Page 130 - the-iliad

Pylians and Arcadians were gathered in fight by the rapid
river Celadon under the walls of Pheia, and round about the
waters of the river Iardanus. The godlike hero Ereuthalion
stood forward as their champion, with the armour of King
Areithous upon his shoulders— Areithous whom men and
women had surnamed ‘the Mace-man,’ because he fought
neither with bow nor spear, but broke the battalions of the
foe with his iron mace. Lycurgus killed him, not in fair fight,
but by entrapping him in a narrow way where his mace
served him in no stead; for Lycurgus was too quick for him
and speared him through the middle, so he fell to earth on
his back. Lycurgus then spoiled him of the armour which
Mars had given him, and bore it in battle thenceforward;
but when he grew old and stayed at home, he gave it to his
faithful squire Ereuthalion, who in this same armour chal-
lenged the foremost men among us. The others quaked and
quailed, but my high spirit bade me fight him though none
other would venture; I was the youngest man of them all;
but when I fought him Minerva vouchsafed me victory. He
was the biggest and strongest man that ever I killed, and
covered much ground as he lay sprawling upon the earth.
Would that I were still young and strong as I then was, for
the son of Priam would then soon find one who would face
him. But you, foremost among the whole host though you
be, have none of you any stomach for fighting Hector.’
Thus did the old man rebuke them, and forthwith nine
men started to their feet. Foremost of all uprose King
Agamemnon, and after him brave Diomed the son of Tyde-
us. Next were the two Ajaxes, men clothed in valour as with

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