their hands uplifting, and with eyes
To the wide heavens directed, many said[6]--
Eternal sire! choose Ajax, or the son
Of Tydeus, or the King himself[7] who sways 210
The sceptre in Mycenae wealth-renown'd!
Such prayer the people made; then Nestor shook
The helmet, and forth leaped, whose most they wished,
The lot of Ajax. Throughout all the host
To every chief and potentate of Greece, 215
From right to left the herald bore the lot
By all disown'd; but when at length he reach'd
The inscriber of the lot, who cast it in,
Illustrious Ajax, in his open palm
The herald placed it, standing at his side. 220
He, conscious, with heroic joy the lot
Cast at his foot, and thus exclaim'd aloud.
My friends! the lot is mine,[8] and my own heart
Rejoices also; for I nothing doubt
That noble Hector shall be foil'd by me. 225
But while I put mine armor on, pray all
In silence to the King Saturnian Jove,
Lest, while ye pray, the Trojans overhear.
Or pray aloud, for whom have we to dread?
No man shall my firm standing by his strength 230
Unsettle, or for ignorance of mine
Me vanquish, who, I hope, brought forth and train'd
In Salamis, have, now, not much to learn.
He ended. They with heaven-directed eyes
The King in prayer address'd, Saturnian Jove. 235
Jove! glorious father! who from Ida's height
Controlest all below, let Ajax prove
Victorious; make the honor all his own!
Or, if not less than Ajax, Hector share
Thy love and thy regard, divide the prize 240
Of glory, and let each achieve renown!
Then Ajax put his radiant armor on,
And, arm'd complete, rush'd forward. As huge Mars
To battle moves the sons of men between
Whom Jove with heart-devouring thirst inspires 245
Of war, so moved huge Ajax to the fight,
Tower of the Greeks, dilating with a smile
His martial features terrible; on feet,
Firm-planted, to the combat he advanced
Stride after stride, and shook his quivering spear. 250
Him viewing, Argos' universal host
Exulted, while a panic loosed the knees
Of every Trojan; even Hector's heart
Beat double, but escape for him remain'd
None now, or to retreat into his ranks 255
Again, from whom himself had challenged forth.
Ajax ad