Slew Neleus's Sons

These then we drave into Neleian Pylos by night into the citadel, and Neleus was glad at heart for that much spoil had fallen to me when going as a stripling into war. And heralds made loud proclamation at break of dawn that all men should come to whomsoever a debt was owing in goodly Elis; and they that were leaders of the Pylians gathered together and made division, for to many did the Epeians owe a debt, seeing that we in Pylos were few and oppressed. For mighty Heracles had come and oppressed us in the years that were before, and all that were our bravest had been slain. Twelve were we that were sons of peerless Neleus, and of these I alone was left, and all the rest had perished; wherefore the brazen-coated Epeans, proud of heart thereat, in wantonness devised mischief against us.


- Homer, The Iliad, Book 11 (Nestor is speaking here)

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FRAGMENT 11 - NESTOR
Stephanus of Byzantium, s.v.:
"(Heracles) slew the noble sons of steadfast Neleus, eleven of them; but the twelfth, the horsemen Gerenian Nestor chanced to be staying with the horse-taming Gerenians ((lacuna)) . . . Nestor alone escaped in flowery Gerenon."


- Hesiod, Catalogues of Women, surviving fragment taken from a work made by Stephanus of Byzantium