Hector takes measures for the security of Troy during the night, and prepares his host for an assault to be made on the Grecian camp in the morning.

BOOK VIII.

  The saffron-mantled morning[1] now was spread
  O’er all the nations, when the Thunderer Jove
  On the deep-fork’d Olympian topmost height
  Convened the Gods in council, amid whom
  He spake himself; they all attentive heard. 5
    Gods!  Goddesses!  Inhabitants of heaven! 
  Attend; I make my secret purpose known. 
  Let neither God nor Goddess interpose
  My counsel to rescind, but with one heart
  Approve it, that it reach, at once, its end. 10
  Whom I shall mark soever from the rest
  Withdrawn, that he may Greeks or Trojans aid,
  Disgrace shall find him; shamefully chastised
  He shall return to the Olympian heights,
  Or I will hurl him deep into the gulfs 15
  Of gloomy Tartarus, where Hell shuts fast
  Her iron gates, and spreads her brazen floor,
  As far below the shades, as earth from heaven. 
  There shall he learn how far I pass in might
  All others; which if ye incline to doubt, 20
  Now prove me.  Let ye down the golden chain[2]
  From heaven, and at its nether links pull all,
  Both Goddesses and Gods.  But me your King,
  Supreme in wisdom, ye shall never draw
  To earth from heaven, toil adverse as ye may. 25
  Yet I, when once I shall be pleased to pull,
  The earth itself, itself the sea, and you
  Will lift with ease together, and will wind
  The chain around the spiry summit sharp
  Of the Olympian, that all things upheaved 30
  Shall hang in the mid heaven.  So far do I,
  Compared with all who live, transcend them all. 
    He ended, and the Gods long time amazed
  Sat silent, for with awful tone he spake: 
  But at the last Pallas blue-eyed began. 35
    Father!  Saturnian Jove! of Kings supreme! 
  We know thy force resistless; but our hearts
  Feel not the less, when we behold the Greeks
  Exhausting all the sorrows of their lot. 
  If thou command, we, doubtless, will abstain 40
  From battle, yet such counsel to the Greeks
  Suggesting still, as may in part effect
  Their safety, lest thy wrath consume them all. 
    To whom with smiles answer’d cloud-gatherer Jove. 
  Fear not, my child! stern as mine accent was, 45
  I forced a frown—­no more.  For in mine heart
  Nought feel I but benevolence to thee. 
    He said, and to his chariot join’d his steeds
  Swift, brazen-hoof’d, and mailed with wavy gold;
  He put on golden raiment, his bright scourge 50
  Of gold receiving rose into his seat,