speaker of
the Pylians, who was marshalling his men and urging them on, in company
with Pelagon, Alastor, Chromius, Haemon, and Bias shepherd of his
people. He placed his knights with their chariots and horses in the
front rank, while the foot-soldiers, brave men and many, whom he could
trust, were in the rear. The cowards he drove into the middle, that
they might fight whether they would or no. He gave his orders to the
knights first, bidding them hold their horses well in hand, so as to
avoid confusion. "Let no man," he said, "relying on his strength or
horsemanship, get before the others and engage singly with the Trojans,
nor yet let him lag behind or you will weaken your attack; but let each
when he meets an enemy's chariot throw his spear from his own; this be
much the best; this is how the men of old took towns and strongholds;
in this wise were they minded."

Thus did the old man charge them, for he had been in many a fight, and
King Agamemnon was glad. "I wish," he said to him, "that your limbs
were as supple and your strength as sure as your judgment is; but age,
the common enemy of mankind, has laid his hand upon you; would that it
had fallen upon some other, and that you were still young."

And Nestor, knight of Gerene, answered, "Son of Atreus, I too would
gladly be the man I was when I slew mighty Ereuthalion; but the gods
will not give us everything at one and the same time. I was then young,
and now I am old; still I can go with my knights and give them that
counsel which old men have a right to give. The wielding of the spear I
leave to those who are younger and stronger than myself."

Agamemnon went his way rejoicing, and presently found Menestheus, son
of Peteos, tarrying in his place, and with him were the Athenians loud
of tongue in battle. Near him also tarried cunning Ulysses, with his
sturdy Cephallenians round him; they had not yet heard the battle-cry,
for the ranks of Trojans and Achaeans had only just begun to move, so
they were standing still, waiting for some other columns of the
Achaeans to attack the Trojans and begin the fighting. When he saw this
Agamemnon rebuked them and said, "Son of Peteos, and you other, steeped
in cunning, heart of guile, why stand you here cowering and waiting on
others? You two should be of all men foremost when there is hard
fighting to be done, for you are ever foremost to accept my invitation
when we councillors of the Achaeans are holding feast. You are g