The Night-Adventure of Diomed and Ulysses
Agamemnon’s distress at the obstinacy of Achilles—Consults with Menelaus, Nestor, Ulysses, and Diomed—A council—Diomed and Ulysses set out for the enemy’s camp to learn his designs—Death of Dolon, the Trojan Spy—Rhesus the Thracian killed in his tent and his horses taken.
All the night long the captains of the Greeks Slept at the ships, and pleasant was their sleep— Save only Agamemnon, Atreus’ son, The shepherd of the people. Not to him— Vexed with a thousand cares—came gentle sleep. As when the husband of the light-haired queen Of heaven sends forth his thunders, ushering in Some wide-involving shower—rain, hail, or snow Whitening the fields—or opening o’er some land The ravenous jaws of unrelenting war— So frequent were the groans which from his heart Atrides uttered; for within his breast His heart was troubled. Looking toward the plain Of Troy, he wondered at the many fires Blazing before the city, and the sound Of flutes and fifes, and tumult of the crowd. But when he turned him toward the fleet and host Of Greece, he tore his hair, and flung it up To Jove, and vented his great heart in groans. And now at length it seemed to him most wise To seek Neleian Nestor, and with him Devise some plan by which to turn aside The threatened evil from the Greeks. He rose, And drew his tunic o’er his breast, and laced The graceful sandals to his well-shaped feet; And o’er his shoulders threw the blood-stained hide Of a huge tawny lion, that reached down Even to the ground; and took in hand his spear. Meantime with like uneasy thoughts oppressed Was Menelaus, to whose eyes there came No slumber—dreading lest calamity Should light upon the Greeks, who for his sake Had crossed the sea to carry war to Troy.