“O friends, the chiefs and councillors of Greece, Can ye too see, or I alone, the cars? A diff’rent chariot seems to me in front, A diff’rent charioteer; and they who first Were leading, must have met with some mischance. I saw them late, ere round the goal they turn’d, But see them now no more; though all around My eyes explore the wide-spread plain of Troy. Perchance the charioteer has dropp’d the reins, Or round the goal he could not hold the mares; Perchance has miss’d the turn, and on the plain Is lying now beside his broken car, While from the course his mettled steeds have flown. Stand up, and look yourselves; I cannot well Distinguish; but to me it seems a chief, Who reigns o’er Greeks, though of Ætolian race, The son of Tydeus, valiant Diomed.” Sharply Oileus’ active son replied: “Idomeneus, why thus, before the time, So rashly speak? while the high-stepping steeds Are speeding yet across the distant plain. Thine eyes are not the youngest in the camp, Nor look they out the sharpest from thy head; But thou art ever hasty in thy speech, And ill becomes thee this precipitance. Since others are there here, thy betters far. The same are leading now, that led at first, Eumelus’ mares; ’tis he that holds the reins.” To whom in anger thus the Cretan chief: “Ajax, at wrangling good, in judgment naught, And for aught else, among the chiefs of Greece Of small account—so stubborn is thy soul; Wilt thou a tripod or a caldron stake, And Agamemnon, Atreus’ son, appoint The umpire to decide whose steeds are first? So shalt thou gain thy knowledge at thy cost.” He said; up sprang Oileus’ active son, In anger to reply; and farther yet Had gone the quarrel, but Achilles’ self Stood up, and thus the rival chiefs address’d: “Forbear, both Ajax and Idomeneus, This bitter interchange of wordy war; It is not seemly; and yourselves, I know, Another would condemn, who so should speak. But stay ye here, and seated in the ring, Their coming wait; they, hurrying to the goal, Will soon be here; and then shall each man know Whose horses are the second, whose the first.” Thus he; but Tydeus’ son drew near, his lash Still laid upon his horses’ shoulder-points; As lightly they, high-stepping, scour’d the plain. Still on the charioteer the dust was flung; As close upon the flying-footed steeds Follow’d the car with gold and tin inlaid; And lightly, as they flew along, were left Impress’d the wheel-tracks on the sandy plain. There in the midst he stood, the sweat profuse Down-pouring from his horses’ heads and chests; Down from the glitt’ring car he leap’d to earth, And lean’d his whip against the chariot yoke; Nor long delay’d the valiant Sthenelus, But eagerly sprang forth to claim the prize; Then to his brave companions gave in charge To lead away the woman, and to bear The tripod, while himself unyok’d the steeds.