Apollo and Minerva, as I know This day will bring misfortune to the Greeks!" So Hector spake, and all the Trojan host And to their homes for bread and pleasant wine, The winds Bore up the fragrant fumes from earth to heaven. 670 675 So, high in hope, they sat the whole night through 680 In warlike lines, and many watch-fires blazed. As when in heaven the stars look brightly forth Are seen, and gladness fills the shepherd's heart, 085 So many fires in sight of Ilium blazed, Lit by the sons of Troy, between the ships A thousand; fifty warriors by each fire And eddying Xanthus: on the plain there shone Sat in its light. Their steeds beside the cars 690 Champing their oats and their white barley—stood, BOOK IX. HE Trojans thus kept watch; while through the night THE The power of Flight, companion of cold Fear, Wrought on the Greeks, and all their bravest men Were bowed beneath a sorrow hard to bear. As when two winds upturn the fishy deep, The north wind and the west, that suddenly the foremost gave The king himself among And, deeply sighing, thus addressed the Greeks: "O friends! the chiefs and princes of the Greeks! Saturnian Jove hath in an evil snare Most cruelly entangled me. He gave His promise once that I should overthrow This strong-walled Ilium, and return; but now Of many warriors. Thus doth it seem good The towers of many a city down to earth, All other might. But let us now obey, As I shall counsel you, and in our ships Haste to our own dear country; for I see 20 25 30 That Troy with its broad streets can ne'er be ours." He spake; and all were silent. Silent long Thou first among the Greeks hast taunted me For war and weak of arm. The young and old 35 40 Have heard the taunt. One of two gifts the son Of wily Saturn hath bestowed on thee: High rank and rule o'er all the rest he gave, But gave thee not the nobler quality Of fortitude. Dost thou then truly deem The Greeks unapt for war and weak of arm, The barks that brought thee from Mycena lie, An end of Troy,- for with the gods we came.' He spake. The Greeks applauded; all admired The words of the horse-tamer Diomed. 45 50 55 Nestor the knight then rose, and thus he spake: Yet hast thou not said all. Thy years are few, бо 65 So few, thou mightest be my youngest son; Will speak of this that yet remains, and none — What I advise. A wretch without a tie Of kin, a lawless man without a home, Is he who takes delight in civil strifes. But let us now give way to the dark night, And make our banquets ready. Let the guards Lie down within the trenches which we digged Without the wall: be this the young men's charge. Who art supreme, and make a feast for all The elder chiefs; it shall become thee well: 70 75 80 Thy tents are full of wine, which ships from Thrace 85 And thou hast all things ready, and a host Of menials. Then, when many throng the board, Thou shalt defer to him who counsels thee Most wisely; for the Greeks have urgent need Beside our galleys lights his multitude 90 |