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your own in front of them； though yours are much worse than mine
are； therefore； O princes and counsellors of the Argives； judge
between us and show no favour； lest one of the Achaeans say；
'Menelaus has got the mare through lying and corruption； his
horses were far inferior to Antilochus's； but he has greater
weight and influence。' Nay； I will determine the matter myself；
and no man will blame me； for I shall do what is just。 e here；
Antilochus； and stand； as our custom is； whip in hand before your
chariot and horses； lay your hand on your steeds； and swear by
earth…encircling Neptune that you did not purposely and
guilefully get in the way of my horses。〃
And Antilochus answered； 〃Forgive me； I am much younger； King
Menelaus； than you are； you stand higher than I do and are the
better man of the two； you know how easily young men are betrayed
into indiscretion； their tempers are more hasty and they have
less judgement； make due allowances therefore； and bear with me；
I will of my own accord give up the mare that I have won； and if
you claim any further chattel from my own possessions； I would
rather yield it to you； at once； than fall from your good graces
henceforth； and do wrong in the sight of heaven。〃
The son of Nestor then took the mare and gave her over to
Menelaus； whose anger was thus appeased； as when dew falls upon a
field of ripening corn； and the lands are bristling with the
harvesteven so； O Menelaus； was your heart made glad within
you。 He turned to Antilochus and said； 〃Now； Antilochus； angry
though I have been； I can give way to you of my own free will；
you have never been headstrong nor ill…disposed hitherto； but
this time your youth has got the better of your judgement； be
careful how you outwit your betters in future； no one else could
have brought me round so easily； but your good father； your
brother； and yourself have all of you had infinite trouble on my
behalf； I therefore yield to your entreaty； and will give up the
mare to you； mine though it indeed be； the people will thus see
that I am neither harsh nor vindictive。〃
With this he gave the mare over to Antilochus's rade Noemon；
and then took the cauldron。 Meriones； who had e in fourth；
carried off the two talents of gold； and the fifth prize； the
two…handled urn； being unawarded； Achilles gave it to Nestor；
going up to him among the assembled Argives and saying； 〃Take
this； my good old friend； as an heirloom and memorial of the
funeral of Patroclusfor you shall see him no more among the
Argives。 I give you this prize though you cannot win one； you can
now neither wrestle nor fight； and cannot enter for the
javelin…match nor foot…races； for the hand of age has been laid
heavily upon you。〃
So saying he gave the urn over to Nestor； who received it gladly
and answered； 〃My son； all that you have said is true； there is
no strength now in my legs and feet； nor can I hit out with my
hands from either shoulder。 Would that I were still young and
strong as when the Epeans were burying King Amarynceus in
Buprasium； and his sons offered prizes in his honour。 There was
then none that could vie with me neither of the Epeans nor the
Pylians themselves nor the Aetolians。 In boxing I overcame
Clytomedes son of Enops； and in wrestling； Ancaeus of Pleuron who
had e forward against me。 Iphiclus was a good runner； but I
beat him； and threw farther with my spear than either Phyleus or
Polydorus。 In chariot…racing alone did the two sons of Actor
surpass me by crowding their horses in front of me； for they were
angry at the way victory had gone； and at the greater part of the
prizes remaining in the place in which they had been offered。
They were twins； and the one kept on holding the reins； and
holding the reins； while the other plied the whip。 Such was I
then； but now I must leave these matters to younger men； I must
bow before the weight of years； but in those days I was eminent
among heroes。 And now； sir； go on with the funeral contests in
honour of your rade： gladly do I accept this urn； and my heart
rejoices that you do not forget me but are ever mindful of my
goodwill towards you； and of the respect due to me from the
Achaeans。 For all which may the grace of heaven be vouchsafed you
in great abundance。〃
Thereon the son of Peleus； when he had listened to all the thanks
of Nestor； went about among the concourse of the Achaeans； and
presently offered prizes for skill in the painful art of boxing。
He brought out a strong mule； and made it fast in the middle of
the crowda she…mule never yet broken； but six years oldwhen
it is hardest of all to break them： this was for the victor； and
for the vanquished he offered a double cup。 Then he stood up and
said among the Argives； 〃Son of Atreus； and all other Achaeans； I
invite our two champion boxers to lay about them lustily and
pete for these prizes。 He to whom Apollo vouchsafes the
greater endurance； and whom the Achaeans acknowledge as victor；
shall take the mule back with him to his own tent； while he that
is vanquished shall have the double cup。〃
As he spoke there stood up a champion both brave and great
stature； a skilful boxer； Epeus； son of Panopeus。 He laid his
hand on the mule and said； 〃Let the man who is to have the cup
e hither； for none but myself will take the mule。 I am the
best boxer of all here present； and none can beat me。 Is it not
enough that I should fall short of you in actual fighting？ Still；
no man can be good at everything。 I tell you plainly； and it
shall e true； if any man will box with me I will bruise his
body and break his bones； therefore let his friends stay here in
a body and be at hand to take him away when I have done with
him。〃
They all held their peace； and no man rose save Euryalus son of
Mecisteus； who was son of Talaus。 Mecisteus went once to Thebes
after the fall of Oedipus； to attend his funeral； and he beat all
the people of Cadmus。 The son of Tydeus was Euryalus's second；
cheering him on and hoping heartily that he would win。 First he
put a waistband round him and then he gave him some well…cut
thongs of ox…hide； the two men being now girt went into the
middle of the ring； and immediately fell to； heavily indeed did
they punish one another and lay about them with their brawny
fists。 One could hear the horrid crashing of their jaws； and they
sweated from every pore of their skin。 Presently Epeus came on
and gave Euryalus a blow on the jaw as he was looking round；
Euryalus could not keep his legs； they gave way under him in a
moment and he sprang up with a bound； as a fish leaps into the
air near some shore that is all bestrewn with sea…wrack； when
Boreas furs the top of the waves； and then falls back into deep
water。 But noble Epeus caught hold of him and raised him up； his
rades also came round him and led him from the ring； unsteady
in his gait； his head hanging on one side； and spitting great
clots of gore。 They set him down in a swoon and then went to
fetch the double cup。
The son of Peleus now brought out the prizes for the third
contest and showed them to the Argives。 These were for the
painful art of wrestling。 For the winner there was a great tripod