Complete Works of Homer

by Homer

  And first he glittered in the race; divine Athenia gave

  Strength to his horse, and fame to him. Next him drave Sparta's king.

  Antilochus his father's horse, then urged with all his sting

  Of scourge and voice : " Run low," said he," stretch out your limbs and fly :

  With Diomed's horse I bid not strive; nor with himself strive I;

  Athenia wings his horse, and him renowns; Atrides' steeds

  Are they ye must not fail but reach, and soon, lest soon succeeds

  The blot of all your fames, to yield in swiftness to a mare,

  To female iEthe. What's the cause, ye best that ever were,

  That thus ye fail us? Be assured that Nestor's love ye lose

  For ever, if ye fail his son. Through both your both sides goes

  His hot steel, if ye suffer me to bring the last prize home.

  Haste, overtake them instantly; we needs must overcome.

  This harsh way next us, this my mind will take, this I despise

  For peril, this I'll creep through. Hard the way to honour lies,

  And that take I, and that shall yield." His horse by all this knew

  He was not pleased, and feared his voice, and for a while they flew.

  But straight more clear appeared the strait Antilochus foresaw,

  It was a gasp the earth gave, forced by humours cold and raw,

  Poured out of Winter's wat'ry breast, met there, and cleaving deep

  All that near passage to the lists. This Nestor's son would keep,

  And left the roadway, being about. Atrides feared, and cried :

  “Antilochus, thy course is mad; contain thy horse, we ride

  A way most dangerous; turn head, betime take larger field,

  We shall be splitted." Nestor's son with much more scourge impelled

  His horse for this, as if not heard; and got as far before

  As any youth can cast a quoit. Atrides would no more;

  He back again, for fear himself, his goodly chariot,

  And horse together, strewed the dust, in being so dusty hot

  Of thirsted conquest. But he chid, at parting, passing sore :

  “Antilochus," said he, " a worse than thee earth never bore.

  Farewell, we never thought thee wise that were wise; but not so

  Without oaths shall the wreath, be sure, crown thy mad temples. Go."

  Yet he bethought him, and went too, thus stirring up his steeds :

  “Leave me not last thus, nor stand vexed. Let these fail in the speeds

  Of feet and knees, not you. Shall these, these old jades, past the flow'r

  Of youth that you have, pass you? " This the horse feared, and more pow

  Put to their knees, straight getting ground. Both flew, and so the rest.

  All came in smokes, like spirits. The Greeks, set, to see who did best,

  Without the race, aloft, now made a new discovery,

  Other than that they made at first. Idomeneus' eye

  Distinguished all, he knew the voice of Diomed, seeing a horse

  Of special mark, of colour bay, was the first in course,

  His forehead putting forth a star, round like the moon, and white.

  Up stood the Cretan, uttering this : " Is it alone my sight,

  Princes and captains, that discerns another lead the race

  With other horse than led of late? Eumelus made most pace

  With his fleet mares, and he began the flexure as we thought;

  Now all the field I search, and find nowhere his view; hath nought

  Befall'n amiss to him? Perhaps he hath not with success

  Performed his flexure; his reins lost, or seat, or with the tress

  His chariot failed him, and his mares have outrayed with affright.

  Stand up, try you your eyes, for mine hold with the second sight;

  This seems to me th' iEtolian king, the Tydean Diomed."

  “To you it seems so," rusticly Ajax Oileus said,

  “Your words are suited to your eyes. Those mares lead still that led,

  Eumelus owes them, and he still holds reins and place that did,

  Not fall'n as you hoped. You must prate before us all. though last

  In judgment of all. Y' are too old, your tongue goes still too fast,

  You must not talk so. Here are those that better thee, and look

  For first place in the censure." This Idomeneus took

  In much disdain, and thus replied : " Thou best in speeches worst,

  Barbarous languaged, others here might have reproved me first,

  Not thou, unfitt'st of all. I hold a tripod with thee here,

  Or caldron, and our General make our equal arbiter,

  Those horse are first, that when thou pay'st thou then may'st know." This fired

  Oiliades more, and more than words this quarrel had inspired,

  Had not Achilles rose, and used this pacifying speech :

  “No more. Away with words in war. It toucheth both with breach

  Of that which fits ye. Your deserts should others reprehend

  That give such foul terms. Sit ye still, the men themselves will end

  The strife betwixt you instantly, and either's own load bear

  On his own shoulders. Then to both the first horse will appear,

  And which is second." These words used, Tydides was at hand,

  His horse ran high, glanced on the way, and up they tossed the sand

  Thick on their coachman; on their pace their chariot decked with gold

  Sviftly attended, no wheel seen, nor wheel's print in the mould

  Impressed behind them. These horse flew a flight, not ran a race.

  Arrived, amids the lists they stood, sweat trickling down apace

  Their high manes and their prominent breasts; and down jumped Diomed,

  Laid up his scourge aloft the seat, and straight his prize was led

  Home to his tent. Rough Sthenelus laid quick hand on the dame,

  And handled trivet, and sent both home by his men. Next came

  Antilochus, that won with wiles, not swiftness of his horse,

  Precedence of the gold-locked king, who yet maintained the course

  So close, that not the king's own horse gat more before the wheel

  Of his rich chariot, that might still the insecution feel

  With the extreme hairs of his tail (and that sufficient close

  Held to his leader, no great space it' let him interpose

  Considered in so great a field) than Nestor's wily son

  Gat of the king, now at his heels, though at the breach he won

  A quoit's cast of him, which the king again at th' instant gained.

  yEthe Agamemnonides, that was so richly maned,

  Gat strength still as she spent; which Words her worth had proved with deeds,

  Had more ground been allowed the race; and coted far his steeds,

  No question leaving for the prize. And now Meriones

  A dart's cast came behind the king, his horse of speed much less,

  Himself less skilled t' importune them, and give a chariot wing.

  Admetus' son was last, whose plight Achilles pitying

  Thus spake; " Best man comes last; yet right must see his prize not least,

  The second his deserts must bear, and Diomed the best."

  He said, and all allowed, and sure the mare had been his own,

  Had not Antilochus stood forth, and in his answer shown

  Good reason for his interest: " Achilles," he replied,

  "I should be angry with you much to see this ratified.

  Ought you to take from me my right because his horse had wrong,

  Himself being good? He should have used, as good men do, his tongue

  In prayer to Their pow'rs that bless good, not trusting to his own,

  Not to have been in this good last. His chariot overthrown

  O'erthrew not me. Who's last? Who's first'? Men
's goodness without these

  Is not our question. If his good you pity yet, and please

  Princely to grace it, your tents hold a goodly deal of gold,

  Brass, horse, sheep, women; out of these your bounty may be bold,

  To take a much more worthy prize than my poor merit seeks,

  And give it here before my face, and all these, that the Greeks

  May glorify your liberal hands. This prize I will not yield.

  Who bears this, whatsoever man, he bears a tried field.

  His hand and mine must change some blows." Achilles laughed, and said :

  “If thy will be, Antilochus, I'll see Eumelus paid

  Out of my tents. I'll give him th' arms which late I conquered in

  Asteropseus, forged of brass, and waved about with tin;

  'Twill be a present worthy him." This said, Automedon

  He sent for them. He went and brought, and to Admetus' son

  Achilles gave them. He, well pleased, received them. Then arose

  Wronged Menelaus, much incensed with young Antilochus.

  He bent to speak, a herald took his sceptre and gave charge

  Of silence to the other Greeks; then did the king enlarge

  The spleen he prisoned, uttering this : " Antilochus, till now

  We grant thee wise, but in this act what wisdom utter'st thou?

  Thou hast disgraced my virtue, wronged my horse, preferring thine

  Much their inferiors. But go to, Princes, nor his nor mine

  Judge of with favour, him nor me, lest any Grecian use

  This scandal:' ' Menelaus won, with Nestor's son's abuse,

  The prize in question, his horse worst, himself yet wan the best

  By pow'r and greatness.' Yet, because I would not thus contest

  To make parts taking, I'll be judge, and I suppose none here

  Will blame my judgment, I'll do right: Antilochus, come near,

  Come, noble gentleman, 'tis your place, swear by th' earth-circling God,

  (Standing before your chariot and horse, and that self rod

  With which you scourged them in your hand) if both with will and wile

  You did not cross my chariot." He thus did reconcile

  Grace with his disgrace, and with wit restored him to his wit:

  “Now crave I patience. O king, whatever was unfit,

  Ascribe to much more youth in me than you. You, more in age

  And more in excellence, know well the outrays that engage

  All young men's actions; sharper wits, but duller wisdoms, still

  From us flow than from you; for which, curb, with your wisdom, will.

  The prize I thought mine, I yield yours, and, if you please, a prize

  Of greater value to my tent I'll send for, and suffice

  Your will at full, and instantly; for, in this point of time,

  I rather wish to be enjoined your favour's top to climb,

  Than to be falling all my time from height of such a grace,

  O Jove-loved king, and of the Gods receive a curse in place."

  This said, he fetched his prize to him, and it rejoiced him so,

  That as corn-ears shine with the dew, yet having time to grow,

  When fields set all their bristles up; in such a ruff wert thou,

  O Menelaus, answering thus : " Antilochus, I now,

  Though I were angry, yield to thee, because I see th' hadst wit,

  When I thought not; thy youth hath got the mastery of thy spirit.

  And yet, for all this, 'tis more safe not to abuse at all

  Great men, than, venturing, trust to wit to take up what may fall;

  For no man in our host beside had easily calmed my spleen,

  Stirred with like tempest. But thyself hast a sustainer been

  Of much affliction in my cause; so thy good father too,

  And so thy brother; at thy suit, I therefore let all go,

  Give thee the game here, though mine own, that all these may discern

  King Menelaus bears a mind at no part proud or stern."

  The king thus calmed, Antilochus received, and gave the steed

  To loved Noemon to lead thence, and then received beside

  The caldron. Next, Meriones, for fourth game, was to have

  Two talents' gold. The fifth, unwon, renowned Achilles gave

  To reverend Nestor, being a bowl to set on either end,

  Which through the press he carried him : " Receive," said he, " old friend,

  This gift as funeral monument of my dear friend deceased,

  Whom never you must see again. I make it his bequest

  To you as, without any strife, obtaining it from all.

  Your shoulders must not undergo the churlish whoorlbat's fall,

  Wrastling is past you, strife in darts, the foot's celerity,

  Harsh age in his years fetters you, and honour sets you free."

  Thus gave he it. He took and joyed, but, ere he thanked, he said :

  “Now sure, my honourable son, in all points thou hast played

  The comely orator; no more must I contend with nerves;

  Feet fail, and hands; arms want that strength that this and that swing serves

  Under your shoulders. Would to heaven I were so young chinn'd now,

  And strength threw such a many of bones, to celebrate this show,

  As when the Epians brought to fire, actively honouring thus,

  King Amaryncea's funerals in fair Buprasius!

  His sons put prizes down for him, where not a man matched me

  Of all the Epians, or the sons of great-souled iEtolic,

  No, nor the Pylians themselves, my countrymen. I beat

  Great Clytomedeus, Enops' son, at buffets. At the feat

  Of wrastling, I laid under me one that against me rose,

  Ancseus, called. Pleuronius. I made Iphiclus lose

  The foot-game to me. At the spear I conquered Polydore,

  And strong Phyleus. Actor's sons, of all men, only bore

  The palm at horse-race, conquering with lashing on more horse,

  And envying my victory, because, before their course,

  All the best games were gone with me. These men were twins; one was

  A most sure guide, a most sure guide; the other gave the pass

  With rod and mettle. This was then. But now young men must wage

  These works, and my joints undergo the sad defects of age;

  Though then I was another man. At that time I excelled

  Amongst th' heroes. But forth now, let th' other rites be held

  For thy deceased friend, this thy gift in all kind part I take,

  And much it-joys my heart, that still, for my true kindness' sake,

  You give me memory. You perceive in what fit grace I stand

  Amongst the Grecians, and to theirs you set your graceful hand.

  The Gods give ample recompense of grace again to thee

  For this and all thy favours! " Thus, back through the thrust drave he,

  When he had stayed out all the praise of old Neleides.

  And now for buffets, that rough game, he ordered passages;

  Proposing a laborious mule, of six years old, untamed,

  And fierce in handling, brought, and bound, in that place where they gamed;

  And, to the conquered, a round cup. Both which he thus proclaims:

  “Atrides, and all friends of Greece, two men, for these two games,

  I bid stand forth. Who best can strike with high contracted fists,

  (Apollo giving him the wreath,) know all about these lists,

  Shall win a mule, patient of toil; the vanquished, this round cup."

  This uttered, Panopeus' son, Epeus, straight stood up,

  A tall huge man, that to the nail knew that rude sport of hand,

  And, seizing the tough mule, thus spake :" Now let some other stand

  Forth for the cup; this mule is mine, at cuffs I boast me best.
r />   Is't not enough I am no soldier? Who is worthiest

  At all works? None; not possible. At this yet this I say,

  And will perform this : Who stands forth, I'll burst him, I will bray

  His bones as in a mortar. Fetch surgeons enow to take

  His corse from under me." This speech did all men silent make.

  At last stood forth Euryalus, a man godlike, and son

  To king Mecisteus, the grandchild of honoured Talaon.

  He was so strong that, coming once to Thebes, when (Edipus

  Had like rites solemnized for him, he went victorious

  From all the Thebans. This rare man Tydides would prepare,

  Put on his girdle, oxhide cords, fair wrought; and spent much care

  That he might conquer, heart'ned him, and taught him tricks. Both dressed

  Fit for th' affair, both forth were brought, then breast opposed to breast,

  Fists against fists rose, and, they joined, rattling of jaws was there,

  Gnashing of teeth, and heavy blows dashed blood out everywhere.

  At length Epeus spied clear way, rushed in, and such a blow

  Drave underneath the other's ear that his neat limbs did strow

  The knocked earth, no more legs had he, but as a huge fish laid

  Near to the cold-weed-gathering shore, is with a north flaw 'fraid,

  Shoots back, and in the black deep hides; so, sent against the ground,

  Was foiled Euryalus, his strength so hid in more profound

  Deeps of Epeus, who took up the intranced competitor;

  About whom rushed a crowd of friends that through the clusters bore

  His falt'ring knees, he spitting up thick clods of blood, his head

  Tottered of one side, his sense gone; when, to a by-place led,

  Thither they brought him the round cup. Pelides then set forth

  Prize for a wrastling; to the best a trivet, that was worth

  Twelve oxen, great and fit for fire; the conquered was t' obtain

  A woman excellent in works, her beauty, and her gain,

  Prized at four oxen. Up he stood, and thus proclaimed : " Arise,

  You wrastlers that will prove for these." Out stepped the ample size

  Of mighty Ajax, huge in strength; to him Laertes' son,

  The crafty one, a's huge in sleight. Their ceremony done

  Of making ready, forth they stepped, catch elbows with strong hands,

  And as the beams of some high house crack with a storm, yet stands

  The house, being built by well-skilled men; so cracked their back-bones, wrinched

  With horrid twitches; in their sides, arms, shoulders, all bepinched