Book II - Page 2

before them.

"My friends," said he, "I have had a dream from heaven in the

dead of night, and its face and figure resembled none but

Nestor's. It hovered over my head 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 am 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.' The dream then vanished and I awoke. Let us

now, therefore, arm the sons of the Achaeans. But it will be well

that I should first sound them, and to this end I will tell them

to fly with their ships; but do you others go about among the

host and prevent their doing so."

He then sat down, and Nestor the prince of Pylos with all

sincerity and goodwill addressed them thus: "My friends," said

he, "princes and councillors of the Argives, if any other man of

the Achaeans had told us of this dream we should have declared it

false, and would have had nothing to do with it. But he who has

seen it is the foremost man among us; we must therefore set about

getting the people under arms."

With this he led the way from the assembly, and the other

sceptred kings rose with him in obedience to the word of

Agamemnon; but the people pressed forward to hear. They swarmed

like bees that sally from some hollow cave and flit in countless

throng among the spring flowers, bunched in knots and clusters;

even so did the mighty multitude pour from ships and tents to the

assembly, and range themselves upon the wide-watered shore, while

among them ran Wildfire Rumour, messenger of Jove, urging them

ever to the fore. Thus they gathered in a pell-mell of mad

confusion, and the earth groaned under the tramp of men as the

people sought their places. Nine heralds went crying about among

them to stay their tumult and bid them listen to the kings, till

at last they were got into their several places and ceased their

clamour. Then King Agamemnon rose, holding his sceptre. This was

the work of Vulcan, who gave it to Jove the son of Saturn. Jove

gave it to Mercury, slayer of Argus, guide and guardian. King

Mercury gave it to Pelops, the mighty charioteer, and Pelops to

Atreus, shepherd of his people. Atreus, when he died, left it to

Thyestes, rich in flocks, and Thyestes in his turn left it