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with bow nor spear, but broke the battalions of the foe with his iron<br />

mace. Lycurgus killed him, not in fair fight, but <strong>by</strong> entrapping him<br />

in a narrow way where his mace served him in no stead; <strong>for</strong> Lycurgus<br />

was too quick <strong>for</strong> him and speared him through the middle, so he fell<br />

to earth on his back. Lycurgus then spoiled him of the armour which<br />

Mars had given him, and bore it in battle thence<strong>for</strong>ward; but when<br />

he grew old and stayed at home, he gave it to his faithful squire<br />

Ereuthalion, who in this same armour challenged the <strong>for</strong>emost men among<br />

us. <strong>The</strong> others quaked and quailed, but my high spirit bade me fight<br />

him though none other would venture; I was the youngest man of them<br />

all; but when I fought him Minerva vouchsafed me victory. He was the<br />

biggest and strongest man that ever I killed, and covered much ground<br />

as he lay sprawling upon the earth. Would that I were still young<br />

and strong as I then was, <strong>for</strong> the son of Priam would then soon find<br />

one who would face him. But you, <strong>for</strong>emost among the whole host though<br />

you be, have none of you any stomach <strong>for</strong> fighting Hector."<br />

Thus did the old man rebuke them, and <strong>for</strong>thwith nine men started to<br />

their feet. Foremost of all uprose King Agamemnon, and after him brave<br />

Diomed the son of Tydeus. Next were the two Ajaxes, men clothed in<br />

valour as with a garment, and then Idomeneus, and Meriones his brother<br />

in arms. After these Eurypylus son of Euaemon, Thoas the son of Andraemon,<br />

and Ulysses also rose. <strong>The</strong>n Nestor knight of Gerene again spoke, saying:<br />

"Cast lots among you to see who shall be chosen. If he come alive<br />

out of this fight he will have done good service alike to his own<br />

soul and to the Achaeans."<br />

Thus he spoke, and when each of them had marked his lot, and had thrown

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