[_The Guards pass out to waken the Lycians. The stage is empty and dark except for the firelight, when a whisper is heard at the back. Presently enter_ ODYSSEUS _and_ DIOMEDE _in dull leather armour_, DIOMEDE _carrying at his belt_ DOLON's _wolf-skin and mask_. ODYSSEUS. Diomede, hist!--A little sound of arms Clanking. . . or am I full of void alarms? DIOMEDE. No. 'Tis some horse tied to the chariot rail That clanks his chain.--My heart began to fail A moment, till I heard the horse's champ. [_They steal on further, keeping in the shadow._ ODYSSEUS. Mind--in that shade--the watchers of the camp. DIOMEDE. I keep in shadow, but I am staring hard. ODYSSEUS. Thou know'st the watchword, if we stir some guard? DIOMEDE. [vv. 573-584] Phoebus. 'Twas the last sign that Dolon gave. [_They creep forward in silence to the entrance of_ HECTOR's _tent_. ODYSSEUS. Now, forward! [_They dash into the tent, swords drawn; then return._ God! All empty as the grave! DIOMEDE. Yet Dolon told us Hector's couch was made Just here. For none but him I drew this blade. ODYSSEUS. What means it? To some ambush is he gone? DIOMEDE. Maybe, to work some craft on us at dawn. ODYSSEUS. He is hot with courage when he is winning, hot. DIOMEDE. What must we do, Odysseus?--He was not Laid where we thought him, and our hopes are lost. ODYSSEUS. Back to our own ship-rampart at all cost! The God who gave him victory saves him still. We cannot force Fortune against her will. DIOMEDE. [vv. 585-598] Could we not find Aeneas? Or the bed Of Paris the accurst, and have his head? ODYSSEUS. Go by night searching through these lines of men For chiefs to kill? 'Twere death and death again. DIOMEDE. But to go empty back--what shame 'twill be!-- And not one blow struck home at the enemy! ODYSSEUS. How not one blow? Did we not baulk and kill Dolon, their spy, and bear his tokens still? Dost think the whole camp should be thine to quell? [DIOMEDE _takes_ DOLON's _wolf-mask off his belt and hangs it in_ HECTOR's _tent, then turns_. DIOMEDE. Good. Now for home! And may the end be well! [_As they turn there appears at the back a luminous and gigantic shape, the Goddess_ ATHENA. ATHENA.