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Apollo vouchsafe me glory and I slay your champion； I will strip him
of his armour and take it to the city of Ilius； where I will hang it
in the temple of Apollo； but I will give up his body； that the
Achaeans may bury him at their ships； and the build him a mound by the
wide waters of the Hellespont。 Then will one say hereafter as he sails
his ship over the sea； 'This is the monument of one who died long
since a champion who was slain by mighty Hector。' Thus will one say；
and my fame shall not be lost。〃
Thus did he speak； but they all held their peace； ashamed to decline
the challenge； yet fearing to accept it； till at last Menelaus rose
and rebuked them； for he was angry。 〃Alas；〃 he cried； 〃vain braggarts；
women forsooth not men； double…dyed indeed will be the stain upon us
if no man of the Danaans will now face Hector。 May you be turned every
man of you into earth and water as you sit spiritless and inglorious
in your places。 I will myself go out against this man； but the
upshot of the fight will be from on high in the hands of the
immortal gods。〃
With these words he put on his armour； and then； O Menelaus； your
life would have come to an end at the hands of hands of Hector； for he
was far better the man； had not the princes of the Achaeans sprung
upon you and checked you。 King Agamemnon caught him by the right
hand and said； 〃Menelaus； you are mad； a truce to this folly。 Be
patient in spite of passion； do not think of fighting a man so much
stronger than yourself as Hector son of Priam； who is feared by many
another as well as you。 Even Achilles； who is far more doughty than
you are； shrank from meeting him in battle。 Sit down your own
people； and the Achaeans will send some other champion to fight
Hector； fearless and fond of battle though he be； I ween his knees
will bend gladly under him if he comes out alive from the
hurly…burly of this fight。〃
With these words of reasonable counsel he persuaded his brother；
whereon his squires gladly stripped the armour from off his shoulders。
Then Nestor rose and spoke； 〃Of a truth；〃 said he； 〃the Achaean land
is fallen upon evil times。 The old knight Peleus； counsellor and
orator among the Myrmidons； loved when I was in his house to
question me concerning the race and lineage of all the Argives。 How
would it not grieve him could he hear of them as now quailing before
Hector？ Many a time would he lift his hands in prayer that his soul
might leave his body and go down within the house of Hades。 Would；
by father Jove； Minerva； and Apollo； that I were still young and
strong as when the Pylians and Arcadians were gathered in fight by the
rapid river Celadon under the walls of Pheia； and round about the
waters of the river Iardanus。 The godlike hero Ereuthalion stood
forward as their champion； with the armour of King Areithous upon
his shoulders… Areithous whom men and women had surnamed 'the
Mace…man；' because he fought neither with bow nor spear； but broke the
battalions of the foe with his iron mace。 Lycurgus killed him； not
in fair fight； but by entrapping him in a narrow way where his mace
served him in no stead； for Lycurgus was too quick for him and speared
him through the middle； so he fell to earth on his back。 Lycurgus then
spoiled him of the armour which Mars had given him； and bore it in
battle thenceforward； but when he grew old and stayed at home； he gave
it to his faithful squire Ereuthalion； who in this same armour
challenged the foremost men among us。 The others quaked and quailed；
but my high spirit bade me fight him though none other would
venture； I was the youngest man of them all； but when I fought him
Minerva vouchsafed me victory。 He was the biggest and strongest man
that ever I killed； and covered much ground as he lay sprawling upon
the earth。 Would that I were still young and strong as I then was； for
the son of Priam would then soon find one who would face him。 But you；
foremost among the whole host though you be； have none of you any
stomach for fighting Hector。〃
Thus did the old man rebuke them； and forthwith nine men started
to their feet。 Foremost of all uprose King Agamemnon； and after him
brave Diomed the son of Tydeus。 Next were the two Ajaxes； men
clothed in valour as with a garment； and then Idomeneus； and
Meriones his brother in arms。 After these Eurypylus son of Euaemon；
Thoas the son of Andraemon； and Ulysses also rose。 Then Nestor
knight of Gerene again spoke； saying： 〃Cast lots among you to see
who shall be chosen。 If he come alive out of this fight he will have
done good service alike to his own soul and to the Achaeans。〃
Thus he spoke； and when each of them had marked his lot； and had
thrown it into the helmet of Agamemnon son of Atreus； the people
lifted their hands in prayer； and thus would one of them say as he
looked into the vault of heaven； 〃Father Jove； grant that the lot fall
on Ajax； or on the son of Tydeus； or upon the king of rich Mycene
himself。〃
As they were speaking； Nestor knight of Gerene shook the helmet； and
from it there fell the very lot which they wanted… the lot of Ajax。
The herald bore it about and showed it to all the chieftains of the
Achaeans； going from left to right； but they none of of them owned it。
When； however； in due course he reached the man who had written upon
it and had put it into the helmet； brave Ajax held out his hand； and
the herald gave him the lot。 When Ajax saw him mark he knew it and was
glad； he threw it to the ground and said； 〃My friends； the lot is
mine； and I rejoice； for I shall vanquish Hector。 I will put on my
armour； meanwhile； pray to King Jove in silence among yourselves
that the Trojans may not hear you… or aloud if you will； for we fear
no man。 None shall overcome me； neither by force nor cunning； for I
was born and bred in Salamis； and can hold my own in all things。〃
With this they fell praying to King Jove the son of Saturn； and thus
would one of them say as he looked into the vault of heaven； 〃Father
Jove that rulest from Ida； most glorious in power； vouchsafe victory
to Ajax； and let him win great glory： but if you wish well to Hector
also and would protect him； grant to each of them equal fame and
prowess。
Thus they prayed； and Ajax armed himself in his suit of gleaming
bronze。 When he was in full array he sprang forward as monstrous
Mars when he takes part among men whom Jove has set fighting with
one another… even so did huge Ajax； bulwark of the Achaeans； spring
forward with a grim smile on his face as he brandished his long
spear and strode onward。 The Argives were elated as they beheld him；
but the Trojans trembled in every limb； and the heart even of Hector
beat quickly； but he could not now retreat and withdraw into the ranks
behind him； for he had been the challenger。 Ajax came up bearing his
shield in front of him like a wall… a shield of bronze with seven
folds of oxhide… the work of Tychius； who lived in Hyle and was by far
the best worker in leather。 He had made it with the hides of seven
full…fed bulls； and over these he had set an eighth layer of bronze。
Holding this shield before him； Ajax son of Telamon came close up to
Hector； and menaced him sa