selves　you　spur　your　men　on　to　fight　with　might　and　main。　Would；　by
  father　Jove；　Minerva；　and　Apollo　that　all　were　so　minded　as　you　are；
  for　the　city　of　Priam　would　then　soon　fall　beneath　our　hands；　and　we
  should　sack　it。〃
  With　this　he　left　them　and　went　onward　to　Nestor；　the　facile　speaker
  of　the　Pylians；　who　was　marshalling　his　men　and　urging　them　on；　in
  company　with　Pelagon；　Alastor；　Chromius；　Haemon；　and　Bias　shepherd
  of　his　people。　He　placed　his　knights　with　their　chariots　and　horses　in
  the　front　rank；　while　the　foot…soldiers；　brave　men　and　many；　whom　he
  could　trust；　were　in　the　rear。　The　cowards　he　drove　into　the　middle；
  that　they　might　fight　whether　they　would　or　no。　He　gave　his　orders
  to　the　knights　first；　bidding　them　hold　their　horses　well　in　hand；
  so　as　to　avoid　confusion。　〃Let　no　man；〃　he　said；　〃relying　on　his
  strength　or　horsemanship；　get　before　the　others　and　engage　singly　with
  the　Trojans；　nor　yet　let　him　lag　behind　or　you　will　weaken　your
  attack；　but　let　each　when　he　meets　an　enemy's　chariot　throw　his
  spear　from　his　own；　this　be　much　the　best；　this　is　how　the　men　of
  old　took　towns　and　strongholds；　in　this　wise　were　they　minded。〃
  Thus　did　the　old　man　charge　them；　for　he　had　been　in　many　a　fight；
  and　King　Agamemnon　was　glad。　〃I　wish；〃　he　said　to　him；　that　your　limbs
  were　as　supple　and　your　strength　as　sure　as　your　judgment　is；　but　age；
  the　common　enemy　of　mankind；　has　laid　his　hand　upon　you；　would　that　it
  had　fallen　upon　some　other；　and　that　you　were　still　young。〃
  And　Nestor；　knight　of　Gerene；　answered；　〃Son　of　Atreus；　I　too
  would　gladly　be　the　man　I　was　when　I　slew　mighty　Ereuthalion；　but
  the　gods　will　not　give　us　everything　at　one　and　the　same　time。　I　was
  then　young；　and　now　I　am　old；　still　I　can　go　with　my　knights　and
  give　them　that　counsel　which　old　men　have　a　right　to　give。　The
  wielding　of　the　spear　I　leave　to　those　who　are　younger　and　stronger
  than　myself。〃
  Agamemnon　went　his　way　rejoicing；　and　presently　found　Menestheus；
  son　of　Peteos；　tarrying　in　his　place；　and　with　him　were　the
  Athenians　loud　of　tongue　in　battle。　Near　him　also　tarried　cunning
  Ulysses；　with　his　sturdy　Cephallenians　round　him；　they　had　not　yet
  heard　the　battle…cry；　for　the　ranks　of　Trojans　and　Achaeans　had　only
  just　begun　to　move；　so　they　were　standing　still；　waiting　for　some
  other　columns　of　the　Achaeans　to　attack　the　Trojans　and　begin　the
  fighting。　When　he　saw　this　Agamemnon　rebuked　them　and　said；　〃Son　of
  Peteos；　and　you　other；　steeped　in　cunning；　heart　of　guile；　why　stand
  you　here　cowering　and　waiting　on　others？　You　two　should　be　of　all
  men　foremost　when　there　is　hard　fighting　to　be　done；　for　you　are
  ever　foremost　to　accept　my　invitation　when　we　councillors　of　the
  Achaeans　are　holding　feast。　You　are　glad　enough　then　to　take　your　fill
  of　roast　meats　and　to　drink　wine　as　long　as　you　please；　whereas　now
  you　would　not　care　though　you　saw　ten　columns　of　Achaeans　engage　the
  enemy　in　front　of　you。〃
  Ulysses　glared　at　him　and　answered；　〃Son　of　Atreus；　what　are　you
  talking　about？　How　can　you　say　that　we　are　slack？　When　the　Achaeans
  are　in　full　fight　with　the　Trojans；　you　shall　see；　if　you　care　to　do
  so；　that　the　father　of　Telemachus　will　join　battle　with　the　foremost
  of　them。　You　are　talking　idly。〃
  When　Agamemnon　saw　that　Ulysses　was　angry；　he　smiled　pleasantly　at
  him　and　withdrew　his　words。　〃Ulysses；〃　said　he；　〃noble　son　of　Laertes；
  excellent　in　all　good　counsel；　I　have　neither　fault　to　find　nor　orders
  to　give　you；　for　I　know　your　heart　is　right；　and　that　you　and　I　are　of
  a　mind。　Enough；　I　will　make　you　amends　for　what　I　have　said；　and　if
  any　ill　has　now　been　spoken　may　the　gods　bring　it　to　nothing。〃
  He　then　left　them　and　went　on　to　others。　Presently　he　saw　the　son　of
  Tydeus；　noble　Diomed；　standing　by　his　chariot　and　horses；　with
  Sthenelus　the　son　of　Capaneus　beside　him；　whereon　he　began　to
  upbraid　him。　〃Son　of　Tydeus；〃　he　said；　〃why　stand　you　cowering　here
  upon　the　brink　of　battle？　Tydeus　did　not　shrink　thus；　but　was　ever
  ahead　of　his　men　when　leading　them　on　against　the　foe…　so；　at　least；
  say　they　that　saw　him　in　battle；　for　I　never　set　eyes　upon　him　myself。
  They　say　that　there　was　no　man　like　him。　He　came　once　to　Mycenae；
  not　as　an　enemy　but　as　a　guest；　in　company　with　Polynices　to　recruit
  his　forces；　for　they　were　levying　war　against　the　strong　city　of
  Thebes；　and　prayed　our　people　for　a　body　of　picked　men　to　help　them。
  The　men　of　Mycenae　were　willing　to　let　them　have　one；　but　Jove
  dissuaded　them　by　showing　them　unfavourable　omens。　Tydeus；
  therefore；　and　Polynices　went　their　way。　When　they　had　got　as　far
  the　deep…meadowed　and　rush…grown　banks　of　the　Aesopus；　the　Achaeans
  sent　Tydeus　as　their　envoy；　and　he　found　the　Cadmeans　gathered　in
  great　numbers　to　a　banquet　in　the　house　of　Eteocles。　Stranger　though
  he　was；　he　knew　no　fear　on　finding　himself　single…handed　among　so
  many；　but　challenged　them　to　contests　of　all　kinds；　and　in　each　one　of
  them　was　at　once　victorious；　so　mightily　did　Minerva　help　him。　The
  Cadmeans　were　incensed　at　his　success；　and　set　a　force　of　fifty　youths
  with　two　captains…　the　godlike　hero　Maeon；　son　of　Haemon；　and
  Polyphontes；　son　of　Autophonus…　at　their　head；　to　lie　in　wait　for
  him　on　his　return　journey；　but　Tydeus　slew　every　man　of　them；　save
  only　Maeon；　whom　he　let　go　in　obedience　to　heaven's　omens。　Such　was
  Tydeus　of　Aetolia。　His　son　can　talk　more　glibly；　but　he　cannot　fight
  as　his　father　did。〃
  Diomed　made　no　answer；　for　he　was　shamed　by　the　rebuke　of　Agamemnon；
  but　the　son　of　Capaneus　took　up　his　words　and　said；　〃Son　of　Atreus；
  tell　no　lies；　for　you　can　speak　truth　if　you　will。　We　boast
  ourselves　as　even　better　men　than　our　fathers；　we　took　seven…gated
  Thebes；　though　the　wall　was　stronger　and　our　men　were　fewer　in　number；
  for　we　trusted　in　the　omens　of　the　gods　and　in　the　help　of　Jove；
  whereas　they　perished　through　their　own　sheer　folly；　hold　not；　then；
  our　fathers　in　like　honour　with　us。〃
  Diomed　looked　sternly　at　him　and　said；　〃Hold　your　peace；　my
  friend；　as　I　bid　you。　It　is　not　amiss　that　Agamemnon　should　urge　the
  Achaeans　forward；　for　the　glory　will　be　his　if　we　take　the　city；　and
  his　the　shame　if　we　are　vanquished。　Therefore　let　us　acquit
  ourselves　with　valour。〃
  As　he　spoke　he　sprang　from　his　chariot；　and　his　armour　rang　so
  fiercely　about　his　body　that　even　a　brave　man　might　well　have　been
  scared　to　hear　it。
  As　when　some　mighty　wave　that　thunders　on　the　beach　when　the　west
  wind　has　lashed　it　into　fury…　it　has　reared　its　head　afar　and　now
  comes　crashing　down　on　the　shore；　it　bows　its　arching　crest　high
  over　the　jagged　rocks　and　spews　its　salt　foam　in　all　directions…
  even　so　did　the　serried　phalanxes　of　the　Danaans　march　steadfastly
  to　battle。　The　chiefs　gave　orders　each　to　his　own　people；　but　the
  men　said　never　a　word；　no　man　would　think　it；　for　huge　as　the　host
  was；　it　seemed　as　though　there　was　not　a　tongue　among　them；　so
  silent　were　they　in　their　obedience；　and　as　they　marched　the　armour
  about　their　bodies　glistened　in　the　sun。　But　the　clamour　of　the　Trojan
  ranks　was　as　that　of　many　thousand　ewes　that　stand　waiting　to　be
  milked　in　the　yards　of　some　rich　flockmaster；　and　bleat　incessantly　in
  answer　to　the　bleating　of　their　lambs；　for　they　had　not　one　speech　nor
  language；　but　their　tongues　were　diverse；　and　they　came　from　many
  different　places。　These　were　inspired　of　Mars；　but　the　others　by
  Minerva…　and　with　them　came　Panic；　Rout；　and　Strife　whose　fury　never
  tires；　sister　and　friend　of　murderous　Mars；　who；　from　being　at　first
  but　low　in　stature；　grows　till　she　uprears　her　head　to　heaven；
  though　her　feet　are　still　on　earth。　She　it　was　that　went　about　among
  them　and　flung　down　discord　to　the　waxing　of　sorrow　with　even　hand
  between　them。
  When　they　were　got　together　in　one　place　shield　clashed　with
  shield　and　spear　with　spear　in　the　rage　of　battle。　The　bossed
  shields　beat　one　upon　another；　and　there　was　a　tramp　as　of　a　great
  multitude…　death…cry　and　shout　of　triumph　of　slain　and　slayers；　and
  the　earth　ran　red　with　blood。　As　torrents　swollen　with　rain　course
  madly　down　their　deep　channels　till　the　angry　floods　meet　in　some
  gorge；　and　the　shepherd　the　hillside　hears　their　roaring　from　afar…
  even　such　was　the　toil　and　uproar　of　the　hosts　as　they　joined　in
  battle。
  First　Antilochus　slew　an　armed　warrior　of　the　Trojans；　Echepolus；
  son　of　Thalysius；　fighting　in　the　foremost　ranks。　He　struck　at　the
  projecting　part　of　his　helmet　and　drove　the　spear　into　his　brow；　the
  point　of　bronze　pierced　the　bone；　and　darkness　veiled　his　eyes；
  headlong　as　a　tower　he　fell　amid　the　press　of　the　fight；　and　as　he
  dropped　King　Elephenor；　son　of　Chalcodon　and　captain　of　the　proud
  Abantes　began　dragging　him　out　of　reach　of　the　darts　that　were　falling
  around　him；　in　haste　to　strip　him　of　his　armour。　But　his　purpose　was
  not　for　long；　Agenor　saw　him　haling　the　body　away；　and　smote　him　in
  the　side　with　his　bronze…shod　spear…　for　as　he　stooped　his　side　was
  left　unprotected　by　his　shield…　and　thus　he　perished。　Then　the　fight
  between　Trojans　and　Achaeans　grew　furious　over　his　body；　and　they　flew
  upon　each　other　like　wolves；　man　and　man　crushing　one　upon　the　other。
  Forthwith　Ajax；　son　of　Telamon；　s