‘Let us take none of the treasures of Helen nor of Paris, neither Helen herself for well we know that the days of Troy are already numbered.’
In applause of the words of Diomedes the Greek host shouted, and Agamemnon said to the heralds:
‘Thou hearest the answer of the Greeks. Yet we grant ye the truce, that ye may bury your dead.’
The sun was rising from the sea and chasing grey darkness from the fields of Troyland when on the morrow Greeks and Trojans met in peace, and tenderly, and with hot tears falling, carried away the bodies of the fallen and buried them in mighty pyres.
A deep ditch and a high wall did the Greeks also make for themselves. And at nightfall they feasted, and when some ships from Lemnos came to the harbour, well laden with wine, they bought a goodly supply. Some of them paid the men of Lemnos with bronze, and some with iron, some with hides and kine, and some with prisoners.
All night long they feasted, and in Troy also did the Trojans feast. But in Olympus did Zeus angrily plan the overthrow of the men who seemed to fear him not, and the noise of his thunderings filled the feasters with dread of what was to come.
On the next day, when golden dawn was spreading over the earth, Zeus held a council of the gods, and with a fearful doom did he threaten the god or goddess who should dare to aid either Greek or Trojan.
‘We bow to thy will, great father Zeus,’ Athene made answer. ‘Yet let us, I pray thee, give counsel to the Greeks that they may not all perish before the mightiness of thine anger.’
‘So be it,’ answered Zeus, smiling upon her, for dear to the king of the gods was Athene, his beautiful daughter.
Then did Zeus, in his armour of gold, mount upon his car. His fleet-footed horses, bronze-shod, had flowing tails of gold, and them he lashed with his golden whip so that like lightning they flashed across space, between earth and the starry heavens. High up on Mount Ida did he rein them in, and in thick mist upon the mountain-top he sat him down and watched the Greeks and Trojans, as though they were his playthings, fighting far below on the plain.