He spake, and to Noëmon gave the mare— Noëmon, comrade of Antilochus— To lead her thence, while for himself he took The shining cauldron. Then Meriones, Fourth in the race, received the prize of gold— Two talents. But the fifth prize and the last, The double goblet, still was left unclaimed; And this Achilles carried through the crowd Of Greeks, and placed in Nestor’s hands, and said:—
“Receive thou this, O ancient man, to keep In memory of the funeral honors paid Patroclus, whom thou never more shalt see Among the Greeks. I give this prize, which thou Hast not contended for, since thou wilt wield No more the cestus, nor wilt wrestle more, Nor hurl the javelin at the mark, nor join The foot-race; age lies heavy on thy limbs.”
He spake, and gave the prize, which Nestor took, Well pleased, and thus with wingèd words replied:—
“Son, thou hast spoken rightly, for these limbs Are strong no longer; neither feet nor hands Move on each side with vigor as of yore. Would I were but as young, with strength as great, As when the Epeians in Buprasium laid King Amarynceus in the sepulchre, And funeral games were offered by his sons! Then of the Epeians there was none like me. Nor of the Pylian youths, nor yet among The brave Aetolians. In the boxing-match I took the prize from Clytomedes, son Of Enops, and in wrestling overcame Ancaeus the Pleuronian, who rose up Against me. In the foot-race I outstripped, Fleet as he was, Iphiclus, and beyond Phyleus and Polydore I threw the spear. Only the sons of Actor won the race Against me with their chariot, and they won Through force of numbers. Much they envied me, And feared lest I should bear away the prize; For largest in that contest of the steeds Was the reward, and they were two—one