and　the　other　to　that　of　the　Trojans；　who　rejoiced　when　they　saw　their
  hero　come　to　them　safe　and　unharmed　from　the　strong　hands　of　mighty
  Ajax。　They　led　him；　therefore；　to　the　city　as　one　that　had　been
  saved　beyond　their　hopes。　On　the　other　side　the　Achaeans　brought
  Ajax　elated　with　victory　to　Agamemnon。
  When　they　reached　the　quarters　of　the　son　of　Atreus；　Agamemnon
  sacrificed　for　them　a　five…year…old　bull　in　honour　of　Jove　the　son
  of　Saturn。　They　flayed　the　carcass；　made　it　ready；　and　divided　it　into
  joints；　these　they　cut　carefully　up　into　smaller　pieces；　putting
  them　on　the　spits；　roasting　them　sufficiently；　and　then　drawing　them
  off。　When　they　had　done　all　this　and　had　prepared　the　feast；　they
  ate　it；　and　every　man　had　his　full　and　equal　share；　so　that　all　were
  satisfied；　and　King　Agamemnon　gave　Ajax　some　slices　cut　lengthways
  down　the　loin；　as　a　mark　of　special　honour。　As　soon　as　they　had　had
  enough　to　cat　and　drink；　old　Nestor　whose　counsel　was　ever　truest
  began　to　speak；　with　all　sincerity　and　goodwill；　therefore；　he
  addressed　them　thus：…
  〃Son　of　Atreus；　and　other　chieftains；　inasmuch　as　many　of　the
  Achaeans　are　now　dead；　whose　blood　Mars　has　shed　by　the　banks　of　the
  Scamander；　and　their　souls　have　gone　down　to　the　house　of　Hades；　it
  will　be　well　when　morning　comes　that　we　should　cease　fighting；　we　will
  then　wheel　our　dead　together　with　oxen　and　mules　and　burn　them　not　far
  from　the　ships；　that　when　we　sail　hence　we　may　take　the　bones　of　our
  comrades　home　to　their　children。　Hard　by　the　funeral　pyre　we　will
  build　a　barrow　that　shall　be　raised　from　the　plain　for　all　in
  common；　near　this　let　us　set　about　building　a　high　wall；　to　shelter
  ourselves　and　our　ships；　and　let　it　have　well…made　gates　that　there
  may　be　a　way　through　them　for　our　chariots。　Close　outside　we　will
  dig　a　deep　trench　all　round　it　to　keep　off　both　horse　and　foot；　that
  the　Trojan　chieftains　may　not　bear　hard　upon　us。〃
  Thus　he　spoke；　and　the　princess　shouted　in　applause。　Meanwhile　the
  Trojans　held　a　council；　angry　and　full　of　discord；　on　the　acropolis　by
  the　gates　of　King　Priam's　palace；　and　wise　Antenor　spoke。　〃Hear　me
  he　said；　〃Trojans；　Dardanians；　and　allies；　that　I　may　speak　even　as
  I　am　minded。　Let　us　give　up　Argive　Helen　and　her　wealth　to　the　sons　of
  Atreus；　for　we　are　now　fighting　in　violation　of　our　solemn
  covenants；　and　shall　not　prosper　till　we　have　done　as　I　say。〃
  He　then　sat　down　and　Alexandrus　husband　of　lovely　Helen　rose　to
  speak。　〃Antenor；〃　said　he；　〃your　words　are　not　to　my　liking；　you　can
  find　a　better　saying　than　this　if　you　will；　if；　however；　you　have
  spoken　in　good　earnest；　then　indeed　has　heaven　robbed　you　of　your
  reason。　I　will　speak　plainly；　and　hereby　notify　to　the　Trojans　that
  I　will　not　give　up　the　woman；　but　the　wealth　that　I　brought　home
  with　her　from　Argos　I　will　restore；　and　will　add　yet　further　of　my
  own。〃
  On　this；　when　Paris　had　spoken　and　taken　his　seat；　Priam　of　the　race
  of　Dardanus；　peer　of　gods　in　council；　rose　and　with　all　sincerity
  and　goodwill　addressed　them　thus：　〃Hear　me；　Trojans；　Dardanians；　and
  allies；　that　I　may　speak　even　as　I　am　minded。　Get　your　suppers　now
  as　hitherto　throughout　the　city；　but　keep　your　watches　and　be　wakeful。
  At　daybreak　let　Idaeus　go　to　the　ships；　and　tell　Agamemnon　and
  Menelaus　sons　of　Atreus　the　saying　of　Alexandrus　through　whom　this
  quarrel　has　come　about；　and　let　him　also　be　instant　with　them　that
  they　now　cease　fighting　till　we　burn　our　dead；　hereafter　we　will　fight
  anew；　till　heaven　decide　between　us　and　give　victory　to　one　or　to
  the　other。〃
  Thus　did　he　speak；　and　they　did　even　as　he　had　said。　They　took
  supper　in　their　companies　and　at　daybreak　Idaeus　went　his　wa　to　the
  ships。　He　found　the　Danaans；　servants　of　Mars；　in　council　at　the　stern
  of　Agamemnon's　ship；　and　took　his　place　in　the　midst　of　them。　〃Son
  of　Atreus；〃　he　said；　〃and　princes　of　the　Achaean　host；　Priam　and　the
  other　noble　Trojans　have　sent　me　to　tell　you　the　saying　of
  Alexandrus　through　whom　this　quarrel　has　come　about；　if　so　be　that　you
  may　find　it　acceptable。　All　the　treasure　he　took　with　him　in　his　ships
  to　Troy…　would　that　he　had　sooner　perished…　he　will　restore；　and
  will　add　yet　further　of　his　own；　but　he　will　not　give　up　the　wedded
  wife　of　Menelaus；　though　the　Trojans　would　have　him　do　so。　Priam
  bade　me　inquire　further　if　you　will　cease　fighting　till　we　burn　our
  dead；　hereafter　we　will　fight　anew；　till　heaven　decide　between　us
  and　give　victory　to　one　or　to　the　other。〃
  They　all　held　their　peace；　but　presently　Diomed　of　the　loud
  war…cry　spoke；　saying；　〃Let　there　be　no　taking；　neither　treasure；
  nor　yet　Helen；　for　even　a　child　may　see　that　the　doom　of　the　Trojans
  is　at　hand。〃
  The　sons　of　the　Achaeans　shouted　applause　at　the　words　that　Diomed
  had　spoken；　and　thereon　King　Agamemnon　said　to　Idaeus；　〃Idaeus；　you
  have　heard　the　answer　the　Achaeans　make　you…and　I　with　them。　But　as
  concerning　the　dead；　I　give　you　leave　to　burn　them；　for　when　men　are
  once　dead　there　should　be　no　grudging　them　the　rites　of　fire。　Let　Jove
  the　mighty　husband　of　Juno　be　witness　to　this　covenant。〃
  As　he　spoke　he　upheld　his　sceptre　in　the　sight　of　all　the　gods；
  and　Idaeus　went　back　to　the　strong　city　of　Ilius。　The　Trojans　and
  Dardanians　were　gathered　in　council　waiting　his　return；　when　he
  came；　he　stood　in　their　midst　and　delivered　his　message。　As　soon　as
  they　heard　it　they　set　about　their　twofold　labour；　some　to　gather
  the　corpses；　and　others　to　bring　in　wood。　The　Argives　on　their　part
  also　hastened　from　their　ships；　some　to　gather　the　corpses；　and　others
  to　bring　in　wood。
  The　sun　was　beginning　to　beat　upon　the　fields；　fresh　risen　into
  the　vault　of　heaven　from　the　slow　still　currents　of　deep　Oceanus；　when
  the　two　armies　met。　They　could　hardly　recognise　their　dead；　but　they
  washed　the　clotted　gore　from　off　them；　shed　tears　over　them；　and
  lifted　them　upon　their　waggons。　Priam　had　forbidden　the　Trojans　to
  wail　aloud；　so　they　heaped　their　dead　sadly　and　silently　upon　the
  pyre；　and　having　burned　them　went　back　to　the　city　of　Ilius。　The
  Achaeans　in　like　manner　heaped　their　dead　sadly　and　silently　on　the
  pyre；　and　having　burned　them　went　back　to　their　ships。
  Now　in　the　twilight　when　it　was　not　yet　dawn；　chosen　bands　of　the
  Achaeans　were　gathered　round　the　pyre　and　built　one　barrow　that　was
  raised　in　common　for　all；　and　hard　by　this　they　built　a　high　wall　to
  shelter　themselves　and　their　ships；　they　gave　it　strong　gates　that
  there　might　be　a　way　through　them　for　their　chariots；　and　close
  outside　it　they　dug　a　trench　deep　and　wide；　and　they　planted　it　within
  with　stakes。
  Thus　did　the　Achaeans　toil；　and　the　gods；　seated　by　the　side　of　Jove
  the　lord　of　lightning；　marvelled　at　their　great　work；　but　Neptune；
  lord　of　the　earthquake；　spoke；　saying；　〃Father　Jove；　what　mortal　in
  the　whole　world　will　again　take　the　gods　into　his　counsel？　See　you　not
  how　the　Achaeans　have　built　a　wall　about　their　ships　and　driven　a
  trench　all　round　it；　without　offering　hecatombs　to　the　gods？　The　The
  fame　of　this　wall　will　reach　as　far　as　dawn　itself；　and　men　will　no
  longer　think　anything　of　the　one　which　Phoebus　Apollo　and　myself　built
  with　so　much　labour　for　Laomedon。〃
  Jove　was　displeased　and　answered；　〃What；　O　shaker　of　the　earth；
  are　you　talking　about？　A　god　less　powerful　than　yourself　might　be
  alarmed　at　what　they　are　doing；　but　your　fame　reaches　as　far　as　dawn
  itself。　Surely　when　the　Achaeans　have　gone　home　with　their　ships；
  you　can　shatter　their　wall　and　Ring　it　into　the　sea；　you　can　cover　the
  beach　with　sand　again；　and　the　great　wall　of　the　Achaeans　will　then　be
  utterly　effaced。〃
  Thus　did　they　converse；　and　by　sunset　the　work　of　the　Achaeans　was
  completed；　they　then　slaughtered　oxen　at　their　tents　and　got　their
  supper。　Many　ships　had　come　with　wine　from　Lemnos；　sent　by　Euneus
  the　son　of　Jason；　born　to　him　by　Hypsipyle。　The　son　of　Jason　freighted
  them　with　ten　thousand　measures　of　wine；　which　he　sent　specially　to
  the　sons　of　Atreus；　Agamemnon　and　Menelaus。　From　this　supply　the
  Achaeans　bought　their　wine；　some　with　bronze；　some　with　iron；　some
  with　hides；　some　with　whole　heifers；　and　some　again　with　captives。
  They　spread　a　goodly　banquet　and　feasted　the　whole　night　through；　as
  also　did　the　Trojans　and　their　allies　in　the　city。　But　all　the　time
  Jove　boded　them　ill　and　roared　with　his　portentous　thunder。　Pale
  fear　got　hold　upon　them；　and　they　spilled　the　wine　from　their　cups
  on　to　the　ground；　nor　did　any　dare　drink　till　he　had　made　offerings　to
  the　most　mighty　son　of　Saturn。　Then　they　laid　themselves　down　to
  rest　and　enjoyed　the　boon　of　sleep。
  BOOK　VIII
  NOW　when　Morning；　clad　in　her　robe　of　saffron；　had　begun　to　suffuse
  light　over　the　earth；　Jove　called　the　gods　in　council　on　the　topmost
  crest　of　serrated　Olympus。　Then　he　spoke　and　all　the　other　gods　gave
  ear。　〃Hear　me；〃　said　he；　〃gods　and　goddesses；　that　I　may　speak　even　as
  I　am　minded。　Let　none　of　you　neither　goddess　nor　god　try　to　cross
  me；　but　obey　me　every　one　of　you　that　I　may　bring　this　matter　to　an
  end。　If　I　see　anyone　acting　apart　and　helping　either　Trojans　or
  Danaans；　he　shall　be　beaten　inordinately　ere　he　come　back　again　to
  Olympus；