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307—343. "Son of Deucalion, where dost thou meditate to enter the throng? To the right of all the army, or at the center, or upon the left? Since nowhere [else] in the battle do I conceive that the long-haired Greeks so much require support."

But him Idomeneus, the leader of the Cretans, in turn addressed: "Among the center ships indeed there are others to aid them, both the Ajaces and Teucer, who is the most skillful of the Greeks in archery, and brave also in standing fight; who will sufficiently harass, even to satiety, Hector, the son of Priam, although most urgent of battle, and although being very gallant. Hard will it be for him, although very desirous of fighting, having overpowered their strength and invincible hands, to fire the ships, unless the son of Saturn himself cast a flaming torch upon the swift ships. Nor indeed will mighty Telamonian Ajax yield to any man who may be a mortal, and who may eat the fruit of Ceres, who is vulnerable by brass and by large stones. Not even to warlike Achilles would he give way, at least in standing fight; but in speed he is by no means able to contend with him. Guide us, therefore, to the left of the army, that we may quickly know whether we shall alford glory to any one, or any one to us."

Thus he spoke. But Meriones, equal to rapid Mars, began to proceed, until he came to [that part of] the army whither he had ordered him. But they, when they beheld Idomeneus, like unto a flame in might, both him and his attendant, in variously-wrought armor, they all, exhorting one another along the crowd, advanced against him, and an equal contest arose at the sterns of their ships. And as when storms sweep along, [driven] by the shrill winds, on a day when the dust around the roads [is] very abundant, and they at the same time raise up a large cloud of dust; so came on the battle of these together, and they were eager in their minds to slaughter one another throughout the throng with the sharp brass. And the mortal-destroying combat bristles with the long spears which they held, flesh-rending; and the brazen-splendor from the gleaming helmets, the newly-burnished corselets, and the shining shields, coming together, dazzled their eyes. Very brave-hearted would he be who,