Homer Nagy trans.’s “Scroll 8”
[1] Now when Dawn, clad in her robe of saffron, had begun to suffuse light over the earth, Zeus called the gods in council on the topmost crest of serrated Olympus. Then he spoke and all the other gods gave ear.
[5]”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.
[10] If I see anyone acting apart and helping either Trojans or Danaans, he shall be beaten inordinately before he comes back again to Olympus; or I will hurl him down into dark Tartarus far into the deepest pit under
[15] the earth, where the gates are iron and the floor bronze, as far beneath Hadēs as the sky is high above the earth, that you may learn how much the mightiest I am among you. Try me and find out for yourselves. Hang me a golden chain from the sky, and lay hold of it
[20] all of you, gods and goddesses together – tug as you will, you will not drag Zeus the supreme counselor from the sky to earth; but were I to pull at it myself I should draw you up with earth and sea
[25] into the bargain, then would I bind the chain about some pinnacle of Olympus and leave you all dangling in the mid firmament. So far am I above all others either of gods or men.” They were frightened and all of them of held their peace, for he had spoken masterfully;
[30] but at last owl-vision Athena answered, “Father, son of Kronos, king of kings, we all know that your might is not to be gainsaid, but we are also sorry for the Danaan warriors, who are perishing and coming to a bad end.
[35] We will, however, since you so bid us, refrain from actual fighting, but we will make serviceable suggestions to the Argives that they may not all of them perish in your displeasure.” Zeus the gatherer of clouds smiled at her and answered, “Take heart, my child, Trito-born; I am not really in earnest,
[40] and I wish to be kind to you.” With this he yoked his fleet horses, with hoofs of bronze and manes of glittering gold. He girded himself also with gold about the body, seized his gold whip and took his seat in his chariot. Then
[45] he lashed his horses and they flew forward without hesitation midway between earth and starry sky. After a while he reached Ida with its many fountains, mother of wild beasts, and Gargaros, where are his grove and fragrant altar. There the father of gods and men stayed his horses,
[50] took them from the chariot, and hid them in a thick cloud; then he took his seat all glorious upon the topmost crests, looking down upon the city of Troy and the ships of the Achaeans. The flowing-haired Achaeans took their morning meal hastily at the ships, and afterwards put on their armor. The Trojans
[55] on the other hand likewise armed themselves throughout the city, fewer in numbers but nevertheless eager perforce to do battle for their wives and children. All the gates were flung wide open, and horse and foot rushed forth with the tramp as of a great multitude.
[60] When they were got together in one place, shield clashed with shield, and spear with spear, in the conflict of mail-clad men. Mighty was the din as the bossed shields pressed hard on one another – cry and shout of triumph
[65] of slain and slayers, and the earth ran red with blood. Now so long as the day waxed and it was still morning their weapons beat against one another, and the people fell, but when the sun had reached the mid-point of the sky, the father of all balanced his golden scales,
[70] and put two fates of death within them, one for the Trojans, breakers of horses, and the other for the bronze-armored Achaeans. He took the balance by the middle, and when he lifted it up the day of the Achaeans sank; the death-fraught scale of the Achaeans settled down upon the ground, while that of the Trojans rose toward the sky.
[75] Then he thundered aloud from Ida, and sent the glare of his lightning upon the Achaeans; when they saw this, pale fear fell upon them and they were mightily afraid. Idomeneus dared not stay nor yet Agamemnon, nor did the two Ajaxes, attendants [therapontes] of Ares, hold their ground.
[80] Nestor charioteer of Gerenia alone stood firm, bulwark of the Achaeans, not of his own will, but one of his horses was disabled. Radiant Alexandros husband of lovely-haired Helen had hit it with an arrow just on the top of its head where the mane begins to grow away from the skull, a very deadly place.
[85] The horse bounded in his anguish as the arrow pierced his brain, and his struggles threw others into confusion. The old man instantly began cutting the traces with his sword, but Hector’s fleet horses bore down upon him through the rout with their bold charioteer,
[90] even Hector himself, and the old man would have perished there and then had not Diomedes been quick to mark, and with a loud cry called Odysseus to help him. “Resourceful Odysseus,” he cried, “noble son of Laertes and seed of Zeus where are you fleeing to, with your back turned like a coward?
[95] See that you are not struck with a spear between the shoulders. Stay here and help me to defend Nestor from this man’s furious onset.” Long-suffering great Odysseus would not give ear, but sped onward to the ships of the Achaeans, and the son of Tydeus flinging himself alone into the thick of the fight
[100] took his stand before the horses of the son of Neleus. “Sir,” said he, “these young warriors are pressing you hard, your force is spent, and age is heavy upon you, your attendant [therapōn] is naught, and your horses are slow to move.
[105] Mount my chariot and see what the horses of Tros can do – how cleverly they can scud here and there over the plain either in flight or in pursuit. I took them from the hero Aeneas. Let our attendants [theraponte] attend to your own steeds, but
[110] let us drive straight at the Trojans, breakers of horses, that Hector may learn how furiously I too can wield my spear.” Nestor charioteer of Gerenia hearkened to his words. Then the two mighty attendants [theraponte], Sthenelos and kind-hearted Eurymedon, saw to Nestor’s horses,
[115] while the two both mounted Diomedes’ chariot. Nestor took the reins in his hands and lashed the horses on; they were soon close up with Hector, and the son of Tydeus aimed a spear at him as he was charging full speed towards them. He missed him, but struck his charioteer and attendant [therapōn]
[120] Eniopeus son of noble Thebaios in the breast by the nipple while the reins were in his hands, so that he lost his life-breath [psukhē] there and then, and the horses swerved as he fell headlong from the chariot.
[125] Hector was greatly grieved at the loss of his charioteer, but let him lie for all his sorrow [akhos], while he went in quest of another driver; nor did his steeds have to go long without one, for he presently found brave Arkheptolemos the bold son of Iphitos, and made him get up behind the horses, giving the reins into his hand.
[130] All had then been lost and no help for it, for they would have been penned up in Ilion like sheep, had not the father of gods and men been quick to mark, and hurled a fiery flaming thunderbolt which fell just in front of Diomedes’ horses
[135] with a flare of burning brimstone. The horses were frightened and tried to back beneath the car, while the reins dropped from Nestor’s hands. Then he was afraid and said to Diomedes, “Son of Tydeus, turn your horses in flight;
[140] see you not that the hand of Zeus son of Kronos is against you? Today he grants victory to Hector; tomorrow, if it so please him, he will again grant it to ourselves; no man, however brave, may thwart the purpose [noos] of Zeus, for he is far stronger than any.”
[145] Diomedes of the great war cry answered, “All that you have said is true; there is a grief [akhos] however which pierces me to the very heart, for Hector will talk among the Trojans and say, ‘The son of Tydeus fled before me to the ships.’
[150] This is the boast he will make, and may earth then swallow me.” “Son of brave Tydeus,” replied Nestor, “what mean you? Though Hector say that you are a coward the Trojans and Dardanians will not believe him,
[155] nor yet the wives of the mighty warriors whom you have laid low.” So saying he turned the horses back through the thick of the battle, and with a cry that rent the air the Trojans and Hector rained their darts after them.
[160] Tall Hector of the shining helmet shouted to him and said, “Son of Tydeus, the Danaans have done you honor before now as regards your place at table, the meals they give you, and the filling of your cup with wine. Henceforth they will despise you, for you are become no better than a woman. Be off, girl and coward that you are, you shall not scale our walls
[165] through any hesitation on my part; neither shall you carry off our wives in your ships, for I shall give you with my own hand the fate [daimōn] of death.” The son of Tydeus was in two minds whether or not to turn his horses round again and fight him. Thrice did he doubt,
[170] and three times did Zeus thunder from the heights of Ida as a sign [sēma] to the Trojans that he would turn the battle in their favor. Hector then shouted to them and said, “Trojans, Lycians, and Dardanians, lovers of close fighting, be men, my friends, and fight with might and with main;
[175] I see that Zeus is minded to grant victory and great glory to myself, while he will deal destruction upon the Danaans. Fools, for having thought of building this weak and worthless wall. It shall not stay my fury; my horses will spring lightly over their trench,
[180] But when I get to the hollow ships 181 let there be some memory [mnēmosunē], in the future, of the burning fire, 182 how I will set the ships on fire and kill 183 the Argives [= Achaeans] right by their ships, confounded as they will be by the smoke. Then he cried to his horses,
[185] “Xanthos and Podargos, and you Aithon and goodly Lampos, pay me for your keep now and for all the honey-sweet wheat with which Andromache daughter of high-hearted Eëtion has fed you, and for she has mixed wine and water for you to drink whenever you would, before doing so
[190] even for me who am her own husband. Haste in pursuit, that we may take the shield of Nestor, the fame [kleos] of which ascends to the sky, for it is of solid gold, arm-rods and all, and that we may strip from the shoulders of Diomedes, breaker of horses.
[195] the cuirass which Hephaistos made him. Could we take these two things, the Achaeans would set sail in their ships this self-same night.” Thus did he boast, but Queen Hera made high Olympus quake as she shook with rage upon her throne.
[200] Then said she to the mighty god of Poseidon, “What now, wide ruling lord of the earthquake? Can you find no compassion in your heart for the dying Danaans, who bring you many a welcome offering to Helike and to Aigai? Wish them well then.
[205] If all of us who are with the Danaans were to drive the Trojans back and keep Zeus of the broad brows from helping them, he would have to sit there sulking alone on Ida.” King Poseidon was greatly troubled and answered, “Hera, rash of tongue, what are you talking about?
[210] We other gods must not set ourselves against Zeus son of Kronos, for he is far stronger than we are.” Thus did they converse; but the whole space enclosed by the ditch, from the ships even to the wall, was filled with horses and warriors, who were
[215] pent up there by Hector son of Priam, now that the hand of Zeus was with him. He would even have set fire to the ships and burned them, had not Queen Hera put it into the mind of Agamemnon, to bestir himself and to encourage the Achaeans.
[220] To this end he went round the ships and tents carrying a great purple cloak, and took his stand by the huge black hull of Odysseus’ ship, which was middlemost of all; it was from this place that his voice would carry farthest, on the one hand towards the tents of Ajax son of Telamon,
[225] and on the other towards those of Achilles – for these two heroes, well assured of their own strength, had valorously drawn up their ships at the two ends of the line. From this spot then, with a voice that could be heard afar, he shouted to the Danaans, saying, “Argives, shame on you cowardly creatures, brave in semblance only; where are now our boasts that we should prove victorious –
[230] the boasts we made so vaingloriously in Lemnos, when we ate the flesh of horned cattle and filled our mixing-bowls to the brim? You vowed that you would each of you stand against a hundred or two hundred men, and now you prove no match even for one –
[235] for Hector, who will be before long setting our ships in a blaze. Father Zeus, did you ever bring such ruin [atē] to a great king and rob him so utterly of his greatness? Yet, when to my sorrow I was coming here, I never let my ship pass
[240] your altars without offering the fat and thigh-bones of heifers upon every one of them, so eager was I to destroy the strong-walled city of Troy. Grant me then this prayer – allow us to escape at any rate with our lives, and let not the Achaeans be so utterly vanquished by the Trojans.”
[245] Thus did he pray, and father Zeus pitying his tears granted that his people should live, not die; right away he sent them an eagle, most unfailingly portentous of all birds, with a young fawn in its talons; the eagle dropped the fawn by the altar
[250] on which the Achaeans sacrificed to Zeus the lord of omens. When, therefore, the people saw that the bird had come from Zeus, they sprang more fiercely upon the Trojans and fought more boldly. There was no man of all the many Danaans who could then boast that he had driven his horses over the trench and gone forth to fight sooner than the son of Tydeus;
[255] long before any one else could do so he slew an armed warrior of the Trojans, Agelaos the son of Phradmon. He had turned his horses in flight, but the spear struck him in the back midway between his shoulders and went right through his chest,
[260] and his armor rang rattling round him as he fell forward from his chariot. After him came Agamemnon and Menelaos, sons of Atreus, the two Ajaxes clothed in valor as with a garment, Idomeneus and his companion in arms Meriones, peer of manslaughtering Ares,
[265] and Eurypylos the brave son of Euaimon. Ninth came Teucer with his bow, and took his place under cover of the shield of Ajax son of Telamon. When Ajax lifted his shield Teucer would peer round, and when he had hit any one in the throng,
[270] the man would fall dead; then Teucer would hasten back to Ajax as a child to its mother, and again duck down under his shield. Which of the Trojans did brave Teucer first kill? Orsilokhos, and then Ormenos and Ophelestes,
[275] Daitor, Khromios, and godlike Lykophontes, Amopaon son of Polyaimon, and Melanippos. These in turn did he lay low upon the earth, and King Agamemnon the lord of men was glad when he saw him making havoc of the Trojans with his mighty bow.
[280] He went up to him and said, “Teucer, man after my own heart, son of Telamon, chief among the army of warriors, shoot on, and be at once the saving of the Danaans and the glory of your father Telamon, who brought you up and took care of you in his own house when you were a child, bastard though you were.
[285] Cover him with glory though he is far off; I will promise and I will assuredly perform; if aegis-bearing Zeus and Athena grant me to destroy the city of Ilion, you shall have the next best prize
[290] of honor after my own – a tripod, or two horses with their chariot, or a woman who shall go up into your bed.”
[292] And Teucer the blameless answered, “Most noble son of Atreus, you need not urge me; from the moment we began to drive them back to strong-founded citadel of Ilion, I have never ceased so far as in me lies to look out for men whom I can shoot and kill; I have shot eight barbed shafts, and all of them have been buried in the flesh of warlike youths, but I cannot hit this mad dog, with his wolfish rage [lyssa].”
[300] As he spoke he aimed another arrow straight at Hector, for he was bent on hitting him; nevertheless he missed him, and the arrow hit Priam’s brave son Gorgythion the blameless in the breast.
[305] His mother, fair Kastianeira, lovely as a goddess, had been married from Aisyme, and now he bowed his head as a garden poppy in full bloom when it is weighed down by showers in spring – even thus heavy bowed his head beneath the weight of his helmet.
[310] Again he aimed at Hector, for he was longing to hit him, and again his arrow missed, for Apollo turned it aside; but he hit Hector’s brave charioteer Arkheptolemos in the breast, by the nipple, as he was driving furiously into the fight. The horses swerved aside as he fell headlong from the chariot,
[315] and there was no life [psukhē] left in him. Hector was greatly grieved at the loss of his charioteer, but for all his sorrow [akhos] he let him lie where he fell, and bade his brother Kebriones, who was hard by, take the reins. Kebriones did as he had said.
[320] Hector then with a loud cry sprang from his chariot to the ground, and seizing a great stone made straight for Teucer with intent kill him. Teucer had just taken an arrow from his quiver and had laid it upon the bow-string, but shining-helmed Hector struck him with the jagged stone as he was taking aim and drawing the string to his shoulder; he hit him just where the collar-bone divides the neck from the chest,
[325] a very deadly place, and broke the sinew of his arm so that his wrist was less, and the bow dropped from his hand as he fell forward on his knees. Ajax
[330] saw that his brother had fallen, and running towards him bestrode him and sheltered him with his shield. Meanwhile his two trusty attendants, Mekisteus son of Ekhios, and radiant Alastor, came up and bore him to the ships groaning in his great pain.
[335] Zeus now again put heart into the Trojans, and they drove the Achaeans to their deep trench with Hector in all his glory at their head. As a hound grips a wild boar or lion in
[340] flank or buttock when he gives him chase, and watches warily for his wheeling, even so did Hector follow close upon the flowing-haired Achaeans, ever killing the hindmost as they rushed panic-stricken onwards. When they had fled through the set stakes and trench and many Achaeans had been laid low at the hands of the Trojans,
[345] they halted at their ships, calling upon one another and praying every man instantly as they lifted up their hands to the gods; but Hector wheeled his horses this way and that, his eyes glaring like those of Gorgo or manslaughtering Ares.
[350] Hera, the goddess of the white arms, when she saw them had pity upon them, and at once said to Athena, “Alas, child of aegis-bearing Zeus, shall you and I take no more thought for the dying Danaans, though it be the last time we ever do so? See how they perish
[355] and come to a bad end before the onset of but a single man. Hector the son of Priam rages with intolerable fury, and has already done great mischief.” Owl-vision Athena answered, “Would, indeed, this man might die in his own land, and fall by the hands of the Achaeans;
[360] but my father Zeus is mad with spleen, ever foiling me, ever headstrong and unjust. He forgets how often I saved his son when he was worn out by the labors [athloi] Eurystheus had laid on him. He would weep till his cry came up to the sky,
[365] and then Zeus would send me down to help him; if I had had the sense to foresee all this, when Eurystheus sent him to the house of Hadēs, to fetch the infernal hound from Erebos, he would never have come back alive out of the deep waters of the river Styx.
[370] And now Zeus hates me, while he lets Thetis have her way because she kissed his knees and took hold of his beard, when she was begging him to do honor to Achilles, ransacker of cities. I shall know what to do next time he begins calling me his owl-vision darling. Get our horses ready,
[375] while I go within the house of aegis-bearing Zeus and put on my armor; we shall then find out whether Priam’s son Hector of the shining helmet will be glad to meet us in the highways of battle, or whether the Trojans will glut hounds and vultures
[380] with the fat of their flesh as they he dead by the ships of the Achaeans.” Thus did she speak and white-armed Hera, exalted goddess and daughter of great Kronos, obeyed her words; she set about harnessing her gold-bedizened steeds, while Athena daughter of aegis-bearing Zeus
[385] flung her richly vesture, made with her own hands, on to the threshold of her father, and donned the khiton of Zeus who gathers clouds, arming herself for battle. Then she stepped into her flaming chariot, and grasped the spear
[390] so stout and sturdy and strong with which she quells the ranks of heroes who have displeased her. Hera lashed her horses, and the gates of the sky bellowed as they flew open of their own accord – gates over which the Seasons [hōrai] preside, in whose hands are the sky and Olympus, either
[395] to open the dense cloud that hides them or to close it. Through these the goddesses drove their obedient steeds. But father Zeus when he saw them from Ida was very angry, and sent golden-winged Iris with a message to them. “Go,” said he, “fleet Iris, turn them back, and see that they do not come near me,
[400] for if we come to fighting there will be mischief. This is what I say, and this is what I mean to do. I will lame their horses for them; I will hurl them from their chariot, and will break it in pieces. It will take them all ten years to heal
[405] the wounds my lightning shall inflict upon them; my owl-vision daughter will then learn what quarrelling with her father means. I am less surprised and angry with Hera, for whatever I say she always contradicts me.” With this storm-footed Iris went her way,
[410] fleet as the wind, from the heights of Ida to the lofty summits of Olympus. She met the goddesses at the outer gates of its many valleys and gave them her message. “What,” said she, “are you about? Are you mad? The son of Kronos forbids going.
[415] This is what he says, and this is he means to do, he will lame your horses for you, he will hurl you from your chariot, and will break it in pieces. It will take you all ten years to heal the wounds his lightning will inflict upon you, that
[420] you may learn, owl-vision goddess, what quarrelling with your father means. He is less hurt and angry with Hera, for whatever he says she always contradicts him but you, bold hussy, will you really dare to raise your huge spear in defiance of Zeus?”
[425] With this she left them, and Hera said to Athena, “Truly, child of aegis-bearing Zeus, I am not for fighting men’s battles further in defiance of Zeus. Let them live or die as luck
[430] will have it, and let Zeus mete out his judgments upon the Trojans and Danaans according to his own pleasure.” She turned her steeds; the Seasons [hōrai] presently unyoked them, made them fast to their ambrosial mangers,
[435] and leaned the chariot against the end wall of the courtyard. The two goddesses then sat down upon their golden thrones, amid the company of the other gods; but they were very angry. Presently father Zeus drove his chariot to Olympus, and entered the assembly of gods.
[440] The mighty lord of the earthquake unyoked his horses for him, set the car upon its stand, and threw a cloth over it. Zeus of the wide brows then sat down upon his golden throne and Olympus reeled beneath him. Athena and Hera sat alone, apart
[445] from Zeus, and neither spoke nor asked him questions, but Zeus knew what they meant, and said, “Athena and Hera, why are you so angry? Are you fatigued with killing so many of your dear friends the Trojans?
[450] Be this as it may, such is the might of my hands that all the gods in Olympus cannot turn me; you were both of you trembling all over before ever you saw the fight and its terrible doings. I tell you therefore – and it would have surely been –
[455] I should have struck you with lighting, and your chariots would never have brought you back again to Olympus.” Athena and Hera groaned in spirit as they sat side-by-side and brooded mischief for the Trojans. Athena sat silent without a word, for she was in a
[460] furious passion and bitterly incensed against her father; but Hera could not contain herself and said, “What, dread son of Kronos, are you talking about? We know how great your power is, nevertheless we have compassion upon the Danaan warriors
[465] who are perishing and coming to a bad end. We will, however, since you so bid us, refrain from actual fighting, but we will make serviceable suggestions to the Argives, that they may not all of them perish in your displeasure.” And Zeus who gathers clouds answered,
[470] “Tomorrow morning, ox-vision Hera, if you choose to do so, you will see the son of Kronos destroying large numbers of the Argives, for fierce Hector shall not cease fighting till he has roused the swift-footed son of Peleus
[475] when they are fighting in dire straits at their ships’ sterns about the body of fallen Patroklos. Like it or no, this is how it is decreed; for all I care, you may go to the lowest depths beneath earth and sea [pontos], where Iapetos and Kronos dwell
[480] in lone Tartarus with neither ray of light nor breath of wind to cheer them. You may go on and on till you get there, and I shall not care one whit for your displeasure; you are the greatest vixen living.” Hera of the white arms made him no answer.
[485] The sun’s glorious orb now sank into Okeanos and drew down night over the grain-giving land. Sorry indeed were the Trojans when light failed them, but welcome and thrice prayed for did darkness fall upon the Achaeans. Then glorious Hector led the Trojans
[490] back from the ships, and held a council on the open space near the river, where there was a spot clear of corpses. They left their chariots and sat down on the ground to hear the speech he made them. He grasped a spear eleven cubits long,
[495] the bronze point of which gleamed in front of it, while the ring round the spearhead was of gold. Spear in hand he spoke. “Hear me,” said he, “Trojans, Dardanians, and allies. I thought but now that I should destroy the ships and all the Achaeans with them before I went back to Ilion,
[500] but darkness came on too soon. It was this alone that saved them and their ships upon the seashore. Now, therefore, let us obey the behests of night, and prepare our suppers. Take your horses out of their chariots and give them their feeds of wheat;
[505] then make speed to bring sheep and cattle from the city; bring wine also and wheat for your horses and gather much wood, that from dark till dawn we may burn watchfires whose flare may reach to the sky.
[510] For the flowing-haired Achaeans may try to flee beyond the sea by night, and they must not embark unscathed and unmolested; many a man among them must take a dart with him to nurse at home, hit with spear or arrow as he is
[515] leaping on board his ship, that others may fear to bring war and weeping upon the Trojans. Moreover let the heralds tell it about the city that the growing youths and gray-bearded men are to camp upon its divinely built walls.
[520] Let the women each of them light a great fire in her house, and let watch be safely kept lest the town be entered by surprise while the army of warriors is outside. See to it, brave Trojans, as I have said, and let this suffice for the moment;
[525] at daybreak I will instruct you further. I pray in hope to Zeus and to the gods that we may then drive those fate-sped hounds from our land, for ‘tis the fates that have borne them and their ships here. This night, therefore, let us keep watch, but with
[530] early morning let us put on our armor and rouse fierce war at the ships of the Achaeans; I shall then know whether brave Diomedes the son of Tydeus will drive me back from the ships to the wall, or whether I shall myself slay him and carry off his bloodstained spoils.
[535] Tomorrow let him show his mettle [aretē], abide my spear if he dare. I bet that at break of day, he shall be among the first to fall and many another of his comrades round him. Would that I were as sure of being immortal and never growing old,
[540] and of being worshipped like Athena and Apollo, as I am that this day will bring evil to the Argives.”
Thus spoke Hector and the Trojans shouted approval. They took their sweating steeds from under the yoke, and made them fast each by his own chariot.
[545] They made haste to bring sheep and cattle from the city, they brought wine also and wheat from their houses and gathered much wood. They then offered unblemished hecatombs to the immortals, and the wind carried the
[550] sweet savor of sacrifice to the gods – but the blessed gods did not partake of it, for they bitterly hated Ilion with Priam of the strong ash spear and Priam’s people. Thus high in hope they sat through the livelong night by the highways of war, and many a watchfire did they kindle.
[555] As when the stars shine clear, and the moon is bright – there is not a breath of air, not a peak nor glade nor jutting headland but it stands out in the ineffable radiance that breaks forth from the sky; the stars can all of them be told and the heart of the shepherd is glad –
[560] even thus shone the watchfires of the Trojans before Ilion midway between the ships and the river Xanthos. A thousand camp-fires gleamed upon the plain, and in the glow of each there sat fifty men, while the horses, champing
[565] oats and wheat beside their chariots, waited till dawn should come.