Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Homer’s Iliad
And Jove answered, “To-morrow morning, Juno, if you choose to
do so, you will see the son of Saturn destroying large numbers of
the Argives, for fierce Hector shall not cease fighting till he has
roused the son of Peleus when they are fighting in dire straits at
their ships’ sterns about the body of Patroclus. Like it or no, this is
how it is decreed; for aught I care, you may go to the lowest depths
beneath earth and sea, where Iapetus and Saturn dwell in lone
Tartarus with neither ray of light nor breath of wind to cheer them.
You may go on and on till you get there, and I shall not care one
whit for your displeasure; you are the greatest vixen living.”
Juno made him no answer. The sun’s glorious orb now sank into
Oceanus and drew down night over the land. Sorry indeed were
the Trojans when light failed them, but welcome and thrice prayed
for did darkness fall upon the Achaeans.
Then Hector led the Trojans back from the ships, and held a council
on the open space near the river, where there was a spot ear
corpses. They left their chariots and sat down on the ground to hear
the speech he made them. He grasped a spear eleven cubits long,
the bronze point of which gleamed in front of it, while the ring
round the spear-head was of gold Spear in hand he spoke. “Hear
me,” said he, “Trojans, Dardanians, and allies. I deemed but now
that I should destroy the ships and all the Achaeans with them ere I
went back to Ilius, but darkness came on too soon. It was this alone
that saved them and their ships upon the seashore. Now, therefore,
let us obey the behests of night, and prepare our suppers. Take
your horses out of their chariots and give them their feeds of corn;
then make speed to bring sheep and cattle from the city; bring wine
also and corn for your horses and gather much wood, that from
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