of Patroclus. Like it or no, this is how it is decreed;
for aught I care, you may go to the lowest depths beneath earth and
sea, where Iapetus and Saturn dwell in lone Tartarus with neither ray
of light nor breath of wind to cheer them. You may go on and on till
you get there, and I shall not care one whit for your displeasure; you
are the greatest vixen living."

Juno made him no answer. The sun's glorious orb now sank into Oceanus
and drew down night over the land. Sorry indeed were the Trojans when
light failed them, but welcome and thrice prayed for did darkness fall
upon the Achaeans.

Then Hector led the Trojans back from the ships, and held a council on
the open space near the river, where there was a spot clear of corpses.
They left their chariots and sat down on the ground to hear the speech
he made them. He grasped a spear eleven cubits long, the bronze point
of which gleamed in front of it, while the ring round the spear-head
was of gold. Spear in hand he spoke. "Hear me," said he, "Trojans,
Dardanians, and allies. I deemed but now that I should destroy the
ships and all the Achaeans with them ere I went back to Ilius, but
darkness came on too soon. It was this alone that saved them and their
ships upon the seashore. Now, therefore, let us obey the behests of
night, and prepare our suppers. Take your horses out of their chariots
and give them their feeds of corn; then make speed to bring sheep and
cattle from the city; bring wine also and corn for your horses and
gather much wood, that from dark till dawn we may burn watchfires whose
flare may reach to heaven. For the Achaeans may try to fly beyond the
sea by night, and they must not embark scatheless and unmolested; many
a man among them must take a dart with him to nurse at home, hit with
spear or arrow as he is leaping on board his ship, that others may fear
to bring war and weeping upon the Trojans. Moreover let the heralds
tell it about the city that the growing youths and grey-bearded men are
to camp upon its heaven-built walls. Let the women each of them light a
great fire in her house, and let watch be safely kept lest the town be
entered by surprise while the host is outside. See to it, brave
Trojans, as I have said, and let this suffice for the moment; at
daybreak I will instruct you further. I pray in hope to Jove and to the
gods that we may then drive those fate-sped hounds from our land, for
'tis the fates that have borne them and their ships hi