ὡς ἔφατ', ὤρνυτο δ' αὐτίκ' νὴρ ἠΰς τε μέγας τε
εἰδὼς πυγμαχίης υἱὸς Πανοπῆος Ἐπειός,
ἅψατο δ' ἡμιόνου ταλαεργοῦ φώνησέν τε:
ἄσσον ἴτω ὅς τις δέπας οἴσεται μφικύπελλον:
ἡμίονον δ' οὔ φημί τιν' ξέμεν ἄλλον Ἀχαιῶν
πυγμῇ νικήσαντ', ἐπεὶ εὔχομαι εἶναι ἄριστος.
ἦ οὐχ ἅλις ὅττι μάχης ἐπιδεύομαι; οὐδ' ἄρα πως ἦν
ἐν πάντεσς' ἔργοισι δαήμονα φῶτα γενέσθαι.
ὧδε γὰρ ἐξερέω, τὸ δὲ καὶ τετελεσμένον ἔσται:
ντικρὺ χρόα τε ῥήξω σύν τ' ὀστέ' ράξω.
κηδεμόνες δέ οἱ ἐνθάδ' ολλέες αὖθι μενόντων,
οἵ κέ μιν ἐξοίσουσιν ἐμῇς ὑπὸ χερσὶ δαμέντα.
So spake he, and forthwith uprose a man valiant and tall, well-skilled in boxing, even Epeius, son of Panopeus; and he laid hold of the sturdy mule, and spake, saying: "Let him draw nigh, whoso is to bear as his prize the two-handled cup : the mule I deem that none other of the Achaeans shall lead away, by worsting me with his fists, for I avow me to be the best man. Sufficeth it not that I fall short in battle? One may not, meseemeth, prove him a man of skill in every work. For thus will I speak, and verily this thing shall be brought to pass : utterly will I rend his flesh and crush his bones. Wherefore let them that be next of kin abide here in a throng, that they may bear him forth when worsted by my hands."
