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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 dark till dawn we may burn watchfires
whose flare may reach to heaven. For the Achaeans may try to fly beyond
the sea by night, and they must not embark scatheless and unmolested;
many a man among them must take a dart with him to nurse at home,
hit with spear or arrow as he is leaping on board his ship, that others
may fear to bring war and weeping upon the Trojans. Moreover let the
heralds tell it about the city that the growing youths and grey-­‐bearded
men are to camp upon its heaven-­‐built walls. Let the women each of
them light a great fire in her house, and let watch be safely kept
lest the town be entered by surprise while the host is outside. See
to it, brave Trojans, as I have said, and let this suffice for the
moment; at daybreak I will instruct you further. I pray in hope to
Jove and to the gods that we may then drive those fate-­‐sped hounds
from our land, for 'tis the fates that have borne them and their ships
hither. This night, therefore, let us keep watch, but with early morning
let us put on our armour and rouse fierce war at the ships of the
Achaeans; I shall then know whether brave Diomed the son of Tydeus
will drive me back from the ships to the wall, or whether I shall
myself slay him and carry off his bloodstained spoils. To-­‐morrow let
him show his mettle, abide my spear if he dare. I ween that at break
of day, he shall be among the first to fall and many another of his
comrades round him. Would that I were as sure of being immortal and
never growing old, and of being worshipped like Minerva and Apollo,
as I am that this day will bring evil to the Argives."
Thus spoke Hector and the Trojans shouted applause. They took their