Then Nestor spake: "Thou art brave in war, son of Tydeus, and excellent in council above thy fellows. But now let us take our meal; and let sentinels watch along the trench. And do thou, son of Atreus, make a feast for thy chiefs, as is meet. And him who counsels thee most wisely thou must follow. Sorely do we need wise counsel, seeing that the enemy have so many fires near our ships. Verily this night will save our army or destroy." So King Agamemnon called the chiefs to a feast; and when the feast was ended Nestor rose up and spake: "Evil was the day, O King, when thou didst send and take the damsel Briseis from the tent of Achilles. Let us therefore take thought how we may best appease him with noble gifts and pleasant words." Then said King Agamemnon: "These are true words that thou hast spoken, old man. Truly I did as a fool that day, and I deny it not. For he that is loved of Zeus is of more worth than whole armies of men; and verily Zeus loveth this man, seeing that he putteth the Greeks to flight that he may do him honour. But even as I wronged him in my folly, so will I make amends, and give a recompense beyond all telling. And now I will declare before you all the gifts that I will give: a huge treasure of gold and bronze, and twelve stout horses, that have won prizes in the race by fleetness of foot. And seven women will I give him, skilled in excellent handiwork, fairer than all women. These will I give him, and with them the damsel Briseis, even as I took her from him. And if the gods shall grant us to destroy the great city of Priam, then let him come when we divide the spoil, and choose for himself twenty women of Troy, the fairest there be after Helen. And if he come again to the land of Greece, then shall he be my son, and he shall choose in marriage which one of my daughters he will. Yea, and I will give with her seven fair cities, with pasture-lands and vineyards, wherein dwell men that have many flocks and herds, who will honour him with gifts even as men honour a god, and will fulfil his commands. All this will I give him, if so be that he will cease from his anger." To him Nestor made answer: "No man may think lightly of the gifts that thou givest to great Achilles. Come, therefore, let us choose men, that they may go with all speed to his tent. Let Phœnix, who is beloved of Zeus, lead the way; and let Ajax the Greater and Ulysses go with him, and two heralds also." Phœ'-nix.