Then answered him Dolon son of Eumedes: “Verily
all this likewise will I recount to thee truly.
Towards the sea lie the Karians, and Paionians of
the bended bow, and the Leleges and Kaukones, and noble
Pelasgoi. And towards Thymbre the Lykians have
their place, and the haughty Mysians, and the Phrygians
that fight from chariots, and Maionians lords of chariots.
But wherefore do ye inquire of me throughly concerning
all these things? for if ye desire to steal into the
throng of Trojans, lo, there be those Thracians, new
comers, at the furthest point apart from the rest,
and among them their king Rhesos, son of Eioneus.
His be the fairest horses that ever I beheld, and
the greatest, whiter than snow, and for speed like
the winds. And his chariot is fashioned well with
gold and silver, and golden is his armour that he brought
with him, marvellous, a wonder to behold; such as
it is in no wise fit for mortal men to bear, but for
the deathless gods. But bring me now to the swift
ships, or leave me here, when ye have bound me with
a ruthless bond, that ye may go and make trial of
me whether I have spoken to you truth, or lies.”
Then strong Diomedes, looking grimly on him, said:
“Put no thought of escape, Dolon, in thy heart,
for all the good tidings thou hast brought, since
once thou halt come into our hands. For if now
we release thee or let thee go, on some later day
wilt thou come to the swift ships of the Achaians,
either to play the spy, or to fight in open war, but
if subdued beneath my hands thou lose thy life, never
again wilt thou prove a bane to the Argives.”
He spake, and that other with strong hand was about
to touch his chin, and implore his mercy, but Diomedes
smote him on the midst of the neck, rushing on him
with the sword, and cut through both the sinews, and
the head of him still speaking was mingled with the
dust. And they stripped him of the casque of
ferret’s skin from off his head, and of his
wolf-skin, and his bended bow, and his long spear,
and these to Athene the Giver of Spoil did noble Odysseus
hold aloft in his hand, and he prayed and spake a
word: “Rejoice, O goddess, in these, for
to thee first of all the immortals in Olympus will
we call for aid; nay, but yet again send us on against
the horses and the sleeping places of the Thracian
men.”
So spake he aloud, and lifted from him the spoils
on high, and set them on a tamarisk bush, and raised
thereon a mark right plain to see, gathering together
reeds, and luxuriant shoots of tamarisk, lest they
should miss the place as they returned again through
the swift dark night.
