Homer, Iliad

§ 9.510 but if a man denieth them and stubbornly refuseth, then they go their way and make prayer to Zeus, son of Cronos, that Ate may follow after such a one to the end that he may fall and pay full atonement. Nay, Achilles, see thou too that reverence attend upon the daughters of Zeus, even such as bendeth the hearts of all men that are upright.

§ 9.515 For if the son of Atreus were not offering thee gifts and telling of yet others hereafter, but were ever furiously wroth, I of a surety should not bid thee cast aside thine anger and bear aid to the Argives even in their sore need. But now he offereth thee many gifts forthwith, and promiseth thee more hereafter,

§ 9.520 and hath sent forth warriors to beseech thee, choosing them that are best throughout the host of the Achaeans, and that to thine own self are dearest of the Argives; have not thou scorn of their words, neither of their coming hither; though till then no man could blame thee that thou wast wroth. Even in this manner have we heard the fame of men of old

§ 9.525 that were warriors, whenso furious wrath came upon any; won might they be by gifts, and turned aside by pleadings. Myself I bear in mind this deed of old days and not of yesterday, how it was; and I will tell it among you that are all my friends. The Curetes on a time were fighting and the Aetolians staunch in battle

§ 9.530 around the city of Calydon, and were slaying one another, the Aetolians defending lovely Calydon and the Curetes fain to waste it utterly in war. For upon their folk had Artemis of the golden throne sent a plague in wrath that Oeneus offered not to her the first-fruits of the harvest in his rich orchard land;

§ 9.535 whereas the other gods feasted on hecatombs, and it was to the daughter of great Zeus alone that he offered not, whether haply he forgat, or marked it not; and he was greatly blinded in heart. Thereat the Archer-goddess, the child of Zeus, waxed wroth and sent against him a fierce wild boar, white of tusk,

§ 9.540 that wrought much evil, wasting the orchard land of Oeneus; many a tall tree did he uproot and cast upon the ground, aye, root and apple blossom therewith. But the boar did Meleager, son of Oeneus, slay, when he had gathered out of many cities huntsmen

§ 9.545 and hounds; for not of few men could the boar have been slain, so huge was he; and many a man set he upon the grievous pyre. But about his body the goddess brought to pass much clamour and shouting concerning his head and shaggy hide, between the Curetes and the great-souled Aetolians.

§ 9.550 Now so long as Meleager, dear to Ares, warred, so long went it ill with the Curetes, nor might they abide without their wall, for all they were very many. But when wrath entered into Meleager, wrath that maketh the heart to swell in the breasts also of others, even though they be wise,

§ 9.555 he then, wroth at heart against his dear mother Althaea, abode beside his wedded wife, the fair Cleopatra, daughter of Marpessa of the fair ankles, child of Evenus, and of Idas that was mightiest of men that were then upon the face of earth; who also took his bow to face the king

§ 9.560 Phoebus Apollo for the sake of the fair-ankled maid. Her of old in their halls had her father and honoured mother called Halcyone by name, for that the mother herself in a plight even as that of the halcyon-bird of many sorrows, wept because Apollo that worketh afar had snatched her child away.

§ 9.565 By her side lay Meleager nursing his bitter anger, wroth because of his mother's curses; for she prayed instantly to the gods, being grieved for her brother's slaying; and furthermore instantly beat with her hands upon the all-nurturing earth, calling upon Hades and dread Persephone,

§ 9.570 the while she knelt and made the folds of her bosom wet with tears, that they should bring death upon her son; and the Erinys that walketh in darkness heard her from Erebus, even she of the ungentle heart. Now anon was the din of the foemen risen about their gates, and the noise of the battering of walls, and to Meleager the elders

§ 9.575 of the Aetolians made prayer, sending to him the best of the priests of the gods, that he should come forth and succour them, and they promised him a mighty gift; they bade him, where the plain of lovely Calydon was fattest, there choose a fair tract of fifty acres, the half of it vineland,

§ 9.580 and the half clear plough-land, to be cut from out the plain. And earnestly the old horseman Oeneus besought him, standing upon the threshold of his high-roofed chamber, and shaking the jointed doors, in prayer to his son, and earnestly too did his sisters and his honoured mother beseech him

§ 9.585 —but he denied them yet more—and earnestly his companions that were truest and dearest to him of all; yet not even so could they persuade the heart in his breast, until at the last his chamber was being hotly battered, and the Curetes were mounting upon the walls and firing the great city.

§ 9.590 Then verily his fair-girdled wife besought Meleager with wailing, and told him all the woes that come on men whose city is taken; the men are slain and the city is wasted by fire, and their children and low-girdled women are led captive of strangers.

§ 9.595 Then was his spirit stirred, as he heard the evil tale, and he went his way and did on his body his gleaming armour. Thus did he ward from the Aetolians the day of evil, yielding to his own spirit; and to him thereafter they paid not the gifts, many and gracious; yet even so did he ward from them evil.

§ 9.600 But, friend, let me not see thee thus minded in heart, neither let heaven turn thee into this path; it were a harder task to save the ships already burning. Nay, come while yet gifts may be had; the Achaeans shall honour thee even as a god. But if without gifts thou enter into the battle, the bane of men,

§ 9.605 thou shalt not then be in like honour, for all thou mayest ward off the battle.” Then in answer to him spake Achilles, swift of foot: “ Phoenix, old sire, my father, nurtured of Zeus, in no wise have I need of this honour: honoured have I been, I deem, by the apportionment of Zeus, which shall be mine amid the beaked ships so long as the breath

§ 9.610 abideth in my breast and my knees are quick. And another thing will I tell thee, and do thou lay it to heart; seek not to confound my spirit by weeping and sorrowing, to do the pleasure of the warrior, son of Atreus; it beseemeth thee not to cherish him, lest thou be hated of me that cherish thee.

§ 9.615 Well were it that with me thou shouldest vex him whosoever vexeth me. Be thou king even as I am, and share the half of my honour. Howbeit these shall bear my message, but abide thou here and lay thee down on a soft couch, and at break of day we will take counsel whether to return to our own or to tarry here.”

§ 9.620 He spake and to Patroclus nodded his brow in silence that he should spread for Phoenix a thick couch, that the others might forthwith bethink them to depart from the hut. But among them Aias, the godlike son of Telamon, spake, saying: “ Zeus —born son of Laertes, Odysseus of many wiles,

§ 9.625 let us go our way, for the fulfillment of the charge laid on us will not methinks be brought to pass by our coming hither; and it behoveth us with speed to declare the message, though it be no wise good, to the Danaans, that, I ween, now sit waiting therefor. But Achilles hath wrought to fury the proud heart within him,

§ 9.630 cruel man! neither recketh he of the love of his comrades wherewith we ever honoured him amid the ships above all others—pitiless one! Lo, a man accepteth recompense from the slayer of his brother, or for his dead son; and the slayer abideth in his own land for the paying of a great price,

§ 9.635 and the kinsman's heart and proud spirit are restrained by the taking of recompense. But as for thee, the gods have put in thy breast a heart that is obdurate and evil by reason of one only girl; whereas we now offer thee seven, far the best that there be, and many other gifts besides; nay then, take to thee a heart of grace,

§ 9.640 and have respect unto thine hall; for under thy roof are we come from the host of the Danaans, and we would fain be nearest to thee and dearest beyond all other Achaeans as many as there be.” Then in answer to him spake Achilles, swift of foot: “ Aias, sprung from Zeus, thou son of Telamon, captain of the host,

§ 9.645 all this thou seemest to speak almost after mine own mind; but my heart swelleth with wrath whenso I think of this, how the son of Atreus hath wrought indignity upon me amid the Argives, as though I were some alien that had no rights. Howbeit do ye go and declare my message,

§ 9.650 for I will not sooner bethink me of bloody war until wise-hearted Priam's son, even goodly Hector, be come to the huts and ships of the Myrmidons, as he slays the Argives, and have smirched the ships with fire. But about my hut and my black ship

§ 9.655 I deem that Hector will be stayed, eager though he be for battle.” So spake he, but they took each man a two handled cup, and when they had made libation went their way along the lines of ships, and Odysseus led. But Patroclus bade his comrades and the handmaids spread forthwith a thick couch for Phoenix;

§ 9.660 and they obeyed, and spread the couch, as he bade, fleeces and a rug and soft fabric of linen. There the old man laid him down and waited for bright Dawn. But Achilles slept in the innermost part of the well-builded hut, and by his side lay a woman that he had brought from Lesbos,

§ 9.665 even the daughter of Phorbas, fair-cheeked Diomede. And Patroclus laid him down on the opposite side, and by him in like manner lay fair-girdled Iphis, whom goodly Achilles had given him when he took steep Scyrus, the city of Enyeus. But when the others were now come to the huts of the son of Atreus,

§ 9.670 the sons of the Achaeans stood up on this side and that and pledged them in cups of gold, and questioned them, and the king of men, Agamemnon, was the first to ask: “Come, tell me now, Odysseus, greatly to be praised, thou great glory of the Achaeans, is he minded to ward off consuming fire from the ships,

§ 9.675 or said he nay, and doth wrath still possess his proud spirit?” Then much-enduring goodly Odysseus answered him: “Most glorious son of Atreus, Agamemnon, king of men, he verily is not minded to quench his wrath but is filled yet more with fury, and will have none of thee, or of thy gifts.

§ 9.680 For thine own self he biddeth thee to take counsel amid the Argives how thou mayest save the ships and the host of the Achaeans. But himself he threateneth that at break of day he will launch upon the sea his well-benched curved ships. Aye and he said that he would counsel others also

§ 9.685 to sail back to their homes, seeing there is no more hope that ye shall win the goal of steep Ilios; for mightily doth Zeus, whose voice is borne afar, hold forth his hand above her, and her people are filled with courage. So spake he, and these be here also to tell thee this, even they that followed with me, Aias and the heralds twain, men of prudence both.

§ 9.690 But the old man Phoenix laid him down there to rest, for so Achilles bade, that he may follow with him on his ships to his dear native land on the morrow, if he will, but perforce will he not take him.” So spake he, and they all became hushed in silence marvelling at his words; for full masterfully did he address their gathering.

§ 9.695 Long time were they silent in their grief, the sons of the Achaeans, but at length there spake among them Diomedes, good at the war-cry: “Most glorious son of Atreus, Agamemnon, king of men, would thou hadst never besought the peerless son of Peleus, nor offered countless gifts; haughty is he even of himself,

§ 9.700 and now hast thou yet far more set him amid haughtinesses. But verily we will let him be; he may depart or he may tarry; hereafter will he fight when the heart in his breast shall bid him, and a god arouse him. But come, even as I shall bid, let us all obey.

§ 9.705 For this present go ye to your rest, when ye have satisfied your hearts with meat and wine, for therein is courage and strength; but so soon as fair, rosy-fingered Dawn appeareth, forthwith do thou array before the ships thy folk and thy chariots, and urge them on; and fight thou thyself amid the foremost.”

§ 9.710 So spake he, and all the kings assented thereto, marvelling at the words of Diomedes, tamer of horses. Then they made libation, and went every man to his hut, and there laid them down and took the gift of sleep.

§ 10.1 BOOK 10 Now beside their ships all the other chieftains of the host of the Achaeans were slumbering the whole night through, overcome of soft sleep, but Agamemnon, son of Atreus, shepherd of the host, was not holden of sweet sleep, so many things debated he in mind.

§ 10.5 Even as when the lord of fair-haired Hera lighteneth, what time he maketh ready either a mighty rain unspeakable or hail or snow, when the snow-flakes sprinkle the fields, or haply the wide mouth of bitter war; even so often did Agamemnon groan from the deep of his breast,

§ 10.10 and his heart trembled within him. So often as he gazed toward the Trojan plain, he marvelled at the many fires that burned before the face of Ilios, and at the sound of flutes and pipes, and the din of men; but whensoever he looked toward the ships and the host of the Achaeans,

§ 10.15 then many were the hairs that he pulled from his head by the very roots in appeal to Zeus that is above, and in his noble heart he groaned mightily. And this plan seemed to his mind the best, to go first of all to Nestor, son of Neleus, if so be he might contrive with him some goodly device

§ 10.20 that should be for the warding off of evil from the Danaan host. So he sate him up and did on his tunic about his breast, and beneath his shining feet bound his fair sandals, and thereafter clad him in the tawny skin of a lion, fiery and great, a skin that reached his feet; and he grasped his spear.

§ 10.25 And even in like manner was Menelaus holden of trembling fear—for on his eyelids too sleep settled not down—lest aught should befall the Argives who for his sake had come to Troy over the wide waters of the sea, pondering in their hearts fierce war. With a leopard's skin first he covered his broad shoulders, a dappled fell,

§ 10.30 and lifted up and set upon his head a helmet of bronze, and grasped a spear in his stout hand. Then he went his way to rouse his brother, that ruled mightily over all the Argives, and was honoured of the folk even as a god. Him he found putting about his shoulders his fair armour

§ 10.35 by the stern of his ship, and welcome was he to him as he came. To him first spake Menelaus, good at the war-cry: “Wherefore, my brother, art thou thus arming? Wilt thou be rousing some man of thy comrades to spy upon the Trojans? Nay, sorely am I afraid lest none should undertake for thee this task,

§ 10.40 to go forth alone and spy upon the foemen, through the immortal night; right hardy of heart must that man be.” Then in answer to him spake lord Agamemnon: “Need have we, both thou and I, O Menelaus, fostered of Zeus, of shrewd counsel that shall save and deliver

§ 10.45 the Argives and their ships, seeing the mind of Zeus is turned. To the sacrifices of Hector, it seemeth, his heart inclineth rather than to ours. For never have I seen neither heard by the telling of another that one man devised in one day so many terrible deeds, as Hector, dear to Zeus, hath wrought upon the sons of the Achaeans, by himself alone,

§ 10.50 he that is not the dear son of goddess or of god. Deeds hath he wrought that methinks will be a sorrow to the Argives for ever and aye, so many evils hath he devised against the Achaeans. But go now, run swiftly along the lines of ships and call hither Aias and Idomeneus, and I will go to goodly Nestor

§ 10.55 and bid him arise, if so be he will be minded to go to the sacred company of the sentinels and give them charge. To him would they hearken as to no other, for his son is captain over the guard, he and Meriones, comrade of Idomeneus; for to them above all we entrusted this charge.”

§ 10.60 Then made answer to him Menelaus, good at the war-cry: “With what meaning doth thy word thus charge and command me? Shall I abide there with them, waiting until thou shalt come, or run back to thee again, when I have duly laid on them thy command?” And to him did the king of men, Agamemnon, make answer, saying:

§ 10.65 “Abide there, lest haply we miss each other as we go, for many are the paths throughout the camp. But lift up thy voice wheresoever thou goest, and bid men be awake, calling each man by his lineage and his father's name, giving due honour to each, and be not thou proud of heart

§ 10.70 but rather let us ourselves be busy; even thus I ween hath Zeus laid upon us even at our birth the heaviness of woe.” So spake he, and sent forth his brother when he had duly given him commandment. But he went his way after Nestor, shepherd of the host, and found him by his hut and his black ship

§ 10.75 on his soft bed, and beside him lay his armour richly dight, his shield and two spears and gleaming helmet. And by his side lay the flashing girdle, wherewith the old man was wont to gird himself, whenso he arrayed him for battle, the bane of men, and led forth his people, for he yielded not to grievous old age.

§ 10.80 He rose upon his elbow, lifting up his head, and spake to the son of Atreus, and questioned him, saying: “Who art thou that art faring alone by the ships throughout the camp in the darkness of night, when other mortals are sleeping? Seekest thou one of thy mules, or of thy comrades?

§ 10.85 Speak, and come not silently upon me. Of what hast thou need?” Then made answer the king of men, Agamemnon: “ Nestor, son of Neleus, great glory of the Achaeans, thou shalt know Agamemnon, son of Atreus, whom beyond all others Zeus hath set amid toils continually,

§ 10.90 so long as the breath abideth in my breast and my knees are quick. I wander thus, because sweet sleep settleth not upon mine eyes, but war is a trouble to me and the woes of the Achaeans. Wondrously do I fear for the Danaans, nor is my mind firm, but I am tossed to and fro, and my heart

§ 10.95 leapeth forth from out my breast, and my glorious limbs tremble beneath me. But if thou wouldest do aught, seeing on thee too sleep cometh not, come, let us go to the sentinels, that we may look to them, lest fordone with toil and drowsiness they be slumbering, and have wholly forgot their watch.

§ 10.100 The foemen bivouac hard by, nor know we at all whether haply they may not be fain to do battle even in the night.” Then made answer to him the horseman Nestor of Gerenia: “Most glorious son of Atreus, Agamemnon, king of men, of a surety not all his purposes shall Zeus the counsellor fulfill for Hector,

§ 10.105 even all that now he thinketh; nay methinks he shall labour amid troubles yet more than ours, if so be Achilles shall turn his heart from grievous anger. Howbeit with thee will I gladly follow, but let us moreover arouse others also, both the son of Tydeus, famed for his spear, and Odysseus,

§ 10.110 and the swift Aias, and the valiant son of Phyleus. And I would that one should go and summon these also, the godlike Aias and lord Idomeneus, for their ships are furthest of all and nowise nigh at hand. But Menelaus will I chide, dear though he be and honoured,

§ 10.115 aye, though thou shouldest be angry with me, nor will I hide my thought, for that he sleepeth thus, and hath suffered thee to toil alone. Now had it been meet that he laboured among all the chieftains, beseeching them, for need has come upon them that may no longer be borne.” And to him did the king of men, Agamemnon, make answer, saying:

§ 10.120 “Old sir, at another time shalt thou chide him even at mine own bidding, seeing he is often slack and not minded to labour, neither yielding to sloth nor to heedlessness of mind, but ever looking to me and awaiting my leading. But now he awoke even before myself, and came to me,

§ 10.125 and myself I sent him forth to summon those of whom thou inquirest. But let us go; we shall find them before the gates amid the sentinels, for there I bade them gather.” Then made answer to him the horseman, Nestor of Gerenia: “So will no man be wroth at him or disobey him

§ 10.130 of all the Argives, whenso he urgeth any man or giveth commands.” So saying he did on his tunic about his breast, and beneath his shining feet bound his fair sandals and around him buckled a purple cloak of double fold and wide, whereon the down was thick.

§ 10.135 And he grasped a mighty spear, tipped with sharp bronze, and went his way among the ships of the brazen-coated Achaeans. Then Odysseus first, the peer of Zeus in counsel, did the horseman, Nestor of Gerenia, awaken out of sleep with his voice, and forthwith the call rang all about his mind

§ 10.140 and he came forth from the hut and spake to them, saying: “How is it that ye fare thus alone by the ships throughout the camp in the immortal night? What need so great hath come upon you?” Then made answer to him the horseman, Nestor of Gerenia: “ Zeus -born son of Laertes, Odysseus of many wiles,

§ 10.145 be not thou wroth, for great sorrow hath overmastered the Achaeans. Nay, follow, that we may arouse another also, whomsoever it behoveth to take counsel, whether to flee or to fight.” So spake he, and Odysseus of many wiles went to the hut and cast about his shoulders a shield richly dight, and followed after them.

§ 10.150 And they came to Tydeus' son, Diomedes, and him they found outside his hut with his arms; and around him his comrades were sleeping with their shields beneath their heads, but their spears were driven into the ground erect on their spikes, and afar shone the bronze like the lightning of father Zeus. But the warrior was sleeping,

§ 10.155 and beneath him was spread the hide of an ox of the field, and beneath his head was stretched a bright carpet. To his side came the horseman, Nestor of Gerenia, and woke him, stirring him with a touch of his heel, and aroused him, and chid him to his face: “Awake, son of Tydeus, why slumberest thou the whole night through in sleep?

§ 10.160 Knowest thou not that the Trojans on the rising ground of the plain are camped hard by the ships, and but scant space still holdeth them off?” So said he, but the other right swiftly sprang up out of sleep, and he spake and addressed him with winged words: “Hardy art thou, old sir, and from toil thou never ceasest.

§ 10.165 Are there not other sons of the Achaeans that be younger, who might then rouse each one of the kings, going everywhere throughout the host? But with thee, old sir, may no man deal.” Then the horseman, Nestor of Gerenia, answered him: “Nay verily, friend, all this hast thou spoken according to right.

§ 10.170 Peerless sons have I, and folk there be full many, of whom any one might go and call others. But in good sooth great need hath overmastered the Achaeans, for now to all it standeth on a razor's edge, either woeful ruin for the Achaeans, or to live.

§ 10.175 But go now and rouse swift Aias and the son of Phyleus, for thou art younger —if so be thou pitiest me.” So spake he, and Diomedes clad about his shoulders the skin of a lion, fiery and great, a skin that reached his feet, and grasped his spear, and he went his way, and roused those warriors from where they were, and brought them.

§ 10.180 Now when they had joined the company of the sentinels as they were gathered together, they found not the leaders of the sentinels asleep, but all were sitting awake with their arms. And even as dogs keep painful watch about sheep in a fold, when they hear the wild beast, stout of heart, that cometh through the wood

§ 10.185 among the hills, and a great din ariseth about him of men and dogs, and from them sleep perisheth; even so from their eyelids did sweet sleep perish, as they kept watch through the evil night; for toward the plain were they ever turning if haply they might hear the Trojans coming on.

§ 10.190 At sight of them the old man waxed glad and heartened them, and spake and addressed them with winged words: “Even so now, dear children, keep your watch, neither let sleep seize any man, lest we become a cause of rejoicing to our foes.” So saying he hasted through the trench, and there followed with him

§ 10.195 the kings of the Argives, even all that had been called to the council. But with them went Meriones and the glorious son of Nestor; for of themselves they bade these share in their counsel. So they went through and out from the digged ditch and sate them down in an open space, where the ground shewed clear of dead men fallen,

§ 10.200 even where mighty Hector had turned back again from destroying the Argives, when night enfolded him. There they sate them down and spake one to the other, and among them the horse-man, Nestor of Gerenia, was first to speak: “My friends, is there then no man who would trust his own venturous spirit

§ 10.205 to go among the great-souled Trojans, if so be he might slay some straggler of the foemen, or haply hear some rumour among the Trojans, and what counsel they devise among themselves, whether to abide where they be by the ships afar, or to withdraw again to the city,

§ 10.210 seeing they have worsted the Achaeans? All this might he learn, and come back to us unscathed: great would his fame be under heaven among all men, and a goodly gift shall be his. For of all the princes that hold sway over the ships,

§ 10.215 of all these shall every man give him a black ewe with a lamb at the teat— therewith may no possession compare;—and ever shall he be with us at feasts and drinking-bouts.” So said he, and they all became hushed in silence. Then spake among them Diomedes, good at the war-cry:

§ 10.220 “ Nestor, my heart and proud spirit urge me to enter the camp of the foemen that are near, even of the Trojans; howbeit if some other man were to follow with me, greater comfort would there be, and greater confidence. When two go together, one discerneth before the other

§ 10.225 how profit may be had; whereas if one alone perceive aught, yet is his wit the shorter, and but slender his device.” So spake he, and many there were that were fain to follow Diomedes. Fain were the two Aiantes, squires of Ares, fain was Meriones, and right fain the son of Nestor,

§ 10.230 fain was the son of Atreus, Menelaus, famed for his spear, and fain too was the stead-fast Odysseus to steal into the throng of the Trojans, for ever daring was the spirit in his breast. Then among them spake the king of men, Agamemnon: “ Diomedes, son of Tydeus, dear to my heart,

§ 10.235 that man shalt thou choose as thy comrade, whomsoever thou wilt, the best of them that offer themselves, for many are eager. And do not thou out of reverent heart leave the better man behind, and take as thy comrade one that is worse, yielding to reverence, and looking to birth, nay, not though one be more kingly.”

§ 10.240 So said he, since he feared for the sake of fair-haired Menelaus. But among them spake again Diomedes, good at the war-cry: “If of a truth ye bid me of myself choose me a comrade, how should I then forget godlike Odysseus, whose heart and proud spirit are beyond all others eager

§ 10.245 in all manner of toils; and Pallas Athene loveth him. If he but follow with me, even out of blazing fire might we both return, for wise above all is he in understanding.” Then spake unto him much enduring goodly Odysseus: “Son of Tydeus, praise me not over-much, neither blame me in aught:

§ 10.250 this thou sayest among the Argives that themselves know all. Nay, let us go, for verily the night is waning and dawn draweth near; lo, the stars have moved onward, and of the night more than two watches have past, and the third alone is left us.” So saying the twain clothed them in their dread armour.

§ 10.255 To Tydeus' son Thrasymedes, staunch in fight, gave a two-edged sword—for his own was left by his ship—and a shield, and about his head he set a helm of bull's hide without horn and without crest, a helm that is called a skull-cap, and that guards the heads of lusty youths.

§ 10.260 And Meriones gave to Odysseus a bow and a quiver and a sword, and about his head he set a helm wrought of hide, and with many a tight-stretched thong was it made stiff within, while without the white teeth of a boar of gleaming tusks were set thick on this side and that,

§ 10.265 well and cunningly, and within was fixed a lining of felt. This cap Autolycus on a time stole out of Eleon when he had broken into the stout-built house of Amyntor, son of Ormenus; and he gave it to Amphidamas of Cythera to take to Scandeia, and Amphidamas gave it to Molus as a guest-gift,

§ 10.270 but he gave it to his own son Meriones to wear; and now, being set thereon, it covered the head of Odysseus. So when the twain had clothed them in their dread armour, they went their way and left there all the chieftains. And for them Pallas Athene sent forth on their right a heron, hard by the way,

§ 10.275 and though they saw it not through the darkness of night, yet they heard its cry. And Odysseus was glad at the omen, and made prayer to Athene: “Hear me, child of Zeus, that beareth the aegis, thou that dost ever stand by my side in all manner of toils, nor am I unseen of thee where'er I move;

§ 10.280 now again be thou my friend, Athene, as ne'er thou wast before, and grant that with goodly renown we come back to the ships, having wrought a great work that shall be a sorrow to the Trojans.” And after him again prayed Diomedes, good at the war-cry: “Hearken thou now also to me, child of Zeus, unwearied one.

§ 10.285 Follow now with me even as thou didst follow with my father, goodly Tydeus, into Thebes, what time he went forth as a messenger of the Achaeans. Them he left by the Asopus, the brazen-coated Achaeans, and he bare a gentle word thither to the Cadmeians; but as he journeyed back he devised deeds right terrible

§ 10.290 with thee, fair goddess, for with a ready heart thou stoodest by his side. Even so now of thine own will stand thou by my side, and guard me. And to thee in return will I sacrifice a sleek heifer, broad of brow, unbroken, which no man hath yet led beneath the yoke. Her will I sacrifice to thee and will overlay her horns with gold.”