Book II

BOOK II

Now the other gods and the armed warriors on the plain slept

soundly, but Jove was wakeful, for he was thinking how to do

honour to Achilles, and destroyed much people at the ships of the

Achaeans. In the end he deemed it would be best to send a lying

dream to King Agamemnon; so he called one to him and said to it,

"Lying Dream, go to the ships of the Achaeans, into the tent of

Agamemnon, and say to him word for word as I now bid you. Tell

him to get the Achaeans instantly under arms, for he shall take

Troy. There are no longer divided counsels among the gods; Juno

has brought them to her own mind, and woe betides the Trojans."

The dream went when it had heard its message, and soon reached

the ships of the Achaeans. It sought Agamemnon son of Atreus and

found him in his tent, wrapped in a profound slumber. It hovered

over his head in the likeness of Nestor, son of Neleus, whom

Agamemnon honoured above all his councillors, and said:--

"You are sleeping, son of Atreus; one who has the welfare of his

host and so much other care upon his shoulders should dock his

sleep. Hear me at once, for I come as a messenger from Jove, who,

though he be not near, yet takes thought for you and pities you.

He bids you get the Achaeans instantly under arms, for you shall

take Troy. There are no longer divided counsels among the gods;

Juno has brought them over to her own mind, and woe betides the

Trojans at the hands of Jove. Remember this, and when you wake

see that it does not escape you."

The dream then left him, and he thought of things that were,

surely not to be accomplished. He thought that on that same day

he was to take the city of Priam, but he little knew what was in

the mind of Jove, who had many another hard-fought fight in store

alike for Danaans and Trojans. Then presently he woke, with the

divine message still ringing in his ears; so he sat upright, and

put on his soft shirt so fair and new, and over this his heavy

cloak. He bound his sandals on to his comely feet, and slung his

silver-studded sword about his shoulders; then he took the

imperishable staff of his father, and sallied forth to the ships

of the Achaeans.

The goddess Dawn now wended her way to vast Olympus that she

might herald day to Jove and to the other immortals, and

Agamemnon sent the criers round to call the people in assembly;

so they called them and the people gathered thereon. But first he

summoned a meeting of the elders at the ship of Nestor king of

Pylos, and when they were assembled he laid a cunning counsel