This said, he sat; and aged Priam next, A God in council, Dardan’s son, arose, Who thus with prudent speech began, and said: “Hear now, ye Trojans, Dardans, and Allies, The words I speak, the promptings of my soul: Now through the city take your wonted meal; Look to your watch, let each man keep his guard: To-morrow shall Idaeus to the ships Of Greece, to both the sons of Atreus, bear The words of Paris, cause of all this war; And ask besides, if from the deadly strife Such truce they will accord us as may serve To burn the dead; hereafter we may fight Till Heav’n decide, and one with vict’ry crown.” He said; and they, obedient to his word, Throughout the ranks prepar’d the wonted meal: But with the morning to the ships of Greece Idaeus took his way: in council there By Agamemnon’s leading ship he found The Grecian chiefs, the ministers of Mars: And ’mid them all the clear-voic’d herald spoke: “Ye sons of Atreus, and ye chiefs of Greece, From Priam, and the gallant sons of Troy, I come, to bear, if ye be pleas’d to hear, The words of Paris, cause of all this war: The goods which hither in his hollow ships (Would he had perish’d rather!) Paris brought, He will restore, and others add beside; But further says, the virgin-wedded wife Of Menelaus, though the gen’ral voice Of Troy should bid him. he will not restore: Then bids me ask, if from the deadly strife Such truce ye will accord us as may serve To burn the dead: hereafter we may fight Till Heav’n decide, and one with vict’ry crown.” Thus he: they all in silence heard; at length Uprose the valiant Diomed, and said; “Let none from Paris now propose to accept Or goods, or Helen’s self; a child may see That now the doom of Troy is close at hand.” He said; the sons of Greece, with loud applause, The speech of valiant Diomed confirm’d. Then to Idaeus Agamemnon thus: “Idaeus, thou hast heard what answer give The chiefs of Greece—their answer I approve. But for the truce, for burial of the dead, I nought demur; no shame it is to grace With fun’ral rites the corpse of slaughter’d foes. Be witness, Jove! and guard the plighted truce.”