nsel; but Menelaus came of his own accord, for he knew how busy
his brother then was. They stood round the bull with the barley-meal in
their hands, and Agamemnon prayed, saying, "Jove, most glorious,
supreme, that dwellest in heaven, and ridest upon the storm-cloud,
grant that the sun may not go down, nor the night fall, till the palace
of Priam is laid low, and its gates are consumed with fire. Grant that
my sword may pierce the shirt of Hector about his heart, and that full
many of his comrades may bite the dust as they fall dying round him."

Thus he prayed, but the son of Saturn would not fulfil his prayer. He
accepted the sacrifice, yet none the less increased their toil
continually. When they had done praying and sprinkling the barley-meal
upon the victim, they drew back its head, killed it, and then flayed
it. They cut out the thigh-bones, wrapped them round in two layers of
fat, and set pieces of raw meat on the top of them. These they burned
upon the split logs of firewood, but they spitted the inward meats, and
held them in the flames to cook. When the thigh-bones were burned, and
they had tasted the inward meats, they cut the rest up small, put the
pieces upon spits, roasted them till they were done, and drew them off;
then, when they had finished their work and the feast was ready, they
ate it, and every man had his full share, so that all were satisfied.
As soon as they had had enough to eat and drink, Nestor, knight of
Gerene, began to speak. "King Agamemnon," said he, "let us not stay
talking here, nor be slack in the work that heaven has put into our
hands. Let the heralds summon the people to gather at their several
ships; we will then go about among the host, that we may begin fighting
at once."

Thus did he speak, and Agamemnon heeded his words. He at once sent the
criers round to call the people in assembly. So they called them, and
the people gathered thereon. The chiefs about the son of Atreus chose
their men and marshalled them, while Minerva went among them holding
her priceless aegis that knows neither age nor death. From it there
waved a hundred tassels of pure gold, all deftly woven, and each one of
them worth a hundred oxen. With this she darted furiously everywhere
among the hosts of the Achaeans, urging them forward, and putting
courage into the heart of each, so that he might fight and do battle
without ceasing. Thus war became sweeter in their eyes even than
returning home in their ship