given it to Patroclus in ransom of
Priam's son Lycaon, and Achilles now offered it as a prize in honour of
his comrade to him who should be the swiftest runner. For the second
prize he offered a large ox, well fattened, while for the last there
was to be half a talent of gold. He then rose and said among the
Argives, "Stand forward, you who will essay this contest."

Forthwith uprose fleet Ajax son of Oileus, with cunning Ulysses, and
Nestor's son Antilochus, the fastest runner among all the youth of his
time. They stood side by side and Achilles showed them the goal. The
course was set out for them from the starting-post, and the son of
Oileus took the lead at once, with Ulysses as close behind him as the
shuttle is to a woman's bosom when she throws the woof across the warp
and holds it close up to her; even so close behind him was
Ulysses--treading in his footprints before the dust could settle there,
and Ajax could feel his breath on the back of his head as he ran
swiftly on. The Achaeans all shouted applause as they saw him straining
his utmost, and cheered him as he shot past them; but when they were
now nearing the end of the course Ulysses prayed inwardly to Minerva.
"Hear me," he cried, "and help my feet, O goddess." Thus did he pray,
and Pallas Minerva heard his prayer; she made his hands and his feet
feel light, and when the runners were at the point of pouncing upon the
prize, Ajax, through Minerva's spite slipped upon some offal that was
lying there from the cattle which Achilles had slaughtered in honour of
Patroclus, and his mouth and nostrils were all filled with cow dung.
Ulysses therefore carried off the mixing-bowl, for he got before Ajax
and came in first. But Ajax took the ox and stood with his hand on one
of its horns, spitting the dung out of his mouth. Then he said to the
Argives, "Alas, the goddess has spoiled my running; she watches over
Ulysses and stands by him as though she were his own mother." Thus did
he speak and they all of them laughed heartily.

Antilochus carried off the last prize and smiled as he said to the
bystanders, "You all see, my friends, that now too the gods have shown
their respect for seniority. Ajax is somewhat older than I am, and as
for Ulysses, he belongs to an earlier generation, but he is hale in
spite of his years, and no man of the Achaeans can run against him save
only Achilles."

He said this to pay a compliment to the son of Peleus, and Achilles
answered,