‘The gods have given thee stature and might and wisdom, Ajax,’ said Hector, ‘and surely there is no greater fighter among the Greeks than thou. Night falleth, so let us cease from battle, and hereafter will we fight again, and the gods shall grant one of us the victory. But now let us exchange gifts, that Greeks and Trojans may say, “In fierce strife did Ajax and Hector meet, but in friendship they parted.”’ So spoke Hector, and gave to Ajax his silver-studded sword, with scabbard and sword-belt; and to him did Ajax give his belt bright with purple. So parted the two heroes, and greatly did the men of Troy and of Greece rejoice at the safe return of their champions. CHAPTER VII THE BURNING OF THE DEAD; AND THE BATTLE OF THE PLAIN With feasting did the Greeks do honour to Ajax, and when the feast was ended, Nestor, the oldest and the most wise of the warriors, gave counsel that at daybreak on the morrow they should gather the bodies of their dead and burn them on a great pyre. But while the Greek chiefs in peace took council together, they of Troy with fierce and angry words disputed at a gate of their city. Said one: ‘How can we hope to prosper in the fight when our oath is broken? Let us then give back to the Greeks fair Helen and all her wealth.’ But Paris, in wrath, made reply: ‘Mad indeed thou art if thou dost think I will do as thou sayest! The wealth of Helen will I return with a willing heart, and to it add more wealth of mine own. But Helen my wife will I give back never!’ At dawn on the morrow did the Trojan heralds come to the camp of Agamemnon and gave to him the message. ‘Thus saith Priam of Troy and all his nobles, The wealth that Helen brought with her to Troy will Paris return, and more besides of his own, but the beautiful wife of Menelaus he saith he will not give. But grant to us a truce until we have buried our dead, and then again will we fight until the gods grant us victory.’ Then said Diomedes: ‘Let us take none of the treasures of Helen nor of Paris, neither Helen herself for well we know that the days of Troy are already numbered.’ In applause of the words of Diomedes the Greek host shouted, and Agamemnon said to the heralds: ‘Thou hearest the answer of the Greeks. Yet we grant ye the truce, that ye may bury your dead.’ The sun was rising from the sea and chasing grey darkness from the fields of Troyland when on the morrow Greeks and Trojans met in peace, and tenderly, and with hot tears falling, carried away the bodies of the fallen and buried them in mighty pyres. A deep ditch and a high wall did the Greeks also make for themselves. And at nightfall they feasted, and when some ships from Lemnos came to the harbour, well laden with wine, they bought a goodly supply. Some of them paid the men of Lemnos with bronze, and some with iron, some with hides and kine, and some with prisoners.