And now the ninth day was come, and the sky was fair. Great was the concourse of people, for the name of King Acestes was famous in the land. Also many came to see the men of Troy, and some to strive in the games. First were the prizes put in the midst, three-footed tables for sacrifices, and crowns, and palms, and weapons, and purple garments, and talents of gold and silver; and then the trumpet sounded and called the people together. And first of all was the race of ships. Four were they that strove together, Mnestheus with the Sea-Horse, and Gyas with the Chimæra, and Sergestus with the Centaur, and Cloanthus with the Scylla. Now far out in the sea was a rock, which is covered by the waves when the sea is rough, but stands above them if it be calm, and upon it the cormorants love to bask. Here did Æneas set a great branch of holm-oak as a goal, that the ships should round it and so return. First they cast lots for places, and the captains stood upon the sterns, in purple and gold, and the rowers had garlands of honour about their heads and were anointed with oil. Thus they sat upon the benches, holding the oars for a stroke, and their hearts beat high with hope. And when the trumpet sounded each ship leapt from its place, and the sea foamed with the strokes of many oars. And all the people shouted aloud, having favour for this or for that of the captains. And first of all came Gyas with the Chimæra, and next to him Cloanthus with the Scylla, for his men were indeed the stronger, but the ship more heavy. And after the Scylla came the Sea-Horse and the Centaur at equal speed, now this one being foremost and now that. But when they were now come near the rock, Gyas, being in the first place, cried to his helmsman Menœtes, "Why goest thou overmuch to the right? Keep thou close to the rock. Let others choose the sea if they will." But Menœtes, fearing the hidden rocks, turned ever the prow to the sea. Then a second time cried Gyas, "Make for the rock, Menœtes." And as he spake, the Scylla now came near, taking the inner course between the rock and his ship, and passed him by. Then was he greatly wroth and wept for rage; and laying hold of Menœtes he cast him into the sea, and himself put his hand to the helm and turned it to the rock. But Menœtes, being an old man and weighed down with his garments, hardly climbed upon the rock, and sat thereon. Loud laughed the men to see him fall, and swim, and vomit the salt water from his mouth. But when Mnestheus with the Sea-Horse, and Sergestus with the Centaur, saw what had befallen, they hoped to pass the Chimæra in the race. Eagerly strove the two together, and Mnestheus, seeing that the Centaur was yet before him in the race, ran among his men as they rowed, crying, "O my friends whom I chose to be my comrades, quit ye like men, even as ye did in the seas of Africa and the Ionian waves. The first place I seek not, but last I would not return." And the men strove with all