that you and I are of a mind. Enough; I will make you amends for
what I have said, and if any ill has now been spoken may the gods
bring it to nothing."

He then left them and went on to others. Presently he saw the son
of Tydeus, noble Diomed, standing by his chariot and horses, with
Sthenelus the son of Capaneus beside him; whereon he began to
upbraid him. "Son of Tydeus," he said, "why stand you cowering
here upon the brink of battle? Tydeus did not shrink thus, but
was ever ahead of his men when leading them on against the foe--
so, at least, say they that saw him in battle, for I never set
eyes upon him myself. They say that there was no man like him. He
came once to Mycenae, not as an enemy but as a guest, in company
with Polynices to recruit his forces, for they were levying war
against the strong city of Thebes, and prayed our people for a
body of picked men to help them. The men of Mycenae were willing
to let them have one, but Jove dissuaded them by showing them
unfavourable omens. Tydeus, therefore, and Polynices went their
way. When they had got as far the deep-meadowed and rush-grown
banks of the Aesopus, the Achaeans sent Tydeus as their envoy,
and he found the Cadmeans gathered in great numbers to a banquet
in the house of Eteocles. Stranger though he was, he knew no fear
on finding himself single-handed among so many, but challenged
them to contests of all kinds, and in each one of them was at
once victorious, so mightily did Minerva help him. The Cadmeans
were incensed at his success, and set a force of fifty youths
with two captains--the godlike hero Maeon, son of Haemon, and
Polyphontes, son of Autophonus--at their head, to lie in wait for
him on his return journey; but Tydeus slew every man of them,
save only Maeon, whom he let go in obedience to heaven's omens.