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〃All　who　have　not　since　perished　must　remember　as　though　it　were
yesterday　or　the　day　before；　how　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans　were
detained　in　Aulis　when　we　were　on　our　way　hither　to　make　war　on
Priam　and　the　Trojans。　We　were　ranged　round　about　a　fountain
offering　hecatombs　to　the　gods　upon　their　holy　altars；　and　there
was　a　fine　plane…tree　from　beneath　which　there　welled　a　stream　of
pure　water。　Then　we　saw　a　prodigy；　for　Jove　sent　a　fearful
serpent　out　of　the　ground；　with　blood…red　stains　upon　its　back；
and　it　darted　from　under　the　altar　on　to　the　plane…tree。　Now
there　was　a　brood　of　young　sparrows；　quite　small；　upon　the
topmost　bough；　peeping　out　from　under　the　leaves；　eight　in　all；
and　their　mother　that　hatched　them　made　nine。　The　serpent　ate　the
poor　cheeping　things；　while　the　old　bird　flew　about　lamenting　her
little　ones；　but　the　serpent　threw　his　coils　about　her　and　caught
her　by　the　wing　as　she　was　screaming。　Then；　when　he　had　eaten
both　the　sparrow　and　her　young；　the　god　who　had　sent　him　made　him
bee　a　sign；　for　the　son　of　scheming　Saturn　turned　him　into
stone；　and　we　stood　there　wondering　at　that　which　had　e　to
pass。　Seeing；　then；　that　such　a　fearful　portent　had　broken　in
upon　our　hecatombs；　Calchas　forthwith　declared　to　us　the　oracles
of　heaven。　'Why；　Achaeans；'　said　he；　'are　you　thus　speechless？
Jove　has　sent　us　this　sign；　long　in　ing；　and　long　ere　it　be
fulfilled；　though　its　fame　shall　last　for　ever。　As　the　serpent
ate　the　eight　fledglings　and　the　sparrow　that　hatched　them；　which
makes　nine；　so　shall　we　fight　nine　years　at　Troy；　but　in　the
tenth　shall　take　the　town。'　This　was　what　he　said；　and　now　it　is
all　ing　true。　Stay　here；　therefore；　all　of　you；　till　we　take
the　city　of　Priam。〃

On　this　the　Argives　raised　a　shout；　till　the　ships　rang　again
with　the　uproar。　Nestor；　knight　of　Gerene；　then　addressed　them。
〃Shame　on　you；〃　he　cried；　〃to　stay　talking　here　like　children；
when　you　should　fight　like　men。　Where　are　our　covenants　now；　and
where　the　oaths　that　we　have　taken？　Shall　our　counsels　be　flung
into　the　fire；　with　our　drink…offerings　and　the　right　hands　of
fellowship　wherein　we　have　put　our　trust？　We　waste　our　time　in
words；　and　for　all　our　talking　here　shall　be　no　further　forward。
Stand；　therefore；　son　of　Atreus；　by　your　own　steadfast　purpose；
lead　the　Argives　on　to　battle；　and　leave　this　handful　of　men　to
rot；　who　scheme；　and　scheme　in　vain；　to　get　back　to　Argos　ere
they　have　learned　whether　Jove　be　true　or　a　liar。　For　the　mighty
son　of　Saturn　surely　promised　that　we　should　succeed；　when　we
Argives　set　sail　to　bring　death　and　destruction　upon　the　Trojans。
He　showed　us　favourable　signs　by　flashing　his　lightning　on　our
right　hands；　therefore　let　none　make　haste　to　go　till　he　has
first　lain　with　the　wife　of　some　Trojan；　and　avenged　the　toil　and
sorrow　that　he　has　suffered　for　the　sake　of　Helen。　Nevertheless；
if　any　man　is　in　such　haste　to　be　at　home　again；　let　him　lay　his
hand　to　his　ship　that　he　may　meet　his　doom　in　the　sight　of　all。
But；　O　king；　consider　and　give　ear　to　my　counsel；　for　the　word
that　I　say　may　not　be　neglected　lightly。　Divide　your　men；
Agamemnon；　into　their　several　tribes　and　clans；　that　clans　and
tribes　may　stand　by　and　help　one　another。　If　you　do　this；　and　if
the　Achaeans　obey　you；　you　will　find　out　who；　both　chiefs　and
peoples；　are　brave；　and　who　are　cowards；　for　they　will　vie
against　the　other。　Thus　you　shall　also　learn　whether　it　is
through　the　counsel　of　heaven　or　the　cowardice　of　man　that　you
shall　fail　to　take　the　town。〃

And　Agamemnon　answered；　〃Nestor；　you　have　again　outdone　the　sons
of　the　Achaeans　in　counsel。　Would；　by　Father　Jove；　Minerva；　and
Apollo；　that　I　had　among　them　ten　more　such　councillors；　for　the
city　of　King　Priam　would　then　soon　fall　beneath　our　hands；　and　we
should　sack　it。　But　the　son　of　Saturn　afflicts　me　with　bootless
wranglings　and　strife。　Achilles　and　I　are　quarrelling　about　this
girl；　in　which　matter　I　was　the　first　to　offend；　if　we　can　be　of
one　mind　again；　the　Trojans　will　not　stave　off　destruction　for　a
day。　Now；　therefore；　get　your　morning　meal；　that　our　hosts　join
in　fight。　Whet　well　your　spears；　see　well　to　the　ordering　of　your
shields；　give　good　feeds　to　your　horses；　and　look　your　chariots
carefully　over；　that　we　may　do　battle　the　livelong　day；　for　we
shall　have　no　rest；　not　for　a　moment；　till　night　falls　to　part
us。　The　bands　that　bear　your　shields　shall　be　wet　with　the　sweat
upon　your　shoulders；　your　hands　shall　weary　upon　your　spears；
your　horses　shall　steam　in　front　of　your　chariots；　and　if　I　see
any　man　shirking　the　fight；　or　trying　to　keep　out　of　it　at　the
ships；　there　shall　be　no　help　for　him；　but　he　shall　be　a　prey　to
dogs　and　vultures。〃

Thus　he　spoke；　and　the　Achaeans　roared　applause。　As　when　the
waves　run　high　before　the　blast　of　the　south　wind　and　break　on
some　lofty　headland；　dashing　against　it　and　buffeting　it　without
ceasing；　as　the　storms　from　every　quarter　drive　them；　even　so　did
the　Achaeans　rise　and　hurry　in　all　directions　to　their　ships。
There　they　lighted　their　fires　at　their　tents　and　got　dinner；
offering　sacrifice　every　man　to　one　or　other　of　the　gods；　and
praying　each　one　of　them　that　he　might　live　to　e　out　of　the
fight。　Agamemnon；　king　of　men；　sacrificed　a　fat　five…year…old
bull　to　the　mighty　son　of　Saturn；　and　invited　the　princes　and
elders　of　his　host。　First　he　asked　Nestor　and　King　Idomeneus；
then　the　two　Ajaxes　and　the　son　of　Tydeus；　and　sixthly　Ulysses；
peer　of　gods　in　counsel；　but　Menelaus　came　of　his　own　accord；　for
he　knew　how　busy　his　brother　then　was。　They　stood　round　the　bull
with　the　barley…meal　in　their　hands；　and　Agamemnon　prayed；
saying；　〃Jove；　most　glorious；　supreme；　that　dwellest　in　heaven；
and　ridest　upon　the　storm…cloud；　grant　that　the　sun　may　not　go
down；　nor　the　night　fall；　till　the　palace　of　Priam　is　laid　low；
and　its　gates　are　consumed　with　fire。　Grant　that　my　sword　may
pierce　the　shirt　of　Hector　about　his　heart；　and　that　full　many　of
his　rades　may　bite　the　dust　as　they　fall　dying　round　him。〃

Thus　he　prayed；　but　the　son　of　Saturn　would　not　fulfil　his
prayer。　He　accepted　the　sacrifice；　yet　none　the　less　increased
their　toil　continually。　When　they　had　done　praying　and　sprinkling
the　barley…meal　upon　the　victim；　they　drew　back　its　head；　killed
it；　and　then　flayed　it。　They　cut　out　the　thigh…bones；　wrapped
them　round　in　two　layers　of　fat；　and　set　pieces　of　raw　meat　on
the　top　of　them。　These　they　burned　upon　the　split　logs　of
firewood；　but　they　spitted　the　inward　meats；　and　held　them　in　the
flames　to　cook。　When　the　thigh…bones　were　burned；　and　they　had
tasted　the　inward　meats；　they　cut　the　rest　up　small；　put　the
pieces　upon　spits；　roasted　them　till　they　were　done；　and　drew
them　off；　then；　when　they　had　finished　their　work　and　the　feast
was　ready；　they　ate　it；　and　every　man　had　his　full　share；　so　that
all　were　satisfied。　As　soon　as　they　had　had　enough　to　eat　and
drink；　Nestor；　knight　of　Gerene；　began　to　speak。　〃King
Agamemnon；〃　said　he；　〃let　us　not　stay　talking　here；　nor　be　slack
in　the　work　that　heaven　has　put　into　our　hands。　Let　the　heralds
summon　the　people　to　gather　at　their　several　ships；　we　will　then
go　about　among　the　host；　that　we　may　begin　fighting　at　once。〃

Thus　did　he　speak；　and　Agamemnon　heeded　his　words。　He　at　once
sent　the　criers　round　to　call　the　people　in　assembly。　So　they
called　them；　and　the　people　gathered　thereon。　The　chiefs　about
the　son　of　Atreus　chose　their　men　and　marshalled　them；　while
Minerva　went　among　them　holding　her　priceless　aegis　that　knows
neither　age　nor　death。　From　it　there　waved　a　hundred　tassels　of
pure　gold；　all　deftly　woven；　and　each　one　of　them　worth　a　hundred
oxen。　With　this　she　darted　furiously　everywhere　among　the　hosts
of　the　Achaeans；　urging　them　forward；　and　putting　courage　into
the　heart　of　each；　so　that　he　might　fight　and　do　battle　without
ceasing。　Thus　war　became　sweeter　in　their　eyes　even　than
returning　home　in　their　ships。　As　when　some　great　forest　fire　is
raging　upon　a　mountain　top　and　its　light　is　seen　afar；　even　so　as
they　marched　the　gleam　of　their　armour　flashed　up　into　the
firmament　of　heaven。

They　were　like　great　flocks　of　geese；　or　cranes；　or　swans　on　the
plain　about　the　waters　of　Cayster；　that　wing　their　way　hither　and
thither；　glorying　in　the　pride　of　flight；　and　crying　as　they
settle　till　the　fen　is　alive　with　their　screaming。　Even　thus　did
their　tribes　pour　from　ships　and　tents　on　to　the　plain　of　the
Scamander；　and　the　ground　rang　as　brass　under　the　feet　of　men　and
horses。　They　stood　as　thick　upon　the　flower…bespangled　field　as
leaves　that　bloom　in　summer。

As　countless　swarms　of　flies　buzz　around　a　herdsman's　homestead
in　the　time　of　spring　when　the　pails　are　drenched　with　milk；　even
so　did　the　Achaeans　swarm　on　to　the　plain　to　charge　the　Trojans
and　destroy　them。

The　chiefs　disposed　their　men　this　way　and　that　before　the　fight
began；　drafting　them　out　as　easily　as　goatherds　draft　their
flocks　when　they　have　got　mixed　while　feeding；　and　among　them
went　King　Agamemnon；　with　a　head　and　face　like　Jove　the　lord　of
thunder；　a　waist　like　Mars；　and　a　chest　like　that　of　Neptune。　As
some　great　bull　that　lords　it　over　t