Diores, heel touching heel and shoulder shoulder: were the

course but longer, he would be shooting on and darting

beyond him, and turning a doubtful race to a victory.

Now they were just at the end of the course, all panting 25

as they reached the goal, when Nisus, the ill-starred, slides

in a puddle of blood, which lay there just as it had been

spilt after a sacrifice of bullocks, soaking the ground and

the growing grass. Poor youth! just in the moment of

triumph, he could not keep his sliddery footing on the soil 30

he trod, but fell flat in the very middle of unclean ordure