Page 32 - the-iliad

now it is all coming true. Stay here, therefore, all of you, till
we take the city of Priam.’
On this the Argives raised a shout, till the ships rang
again with the uproar. Nestor, knight of Gerene, then ad-
dressed them. ‘Shame on you,’ he cried, ‘to stay talking here
like children, when you should fight like men. Where are
our covenants now, and where the oaths that we have taken?
Shall our counsels be flung into the fire, with our drink-of-
ferings and the right hands of fellowship wherein we have
put our trust? We waste our time in words, and for all our
talking here shall be no further forward. Stand, therefore,
son of Atreus, by your own steadfast purpose; lead the Ar-
gives on to battle, and leave this handful of men to rot, who
scheme, and scheme in vain, to get back to Argos ere they
have learned whether Jove be true or a liar. For the mighty
son of Saturn surely promised that we should succeed, when
we Argives set sail to bring death and destruction upon
the Trojans. He showed us favourable signs by flashing his
lightning on our right hands; therefore let none make haste
to go till he has first lain with the wife of some Trojan, and
avenged the toil and sorrow that he has suffered for the sake
of Helen. Nevertheless, if any man is in such haste to be at
home again, let him lay his hand to his ship that he may
meet his doom in the sight of all. But, O king, consider and
give ear to my counsel, for the word that I say may not be
neglected lightly. Divide your men, Agamemnon, into their
several tribes and clans, that clans and tribes may stand by
and help one another. If you do this, and if the Achaeans
obey you, you will find out who, both chiefs and peoples,

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