“I call on two, the bravest of the host, To arm themselves and take their spears in hand, And in a contest for these weapons put Each other to the proof. Whoever first Shall wound his adversary, piercing through The armor to the delicate skin beneath, And draw the crimson blood, to him I give This beautiful sword of Thrace, with silver studs, Won from Asteropaeus. And let both Bear off these arms, a common gift, and both Shall sit and banquet nobly in my tent.”
He spake, and Telamonian Ajax rose, The large of limb; Tydides Diomed, The strong, rose also. When they had put on Their arms apart from all the host, they came, All eager for the combat, to the lists, And fearful was their aspect. All the Greeks Looked on with dread and wonder, and when now Stood face to face the warriors, thrice they rushed Against each other; thrice they dealt their blows. Then Ajax thrust through Diomed’s round shield His weapon, but it wounded not; the mail Beyond it stopped the stroke. Tydides aimed Over his adversary’s mighty shield A blow to reach his neck. The Greeks, alarmed For Ajax, shouted that the strife should cease, And both divide the prize. Achilles heard, But gave to Diomed the ponderous sword, Its sheath, and the fair belt from which it hung.
Again Pelides placed before the host A mass of iron, shapeless from the forge, Which once the strong Eëtion used to hurl; But swift Achilles, when he took his life, Brought it with other booty in his ships To Troas. Rising, he addressed the Greeks:—
“Stand forth, whoever will contend for this, And if broad fields and rich be his, this mass Will last him many years. The man who tends His flocks, or guides his plough, need not be sent To town for iron; he will have it here.”