Rain, Hail, or Snow

Now beside their ships all the other chieftains of the host of the Achaeans were slumbering the whole night through, overcome of soft sleep, but Agamemnon, son of Atreus, shepherd of the host, was not holden of sweet sleep, so many things debated he in mind. Even as when the lord of fair-haired Hera lighteneth, what time he maketh ready either a mighty rain unspeakable or hail or snow, when the snow-flakes sprinkle the fields, or haply the wide mouth of bitter war; even so often did Agamemnon groan from the deep of his breast, and his heart trembled within him. So often as he gazed toward the Trojan plain, he marvelled at the many fires that burned before the face of Ilios, and at the sound of flutes and pipes, and the din of men; but whensoever he looked toward the ships and the host of the Achaeans, then many were the hairs that he pulled from his head by the very roots in appeal to Zeus that is above, and in his noble heart he groaned mightily. And this plan seemed to his mind the best, to go first of all to Nestor, son of Neleus, if so be he might contrive with him some goodly device that should be for the warding off of evil from the Danaan host. So he sate him up and did on his tunic about his breast, and beneath his shining feet bound his fair sandals, and thereafter clad him in the tawny skin of a lion, fiery and great, a skin that reached his feet; and he grasped his spear.


- Homer, The Iliad, Book 10 (A. T. Murray translation)


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Now beside their ships the other great men of the Achaians
slept night long, with the soft bondage of slumber upon them;
but the son of Atreus, Agamemnon, shepherd of the people,
was held by no sweet sleep as he pondered deeply within him.
As when the lord of Hera the lovely-haired flashes his lightning
as he brings on a great rainstorm, or a hail incessant,
or a blizzard, at such time when the snowfall scatters on ploughlands,
or drives on somewhere on earth the huge edge of tearing battle,
such was Agamemnon, with the beating turmoil in his bosom
from the deep heart, and all his wits were shaken within him.
Now he would gaze across the plain to the Trojan camp, wondering
at the number of their fires that were burning in front of Ilion,
toward the high calls of their flutes and pipes, the murmur of people.
Now as he would look again to the ships and the Achaian
people, he would drag the hair by its roots from his head, looking
toward Zeus on high, and his proud heart was stricken with lamentation.
Now to his mind this thing appeared to be the best counsel,
first among men to seek out Nestor, the son of Neleus,
to see if Nestor with him could work out a plan that would not fail,
and one that might drive the evil away from all the Danaäns.
He stood upright, and slipped the tunic upon his body,
and underneath his shining feet he bound the fair sandals,
and thereafter slung across him the tawny hide of a lion
glowing and huge, that swung to his feet, and took up a spear.


- Homer, The Iliad, Book 10 (Richmond Lattimore translation)