And Ajax, swift of foot, Oileus’ son, Answered with bitter words: “Idomeneus, Why this perpetual prating? Far away The mares with rapid hoofs are traversing The plain, and thou art not the youngest here Among the Argives, nor hast such sharp eyes Beneath thy brows, yet must thou chatter still. Among thy betters here it ill becomes A man like thee to be so free of tongue. The coursers of Eumelus, which at first Outran the rest, are yet before them all, And he is drawing near and holds the reins.”

The Cretan leader angrily rejoined: “Ajax, thou railer, first in brawls, yet known As in all else below the other Greeks, A man of brutal mood, come, let us stake A tripod or a cauldron, and appoint As umpire Agamemnon, to decide Which horses are the foremost in the race, That when thou losest thou mayst be convinced.”