Greek Texts & Translations

POLYDEUCES
22.56 Be of good cheer. Trust me, we be no evil men nor come we of evil stock.

AMYCUS
22.57 Of right good cheer am I, and knew it or ever I learnt it of you.

POLYDEUCES
22.58 Pray are you a man o’ the wilds, a churl come what may, a mere piece of disdain?

AMYCUS
22.59 I am what you see; and that’s no goer upon other’s ground, when all’s said.

POLYDEUCES
22.60 Come you upon my ground and welcome; you shall not go away empty.

AMYCUS
22.61 I’ll none of your welcomes and you shall none of mine.

POLYDEUCES
22.62 Lord, man! would you have me denied even a drink of this water?

AMYCUS
22.63 That shall you know when there comes you the parching languor o’ thirst on the lips.

POLYDEUCES
22.64 Would you silver or aught else for price? Say what you’ll take.

AMYCUS
22.65 Up hands fight me man against man.

POLYDEUCES
22.66 Fisticuffs is ‘t? or feet and all? mind you, I have a good eye. ^note

AMYCUS
22.67 Fists be it, and you may do all your best and cunningest.

POLDEUCES
22.68 But who is he for whom I am to bind thong to arm?

AMYCUS
22.69 You see him nigh; the man that shall fight you may be called a woman, but ‘faith, shall not deserve the name.

POLYDEUCES
22.70 And pray is there a prize we may contend for in this our match?

AMYCUS
22.71 Whethersoever shall win shall have the other to his possession.

POLYDEUCES
22.72 But such be the mellays of the red-crested game-cock.

AMYCUS
22.73 Whether we be like cock or lion there shall be no fight betwixt us on any other stake.

22.75 With these words Amycus took and blared upon his hollow shell, and quickly in answer to his call came the thick-haired Bebrycians and gathered themselves together beneath the shady platens. And in like manner all the heroes of the ship of Magnesia were fetched by Castor the peerless man-o’-war. And so the twain braced their hands with the leathern coils and twined the long straps about their arms, and forth and entered the ring breathing slaughter each against the other.

22.83 Now was there much ado which should have the sunshine at his back; but he cunning of my Polydeuces outwent the mighty man, and those beams did fall full in Amycus his face. So goes master Amycus in high dudgeon forward with many outs and levellings o’s fists. But the child of Tyndareüs was ready, and catched him a blow on the point o’ the chin; the which did the more prick him on and make him to betumble his fighting, so that he went in head-down and full-tilt. At that the Bebrycians holla’d him on, and they of the other part cried cheerily unto the stalwart Polydeuces for fear this Tityus of a man should haply overpeise him and so bear him down in that narrow room. But the son of Zeus stood up to him first on this side and then on that, and touched him left and right and left again; and for all his puissance the child of Poseidon was stayed in ‘s onset, insomuch that he stood all drunken with his drubbing and spit out the crimson blood. Whereat all the mighty men gave joyful tongue together by reason of the grievous bruises he had both by cheek and jowl; for his eyes were all-to-straitened with the puffing of their sockets. Next did my lord maze his man awhile with sundry feints and divers passes all about, and then, as soon as he had him all abroad, let drive at him to the bone, and laid him flatlong amid the springing flowers.

22.107 His rising was the renewing of the fray, and a bitter one; aye, now were those swingeing iron gloves to fight unto death. The high lord of Bebrycia, he was all for the chest and none for the head; but as for the never-to-be-beaten Polydeuces, he was for pounding and braying the face with ugly shameful blows: and lo! the flesh of the one began to shrink with the sweating, and eftsoons was a great man made little; but even as the other’s labour increased, so waxed his limbs ever more full and round and his colour ever better.

22.115 Now Muse, I pray thee tell – for thou knowest it – how the child of Zeus destroyed that glutton; and he that plays thy interpreter will say what thou willest and even as thou choosest.

22.118 Then did Amycus, as who should achieve some great thing, come from his ward and with his left hand grasp Polydeuces’ left, and going in with the other, drive the flat of his hand ^note from his right flank. And had the blow come home, he had wrought harm to the king of Amyclae. But lo! my lord slips his head aside and the same moment struck out forth-right from the shoulder and smote him under the left temple; and from that gaping temple the red blood came spirting. Then his left hand did beat him in the mouth, so that the rows of teeth in ‘t crackled again; aye, and an ever livelier patter o’ the fists did maul the face of him till his visage was all one mash. Then down went he in a heap and lay like to swoon upon the ground; and up with both his hands for to cry the battle off, because he was nigh unto death. But thou, good boxer Polydeuces, for all thy victory didst nothing presumptuous. Only wouldst thou have him swear a great oath by the name of his father Poseidon in the sea, that he would nevermore do annoyance unto strangers.