'Whatso betide, to thee, O King, the matter's verity Will I lay bare unto the end, nor Argive blood deny: This firstly; for if Fate indeed shaped Sinon for all bale To make him liar and empty fool her worst may not avail. 80 Perchance a rumour of men's talk about your ears hath gone, Telling of Palamedes' fame and glory that he won, The son of Belus: traitors' word undid him innocent; By unjust doom for banning war the way of death he went, Slain by Pelasgian men, that now his quenchèd light deplore. Fellow to him, and nigh akin, I went unto the war, Sent by my needy father forth, e'en from my earliest years; Now while he reigned in health, a king fair blooming mid his peers In council of the kings, I too had share of name and worth. But after he had gone his way from land of upper earth, 90 Thrust down by sly Ulysses' hate, (I tell all men's belief), Then beaten down I dragged my life through shadowy ways of grief, And heavily I took the death of him my sackless friend, Nor held my peace, O fool! but vowed revenge if time should send A happy tide; if I should come to Argos any more, A victor then: so with my words I drew down hatred sore. This was the first fleck of my ill; Ulysses ever now Would threaten with some new-found guilt, and mid the folk would sow Dark sayings, and knowing what was toward, sought weapons new at need; Nor wearied till with Calchas now to help him to the deed.-- 100 --But why upturn these ugly things, or spin out time for nought? For if ye deem all Greekish men in one same mould are wrought: It is enough. Come make an end; Ulysses' hope fulfil! With great price would the Atridæ buy such working of their will.' Then verily to know the thing and reach it deep we burned, So little in Pelasgian guile and evil were we learned. He takes the tale up; fluttering-voiced from lying heart he speaks: