Night fell at last, bringing relief to the sore-stricken Greeks, and
compelling the reluctant Trojans to suspend their attack on the camp.
Hector drew off his forces, and pitched his camp by the riverside.
This was a sign of great confidence on the part of the Trojans, who
hitherto had rarely ventured outside their walls, and had always
returned to the city at nightfall. But now the besiegers had become
the besieged, and active preparations were made for a campaign in the
open field. Orders were sent to the city for supplies of corn and wine
and cattle to victual the camp, and the elders of Troy were warned to
keep a vigilant watch during the night, to guard against surprise.
When these measures of prudence were completed, Hector, who had been
the leading spirit through all this eventful day, summoned the Trojan
chieftains to a council of war. High and proud was his glance, as he
stood leaning on his tall spear, with its point of tempered bronze and
its socket of gold; for he dreamt of nothing less than the total rout
and discomfiture of the Greeks. And he found ready hearers in the
leaders of the Trojans and their allies, who read in his looks an
augury of triumph and victory. "This day," he said, "I thought to have
destroyed the Grecian fleet and army, and to have offered thanks to the
gods of our country in the Trojan citadel. For this time night has
saved them from utter ruin; but the blow is only delayed, not averted,
and to-morrow we will set the finish to this glorious work. Let every
man now get to his supper with good heart and hope, and look ye to it
that numerous fires be lighted in the camp, sufficient to illuminate
all the country round, as far as to the fleet. For I fear that these
hounds will try to escape under cover of night, and I would not that
they should leave us without some token of our loving-kindness--some
deep mark in their flesh from Trojan arrow or spear to remember us by
when they reach their homes in Greece. If they abide here till
to-morrow, the better for us, and the worse for them! Then shall
Diomede, the mighty son of Tydeus, pay the price of the lives which he
has taken, and to-morrow's sun shall behold him lying stiff and stark,
with all his comrades heaped in slaughter around him."
Having listened to the words of their great captain, the leaders
dispersed to their several quarters to carry out his orders. And the
swift southern night came down, wrapping sea and land in shadow. But
soon the realm of darkness was invaded by the flame of a thousand
fires. Thick as are the stars which cluster round the moon on a
windless summer night, gladdening the shepherd's heart as he keeps his
lonely vigil among the hills, so thick shone the fires of the Trojans
in the space between the river and the ships. By every fire sat fifty
men, and their horses stood near at hand, tethered to the cars,
cropping their barley and waiting for the dawn.