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the Trojans saying that he would not return to Ilius till he had fired
our ships and killed us; this is what he said, and now it is all coming
true. Alas! others of the Achaeans, like Achilles, are in anger with
me that they refuse to fight by the sterns of our ships."
Then Nestor knight of Gerene answered, "It is indeed as you say; it
is all coming true at this moment, and even Jove who thunders from
on high cannot prevent it. Fallen is the wall on which we relied as
an impregnable bulwark both for us and our fleet. The Trojans are
fighting stubbornly and without ceasing at the ships; look where you
may you cannot see from what quarter the rout of the Achaeans is coming;
they are being killed in a confused mass and the battle-­‐cry ascends
to heaven; let us think, if counsel can be of any use, what we had
better do; but I do not advise our going into battle ourselves, for
a man cannot fight when he is wounded."
And King Agamemnon answered, "Nestor, if the Trojans are indeed fighting
at the rear of our ships, and neither the wall nor the trench has
served us-­‐ over which the Danaans toiled so hard, and which they deemed
would be an impregnable bulwark both for us and our fleet-­‐ I see it
must be the will of Jove that the Achaeans should perish ingloriously
here, far from Argos. I knew when Jove was willing to defend us, and
I know now that he is raising the Trojans to like honour with the
gods, while us, on the other hand, he bas bound hand and foot. Now,
therefore, let us all do as I say; let us bring down the ships that
are on the beach and draw them into the water; let us make them fast
to their mooring-­‐stones a little way out, against the fall of night-­‐
if even by night the Trojans will desist from fighting; we may then