e precise
moment at which to pull the rein, and keeps his eye well on the man in
front of him. I will give you this certain token which cannot escape
your notice. There is a stump of a dead tree--oak or pine as it may
be--some six feet above the ground, and not yet rotted away by rain; it
stands at the fork of the road; it has two white stones set one on each
side, and there is a clear course all round it. It may have been a
monument to some one long since dead, or it may have been used as a
doubling-post in days gone by; now, however, it has been fixed on by
Achilles as the mark round which the chariots shall turn; hug it as
close as you can, but as you stand in your chariot lean over a little
to the left; urge on your right-hand horse with voice and lash, and
give him a loose rein, but let the left-hand horse keep so close in,
that the nave of your wheel shall almost graze the post; but mind the
stone, or you will wound your horses and break your chariot in pieces,
which would be sport for others but confusion for yourself. Therefore,
my dear son, mind well what you are about, for if you can be first to
round the post there is no chance of any one giving you the go-by
later, not even though you had Adrestus's horse Arion behind you--a
horse which is of divine race--or those of Laomedon, which are the
noblest in this country."

When Nestor had made an end of counselling his son he sat down in his
place, and fifth in order Meriones got ready his horses. They then all
mounted their chariots and cast lots. Achilles shook the helmet, and
the lot of Antilochus son of Nestor fell out first; next came that of
King Eumelus, and after his, those of Menelaus son of Atreus and of
Meriones. The last place fell to the lot of Diomed son of Tydeus, who
was the best man of them all. They took their places in line; Achilles
showed them the doubling-post round which they were to turn, some way
off upon the plain; here he stationed his father's follower Phoenix as
umpire, to note the running, and report truly.

At the same instant they all of them lashed their horses, struck them
with the reins, and shouted at them with all their might. They flew
full speed over the plain away from the ships, the dust rose from under
them as it were a cloud or whirlwind, and their manes were all flying
in the wind. At one moment the chariots seemed to touch the ground, and
then again they bounded into the air; the drivers stood erect, and
their hearts