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　saying；　〃Hector；　you　shall　now　learn；　man　to
  man；　what　kind　of　champions　the　Danaans　have　among　them　even　besides
  lion…hearted　Achilles　cleaver　of　the　ranks　of　men。　He　now　abides　at
  the　ships　in　anger　with　Agamemnon　shepherd　of　his　people；　but　there
  are　many　of　us　who　are　well　able　to　face　you；　therefore　begin　the
  fight。〃
  And　Hector　answered；　〃Noble　Ajax；　son　of　Telamon；　captain　of　the
  host；　treat　me　not　as　though　I　were　some　puny　boy　or　woman　that　cannot
  fight。　I　have　been　long　used　to　the　blood　and　butcheries　of　battle。
  I　am　quick　to　turn　my　leathern　shield　either　to　right　or　left；　for
  this　I　deem　the　main　thing　in　battle。　I　can　charge　among　the
  chariots　and　horsemen；　and　in　hand　to　hand　fighting　can　delight　the
  heart　of　Mars；　howbeit　I　would　not　take　such　a　man　as　you　are　off
  his　guard…　but　I　will　smite　you　openly　if　I　can。〃
  He　poised　his　spear　as　he　spoke；　and　hurled　it　from　him。　It　struck
  the　sevenfold　shield　in　its　outermost　layer…　the　eighth；　which　was
  of　bronze…　and　went　through　six　of　the　layers　but　in　the　seventh
  hide　it　stayed。　Then　Ajax　threw　in　his　turn；　and　struck　the　round
  shield　of　the　son　of　Priam。　The　terrible　spear　went　through　his
  gleaming　shield；　and　pressed　onward　through　his　cuirass　of　cunning
  workmanship；　it　pierced　the　shirt　against　his　side；　but　he　swerved　and
  thus　saved　his　life。　They　then　each　of　them　drew　out　the　spear　from
  his　shield；　and　fell　on　one　another　like　savage　lions　or　wild　boars　of
  great　strength　and　endurance：　the　son　of　Priam　struck　the　middle　of
  Ajax's　shield；　but　the　bronze　did　not　break；　and　the　point　of　his　dart
  was　turned。　Ajax　then　sprang　forward　and　pierced　the　shield　of　Hector；
  the　spear　went　through　it　and　staggered　him　as　he　was　springing
  forward　to　attack；　it　gashed　his　neck　and　the　blood　came　pouring
  from　the　wound；　but　even　so　Hector　did　not　cease　fighting；　he　gave
  ground；　and　with　his　brawny　hand　seized　a　stone；　rugged　and　huge；　that
  was　lying　upon　the　plain；　with　this　he　struck　the　shield　of　Ajax　on
  the　boss　that　was　in　its　middle；　so　that　the　bronze　rang　again。　But
  Ajax　in　turn　caught　up　a　far　larger　stone；　swung　it　aloft；　and
  hurled　it　with　prodigious　force。　This　millstone　of　a　rock　broke
  Hector's　shield　inwards　and　threw　him　down　on　his　back　with　the　shield
  crushing　him　under　it；　but　Apollo　raised　him　at　once。　Thereon　they
  would　have　hacked　at　one　another　in　close　combat　with　their　swords；
  had　not　heralds；　messengers　of　gods　and　men；　come　forward；　one　from
  the　Trojans　and　the　other　from　the　Achaeans…　Talthybius　and　Idaeus
  both　of　them　honourable　men；　these　parted　them　with　their　staves；
  and　the　good　herald　Idaeus　said；　〃My　sons；　fight　no　longer；　you　are
  both　of　you　valiant；　and　both　are　dear　to　Jove；　we　know　this；　but
  night　is　now　falling；　and　the　behests　of　night　may　not　be　well
  gainsaid。〃
  Ajax　son　of　Telamon　answered；　〃Idaeus；　bid　Hector　say　so；　for　it　was
  he　that　challenged　our　princes。　Let　him　speak　first　and　I　will
  accept　his　saying。〃
  Then　Hector　said；　〃Ajax；　heaven　has　vouchsafed　you　stature　and
  strength；　and　judgement；　and　in　wielding　the　spear　you　excel　all
  others　of　the　Achaeans。　Let　us　for　this　day　cease　fighting；
  hereafter　we　will　fight　anew　till　heaven　decide　between　us；　and　give
  victory　to　one　or　to　the　other；　night　is　now　falling；　and　the
  behests　of　night　may　not　be　well　gainsaid。　Gladden；　then；　the　hearts
  of　the　Achaeans　at　your　ships；　and　more　especially　those　of　your　own
  followers　and　clansmen；　while　I；　in　the　great　city　of　King　Priam；
  bring　comfort　to　the　Trojans　and　their　women；　who　vie　with　one　another
  in　their　prayers　on　my　behalf。　Let　us；　moreover；　exchange　presents
  that　it　may　be　said　among　the　Achaeans　and　Trojans；　'They　fought
  with　might　and　main；　but　were　reconciled　and　parted　in　friendship。'
  On　this　he　gave　Ajax　a　silver…studded　sword　with　its　sheath　and
  leathern　baldric；　and　in　return　Ajax　gave　him　a　girdle　dyed　with
  purple。　Thus　they　parted；　the　one　going　to　the　host　of　the　Achaeans；
  and　the　other　to　that　of　the　Trojans；　who　rejoiced　when　they　saw　their
  hero　come　to　them　sa