His horses he stabled in a cavern of the sea, and loosed them from the car, and gave them immortal food to eat, and put shackles of gold about their feet.
And all the while the men of Troy came on, following Hector, like a storm or a great flame, for they thought to take the ships and to slay the Greeks beside them.
But Poseidon came to the camp of the Greeks, taking upon him the shape of Calchas the herald. First he spake to either Ajax, saying: "Hold fast, ye men of might, so that ye save the people. For the rest of the wall I fear not, but only for the place where Hector rages."
Cal'-chas.
And as he spake, he smote each with his staff, and filled them with courage, and gave strength to hands and feet. Then he passed from them even as a hawk that riseth from a cliff, chasing a bird.
And the Lesser Ajax knew him, and spake to his comrade, saying: "This is some god that bids us fight for the ships; he was not Calchas, for I marked the goings of his legs and his feet as he went. The gods are easily discerned. And verily my heart within me is eager for the fight."
The Greater Ajax answered him, "Even so do my own hands yearn about the spear, and my heart is on fire, and my feet carry me away, and I am eager to fight with Hector, even I alone, for all his fury."
Then Poseidon went to the other chiefs, going up and down the ranks, and urged them to stand fast against their enemies. But not the less did the men of Troy press on, Hector leading the way.
And so loud was the cry of battle that it roused old Nestor where he sat in his tent, tending the wounded Machaon. So he went forth from the tent, seeking King Agamemnon. And as he went, the King met him, and with him were Diomed and Ulysses, who also had been wounded that day. So they held counsel together. And Agamemnon—for it troubled him sore that the people were slain—would that they should draw down the ships into the sea, and should flee homewards, as soon as the darkness should cover them and the Trojans should cease from the battle.
But Ulysses would have none of such counsel, saying: "Now surely, son of Atreus, thou art not worthy to rule over us, who have been men of war from our youth. Wilt thou leave this city, for the taking of which we have suffered so much? That may not be; let not any one of the Greeks hear thee say such words. And what is this, that thou wouldst have us launch our ships now, whilst the hosts are fighting? Surely, so doing, we should perish together, for the Greeks would not fight any more, seeing that the ships were being launched, and the men of Troy would slay us altogether."