paternal name, and giving each Due honor: bear thyself not haughtily: We too must labor; for when we were born Jove laid this hard condition on us all.”
So spake he, and, dismissing with that charge His brother, hastened to where Nestor lay, The shepherd of his people. Him he found On his soft couch within his tent beside His dark-brown ship. Around him scattered shone His arms—a shield, two spears, a gleaming helm, And pliant belt, with which the ancient man Girded himself when arming to lead on His men to murderous fight;—for not to age The warrior yielded yet. He raised his head, And, leaning on his elbow, questioned thus Atrides: “Who art thou that traversest The camp beside the fleet at dead of night, Alone, while others sleep? Com’st thou to find One of the guardsmen, or a comrade? Speak; Come not in silence thus: what wouldst thou have?”
Then answered Agamemnon, king of men:— “O Nestor, son of Neleus, whom the Greeks All glory in! Thou certainly wilt know Atrides Agamemnon, whom the will Of Jove hath visited with hardships great Beyond what others bear, to last while breath Is in my lungs, and while my knees can move. I wander thus abroad because sweet sleep Comes not to close my eyelids, and the war And slaughter of the Greeks distress me sore. For them I greatly fear, my heart is faint, My mind confounded. In my breast the heart Pants, and my limbs all tremble. If thou wilt— For, as I see, thou also dost not sleep— Come with me to the guards, that we may know Whether, o’ercome by toil and weariness, They give themselves to slumber and forget Their watch. The foe is near us in his camp, And how know we that even now by night He plans not, to attack us in our tents?”
Then Nestor, the Gerenian knight, replied:— “Atrides Agamemnon, glorious king Of men, almighty Jove will not perform For Hector all that Hector plans and hopes; And heavier cares, I think, will yet be his When