ards sandy Pylus. But in them
dwell men rich in flocks and herds, who will honour him like a god with
gifts, and beneath his sceptre will pay rich tributes. These will I
bestow upon him, ceasing from his anger. Let him be prevailed upon.
Pluto indeed is implacable and inexorable, wherefore he is the most
hateful of all the gods to men. Let him likewise yield to me, inasmuch
as I am more kingly, and because I boast to be older [than he]."

But him the Gerenian knight Nestor then answered: "Most glorious son of
Atreus, king of men, Agamemnon, thou indeed offerest gifts by no means
despicable to king Achilles. But come, let us urge chosen men, who may
go with all speed to the tent of Achilles, the son of Peleus. Come then,
these will I select, but let them obey. First of all indeed let Phoenix,
dear to Jove, be the leader; next then mighty Ajax and divine Ulysses:
and of the heralds, let Hodius and Eurybates follow with them. But bring
water for the hands, and command to observe well-omened words,[297] that
we may supplicate Saturnian Jove, if perchance he will take pity."

[Footnote 295: _I. e_. not yet brought into common use.]

[Footnote 296: A beautiful expression, denoting the fertility of
the land. Cf. Albert. on Hesych. t. ii. p. 806. So [Greek: nesoio
mastos] in Callim. II. in Del. 48.]

[Footnote 297: The translation, "favour us with their voices," is
nonsense, while "keep silence" is by no means the meaning of
[Greek: euphemesai]. Kennedy rightly explains it, "abstain from
expressions unsuitable to the solemnity of the occasion, which,
by offending the god, might defeat the object of their
supplications." See Servius on Virg. AEn. v. 71; Lamb, on Hor. Od.
iii. 1, 2; Broukhus. on Tibull. ii. 1, 1.]

Thus he spoke, and delivered an opinion agreeable to them all.
Immediately indeed the heralds poured water upon their hands, and the
youths crowned the goblets with wine; then they distributed them to all,
having poured the first of the wine into the cups. But when they had
made libations, and drunk as much as their mind desired, they hastened
from the tent of Agamemnon, the son of Atreus. To them the Gerenian
knight Nestor gave many charges, looking wistfully upon each,
particularly upon Ulysses, that they should endeavour to persuade the
blameless son of Peleus.

They twain then went along the shore of the loud-sounding sea, praying
earnestly to earth-shaking [Neptune], who enco