Homer, Iliad

Then in answer spake to her Zeus the cloud-gatherer: [470] “At dawn shalt thou behold, if so be thou wilt, O ox-eyed, queenly Hera, the most mighty son of Cronos making yet more grievous havoc of the great host of Argive spearmen; for dread Hector shall not refrain him from battle until the swift-footed son of Peleus be uprisen beside his ships [475] on the day when at the sterns of the ships they shall be fighting in grimmest stress about Patroclus fallen; for thus it is ordained of heaven. But of thee I reck not in thine anger, no, not though thou shouldst go to the nethermost bounds of earth and sea, where abide Iapetus and Cronos, [480] and have joy neither in the rays of Helios Hyperion nor in any breeze, but deep Tartarus is round about them. Though thou shouldst fare even thither in thy wanderings, yet reck I not of thy wrath, seeing there is naught more shameless than thou.” So said he; howbeit white-armed Hera spake no word in answer. [485] Then into Oceanus fell the bright light of the sun drawing black night over the face of the earth, the giver of grain. Sorely against the will of the Trojans sank the daylight, but over the Achaeans welcome, aye, thrice-prayed-for, came the darkness of night. Then did glorious Hector make a gathering of the Trojans, [490] leading them apart from the ships beside the eddying river in an open space, where the ground shewed clear of dead. Forth from their chariots they stepped upon the ground, to hearken to the word that Hector dear to Zeus spake among them. In his hand he held a spear of eleven cubits, and before him blazed [495] the spear-point of bronze, around which ran a ring of gold. Thereon he leaned, and spake his word among the Trojans:“Hearken to me, ye Trojans and Dardanians and allies: I deemed [500] but now to make havoc of the ships and all the Achaeans, and so return back again to windy Ilios; but darkness came on ere that might be, the which above all else hath now saved the Argives and their ships upon the beach of the sea. So then for this present let us yield to black night and make ready our supper; loose ye from the cars your fair-maned horses, and cast fodder before them; [505] and from the city bring ye oxen and goodly sheep with speed, and get you honey-hearted wine and bread from your houses, and furthermore gather abundant wood, that all night long until early dawn we may burn fires full many and the gleam thereof may reach to heaven, [510] lest haply even by night the long-haired Achaeans make haste to take flight over the broad back of the sea. ”