which is now most
salutary, be thus spoken. But for that which will be [most expedient] in
the morning, I will [then] speak amongst the horse-breaking Trojans.
Making vows both to Jove and to the other gods, I hope to banish hence
those dogs borne hither by the fates, whom the fates bear in their black
ships.[288] But let us keep watch during the night, and in the morning,
at dawn, equipped with arms, let us stir up sharp conflict at the hollow
ships. I will see whether valiant Diomede, the son of Tydeus, will force
me back from the ships to our walls, or whether I shall bear away his
bloody spoils, having slain him with my brazen spear. To-morrow shall he
make manifest his valour, if he shall withstand my assaulting spear. But
I think that he will lie wounded amongst the first at sunrise to-morrow,
and many companions around him. Would that I were so certainly immortal,
and free from old age all my days, and honoured, as Minerva and Apollo
are honoured, as [I am certain] that this day will bring evil upon the
Greeks."

[Footnote 287: Literally, "digest a weapon," _i.e._ have a wound
to attend to. So _telum_ and _vulnus_ are used for each other
in Latin.]

[Footnote 288: Surely this line is a gloss upon [Greek:
keressiphoretous].]

Thus Hector harangued them; but the Trojans applauded aloud. And they
loosed from the yoke their sweating steeds, and bound them with halters,
each to his own chariot. Quickly they brought from the city oxen and fat
sheep: and they brought sweet wine, and bread from their homes, and also
collected many fagots. But the winds raised the savour from the plain to
heaven.

But they, greatly elated, sat all night in the ranks of war, and many
fires blazed for them. As when in heaven the stars appear very
conspicuous[289] around the lucid moon, when the aether is wont to be
without a breeze, and all the pointed rocks and lofty summits and groves
appear, but in heaven the immense aether is disclosed, and all the stars
are seen, and the shepherd rejoices in his soul. Thus did many fires of
the Trojans kindling them appear before Ilium, between the ships and the
streams of Xanthus. A thousand fires blazed in the plain, and by each
sat fifty men, at the light of the blazing fire. But their steeds eating
white barley and oats, standing by the chariots, awaited
beautiful-throned Aurora.

[Footnote 289: Cf. AEsch. Ag. 6: [Greek: Lamprous dynastas,
emprepontas aitheri].]