The Fall of Troy [38]
Bare it to Troy, to put him aye in mind Of his own father, as with eager will He fought with stalwart Trojans, and to be A worthy test wherewith to prove his strength. Even this did Aias from his brawny hand Fling far. So then the Nereid gave to him The glorious arms from godlike Memnon stripped. Marvelling the Argives gazed on them: they were A giant's war-gear. Laughing a glad laugh That man renowned received them: he alone Could wear them on his brawny limbs; they seemed As they had even been moulded to his frame. The great bar thence he bore withal, to be His joy when he was fain of athlete-toil.
Still sped the contests on; and many rose Now for the leaping. Far beyond the marks Of all the rest brave Agapenor sprang: Loud shouted all for that victorious leap; And Thetis gave him the fair battle-gear Of mighty Cycnus, who had smitten first Protesilaus, then had reft the life From many more, till Peleus' son slew him First of the chiefs of grief-enshrouded Troy.
Next, in the javelin-cast Euryalus Hurled far beyond all rivals, while the folk Shouted aloud: no archer, so they deemed, Could speed a winged shaft farther than his cast; Therefore the Aeacid hero's mother gave To him a deep wide silver oil-flask, ta'en By Achilles in possession, when his spear Slew Mynes, and he spoiled Lyrnessus' wealth.
Then fiery-hearted Aias eagerly Rose, challenging to strife of hands and feet The mightiest hero there; but marvelling They marked his mighty thews, and no man dared Confront him. Chilling dread had palsied all Their courage: from their hearts they feared him, lest His hands invincible should all to-break His adversary's face, and naught but pain Be that man's meed. But at the last all men Made signs to battle-bider Euryalus, For well they knew him skilled in fighting-craft; But he too feared that giant, and he cried: "Friends, any other Achaean, whom ye will, Blithe will I face; but mighty Alas -- no! Far doth he overmatch me. He will rend Mine heart, if in the onset anger rise Within him: from his hands invincible, I trow, I should not win to the ships alive."
Loud laughed they all: but glowed with triumph-joy The heart of Aias. Gleaming talents twain Of silver he from Thetis' hands received, His uncontested prize. His stately height Called to her mind her dear son, and she sighed.
They which had skill in chariot-driving then Rose at the contest's summons eagerly: Menelaus first, Eurypylus bold in fight, Eumelus, Thoas, godlike Polypoetes Harnessed their steeds, and led them to the cars All panting for the joy of victory. Then rode they in a glittering chariot rank Out to one place, to a stretch of sand, and stood Ranged at the starting-line. The reins they grasped In strong hands quickly, while the chariot-steeds Shoulder to shoulder fretted, all afire To take the lead at starting, pawed the sand, Pricked ears, and o'er their frontlets flung the foam. With sudden-stiffened sinews those ear-lords Lashed with their whips the tempest-looted steeds; Then swift as Harpies sprang they forth; they strained Furiously at the harness, onward whirling The chariots bounding ever from the earth. Thou couldst not see a wheel-track, no, nor print Of hoof upon the sand -- they verily flew. Up from the plain the dust-clouds to the sky Soared, like the smoke of burning, or a mist Rolled round the mountain-forelands by the might Of the dark South-wind or the West, when wakes A tempest, when the hill-sides stream with rain. Burst to the front Eumelus' steeds: behind Close pressed the team of godlike Thoas: shouts Still answered shouts that cheered each chariot, while Onward they swept across the wide-wayed plain.
((LACUNA))
"From hallowed Elis, when he had achieved A mighty triumph, in that he outstripped The swift ear of Oenomaus evil-souled, The ruthless slayer of youths who sought to wed His daughter Hippodameia passing-wise. Yet even he, for all his chariot-lore, Had no such fleetfoot steeds as Atreus' son -- Far slower! -- the wind is in the feet of these."
So spake he, giving glory to the might Of those
Still sped the contests on; and many rose Now for the leaping. Far beyond the marks Of all the rest brave Agapenor sprang: Loud shouted all for that victorious leap; And Thetis gave him the fair battle-gear Of mighty Cycnus, who had smitten first Protesilaus, then had reft the life From many more, till Peleus' son slew him First of the chiefs of grief-enshrouded Troy.
Next, in the javelin-cast Euryalus Hurled far beyond all rivals, while the folk Shouted aloud: no archer, so they deemed, Could speed a winged shaft farther than his cast; Therefore the Aeacid hero's mother gave To him a deep wide silver oil-flask, ta'en By Achilles in possession, when his spear Slew Mynes, and he spoiled Lyrnessus' wealth.
Then fiery-hearted Aias eagerly Rose, challenging to strife of hands and feet The mightiest hero there; but marvelling They marked his mighty thews, and no man dared Confront him. Chilling dread had palsied all Their courage: from their hearts they feared him, lest His hands invincible should all to-break His adversary's face, and naught but pain Be that man's meed. But at the last all men Made signs to battle-bider Euryalus, For well they knew him skilled in fighting-craft; But he too feared that giant, and he cried: "Friends, any other Achaean, whom ye will, Blithe will I face; but mighty Alas -- no! Far doth he overmatch me. He will rend Mine heart, if in the onset anger rise Within him: from his hands invincible, I trow, I should not win to the ships alive."
Loud laughed they all: but glowed with triumph-joy The heart of Aias. Gleaming talents twain Of silver he from Thetis' hands received, His uncontested prize. His stately height Called to her mind her dear son, and she sighed.
They which had skill in chariot-driving then Rose at the contest's summons eagerly: Menelaus first, Eurypylus bold in fight, Eumelus, Thoas, godlike Polypoetes Harnessed their steeds, and led them to the cars All panting for the joy of victory. Then rode they in a glittering chariot rank Out to one place, to a stretch of sand, and stood Ranged at the starting-line. The reins they grasped In strong hands quickly, while the chariot-steeds Shoulder to shoulder fretted, all afire To take the lead at starting, pawed the sand, Pricked ears, and o'er their frontlets flung the foam. With sudden-stiffened sinews those ear-lords Lashed with their whips the tempest-looted steeds; Then swift as Harpies sprang they forth; they strained Furiously at the harness, onward whirling The chariots bounding ever from the earth. Thou couldst not see a wheel-track, no, nor print Of hoof upon the sand -- they verily flew. Up from the plain the dust-clouds to the sky Soared, like the smoke of burning, or a mist Rolled round the mountain-forelands by the might Of the dark South-wind or the West, when wakes A tempest, when the hill-sides stream with rain. Burst to the front Eumelus' steeds: behind Close pressed the team of godlike Thoas: shouts Still answered shouts that cheered each chariot, while Onward they swept across the wide-wayed plain.
((LACUNA))
"From hallowed Elis, when he had achieved A mighty triumph, in that he outstripped The swift ear of Oenomaus evil-souled, The ruthless slayer of youths who sought to wed His daughter Hippodameia passing-wise. Yet even he, for all his chariot-lore, Had no such fleetfoot steeds as Atreus' son -- Far slower! -- the wind is in the feet of these."
So spake he, giving glory to the might Of those