much, I say, do the sons of the Achaians outnumber the Trojans that
dwell within the city. But allies from many cities, even warriors that
wield the spear, are therein, and they hinder me perforce, and for all
my will suffer me not to waste the populous citadel of Ilios. Already
have nine years of great Zeus passed away, and our ships' timbers have
rotted and the tackling is loosed; while there our wives and little
children sit in our halls awaiting us; yet is our task utterly
unaccomplished wherefor we came hither. So come, even as I bid let us
all obey. Let us flee with our ships to our dear native land; for now
shall we never take wide-wayed Troy."

So spake he, and stirred the spirit in the breasts of all throughout the
multitude, as many as had not heard the council. And the assembly swayed
like high sea-waves of the Icarian Main that east wind and south wind
raise, rushing upon them from the clouds of father Zeus; and even as
when the west wind cometh to stir a deep cornfield with violent blast,
and the ears bow down, so was all the assembly stirred, and they with
shouting hasted toward the ships; and the dust from beneath their feet
rose and stood on high. And they bade each man his neighbor to seize the
ships and drag them into the bright salt sea, and cleared out the
launching-ways, and the noise went up to heaven of their hurrying
homewards; and they began to take the props from beneath the ships.

Then would the Argives have accomplished their return against the will
of fate, but that Hera spake a word to Athene: "Out on it, daughter of
aegis-bearing Zeus, unwearied maiden! Shall the Argives thus indeed flee
homeward to their dear native land over the sea's broad back? But they
would leave to Priam and the Trojans their boast, even Helen of Argos,
for whose sake many an Achaian hath perished in Troy, far away from his
dear native land. But go thou now amid the host of the mail-clad