"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:—

"Hearken, gods and goddesses! Let none of you presume to go against my word. Whosoever of you shall aid either Greek or Trojan, him will I smite with the thunder, or else will cast him far down to the darkness of Tartarus, whose gates are iron and whose threshold bronze, and he shall know that I am chief among gods. And if ye will make trial of my strength, let down a chain of gold from heaven to earth, and take hold thereof, all ye gods and goddesses. Yet shall ye not drag down Zeus, no, though ye strive with all your might. But if I should draw with all my strength, I could lift you up, and earth and sea with you, and bind the chain about a horn of Olympus, and leave you hanging there. So much am I stronger than all besides."

Tar'-tar-us.

Then all the gods sat silent and amazed. But at last spake Athene: "Surely we know, Father Zeus, that thy strength cannot be resisted. Yet we pity the Greeks, and fear lest they should perish altogether. We will keep aloof from the war, according to thy command, but we will give them counsel."