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