is companions followed his example. The eight days of
feasting passed pleasantly enough, and the morning appointed for the
funeral games dawned bright and serene. A joyous crowd assembled on the
shore, some to take part in the contests, and others to watch them. The
first of the games was a race between galleys, and four ships had been
entered to take part in it. The first was the Pristis, or Shark, of which
Mnestheus was the captain. The Chimera, a vessel of immense size, was
commanded by Gyas. The other vessels were the Centaur and the Scylla,--the
first commanded by Sergestus, and the second by Cloanthus. Some way out in
the sea, opposite to the starting-point, a rock rose amid the restless
waters. The galleys were to round this rock, on which AEneas had planted an
oak-tree as a mark, and then return to the shore. The vessels were
assigned their places by lot, and the captain of each took his place on
the poop; while the rowers, stripped to the waist, their shoulders
glistening with oil, sat with their arms stretched to the oars, eager for
the signal. At the blast of a trumpet all the oars struck the sea at once,
and beat it into foam, and the vessels shot forward amid the loud shouts
of the multitude. The Chimera, under Gyas's skillful guidance, took the
lead; next followed the Scylla, whose rowers were more efficient, but were
unable to make such progress, because the vessel was naturally slower.
Behind the Shark and the Centaur followed close together, and first the
one and then the other gained a slight advantage. The two leading vessels
were rapidly nearing the rock when Gyas perceived that his helmsman,
Menoetes, was keeping a course too far to the right, in fear of some
hidden crags, and was thus losing the advantage that had been gained. He
urged him to steer more to the left, nor to care even if the oars grazed
the rock; but Menoetes was afraid to obey the command. And now Cloanthus
in the Scylla, taking the very course Gyas had wished to follow, ran
boldly between the Chimera and the rock, and so got round the goal in
front of his antagonist. When Gyas beheld this he was full of wrath.
Rushing to the helm, he seized the over-cautious Menoetes and hurled him
into the sea; then he himself took the helm, and at once guided his ship
and issued commands and cries of encouragement to his oarsmen. The
luckless Menoetes with difficulty contrived to scramble out of the sea
onto the rock, and sat there in his dripping g