Page:The Story of the Iliad.djvu/43

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THE ASSEMBLY.
27

his secret counsel. All the assembly was moved as the sea is moved, when the east wind raiseth the waves, or as a cornfield, when the strong west wind comes upon it, and shakes the ears Shouting they hasted to the ships, and laid hands on them to drag them down, and some made clear the launching channels, and drew the shores from under the sides.

Then had the Greeks returned, even though fate willed it not. But Hera spake to Athené: "Will the Greeks thus idly flee to their homes? and will they leave Helen a boast to Priam and to Troy, Helen, for whom so many have fallen far from their fatherland? Hasten now, and turn them from their purpose."

So Athené hastened down from Olympus, and she found Ulysses, who had laid no hand upon his ship, for grief had touched him to his heart. To him she said: "Son of Laertes, will ye indeed flee to your fatherland, and leave Helen, for whom so many have fallen, to be a boast to Priam and the men of Troy? Go now, and dissuade the Greeks, and suffer them not to drag their ships to the sea."