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〃My　friends；〃　he　said；　〃heroes；　servants　of　Mars；　the　hand　of
heaven　has　been　laid　heavily　upon　me。　Cruel　Jove　gave　me　his
solemn　promise　that　I　should　sack　the　city　of　Priam　before
returning；　but　he　has　played　me　false；　and　is　now　bidding　me　go
ingloriously　back　to　Argos　with　the　loss　of　much　people。　Such　is
the　will　of　Jove；　who　has　laid　many　a　proud　city　in　the　dust；　as
he　will　yet　lay　others；　for　his　power　is　above　all。　It　will　be　a
sorry　tale　hereafter　that　an　Achaean　host；　at　once　so　great　and
valiant；　battled　in　vain　against　men　fewer　in　number　than
themselves；　but　as　yet　the　end　is　not　in　sight。　Think　that　the
Achaeans　and　Trojans　have　sworn　to　a　solemn　covenant；　and　that
they　have　each　been　numberedthe　Trojans　by　the　roll　of　their
householders；　and　we　by　panies　of　ten；　think　further　that　each
of　our　panies　desired　to　have　a　Trojan　householder　to　pour　out
their　wine；　we　are　so　greatly　more　in　number　that　full　many　a
pany　would　have　to　go　without　its　cup…bearer。　But　they　have　in
the　town　allies　from　other　places；　and　it　is　these　that　hinder　me
from　being　able　to　sack　the　rich　city　of　Ilius。　Nine　of　Jove's
years　are　gone；　the　timbers　of　our　ships　have　rotted；　their
tackling　is　sound　no　longer。　Our　wives　and　little　ones　at　home
look　anxiously　for　our　ing；　but　the　work　that　we　came　hither
to　do　has　not　been　done。　Now；　therefore；　let　us　all　do　as　I　say：
let　us　sail　back　to　our　own　land；　for　we　shall　not　take　Troy。〃

With　these　words　he　moved　the　hearts　of　the　multitude；　so　many　of
them　as　knew　not　the　cunning　counsel　of　Agamemnon。　They　surged　to
and　fro　like　the　waves　of　the　Icarian　Sea；　when　the　east　and
south　winds　break　from　heaven's　clouds　to　lash　them；　or　as　when
the　west　wind　sweeps　over　a　field　of　corn　and　the　ears　bow
beneath　the　blast；　even　so　were　they　swayed　as　they　flew　with
loud　cries　towards　the　ships；　and　the　dust　from　under　their　feet
rose　heavenward。　They　cheered　each　other　on　to　draw　the　ships
into　the　sea；　they　cleared　the　channels　in　front　of　them；　they
began　taking　away　the　stays　from　underneath　them；　and　the　welkin
rang　with　their　glad　cries；　so　eager　were　they　to　return。

Then　surely　the　Argives　would　have　returned　after　a　fashion　that
was　not　fated。　But　Juno　said　to　Minerva；　〃Alas；　daughter　of
aegis…bearing　Jove；　unweariable；　shall　the　Argives　fly　home　to
their　own　land　over　the　broad　sea；　and　leave　Priam　and　the
Trojans　the　glory　of　still　keeping　Helen；　for　whose　sake　so　many
of　the　Achaeans　have　died　at　Troy；　far　from　their　homes？　Go　about
at　once　among　the　host；　and　speak　fairly　to　them；　man　by　man；
that　they　draw　not　their　ships　into　the　sea。〃

Minerva　was　not　slack　to　do　her　bidding。　Down　she　darted　from　the
topmost　summits　of　Olympus；　and　in　a　moment　she　was　at　the　ships
of　the　Achaeans。　There　she　found　Ulysses；　peer　of　Jove　in
counsel；　standing　alone。　He　had　not　as　yet　laid　a　hand　upon　his
ship；　for　he　was　grieved　and　sorry；　so　she　went　close　up　to　him
and　said；　〃Ulysses；　noble　son　of　Laertes；　are　you　going　to　fling
yourselves　into　your　ships　and　be　off　home　to　your　own　land　in
this　way？　Will　you　leave　Priam　and　the　Trojans　the　glory　of　still
keeping　Helen；　for　whose　sake　so　many　of　the　Achaeans　have　died
at　Troy；　far　from　their　homes？　Go　about　at　once　among　the　host；
and　speak　fairly　to　them；　man　by　man；　that　they　draw　not　their
ships　into　the　sea。〃

Ulysses　knew　the　voice　as　that　of　the　goddess：　he　flung　his　cloak
from　him　and　set　off　to　run。　His　servant　Eurybates；　a　man　of
Ithaca；　who　waited　on　him；　took　charge　of　the　cloak；　whereon
Ulysses　went　straight　up　to　Agamemnon　and　received　from　him　his
ancestral；　imperishable　staff。　With　this　he　went　about　among　the
ships　of　the　Achaeans。

Whenever　he　met　a　king　or　chieftain；　he　stood　by　him　and　spoke
him　fairly。　〃Sir；〃　said　he；　〃this　flight　is　cowardly　and
unworthy。　Stand　to　your　post；　and　bid　your　people　also　keep　their
places。　You　do　not　yet　know　the　full　mind　of　Agamemnon；　he　was
sounding　us；　and　ere　long　will　visit　the　Achaeans　with　his
displeasure。　We　were　not　all　of　us　at　the　council　to　hear　what　he
then　said；　see　to　it　lest　he　be　angry　and　do　us　a　mischief；　for
the　pride　of　kings　is　great；　and　the　hand　of　Jove　is　with　them。〃

But　when　he　came　across　any　mon　man　who　was　making　a　noise；　he
struck　him　with　his　staff　and　rebuked　him；　saying；　〃Sirrah；　hold
your　peace；　and　listen　to　better　men　than　yourself。　You　are　a
coward　and　no　soldier；　you　are　nobody　either　in　fight　or　council；
we　cannot　all　be　kings；　it　is　not　well　that　there　should　be　many
masters；　one　man　must　be　supremeone　king　to　whom　the　son　of
scheming　Saturn　has　given　the　sceptre　of　sovereignty　over　you
all。〃

Thus　masterfully　did　he　go　about　among　the　host；　and　the　people
hurried　back　to　the　council　from　their　tents　and　ships　with　a
sound　as　the　thunder　of　surf　when　it　es　crashing　down　upon　the
shore；　and　all　the　sea　is　in　an　uproar。

The　rest　now　took　their　seats　and　kept　to　their　own　several
places；　but　Thersites　still　went　on　wagging　his　unbridled
tonguea　man　of　many　words；　and　those　unseemly；　a　monger　of
sedition；　a　railer　against　all　who　were　in　authority；　who　cared
not　what　he　said；　so　that　he　might　set　the　Achaeans　in　a　laugh。
He　was　the　ugliest　man　of　all　those　that　came　before
Troybandy…legged；　lame　of　one　foot；　with　his　two　shoulders
rounded　and　hunched　over　his　chest。　His　head　ran　up　to　a　point；
but　there　was　little　hair　on　the　top　of　it。　Achilles　and　Ulysses
hated　him　worst　of　all；　for　it　was　with　them　that　he　was　most
wont　to　wrangle；　now；　however；　with　a　shrill　squeaky　voice　he
began　heaping　his　abuse　on　Agamemnon。　The　Achaeans　were　angry　and
disgusted；　yet　none　the　less　he　kept　on　brawling　and　bawling　at
the　son　of　Atreus。

〃Agamemnon；〃　he　cried；　〃what　ails　you　now；　and　what　more　do　you
want？　Your　tents　are　filled　with　bronze　and　with　fair　women；　for
whenever　we　take　a　town　we　give　you　the　pick　of　them。　Would　you
have　yet　more　gold；　which　some　Trojan　is　to　give　you　as　a　ransom
for　his　son；　when　I　or　another　Achaean　has　taken　him　prisoner？　or
is　it　some　young　girl　to　hide　and　lie　with？　It　is　not　well　that
you；　the　ruler　of　the　Achaeans；　should　bring　them　into　such
misery。　Weakling　cowards；　women　rather　than　men；　let　us　sail
home；　and　leave　this　fellow　here　at　Troy　to　stew　in　his　own　meeds
of　honour；　and　discover　whether　we　were　of　any　service　to　him　or
no。　Achilles　is　a　much　better　man　than　he　is；　and　see　how　he　has
treated　himrobbing　him　of　his　prize　and　keeping　it　himself。
Achilles　takes　it　meekly　and　shows　no　fight；　if　he　did；　son　of
Atreus；　you　would　never　again　insult　him。〃

Thus　railed　Thersites；　but　Ulysses　at　once　went　up　to　him　and
rebuked　him　sternly。　〃Check　your　glib　tongue；　Thersites；〃　said
be；　〃and　babble　not　a　word　further。　Chide　not　with　princes　when
you　have　none　to　back　you。　There　is　no　viler　creature　e　before
Troy　with　the　sons　of　Atreus。　Drop　this　chatter　about　kings；　and
neither　revile　them　nor　keep　harping　about　going　home。　We　do　not
yet　know　how　things　are　going　to　be；　nor　whether　the　Achaeans　are
to　return　with　good　success　or　evil。　How　dare　you　gibe　at
Agamemnon　because　the　Danaans　have　awarded　him　so　many　prizes？　I
tell　you；　thereforeand　it　shall　surely　bethat　if　I　again
catch　you　talking　such　nonsense；　I　will　either　forfeit　my　own
head　and　be　no　more　called　father　of　Telemachus；　or　I　will　take
you；　strip　you　stark　naked；　and　whip　you　out　of　the　assembly　till
you　go　blubbering　back　to　the　ships。〃

On　this　he　beat　him　with　his　staff　about　the　back　and　shoulders
till　he　dropped　and　fell　a…weeping。　The　golden　sceptre　raised　a
bloody　weal　on　his　back；　so　he　sat　down　frightened　and　in　pain；
looking　foolish　as　he　wiped　the　tears　from　his　eyes。　The　people
were　sorry　for　him；　yet　they　laughed　heartily；　and　one　would　turn
to　his　neighbour　saying；　〃Ulysses　has　done　many　a　good　thing　ere
now　in　fight　and　council；　but　he　never　did　the　Argives　a　better
turn　than　when　he　stopped　this　fellow's　mouth　from　prating
further。　He　will　give　the　kings　no　more　of　his　insolence。〃

Thus　said　the　people。　Then　Ulysses　rose；　sceptre　in　hand；　and
Minerva　in　the　likeness　of　a　herald　bade　the　people　be　still；
that　those　who　were　far　off　might　hear　him　and　consider　his
council。　He　therefore　with　all　sincerity　and　goodwill　addressed
them　thus：

〃King　Agamemnon；　the　Achaeans　are　for　making　you　a　by…word　among
all　mankind。　They　forget　the　promise　they　made　you　when　they　set
out　from　Argos；　that　you　should　not　return　till　you　had　sacked
the　town　of　Troy；　and；　like　children　or　widowed　women；　they
murmur　and　would　set　off　homeward。　True　it　is　that　they　have　had
toil　enough　to　be　disheartened。　A　man　chafes　at　having　to　stay
away　from　his　wife　even　for　a　single　month；　when　he　is　on
shipboard；　at　the　mercy　of　wind　and　sea；　but　it　is　now　nine　long
years　that　we　have　been　kept　here；　I　cannot；　therefore；　blame　the
Achaeans　if　they　turn　restive；　still　we　shall　be　shamed　if　we　go
home　empty　after　so　long　a　staytherefore；　my　friends；　be
patient　yet　a　little　longer　that　we　may　learn　whether　the
prophesyings　of　Calchas　were　false　or　true。

〃All　who　have　not　since　perished　must　remember　as　though　it　were
yesterday　or　the　day　before；　how　the　s