Thus did they make their moan
throughout the city, while the Achaeans when they
reached the Hellespont went back every man
to his own ship. But Achilles would not let
the Myrmidons go, and spoke to his brave
comrades saying, "Myrmidons, famed
horsemen and my own trusted friends, not
yet, forsooth, let us unyoke, but with horse
and chariot draw near to the body and
mourn Patroclus, in due honour to the dead.
When we have had full comfort of
lamentation we will unyoke our horses and take
supper all of us here."
On this they all joined in a cry of
wailing and Achilles led them in their lament. Thrice did
they drive their chariots all sorrowing
round the body, and Thetis stirred within them a
still deeper yearning. The sands of the
seashore and the men's armour were wet with
their weeping, so great a minister of fear
was he whom they had lost. Chief in all their
mourning was the son of Peleus: he laid
his bloodstained hand on the breast of his
friend. "Fare well," he cried, "Patroclus,
even in the house of Hades. I will now do all
that I erewhile promised you; I will drag
Hector hither and let dogs devour him raw;
twelve noble sons of Trojans will I also
slay before your pyre to avenge you."
As he spoke he treated the body of noble
Hector with contumely, laying it at full length
in the dust beside the bier of Patroclus.
The others then put off every man his armour,
took the horses from their chariots, and
seated themselves in great multitude by the ship
of the fleet descendant of Aeacus, who
thereon feasted them with an abundant funeral
banquet. Many a goodly ox, with many a
sheep and bleating goat did they butcher and
cut up; many a tusked boar moreover, fat
and well-fed, did they singe and set to roast
in the flames of Vulcan; and rivulets of
blood flowed all round the place where the body
was lying.
Then the princes of the Achaeans took the
son of Peleus to Agamemnon, but hardly
could they persuade him to come with them,
so wroth was he for the death of his
comrade. As soon as they reached
Agamemnon's tent they told the serving-men to set a
large tripod over the fire in case they
might persuade the son of Peleus 'to wash the
clotted gore from this body, but he denied
them sternly, and swore it with a solemn
oath, saying, "Nay, by King Jove, first
and mightiest of all gods, it is not meet that water
should touch my body, till I have laid
Patroclus on the flames, have built him a barrow,
and shaved my head- for so long as I live
no such second sorrow shall ever draw nigh
me. Now, therefore, let us do all that
this sad festival demands, but at break of day,
King Agamemnon, bid your men bring wood,
and provide all else that the dead may
duly take into the realm of darkness; the
fire shall thus burn him out of our sight the
sooner, and the people shall turn again to
their own labours."
Thus did he speak, and they did even as he
had said. They made haste to prepare the
meal, they ate, and every man had his full
share so that all were satisfied. As soon as
they had had had enough to eat and drink,
the others went to their rest each in his own
tent, but the son of Peleus lay grieving
among his Myrmidons by the shore of the
sounding sea, in an open place where the
waves came surging in one after another.
Here a very deep slumber took hold upon
him and eased the burden of his sorrows, for
his limbs were weary with chasing Hector
round windy Ilius. Presently the sad spirit of
Patroclus drew near him, like what he had
been in stature, voice, and the light of his
beaming eyes, clad, too, as he had been
clad in life. The spirit hovered over his head
and said-
"You sleep, Achilles, and have forgotten
me; you loved me living, but now that I am
dead you think for me no further. Bury me
with all speed that I may pass the gates of
Hades; the ghosts, vain shadows of men
that can labour no more, drive me away from
them; they will not yet suffer me to join
those that are beyond the river, and I wander all
desolate by the wide gates of the house of
Hades. Give me now your hand I pray you,
for when you have once given me my dues of
fire, never shall I again come forth out of
the house of Hades. Nevermore shall we sit
apart and take sweet counsel among the
living; the cruel fate which was my
birth-right has yawned its wide jaws around me- nay,
you too Achilles, peer of gods, are doomed
to die beneath the wall of the noble
Trojans.
"One prayer more will I make you, if you
will grant it; let not my bones be laid apart
from yours, Achilles, but with them; even
as we were brought up together in your own
home, what time Menoetius brought me to
you as a child from Opoeis because by a
sad spite I had killed the son of
Amphidamas- not of set purpose, but in childish quarrel
over the dice. The knight Peleus took me
into his house, entreated me kindly, and
named me to be your squire; therefore let
our bones lie in but a single urn, the
two-handled golden vase given to you by
your mother."
And Achilles answered, "Why, true heart,
are you come hither to lay these charges
upon me? will of my own self do all as you
have bidden me. Draw closer to me, let us
once more throw our arms around one
another, and find sad comfort in the sharing of
our sorrows."
He opened his arms towards him as he spoke
and would have clasped him in them, but
there was nothing, and the spirit vanished
as a vapour, gibbering and whining into the
earth. Achilles sprang to his feet, smote
his two hands, and made lamentation saying,
"Of a truth even in the house of Hades
there are ghosts and phantoms that have no life
in them; all night long the sad spirit of
Patroclus has hovered over head making piteous
moan, telling me what I am to do for him,
and looking wondrously like himself."
Thus did he speak and his words set them
all weeping and mourning about the poor
dumb dead, till rosy-fingered morn
appeared. Then King Agamemnon sent men and
mules from all parts of the camp, to bring
wood, and Meriones, squire to Idomeneus,
was in charge over them. They went out
with woodmen's axes and strong ropes in their
hands, and before them went the mules. Up
hill and down dale did they go, by straight
ways and crooked, and when they reached
the heights of many-fountained Ida, they
laid their axes to the roots of many a
tall branching oak that came thundering down as
they felled it. They split the trees and
bound them behind the mules, which then wended
their way as they best could through the
thick brushwood on to the plain. All who had
been cutting wood bore logs, for so
Meriones squire to Idomeneus had bidden them,
and they threw them down in a line upon
the seashore at the place where Achilles
would make a mighty monument for Patroclus
and for himself.
When they had thrown down their great logs
of wood over the whole ground, they
stayed all of them where they were, but
Achilles ordered his brave Myrmidons to gird
on their armour, and to yoke each man his
horses; they therefore rose, girded on their
armour and mounted each his chariot- they
and their charioteers with them. The chariots
went before, and they that were on foot
followed as a cloud in their tens of thousands
after. In the midst of them his comrades
bore Patroclus and covered him with the locks
of their hair which they cut off and threw
upon his body. Last came Achilles with his
head bowed for sorrow, so noble a comrade
was he taking to the house of Hades.
When they came to the place of which
Achilles had told them they laid the body down
and built up the wood. Achilles then
bethought him of another matter. He went a space
away from the pyre, and cut off the yellow
lock which he had let grow for the river
Spercheius. He looked all sorrowfully out
upon the dark sea, and said, "Spercheius, in
vain did my father Peleus vow to you that
when I returned home to my loved native land
I should cut off this lock and offer you a
holy hecatomb; fifty she-goats was I to
sacrifice to you there at your springs,
where is your grove and your altar fragrant with
burnt-offerings. Thus did my father vow,
but you have not fulfilled his prayer; now,
therefore, that I shall see my home no
more, I give this lock as a keepsake to the hero
Patroclus."
As he spoke he placed the lock in the
hands of his dear comrade, and all who stood by
were filled with yearning and lamentation.
The sun would have gone down upon their
mourning had not Achilles presently said
to Agamemnon, "Son of Atreus, for it is to you
that the people will give ear, there is a
time to mourn and a time to cease from
mourning; bid the people now leave the
pyre and set about getting their dinners: we, to
whom the dead is dearest, will see to what
is wanted here, and let the other princes also
stay by me."
When King Agamemnon heard this he
dismissed the people to their ships, but those
who were about the dead heaped up wood and
built a pyre a hundred feet this way and
that; then they laid the dead all
sorrowfully upon the top of it. They flayed and dressed
many fat sheep and oxen before the pyre,
and Achilles took fat from all of them and
wrapped the body therein from head to
foot, heaping the flayed carcases all round it.
Against the bier he leaned two-handled
jars of honey and unguents; four proud horses
did he then cast upon the pyre, groaning
the while he did so. The dead hero had had
house-dogs; two of them did Achilles slay
and threw upon the pyre; he also put twelve
brave sons of noble Trojans to the sword
and laid them with the rest, for he was full of
bitterness and fury. Then he committed all
to the resistless and devouring might of the
fire; he groaned aloud and callid on his
dead comrade by name. "Fare well," he cried,
"Patroclus, even in the house of Hades; I
am now doing all that I have promised you.
Twelve brave sons of noble Trojans shall
the flames consume along with yourself, but
dogs, not fire, shall devour the flesh of
Hector son of Priam."
Thus did he vaunt, but the dogs came not
about the body of Hector, for Jove's daughter
Venus kept them off him night and day, and
anointed him with ambrosial oil of roses
that his flesh might not be torn when
Achilles was dragging him about. Phoebus Apollo
moreover sent a dark cloud from heaven to
earth, which gave shade to the whole place
where Hector lay, that the heat of the sun
might not parch his body.
Now the pyre about dead Patroclus would
not kindle. Achilles therefore bethought him
of another matter; he went apart and
prayed to the two winds Boreas and Zephyrus
vowing them goodly offerings. He made them
many drink-offerings from the golden cup
and besought them to come and help him
that the wood might make haste to kindle and
the dead bodies be consumed. Fleet Iris
heard him praying and started off to fetch the
winds. They were holding high feast in the
house of boisterous Zephyrus when Iris came
running up to the stone threshold of the
house and stood there, but as soon as they set
eyes on her they all came towards her and
each of them called her to him, but Iris
would not sit down. "I cannot stay," she
said, "I must go back to the streams of
Oceanus and the land of the Ethiopians who
are offering hecatombs to the immortals,
and I would have my share; but Achilles
prays that Boreas and shrill Zephyrus will
come to him, and he vows them goodly
offerings; he would have you blow upon the
pyre of Patroclus for whom all the
Achaeans are lamenting."
With this she left them, and the two winds
rose with a cry that rent the air and swept the
clouds before them. They blew on and on
until they came to the sea, and the waves
rose high beneath them, but when they
reached Troy they fell upon the pyre till the
mighty flames roared under the blast that
they blew. All night long did they blow hard
and beat upon the fire, and all night long
did Achilles grasp his double cup, drawing
wine from a mixing-bowl of gold, and
calling upon the spirit of dead Patroclus as he
poured it upon the ground until the earth
was drenched. As a father mourns when he is
burning the bones of his bridegroom son
whose death has wrung the hearts of his
parents, even so did Achilles mourn while
burning the body of his comrade, pacing
round the bier with piteous groaning and
lamentation.
At length as the Morning Star was
beginning to herald the light which saffron-mantled
Dawn was soon to suffuse over the sea, the
flames fell and the fire began to die. The
winds then went home beyond the Thracian
sea, which roared and boiled as they swept
over it. The son of Peleus now turned away
from the pyre and lay down, overcome
with toil, till he fell into a sweet
slumber. Presently they who were about the son of
Atreus drew near in a body, and roused him
with the noise and tramp of their coming.
He sat upright and said, "Son of Atreus,
and all other princes of the Achaeans, first pour
red wine everywhere upon the fire and
quench it; let us then gather the bones of
Patroclus son of Menoetius, singling them
out with care; they are easily found, for they
lie in the middle of the pyre, while all
else, both men and horses, has been thrown in a
heap and burned at the outer edge. We will
lay the bones in a golden urn, in two layers
of fat, against the time when I shall
myself go down into the house of Hades. As for the
barrow, labour not to raise a great one
now, but such as is reasonable. Afterwards, let
those Achaeans who may be left at the
ships when I am gone, build it both broad and
high."
Thus he spoke and they obeyed the word of
the son of Peleus. First they poured red
wine upon the thick layer of ashes and
quenched the fire. With many tears they singled
out the whitened bones of their loved
comrade and laid them within a golden urn in two
layers of fat: they then covered the urn
with a linen cloth and took it inside the tent. They
marked off the circle where the barrow
should be, made a foundation for it about the
pyre, and forthwith heaped up the earth.
When they had thus raised a mound they were
going away, but Achilles stayed the people
and made them sit in assembly. He brought
prizes from the ships-cauldrons, tripods,
horses and mules, noble oxen, women with fair
girdles, and swart iron.
The first prize he offered was for the
chariot races- a woman skilled in all useful arts,
and a three-legged cauldron that had ears
for handles, and would hold twenty-two
measures. This was for the man who came in
first. For the second there was a six-year
old mare, unbroken, and in foal to a he-;
the third was to have a goodly cauldron
that had never yet been on the fire; it
was still bright as when it left the maker, and
would hold four measures. The fourth prize
was two talents of gold, and the fifth a
two-handled urn as yet unsoiled by smoke.
Then he stood up and spoke among the
Argives saying-
"Son of Atreus, and all other Achaeans,
these are the prizes that lie waiting the winners
of the chariot races. At any other time I
should carry off the first prize and take it to my
own tent; you know how far my steeds excel
all others- for they are immortal; Neptune
gave them to my father Peleus, who in his
turn gave them to myself; but I shall hold
aloof, I and my steeds that have lost
their brave and kind driver, who many a time has
washed them in clear water and anointed
their manes with oil. See how they stand
weeping here, with their manes trailing on
the ground in the extremity of their sorrow.
But do you others set yourselves in order
throughout the host, whosoever has
confidence in his horses and in the
strength of his chariot."
Thus spoke the son of Peleus and the
drivers of chariots bestirred themselves. First
among them all uprose Eumelus, king of
men, son of Admetus, a man excellent in
horsemanship. Next to him rose mighty
Diomed son of Tydeus; he yoked the Trojan
horses which he had taken from Aeneas,
when Apollo bore him out of the fight. Next to
him, yellow-haired Menelaus son of Atreus
rose and yoked his fleet horses,
Agamemnon's mare Aethe, and his own horse
Podargus. The mare had been given to
Agamemnon by echepolus son of Anchises,
that he might not have to follow him to Ilius,
but might stay at home and take his ease;
for Jove had endowed him with great wealth
and he lived in spacious Sicyon. This
mare, all eager for the race, did Menelaus put
under the yoke.
Fourth in order Antilochus, son to noble
Nestor son of Neleus, made ready his horses.
These were bred in Pylos, and his father
came up to him to give him good advice of
which, however, he stood in but little
need. "Antilochus," said Nestor, "you are young,
but Jove and Neptune have loved you well,
and have made you an excellent horseman.
I need not therefore say much by way of
instruction. You are skilful at wheeling your
horses round the post, but the horses
themselves are very slow, and it is this that will, I
fear, mar your chances. The other drivers
know less than you do, but their horses are
fleeter; therefore, my dear son, see if
you cannot hit upon some artifice whereby you
may insure that the prize shall not slip
through your fingers. The woodman does more by
skill than by brute force; by skill the
pilot guides his storm-tossed barque over the sea,
and so by skill one driver can beat
another. If a man go wide in rounding this way and
that, whereas a man who knows what he is
doing may have worse horses, but he will
keep them well in hand when he sees the
doubling-post; he knows the precise moment
at which to pull the rein, and keeps his
eye well on the man in front of him. I will give
you this certain token which cannot escape
your notice. There is a stump of a dead
tree-oak or pine as it may be- some six
feet above the ground, and not yet rotted away
by rain; it stands at the fork of the
road; it has two white stones set one on each side,
and there is a clear course all round it.
It may have been a monument to some one long
since dead, or it may have been used as a
doubling-post in days gone by; now,
however, it has been fixed on by Achilles
as the mark round which the chariots shall
turn; hug it as close as you can, but as
you stand in your chariot lean over a little to the
left; urge on your right-hand horse with
voice and lash, and give him a loose rein, but let
the left-hand horse keep so close in, that
the nave of your wheel shall almost graze the
post; but mind the stone, or you will
wound your horses and break your chariot in
pieces, which would be sport for others
but confusion for yourself. Therefore, my dear
son, mind well what you are about, for if
you can be first to round the post there is no
chance of any one giving you the goby
later, not even though you had Adrestus's horse
Arion behind you horse which is of divine
race- or those of Laomedon, which are the
noblest in this country."
When Nestor had made an end of counselling
his son he sat down in his place, and fifth
in order Meriones got ready his horses.
They then all mounted their chariots and cast
lots.- Achilles shook the helmet, and the
lot of Antilochus son of Nestor fell out first;
next came that of King Eumelus, and after
his, those of Menelaus son of Atreus and of
Meriones. The last place fell to the lot
of Diomed son of Tydeus, who was the best man
of them all. They took their places in
line; Achilles showed them the doubling-post
round which they were to turn, some way
off upon the plain; here he stationed his
father's follower Phoenix as umpire, to
note the running, and report truly.
At the same instant they all of them
lashed their horses, struck them with the reins, and
shouted at them with all their might. They
flew full speed over the plain away from the
ships, the dust rose from under them as it
were a cloud or whirlwind, and their manes
were all flying in the wind. At one moment
the chariots seemed to touch the ground, and
then again they bounded into the air; the
drivers stood erect, and their hearts beat fast
and furious in their of victory. Each kept
calling on his horses, and the horses
scoured the plain amid the clouds of dust
that they raised.
It was when they were doing the last part
of the course on their way back towards the
sea that their pace was strained to the
utmost and it was seen what each could do. The
horses of the descendant of Pheres now
took the lead, and close behind them came the
Trojan stallions of Diomed. They seemed as
if about to mount Eumelus's chariot, and he
could feel their warm breath on his back
and on his broad shoulders, for their heads
were close to him as they flew over the
course. Diomed would have now passed him,
or there would have been a dead heat, but
Phoebus Apollo to spite him made him drop
his whip. Tears of anger fell from his
eyes as he saw the mares going on faster than
ever, while his own horses lost ground
through his having no whip. Minerva saw the
trick which Apollo had played the son of
Tydeus, so she brought him his whip and put
spirit into his horses; moreover she went
after the son of Admetus in a rage and broke
his yoke for him; the mares went one to
one side the course, and the other to the other,
and the pole was broken against the
ground. Eumelus was thrown from his chariot close
to the wheel; his elbows, mouth, and
nostrils were all torn, and his forehead was bruised
above his eyebrows; his eyes filled with
tears and he could find no utterance. But the
son of Tydeus turned his horses aside and
shot far ahead, for Minerva put fresh strength
into them and covered Diomed himself with
glory.
Menelaus son of Atreus came next behind
him, but Antilochus called to his father's
horses. "On with you both," he cried, "and
do your very utmost. I do not bid you try to
beat the steeds of the son of Tydeus, for
Minerva has put running into them, and has
covered Diomed with glory; but you must
overtake the horses of the son of Atreus and
not be left behind, or Aethe who is so
fleet will taunt you. Why, my good fellows, are
you lagging? I tell you, and it shall
surely be- Nestor will keep neither of you, but will
put both of you to the sword, if we win
any the worse a prize through your
carelessness, fly after them at your
utmost speed; I will hit on a plan for passing them in
a narrow part of the way, and it shall not
fail me."
They feared the rebuke of their master,
and for a short space went quicker. Presently
Antilochus saw a narrow place where the
road had sunk. The ground was broken, for
the winter's rain had gathered and had
worn the road so that the whole place was
deepened. Menelaus was making towards it
so as to get there first, for fear of a foul,
but Antilochus turned his horses out of
the way, and followed him a little on one side.
The son of Atreus was afraid and shouted
out, "Antilochus, you are driving recklessly;
rein in your horses; the road is too
narrow here, it will be wider soon, and you can pass
me then; if you foul my chariot you may
bring both of us to a mischief."
But Antilochus plied his whip, and drove
faster, as though he had not heard him. They
went side by side for about as far as a
young man can hurl a disc from his shoulder
when he is trying his strength, and then
Menelaus's mares drew behind, for he left off
driving for fear the horses should foul
one another and upset the chariots; thus, while
pressing on in quest of victory, they
might both come headlong to the ground. Menelaus
then upbraided Antilochus and said, "There
is no greater trickster living than you are;
go, and bad luck go with you; the Achaeans
say not well that you have understanding,
and come what may you shall not bear away
the prize without sworn protest on my
part."
Then he called on his horses and said to
them, "Keep your pace, and slacken not; the
limbs of the other horses will weary
sooner than yours, for they are neither of them
young."
The horses feared the rebuke of their
master, and went faster, so that they were soon
nearly up with the others.
Meanwhile the Achaeans from their seats
were watching how the horses went, as they
scoured the plain amid clouds of their own
dust. Idomeneus captain of the Cretans was
first to make out the running, for he was
not in the thick of the crowd, but stood on the
most commanding part of the ground. The
driver was a long way off, but Idomeneus
could hear him shouting, and could see the
foremost horse quite plainly- a chestnut with
a round white star, like the moon, on its
forehead. He stood up and said among the
Argives, "My friends, princes and
counsellors of the Argives, can you see the running as
well as I can? There seems to be another
pair in front now, and another driver; those
that led off at the start must have been
disabled out on the plain. I saw them at first
making their way round the doubling-post,
but now, though I search the plain of Troy, I
cannot find them. Perhaps the reins fell
from the driver's hand so that he lost command
of his horses at the doubling-post, and
could not turn it. I suppose he must have been
thrown out there, and broken his chariot,
while his mares have left the course and gone
off wildly in a panic. Come up and see for
yourselves, I cannot make out for certain, but
the driver seems an Aetolian by descent,
ruler over the Argives, brave Diomed the son
of Tydeus."
Ajax the son of Oileus took him up rudely
and said, "Idomeneus, why should you be in
such a hurry to tell us all about it, when
the mares are still so far out upon the plain? You
are none of the youngest, nor your eyes
none of the sharpest, but you are always laying
down the law. You have no right to do so,
for there are better men here than you are.
Eumelus's horses are in front now, as they
always have been, and he is on the chariot
holding the reins."
The captain of the Cretans was angry, and
answered, "Ajax you are an excellent railer,
but you have no judgement, and are wanting
in much else as well, for you have a vile
temper. I will wager you a tripod or
cauldron, and Agamemnon son of Atreus shall
decide whose horses are first. You will
then know to your cost."
Ajax son of Oileus was for making him an
angry answer, and there would have been yet
further brawling between them, had not
Achilles risen in his place and said, "Cease your
railing Ajax and Idomeneus; it is not you
would be scandalised if you saw any one else
do the like: sit down and keep your eyes
on the horses; they are speeding towards the
winning-post and will be bere directly.
You will then both of you know whose horses
are first, and whose come after."
As he was speaking, the son of Tydeus came
driving in, plying his whip lustily from his
shoulder, and his horses stepping high as
they flew over the course. The sand and grit
rained thick on the driver, and the
chariot inlaid with gold and tin ran close behind his
fleet horses. There was little trace of
wheel-marks in the fine dust, and the horses came
flying in at their utmost speed. Diomed
stayed them in the middle of the crowd, and the
sweat from their manes and chests fell in
streams on to the ground. Forthwith he sprang
from his goodly chariot, and leaned his
whip against his horses' yoke; brave Sthenelus
now lost no time, but at once brought on
the prize, and gave the woman and the
ear-handled cauldron to his comrades to
take away. Then he unyoked the horses.
Next after him came in Antilochus of the
race of Neleus, who had passed Menelaus by
a trick and not by the fleetness of his
horses; but even so Menelaus came in as close
behind him as the wheel is to the horse
that draws both the chariot and its master. The
end hairs of a horse's tail touch the tyre
of the wheel, and there is never much space
between wheel and horse when the chariot
is going; Menelaus was no further than this
behind Antilochus, though at first he had
been a full disc's throw behind him. He had
soon caught him up again, for Agamemnon's
mare Aethe kept pulling stronger and
stronger, so that if the course had been
longer he would have passed him, and there
would not even have been a dead heat.
Idomeneus's brave squire Meriones was about
a spear's cast behind Menelaus. His horses
were slowest of all, and he was the worst
driver. Last of them all came the son of
Admetus, dragging his chariot and driving his
horses on in front. When Achilles saw him
he was sorry, and stood up among the
Argives saying, "The best man is coming in
last. Let us give him a prize for it is
reasonable. He shall have the second, but
the first must go to the son of Tydeus."
Thus did he speak and the others all of
them applauded his saying, and were for doing
as he had said, but Nestor's son
Antilochus stood up and claimed his rights from the son
of Peleus. "Achilles," said he, "I shall
take it much amiss if you do this thing; you would
rob me of my prize, because you think
Eumelus's chariot and horses were thrown out,
and himself too, good man that he is. He
should have prayed duly to the immortals; he
would not have come in fast if he had done
so. If you are sorry for him and so choose,
you have much gold in your tents, with
bronze, sheep, cattle and horses. Take
something from this store if you would
have the Achaeans speak well of you, and give
him a better prize even than that which
you have now offered; but I will not give up the
mare, and he that will fight me for her,
let him come on."
Achilles smiled as he heard this, and was
pleased with Antilochus, who was one of his
dearest comrades. So he said-
"Antilochus, if you would have me find
Eumelus another prize, I will give him the bronze
breastplate with a rim of tin running all
round it which I took from Asteropaeus. It will
be worth much money to him."
He bade his comrade Automedon bring the
breastplate from his tent, and he did so.
Achilles then gave it over to Eumelus, who
received it gladly.
But Menelaus got up in a rage, furiously
angry with Antilochus. An attendant placed his
staff in his hands and bade the Argives
keep silence: the hero then addressed them.
"Antilochus," said he, "what is this from
you who have been so far blameless? You have
made me cut a poor figure and baulked my
horses by flinging your own in front of them,
though yours are much worse than mine are;
therefore, O princes and counsellors of the
Argives, judge between us and show no
favour, lest one of the Achaeans say,
'Menelaus has got the mare through lying
and corruption; his horses were far inferior to
Antilochus's, but he has greater weight
and influence.' Nay, I will determine the matter
myself, and no man will blame me, for I
shall do what is just. Come here, Antilochus,
and stand, as our custom is, whip in hand
before your chariot and horses; lay your hand
on your steeds, and swear by
earth-encircling Neptune that you did not purposely and
guilefully get in the way of my
horses."
And Antilochus answered, "Forgive me; I am
much younger, King Menelaus, than you
are; you stand higher than I do and are
the better man of the two; you know how easily
young men are betrayed into indiscretion;
their tempers are more hasty and they have
less judgement; make due allowances
therefore, and bear with me; I will of my own
accord give up the mare that I have won,
and if you claim any further chattel from my
own possessions, I would rather yield it
to you, at once, than fall from your good graces
henceforth, and do wrong in the sight of
heaven."
The son of Nestor then took the mare and
gave her over to Menelaus, whose anger
was thus appeased; as when dew falls upon
a field of ripening corn, and the lands are
bristling with the harvest- even so, O
Menelaus, was your heart made glad within you.
He turned to Antilochus and said, "Now,
Antilochus, angry though I have been, I can
give way to you of my own free will; you
have never been headstrong nor ill-disposed
hitherto, but this time your youth has got
the better of your judgement; be careful how
you outwit your betters in future; no one
else could have brought me round so easily,
but your good father, your brother, and
yourself have all of you had infinite trouble on
my behalf; I therefore yield to your
entreaty, and will give up the mare to you, mine
though it indeed be; the people will thus
see that I am neither harsh nor vindictive."
With this he gave the mare over to
Antilochus's comrade Noemon, and then took the
cauldron. Meriones, who had come in
fourth, carried off the two talents of gold, and the
fifth prize, the two-handled urn, being
unawarded, Achilles gave it to Nestor, going up
to him among the assembled Argives and
saying, "Take this, my good old friend, as an
heirloom and memorial of the funeral of
Patroclus- for you shall see him no more among
the Argives. I give you this prize though
you cannot win one; you can now neither
wrestle nor fight, and cannot enter for
the javelin-match nor foot-races, for the hand of
age has been laid heavily upon you."
So saying he gave the urn over to Nestor,
who received it gladly and answered, "My
son, all that you have said is true; there
is no strength now in my legs and feet, nor can I
hit out with my hands from either
shoulder. Would that I were still young and strong as
when the Epeans were burying King
Amarynceus in Buprasium, and his sons offered
prizes in his honour. There was then none
that could vie with me neither of the Epeans
nor the Pylians themselves nor the
Aetolians. In boxing I overcame Clytomedes son of
Enops, and in wrestling, Ancaeus of
Pleuron who had come forward against me.
Iphiclus was a good runner, but I beat
him, and threw farther with my spear than either
Phyleus or Polydorus. In chariot-racing
alone did the two sons of Actor surpass me by
crowding their horses in front of me, for
they were angry at the way victory had gone,
and at the greater part of the prizes
remaining in the place in which they had been
offered. They were twins, and the one kept
on holding the reins, and holding the reins,
while the other plied the whip. Such was I
then, but now I must leave these matters to
younger men; I must bow before the weight
of years, but in those days I was eminent
among heroes. And now, sir, go on with the
funeral contests in honour of your comrade:
gladly do I accept this urn, and my heart
rejoices that you do not forget me but are ever
mindful of my goodwill towards you, and of
the respect due to me from the Achaeans.
For all which may the grace of heaven be
vouchsafed you in great abundance."
Thereon the son of Peleus, when he had
listened to all the thanks of Nestor, went about
among the concourse of the Achaeans, and
presently offered prizes for skill in the
painful art of boxing. He brought out a
strong mule, and made it fast in the middle of the
crowd- a she-mule never yet broken, but
six years old- when it is hardest of all to
break them: this was for the victor, and
for the vanquished he offered a double cup.
Then he stood up and said among the
Argives, "Son of Atreus, and all other Achaeans,
I invite our two champion boxers to lay
about them lustily and compete for these prizes.
He to whom Apollo vouchsafes the greater
endurance, and whom the Achaeans
acknowledge as victor, shall take the mule
back with him to his own tent, while he that
is vanquished shall have the double
cup."
As he spoke there stood up a champion both
brave and great stature, a skilful boxer,
Epeus, son of Panopeus. He laid his hand
on the mule and said, "Let the man who is to
have the cup come hither, for none but
myself will take the mule. I am the best boxer of
all here present, and none can beat me. Is
it not enough that I should fall short of you in
actual fighting? Still, no man can be good
at everything. I tell you plainly, and it shall
come true; if any man will box with me I
will bruise his body and break his bones;
therefore let his friends stay here in a
body and be at hand to take him away when I
have done with him."
They all held their peace, and no man rose
save Euryalus son of Mecisteus, who was
son of Talaus. Mecisteus went once to
Thebes after the fall of Oedipus, to attend his
funeral, and he beat all the people of
Cadmus. The son of Tydeus was Euryalus's
second, cheering him on and hoping
heartily that he would win. First he put a waistband
round him and then he gave him some
well-cut thongs of ox-hide; the two men being
now girt went into the middle of the ring,
and immediately fell to; heavily indeed did they
punish one another and lay about them with
their brawny fists. One could hear the
horrid crashing of their jaws, and they
sweated from every pore of their skin. Presently
Epeus came on and gave Euryalus a blow on
the jaw as he was looking round; Euryalus
could not keep his legs; they gave way
under him in a moment and he sprang up with a
bound, as a fish leaps into the air near
some shore that is all bestrewn with sea-wrack,
when Boreas furs the top of the waves, and
then falls back into deep water. But noble
Epeus caught hold of him and raised him
up; his comrades also came round him and led
him from the ring, unsteady in his gait,
his head hanging on one side, and spitting great
clots of gore. They set him down in a
swoon and then went to fetch the double cup.
The son of Peleus now brought out the
prizes for the third contest and showed them to
the Argives. These were for the painful
art of wrestling. For the winner there was a
great tripod ready for setting upon the
fire, and the Achaeans valued it among
themselves at twelve oxen. For the loser
he brought out a woman skilled in all manner
of arts, and they valued her at four oxen.
He rose and said among the Argives, "Stand
forward, you who will essay this
contest."
Forthwith uprose great Ajax the son of
Telamon, and crafty Ulysses, full of wiles rose
also. The two girded themselves and went
into the middle of the ring. They gripped
each other in their strong hands like the
rafters which some master-builder frames for
the roof of a high house to keep the wind
out. Their backbones cracked as they tugged
at one another with their mighty arms- and
sweat rained from them in torrents. Many a
bloody weal sprang up on their sides and
shoulders, but they kept on striving with might
and main for victory and to win the
tripod. Ulysses could not throw Ajax, nor Ajax him;
Ulysses was too strong for him; but when
the Achaeans began to tire of watching them,
Ajax said to ulysses, "Ulysses, noble son
of Laertes, you shall either lift me, or I you,
and let Jove settle it between us."
He lifted him from the ground as he spoke,
but Ulysses did not forget his cunning. He hit
Ajax in the hollow at back of his knee, so
that he could not keep his feet, but fell on his
back with Ulysses lying upon his chest,
and all who saw it marvelled. Then Ulysses in
turn lifted Ajax and stirred him a little
from the ground but could not lift him right off it,
his knee sank under him, and the two fell
side by side on the ground and were all
begrimed with dust. They now sprang
towards one another and were for wrestling yet a
third time, but Achilles rose and stayed
them. "Put not each other further," said he, "to
such cruel suffering; the victory is with
both alike, take each of you an equal prize, and
let the other Achaeans now compete."
Thus did he speak and they did even as he
had said, and put on their shirts again after
wiping the dust from off their bodies.
The son of Peleus then offered prizes for
speed in running- a mixing-bowl beautifully
wrought, of pure silver. It would hold six
measures, and far exceeded all others in the
whole world for beauty; it was the work of
cunning artificers in Sidon, and had been
brought into port by Phoenicians from
beyond the sea, who had made a present of it to
Thoas. Eueneus son of jason had given it
to Patroclus in ransom of Priam's son Lycaon,
and Achilles now offered it as a prize in
honour of his comrade to him who should be
the swiftest runner. For the second prize
he offered a large ox, well fattened, while for
the last there was to be half a talent of
gold. He then rose and said among the Argives,
"Stand forward, you who will essay this
contest."
Forthwith uprose fleet Ajax son of Oileus,
with cunning Ulysses, and Nestor's son
Antilochus, the fastest runner among all
the youth of his time. They stood side by side
and Achilles showed them the goal. The
course was set out for them from the
starting-post, and the son of Oileus took
the lead at once, with Ulysses as close behind
him as the shuttle is to a woman's bosom
when she throws the woof across the warp
and holds it close up to her; even so
close behind him was Ulysses- treading in his
footprints before the dust could settle
there, and Ajax could feel his breath on the back
of his head as he ran swiftly on. The
Achaeans all shouted applause as they saw him
straining his utmost, and cheered him as
he shot past them; but when they were now
nearing the end of the course Ulysses
prayed inwardly to Minerva. "Hear me," he cried,
"and help my feet, O goddess." Thus did he
pray, and Pallas Minerva heard his prayer;
she made his hands and his feet feel
light, and when the runners were at the point of
pouncing upon the prize, Ajax, through
Minerva's spite slipped upon some offal that
was lying there from the cattle which
Achilles had slaughtered in honour of Patroclus,
and his mouth and nostrils were all filled
with cow dung. Ulysses therefore carried off
the mixing-bowl, for he got before Ajax
and came in first. But Ajax took the ox and
stood with his hand on one of its horns,
spitting the dung out of his mouth. Then he said
to the Argives, "Alas, the goddess has
spoiled my running; she watches over Ulysses
and stands by him as though she were his
own mother." Thus did he speak and they all
of them laughed heartily.
Antilochus carried off the last prize and
smiled as he said to the bystanders, "You all
see, my friends, that now too the gods
have shown their respect for seniority. Ajax is
somewhat older than I am, and as for
Ulysses, he belongs to an earlier generation, but
he is hale in spite of his years, and no
man of the Achaeans can run against him save
only Achilles."
He said this to pay a compliment to the
son of Peleus, and Achilles answered,
"Antilochus, you shall not have praised me
to no purpose; I shall give you an additional
half talent of gold." He then gave the
half talent to Antilochus, who received it gladly.
Then the son of Peleus brought out the
spear, helmet and shield that had been borne by
Sarpedon, and were taken from him by
Patroclus. He stood up and said among the
Argives, "We bid two champions put on
their armour, take their keen blades, and make
trial of one another in the presence of
the multitude; whichever of them can first wound
the flesh of the other, cut through his
armour, and draw blood, to him will I give this
goodly Thracian sword inlaid with silver,
which I took from Asteropaeus, but the
armour let both hold in partnership, and I
will give each of them a hearty meal in my
own tent."
Forthwith uprose great Ajax the son of
Telamon, as also mighty Diomed son of Tydeus.
When they had put on their armour each on
his own side of the ring, they both went into
the middle eager to engage, and with fire
flashing from their eyes. The Achaeans
marvelled as they beheld them, and when
the two were now close up with one another,
thrice did they spring forward and thrice
try to strike each other in close combat. Ajax
pierced Diomed's round shield, but did not
draw blood, for the cuirass beneath the
shield protected him; thereon the son of
Tydeus from over his huge shield kept aiming
continually at Ajax's neck with the point
of his spear, and the Achaeans alarmed for his
safety bade them leave off fighting and
divide the prize between them. Achilles then
gave the great sword to the son of Tydeus,
with its scabbard, and the leathern belt with
which to hang it.
Achilles next offered the massive iron
quoit which mighty Eetion had erewhile been used
to hurl, until Achilles had slain him and
carried it off in his ships along with other spoils.
He stood up and said among the Argives,
"Stand forward, you who would essay this
contest. He who wins it will have a store
of iron that will last him five years as they go
rolling round, and if his fair fields lie
far from a town his shepherd or ploughman will not
have to make a journey to buy iron, for he
will have a stock of it on his own premises."
Then uprose the two mighty men Polypoetes
and Leonteus, with Ajax son of Telamon
and noble Epeus. They stood up one after
the other and Epeus took the quoit, whirled
it, and flung it from him, which set all
the Achaeans laughing. After him threw Leonteus
of the race of Mars. Ajax son of Telamon
threw third, and sent the quoit beyond any
mark that had been made yet, but when
mighty Polypoetes took the quoit he hurled it as
though it had been a stockman's stick
which he sends flying about among his cattle
when he is driving them, so far did his
throw out-distance those of the others. All who
saw it roared applause, and his comrades
carried the prize for him and set it on board
his ship.
Achilles next offered a prize of iron for
archery- ten double-edged axes and ten with
single eddies: he set up a ship's mast,
some way off upon the sands, and with a fine
string tied a pigeon to it by the foot;
this was what they were to aim at. "Whoever," he
said, "can hit the pigeon shall have all
the axes and take them away with him; he who
hits the string without hitting the bird
will have taken a worse aim and shall have the
single-edged axes."
Then uprose King Teucer, and Meriones the
stalwart squire of Idomeneus rose also,
They cast lots in a bronze helmet and the
lot of Teucer fell first. He let fly with his arrow
forthwith, but he did not promise
hecatombs of firstling lambs to King Apollo, and
missed his bird, for Apollo foiled his
aim; but he hit the string with which the bird was
tied, near its foot; the arrow cut the
string clean through so that it hung down towards
the ground, while the bird flew up into
the sky, and the Achaeans shouted applause.
Meriones, who had his arrow ready while
Teucer was aiming, snatched the bow out of
his hand, and at once promised that he
would sacrifice a hecatomb of firstling lambs to
Apollo lord of the bow; then espying the
pigeon high up under the clouds, he hit her in
the middle of the wing as she was circling
upwards; the arrow went clean through the
wing and fixed itself in the ground at
Meriones' feet, but the bird perched on the ship's
mast hanging her head and with all her
feathers drooping; the life went out of her, and
she fell heavily from the mast. Meriones,
therefore, took all ten double-edged axes,
while Teucer bore off the single-edged
ones to his ships.
Then the son of Peleus brought in a spear
and a cauldron that had never been on the
fire; it was worth an ox, and was chased
with a pattern of flowers; and those that throw
the javelin stood up- to wit the son of
Atreus, king of men Agamemnon, and Meriones,
stalwart squire of Idomeneus. But Achilles
spoke saying, "Son of Atreus, we know how
far you excel all others both in power and
in throwing the javelin; take the cauldron
back with you to your ships, but if it so
please you, let us give the spear to Meriones;
this at least is what I should myself
wish."
King Agamemnon assented. So he gave the
bronze spear to Meriones, and handed the
goodly cauldron to Talthybius his
esquire.