’So he spoke, and each man took up a two-handled cup and poured out wine as an offering to the gods.  Then Odysseus and Aias in sadness left the hut.  But Phoinix remained, and for him Patroklos, the dear friend of Achilles, spread a couch of fleeces and rugs.’

’Odysseus and Aias went along the shore of the sea and by the line of the ships and they came to where Agamemnon was with the greatest of the warriors of the host.  Odysseus told them that by no means would Achilles join in the battle, and they all were made silent with grief.  Then Diomedes, the great horseman, rose up and said, “Let Achilles stay or go, fight or not fight, as it pleases him.  But it is for us who have made a vow to take Priam’s city, to fight on.  Let us take food and rest now, and to-morrow let us go against Hector’s host, and you, Agamemnon, take the foremost place in the battle."’

’So Diomedes spoke and the warriors applauded what he said, and they all poured out libations of wine to the gods, and thereafter they went to their huts and slept.  But for Agamemnon, the King, there was no sleep that night.  Before his eyes was the blaze of Hector’s thousand watch-fires and in his ears were the sound of pipes and flutes that made war-music for the Trojan host encamped upon the plain.’

XIII

When dawn came the King arrayed himself for the battle, putting on his great breast-plate and his helmet that had a high plume of horse-hair; fastening about his legs greaves fitted with ankle-clasps of silver; and hanging round his shoulders a great sword that shone with studs of gold—­a sword that had a silver scabbard fitted with golden chains.  Over his shoulders he cast a great lion’s skin, and he took upon his arm a shield that covered the whole of a man.  Next he took in his hands two strong spears of bronze, and so arrayed and so armed he was ready to take the foremost place in the battle.’

’He cried aloud and bade the Greeks arm themselves, and straightway they did so and poured from behind the wall that guarded their ships into the Trojan plain.  Then the chiefs mounted their chariots, and their charioteers turned the horses towards the place of battle.’

’Now on the high ground before them the Trojans had gathered in their battalions and the figure of great Hector was plain to Agamemnon and his men.  Like a star that now and then was hidden by a cloud, so he appeared as he went through the battalions, all covered with shining bronze.  Spears and arrows fell upon both sides.  Footmen kept slaying footmen and horsemen kept slaying horsemen with the sword, and the dust of the plain rose up, stirred by the thundering hooves of the horses.  From dawn till morning and from morning till noon the battle raged, but at mid-day the Greeks broke through the Trojan lines.  Then Agamemnon in his chariot rushed through a gap in the line.  Two men did he instantly slay, and dashing onward he slew two warriors who were sons