Homer, Iliad

When he had thus spoken he sate him down, and among them uprose [355] goodly Alexander, lord of fair-haired Helen; he made answer, and spake to him winged words:“Antenor, this that thou sayest is no longer to my pleasure; yea thou knowest how to devise better words than these. But if thou verily speakest this in earnest, [360] then of a surety have the gods themselves destroyed thy wits. Howbeit I will speak amid the gathering of horse-taming Trojans and declare outright: my wife will I not give back; but the treasure that I brought from Argos to our home, all this am I minded to give, and to add thereto from mine own store.” [365] When he had thus spoken he sate him down, and among them uprose Priam, son of Dardanus, peer of the gods in counsel. He with good intent addressed their gathering, and spake among them: “Hearken to me, ye Trojans and Dardanians and allies, that I may say what the heart in my breast biddeth me. [370] For this present take ye your supper throughout the city, even as of old, and take heed to keep watch, and be wakeful every man; and at dawn let Idaeus go to the hollow ships to declare to Atreus' sons, Agamemnon and Menelaus, the word of Alexander, for whose sake strife hath been set afoot. [375] And let him furthermore declare to them this word of wisdom, whether they are minded to cease from dolorous war till we have burned the dead; thereafter shall we fight again until God judge between us, and give victory to one side or the other.” So spake he, and they readily hearkened to him, and obeyed; [380] then they took their supper throughout the host by companies, and at dawn Idaeus went his way to the hollow ships. There he found in the place of gathering the Danaans, squires of Ares, beside the stern of Agamemnon's ship; and the loud-voiced herald took his stand in the midst and spake among them: [385] “Son of Atreus, and ye other princes of the hosts of Achaea, Priam and the other lordly Trojans bade me declare to you—if haply it be your wish and your good pleasure—the saying of Alexander, for whose sake strife hath been set afoot. The treasure that Alexander brought to Troy [390] in his hollow ships—would that he had perished first!—all this he is minded to give, and to add thereto from his own store; but the wedded wife of glorious Menelaus, he declares he will not give; though verily the Trojans bid him do it. Moreover they bade me declare unto you this word also, whether ye be minded [395] to cease from dolorous war till we have burned the dead; thereafter shall we fight again until God judge between us and give victory to one side or the other.”