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Who baffle much my purpose; aids derived

       From other states, spear-arm'd auxiliars, firm155

       In the defence of Ilium's lofty towers.

       036 Nine years have passed us over, nine long years;

       Our ships are rotted, and our tackle marr'd,

       And all our wives and little-ones at home

       Sit watching our return, while this attempt160

       Hangs still in doubt, for which that home we left.

       Accept ye then my counsel. Fly we swift

       With all our fleet back to our native land,

       Hopeless of Troy, not yet to be subdued.

      So spake the King, whom all the concourse heard165

       With minds in tumult toss'd; all, save the few,

       Partners of his intent. Commotion shook

       The whole assembly, such as heaves the flood

       Of the Icarian Deep, when South and East

       Burst forth together from the clouds of Jove.170

       And as when vehement the West-wind falls

       On standing corn mature, the loaded ears

       Innumerable bow before the gale,

       So was the council shaken. With a shout

       All flew toward the ships; uprais'd, the dust175

       Stood o'er them; universal was the cry,

       "Now clear the passages, strike down the props,

       Set every vessel free, launch, and away!"

       Heaven rang with exclamation of the host

       All homeward bent, and launching glad the fleet.180

       Then baffled Fate had the Achaians seen

       Returning premature, but Juno thus,

       With admonition quick to Pallas spake.

      Unconquer'd daughter of Jove Ægis-arm'd!

       Ah foul dishonor! Is it thus at last185

       That the Achaians on the billows borne,

       Shall seek again their country, leaving here,

       To be the vaunt of Ilium and her King,

       Helen of Argos, in whose cause the Greeks

       Have numerous perish'd from their home remote?190

       Haste! Seek the mail-arm'd multitude, by force

       Detain them of thy soothing speech, ere yet

       All launch their oary barks into the flood.

      She spake, nor did Minerva not comply,

       037 But darting swift from the Olympian heights,195

       Reach'd soon Achaia's fleet. There, she perceived

       Prudent as Jove himself, Ulysses; firm

       He stood; he touch'd not even with his hand

       His sable bark, for sorrow whelm'd his soul.

       The Athenæan Goddess azure-eyed200

       Beside him stood, and thus the Chief bespake.

      Laertes' noble son, for wiles renown'd!

       Why seek ye, thus precipitate, your ships?

       Intend ye flight? And is it thus at last,

       That the Achaians on the billows borne,205

       Shall seek again their country, leaving here,

       To be the vaunt of Ilium and her King,

       Helen of Argos, in whose cause the Greeks

       Have numerous perish'd from their home remote?

       Delay not. Rush into the throng; by force210

       Detain them of thy soothing speech, ere yet

       All launch their oary barks into the flood.

      She ceased, whom by her voice Ulysses knew,

       Casting his mantle from him, which his friend

       Eurybates the Ithacensian caught,215

       He ran; and in his course meeting the son

       Of Atreus, Agamemnon, from his hand

       The everlasting sceptre quick received,

       Which bearing, through Achaia's fleet he pass'd.

       What King soever, or distinguish'd Greek220

       He found, approaching to his side, in terms

       Of gentle sort he stay'd him. Sir, he cried,

       It is unseemly that a man renown'd

       As thou, should tremble. Go—Resume the seat

       Which thou hast left, and bid the people sit.225

       Thou know'st not clearly yet the monarch's mind.

       He proves us now, but soon he will chastize.

       All were not present; few of us have heard

       His speech this day in council. Oh, beware,

       Lest in resentment of this hasty course230

       Irregular, he let his anger loose.

       Dread is the anger of a King; he reigns

       038 By Jove's own ordinance, and is dear to Jove,

      But what plebeian base soe'er he heard

       Stretching his throat to swell the general cry,235

       He laid the sceptre smartly on his back,

       With reprimand severe. Fellow, he said,

       Sit still; hear others; thy superiors hear.

       For who art thou? A dastard and a drone,

       Of none account in council, or in arms.240

       By no means may we all alike bear sway

       At Ilium; such plurality of Kings

       Were evil. One suffices. One, to whom

       The son of politic Saturn hath assign'd

       The sceptre, and inforcement of the laws,245

       That he may rule us as a monarch ought.[8]

      With such authority the troubled host

       He sway'd; they, quitting camp and fleet again

       Rush'd back to council; deafening was the sound

       As when a billow of the boisterous deep250

       Some broad beach dashes, and the Ocean roars.

      The host all seated, and the benches fill'd,

       Thersites only of loquacious tongue

       Ungovern'd, clamor'd mutinous; a wretch

       Of utterance prompt, but in coarse phrase obscene255

       Deep learn'd alone, with which to slander Kings.

       Might he but set the rabble in a roar,

       He cared not with what jest; of all from Greece

       To Ilium sent, his country's chief reproach.

       Cross-eyed he was, and halting moved on legs260

       Ill-pair'd; his gibbous shoulders o'er his breast

       039 Contracted, pinch'd it; to a peak his head

       Was moulded sharp, and sprinkled thin with hair

       Of starveling length, flimsy and soft as down.

       Achilles and Ulysses had incurr'd265

       Most his aversion; them he never spared;

       But now, imperial Agamemnon 'self

       In piercing accents stridulous he charged

      

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