rs; it becomes thee, and is
not unseemly. Full are thy tents of wine, which the ships of the Greeks
daily bring over the wide sea from Thrace. Thou hast every
accommodation, and rulest over many people. But when many are assembled,
do thou obey him who shall give the best advice; for there is great need
of good and prudent [advice] to all the Greeks, since the enemy are
burning many fires near the ships; and who can rejoice at these things?
But this night will either ruin the army or preserve it."

[Footnote 294: _I. e_. thou hast not said all that might have
been said on the subject.]

Thus he spoke; and they heard him very attentively, and obeyed. But the
guards rushed forth with their arms, [those around] Thrasymedes, the son
of Nestor, the shepherd of the people, Ascalaphus and Ialmenus, sons of
Mars, Meriones, Aphareus, and Deipyrus, as well as the son of Creon,
noble Lycomedes. There were seven leaders of the guards, and a hundred
youths marched along with each, holding long spears in their hands.
Proceeding to the space between the trench and the wall, there they sat
down, and there kindled a fire, and prepared each his supper.

But Atrides conducted the assembled elders of the Greeks to his tent,
and set before them a strength-recruiting banquet; and they laid their
hands upon the viands placed before them. But when they had dismissed
the desire of eating and drinking, to them first of all did aged Nestor,
whose advice had previously appeared best, begin to interweave advice;
who wisely counselling, addressed them, and said:

"Most glorious Atrides, king of men, Agamemnon, with thee shall I end,
and with thee shall I commence. Since thou art a king of many nations,
and Jove hath placed in thine hands both a sceptre and laws, that thou
mayest consult for their advantage. Therefore is it necessary that thou
in particular shouldst deliver and hear an opinion, and also accomplish
that of another, when his mind urges any one to speak for the [public]
good; but on thee will depend whatever takes the lead. Yet will I speak
as appears to me to be best. For no other person will propound a better
opinion than that which I meditate, both of old and also now, from that
period when thou, O nobly born, didst depart, carrying off the maid
Briseis from the tent of the enraged Achilles; by no means according to
my judgment; for I very strenuously dissuaded thee from it: but having
yielded to thy haughty temper, thou did