beat fast and furious in their lust of victory. Each kept
calling on his horses, and the horses scoured the plain amid the clouds
of dust that they raised.

It was when they were doing the last part of the course on their way
back towards the sea that their pace was strained to the utmost and it
was seen what each could do. The horses of the descendant of Pheres now
took the lead, and close behind them came the Trojan stallions of
Diomed. They seemed as if about to mount Eumelus's chariot, and he
could feel their warm breath on his back and on his broad shoulders,
for their heads were close to him as they flew over the course. Diomed
would have now passed him, or there would have been a dead heat, but
Phoebus Apollo to spite him made him drop his whip. Tears of anger fell
from his eyes as he saw the mares going on faster than ever, while his
own horses lost ground through his having no whip. Minerva saw the
trick which Apollo had played the son of Tydeus, so she brought him his
whip and put spirit into his horses; moreover she went after the son of
Admetus in a rage and broke his yoke for him; the mares went one to one
side of the course, and the other to the other, and the pole was broken
against the ground. Eumelus was thrown from his chariot close to the
wheel; his elbows, mouth, and nostrils were all torn, and his forehead
was bruised above his eyebrows; his eyes filled with tears and he could
find no utterance. But the son of Tydeus turned his horses aside and
shot far ahead, for Minerva put fresh strength into them and covered
Diomed himself with glory.

Menelaus son of Atreus came next behind him, but Antilochus called to
his father's horses. "On with you both," he cried, "and do your very
utmost. I do not bid you try to beat the steeds of the son of Tydeus,
for Minerva has put running into them, and has covered Diomed with
glory; but you must overtake the horses of the son of Atreus and not be
left behind, or Aethe who is so fleet will taunt you. Why, my good
fellows, are you lagging? I tell you, and it shall surely be--Nestor
will keep neither of you, but will put both of you to the sword, if we
win any the worse a prize through your carelessness. Fly after them at
your utmost speed; I will hit on a plan for passing them in a narrow
part of the way, and it shall not fail me."

They feared the rebuke of their master, and for a short space went
quicker. Presently Antilochus saw a narrow place where the road had