f Gerene again
spoke, saying: "Cast lots among you to see who shall be chosen. If he
come alive out of this fight he will have done good service alike to
his own soul and to the Achaeans."

Thus he spoke, and when each of them had marked his lot, and had thrown
it into the helmet of Agamemnon son of Atreus, the people lifted their
hands in prayer, and thus would one of them say as he looked into the
vault of heaven, "Father Jove, grant that the lot fall on Ajax, or on
the son of Tydeus, or upon the king of rich Mycene himself."

As they were speaking, Nestor knight of Gerene shook the helmet, and
from it there fell the very lot which they wanted--the lot of Ajax. The
herald bore it about and showed it to all the chieftains of the
Achaeans, going from left to right; but they none of them owned it.
When, however, in due course he reached the man who had written upon it
and had put it into the helmet, brave Ajax held out his hand, and the
herald gave him the lot. When Ajax saw his mark he knew it and was
glad; he threw it to the ground and said, "My friends, the lot is mine,
and I rejoice, for I shall vanquish Hector. I will put on my armour;
meanwhile, pray to King Jove in silence among yourselves that the
Trojans may not hear you--or aloud if you will, for we fear no man.
None shall overcome me, neither by force nor cunning, for I was born
and bred in Salamis, and can hold my own in all things."

With this they fell praying to King Jove the son of Saturn, and thus
would one of them say as he looked into the vault of heaven, "Father
Jove that rulest from Ida, most glorious in power, vouchsafe victory to
Ajax, and let him win great glory: but if you wish well to Hector also
and would protect him, grant to each of them equal fame and prowess."

Thus they prayed, and Ajax armed himself in his suit of gleaming
bronze. When he was in full array he sprang forward as monstrous Mars
when he takes part among men whom Jove has set fighting with one
another--even so did huge Ajax, bulwark of the Achaeans, spring forward
with a grim smile on his face as he brandished his long spear and
strode onward. The Argives were elated as they beheld him, but the
Trojans trembled in every limb, and the heart even of Hector beat
quickly, but he could not now retreat and withdraw into the ranks
behind him, for he had been the challenger. Ajax came up bearing his
shield in front of him like a wall--a shield of bronze with seven folds
of oxhide-