Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Homer’s Iliad
most commanding part of the ground. The driver was a long way
off, but Idomeneus could hear him shouting, and could see the
foremost horse quite plainly- a chestnut with a round white star,
like the moon, on its forehead. He stood up and said among the
Argives, “My friends, princes and counsellors of the Argives, can
you see the running as well as I can? There seems to be another
pair in front now, and another driver; those that led off at the start
must have been disabled out on the plain. I saw them at first
making their way round the doubling-post, but now, though I
search the plain of Troy, I cannot find them. Perhaps the reins fell
from the driver’s hand so that he lost command of his horses at the
doubling-post, and could not turn it. I suppose he must have been
thrown out there, and broken his chariot, while his mares have left
the course and gone off wildly in a panic. Come up and see for
yourselves, I cannot make out for certain, but the driver seems an
Aetolian by descent, ruler over the Argives, brave Diomed the son
of Tydeus.”
Ajax the son of Oileus took him up rudely and said, “Idomeneus,
why should you be in such a hurry to tell us all about it, when the
mares are still so far out upon the plain? You are none of the
youngest, nor your eyes none of the sharpest, but you are always
laying down the law. You have no right to do so, for there are better
men here than you are. Eumelus’s horses are in front now, as they
always have been, and he is on the chariot holding the reins.”
The captain of the Cretans was angry, and answered, “Ajax you are
an excellent railer, but you have no judgement, and are wanting in
much else as well, for you have a vile temper. I will wager you a
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