Provided by The Internet Classics Archive. See bottom for copyright ...

us go the round of the watch, and see whether they are drowsy with
toil and sleeping to the neglect of their duty. The enemy is encamped
hard and we know not but he may attack us by night."
Nestor replied, "Most noble son of Atreus, king of men, Agamemnon,
Jove will not do all for Hector that Hector thinks he will; he will
have troubles yet in plenty if Achilles will lay aside his anger.
I will go with you, and we will rouse others, either the son of Tydeus,
or Ulysses, or fleet Ajax and the valiant son of Phyleus. Some one
had also better go and call Ajax and King Idomeneus, for their ships
are not near at hand but the farthest of all. I cannot however refrain
from blaming Menelaus, much as I love him and respect him-­‐ and I will
say so plainly, even at the risk of offending you-­‐ for sleeping and
leaving all this trouble to yourself. He ought to be going about imploring
aid from all the princes of the Achaeans, for we are in extreme danger."
And Agamemnon answered, "Sir, you may sometimes blame him justly,
for he is often remiss and unwilling to exert himself-­‐ not indeed
from sloth, nor yet heedlessness, but because he looks to me and expects
me to take the lead. On this occasion, however, he was awake before
I was, and came to me of his own accord. I have already sent him to
call the very men whom you have named. And now let us be going. We
shall find them with the watch outside the gates, for it was there
I said that we would meet them."
"In that case," answered Nestor, "the Argives will not blame him nor
disobey his orders when he urges them to fight or gives them instructions."