n will not be paid to you by Nestor, the
shepherd of the people, but he will immediately slay you with the sharp
brass, if we, remiss, bear off the less worthy prize. But follow, and
hasten as fast as possible. These things will I myself manage and look
to, to pass him by in the narrow way; nor shall it escape me."

Thus he spoke; but they, dreading the threat of their master, ran faster
for a short time: but immediately then warlike Antilochus perceived the
narrow of the hollow way. It was a fissure of the earth, where the
wintry torrent collected, had broken away [part] of the road, and
gullied the whole place; thither drove Menelaus, avoiding the clash of
wheels. But Antilochus, deviating, guided his solid-hoofed horses out of
the way, and turning aside, pursued him a little. But the son of Atreus
feared, and shouted to Antilochus:

"Antilochus, rashly art thou driving thy horses; but check thy steeds
for the road is narrow, and thou wilt soon drive past in a wider lest
thou damage both [of us], running foul of [my] chariot." Thus he spoke;
but Antilochus drove even much faster, urging [them] on with the lash,
like unto one not hearing. As far as is the cast of a quoit, hurled from
the shoulder, which a vigorous youth has thrown, making experiments of
his youthful strength; so far they ran abreast; but those of Atrides
fell back: for he himself voluntarily ceased to drive, lest the
solid-hoofed steeds should clash in the road, and overturn the
well-joined chariots, and they themselves should fall in the dust, while
contending for the victory. And him yellow-haired Menelaus, chiding,
addressed:

"O Antilochus, no other mortal is more pernicious than thou. Avaunt! for
we Greeks untruly said that thou wast prudent. Yet not even thus shalt
thou bear away the prize without an oath." [753] Thus saying, he cheered
on his steeds, and spoke to them:

"Be not kept back, nor stand, grieving in your hearts: sooner will the
feet and knees grow weary to them than to you; for they are both
deprived of vigour."

Thus he spoke; but they, dreading the exhortation of their master, ran
more fleetly, and became very near the others. But the Greeks sitting in
assembly,[754] beheld the steeds, and they flew along, raising dust over
the plain. Then first Idomeneus, leader of the Cretans, distinguished
the horses; for he sat outside the circus, very high up, on an
observatory; and hearing him, being far off, encouraging [his steeds],
k