Thus then having spoken, he began to depart from the assembly; and they, the sceptre-bearing princes, arose, and obeyed the shepherd of the tribes, and the hosts rushed forward. Even as the swarms of clustering bees, 79 issuing ever anew from the hollow rock, go forth, and fly in troops over the vernal 80 flowers, and some have flitted in bodies here, and some there; thus of these [Greeks] many nations from the ships and tents kept marching in troops in front of the steep shore to the assembly. And in the midst of them blazed Rumour, messenger of Jove, urging them to proceed; and they kept collecting together. The assembly was tumultuous, and the earth groaned beneath, as the people seated themselves, and there was a clamour; but nine heralds vociferating restrained them, if by any means they would cease from clamour, and hear the Jove-nurtured princes. With difficulty at length the people sat down, and were kept to their respective 81 seats, having desisted from their clamour, when king Agamemnon arose, holding the sceptre, which Vulcan had laboriously wrought. Vulcan in the first place gave it to king Jove, the son of Saturn, and Jove in turn gave it to his messenger, the slayer of Argus. 82 But king Mercury gave it to steed-taming Pelops, and Pelops again gave it to Atreus, shepherd of the people. But Atreus, dying, left it to Thyestes, rich in flocks; but Thyestes again left it to Agamemnon to be borne, that he might rule over many islands, 83 and all Argos. 84 Leaning upon this, he spoke words amongst the Greeks: Footnote 79: (return) The dative here implies direction, ἐπὶ increasing its force, according to Stadelmann and Kühner, who are followed by Anthon. I have restored the old interpretation, which is much less far-fetched, and is placed beyond doubt by Virgil’s imitations.—“_per_ florea rura,” Æn. i. 430; “floribus insidunt variis.” Æn. vi. 708. “Among fresh dews and flowers, Fly to and fro.”—Milton. P.L. i. 771. Footnote 80: (return) _I. e._ over the flowers in the spring-time, when bees first appear. See Virg. l. c. Eurip. Hipp. 77, μέλισσα λειμῶν’ ᾐρινὸν ὂιέρχεται.—Nicias, Anthol. i. 31, ἔαρ φαίνουσα μέλισσα.—Longus, i. 4. Footnote 81: (return) Observe the distributive use of κατά. Cf. Od. iii. 7. Footnote 82: (return) Mercury. Cf. Ovid. Met. i. 624. sqq. Footnote 83: (return) On the extended power of Agamemnon, see Thucyd. i. 9. Footnote 84: (return) On this sceptre, the type of the wealth and influence of the house of the Atrides, see Grote. vol. i. p. 212.