Homer ILIAD : Rhapsody 10

Page 7

But him Nestor, the Gerenian knight, then answered: "Jove-sprung son of Laertes, much-scheming Ulysses, be not indignant, for so great a sorrow hath oppressed the Greeks. But follow, that we may arouse even another, whomsoever it is fit, to deliberate whether to fly or fight."

Thus he spake, and much-counselling Ulysses returning into his tent, flung around his shoulders his variegated shield, and followed them. But they proceeded to Diomede, the son of Tydeus, and him they found without, before his tent, with his arms; and his companions slept around him. Beneath their heads they had their shields, and their spears were fixed erect upon the nether point;[345] and afar off glittered the brass, like the lightning of father Jove. The hero himself however slumbered, and beneath him was strewed the hide of a wild bull; but under his head was spread a splendid piece of tapestry. Standing by him, the Gerenian knight Nestor awoke him, moving him on the heel with his foot,[346] he roused him, and upbraided [him] openly:

"Arise, son of Tydeus, why dost thou indulge in sleep all night? Hearest thou not how the Trojans are encamped upon an eminence in the plain near the ships, and that now but a small space keeps them off?"

[Footnote 345: [Greek: Sauroteroi' tois sturaxin ton opiso ton doraton]. Hesychius, who also, with reference to the present passage, has [Greek: Sauroteros' tou sideriou]. Pollux, x. 31, well explains it, [Greek: to tou doratos istamenon]. It is also called [Greek: styrax] and [Greek: styra].]

[Footnote 346: Not "calce pedis movens." See Kennedy.]

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