secret behind my back； and have never yet told me； if you could help
it； one word of your intentions。〃
〃Juno；〃 replied the sire of gods and men； 〃you must not expect to be
informed of all my counsels。 You are my wife； but you would find it
hard to understand them。 When it is proper for you to hear； there is
no one； god or man； who will be told sooner； but when I mean to keep a
matter to myself； you must not pry nor ask questions。〃
〃Dread son of Saturn；〃 answered Juno； 〃what are you talking about？
I？ Pry and ask questions？ Never。 I let you have your own way in
everything。 Still； I have a strong misgiving that the old merman's
daughter Thetis has been talking you over； for she was with you and
had hold of your knees this self…same morning。 I believe； therefore；
that you have been promising her to give glory to Achilles； and to
kill much people at the ships of the Achaeans。〃
〃Wife；〃 said Jove； 〃I can do nothing but you suspect me and find
it out。 You will take nothing by it； for I shall only dislike you
the more； and it will go harder with you。 Granted that it is as you
say； I mean to have it so； sit down and hold your tongue as I bid
you for if I once begin to lay my hands about you； though all heaven
were on your side it would profit you nothing。〃
On this Juno was frightened； so she curbed her stubborn will and sat
down in silence。 But the heavenly beings were disquieted throughout
the house of Jove； till the cunning workman Vulcan began to try and
pacify his mother Juno。 〃It will be intolerable；〃 said he； 〃if you two
fall to wrangling and setting heaven in an uproar about a pack of
mortals。 If such ill counsels are to prevail； we shall have no
pleasure at our banquet。 Let me then advise my mother… and she must
herself know that it will be better… to make friends with my dear
father Jove； lest he again scold her and disturb our feast。 If the
Olympian Thunderer wants to hurl us all from our seats； he can do
so； for he is far the strongest； so give him fair words； and he will
then soon be in a good humour with us。〃
As he spoke； he took a double cup of nectar； and placed it in his
mother's hand。 〃Cheer up； my dear mother；〃 said he； 〃and make the best
of it。 I love you dearly； and should be very sorry to see you get a
thrashing； however grieved I might be； I could not help for there is
no standing against Jove。 Once before when I was trying to help you；
he caught me by the foot and flung me from the heavenly threshold。 All
day long from morn till eve； was I falling； till at sunset I came to
ground in the island of Lemnos； and there I lay； with very little life
left in me； till the Sintians came and tended me。〃
Juno smiled at this； and as she smiled she took the cup from her
son's hands。 Then Vulcan drew sweet nectar from the mixing…bowl； and
served it round among the gods； going from left to right； and the
blessed gods laughed out a loud applause as they saw him ing
bustling about the heavenly mansion。
Thus through the livelong day to the going down of the sun they
feasted； and every one had his full share； so that all were satisfied。
Apollo struck his lyre； and the Muses lifted up their sweet voices；
calling and answering one another。 But when the sun's glorious light
had faded； they went home to bed； each in his own abode； which lame
Vulcan with his consummate skill had fashioned for them。 So Jove；
the Olympian Lord of Thunder； hied him to the bed in which he always
slept； and when he had got on to it he went to sleep； with Juno of the
golden throne by his side。
BOOK II
Now the other gods and the armed warriors on the plain slept
soundly； but Jove was wakeful； for he was thinking how to do honour to
Achilles； and destroyed much people at the ships of the Achaeans。 In
the end he deemed it would be best to send a lying dream to King
Agamemnon； so he called one to him and said to it； 〃Lying Dream； go to
the ships of the Achaeans； into the tent of Agamemnon； and say to
him word to word as I now bid you。 Tell him to get the Achaeans
instantly under arms； for he shall take Troy。 There are no longer
divided counsels among the gods； Juno has brought them to her own
mind； and woe betides the Trojans。〃
The dream went when it had heard its message； and soon reached the
ships of the Achaeans。 It sought Agamemnon son of Atreus and found him
in his tent； wrapped in a profound slumber。 It hovered over his head
in the likeness of Nestor； son of Neleus； whom Agamemnon honoured
above all his councillors； and said：…
〃You are sleeping； son of Atreus； one who has the welfare of his
host and so much other care upon his shoulders should dock his
sleep。 Hear me at once； for I come as a messenger from Jove； who；
though he be not near； yet takes thought for you and pities you。 He
bids you get the Achaeans instantly under arms； for you shall take
Troy。 There are no longer divided counsels among the gods； Juno has
brought them over to her own mind； and woe betides the Trojans at
the hands of Jove。 Remember this； and when you wake see that it does
not escape you。〃
The dream then left him； and he thought of things that were；
surely not to be accomplished。 He thought that on that same day he was
to take the city of Priam； but he little knew what was in the mind
of Jove； who had many another hard…fought fight in store alike for
Danaans and Trojans。 Then presently he woke； with the divine message
still ringing in his ears； so he sat upright； and put on his soft
shirt so fair and new； and over this his heavy cloak。 He bound his
sandals on to his comely feet； and slung his silver…studded sword
about his shoulders； then he took the imperishable staff of his
father； and sallied forth to the ships of the Achaeans。
The goddess Dawn now wended her way to vast Olympus that she might
herald day to Jove and to the other immortals； and Agamemnon sent
the criers round to call the people in assembly； so they called them
and the people gathered thereon。 But first he summoned a meeting of
the elders at the ship of Nestor king of Pylos； and when they were
assembled he laid a cunning counsel before them。
〃My friends；〃 said he； 〃I have had a dream from heaven in the dead
of night； and its face and figure resembled none but Nestor's。 It
hovered over my head and said； 'You are sleeping； son of Atreus； one
who has the welfare of his host and so much other care upon his
shoulders should dock his sleep。 Hear me at once； for I am a messenger
from Jove； who； though he be not near； yet takes thought for you and
pities you。 He bids you get the Achaeans instantly under arms； for you
shall take Troy。 There are no longer divided counsels among the
gods； Juno has brought them over to her own mind； and woe betides
the Trojans at the hands of Jove。 Remember this。' The dream then
vanished and I awoke。 Let us now； therefore； arm the sons of the
Achaeans。 But it will be well that I should first sound them； and to
this end I will tell them to fly with their ships； but do you others
go about among the host and prevent their doing so。〃
He then sat down； and Nestor the prince of Pylos with all
sincerity and goodwill addressed them thus： 〃My friends；〃 said he；
〃princes and councillors of the Argives； if any other man of the
Achaeans had told us of this dream we should have declared it false；
and would have had nothing to do with it。 But he who has seen it is
the foremost man among us； we must therefore set about getting the
people under arms。〃
With this he led the way from the assembly； and the other sceptred
kings rose with him in obedience to the word of Agamemnon； but the
people pressed forward to hear。 They swarmed like bees that sally from
some hollow cave and flit in countless throng among the spring
flowers； bunched in knots and clusters； even so did the mighty
multitude pour from ships and tents to the assembly； and range
themselves upon the wide…watered shore； while among them ran
Wildfire Rumour； messenger of Jove； urging them ever to the fore。 Thus
they gathered in a pell…mell of mad confusion； and the earth groaned
under the tramp of men as the people sought their places。 Nine heralds
went crying about among them to stay their tumult and bid them
listen to the kings； till at last they were got into their several
places and ceased their clamour。 Then King Agamemnon rose； holding his
sceptre。 This was the work of Vulcan； who gave it to Jove the son of
Saturn。 Jove gave it to Mercury； slayer of Argus； guide and
guardian。 King Mercury gave it to Pelops； the mighty charioteer； and
Pelops to Atreus； shepherd of his people。 Atreus； when he died； left
it to Thyestes； rich in flocks； and Thyestes in his turn left it to be
borne by Agamemnon； that he might be lord of all Argos and of the
isles。 Leaning； then； on his sceptre； he addressed the Argives。
〃My friends；〃 he said； 〃heroes； servants of Mars； the hand of heaven
has been laid heavily upon me。 Cruel Jove gave me his solemn promise
that I should sack the city of Priam before returning； but he has
played me false； and is now bidding me go ingloriously back to Argos
with the loss of much people。 Such is the will of Jove； who has laid
many a proud city in th