Book 4
Late Antiquity Quintus Smyrnaeus Greek- Nor did the cowardly Trojans leave the mighty son of warlike Hippolochus without tears, but they themselves too before the Dardanian gate set the glorious man upon a pyre; but him Apollo himself, lifting him very swiftly from the burning fire, gave to the swift winds to bear near the Lycian land; and they swiftly bore him away beneath the glens of Telandrus to a lovely place, and set a rock above him, unbreakable; and the Nymphs poured forth the sacred water of an ever-flowing river, which still the tribes of men call Glaucus the fair-flowing; but these things, perchance, the immortals wrought as an honour to the king of the Lycians. And the Argives groaned for high-spirited Achilles beside the swift-faring ships; and grief wore upon all, grievous, and mourning, since they sought after him as their own son, nor was there in the wide host one without tears; but the Trojans in turn rejoiced unceasingly, beholding the one band grieving, and the other consumed in the fire; and one, exulting, spoke such a word: "Now to all of us, beyond hope, the son of Cronos from Olympus has granted joy, who longed to see Achilles fallen in Troy; for I think that, with him struck down, the glorious tribes of the Trojans will breathe again out of the deadly blood and the man-slaying battle; for ever in his heart he devised destruction for the Trojans, and dreadfully in his hands raged the deadly spear stained with grievous gore, nor did any of us, going against him, look any more upon the Dawn; but now I think the mighty sons of the Achaeans will flee to their well-prowed ships, now Achilles is slain; would that the might of Hector were yet alive, that he might destroy them all, the Argives, together within their own huts. So spoke one of the Trojans, rejoicing utterly in his heart; but another, in turn, prudent of mind, spoke a word: "You think the deadly host of the Danaans within their ships upon the murky sea will swiftly flee in rout; but they will not be afraid, longing greatly for battle; for there are other strong and mighty men, the son of Tydeus and Ajax and the mighty sons of Atreus; these I still dread, though Achilles is slain; would that silver-bowed Apollo would destroy them, and then a breathing-space from war and from unseemly doom would come to us in our prayers upon that day." So he spoke; and the immortals throughout heaven groaned, all who were helpers to the strong Danaans, and veiled their heads in boundless clouds grieving at heart; but on the other side the others rejoiced praying to grant the Trojans a heart-pleasing end. And then to the son of Cronos glorious Hera spoke: "Father Zeus, lord of the bright thunderbolt, why do you aid the Trojans, forgetting the fair-haired maiden, whom of old you gave to godlike Peleus as a dear wife in the glens of Pelion? And you yourself made for her a wedding divine, and we all on that day feasted, the immortals, and gave many very beautiful gifts; but these you have forgotten, and devised a great grief for Hellas." So she spoke; but tireless Zeus answered her not at all; for he sat grieving in his heart and pondering much, because the Argives were destined to sack the city of Priam, on whom he devised to grant dread destruction in grievous war and on the heavy-roaring sea; and so he pondered, what afterward he brought to pass. And Dawn reached the deep stream of Ocean, and over the dark earth came boundless gloom, when mortals breathe a little from their toil; and the Argives at their ships took their meal, grieving though they were; for it is not possible to thrust away from the eager belly the harsh hunger, when it comes upon the breast, but at once the swift limbs grow heavy, nor is there any remedy, unless one satisfy the heart-paining belly; therefore they took their meal, grieving though they were for Achilles; for dire necessity greatly urged them all. And when they had eaten, sweet sleep came upon them, and loosed the pains from their limbs, and roused strength within. But when the Bears held their heads toward the east, awaiting the swift light of the sun, and Dawn awoke, then awoke the host of the strong Argives, brooding slaughter and dark doom for the Trojans. And they stirred like the boundless sea of Icaria or like the deep dry cornland, when there comes the boundless rush of cloud-gathering Zephyrus; so the host stirred upon the shores of the Hellespont. And then the son of Tydeus spoke to the eager men: "O friends, if in truth we are steadfast in battle, now let us the more fight against the hateful foe, lest somehow they take courage, now Achilles is no more; but come, with our arms and chariots and horses let us go about the city; toil will grant us glory." So he spoke among the Danaans; and mighty Ajax answered: "Son of Tydeus, you say noble things and not idle words, urging the close-fighting Danaans to do battle with the war-loving Trojans, who themselves too are eager; but we must wait by the ships, until from the sea there come divine Thetis; for her heart greatly devises to set fair prizes about her son's tomb; so yesterday she told me, when she went into the depths of the sea, apart from the other Danaans; and I trust she is near, hastening; and the Trojans, even though Peleus' son has died, will not greatly take courage while I yet live and you and the blameless son of Atreus himself." So spoke the noble son of Telamon, nor at all did he know that after the games a daemon was preparing for him an evil doom, grievous; and the son of Tydeus answered him again: "O friend, if in truth Thetis comes upon this day to set fair prizes about her son's tomb, let us wait by the ships, holding back the others too; for it is fitting to obey the blessed gods; and besides, for Achilles, even against the will of the immortals, let us ourselves devise to give the honour his heart would love." So spoke the mighty heart of the warlike son of Tydeus. And then from the sea came the wife of Peleus, like to the breeze of dawn; and swiftly she reached the throng of the Argives, where they waited eagerly, some to contend in the boundless contest, and some to gladden their minds and hearts with the contenders. And among them as they gathered Thetis of the dark veil set the prizes, bearing them, and urged the Achaeans straightway to contend; and they obeyed the goddess. And first among them rose up the son of Neleus, not eager to toil in boxing nor in much-wearying wrestling; for his limbs and all his joints grievous old age had subdued; but in his breast his spirit was yet firm and his mind, nor did any other of the Achaeans contend with him, when in the assembly a strife of words arose; therefore the renowned son of Laertes too, for his words, yielded to him in the assembly, and he who was most kingly of all the Argives, great Agamemnon of the good ashen spear. Therefore in the midst he hymned the kindly Nereid, how she was preeminent among all the sea-goddesses for her grace and her beauty; and she, hearing, was delighted; and he told of the lovely wedding of Peleus, which for them the immortal blessed ones together fashioned about the peaks of Pelion, and how they ate the divine feast at the banquets, when bearing the godly food in their ambrosial hands the goddess Hours heaped it up in golden baskets, and Themis, exulting, stretched out the silver tables in haste, and Hephaestus burned the undefiled fire, and round about the Nymphs mingled ambrosia in golden cups, and the Graces turned to the lovely dance, and the Muses to song, and all the mountains were delighted and the rivers and the beasts, and the imperishable upper air was gladdened and the very beautiful caves of Cheiron and the gods themselves. And these things the noble son of Neleus to the Argives, to all their great desire, recounted; and they, hearing, were delighted; and he sang the imperishable deeds of blameless Achilles in the midst of the contest; and the great host shouted around gladly. And taking up from there the glorious man he greatly honoured him with fitting words, how he sacked twelve cities of men along his voyage, and eleven again upon the boundless land, and how he cut down Telephus, and the might of glorious Eetion on the plains of Thebe, and how he slew with the spear Cycnus the son of Poseidon and godlike Polydorus and wondrous Troilus and blameless Asteropaeus, and how he reddened to the full the streams of the river Xanthus, and covered with countless corpses all its sounding flood, when the life of Lycaon he took from his limbs near the echoing river, and how he subdued Hector, and how he slew Penthesileia, and also the noble son of fair-throned Dawn. And these things to the Argives, who themselves knew them well, he sang, and how he was a giant, and how no man had strength to contend against him face to face, nor in the contests of warriors, when the young vie with the feet, nor in horsemanship, nor in the close-standing fight, and how in beauty he greatly surpassed the Danaans, and how his might was boundless, whenever the strife of Ares was roused. And he prayed to the immortals to see such a son too coming from that sea-washed Scyros. And the Argives all gave assent to his words, and silver-footed Thetis herself, and she gave him horses swift of foot, which before to Achilles of the good ashen spear Telephus gave as a gift at the mouths of Caicus, when, as he toiled, his heart sick with an evil wound, he healed him with the spear, with which he had struck him as he fought, the very spear, into the thigh, and drove through the mighty point; and these Nestor son of Neleus to his comrades gave; and they to the ships led them, greatly honouring the godlike king. And Thetis set in the midst of the contest ten oxen about the race; and with each of these went fair calves running beneath their teats; which once the bold strength of tireless Peleus' son had driven from Ida, trusting in his great spear. And for these two men rose up, longing greatly for victory: Teucer first, the son of Telamon, and Ajax too, Ajax, who was preeminent among the arrow-shooting Locrians. And quickly they girded their loins about with their hands, with cloths, and below they hid all, as is the rule, in modesty before the wife of mighty Peleus and the other sea-dwelling Nereids, as many as with her had come to behold the strong contests of the Argives. And to them the son of Atreus marked the goal of the swiftest race, who ruled over all the Argives. And lovely Strife urged them on; and from the starting-line swiftly they sped, like hawks; and their race was hard to judge; and on either side the Argives, watching, shouted, one this way, one that. But when, eager, they were about to reach the goal, then indeed the might and limbs of Teucer were fettered by the immortals; for a god struck him, or some blindness, on a grievous root of a deep-rooted tamarisk; and stumbling on it he fell to the ground; and grievously the end of his left foot was bent back, and there rose up swollen on either side the veins about it. And they shouted, the Argives in the contest; and Ajax ran past him rejoicing; and the peoples ran together, who followed him, the Locrians; and at once joy came upon the hearts of all; and they drove the leader's oxen down to the ships, to be tended. And Teucer his comrades, busily attending him, led him limping; and swiftly the healers took the blood from his foot, and laid above on lint wool well soaked in unguents, and round about they bound a band carefully; and they scattered his grievous pains. And again, on the other side, of overweening wrestling swiftly two strong-hearted men bethought themselves, the son of horse-taming Tydeus and overbearing Ajax, who went into the midst; and amazement held the Argives who beheld them; for both were like to the blessed ones. And they closed like wild beasts, which in the mountains fight over a deer, longing for food, and equal is the might of both, nor does either of them fall short even a little, harsh though they are; so they held an equal strong fury. And at last Ajax seized the son of Tydeus with his sturdy hands, eager to break him. But he, with skill and might, bending his side, the mighty son of Telamon swiftly lifted, pressing beneath the muscle his shoulder, and tripping his thigh with his foot to the other side flung the mighty man to the ground; and round about him he sat; and the people shouted. But vexed in his heart strong-hearted Ajax rose up a second time again rushing to the pitiless strife; and swiftly with his hands terrible he poured dust upon himself, and raging greatly he called the son of Tydeus into the midst; but he, in no way afraid, sprang against him; and much dust rose beneath the feet of both; and on either side they rushed together like fearless bulls, which in the mountains, testing their bold might, come to one place contending with their feet in the dust, and the hills roar around beneath the bellowing of both, and they, raging unrestrained, dash together their tireless heads and great might long toiling against one another, and out of their effort panting fiercely they contend pitilessly, and much foam pours down to the ground from their mouths; so these two toiled to the full with their sturdy hands. And the backs and strong necks of both rang beneath their hands, creaking, as in the mountains trees cast upon one another their flourishing boughs. And often beneath the sturdy thighs of great Ajax the son of Tydeus thrust his strong hands, but in no way could he thrust him back, planted on his sturdy feet; but Ajax, rushing from above to the ground, shook him from his shoulders, pressing him down to the floor of earth; and now this way, now that, they strove beneath their hands. And the peoples here and there shouted greatly as they watched, some heartening the glorious son of Tydeus, others the might of Ajax; and he, shaking the valiant man from his shoulders on either side, and casting his hands beneath his belly, swiftly hurled him to the ground like a stone by his mighty strength; and the Trojan earth greatly resounded as the son of Tydeus fell; and the people shouted aloud. But even so he sprang up, longing to toil a third time about giant Ajax; but Nestor stood in the midst and addressed them both: "Cease, glorious children, from overweening wrestling; for we all know how far you are superior to the Argives, now great Achilles is slain." So he spoke; and they ceased from their toil; and from their brows with their hands they wiped to the full the streaming sweat; and they kissed each other, and in friendship laid aside their strife. And to them then lady among goddesses, divine Thetis, gave four captive women; and the heroes themselves marvelled to behold them, strong and fearless, since of all the captive women they were preeminent in grace and in works, next to fair-tressed Briseis, whom once Achilles took as spoil from Lesbos, and in his heart delighted in them; and one of them was steward of the supper and the food, and another poured for the feasters the sweet wine, and another again after the supper poured water on their hands, and the other ever bore the tables from the feast. And these the might of the son of Tydeus and overbearing Ajax, dividing, sent to their well-prowed ships. And about boxing first the strength of Idomeneus rose up, since his heart was skilled in every contest. And none came against him; for all, in respect, yielded to him, since he was the elder. And to him in the midst Thetis gave a chariot and horses swift of foot, which before the might of great Patroclus had driven from the Trojans, slaying noble Sarpedon; and these Idomeneus gave to his attendant to lead to the ships, while he himself remained in the glorious contest. And Phoenix spoke among the strong Argives: "Now indeed to Idomeneus the gods have given a noble prize freely, not toiling with might and hands and shoulders, but honouring without bloodshed the elder man; but, young men, prepare another contest, guiding your skilful hands against one another in boxing, and gladden the spirit of Peleus' son." So he spoke; and they, hearing, looked at one another; but quietly all held back, declining the contest, had not the son of noble Neleus rebuked them: "O friends, it is not seemly for men skilled in the war-cry to shun lovely boxing, which to the young is a delight, and after toil brings glory. Would that in my limbs there yet lay such strength as when we buried godlike Pelias, I myself and Acastus, cousins coming together, when I was matched against noble Polydeuces in boxing, and took a prize equal to his; and in wrestling even the strongest of the others, Ancaeus, marvelled at me and trembled, nor did he dare to come against me for victory, because him already before, among the close-fighting Epeians, I had conquered, good though he was, and he fell and rolled his back in the dust beside the tomb of dead Amarynceus; and about him many marvelled at my might and strength; so against me no more did he raise his hands, strong though he was, and I took the prize unsweating; but now old age comes upon me and griefs; therefore I bid you, to whom it is fitting, win the prizes with your hands; for it is glory for a young man to bear a prize from the contest." As the old man spoke thus, a bold man rose up, the son of high-souled and godlike Panopeus, who too made the horse, an evil to the city of Priam, afterward; but no one dared to come near him for boxing; yet he was not at all skilled in grievous war, when the strife of Ares was roused. And without sweating the noble Epeius would then have borne the very beautiful prizes to the ships of the Achaeans, had not there come near him the son of noble Theseus, the spearman Acamas, raising great might in his breast, holding dry thongs about his swift hands, which skilfully Agelaus son of Euenor had bound about his palms, urging on his king. And so too the comrades of the lord, son of Panopeus, heartened Epeius; and he in the midst, like a lion, stood, holding about his hands the dry hides of an ox slain by force. And greatly here and there the peoples shouted, urging on the might of the strong men to mingle their tireless hands in blood; and they themselves stood eager at the meeting-place of the contest, both testing their hands, whether they were as nimble as before, and not weighed down from the war. And swiftly they raised their hands against one another, glancing keenly, and on the very tips of their feet stepping, ever shifting knee from knee of one another, long avoiding the great might. And they closed like swift clouds, which by the rushes of the winds, leaping upon one another, send forth lightning, and the great upper air is stirred as the clouds are sharpened, and the gusts crash heavily; so their jaws rang round about with the dry hides; and much blood ran down, and from their brows the bloody sweat reddened their blooming cheeks. And they toiled ceaselessly in their eagerness; nor did Epeius cease, but ever rushed on, raging greatly in his might. But the son of Theseus, prudent in the contest, made him often aim his strong hands at the empty air, and with skill, cutting through on either side, struck his hands at the brow, leaping in, until he reached the bone; and from his eye the blood ran down. But even so Epeius, striking Acamas with his heavy hand, smote him on the temple, and dashed his limbs to the ground; yet he swiftly sprang up and leapt upon the mighty man, and struck his head; but he, as the other rushed at him, bending a little aside, struck his brow with his left hand, and with the other dashed his nose, leaping in; and he himself with every device stretched out his hands; but the Achaeans held them back from one another, eager though they were to toil for lovely victory. And their attendants swiftly loosed the bloody hides from their strong hands at once; and they breathed a little from their toil, wiping their brows with many-holed sponges. And their comrades and friends, comforting them, led them face to face with one another, that of their grievous wrath they might swiftly forget, reconciled in friendship. And they obeyed the soothing words of their comrades; for to prudent men the mind is ever gentle; and they kissed each other, and their hearts forgot the grievous strife. And to them swiftly Thetis of the dark veil gave, at their desire, two silver mixing-bowls, which Eunous, the mighty son of Jason, gave as a ransom for strong Lycaon to godlike Achilles in sea-washed Lemnos; which Hephaestus made for glorious Dionysus as a gift, when he led up to Olympus his divine wife, the glorious daughter of Minos, whom once Theseus left, unwilling, in sea-washed Dia. And these noble Dionysus gave as a gift to his son, filling them with nectar; and he gave them to Hypsipyle with many possessions, Thoas, and she to her noble son left them, and he gave them to Achilles for Lycaon's sake. And of these the one the son of noble Theseus took, and the other noble Epeius sent to his own ships, rejoicing. And all their bruised wounds Podaleirius healed carefully, since he himself first sucked them, and then with his own hands stitched them skilfully, and laid above the drugs, those which before his father had given him; and by these swiftly even the unhealing wounds of men on that same day are eased of their deadly evil; and at once about their faces and fair-haired heads the wounds were healed, and their pains were soothed. And about archery Teucer and the son of Oileus stood, who before had made trial of the race. And for these the good-speared Agamemnon set afar a horse-plumed helmet, and said: "Far the better shall he be, who shears off the hair with the sharp bronze." And Ajax at once first sent forth his shaft, and struck the helmet, and the bronze rang out very sharply. And Teucer, greatly hastening in his heart, second let fly his arrow, and at once sheared off the plumes, the sharp shaft; and the peoples shouted greatly as they watched, and honoured him boundlessly, since indeed the blow still pained his swift foot, yet in no way did it harm beneath his hands as he aimed the swift shaft. And to him fair arms the wife of Peleus gave, the arms of godlike Troilus, whom of youths far the best in holy Troy Hecabe bore, but she had no profit of his splendour; for the spear of grim Achilles and his strength together robbed him of life; as when, in a dewy and flourishing garden, beside a watered ditch, very near, blossoming richly, an ear of corn or a poppy, before it reach its fruit, one shears with a newly-sharpened sickle, nor lets it come to its sweet end nor reach another sowing, reaping it empty and seedless for the time to come, when it was about to grow beneath the dewy spring; so the son of Priam, like to the gods in form, Peleus' son slew, still beardless, still of a maiden untouched, still playing like the little children; but Fate led him to man-destroying war at the beginning of joyous youth, when men grow bold, when the heart no longer lacks. And straightway again a discus, very long and strong, many tried to hurl from a swift hand; but none of the Argives could throw it, being very heavy; and steadfast Ajax alone threw it from his strong hand, as the bough of an oak in the field, withered in the season of warm summer, when all the cornlands wither upon the ground. And all marvelled how far from his hand the bronze flew, which two men toiling had lifted with their hands; which the might of Antaeus had hurled of old easily from his hand, testing his strength, before he was subdued by the strong hands of Heracles; and noble Heracles, taking it with much spoil, kept it as a prize of his tireless hand, but to the noble descendant of Aeacus afterward he gave it as a gift, when with him he sacked the glorious city of well-towered Ilios; and he gave it to his son, and he in his swift ships bore it to Troy, that mindful of his own father he might fight against the strong Trojans eagerly, and have toil as he tested his strength; and this Ajax threw very far from his sturdy hand. And then to him the Nereid gave the renowned armour of godlike Memnon, which too the Argives greatly marvelled at; for they were all exceedingly huge; and rejoicing the glorious man received them; for to him alone, about his sturdy limbs, they fitted, set about his vast flesh; and he himself in turn lifted the great discus, that it might be a delight to his noble might, longing to toil. And contending in the leap many rose up; and over them all leapt by far the good-speared Agapenor beyond the marks; and the people shouted at the man who leapt so far; and to him fair arms of great Cycnus divine Thetis gave; for him, over the slaughter of Protesilaus, when he had taken the lives of many, Peleus' son slew, the first of the chiefs; and grief enwrapped the Trojans. And with the javelin Euryalus far surpassed the contenders; and the peoples shouted greatly; for they thought that none could surpass him even with a winged shaft. Therefore to him a deep cup to bear away the mother of warlike Achilles gave, which once Achilles won as silver spoil, striking down Mynes with his spear, when he sacked the prosperous city of Lyrnessus. And strong-hearted Ajax, longing to toil alike with hands and feet, rising up called into the midst of the heroes the highest. And they, beholding, marvelled at the mighty and valiant man; nor did any dare to come against him; for of all grievous fear had broken their manhood, and they feared in their hearts, lest, striking some man with his tireless hands, beneath his blows the face he should shatter swiftly, and great woe come upon the man. And at last all gave the nod to steadfast Euryalus, knowing him well skilled in boxing; and he in the midst sent forth such a word, trembling before the bold man: "O friends, any other of the Achaeans whom you wish I will dare to face, but at great Ajax I am amazed; for far he excels; he will shatter my heart, if wrath seize him, rushing on; for I do not think to come safe to the ships from that tireless man." So he spoke; and they laughed; and in his heart utterly gladdened was strong-hearted Ajax; and he raised two talents of gleaming silver, which Thetis for the contest gave him without toil; and he remembered his dear son, beholding Ajax; and lament fell upon his heart. And they in turn, having their hearts set on horsemanship, swiftly rose up as the contest summoned them: first Menelaus and Eurypylus bold in battle and Eumelus and Thoas and godlike Polypoetes. And they cast the yoke-straps about the horses and dragged them beneath the chariots, all hastening for the sake of joyous victory; and swiftly they came together into one, standing in their cars, in the sandy place; and each stood at the starting-line; and quickly they took the reins in their strong hands. And the horses, drawing close in the chariots, fretted that one might leap forward, and they stirred their feet thus, and pricked up their ears, and wet their brow-bands with foam. And they at once, hastening, lashed the might of the light-footed horses; and they, like swift Harpies, swiftly leapt greatly forward from the yokes, chafing, and the chariots swiftly bore them, darting from the ground; nor was it possible to see the chariot-tracks nor of the feet the marks on the ground, so far did the horses carry the race forward. And much dust reached the upper air from the plain, like smoke or mist, which in the mountains the might of the south wind or of Zephyrus pours about the headlands when a storm rises, when the mountains are wet with rain. And the horses of Eumelus leapt greatly forward, and there followed those of godlike Thoas; and one upon another shouted about his chariot; and they were borne through the spacious plain . . . out of bright Elis, since indeed he did a great deed, outstripping the swift chariot of evil-minded Oenomaus, who then wrought pitiless destruction for the youths about the marriage of his prudent daughter Hippodameia; but not even he, skilled though he was in horsemanship, had such swift-footed horses, but far weaker of foot; for these seemed like the winds. And he greatly glorified the might of the horses and himself, the son of Atreus; for in his heart he rejoiced in spirit. And them, greatly panting, the attendants at once loosed from the yoke; and the others too loosed their wind-footed horses, all for whom in the contest a strife of the race arose. And godlike Thoas and Eurypylus bold in battle Podaleirius swiftly healed of all their wounds, all that they had scraped, falling from their cars. And the son of Atreus rejoiced unceasingly for his victory; and to him fair-tressed Thetis gave a fair goblet of gold, the great possession of godlike Eetion, before Achilles sacked the glorious city of Thebe. And others on the other side were yoking single-frontlet horses, guiding them to the race, and took in their hands the ox-hide whips, and all, leaping up upon their horses, sat; and they champed the bits, foaming at their jaws, and with their feet stamped the ground, hastening to dart away. And for them swiftly the race was stretched; and from the starting-line swiftly they sped, eager to contend, like the gusts of greatly-blowing Boreas or of roaring Notus, when it stirs the wide sea with storm and squalls, when the grievous Altar-star rises for sailors, bringing much-wept misery; so they sped, stirring the dust with their swift feet in the plain, raising it boundless; and the drivers each called to his own horses, and with the lash struck thickly with the one hand, and with the other shook unceasingly the bit clashing greatly about their jaws. And the horses rushed on; and a shout rose among the host boundless; and they flew through the broad plain. And now indeed swiftly from Argos the dappled horse would have won by far, with Sthenelus mounted on him, had he not swerved from the course, and reached the plain many times; nor could the noble son of Capaneus turn him with his hands, since he was still untaught in contests, that horse; in breed indeed not base, but of the swift divine stock of Arion, whom there bore among horses a Harpy to loud-sounding Zephyrus, far the best of all by much, since with his swift feet he vied with the swift gusts of his own father, and Adrastus had him as a gift from the blessed, whence was that horse's stock; and the son of Tydeus gave him as a gift to his comrade in holy Troy; and he, greatly trusting in his feet, swift though he was, brought him to the contest and to the strife of horses, himself thinking among the first to win great glory of horsemanship; but he gladdened not his heart at all, toiling about the prizes of Achilles; for indeed he stayed second, and the son of Atreus drove past him, swift though he was, by his skill. And the peoples honoured Agamemnon, and the horse of bold-hearted Sthenelus and himself, because he came second, even though very often from the course he leapt aside, raging in great strength with his feet. And then to the son of Atreus Thetis gave, as he exulted, the silver corselet of god-born Polydorus; and she gave to Sthenelus the strong helmet of Asteropaeus, of bronze, and two spears and a tireless girdle. And to the other horsemen, all who upon that day had come to contend at the tomb of Achilles, she gave gifts to all. But over them his heart grieved, the son of warlike Laertes, because him, eager for valour, the grievous wound kept back from the strong contests, which mighty Alcon had dealt him as he toiled about the corpse of the strong son of Aeacus.