XXI. Shouts, cheers and plaudits wake the woods around, Their clamours roll along the land-locked shore, And, echoing, from the beaten hills rebound. First Gyas comes, amid the rout and roar; Cloanthus second,--better with the oar His crew, but heavier is the load of pine. Next Shark and Centaur struggle to the fore, Now Shark ahead, now Centaur, now in line The long keels, urged abreast, together plough the brine. XXII. Near lay the rock, the goal was close in sight, When Gyas, first o'er half a length of tide Shouts to his helmsman: "Whither to the right? Hug close the cliff, and graze the leftward side. Let others hold the deep." In vain he cried. Menoetes feared the hidden reefs, and bore To seaward. "Whither from thy course so wide? What; swerving still?" the captain shouts once more, "Keep to the shore, I say, Menoetes, to the shore." XXIII. He turned, when lo! behind him, gaining fast, Cloanthus. On the leeward side he stole A narrower compass, grazing as he passed His rival's vessel and the sounding shoal, Then gained safe water, as he turned the goal. Grief fired young Gyas at the sight, and drew Tears from his eyes and anger from his soul. Careless alike of honour and his crew, Down from the lofty stern his timorous guide he threw. XXIV. Forthwith he grasps the tiller in his hand, Captain and helmsman, and his comrades cheers, And wrests the rudder leftward to the land, Slow from the depths Menoetes reappears, Clogged by his clothes, and cumbered with his years. Then, shoreward swimming, climbs with feeble craft The rock, and there sits drying. All with jeers Laughed as he fell and floated; loud they laughed As, sputtering, from his throat he spits the briny draught. XXV. Joy, mixt with hope, as Gyas slacks his pace, Fires the two hindmost. Now they near the mark; Sergestus, leading, takes the inside place. Yet not a length divides them, for the Shark Shoots up halfway and overlaps his bark. Mnestheus, amidships pacing, cheers his crew; "Now, now lean to, and let each arm be stark; Row, mighty Hector's followers, whom I drew From Troy, in Troy's last hour, my comrades tried and true! XXVI. "Now for the strength and hardihood that braved Gaetulian shoals, and the Ionian main, And billows following billows, as they raved Against steep Malea. Not mine to gain The prize: I strive not to be first--'tis vain. Sweet were the thought--but Neptune rules the race; Let them the palm, whom he has willed, retain. But oh, for shame! to take the hindmost place Win this--to ward that doom, and ban the dire disgrace."