ice to Calchas. The Ajaces
he first addressed, though themselves were earnest:

"Ye Ajaces, ye indeed, mindful of valour, not of direful flight, will
preserve the people of the Greeks. For in any other place, indeed, I do
not dread the audacious hands of the Trojans, who in great numbers have
surmounted the great wall, because the well-greaved Greeks will sustain
them all. But in that place I grievously fear lest we suffer any thing,
where infuriated Hector, like unto a flame, leads on who boasts to be
the son of almighty Jove. But may some of the gods thus put it in your
minds, that ye stand firmly yourselves, and exhort others; thus may ye
drive him, although impetuous, from the swift-sailing ships, even if
Jove himself excites him."

He said, and earth-ruling Neptune, striking both with his sceptre,
filled them with violent might, and made their limbs light and their
feet and hands above. But he, like as a swift-winged hawk is impelled to
fly, which, lifted up from a rugged, lofty rock, has hastened to pursue
another bird over the plain; so darted earth-shaking Neptune from them.
But fleet Ajax, the son of Oileus, recognized him first of the two, and
straightway addressed Ajax, the son of Telamon:

"O Ajax, since some one of the gods, who possess Olympus, likening
himself to the soothsayer, exhorts us to fight beside the ships (neither
is this Calchas, the prophesying augur; for I readily recognized the
traces of his feet and legs when departing; for the gods are easily
distinguished), even to myself, the soul within my bosom is more incited
to war and to fight, and my feet beneath and hands above eagerly desire
it."

But him Telamonian Ajax answering, addressed: "So also to me are my
strong hands upon my spear eager, and my courage is aroused, and I am
hurried along by both my feet under me; and I eagerly long, even alone,
to combat with Hector, the son of Priam, insatiably raging."

Thus they addressed these words to each other, joyful in the desire of
battle[414] which the god had infused into their minds. In the meanwhile
the Earth-ruler (Neptune) aroused the Achaeans in the rear, who were
recruiting their spirit at the swift ships; whose limbs were at the same
time relaxed with toilsome labour, and grief was arising in their minds,
beholding the Trojans, who with a tumult had surmounted the vast wall.
But beholding them, they poured forth tears from beneath their eyebrows,
for they expected not to escape de