his mind in his breast, and already he was
on the point of consigning him to the care of his attendant to conduct
him to the ships of the Greeks: but Agamemnon running up, met him, and
shouting in a chiding tone, spoke:

"O soft one, O Menelaus, why art thou thus so much concerned for these
men? In sooth very kind offices were done to thee in thy family by the
Trojans.[237] Of whom let none escape utter destruction, and our hands;
not even him whom the mother carries, being an infant in her womb, let
not even him escape; but let all the inhabitants of Ilium perish
totally, without burial-rites, and obscure."

[Footnote 236: Supply [Greek: oiko] or [Greek: domo].]

[Footnote 237: Ironically spoken.]

Thus having said, the hero changed his brother's mind, having advised
right things: but he, with his hand, thrust back the hero Adrastus from
him; and him king Agamemnon smote in the belly, and he was cast supine.
But the son of Atreus planting his heel upon his breast, drew out the
ashen spear.

Then Nestor exhorted the Greeks, exclaiming aloud: "O friends, Grecian
heroes, servants of Mars, let no one now, desirous of spoil, linger
behind, that he may return bringing abundance to the ships; but let us
slay the men, and afterwards at your leisure, shall ye spoil the dead
bodies through the plain."

Thus having said, he aroused the might and courage of each. And then
truly had the Trojans retreated into Ilium, under the influence of the
Mars-beloved Greeks, conquered through their own cowardice, had not
Helenus, son of Priam, by far the best of augurs, standing near, spoken
these words to AEneas and to Hector:

"AEneas and Hector, since upon you chiefly of the Trojans and Lydians the
labour devolves, because ye are the bravest for every purpose, both to
fight and to take counsel, stand here, and stay the forces before the
gates, running in all directions, before that, on the contrary, flying
they fall into the arms of their wives, and become a triumph to the
enemies. But after ye have exhorted all the phalanxes, we remaining here
will fight against the Greeks, though much pressed, for necessity urges
us. But Hector, do thou go to the city, and then speak to thy mother
and mine; and let her, collecting together the matrons of
distinction[238] into the temple of azure-eyed Minerva, on the lofty
citadel, [and] having opened the doors of the sacred house with the key,
let her place on the knees of fair-haired Minerv