Page 200 - the-iliad

BOOK XI

ND now as Dawn rose from her couch beside Tithonus,
Aharbinger of light alike to mortals and immortals, Jove
sent fierce Discord with the ensign of war in her hands to
the ships of the Achaeans. She took her stand by the huge
black hull of Ulysses’ ship which was middlemost of all, so
that her voice might carry farthest on either side, on the
one hand towards the tents of Ajax son of Telamon, 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. There she took her
stand, and raised a cry both loud and shrill that filled the
Achaeans with courage, giving them heart to fight resolute-
ly and with all their might, so that they had rather stay there
and do battle than go home in their ships.
The son of Atreus shouted aloud and bade the Argives
gird themselves for battle while he put on his armour. First
he girded his goodly greaves about his legs, making them
fast with ankleclasps of silver; and about his chest he set
the breastplate which Cinyras had once given him as a
guest-gift. It had been noised abroad as far as Cyprus that
the Achaeans were about to sail for Troy, and therefore he
gave it to the king. It had ten courses of dark cyanus, twelve
of gold, and ten of tin. There were serpents of cyanus that
reared themselves up towards the neck, three upon either

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