of the vault.  Believing this creature to be an attendant on his father’s spirit, AEneas offered rich sacrifices—­ewes, sows, and bullocks—­and his companions followed his example.  The eight days of feasting passed pleasantly enough, and the morning appointed for the funeral games dawned bright and serene.  A joyous crowd assembled on the shore, some to take part in the contests, and others to watch them.  The first of the games was a race between galleys, and four ships had been entered to take part in it.  The first was the Pristis, or Shark, of which Mnestheus was the captain.  The Chimera, a vessel of immense size, was commanded by Gyas.  The other vessels were the Centaur and the Scylla,—­the first commanded by Sergestus, and the second by Cloanthus.  Some way out in the sea, opposite to the starting-point, a rock rose amid the restless waters.  The galleys were to round this rock, on which AEneas had planted an oak-tree as a mark, and then return to the shore.  The vessels were assigned their places by lot, and the captain of each took his place on the poop; while the rowers, stripped to the waist, their shoulders glistening with oil, sat with their arms stretched to the oars, eager for the signal.  At the blast of a trumpet all the oars struck the sea at once, and beat it into foam, and the vessels shot forward amid the loud shouts of the multitude.  The Chimera, under Gyas’s skillful guidance, took the lead; next followed the Scylla, whose rowers were more efficient, but were unable to make such progress, because the vessel was naturally slower.  Behind the Shark and the Centaur followed close together, and first the one and then the other gained a slight advantage.  The two leading vessels were rapidly nearing the rock when Gyas perceived that his helmsman, Menoetes, was keeping a course too far to the right, in fear of some hidden crags, and was thus losing the advantage that had been gained.  He urged him to steer more to the left, nor to care even if the oars grazed the rock; but Menoetes was afraid to obey the command.  And now Cloanthus in the Scylla, taking the very course Gyas had wished to follow, ran boldly between the Chimera and the rock, and so got round the goal in front of his antagonist.  When Gyas beheld this he was full of wrath.  Rushing to the helm, he seized the over-cautious Menoetes and hurled him into the sea; then he himself took the helm, and at once guided his ship and issued commands and cries of encouragement to his oarsmen.  The luckless Menoetes with difficulty contrived to scramble out of the sea onto the rock, and sat there in his dripping garments, while the spectators roared with laughter at his misadventure.  But now Mnestheus in the Shark and Sergestus in the Centaur pushed forward with redoubled zeal in the hope of obtaining the lead.  Sergestus got a little in front of his competitor, but Mnestheus, walking among his rowers, urged them to put forth their utmost strength, and at least not to suffer the disgrace of