Page:Hesiod, The Homeric Hymns, and Homerica.djvu/567



The story runs as follows: Aias and Odysseus were quarrelling as to their achievements, says the poet of the Little Iliad, and Nestor advised the Hellenes to send some of their number to go to the foot of the walls and overhear what was said about the valour of the heroes named above. The eavesdroppers heard certain girls disputing, one of them saying that Aias was by far a better man than Odysseus and continuing as follows:

"For Aias took up and carried out of the strife the hero, Peleus' son: this great Odysseus cared not to do."

To this another replied by Athena's contrivance:

"Why, what is this you say? A thing against reason and untrue!....Even a woman could carry a load once a man had put it on her shoulder; but she could not fight. For she would fail with fear if she should fight."

The writer of the Little Iliad says that Aias was not buried in the usual way, but was simply buried in a coffin, because of the king's anger.

The author of the Little Iliad says that Achilles after putting out to sea from the country of Telephus came to land there.

"The storm carried Achilles the son of Peleus to Scyros, and he came into an uneasy harbour there in that same night."

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