Each man invoked (of the Immortals him Whom he preferr’d) with sacrifice and prayer For safe escape from danger and from death. But Agamemnon to Saturnian Jove Omnipotent, an ox of the fifth year485 Full-flesh’d devoted, and the Princes call’d Noblest of all the Grecians to his feast. First, Nestor with Idomeneus the King, Then either Ajax, and the son he call’d Of Tydeus, with Ulysses sixth and last,490 Jove’s peer in wisdom. Menelaus went, Heroic Chief! unbidden, for he knew His brother’s mind with weight of care oppress’d. The ox encircling, and their hands with meal Of consecration fill’d, the assembly stood,495 When Agamemnon thus his prayer preferred. Almighty Father! Glorious above all! Cloud-girt, who dwell’st in heaven thy throne sublime, Let not the sun go down, till Priam’s roof Fall flat into the flames; till I shall burn500 His gates with fire; till I shall hew away His hack’d and riven corslet from the breast Of Hector, and till numerous Chiefs, his friends, Around him, prone in dust, shall bite the ground. So prayed he, but with none effect, The God505 Received his offering, but to double toil Doom’d them, and sorrow more than all the past. They then, the triturated barley grain First duly sprinkling, the sharp steel infix’d Deep in the victim’s neck reversed, then stripp’d510 The carcase, and divided at their joint The thighs, which in the double caul involved They spread with slices crude, and burn’d with fire Ascending fierce from billets sere and dry. The spitted entrails next they o’er the coals515 Suspended held. The thighs with fire consumed, They gave to each his portion of the maw, Then slash’d the remnant, pierced it with the spits, And managing with culinary skill The roast, withdrew it from the spits again.520 Thus, all their task accomplished, and the board Set forth, they feasted, and were all sufficed. When neither hunger more nor thirst remain’d Unsatisfied, Gerenian Nestor spake. Atrides! Agamemnon! King of men!525 No longer waste we time in useless words, Nor to a distant hour postpone the work To which heaven calls thee. Send thine heralds forth. Who shall convene the Achaians at the fleet, That we, the Chiefs assembled here, may range,530 Together, the imbattled multitude, And edge their spirits for immediate fight. He spake, nor Agamemnon not complied. At once he bade his clear-voiced heralds call The Greeks to battle. They the summons loud535 Gave forth, and at the sound the people throng’d. Then Agamemnon and the Kings of Greece Dispatchful drew them into order just, With whom Minerva azure-eyed advanced, The inestimable Ægis on her arm,540 Immortal, unobnoxious to decay A hundred braids, close twisted, all of gold, Each valued at a hundred beeves,[17] around Dependent fringed it. She from side to side Her eyes cerulean rolled, infusing thirst545 Of battle endless into every breast. War won them now, war sweeter now to each Than gales to waft them over ocean home.[18]