Homer, Iliad

Then the horseman, Nestor of Gerenia, answered him:“Nay verily, friend, all this hast thou spoken according to right. [170] Peerless sons have I, and folk there be full many, of whom any one might go and call others. But in good sooth great need hath overmastered the Achaeans, for now to all it standeth on a razor's edge, either woeful ruin for the Achaeans, or to live. [175] But go now and rouse swift Aias and the son of Phyleus, for thou art younger —if so be thou pitiest me.” So spake he, and Diomedes clad about his shoulders the skin of a lion, fiery and great, a skin that reached his feet, and grasped his spear, and he went his way, and roused those warriors from where they were, and brought them. [180] Now when they had joined the company of the sentinels as they were gathered together, they found not the leaders of the sentinels asleep, but all were sitting awake with their arms. And even as dogs keep painful watch about sheep in a fold, when they hear the wild beast, stout of heart, that cometh through the wood [185] among the hills, and a great din ariseth about him of men and dogs, and from them sleep perisheth; even so from their eyelids did sweet sleep perish, as they kept watch through the evil night; for toward the plain were they ever turning if haply they might hear the Trojans coming on. [190] At sight of them the old man waxed glad and heartened them, and spake and addressed them with winged words: “Even so now, dear children, keep your watch, neither let sleep seize any man, lest we become a cause of rejoicing to our foes.” So saying he hasted through the trench, and there followed with him [195] the kings of the Argives, even all that had been called to the council. But with them went Meriones and the glorious son of Nestor; for of themselves they bade these share in their counsel. So they went through and out from the digged ditch and sate them down in an open space, where the ground shewed clear of dead men fallen, [200] even where mighty Hector had turned back again from destroying the Argives, when night enfolded him. There they sate them down and spake one to the other, and among them the horse-man, Nestor of Gerenia, was first to speak: “My friends, is there then no man who would trust his own venturous spirit [205] to go among the great-souled Trojans, if so be he might slay some straggler of the foemen, or haply hear some rumour among the Trojans, and what counsel they devise among themselves, whether to abide where they be by the ships afar, or to withdraw again to the city, [210] seeing they have worsted the Achaeans? All this might he learn, and come back to us unscathed: great would his fame be under heaven among all men, and a goodly gift shall be his. For of all the princes that hold sway over the ships, [215] of all these shall every man give him a black ewe with a lamb at the teat— therewith may no possession compare;—and ever shall he be with us at feasts and drinking-bouts.”