Homer ILIAD : Rhapsody 10

Page 4

"Who art thou who comest thus alone by the ships, along the army, during the gloomy night, when other mortals are asleep? Whether seeking any of the guards, or any of thy companions? Speak, nor approach me in silence; of what is there need to thee?"

But him Agamemnon, king of men, then answered: "O Nestor, son of Neleus, great glory of the Greeks, thou wilt recognize Agamemnon, the son of Atreus, whom beyond all Jove hath plunged into toils continually, whilst breath remains in my breast, or my knees have the power of motion. I wander[339] thus, because sweet sleep sits not on mine eyes, but war and the calamities of the Greeks are my care. For I greatly fear for the Greeks, neither is my heart firm, but I am confounded.[340] My heart leaps without my breast, and my fair limbs tremble beneath. But if thou canst do aught (since neither doth sleep come upon thee), come, let us go down to the guards, that we may see whether, worn out by toil and [overpowered][341] by sleep, they slumber, and are altogether forgetful of the watch. And hostile men are encamped near, nor do we at all know but that they perhaps meditate in their minds to engage even during the night." [342]

[Footnote 339: Aesch. Ag. 12: [Greek: Eyt' an de nuktiplankton endroson t' echo Einen oneirois ouk episkopoumenen Emen, phothos gar anth' opnou parastatei].]

[Footnote 340: Cicero ad Attic, ix. 6: "Non angor, sed ardeo dolore; [Greek: oude moi etor empedon, all' alalyktemai]. Non sum, inquam, mihi crede, mentis compos."]

[Footnote 341: Observe the zeugma, which has been imitated by Hor. Od. III. 4, 11: "Ludo fatigatumque somno." Compare the learned dissertation on this subject by D'Orville on Chariton, iv. 4, p. 440, sqq. ed. Lips.]

[Footnote 342: Aesch. Sept. c. Th. 28: [Greek: Legei megisten proszalen Achaida Nukinegoreisthai kopithouleyein polei].]

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