; but he took the sceptre in his hand and swore to him:
"Let Jove himself now be my witness, the loudly-thundering spouse of
Juno, that no other man of the Trojans shall be carried by these horses:
but I declare that thou shalt entirely have the glory of them."

Thus he spoke, and indeed swore a vain oath;[351] nevertheless he
encouraged him. Immediately he threw around his shoulders his crooked
bow, and put on above the hide of a grey wolf, with a casque of
weasel-skin upon his head; and seized a sharp javelin. And he set out to
go from the camp towards the ships: nor was he destined to bring back
intelligence to Hector, returning from the ships. But when now he had
quitted the crowd of horses and men, he eagerly held on his way. But him
godlike Ulysses observed advancing, and addressed Diomede:

[Footnote 351: "There is no necessity for supposing that Hector
meditated any deceit. The poet contemplates the event, which
frustrated his hopes, and rendered his oath nugatory."--Kennedy.]

"Hark! Diomede, a man comes from the camp; I know not whether as a spy
upon our vessels, or to plunder some of the dead bodies. But let us
suffer him first to pass by a little through the plain, and afterwards,
hastily rushing upon him, let us take him. If, however, he surpasses us
in speed, attacking him with the spear, let us continually drive him
from the camp towards the ships, lest by chance he escape towards the
city."

Then having thus spoken, they lay down out of the pathway among the
dead; but he, in thoughtlessness, ran hastily past. But when now he was
as far off as is the space ploughed at one effort[352] by mules (for
they are preferable to oxen in drawing the well-made plough through the
deep fallow), they indeed ran towards him; but he stood still, hearing a
noise; for he hoped within his mind that his companions had come from
the Trojans to turn him back, Hector having ordered. But when now they
were distant a spear's cast, or even less, he perceived that they were
enemies, and moved his active knees to fly; and they immediately
hastened to follow. As when two rough-toothed hounds, skilled in the
chase, ever incessantly pursue through the woody ground either a fawn or
hare, whilst screaming it flies before; thus did Tydides and Ulysses,
sacker of cities, pursue him ever steadily, having cut him off from his
own people. But when now flying towards the ships, he would speedily
have mingled with the watch, then in