as we had the
opportunity of seeing afterward when he was dead.] But Tydeus was drawn up
at the Homoloian gate, having on his shield a lion's skin rough with his
mane, but in his right hand he bore a torch, as the Titan Prometheus,[38]
intent on firing the city. But thy son Polynices drew up his array at the
Crenean gate; but the swift Potnian mares, the emblem on his shield, were
starting through fright, well circularly[39] grouped within _the orb_ at
the handle of the shield, so that they seemed infuriated. But Capaneus, not
holding less notions than Mars on the approaching battle, drew up his
division against the Electran gate. Upon the iron embossments of his shield
was an earth-born giant bearing upon his shoulders a whole city, which he
had torn up from the foundations with bars, an intimation to us what our
city should suffer. But at the seventh gate was Adrastus, having his shield
filled with a hundred vipers, bearing on his left arm a representation of
the hydra, the boast of Argos, and from the midst of the walls the dragons
were bearing the children of the Thebans in their jaws. But I had the
opportunity of seeing each of these, as I took the word of battle to the
leaders of the divisions. And first indeed we fought with bows, and
javelins, and distant-wounding slings, and fragments of rocks; but when we
were conquering in the fight, Tydeus shouted out, and thy son on a sudden,
"O sons of the Danai, why delay we, ere we are galled with their missile
weapons, to make a rush at the gates all in a body, light-armed men,
horsemen, and those who drive the chariots?" And when they heard the cr