THE ILIAD (Completed)

BOOK 10

In night-long slumbers lay the other chiefs Of all the Greeks, by gentle sleep subdued; But not on Agamemnon, Atreus' son, By various cares oppress'd, sweet slumber fell. As when from Jove, the fair-hair'd Juno's Lord, Flashes the lightning, bringing in its train Tempestuous storm of mingled rain and hail Or snow, by winter sprinkled o'er the fields; Or op'ning wide the rav'nous jaws of war; So Agamemnon from his inmost heart Pour'd forth in groans his multitudinous grief, His spirit within him sinking. On the plain He look'd, and there, alarm'd, the watchfires saw, Which, far advanc'd before the walls of Troy, Blaz'd numberless; and thence of pipes and flutes He heard the sound, and busy hum of men. Upon the ships he look'd, and men of Greece, And by the roots his hair in handfuls tore To Jove on high; deep groan'd his mighty heart. Thus as he mus'd, the wisest course appear'd, With Nestor, son of Neleus, to confer, If they some scheme in council might devise To ward destruction from the Grecian host. He rose, and o'er his body drew his vest, And underneath his well-turn'd feet he bound His sandals fair; then o'er his shoulders threw, Down reaching to his feet, a lion's skin, Tawny and vast; then grasp'd his pond'rous spear.

On Menelaus weigh'd an equal dread; Nor on his eyes that night had slumber sat, Lest ill befall the Greeks; who, in his cause, Crossing the wat'ry waste, had come to Troy, And bold defiance to the Trojans giv'n. Round his broad chest a panther's skin he threw; Then on his head his brazen helmet plac'd, And in his brawny hand a lance he bore. To meet his brother went he forth, of Greece The mighty monarch, as a God rever'd. Him by the ship he found, in act to arm; And welcome was his presence to the King.

Then valiant Menelaus first began: "Why thus in arms, good brother? seek'st thou one The Trojan camp to spy? I greatly fear That none will undertake the task, alone To spy the movements of the hostile camp In the dark night: stout-hearted he must be."

To whom the monarch Agamemnon thus: "Great need, my noble brother, have we both Of sagest counsels, if we hope the Greeks And Grecian ships from ruin to preserve, Since turn'd against us is the mind of Jove. To Hector's off'rings most his soul inclines; For never have I seen, or heard men tell, How in one day one man has wrought such loss As Hector, dear to Jove, yet not the son Of God or Goddess, on the Greeks has wrought. Such deeds hath he achiev'd, such havoc made, As we shall long in bitter mem'ry keep. Haste thou amid the ships, and hither bring Idomeneus and Ajax; I the while Will Nestor rouse, and urge that he with us The outposts visit, and instruct the guard. To him they best will listen; for his son Commands the watch; with him Meriones, The follower of the King Idomeneus: To them by pref'rence hath this charge been giv'n."

He said: and Menelaus answer'd thus: "What wouldst thou have me do then? here remain With them, and wait thy coming, or to them Thy message give, and follow in thy steps?"

Him answer'd Agamemnon, King of men: "Remain thou here, lest haply we might fail To meet; for in the camp are many paths. But thou, where'er thou go'st, each sev'ral man Address, and ask to rise; to each his name And patronymic giving; pay to each All due respect; nor bear thee haughtily; We like the rest must share the load of toil. Which Jove assigns to all of mortal birth."

His brother thus with counsels wise dismiss'd, The King to aged Nestor took his way: Him by his tent and dark-ribb'd ship he found On a soft couch; beside him lay his arms, His shield, two lances, and a glitt'ring helm: There lay the rich-wrought belt the old man wore, When to the battle, arm'd, he led his troops; For nought to age's weakness would he yield. Raising his head, and on his elbow propp'd, He question'd thus Atrides: "Who art thou, That wand'rest through th' encampment thus alone, In the dark night, when other mortals sleep? Seek'st thou some mule broke loose, or comrade lost? Speak, nor in silence come; what wouldst thou here?"

To whom thus Agamemnon, King of men: "O Nestor! son of Neleus, pride of Greece, Know me for Agamemnon, Atreus' son, On whom hath Jove, beyond the lot of men, Laid grief that ne'er shall end, while I retain Breath in my lungs, and vigour in my limbs. I wander thus, because these eyes of mine Sweet slumber visits not, by cares of war Oppress'd, and harass'd by the woes of Greece. Much for the Greeks I fear; nor keeps my mind Its wonted firmess; I am ill at ease; And leaps my troubled heart as tho' 'twould burst My bosom's bounds; my limbs beneath me shake. But if thou wilt, since thou too know'st not sleep, Together to the outposts let us go, And see if there, by toil and sleep o'erpow'r'd, The guard repose, neglectful of their watch. The foe is close at hand; nor are we sure He may not hazard e'en a night attack."