"Now all the athlete-prizes have been won Which I set forth in sorrow for my child.
Now let that mightiest of the Argives come Who rescued from the foe my dead: to him These glorious and immortal arms I give Which even the blessed Deathless joyed to see."
Then rose in rivalry, each claiming them, Laertes' seed and godlike Telamon's son, Aias, the mightiest far of Danaan men:
He seemed the star that in the glittering sky Outshines the host of heaven, Hesperus, So splendid by Peleides' arms he stood;
"And let these judge," he cried, "Idomeneus, Nestor, and kingly-counselled Agamemnon,"
For these, he weened, would sureliest know the truth Of deeds wrought in that glorious battle-toil.
"To these I also trust most utterly,"
Odysseus said, "for prudent of their wit Be these, and princeliest of all Danaan men."
But to Idomeneus and Atreus' son Spake Nestor apart, and willingly they heard:
"Friends, a great woe and unendurable This day the careless Gods have laid on us, In that into this lamentable strife Aias the mighty hath been thrust by them Against Odysseus passing-wise. For he, To whichsoe'er God gives the victor's glory -- O yea, he shall rejoice! But he that 1oseth -- All for the grief in all the Danaans' hearts For him! And ours shall be the deepest grief Of all; for that man will not in the war Stand by us as of old. A sorrowful day It shall be for us, whichsoe'er of these Shall break into fierce anger, seeing they Are of our heroes chiefest, this in war, And that in counsel. Hearken then to me, Seeing that I am older far than ye, Not by a few years only: with mine age Is prudence joined, for I have suffered and wrought Much; and in counsel ever the old man, Who knoweth much, excelleth younger men.
Therefore let us ordain to judge this cause 'Twixt godlike Aias and war-fain Odysseus, Our Trojan captives. They shall say whom most Our foes dread, and who saved Peleides' corse From that most deadly fight. Lo, in our midst Be many spear-won Trojans, thralls of Fate;
And these will pass true judgment on these twain, To neither showing favour, since they hate Alike all authors of their misery."
He spake: replied Agamemnon lord of spears:
"Ancient, there is none other in our midst Wiser than thou, of Danaans young or old, In that thou say'st that unforgiving wrath Will burn in him to whom the Gods herein Deny the victory; for these which strive Are both our chiefest. Therefore mine heart too Is set on this, that to the thralls of war This judgment we commit: the loser then Shall against Troy devise his deadly work Of vengeance, and shall not be wroth with us."
He spake, and these three, being of one mind, In hearing of all men refused to judge Judgment so thankless: they would none of it.
Therefore they set the high-born sons of Troy There in the midst, spear-thralls although they were, To give just judgment in the warriors' strife.
Then in hot anger Aias rose, and spake:
"Odysseus, frantic soul, why hath a God Deluded thee, to make thee hold thyself My peer in might invincible? Dar'st thou say That thou, when slain Achilles lay in dust, When round him swarmed the Trojans, didst bear back That furious throng, when I amidst them hurled Death, and thou coweredst away? Thy dam Bare thee a craven and a weakling wretch Frail in comparison of me, as is A cur beside a lion thunder-voiced!
No battle-biding heart is in thy breast, But wiles and treachery be all thy care.
Hast thou forgotten how thou didst shrink back From faring with Achaea's gathered host To Ilium's holy burg, till Atreus' sons Forced thee, the cowering craven, how loth soe'er, To follow them -- would God thou hadst never come!
For by thy counsel left we in Lemnos' isle Groaning in agony Poeas' son renowned.
And not for him alone was ruin devised Of thee; for godlike Palamedes too Didst thou contrive destruction -- ha, he was Alike in battle and council better than thou!
And now thou dar'st to rise up against me, Neither remembering my kindness, nor Having respect unto the mightier man Who rescued thee erewhile, when thou didst quaff In fight before the onset of thy foes, When thou, forsaken of all Greeks beside, Midst tumult of the fray, wast fleeing too!
Oh that in that great fight Zeus' self had stayed My dauntless might with thunder from his heaven!
Then with their two-edged swords the Trojan men Had hewn thee limb from limb, and to their dogs Had cast thy carrion! Then thou hadst not presumed To meet me, trusting in thy trickeries!
Wretch, wherefore, if thou vauntest thee in might Beyond all others, hast thou set thy ships In the line's centre, screened from foes, nor dared As I, on the far wing to draw them up?
Because thou wast afraid! Not thou it was Who savedst from devouring fire the ships;
But I with heart unquailing there stood fast Facing the fire and Hector ay, even he Gave back before me everywhere in fight.
Thou -- thou didst fear him aye with deadly fear!
Oh, had this our contention been but set Amidst that very battle, when the roar Of conflict rose around Achilles slain!
Then had thine own eyes seen me bearing forth Out from the battle's heart and fury of foes That goodly armour and its hero lord Unto the tents. But here thou canst but trust In cunning speech, and covetest a place Amongst the mighty! Thou -- thou hast not strength To wear Achilles' arms invincible, Nor sway his massy spear in thy weak hands!
But I they are verily moulded to my frame:
Yea, seemly it is I wear those glorious arms, Who shall not shame a God's gifts passing fair.
But wherefore for Achilles' glorious arms With words discourteous wrangling stand we here?
Come, let us try in strife with brazen spears Who of us twain is best in murderous right!
For silver-footed Thetis set in the midst This prize for prowess, not for pestilent words.
In folkmote may men have some use for words:
In pride of prowess I know me above thee far, And great Achilles' lineage is mine own."
He spake: with scornful glance and bitter speech Odysseus the resourceful chode with him:
