“And let no man, too vain of horsemanship, And trusting in his valor, dare advance Beyond the rest to attack the men of Troy, Nor let him fall behind the rest, to make Our ranks the weaker. Whoso from his car Can reach an enemy’s, let him stand and strike With his long spear, for ’tis the shrewder way. By rules like these, which their brave hearts obeyed, The men of yore laid level towns and towers.”

The aged man, long versed in tasks of war, Counselled them thus. King Agamemnon heard, Delighted, and in wingèd words he said:⁠—

“O aged man, would that thy knees were firm As is thy purpose, and thy strength as great! But age, the common fate of all, has worn Thy frame: would that some others had thy age, And thou wert of the number of our youths!”