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。