She spake; but they already lay in earth In Lacedaemon, their dear native land.
And now the heralds through the city bore The sacred pledges of the gods—two lambs, And joyous wine, the fruit of Earth, within A goat-skin. One of them—Idasus—brought A glistening vase and golden drinking-cups, And summoned, in these words, the aged king:—
“Son of Laomedon, arise! The chiefs Who lead the Trojan knights and brazen-mailed Achaians pray thee to descend at once Into the plain, that thou mayst ratify A faithful compact. Alexander now And warlike Menelaus will contend With their long spears for Helen. She and all Her treasures are to be the conqueror’s prize; While all the other Trojans, having made A faithful league of amity, shall dwell On Ilium’s fertile plain, and all the Greeks Return to Argos, famed for noble steeds, And to Achaia, famed for lovely dames.”
He spake, and Priam, shuddering, heard and bade The attendants yoke the horses to his car. Soon were they yoked; he mounted first and drew The reins; Antenor took a place within The sumptuous car, and through the Scaean gates They guided the fleet coursers toward the field.
Now when the twain had come where lay the hosts Of Trojans and Achaians, down they stepped Upon the teeming earth, and went among The assembled armies. Quickly, as they came, Rose Agamemnon, king of men, and next Uprose the wise Ulysses. To the spot The illustrious heralds brought the sacred things That bind a treaty, and with mingled wine They filled a chalice, and upon the hands Of all the kings poured water. Then the son Of Atreus drew a dagger which he wore Slung by his sword’s huge sheath, and clipped away The forelocks of the lambs, and parted them Among the Trojan and Achaian chiefs, And stood with lifted hands and prayed aloud:—
“O Father Jupiter, who rulest all From Ida, mightiest, most august! And thou, O all-beholding and all-hearing Sun! Ye Rivers, and thou Earth,