Page:Masterpieces of Greek Literature (1902).djvu/224

194 194 EURIPIDES

The virtues of brave toils, in death complete, 4oo

These save the dead in song, — their glory-garland meet !

First, then, he made the wood

Of Zeus a solitude.

Slaying its lion-tenant ; and he spread

The tawniness behind — his yellow head 405

Enrauffled by the brute's,backed by that grin of dread. ^

The mountain-roving savage Kentaur-race

He strewed with deadly bow about their place,

Slaying with winged shafts : Peneios knew,

Beauteously-eddying, and the long tracts too «o

Of pasture trampled fruitless, and as well

Those desolated haunts Mount Pelion under,

And, grassy up to Homole, each dell

Whence, having filled their hands with pine - tree

plunder. Horse-like was wont to prance from, and subdue «5 The land of Thessaly, that bestial crew. The golden-headed spot-backed stag he slew. That robber of the rustics : glorified Therewith the goddess who in hunter's pride Slaughters the game along Oinoe's side.'^ 420

And, yoked abreast, he brought the chariot-breed To pace submissive to the bit, each steed That in the bloody cribs of Diomede Champed and, unbridled, hurried down that gore For grain, exultant the dread feast before — 425

Of man's flesh : ^ hideous feeders they of yore !• All as he crossed the Hebros' silver-flow

1 Heracles killed the Nemean lion by strangling• it, and clothed himself in its impenetrable hide, the jaws covering• his head.

2 The golden-horned hind was dedicated to Artemis.

3 Diomed, a king in Thiace, fed his mares on the strangers coming