"Fight no more, my sons; Zeus loves you both, and ye are both mighty warriors. That we all know right well. But now the night bids you cease, and it is well to heed its bidding." Then said Ajax: "It is for Hector to speak, for he called the bravest of the Greeks to battle. And as he wills it, so will I." And Hector said: "O Ajax, the gods have given thee stature and strength and skill, nor is there any better warrior among the Greeks. Let us cease then from the battle; we may yet meet again, and the gods give the victory to me or thee. But now let us give gifts the one to the other, so that Trojans and Greeks may say, 'Hector and Ajax met in fierce fight and parted in friendship.'" So Hector gave to Ajax a silver-studded sword with the scabbard and the sword-belt, and Ajax gave to Hector a buckler splendid with purple. So they parted. Right glad were the sons of Troy when they saw Hector returning safe. Glad also were the Greeks, as they led Ajax rejoicing in his victory to King Agamemnon. Thereupon the King called the chiefs to banquet together, and bade slay an ox of five years old, and Ajax he honoured most of all, giving him the best portions. And when the feast was ended, Nestor said:-- "It were well that we should cease a while from war and burn the dead, for many are fallen. And we will build a great wall and dig a trench about it, and we will make gates that a chariot may pass through, so that our ships may be safe, if the sons of Troy should press us hard." But the next morning came a herald from Troy to the chiefs, as they sat in council by the ship of King Agamemnon, and said:-- "This is the word of Priam and the men of Troy: Paris will give back all the treasures of the fair Helen, and many more besides; but the fair Helen herself he will not give. And if this please you not, grant us a truce, that we may bury our dead." Then Diomed spake, "Nay, we will not take the treasures, for a man may know, even though he be a fool, that the doom of Troy is come." And King Agamemnon said, "Herald, thou hast heard the word of the Greeks, but as for the truce, be it as you will." So the next day they burnt their dead, and the Greeks made a wall with gates and dug a trench about it. And when it was finished, even at sunset, they made ready a meal, and lo! there came ships from Lemnos bringing wine, and Greeks bought thereof, some with bronze, and some with iron, and some with shields of ox hide. All night they feasted right joyously. The sons of Troy also feasted in their city. But the dreadful thunder rolled through the night, for Zeus was planning evil against them. CHAPTER IX THE BATTLE ON THE PLAIN When the next morning came Zeus called the gods to an assembly on the topmost ridge of Olympus, and spake to them, saying:--