In turn the monarch Agamemnon spake:— “O aged warrior, thou excellest all The Greeks in council. Would to Jupiter, To Pallas and Apollo, that with me There were but ten such comrades. Priam’s town Would quickly fall before us and be made A desolation. But the god who bears The aegis, Saturn’s son, hath cast on me Much grief, entangling me in idle strifes And angry broils. Achilles and myself Have quarrelled for a maid with bitter words, And I was first incensed. But if again We meet and act as friends, the overthrow That threatens Ilium will not be delayed— Not for an hour. Now all to your repast! And then prepare for battle. First let each See that his spear be sharp, and put his shield In order, give to his swift-footed steeds Their ample forage, and o’erlook his car That it be strong for war; for all the day Shall we maintain the stubborn fight, nor cease Even for a moment, till the night come down To part the wrathful combatants. The band Of each broad buckler shall be moist with sweat On every breast, and weary every arm That wields the spear, and every horse that drags The polished chariot o’er the field shall smoke With sweat. But whosoever shall be found By the beaked ships and skulking from the fray Shall be the feast of birds of prey and dogs!”
He spake; the Argives raised a mighty shout, Loud as when billows lash the beetling shore, Rolled by the south-wind toward some jutting rock On which the waves, whatever wind may blow, Beat ceaselessly. In haste the people rose And went among the ships, and kindled fires Within their tents and took their meal. And one Made offerings to one god; another paid Vows to another of the immortal race; And all implored deliverance from death And danger. Agamemnon, king of men, Offered a fatted ox of five years old To Jupiter Almighty, summoning The elder princes of the Grecian host— Nestor the first, the king Idomeneus, And then the warriors Ajax and the son Of Tydeus, with Ulysses, like to Jove In council, sixth and last. Unbidden came The valiant Menelaus, for he knew The cares that weighed upon his brother’s heart. Then, as they stood around the fatted ox And took in hand the salted barley-meal, King Agamemnon in the circle prayed:—