§10.147βουλὰς βουλεύειν, ἢ φευγέμεν ἠὲ μάχεσθαι. §10.148ὣς φάθʼ, ὃ δὲ κλισίην δὲ κιὼν πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεὺς §10.149ποικίλον ἀμφʼ ὤμοισι σάκος θέτο, βῆ δὲ μετʼ αὐτούς.
to take counsel, whether to flee or to fight." So he spoke, and Odysseus of many devices, going to his hut, put his variegated shield about his shoulders, and went after them.
§10.150βὰν δʼ ἐπὶ Τυδεΐδην Διομήδεα· τὸν δὲ κίχανον §10.151ἐκτὸς ἀπὸ κλισίης σὺν τεύχεσιν· ἀμφὶ δʼ ἑταῖροι §10.152εὗδον, ὑπὸ κρασὶν δʼ ἔχον ἀσπίδας· ἔγχεα δέ σφιν §10.153ὄρθʼ ἐπὶ σαυρωτῆρος ἐλήλατο, τῆλε δὲ χαλκὸς §10.154λάμφʼ ὥς τε στεροπὴ πατρὸς Διός· αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ἥρως §10.155εὗδʼ, ὑπὸ δʼ ἔστρωτο ῥινὸν βοὸς ἀγραύλοιο, §10.156αὐτὰρ ὑπὸ κράτεσφι τάπης τετάνυστο φαεινός.
And they went to Diomedes, son of Tydeus; and they found him outside his hut with his armor; and around him his companions were sleeping, having their shields under their heads; and their spears were driven straight on their spikes, and far off the bronze flashed like the lightning of father Zeus; but the hero himself was sleeping, and under him was spread the hide of an ox of the field, and under his head a bright rug was stretched.
§10.157τὸν παρστὰς ἀνέγειρε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ, §10.158λὰξ ποδὶ κινήσας, ὄτρυνέ τε νείκεσέ τʼ ἄντην· §10.159ἔγρεο Τυδέος υἱέ·
Standing by him, Gerenian horseman Nestor woke him, stirring him with his foot, and rouses him and chided him to his face: "Awake, son of Tydeus!
τί πάννυχον ὕπνον ἀωτεῖς;
Why do you indulge in all-night sleep?
§10.160οὐκ ἀΐεις ὡς Τρῶες ἐπὶ θρωσμῷ πεδίοιο §10.161εἵαται ἄγχι νεῶν, ὀλίγος δʼ ἔτι χῶρος ἐρύκει; §10.162ὣς φάθʼ, ὃ δʼ ἐξ ὕπνοιο μάλα κραιπνῶς ἀνόρουσε, §10.163καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα· §10.164σχέτλιός ἐσσι γεραιέ· σὺ μὲν πόνου οὔ ποτε λήγεις.
Do you not hear how the Trojans on the rise of the plain sit near the ships, and only a little space keeps them off?" So he spoke, and he started up very quickly from sleep, and speaking to him, addressed him with winged words: "Hardy are you, old man; you never cease from toil.
§10.165οὔ νυ καὶ ἄλλοι ἔασι νεώτεροι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν §10.166οἵ κεν ἔπειτα ἕκαστον ἐγείρειαν βασιλήων §10.167πάντῃ ἐποιχόμενοι;
Are there not also other younger sons of the Achaeans, who might then rouse each of the kings, going everywhere?
σὺ δʼ ἀμήχανός ἐσσι γεραιέ. §10.168τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ· §10.169ναὶ δὴ ταῦτά γε πάντα φίλος κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπες.
But you are impossible to deal with, old man." To him in turn spoke Gerenian horseman Nestor: "Yes indeed, all these things, my friend, you have spoken fitly.
§10.170εἰσὶν μέν μοι παῖδες ἀμύμονες, εἰσὶ δὲ λαοὶ §10.171καὶ πολέες, τῶν κέν τις ἐποιχόμενος καλέσειεν· §10.172ἀλλὰ μάλα μεγάλη χρειὼ βεβίηκεν Ἀχαιούς.
For I have noble sons, and I have people, and many of them, any of whom might go and call them; but a very great need has overcome the Achaeans.
For now indeed it stands for all on the edge of a razor, either a most grievous destruction for the Achaeans or to live.
§10.175ἀλλʼ ἴθι νῦν Αἴαντα ταχὺν καὶ Φυλέος υἱὸν §10.176ἄνστησον· σὺ γάρ ἐσσι νεώτερος· εἴ μʼ ἐλεαίρεις. §10.177ὣς φάθʼ, ὃ δʼ ἀμφʼ ὤμοισιν ἑέσσατο δέρμα λέοντος §10.178αἴθωνος μεγάλοιο ποδηνεκές, εἵλετο δʼ ἔγχος.
But go now, rouse swift Ajax and the son of Phyleus, for you are younger—if you pity me." So he spoke, and the other put about his shoulders the skin of a lion, tawny and large, reaching to his feet, and took his spear.
§10.179βῆ δʼ ἰέναι, τοὺς δʼ ἔνθεν ἀναστήσας ἄγεν ἥρως.
And the hero went, and having roused them from there, led them.
§10.180οἳ δʼ ὅτε δὴ φυλάκεσσιν ἐν ἀγρομένοισιν ἔμιχθεν, §10.181οὐδὲ μὲν εὕδοντας φυλάκων ἡγήτορας εὗρον, §10.182ἀλλʼ ἐγρηγορτὶ σὺν τεύχεσιν εἵατο πάντες.
And when they came among the gathered guards, they did not find the leaders of the guards sleeping, but all were sitting awake with their weapons.
§10.183ὡς δὲ κύνες περὶ μῆλα δυσωρήσωνται ἐν αὐλῇ §10.184θηρὸς ἀκούσαντες κρατερόφρονος, ὅς τε καθʼ ὕλην §10.185ἔρχηται διʼ ὄρεσφι· πολὺς δʼ ὀρυμαγδὸς ἐπʼ αὐτῷ §10.186ἀνδρῶν ἠδὲ κυνῶν, ἀπό τέ σφισιν ὕπνος ὄλωλεν· §10.187ὣς τῶν νήδυμος ὕπνος ἀπὸ βλεφάροιιν ὀλώλει §10.188νύκτα φυλασσομένοισι κακήν· πεδίον δὲ γὰρ αἰεὶ §10.189τετράφαθʼ, ὁππότʼ ἐπὶ Τρώων ἀΐοιεν ἰόντων.
And as dogs keep anxious watch about sheep in a fold, having heard a wild beast of strong mind, which through the wood comes through the mountains; and a great clamor rises against him of men and of dogs, and sleep is destroyed from them; so from their eyelids sweet sleep was destroyed, as they watched through the evil night; for always toward the plain they turned, whenever they heard the Trojans coming.
§10.190τοὺς δʼ ὃ γέρων γήθησεν ἰδὼν θάρσυνέ τε μύθῳ §10.191καί σφεας φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα· §10.192οὕτω νῦν φίλα τέκνα φυλάσσετε· μηδέ τινʼ ὕπνος §10.193αἱρείτω, μὴ χάρμα γενώμεθα δυσμενέεσσιν. §10.194ὣς εἰπὼν τάφροιο διέσσυτο· τοὶ δʼ ἅμʼ ἕποντο §10.195Ἀργείων βασιλῆες ὅσοι κεκλήατο βουλήν.
And the old man rejoiced seeing them, and encouraged them with words, and speaking to them, addressed them with winged words: "Thus now, dear children, keep watch; and let not sleep seize any, lest we become a joy to our enemies." So saying, he hastened through the ditch; and they followed with him, the kings of the Argives, as many as had been called to the council.
And with them Meriones and the glorious son of Nestor went; for they themselves called them to take counsel together.
§10.198τάφρον δʼ ἐκδιαβάντες ὀρυκτὴν ἑδριόωντο §10.199ἐν καθαρῷ, ὅθι δὴ νεκύων διεφαίνετο χῶρος §10.200πιπτόντων· ὅθεν αὖτις ἀπετράπετʼ ὄβριμος Ἕκτωρ §10.201ὀλλὺς Ἀργείους, ὅτε δὴ περὶ νὺξ ἐκάλυψεν.
And having crossed the dug ditch, they sat down in an open space, where the ground appeared clear of the dead who had fallen; from where mighty Hector had turned back again, destroying the Argives, when night wrapped herself around.
§10.202ἔνθα καθεζόμενοι ἔπεʼ ἀλλήλοισι πίφαυσκον· §10.203τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ· §10.204ὦ φίλοι οὐκ ἂν δή τις ἀνὴρ πεπίθοιθʼ ἑῷ αὐτοῦ §10.205θυμῷ τολμήεντι μετὰ Τρῶας μεγαθύμους §10.206ἐλθεῖν, εἴ τινά που δηΐων ἕλοι ἐσχατόωντα, §10.207ἤ τινά που καὶ φῆμιν ἐνὶ Τρώεσσι πύθοιτο, §10.208ἅσσά τε μητιόωσι μετὰ σφίσιν, ἢ μεμάασιν §10.209αὖθι μένειν παρὰ νηυσὶν ἀπόπροθεν, ἦε πόλιν δὲ §10.210ἂψ ἀναχωρήσουσιν, ἐπεὶ δαμάσαντό γʼ Ἀχαιούς.
Sitting there, they spoke words to one another; and Gerenian horseman Nestor began the discourse among them: "O friends, would not some man trust his own daring heart to go among the great-hearted Trojans, if he might capture some of the enemy at the edge, or perhaps even learn some rumor among the Trojans, what they are planning among themselves, whether they desire to remain here far off by the ships, or to the city will withdraw back again, since they have subdued the Achaeans?
§10.211ταῦτά κε πάντα πύθοιτο, καὶ ἂψ εἰς ἡμέας ἔλθοι §10.212ἀσκηθής· μέγα κέν οἱ ὑπουράνιον κλέος εἴη §10.213πάντας ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπους, καί οἱ δόσις ἔσσεται ἐσθλή· §10.214ὅσσοι γὰρ νήεσσιν ἐπικρατέουσιν ἄριστοι §10.215τῶν πάντων οἱ ἕκαστος ὄϊν δώσουσι μέλαιναν §10.216θῆλυν ὑπόρρηνον· τῇ μὲν κτέρας οὐδὲν ὁμοῖον, §10.217αἰεὶ δʼ ἐν δαίτῃσι καὶ εἰλαπίνῃσι παρέσται. §10.218ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἳ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ἀκὴν ἐγένοντο σιωπῇ.
All these things he might learn, and come back to us unharmed; great would be his fame under heaven among all men, and he shall have a goodly gift; for as many chieftains as hold power over the ships, of all these each one will give him a black ewe, female, with a lamb at her breast; to which no possession is equal, and always at feasts and banquets he shall be present." So he spoke, and they all became hushed in silence.