Page:Iliad Buckley.djvu/444

432 the Argives, the son of horse-breaking Tydeus, gallant Diomede."

But him swift Ajax, the son of Oïleus bitterly reproached:

"Idomeneus, why dost thou prate endlessly? Those high-prancing mares run over the vast plain afar. Neither art thou so much the youngest among the Greeks, nor do thine eyes see most sharply from thy head: but thou art always prating with words. Nor is it at all necessary for thee to be a prater, for others better than thou are present. For the mares of Eumelus are still foremost, which were so before, and he himself is advancing, holding the reins."

But him the leader of the Cretans, indignant, answered in turn:

"Ajax, best at abuse, reviler in all other things thou art inferior to the Greeks, because thy temper is morose; come now; let us stake a tripod or a goblet, and let us both appoint Agamemnon, the son of Atreus, arbiter, which horses are foremost; that paying, thou mayest learn."

Thus he spoke; but swift Ajax, son of Oïleus, immediately rose to reply in harsh words. And now doubtless the strife would have proceeded further to both, had not Achilles himself risen up, and spoke:

"No longer now, O Ajax and Idomeneus, hold altercation in evil, angry words, for it is not fitting, and ye also would blame another, whoever should do such things; but, sitting down in the circus, look toward the steeds, which themselves will soon arrive, contending for victory; and then will ye know, each of you, the horses of the Greeks, which are second, and which first."

Thus he spoke; but the son of Tydeus came very near, pursuing, and always drove on [his horses] with the lash across the shoulders; while the steeds, were raised up aloft into the air, quickly completing their course, and the drops of dust kept always bespattering their charioteer. The