Book X

BOOK X

NOW the other princes of the Achaeans slept soundly the whole

night through, but Agamemnon son of Atreus was troubled, so that

he could get no rest. As when fair Juno's lord flashes his

lightning in token of great rain or hail or snow when the

snow-flakes whiten the ground, or again as a sign that he will

open the wide jaws of hungry war, even so did Agamemnon heave

many a heavy sigh, for his soul trembled within him. When he

looked upon the plain of Troy he marvelled at the many watchfires

burning in front of Ilius, and at the sound of pipes and flutes

and of the hum of men, but when presently he turned towards the

ships and hosts of the Achaeans, he tore his hair by handfuls

before Jove on high, and groaned aloud for the very disquietness

of his soul. In the end he deemed it best to go at once to Nestor

son of Neleus, and see if between them they could find any way of

the Achaeans from destruction. He therefore rose, put on his

shirt, bound his sandals about his comely feet, flung the skin of

a huge tawny lion over his shoulders--a skin that reached his

feet--and took his spear in his hand.

Neither could Menelaus sleep, for he, too, boded ill for the

Argives who for his sake had sailed from far over the seas to

fight the Trojans. He covered his broad back with the skin of a

spotted panther, put a casque of bronze upon his head, and took

his spear in his brawny hand. Then he went to rouse his brother,

who was by far the most powerful of the Achaeans, and was

honoured by the people as though he were a god. He found him by

the stern of his ship already putting his goodly array about his

shoulders, and right glad was he that his brother had come.

Menelaus spoke first. "Why," said he, "my dear brother, are you

thus arming? Are you going to send any of our comrades to exploit

the Trojans? I greatly fear that no one will do you this service,

and spy upon the enemy alone in the dead of night. It will be a

deed of great daring."

And King Agamemnon answered, "Menelaus, we both of us need shrewd

counsel to save the Argives and our ships, for Jove has changed

his mind, and inclines towards Hector's sacrifices rather than

ours. I never saw nor heard tell of any man as having wrought

such ruin in one day as Hector has now wrought against the sons

of the Achaeans--and that too of his own unaided self, for he is

son neither to god nor goddess. The Argives will rue it long and

deeply. Run, therefore, with all speed by the line of the ships,

and call Ajax and Idomeneus. Meanwhile I will go to Nestor, and