And in the royal right of things is no impair to thee. Nor shall it stand with less than right, that they invited be To supper by thee; all thy tents are amply stor’d with wine, Brought daily in Greek ships from Thrace; and to this grace of thine All necessaries thou hast fit, and store of men to wait; And, many meeting there, thou may’st hear ev’ry man’s conceit, And take the best. It much concerns all Greeks to use advice Of gravest nature, since so near our ships our enemies Have lighted such a sort of fires, with which what man is joy’d? Look, how all bear themselves this night; so live, or be destroy’d.” All heard, and follow’d his advice. There was appointed then Sev’n captains of the watch, who forth did march with all their men. The first was famous Thrasymed, adviceful Nestor’s son; Ascalaphus; and Ialmen; and mighty Merion; Alphareus; and Deipyrus; and lovely Lycomed, Old Creon’s joy. These sev’n bold lords an hundred soldiers led, In ev’ry sever’d company, and ev’ry man his pike, Some placéd on the rampire’s top, and some amidst the dike. All fires made, and their suppers took. Atrides to his tent Invited all the peers of Greece, and food sufficient Appos’d before them, and the peers appos’d their hands to it. Hunger and thirst being quickly quench’d, to counsel still they sit. And first spake Nestor, who they thought of late advis’d so well, A father grave, and rightly wise, who thus his tale did tell: “Most high Atrides, since in thee I have intent to end, From thee will I begin my speech, to whom Jove doth commend The empire of so many men, and puts into thy hand A sceptre, and establish’d laws, that thou mayst well command, And counsel all men under thee. It therefore doth behove Thyself to speak most, since of all thy speeches most will move; And yet to hear, as well as speak; and then perform as well A free just counsel; in thee still must stick what others tell. For me, what in my judgment stands the most convenient I will advise, and am assur’d advice more competent Shall not be giv’n; the gen’ral proof, that hath before been made Of what I speak, confirms me still, and now may well persuade, Because I could not then, yet ought, when thou, most royal king, Ev’n from the tent, Achilles’ love didst violently bring, Against my counsel, urging thee by all means to relent; But you, obeying your high mind, would venture the event, Dishonouring our ablest Greek, a man th’ Immortals grace. Again yet let’s deliberate, to make him now embrace Affection to our gen’ral good, and bring his force to field; Both which kind words and pleasing gifts must make his virtues yield.” “O father,” answeréd the king, “my wrongs thou tell’st me right. Mine own offence mine own tongue grants. One man must stand in fight For our whole army; him I wrong’d; him Jove loves from his heart, He shows it in thus honouring him; who, living thus apart, Proves us but number, for his want makes all our weakness seen.