Ὡς ὰρ ἔφαν. Αἴας δὲ κορύσσετο, νώροπι χαλκῷ:
αὐτὰρ ἐπει δὴ πάντα περὶ χροῒ ἕσσατο τεύχητεύχεα.
σεύατ' ἔπειθ' οἷός τε πελώριος ἔρχεται Ἄρης:
ὅς τ' εἶσιν πόλεμον δὲ μετ' ἀνέρας. οὕς τε Κρονίων
θυμοβόρου ἔριδος μένεϊ ξυνἕηκε μάχεσθαι:
τοῖος ὰρ Αἴας ῶρτο πελώριος. ἔρκος Ἀχαιῶν.
μειδιόων βλοσυροῖσι προσώπασι; νέρθε δὲ ποσσὶν
ἤϊε μακρὰ βιβὰς. κραδάων δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος:
τὸν δὲ καὶ Ἂργεῖοι μέγ' ἐγήθεον εἰσορόωντες:
Τρῶας δὲ τρόμος αἰνὸς ὑπήλυθε γυῖα ἕκαστον:
Ἕκτορί τ' αὐτῷ θυμὸς ἐνι στήθεσσι πάτασσεν:
ἀλλ' οὔ πως ἔτι εἶχεν ὑποτρέσαι. οὐδ`' ἀναδῦναι
ὰψ λαῶν ἐς ὅμιλον. ἐπεὶ προκαλέσσατο χάρμῃ:
Αἴας δ' ἐγγύθεν ἦλθε φέρων σάκος ἠΰτε πύργον.
χάλκεον. ἑπταβόειον. ὅ οἱ, Τυχίος κάμε τεύχων
σκυτοτόμων ὄχ' ἄριστος Ὕλῃ ἐνι οἰκίᾳ ναίων:
ὅς οἱ ἐποίησεν σάκος αἰόλον. ἑπταβόειον
ταύρων ζατρεφέων. ἐπὶ δ' ὄγδοον ἤλασε χαλκόν:
τὸ πρόσθε στέρνοιο φέρων Τελαμώνιος Αἴας:
στῆ ῥα μάλ' Ἕκτορος ἐγγὺς. ἀπειλήσας δὲ προσηύδᾱ.
Ἕκτορ. νῦν μὲν δὴ σάφα εἴσεαι οἰόθεν οἶος
οἷοι καὶ Δαναοῖσιν ἀριστῆες μετέασι
καὶ μετ' Ἀχιλλῆα ῥηξήνορα. θυμολέοντα:
ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν ἐν νήεσσι κορωνίσι. ποντοπόροισι.
κεῖτ' ἀπομηνίσας Ἀγαμέμνονι ποιμένι λαῶν.
ἡμεῖς δ' εἰμὲν τοῖοι. οἳ ἂν σέθεν ἀντιάσαιμεν
καὶ πολέες: ἀλλ' ἄρχε μάχης ἠδὲ πτολέμοιο:
So they spake, and Aias arrayed him in gleaming bronze. But when he had clothed about his flesh all his armour, then sped he in such wise as huge Ares goeth forth when he enters into battle amid warriors whom the son of Cronos hath brought together to contend in the fury of soul-devouring strife. Even in such wise sprang forth huge Aias, the bulwark of the Achaeans, with a smile on his grim face; and he went with long strides of his feet beneath him, brandishing his far-shadowing spear. Then were the Argives glad as they looked upon him, but upon the Trojans crept dread trembling on the limbs of every man, and Hector's own heart beat fast within his breast. Howbeit in no wise could he any more flee or shrink back into the throng of the host, seeing he had made challenge to fight. So Aias drew near, bearing his shield that was like a city wall, a shield of bronze with sevenfold bull's-hide, the which Tychius had wrought with toil, he that was far best of workers in hide, having his home in Hyle, who had made him his flashing shield of seven hides of sturdy bulls, and thereover had wrought an eighth layer of bronze. This Telamonian Aias bare before his breast, and he came and stood close by Hector, and spake threatening: "Hector, now verily shalt thou know of a surety, man to man, what manner of chieftains there be likewise among the Danaans, even after Achilles, breaker of the ranks of men, the lion-hearted. Howbeit he abideth amid his beaked seafaring ships in utter wrath against Agamemnon, Atreus' son, shepherd of the host; yet are we such as to face thee, yea, full many of us. But begin thou war and battle."
