spake in the council? Beware lest in his anger he evilly entreat the
sons of the Achaians. For proud is the soul of heaven-fostered kings;
because their honour is of Zeus, and the god of counsel loveth them."

But whatever man of the people he saw and found him shouting, him he
drave with his sceptre and chode him with loud words: "Good sir, sit
still and hearken to the words of others that are thy betters; but thou
art no warrior, and a weakling, never reckoned whether in battle or in
council. In no wise can we Achaians all be kings here. A multitude of
masters is no good thing; let there be one master, one king, to whom the
son of crooked-counselling Kronos hath granted it, [even the sceptre and
judgments, that he may rule among you"].

So masterfully ranged he the host; and they hasted back to the assembly
from ships and huts, with noise as when a wave of loud-sounding sea
roareth on the long beach and the main resoundeth.

Now all the rest sat down and kept their place upon the benches, only
Thersites still chattered on, the uncontrolled speech, whose mind was
full of words many and disorderly, wherewith to strive against the
chiefs idly and in no good order, but even as he deemed that he should
make the Argives laugh. And he was ill-favored beyond all men that came
to Ilios. Bandy-legged was he, and lame of one foot, and his two
shoulders rounded, arched down upon his chest; and over them his head
was warped, and a scanty stubble sprouted on it. Hateful was he to
Achilles above all and to Odysseus, for them he was wont to revile. But
now with shrill shout he poured forth his upbraidings upon goodly
Agamemnon. With him the Achaians were sore vexed and had indignation in
their souls. But he with loud shout spake and reviled Agamemnon:
"Atreides, for what art thou now ill content and lacking? Surely thy