And when the crowd was seated and had paused From clamor, Agamemnon rose. He held The sceptre; Vulcan’s skill had fashioned it, And Vulcan gave it to Saturnian Jove, And Jove bestowed it on his messenger, The Argus-queller Hermes. He in turn Gave it to Pelops, great in horsemanship; And Pelops passed the gift to Atreus next, The people’s shepherd. Atreus, when he died, Bequeathed it to Thyestes, rich in flocks; And last, Thyestes left it to be borne By Agamemnon, symbol of his rule O’er many isles and all the Argive realm. Leaning on this, he spake these wingèd words:⁠—