The Iliad of Homer

by Richmond Lattimore

  He stood upright and spoke his word out among the Argives:

  “Son of Atreus and all you other strong-greaved Achaians,

  these prizes are in the place of games and wait for the horsemen.

  Now if we Achaians were contending for the sake of some other

  275 hero, I myself should take the first prize away to my shelter.

  You know how much my horses surpass in their speed all others;

  yes, for they are immortal horses, and Poseidon gave them

  to Peleus my father, who in turn gave them into my hands.

  But I stay here at the side, and my single-foot horses stay with me;

  280 such is the high glory of the charioteer they have lost,

  the gentle one, who so many times anointed their manes with

  soft olive oil, after he had washed them in shining water.

  Therefore these two horses stand here and grieve, and their manes

  are swept along the ground as they stand with hearts full of sorrow.

  285 But take, the rest of you, places in the field, whichever Achaian

  has confidence in his horses and his compacted chariot.”

  So spoke the son of Peleus, and the swift riders gathered.

  Far the first to rise up was the lord of men Eumelos,

  own son of Admetos, who surpassed in horsemanship. After

  290 him rose up the son of Tydeus, strong Diomedes,

  and led under the yoke the Trojan horses whom he had taken

  by force from Aineias, but Aineias himself was saved by Apollo.

  After him rose the son of Atreus, fair-haired Menelaos

  the sky-descended, and led beneath the yoke the swift horses,

  295 Aithe, Agamemnon’s mare, and his own Podargos.

  Echepolos, son of Anchises, gave her to Agamemnon

  as a gift, so as not to have to go with him to windy Ilion

  but stay where he was and enjoy himself, since Zeus had given him

  great wealth, and he made his home in the wide spaces of Sikyon.

  300 This mare, who was straining hard for the race, Menelaos harnessed.

  Fourth to order his horses with flowing manes was Antilochos,

  the glorious son of Nestor, Neleus’ son, the high-hearted

  lord, and fast-running horses out of the breed of Pylos

  pulled his chariot, and his father standing close beside him

  305 gave well-intentioned advice to his own good understanding:

  “Antilochos, you are young indeed, but Zeus and Poseidon

  have loved you and taught you horsemanship in all of its aspects.

  Therefore there is no great need to instruct you; you yourself

  know well how to double the turning-post. Yet in this race your horse

  310 should run slowest. Therefore I think your work will be heavy.

  The horses of these men are faster, but they themselves do not

  understand anymore than you of the science of racing.

  Remember then, dear son, to have your mind full of every

  resource of skill, so that the prizes may not elude you.

  315 The woodcutter is far better for skill than he is for brute strength.

  It is by skill that the sea captain holds his rapid ship

  on its course, though torn by winds, over the wine-blue water.

  By skill charioteer outpasses charioteer. He

  who has put all his confidence in his horses and chariot

  320 and recklessly makes a turn that is loose one way or another

  finds his horses drifting out of the course and does not control them.

  But the man, though he drive the slower horses, who takes his advantage,

  keeps his eye always on the post and turns tight, ever watchful,

  pulled with the ox-hide reins on the course, as in the beginning,

  325 and holds his horses steady in hand, and watches the leader.

  I will give you a clear mark and you cannot fail to notice it.

  There is a dry stump standing up from the ground about six feet,

  oak, it may be, or pine, and not rotted away by rain-water,

  and two white stones are leaned against it, one on either side,

  330 at the joining place of the ways, and there is smooth driving around it.

  Either it is the grave-mark of someone who died long ago,

  or was set as a racing goal by men who lived before our time.

  Now swift-footed brilliant Achilleus has made it the turning-post.

  You must drive your chariot and horses so as to hug this,

  335 and yourself, in the strong-fabricated chariot, lean over

  a little to the left of the course, and as for your right horse, whip him

  and urge him along, slackening your hands to give him his full rein,

  but make your left-hand horse keep hard against the turning-post

  so that the hub’s edge of your fashioned wheel will seem to be

  340 touching it, yet take care not really to brush against it,

  for, if so, you might damage your horses and break your chariot,

  and that will be a thing of joy for the others, and a failure

  for you. So, dear son, drive thoughtfully and be watchful.

  For if you follow the others but get first by the turning-post,

  345 there is none who could sprint to make it up, nor close you, nor pass you,

  not if the man behind you were driving the great Arion,

  the swift horse of Adrestos, whose birth is from the immortals,

  or Laomedon’s horses, who were the pride of those raised in this country.”

  So spoke Nestor the son of Neleus, and turned back to his place

  350 and sat down, having talked to his son of each stage in the contest.

  Fifth to order his horses with flowing manes was Meriones.

  They climbed to the chariots and deposited the lots. Achilleus

  shook them, and the first to fall out was that of Antilochos,

  Nestor’s son, and strong Eumelos drew next after him,

  355 and after him the son of Atreus, Menelaos the spear-famed.

  Meriones drew the next lane to drive, and the last for the driving

  of horses was drawn by far the best of them all, Diomedes.

  They stood in line for the start, and Achilleus showed them the turn-post

  far away on the level plain, and beside it he stationed

  360 a judge, Phoinix the godlike, the follower of his father,

  to mark and remember the running and bring back a true story.

  Then all held their whips high-lifted above their horses,

  then struck with the whip thongs and in words urged their horses onward

  into speed. Rapidly they made their way over the flat land

  365 and presently were far away from the ships. The dust lifting

  clung beneath the horses’ chests like cloud or a stormwhirl.

  Their manes streamed along the blast of the wind, the chariots

  rocking now would dip to the earth who fosters so many

  and now again would spring up clear of the ground, and the drivers

  370 stood in the chariots, with the spirit beating in each man

  with the strain to win, and each was calling aloud upon his own

  horses, and the horses flew through the dust of the flat land.

  But as the rapid horses were running the last of the race-course

  back, and toward the gray sea, then the mettle of each began to

  375 show itself, and the field of horses strung out, and before long

  out in front was the swift-stepping team of the son of Pheres,

  Eumelos, and after him the stallions of Diomedes,

  the Trojan horses, not far behind at all, but close on him,

  for they seemed forever on the point of climbing his chariot

  380 and the wind of them was hot on the back and on the broad shoulders<
br />
  of Eumelos. They lowered their heads and flew close after him.

  And now he might have passed him or run to a doubtful decision,

  had not Phoibos Apollo been angry with Diomedes,

  Tydeus’ son, and dashed the shining whip from his hands, so

  385 that the tears began to stream from his eyes, for his anger

  as he watched how the mares of Eumelos drew far ahead of him

  while his own horses ran without the whip and were slowed. Yet

  Athene did not fail to see the foul play of Apollo

  on Tydeus’ son. She swept in speed to the shepherd of the people

  390 and gave him back his whip, and inspired strength into his horses.

  Then in her wrath she went on after the son of Admetos

  and she, a goddess, smashed his chariot yoke, and his horses

  ran on either side of the way, the pole dragged, and Eumelos

  himself was sent spinning out beside the wheel of the chariot

  395 so that his elbows were all torn, and his mouth, and his nostrils,

  and his forehead was lacerated about the brows, and his eyes

  filled with tears, and the springing voice was held fast within him.

  Then the son of Tydeus, turning his single-foot horses to pass him,

  went far out in front of the others, seeing that Athene

  400 had inspired strength in his horses and to himself gave the glory.

  After him came the son of Atreus, fair-haired Menelaos.

  But Antilochos cried out aloud to his father’s horses:

  “Come on, you two. Pull, as fast as you can! I am not

  trying to make you match your speed with the speed of those others,

  405 the horses of Tydeus’ valiant son, to whom now Athene

  has granted speed and to their rider has given the glory.

  But make your burst to catch the horses of the son of Atreus

  nor let them leave you behind, for fear Aithe who is female

  may shower you in mockery. Are you falling back, my brave horses?

  410 For I will tell you this, and it will be a thing accomplished.

  There will be no more care for you from the shepherd of the people,

  Nestor, but he will slaughter you out of hand with the edge

  of bronze, if we win the meaner prize because you are unwilling.

  Keep on close after him and make all the speed you are able.

  415 I myself shall know what to do and contrive it, so that

  we get by in the narrow place of the way. He will not escape me.”

  So he spoke, and they fearing the angry voice of their master

  ran harder for a little while, and presently after this

  battle-stubborn Antilochos saw where the hollow way narrowed.

  420 There was a break in the ground where winter water had gathered

  and broken out of the road, and made a sunken place all about.

  Menelaos shrinking from a collision of chariots steered there,

  but Antilochos also turned out his single-foot horses

  from the road, and bore a little way aside, and went after him;

  425 and the son of Atreus was frightened and called out aloud to Antilochos:

  “Antilochos, this is reckless horsemanship. Hold in your horses.

  The way is narrow here, it will soon be wider for passing.

  Be careful not to crash your chariot and wreck both of us.”

  So he spoke, but Antilochos drove on all the harder

  430 with a whiplash for greater speed, as if he had never heard him.

  As far as is the range of a discus swung from the shoulder

  and thrown by a stripling who tries out the strength of his young manhood,

  so far they ran even, but then the mares of Atreides gave way

  and fell back, for he of his own will slackened his driving

  435 for fear that in the road the single-foot horses might crash

  and overturn the strong-fabricated chariots, and the men

  themselves go down in the dust through their hard striving for victory.

  But Menelaos of the fair hair called to him in anger:

  “Antilochos, there is no other man more cursed than you are.

  440 Damn you. We Achaians lied when we said you had good sense.

  Even so, you will not get this prize without having to take oath.

  ” He spoke, and lifted his voice and called aloud to his horses:

  “Never hold back now, never stop, for all your hearts are

  sorrowful. The feet of these and their knees will weary

  445 before yours do, seeing that the youth is gone from those horses.”

  So he spoke, and they fearing the angry voice of their master

  ran the harder, and soon were close up behind the others.

  Now the Argives who sat in their assembly were watching

  the horses, and the horses flew through the dust of the flat land.

  450 Idomeneus, lord of the Kretans, was first to make out the horses,

  for he sat apart from the others assembled, and higher up, where

  he could see all ways, and from far off he heard Diomedes

  calling, and knew him, and made out one horse ahead of the others

  who was conspicuous, all red, except on his forehead

  455 there was a white mark, round, like the full moon. Idomeneus

  rose to his feet upright and spoke his word out to the Argives:

  “Friends, who are leaders of the Argives and keep their counsel:

  am I the only one who can see the horses, or can you

  also? It seems to me there are other horses leading

  460 and I make out another charioteer. The mares of Eumelos

  must have come to grief somewhere in the plain, who led on the way out,

  for those I saw running out in front as they made the turn-post

  I can see no longer anywhere, though I watch and though my eyes

  look everywhere about the plain of Troy. But it must be

  465 that the reins got away from the charioteer, or he could not hold them

  well in hand at the goal and failed to double the turn-post.

  There I think he must have been thrown out and his chariot broken,

  and the mares bolted away with the wildness upon their spirit.

  But you also stand up and look for yourselves; I cannot

  470 well make out, but it seems to me the man who is leading

  is an Aitolian by birth, but lord of the Argives,

  the son of Tydeus, breaker of horses, strong Diomedes.”

  Swift Aias, son of Oïleus, spoke shamefully to him in anger:

  “Idomeneus, what was all this windy talk? The light-footed

  475 horses are still far where they sweep over the great plain.

  You are not by so much the youngest among the Argives,

  nor do the eyes in your head see so much sharper than others.

  But forever you are windy with your words, and you should not

  be a windy speaker. There are others here better than you are.

  480 The horses who are in front are the same as before, and they are

  those of Eumelos, and he stands holding the reins behind them.”

  The lord of the Kretans answered him to his face in anger:

  “Aias, surpassing in abuse, yet stupid, in all else

  you are worst of the Argives with that stubborn mind of yours. Come then,

  485 let us put up a wager of a tripod or cauldron

  and make Agamemnon, son of Atreus, witness between us

  as to which horses lead. And when you pay, you will find out.”

  So he spoke, and swift Aias, son of Oïleus, was rising

  up, angry in turn, to trade hard words with him. And now

  490 the quarrel between the two of them would have gone still further,

  had not Achilleus himself risen up and spoken betwee
n them:

  “No longer now, Aias and Idomeneus, continue

  to exchange this bitter and evil talk. It is not becoming.

  If another acted so, you yourselves would be angry.

  495 Rather sit down again among those assembled and watch for

  the horses, and they in their strain for victory will before long

  be here. Then you each can see for himself, and learn which

  of the Argives’ horses have run first and which have run second.”

  He spoke, and now Tydeus’ son in his rapid course was close on them

  500 and he lashed them always with the whipstroke from the shoulder. His horses

  still lifted their feet light and high as they made their swift passage.

  Dust flying splashed always the charioteer, and the chariot

  that was overlaid with gold and tin still rolled hard after

  the flying feet of the horses, and in their wake there was not much

  505 trace from the running rims of the wheels left in the thin dust.

  The horses came in running hard. Diomedes stopped them

  in the middle of where the men were assembled, with the dense sweat starting

  and dripping to the ground from neck and chest of his horses.

  He himself vaulted down to the ground from his shining chariot

  510 and leaned his whip against the yoke. Nor did strong Sthenelos

  delay, but made haste to take up the prizes, and gave the woman

  to his high-hearted companions to lead away and the tripod

  with ears to carry, while Diomedes set free the horses.

  After him Neleian Antilochos drove in his horses,

  515 having passed Menelaos, not by speed but by taking advantage.

  But even so Menelaos held his fast horses close on him.

  As far as from the wheel stands the horse who is straining

  to pull his master with the chariot over the flat land;

  the extreme hairs in the tail of the horse brush against the running

  520 rim of the wheel, and he courses very close, there is not much

  space between as he runs a great way over the flat land;

  by so much Menelaos was left behind by Antilochos

  the blameless. At first he was left behind the length of a discus

  thrown, but was overhauling him fast, with Aithe

  525 of the fair mane, Agamemnon’s mare, putting on a strong burst.

  If both of them had had to run the course any further,

  Menelaos would have passed him, and there could have been no argument.

  But Meriones, strong henchman of Idomeneus, was left