NowthehostofPharaohmarchedforthfromOn，todobattlewiththeNine-bowbarbarians。Andbeforethehostmarched，theCaptainscametotheWanderer，accordingtothecommandofPharaoh，andplacingtheirhandsinhis，sworetodohisbiddingonthemarchandinthebattle。
TheybroughthimthegreatblackbowofEurytus，andhiskeenswordofbronze，Euryalus’gift，andmanyasheafofarrows，andhisheartrejoicedwhenhesawthegoodlyweapon。Hetookthebowandtriedit，andashedrewthestring，onceagainandforthelasttimeitsangshrillyofdeathtobe。TheCaptainsheardtheSongoftheBow，thoughwhatitsaidtheWandererknewalone，fortotheirearsitcamebutasafaint，keencry，likethecryofonewhodrownsinthewaterfarfromthekindlyearth。Buttheymarvelledmuchatthewonder，andsaidonetoanotherthatthismanwasnomortal，butaGodcomefromtheUnder-world。
ThentheWanderermountedthechariotofbronzethathadbeenmadereadyforhim，andgavethewordtomarch。
Allnightthehostmarchedswiftly，andatday-breaktheycampedbeneaththeshelterofalong，lowhill。ButatthesunrisetheWandererleftthehost，climbedthehillwithcertainoftheCaptains，andlookedforth。Beforehimwasagreatpassinthemountains，tenfurlongsormoreinlength，andthroughitrantheroad。Thesidesofthemountainslopeddowntotheroad，andwerestrewnwithrockssplitbythesun，polishedbythesand，andcoveredoverwithbushthatgrewsparsely，likethehaironthelimbsofaman。TotheleftofthemountainslaytheriverSihor，butnonemightpassbetweenthemountainandtheriver。TheWandererdescendedfromthehill，andwhilethesoldiersate，droveswiftlyinhischariottothefurtherendofthepassandlookedforthagain。Heretherivercurvedtotheleft，leavingawideplain，andontheplainhesawthehostoftheNine-bowbarbarians，themightiesthostthateverhiseyeshadlookedupon。Theywereencampedbynations，andofeachnationtherewastwentythousandmen，andbeyondtheglitteringcampofthebarbarianshesawthecurvedshipsoftheAch？ans。Theyweredrawnuponthebeachofthegreatriver，asmanyayearagohehadseenthemdrawnupontheshorethatisbyIlios。Helookeduponplainandpass，onmountainandriver，andmeasuredthenumberofthefoe。Thenhisheartwasfilledwiththelustofbattle，andhiswarlikecunningawoke。Forofallleadershewasthemostskilledinthecraftofbattle，andhedesiredthatthis，hislastwar，shouldbethegreatestwarofall。
Turninghishorses’heads，hegallopedbacktothehostofPharaohandmusteredtheminbattlearray。Itwasbutalittlenumberasagainstthenumberofthebarbarians——twelvethousandspearmen，ninethousandarchers，twothousandhorsemen，andthreehundredchariots。TheWandererpassedupanddowntheirranks，biddingthembeofgoodcourage，forthisdaytheyshouldsweepthebarbariansfromtheland。
Ashespokeahawkflewdownfromtheright，andfellonaheron，andslewitinmid-air。Thehostshouted，forthehawkistheHolyBirdofRa，andtheWanderer，too，rejoicedintheomen。“Look，men，“hecried；“theBirdofRahasslainthewanderingthieffromthewaters。
Andsoshallyesmitethespoilersfromthesea。“
ThenheheldcounselwithCaptains，andcertaintrustymenweresentouttothecampofthebarbarians。AndtheywerechargedtogiveanillreportofthehostofPharaoh，andtosaythatsuchofitasremainedawaitedthebarbarianonsetbehindtheshelterofthehillonthefurthersideofthepass。
ThentheWanderersummonedtheCaptainsofthearchers，andbadethemhidealltheirforceamongtherocksandthornsoneithersideofthemountainpass，andtheretowaittillhedrewthehostsofthefoeintothepass。Andwiththearchershesentapartofthespearmen，butthechariotshehidbeneaththeshelterofthehillonthehithersideofthepass。
Now，whentheambushwasset，andallweregonesavethehorsemenonly，hisspiescameinandtoldhimthatthehostofthebarbariansmarchedfromtheircamp，butthattheAch？ansmarchednot，butstoppedbytherivertoguardthecampandships。ThentheWandererbadethehorsemenridethroughthepassandstandintheplainbeyond，andthereawaitthefoe。Butwhenthehostsofthebarbarianschargedthem，theymustreelbeforethecharge，andatlengthflyheadlongdownthepassasthoughinfear。Andhehimselfwouldleadtheflightinhischariot，andwhereheledtheretheyshouldfollow。
Sothehorsemenrodethroughthepassandformedtheirsquadronsontheplainbeyond。Nowthefoedrewnigh，andaglorioussightitwastoseethemiddaysunsparklingontheircountlessspears。Ofhorsementheyhadnogreatnumber，butthereweremanychariotsandswordsmen，andspearmen，andslingersbeyondcount。Theycameonbynations，andinthecentreofthehostofeachnationsatthekingofthenationinagloriouschariot，withgirlsandeunuchs，holdingfanstofanhimwithandawningsofsilktohidehimfromthesun。
NowtheWandererhungbackbehindthesquadronsofhorsemenasthoughinfear。ButpresentlyhesentmessengersbiddingtheCaptainsofthesquadronstochargethefirstnation，andfightforawhilebutfeebly，andthenwhentheysawhimturnhishorsesandgallopthroughthepass，tofollowafterhimasthoughindoubt，butinsuchfashionastodrawthefoeupontheirheels。
ThistheCaptainsofthemercenariesdid。Oncetheychargedandwerebeatenback，thentheychargedagain，butthemenmadeasthoughtheyfearedtheonset。Nowthefoecamehardafterthem，andtheWandererturnedhischariotandfledthroughthepass，followedslowlybythehorsemen。Andwhenthehostsofthebarbarianssawthemturn，theysetupamightyshoutoflaughterthatrenttheskies，andchargedafterthem。
ButtheWandererlookedbackandlaughedalso。Nowhewasthroughthepassfollowedbythehorsemen，andafterthemsweptthehostsofthebarbarians，likeariverthathasburstitsbanks。StilltheWandererheldhishandtillthewholepasswaschokedwiththethousandsofthefoe，ay，untilthehalfofthefirstofthenationshadpassedintothenarrowplainthatlaybetweenthehillandthemouthofthepass。
Then，drivingapaceupthehill，hestoodinhischariotandgavethesignal。Liftinghisgoldenshieldonhighheflasheditthrice，andallthehorsemenshoutedaloud。Atthefirstflash，behold，frombehindeveryrockandbushofthemountainsidesarosethehelmsofarmedmen。Atthesecondflashtherecamearattlingsoundofshakenquivers，andatthethirdflashofthegoldenshield，theairwasdarkenedwiththeflightofarrows。Asthesea-birdsonalonelyisleawakeatthecryofthesailor，andwheelbythousandsfromtheirloftycliffs，soatthethirdflashoftheWanderer’sshieldthearrowsofhishiddenhostrusheddownwardonthefoe，rattlinglikehailupontheharness。Forawhiletheykepttheirranks，andpressedonoverthebodiesofthosethatfell。Butsoonthehorsesinthechariots，maddenedwithwounds，plungedthiswayandthat，breakingtheircompaniesandtramplingthesoldiersdown。Nowsomestrovetoflyforward，andsomewerefaintoflyback，andmanyanemptychariotwasdraggedthiswayandthat，buteverthepitilessrainofshaftspoureddown，andmenfellbythousandsbeneaththegaleofdeath。NowthemightyhostoftheNine-bowsrolledback，thinnedandshattered，towardstheplain，andnowtheWanderercriedthewordofonsettothehorsemenandtothechariotsthatdrewfrombehindtheshelterofthehill，andfollowingafterhimtheychargeddownuponthosebarbarianswhohadpassedtheambush，singingthesongofPentaurastheycharged。AmongthosenighthemouthofthepasswasthekingofthenationoftheLibu，agreatman，blackandterribletosee。TheWandererdrewhisbow，thearrowrushedforthandpiercedtheking，andhefelldeadinhischariot。Thenthoseofhishostwhopassedtheambushturnedtofly，butthechariotoftheWandererdashedintothem，andafterthechariotcamethehorsemen，andafterthehorsementhechariotsofPharaoh。
Nowallwhowereleftofthebrokenhostrolledback，madwithfear，whilethespearmenofPharaohgalledthemashuntersgallaflyingbull，andthehorsemenofPharaohtrampledthembeneaththeirfeet。
Redslaughterragedalldownthepass，helms，banners，arrow-pointsshoneandfellinthestreamofthetideofwar，butatlengththestonywaywasclearsaveforthedeadalone。Beyondthepasstheplainwasblackwithflyingmen，andthefragmentsofthebrokennationsweremixedtogetherasclayandsandaremixedofthepotter。WherenowwerethehostsoftheNine-bowbarbarians？Wherenowweretheirgloryandtheirpride？
TheWanderergatheredhisfootmenandhischariotsandsettheminarrayagainbutthehorsemenhesentouttosmitetheflyingnationsandwaithiscomingbythecamp；forthereweremusteringthosewhowereleftofthenations，perchancetwentythousandmen，andbeforetheirshipswererangedthedenseranksoftheAch？ans，shieldtoshield，everymaninhisplace。
TheWandererledhishostslowlyacrossthesandyplain，tillatlengthhehaltedittwobow-shotsfromthecampofthebarbarians。Thecampwasshapedlikeabow，andtheriverSihorformeditsstring，androunditwasadeepditchandbeyondtheditchawallofclay。
Moreover，withinthecampandnearertotheshoretherewasasecondditchandwall，andbehinditwerethebeaksoftheshipsandthehostofAquaiusha，evenofhisowndearpeopletheAch？ans。Thereweretheoldblazons，andthespearsthathadfoughtbelowTroytown。TherewerethetwolionsofMycen？，theCentaurofthesonofPolypaetas，sonofPirithous；thereweretheSwanofLaced？mon，andtheBulloftheKingsofCrete，theRoseofRhodes，theSerpentofAthens，andmanyanotherknightlybearingofoldfriendsandkindreddear。Andnowtheyweretheblazonsoffoemen，andtheWandererwarredforastrangeking，andforhisownhand，beneaththewingsoftheHawkoftheLegionofRa。
TheWanderersentheraldsforward，callingtothosebarbarianswhoswarmedbehindthewalltosurrendertothehostofPharaoh，butthis，beingentrenchedbytheriverSihor，theywouldinnowisedo。Fortheyweremadbecauseoftheirslaughteredthousands，andmoreovertheyknewthatitisbettertodiethantoliveasslaves。Thistheysawalso，thattheirhostwasstillasstrongasthehostofPharaoh，whichwaswithoutthewall，andwearywiththeheatandstressofbattleandthetoilofmarchingthroughthedesertsands。NowtheCaptainsofthehostofPharaohcametotheWanderer，prayinghimthathewoulddonomorebattleonthatday，becausethemenwereweary，andthehorsesneighedforfoodandwater。
Butheansweredthem:“IsworetoPharaohthatIwouldutterlysmitethepeopleoftheNine-bowsanddrivethemdowntodeath，sothatthecoastsofKhemmaybefreeofthem。HereImaynotcampthehost，withoutfoodorpastureforthehorses，andifIgoback，thefoewillgatherheartandcomeon，andwiththemthefleetoftheAch？ans，andnomoreshallwelurethemintoambush，forthereintheyhavelearnedalesson。Nay，getyoutoyourcompanies。Iwillgoupagainstthecamp。“
Thentheybowedandwent，forhavingseenhisdeedsandhisskillandcraftinwar，theyheldhimthefirstofCaptains，anddarednotsayhimnay。
SotheWandererdividedhishostintothreeparts，setitinorderofbattle，andmovedupagainstthecamp。Buthehimselfwentwiththecentrepartagainstthegateofthecamp，forheretherewasanearthenwayforchariots，ifbutthegreatgatesmightbepassed。Andatawordthethreefoldhostrushedontothecharge。Butthosewithinthewallsshotthemwithspearsandarrows，sothatmanywereslain，andtheywererolledbackfromthewallasawaveisrolledfromthecliff。AgaintheWandererbadethemchargeontherightandleft，bearingthedeadbeforethemasshields，andhurlingcorpsesintotheditchtofillit。Buthehimselfhungbackawhilewiththemiddlearmy，watchinghowthebattlewent，andwaitingtillthefoeatthegateshouldbedrawnaway。
