The hero was sleeping upon the skin of an ox, with a piece of fine carpet under his head; Nestor went up to him and stirred him with his heel to rouse him, upbraiding him and urging him to bestir himself.

"Wake up," he exclaimed, "son of Tydeus.

How can you sleep on in this way?
Can you not see that the Trojans are encamped on the brow of the plain hard by our ships, with but a little space between us and them ?" On these words Diomed leaped up instantly and said, "Old man, your heart is of iron; you rest not one moment from your labours.

Are there no younger men among the Achaeans who could go about to rouse the princes?
There is no tiring you." And Nestor knight of Gerene made answer, "My son, all that you have said is true.

I have good sons, and also much people who might call the chieftains, but the Achaeans are in the gravest danger; life and death are balanced as it were on the edge of a razor.