Αἴας δ' οὐκέτι πάμπαν Ὀϊλῆος ταχὺς υἱὸς
ἵστατ' ἀπ' Αἴαντος Τελαμωνίου οὐδ' ἠβαιόν,
ἂλλ' ὥς τ' ἐν νηῷ βόε οἴνοπε πηκτὸν ἄροτρον.
ἶ̈σον θυμὸν ἔχοντες, τιταίνετον. ἀμφι δ' άρα σφι
πρυμνοῖσιν κεράεσσι πολὺς ἀνεκηκίειἀνακηκίει ἱδρώς,
τὼ μέν τε ζυγὸν οἶον ἐΰξοον ἀμφὶς εέργει
ἱ̈εμένω κατα ῶλκα. τέμει δέ τε τέλσον ἀρούρης.
ὣς τὼ παρβεβαῶτε μάλ' ἔστασαν ἀλλήλοιϊν:
ἂλλ' ἤτοι Τελαμωνιάδῃ πολλοί τε καὶ ἐσθλοὶ
λαοὶ ἕπονθ' ἕταροι, οἵ οἱ σάκος ἐξεδέχοντο
ὁππότε μιν κάματός τε καὶ ἱδρὼς γούναθ' ἵ̈κοιτο.
οὐδ' ὰρ' Ὀϊλιάδῃ μεγαλήτορι Λοκροὶ ἕποντο
οὐ γάρ σφι σταδίῃ ὑσμίνῃ μίμνε φίλον κῆρ,
οὐ γὰρ ἔχον κόρυθας χαλκήρεας. ἱπποδάσειας:
οὐδ' ἔχον ἀσπίδας εὐκύκλους: καὶ μείλινα δοῦρα:
ἀλλ' ἄρα τόξοισιν καὶ ἐϋστρόφῳ οἰὸς ἀώτῳ
Ἴ̈λιον εἰς ἅμ' ἕποντο πεποιθότες. οἷσιν ἔπειτα
ταρφέα βάλλοντες, Τρώων ῥήγνυντο φάλαγγας:
δή ῥα τόθ', οἱ μὲν πρόσθε συν έντεσι δαιδαλέοισι
μάρναντο Τρωσίν τε καὶ Ἕκτορι χαλκοκορυστῇ.
οἱ δ' ὄπιθεν βάλλοντες ἐλάνθανον: οὐδέ τι χάρμης
Τρῶες μιμνῄσκοντο, συνεκλόνεον γὰρ ὀϊστοί:
And Aias, the swift son of Oïleus, would no more in any wise depart from the side of Aias, son of Telamon, no not for an instant; but even as in fallow land two wine-dark oxen with one accord strain at the jointed plough, and about the roots of their horns oozeth up the sweat in streams—the twain the polished yoke alone holdeth apart as they labour through the furrow, till the plough cutteth to the limit or the field; even in such wise did the two Aiantes take their stand and abide each hard by the other's side. After the son of Telamon verily there followed many valiant hosts of his comrades, who would ever take from him his shield, whenso weariness and sweat came upon his limbs. But the Locrians followed not with the great-hearted son of Oïleus, for their hearts abode not steadfast in close fight, seeing they had no brazen helms with thick plumes of horse-hair, neither round shields, nor spears of ash, but trusting in bows and well-twisted slings of sheep's wool had they followed with him to Ilios; with these thereafter they shot thick and fast, and sought to break the battalions of the Trojans. So the one part in front with their war-gear, richly dight, fought with the Trojans and with Hector in his harness of bronze, and the others behind kept shooting from their cover; and the Trojans bethought them no more of fight, for the arrows confounded them.
