A wealthy ransom for his life, and told them he had brass, Much gold, and iron, that fit for use in many labours was, From whose rich heaps his father would a wondrous portion give, If, at the great Achaian fleet, he heard his son did live. Ulysses bad him cheer his heart. “Think not of death,” said he, “But tell us true, why runn’st thou forth, when others sleeping be? Is it to spoil the carcasses? Or art thou choicely sent T’ explore our drifts? Or of thyself seek’st thou some wish’d event?” He trembling answer’d: “Much reward did Hector’s oath propose, And urg’d me, much against my will, t’ endeavour to disclose If you determin’d still to stay, or bent your course for flight, As all dismay’d with your late foil, and wearied with the fight. For which exploit, Pelides’ horse and chariot he did swear, I only ever should enjoy.” Ulysses smil’d to hear So base a swain have any hope so high a prise t’ aspire, And said, his labours did affect a great and precious hire, And that the horse Pelides rein’d no mortal hand could use But he himself, whose matchless life a Goddess did produce. “But tell us, and report but truth, where left’st thou Hector now? Where are his arms? His famous horse? On whom doth he bestow The watch’s charge? Where sleep the kings? Intend they still to lie Thus near encamp’d, or turn suffic’d with their late victory?” “All this,” said he, “I’ll tell most true. At Ilus’ monument Hector with all our princes sits, t’ advise of this event; Who choose that place remov’d to shun the rude confuséd sounds The common soldiers throw about. But, for our watch, and rounds, Whereof, brave lord, thou mak’st demand, none orderly we keep. The Trojans, that have roofs to save, only abandon sleep, And privately without command each other they exhort To make prevention of the worst; and in this slender sort Is watch and guard maintain’d with us. Th’ auxiliary bands Sleep soundly, and commit their cares into the Trojans’ hands, For they have neither wives with them, nor children to protect; The less they need to care, the more they succour dull neglect.” “But tell me,” said wise Ithacus, “are all these foreign pow’rs Appointed quarters by themselves, or else commix’d with yours?” “And this,” said Dolon, “too, my lords, I’ll seriously unfold. The Pæons with the crookéd bows, and Cares, quarters hold Next to the sea, the Leleges, and Caucons, join’d with them, And brave Pelasgians. Thymber’s mead, remov’d more from the stream, Is quarter to the Lycians, the lofty Mysian force, The Phrygians and Meonians, that fight with arméd horse. But what need these particulars? If ye intend surprise Of any in our Trojan camps, the Thracian quarter lies Utmost of all, and uncommix’d with Trojan regiments, That keep the voluntary watch. New pitch’d are all their tents. King Rhesus, Eioneus’ son, commands them, who hath steeds More white than snow, huge, and well-shap’d, their fi’ry pace exceeds The winds in swiftness; these I saw; his chariot is with gold