He spake; and Hector held the sceptre forth, And swore: “Be Jupiter the Thunderer, Husband of Juno, witness, that those steeds Shall bear no other Trojan than thyself. That honor I confirm to thee alone.”
He spake. It was an idle oath, yet gave New courage to the spy, who instantly Upon his shoulders hung his crooked bow, And round him flung a gray wolf’s hide, and placed A casque of otter-skin upon his head, And took his pointed javelin, and made haste To reach the Grecian fleet. Yet was he doomed Never to leave that fleet again, nor bring Tidings to Hector. Soon was he beyond The crowd of men and steeds, and eagerly Held on his way. Ulysses first perceived His coming, and thus spake to Diomed:—
“Someone, Tydides, from the enemy’s camp Is coming, either as a spy, or else To spoil the dead. First let us suffer him To pass us by a little on the plain, Then let us rush and seize him. Should his speed Be greater than our own, let us attack The fugitive with spears, and drive him on To where our ships are lying, from his camp, Lest, flying townward, he escape our hands.”
He spake; and both lay down without the path Among the dead, while he unwarily Passed by them. When he now had gone as far As two yoked mules might at the furrow’s end Precede a pair of oxen—for by mules The plough is drawn more quickly through the soil Of the deep fallow—then they rose, and rushed To seize him. As he heard their steps he stopped. In hope that his companions had been sent From Troy by Hector to conduct him back. But when they came within a javelin’s cast,