how to do honour to Achilles,
and destroyed much people at the ships of the Achaeans. In the end he
deemed it would be best to send a lying dream to King Agamemnon; so he
called one to him and said to it, "Lying Dream, go to the ships of the
Achaeans, into the tent of Agamemnon, and say to him word for word as I
now bid you. Tell him to get the Achaeans instantly under arms, for he
shall take Troy. There are no longer divided counsels among the gods;
Juno has brought them to her own mind, and woe betides the Trojans."

The dream went when it had heard its message, and soon reached the
ships of the Achaeans. It sought Agamemnon son of Atreus and found him
in his tent, wrapped in a profound slumber. It hovered over his head in
the likeness of Nestor, son of Neleus, whom Agamemnon honoured above
all his councillors, and said:--

"You are sleeping, son of Atreus; one who has the welfare of his host
and so much other care upon his shoulders should dock his sleep. Hear
me at once, for I come as a messenger from Jove, who, though he be not
near, yet takes thought for you and pities you. He bids you get the
Achaeans instantly under arms, for you shall take Troy. There are no
longer divided counsels among the gods; Juno has brought them over to
her own mind, and woe betides the Trojans at the hands of Jove.
Remember this, and when you wake see that it does not escape you."

The dream then left him, and he thought of things that were, surely not
to be accomplished. He thought that on that same day he was to take the
city of Priam, but he little knew what was in the mind of Jove, who had
many another hard-fought fight in store alike for Danaans and Trojans.
Then presently he woke, with the divine message still ringing in his
ears; so he sat upright, and put on his soft shirt so fair and new, and
over this his heavy cloak. He bound his sandals on to his comely feet,
and slung his silver-studded sword about his shoulders; then he took
the imperishable staff of his father, and sallied forth to the ships of
the Achaeans.

The goddess Dawn now wended her way to vast Olympus that she might
herald day to Jove and to the other immortals, and Agamemnon sent the
criers round to call the people in assembly; so they called them and
the people gathered thereon. But first he summoned a meeting of the
elders at the ship of Nestor king of Pylos, and when they were
assembled he laid a cunning counsel before them.

"My friends," said he, "I ha