repared the feast, they ate it,
and every man had his full and equal share, so that all were satisfied,
and King Agamemnon gave Ajax some slices cut lengthways down the loin,
as a mark of special honour. As soon as they had had enough to eat and
drink, old Nestor whose counsel was ever truest began to speak; with
all sincerity and goodwill, therefore, he addressed them thus:--

"Son of Atreus, and other chieftains, inasmuch as many of the Achaeans
are now dead, whose blood Mars has shed by the banks of the Scamander,
and their souls have gone down to the house of Hades, it will be well
when morning comes that we should cease fighting; we will then wheel
our dead together with oxen and mules and burn them not far from the
ships, that when we sail hence we may take the bones of our comrades
home to their children. Hard by the funeral pyre we will build a barrow
that shall be raised from the plain for all in common; near this let us
set about building a high wall, to shelter ourselves and our ships, and
let it have well-made gates that there may be a way through them for
our chariots. Close outside we will dig a deep trench all round it to
keep off both horse and foot, that the Trojan chieftains may not bear
hard upon us."

Thus he spoke, and the princess shouted in applause. Meanwhile the
Trojans held a council, angry and full of discord, on the acropolis by
the gates of King Priam's palace; and wise Antenor spoke. "Hear me," he
said, "Trojans, Dardanians, and allies, that I may speak even as I am
minded. Let us give up Argive Helen and her wealth to the sons of
Atreus, for we are now fighting in violation of our solemn covenants,
and shall not prosper till we have done as I say."

He then sat down and Alexandrus husband of lovely Helen rose to speak.
"Antenor," said he, "your words are not to my liking; you can find a
better saying than this if you will; if, however, you have spoken in
good earnest, then indeed has heaven robbed you of your reason. I will
speak plainly, and hereby notify to the Trojans that I will not give up
the woman; but the wealth that I brought home with her from Argos I
will restore, and will add yet further of my own."

On this, when Paris had spoken and taken his seat, Priam of the race of
Dardanus, peer of gods in council, rose and with all sincerity and
goodwill addressed them thus: "Hear me, Trojans, Dardanians, and
allies, that I may speak even as I am minded. Get your suppers now as
hith