of Mars, threw second; but third, mighty Telamonian Ajax hurled with his strong hand, and cast beyond the marks of all. But when now warlike Polypœtes had seized the mass, as far as a cow-herdsman throws his crook, which, whirled around, flies through the herds of oxen, so far, through the whole stadium, did he cast beyond; but they shouted aloud; and the companions of brave Polypœtes, rising up, bore away the prize of the king to the hollow ships.
Next, for the archers, he staked iron fit for making arrows.[1] and laid down ten battle-axes, and also ten demi-axes. He also set upright the mast of an azure-prowed vessel, afar upon the sands; from [this] he fastened a timid dove by a slender cord, by the foot, at which he ordered [them] to shoot:
"Whosoever indeed shall strike the timid dove, taking up all the battle-axes, may bear [them] to his tent; but whosoeuer shall hit the cord, missing the bird (for he is inferior), let him bear off the demi-axes."
Thus he spoke; but then up rose the might of king Teucer, and up rose Meriones, the active attendant of Idomeneus; and taking the lots, they shook them in a brazen helmet. But Teucer was appointed first by lot; and straightway he shot an arrow strenuously, nor did he vow to sacrifice a celebrated hecatomb of firstling lambs to king [Apollo]. He missed the bird indeed, because Apollo envied him this, but he hit the string with which the bird was fastened, close to its foot; and the bitter arrow cut the cord quite through. Then indeed the bird ascended toward heaven, but the cord was sent down toward the earth: and the Greeks shouted applause. But Meriones, hastening, snatched the bow from his hand; and now held the arrow for a long time, as he had directed it; and immediately vowed to sacrifice to far-darting Apollo a noble hecatomb of firstling lambs. But he saw the timid dove on high beneath the clouds, which, as she was turning round, he hit in the middle under the wing, and the arrow pierced quite through. And it indeed again was fixed in the ground at the foot of Meriones: but the bird, alighting upon the mast of the azure-beaked galley, drooped its neck, and its close wings were at the same time expanded. And swift its soul flitted from its members, and it fell far
- ↑ i. e., well-tempered.
