s.

[Footnote 454: Literally, "deaf." So "surdi fluctus," Ovid,
Epist. xviii. 211; "Omnia surda tacent," Propert. iv. 3, 53;
"Surdaque vota condidit Ionio," Pers. Sat. vi. 28.]

But the Jove-cherished kings, coming up from the vessels, met Nestor, as
many as had been wounded with the brass,--Tydides, and Ulysses, and
Agamemnon, the son of Atreus. Their ships indeed were drawn up upon the
shore of the hoary deep, very far away from the battle; for they had
drawn the first as far as the plain, and had built a wall at their
sterns. For, broad as it was, the shore was by no means able to contain
their vessels, and the people were crowded. Wherefore they drew them up
in rows one behind the other, and filled the wide mouth of the whole
shore, as much as the promontories enclosed. There then were they
walking together, leaning upon the spear, in order to behold the tumult
and the battle; and the heart in their bosoms was grieved. But aged
Nestor met them, and terrified the souls in the breasts of the Greeks:
whom first king Agamemnon addressing, said:

"O Neleian Nestor, great glory of the Greeks, why, leaving the
man-destroying battle, comest thou hither? Truly I fear lest impetuous
Hector make good his speech, as once he threatened, haranguing among the
Trojans, that he would not return to Ilium from the ships, before that
he had burned the ships with fire, and slain us also: thus indeed he
harangued; and now are all things fulfilling. Ye gods, surely the other
well-greaved Greeks, as well as Achilles, store up wrath against me in
their minds; nor are they willing to fight at the sterns of the ships."

But him the Gerenian knight Nestor then answered: "Assuredly these
things are in active accomplishment, nor could even lofty-thundering
Jove himself contrive them otherwise; for the wall, in which we trusted
that it would be an impregnable defence to the ships and to ourselves,
has now fallen. But they are sustaining an obstinate contest at the
swift ships; nor couldst thou any longer distinguish, though examining
particularly, on which side the Greeks, confounded, are routed; so
promiscuously are they slain, whilst the shout reaches heaven. Let us,
however, deliberate how these things will be, if counsel avail anything;
although I advise not that we enter the battle; for it is by no means
proper that a wounded man should fight."

But him then answered Agamemnon, king of men. "Nestor, since they are
combating at