his shield, and each
Had planted on its nether point[4] erect 180
His spear beside him; bright their polish'd heads,
As Jove's own lightning glittered from afar.
Himself, the Hero, slept. A wild bull's hide
Was spread beneath him, and on arras tinged
With splendid purple lay his head reclined. 185
Nestor, beside him standing, with his heel
Shook him, and, urgent, thus the Chief reproved.
Awake, Tydides! wherefore givest the night
Entire to balmy slumber? Hast not heard
How on the rising ground beside the fleet 190
The Trojans sit, small interval between?
He ceased; then up sprang Diomede alarm'd
Instant, and in wing'd accents thus replied.
Old wakeful Chief! thy toils are never done.
Are there not younger of the sons of Greece, 195
Who ranging in all parts the camp, might call
The Kings to council? But no curb controls
Or can abate activity like thine.
To whom Gerenian Nestor in return.
My friend! thou hast well spoken. I have sons, 200
And they are well deserving; I have here
A numerous people also, one of whom
Might have sufficed to call the Kings of Greece.
But such occasion presses now the host
As hath not oft occurr'd; the overthrow 205
Complete, or full deliverance of us all,
In balance hangs, poised on a razor's edge.
But haste, and if thy pity of my toils
Be such, since thou art younger, call, thyself,
Ajax the swift, and Meges to the guard. 210
Then Diomede a lion's tawny skin
Around him wrapp'd, dependent to his heels,
And, spear in hand, set forth. The Hero call'd
Those two, and led them whither Nestor bade.
They, at the guard arrived, not sleeping found 215
The captains of the guard, but sitting all
In vigilant posture with their arms prepared.
As dogs that, careful, watch the fold by night,
Hearing some wild beast in the woods,[5] which hounds
And hunters with tumultuous clamor drive 220
Down from the mountain-top, all sleep forego;
So, sat not on their eyelids gentle sleep
That dreadful night, but constant to the plain
At every sound of Trojan feet they turn'd.
The old Chief joyful at the sight, in terms 225
Of kind encouragement them thus address'd.
So watch, my children! and beware that slee