nd illustrious glory. But if thou lovest
Hector also, and carest for him, grant equal might and glory to both."

Thus they spake, and Ajax was arming himself in splendid brass. But when
he had put on all his armour around his body, then he rushed forward: as
moves mighty Mars, who goes to war amidst men, whom the son of Saturn
has engaged to fight with the strength of soul-gnawing strife, such
mighty Ajax advanced, the bulwark of the Greeks, smiling with grim
countenance; but he advanced, taking long strides with his feet beneath,
brandishing his long-shadowed spear. The Greeks, on their part, rejoiced
much on beholding him, but dire dismay seized the Trojans, each one as
to his limbs, and the soul panted in the breast of Hector himself. But
now he could not in anywise retract through fear, nor retire back into
the crowd of the people, since he had challenged to the fight. But Ajax
drew near, bearing a shield, like a tower, brazen, covered with seven
ox-hides, which for him the artist Tychius labouring had wrought,
dwelling at his home in Hyla, by far the most excellent of
leather-cutters, who for him had made a moveable shield, of seven hides
of very fat bulls, and drawn over it an eighth [layer] of brass.
Carrying this before his breast, Telamonian Ajax stood very near Hector,
and menacing addressed him:

"O Hector, now thou, alone with me alone, shalt plainly know, what kind
of chiefs are present with the Greeks, even besides Achilles, the
breaker of ranks, the lion-hearted. But he, indeed, abides at his
high-beaked sea-traversing ships, enraged against Agamemnon, the
shepherd of the people. Yet we are such, even many of us, who can go
against thee; but begin the battle and the strife."

Him then in turn the mighty crest-tossing Hector addressed: "Thou
Jove-sprung Ajax, son of Telamon, ruler of forces, tamper not with me as
with a weak boy, or a woman, who knows not warlike deeds. But I well
know both battles and man-slaughterings. I know how to shift my dry
shield to the right and to the left; wherefore to me it belongs to tight
unwearied. I am also skilled to rush to the battle of swift steeds. I
know too, how, in hostile array, to move skilfully in honour of glowing
Mars. But I do not desire to wound thee, being such, watching
stealthily, but openly, if haply I may strike thee."

He spoke, and brandishing hurled forth his long-shadowed spear, and
smote the mighty seven-hided shield of Ajax on the outside brass,