brood, Eight nestlings, and the mother-bird the ninth— So many years the war shall last; the tenth Shall give into our hands the stately Troy.’
“So spake the seer; thus far his words are true. Bide ye then here, ye well-greaved sons of Greece, Until the city of Priam shall be ours.”
He spake, and loud applause thereon ensued From all the Greeks, and fearfully the ships Rang with the clamorous voices uttering The praises of Ulysses and his words. Then Nestor, the Gerenian knight, arose And thus addressed them: “Strangely ye behave, Like boys unwonted to the tasks of war. Where now are all your promises and oaths? Shall all our counselings and all our cares, Leagues made with wine, religiously outpoured, And plightings of the strong right hand, be cast Into the flames? Idly we keep alive A strife of words, which serves no end though long We loiter here! But thou, Atrides, firm Of purpose, give command that now the Greeks Move to the war, and leave to meet their fate Those—one or more—who, parting from our host, Meditate—but I deem in vain—to flee Homeward to Argos ere they are assured Whether the word of Jove omnipotent Be false or true. For when the Greeks embarked In their swift ships, to carry death and fate To Ilium’s sons, almighty Jupiter Flung down his lightnings on the right and gave Propitious omens. Therefore let no Greek Go home till he possess a Trojan wife And ye have signally avenged the wrongs And griefs of Helen. Yet, if one be here Who longs to go, let him but lay his hand On his black ship, prepared to cross the deep, And he shall die before the rest. But thou, O king, be wisely counselled, lend an ear To others, nor neglect what I propose. Marshal the Greeks by tribes and brotherhoods, That tribe may stand by tribe, and brotherhoods Succor each other; if thou thus command And they obey, thou shalt discern which chief Or soldier is faint-hearted, which is brave, For each will fight his best, and thou shalt know Whether through favor of the gods to Troy, Or our own cowardice and shameful lack Of skill in war, the town is not o’erthrown.”