Priam　and　the　Trojans。　We　were　ranged　round　about　a　fountain
  offering　hecatombs　to　the　gods　upon　their　holy　altars；　and　there　was　a
  fine　plane…tree　from　beneath　which　there　welled　a　stream　of　pure
  water。　Then　we　saw　a　prodigy；　for　Jove　sent　a　fearful　serpent　out　of
  the　ground；　with　blood…red　stains　upon　its　back；　and　it　darted　from
  under　the　altar　on　to　the　plane…tree。　Now　there　was　a　brood　of　young
  sparrows；　quite　small；　upon　the　topmost　bough；　peeping　out　from
  under　the　leaves；　eight　in　all；　and　their　mother　that　hatched　them
  made　nine。　The　serpent　ate　the　poor　cheeping　things；　while　the　old
  bird　flew　about　lamenting　her　little　ones；　but　the　serpent　threw　his
  coils　about　her　and　caught　her　by　the　wing　as　she　was　screaming。　Then；
  when　he　had　eaten　both　the　sparrow　and　her　young；　the　god　who　had　sent
  him　made　him　become　a　sign；　for　the　son　of　scheming　Saturn　turned
  him　into　stone；　and　we　stood　there　wondering　at　that　which　had　come　to
  pass。　Seeing；　then；　that　such　a　fearful　portent　had　broken　in　upon　our
  hecatombs；　Calchas　forthwith　declared　to　us　the　oracles　of　heaven。
  'Why；　Achaeans；'　said　he；　'are　you　thus　speechless？　Jove　has　sent　us
  this　sign；　long　in　coming；　and　long　ere　it　be　fulfilled；　though　its
  fame　shall　last　for　ever。　As　the　serpent　ate　the　eight　fledglings
  and　the　sparrow　that　hatched　them；　which　makes　nine；　so　shall　we　fight
  nine　years　at　Troy；　but　in　the　tenth　shall　take　the　town。'　This　was
  what　he　said；　and　now　it　is　all　coming　true。　Stay　here；　therefore；　all
  of　you；　till　we　take　the　city　of　Priam。〃
  On　this　the　Argives　raised　a　shout；　till　the　ships　rang　again　with
  the　uproar。　Nestor；　knight　of　Gerene；　then　addressed　them。　〃Shame　on
  you；〃　he　cried；　〃to　stay　talking　here　like　children；　when　you　should
  fight　like　men。　Where　are　our　covenants　now；　and　where　the　oaths
  that　we　have　taken？　Shall　our　counsels　be　flung　into　the　fire；　with
  our　drink…offerings　and　the　right　hands　of　fellowship　wherein　we
  have　put　our　trust？　We　waste　our　time　in　words；　and　for　all　our
  talking　here　shall　be　no　further　forward。　Stand；　therefore；　son　of
  Atreus；　by　your　own　steadfast　purpose；　lead　the　Argives　on　to
  battle；　and　leave　this　handful　of　men　to　rot；　who　scheme；　and　scheme
  in　vain；　to　get　back　to　Argos　ere　they　have　learned　whether　Jove　be
  true　or　a　liar。　For　the　mighty　son　of　Saturn　surely　promised　that　we
  should　succeed；　when　we　Argives　set　sail　to　bring　death　and
  destruction　upon　the　Trojans。　He　showed　us　favourable　signs　by
  flashing　his　lightning　on　our　right　hands；　therefore　let　none　make
  haste　to　go　till　he　has　first　lain　with　the　wife　of　some　Trojan；　and
  avenged　the　toil　and　sorrow　that　he　has　suffered　for　the　sake　of
  Helen。　Nevertheless；　if　any　man　is　in　such　haste　to　be　at　home
  again；　let　him　lay　his　hand　to　his　ship　that　he　may　meet　his　doom　in
  the　sight　of　all。　But；　O　king；　consider　and　give　ear　to　my　counsel；
  for　the　word　that　I　say　may　not　be　neglected　lightly。　Divide　your　men；
  Agamemnon；　into　their　several　tribes　and　clans；　that　clans　and
  tribes　may　stand　by　and　help　one　another。　If　you　do　this；　and　if　the
  Achaeans　obey　you；　you　will　find　out　who；　both　chiefs　and　peoples；　are
  brave；　and　who　are　cowards；　for　they　will　vie　against　the　other。
  Thus　you　shall　also　learn　whether　it　is　through　the　counsel　of
  heaven　or　the　cowardice　of　man　that　you　shall　fail　to　take　the　town。〃
  And　Agamemnon　answered；　〃Nestor；　you　have　again　outdone　the　sons
  of　the　Achaeans　in　counsel。　Would；　by　Father　Jove；　Minerva；　and
  Apollo；　that　I　had　among　them　ten　more　such　councillors；　for　the
  city　of　King　Priam　would　then　soon　fall　beneath　our　hands；　and　we
  should　sack　it。　But　the　son　of　Saturn　afflicts　me　with　bootless
  wranglings　and　strife。　Achilles　and　I　are　quarrelling　about　this　girl；
  in　which　matter　I　was　the　first　to　offend；　if　we　can　be　of　one　mind
  again；　the　Trojans　will　not　stave　off　destruction　for　a　day。　Now；
  therefore；　get　your　morning　meal；　that　our　hosts　join　in　fight。　Whet
  well　your　spears；　see　well　to　the　ordering　of　your　shields；　give
  good　feeds　to　your　horses；　and　look　your　chariots　carefully　over；　that
  we　may　do　battle　the　livelong　day；　for　we　shall　have　no　rest；　not
  for　a　moment；　till　night　falls　to　part　us。　The　bands　that　bear　your
  shields　shall　be　wet　with　the　sweat　upon　your　shoulders；　your　hands
  shall　weary　upon　your　spears；　your　horses　shall　steam　in　front　of　your
  chariots；　and　if　I　see　any　man　shirking　the　fight；　or　trying　to　keep
  out　of　it　at　the　ships；　there　shall　be　no　help　for　him；　but　he　shall
  be　a　prey　to　dogs　and　vultures。〃
  Thus　he　spoke；　and　the　Achaeans　roared　applause。　As　when　the　waves
  run　high　before　the　blast　of　the　south　wind　and　break　on　some　lofty
  headland；　dashing　against　it　and　buffeting　it　without　ceasing；　as
  the　storms　from　every　quarter　drive　them；　even　so　did　the　Achaeans
  rise　and　hurry　in　all　directions　to　their　ships。　There　they　lighted
  their　fires　at　their　tents　and　got　dinner；　offering　sacrifice　every
  man　to　one　or　other　of　the　gods；　and　praying　each　one　of　them　that
  he　might　live　to　come　out　of　the　fight。　Agamemnon；　king　of　men；
  sacrificed　a　fat　five…year…old　bull　to　the　mighty　son　of　Saturn；　and
  invited　the　princes　and　elders　of　his　host。　First　he　asked　Nestor
  and　King　Idomeneus；　then　the　two　Ajaxes　and　the　son　of　Tydeus；　and
  sixthly　Ulysses；　peer　of　gods　in　counsel；　but　Menelaus　came　of　his　own
  accord；　for　he　knew　how　busy　his　brother　then　was。　They　stood　round
  the　bull　with　the　barley…meal　in　their　hands；　and　Agamemnon　prayed；
  saying；　〃Jove；　most　glorious；　supreme；　that　dwellest　in　heaven；　and
  ridest　upon　the　storm…cloud；　grant　that　the　sun　may　not　go　down；　nor
  the　night　fall；　till　the　palace　of　Priam　is　laid　low；　and　its　gates
  are　consumed　with　fire。　Grant　that　my　sword　may　pierce　the　shirt　of
  Hector　about　his　heart；　and　that　full　many　of　his　comrades　may　bite
  the　dust　as　they　fall　dying　round　him。〃
  Thus　he　prayed；　but　the　son　of　Saturn　would　not　fulfil　his　prayer。
  He　accepted　the　sacrifice；　yet　none　the　less　increased　their　toil
  continually。　When　they　had　done　praying　and　sprinkling　the　barley…meal
  upon　the　victim；　they　drew　back　its　head；　killed　it；　and　then　flayed
  it。　They　cut　out　the　thigh…bones；　wrapped　them　round　in　two　layers
  of　fat；　and　set　pieces　of　raw　meat　on　the　top　of　them。　These　they
  burned　upon　the　split　logs　of　firewood；　but　they　spitted　the　inward
  meats；　and　held　them　in　the　flames　to　cook。　When　the　thigh…bones
  were　burned；　and　they　had　tasted　the　inward　meats；　they　cut　the　rest
  up　small；　put　the　pieces　upon　spits；　roasted　them　till　they　were　done；
  and　drew　them　off；　then；　when　they　had　finished　their　work　and　the
  feast　was　ready；　they　ate　it；　and　every　man　had　his　full　share；　so
  that　all　were　satisfied。　As　soon　as　they　had　had　enough　to　eat　and
  drink；　Nestor；　knight　of　Gerene；　began　to　speak。　〃King　Agamemnon；〃
  said　he；　〃let　us　not　stay　talking　here；　nor　be　slack　in　the　work
  that　heaven　has　put　into　our　hands。　Let　the　heralds　summon　the
  people　to　gather　at　their　several　ships；　we　will　then　go　about　among
  the　host；　that　we　may　begin　fighting　at　once。〃
  Thus　did　he　speak；　and　Agamemnon　heeded　his　words。　He　at　once　sent
  the　criers　round　to　call　the　people　in　assembly。　So　they　called
  them；　and　the　people　gathered　thereon。　The　chiefs　about　the　son　of
  Atreus　chose　their　men　and　marshalled　them；　while　Minerva　went　among
  them　holding　her　priceless　aegis　that　knows　neither　age　nor　death。
  From　it　there　waved　a　hundred　tassels　of　pure　gold；　all　deftly
  woven；　and　each　one　of　them　worth　a　hundred　oxen。　With　this　she　darted
  furiously　everywhere　among　the　hosts　of　the　Achaeans；　urging　them
  forward；　and　putting　courage　into　the　heart　of　each；　so　that　he
  might　fight　and　do　battle　without　ceasing。　Thus　war　became　sweeter
  in　their　eyes　even　than　returning　home　in　their　ships。　As　when　some
  great　forest　fire　is　raging　upon　a　mountain　top　and　its　light　is
  seen　afar；　even　so　as　they　marched　the　gleam　of　their　armour　flashed
  up　into　the　firmament　of　heaven。
  They　were　like　great　flocks　of　geese；　or　cranes；　or　swans　on　the
  plain　about　the　waters　of　Cayster；　that　wing　their　way　hither　and
  thither；　glorying　in　the　pride　of　flight；　and　crying　as　they　settle
  till　the　fen　is　alive　with　their　screaming。　Even　thus　did　their　tribes
  pour　from　ships　and　tents　on　to　the　plain　of　the　Scamander；　and　the
  ground　rang　as　brass　under　the　feet　of　men　and　horses。　They　stood　as
  thick　upon　the　flower…bespangled　field　as　leaves　that　bloom　in　summer。
  As　countless　swarms　of　flies　buzz　around　a　herdsman's　homestead　in
  the　time　of　spring　when　the　pails　are　drenched　with　milk；　even　so
  did　the　Achaeans　swarm　on　to　the　plain　to　charge　the　Trojans　and
  destroy　them。
  The　chiefs　disposed　their　men　this　way　and　that　before　the　fight
  began；　drafting　them　out　as　easily　as　goatherds　draft　their　flocks
  when　they　have　got　mixed　while　feeding；　and　among　them　went　King
  Agamemnon；　with　a　head　and　face　like　Jove　the　lord　of　thunder；　a　waist
  like　Mars；　and　a　chest　like　that　of　Neptune。　As　some　great　bull　that
  lords　it　over　the　herds　upon　the　plain；　even　so　did　Jove　make　the
  son　of　Atreus　stand　peerless　among　the　multitude　of　heroes。
  And　now；　O　Muses；　dwellers　in　the　mansions　of　Olympus；　tell　me…
  for　you　a