Page:Hesiod, The Homeric Hymns, and Homerica.djvu/239



Concerning the Myrmidons Hesiod speaks thus: "And she conceived and bare Aeacus, delighting in horses. Now when he came to the full measure of desired youth, he chafed at being alone. And the father of men and gods made all the ants that were in the lovely isle into men and wide-girdled women. These were the first who fitted with thwarts ships with curved sides, and the first who used sails, the wings of a sea-going ship."

The sons of Aeacus who rejoiced in battle as though a feast."

He has indicated the shameful deed briefly by the phrase "to lie with her against her will," and not like Hesiod who recounts at length the story of Peleus and the wife of Acastus.

"And this seemed to him (Acastus) in his mind the best plan; to keep back himself, but to hide beyond guessing the beautiful knife which the very famous Lame One had made for him, that in seeking it alone over steep Pelion, he (Peleus) might be slain forthwith by the mountain-bred Centaurs.

The author of the Cypria says that Thetis avoided 185