To be the vaunt of Ilium and her King, Helen of Argos, in whose cause the Greeks Have numerous perish’d from their home remote? Delay not. Rush into the throng; by force210 Detain them of thy soothing speech, ere yet All launch their oary barks into the flood. She ceased, whom by her voice Ulysses knew, Casting his mantle from him, which his friend Eurybates the Ithacensian caught,215 He ran; and in his course meeting the son Of Atreus, Agamemnon, from his hand The everlasting sceptre quick received, Which bearing, through Achaia’s fleet he pass’d. What King soever, or distinguish’d Greek220 He found, approaching to his side, in terms Of gentle sort he stay’d him. Sir, he cried, It is unseemly that a man renown’d As thou, should tremble. Go—Resume the seat Which thou hast left, and bid the people sit.225 Thou know’st not clearly yet the monarch’s mind. He proves us now, but soon he will chastize. All were not present; few of us have heard His speech this day in council. Oh, beware, Lest in resentment of this hasty course230 Irregular, he let his anger loose. Dread is the anger of a King; he reigns By Jove’s own ordinance, and is dear to Jove, But what plebeian base soe’er he heard Stretching his throat to swell the general cry,235 He laid the sceptre smartly on his back, With reprimand severe. Fellow, he said, Sit still; hear others; thy superiors hear. For who art thou? A dastard and a drone, Of none account in council, or in arms.240 By no means may we all alike bear sway At Ilium; such plurality of Kings Were evil. One suffices. One, to whom The son of politic Saturn hath assign’d The sceptre, and inforcement of the laws,245 That he may rule us as a monarch ought.[8] With such authority the troubled host He sway’d; they, quitting camp and fleet again Rush’d back to council; deafening was the sound As when a billow of the boisterous deep250 Some broad beach dashes, and the Ocean roars. The host all seated, and the benches fill’d, Thersites only of loquacious tongue Ungovern’d, clamor’d mutinous; a wretch Of utterance prompt, but in coarse phrase obscene255 Deep learn’d alone, with which to slander Kings. Might he but set the rabble in a roar, He cared not with what jest; of all from Greece To Ilium sent, his country’s chief reproach. Cross-eyed he was, and halting moved on legs260 Ill-pair’d; his gibbous shoulders o’er his breast Contracted, pinch’d it; to a peak his head Was moulded sharp, and sprinkled thin with hair Of starveling length, flimsy and soft as down. Achilles and Ulysses had incurr’d265 Most his aversion; them he never spared; But now, imperial Agamemnon self In piercing accents stridulous he charged With foul reproach. The Grecians with contempt Listen’d, and indignation, while with voice270 At highest pitch, he thus the monarch mock’d. What wouldst thou now? Whereof is thy complaint Now, Agamemnon? Thou hast fill’d thy tents With treasure, and the Grecians, when they take A city, choose the loveliest girls for thee.275