Book XV - Telemachus defeats the enemies of Idomeneus and his allies, and vanquishes the treacherous Adastrus (who had killed the son of Nestor)

Summary

In an assembly of the chiefs of the army, Telemachus wins their assent to his advice against surprising Venusium, which had been put into the hands of the Lucanians in trust, with the consent of both the parties concerned. He displays his wisdom no less when two deserters are apprehended – one of whom, named Acantus, had undertaken to poison him. The other, named Dioscorus, offered to bring the head of Adrastus to the allies. In the battle that was fought soon after, Telemachus deals death around him wherever he turned in quest of Adrastus; and that king, in looking for him, meets with and kills Pisistratus the son of Nestor. Immediately after Philoctetes appears and, when he was just going to dispatch Adrastus, is wounded himself, and obliged to retire from the field. Telemachus hastens to the relief of his friends, who were in great distress, engages Adrastus, who was making a dreadful havoc among them, and having vanquished him, grants him his life upon certain conditions. But Adrastus, on getting up, and endeavoring to surprise Telemachus, he seized him a second time, and put him to death.

Meanwhile the chiefs of the allied army held a council, to determine whether it would be proper to take possession of Venusium. This was a strong city, which Adrastus had unjustly surprised and taken, some time before, from the Eoucetes of Apulia, his neighbors.