The entire camp of the Greeks fell into deep sleep. Only Agamemnon did not sleep. He sighed heavily on his bed, worried by many sad thoughts. Looking at the fires that burned around the Trojan camp, he was surprised to hear pipes and cheerful voices there. When he looked at the camp of the Greeks, he tore out his hair in grief, his heart sank with pain. Finally, the son of Atreus got up, got dressed, threw on the skin of a lion and, with a spear in his hands, went to look for Nestor. He wanted to consult with the king of Pylos on how to avert death from the Greeks. Agamemnon met Menelaus. And Menelaus did not sleep, he was also worried, thinking about the terrible fate of those who came to Troy for his cause. The brothers decided to convene a council of leaders. Menelaus went to call the heroes, and Agamemnon went to Nestor. Nestor heard the steps of Agamemnon approaching and, not recognizing him in the darkness of the night, called out, warning him not to approach him in silence. He called himself Agamemnon, approached Nestor, told him what worried him so much, and asked him to go to council with him. Nestor immediately stood up and, together with Agamemnon, went to convene the heroes. They called Odysseus, then they called Diomedes, who was sleeping with a shield under his head; his spear was stuck in the ground next to him. Having gathered the heroes, they went to the guards and found them awake. The guards sat with their eyes fixed on the darkness of the night, listening for the Trojans to come. The leaders crossed the ditch and sat down on the field in front of the camp wall. Nestor then proposed sending spies to the Trojan camp to find out what the Trojans had decided - whether to attack the Greeks again or return to the city. Diomedes immediately volunteered to go to this dangerous task and invited one of the heroes to go with him. Many heroes volunteered to go with Diomedes. Agamemnon ordered Diomedes to choose his own comrade. Diomedes chose Odysseus, the favorite of Pallas Athena. He believed that even from the blazing fire the two of them would return unharmed, so cunning and resourceful was Odysseus. Diomedes and Odysseus armed themselves. The assembled leaders gave them weapons, since they themselves came to the council unarmed.
While the Greeks sent spies into the Trojan camp, the Trojans also sent spies to find out whether the Greeks were guarding their camp well. Dolon, son of Eumedes, famous for the speed of his running, volunteered to go. He decided to make his way to the very ships of the Greeks and listen to what the Greek leaders would say at the council. Dolon armed himself, threw on the skin of a wolf and went to the camp of the Greeks. Diomedes and Odysseus soon noticed Dolon. They, crouching to the ground, let him pass by, and then chased after him, like two dogs chasing a hare or a chamois.
- Stop! - Diomedes shouted to Dolon, - otherwise I will overtake you with a spear, and you will not escape death. Diomedes threw his spear at Dolon, but so that it flew over his shoulder. Dolon was frightened and stopped, turning pale with horror. Diomedes and Odysseus grabbed him. Dolon began to beg for mercy. The heroes asked Dolon why he went to the Greek camp, who sent him, and how the Trojans and their allies settled in the camp. Hoping that the heroes would spare him, Dolon told them everything. He showed them where the recently arrived Thracians stood with King Res, the owner of marvelous horses and golden armor. But Diomedes and Odysseus did not spare Dolon. The heroes removed his helmet and wolf skin from Dolon and took his weapon. Odysseus put Dolon's weapon so that they could capture it on the way back, and both heroes went to the Thracian camp.
The heroes quietly crept to where King Res lay among his warriors by his horses. Like a lion attacking a defenseless herd of goats and sheep, Diomedes rushed at the sleeping Thracians. He killed twelve Thracian warriors. He killed Diomedes and King Res. Odysseus untied Rhes's horses and led them out of the camp. Diomedes wanted to bring out a chariot with golden armor, but the goddess Pallas Athena, appearing to Diomedes, said:
“Think about returning to the Greek camp, son of Tydeus.” Time to go back. Otherwise, you will have to flee if one of the celestials hostile to you awakens the sleeping Trojans.
He listened to the advice of the goddess Diomedes and jumped onto one of Res’ horses. Odysseus jumped on another and the heroes quickly rushed to the Greek camp. The god Apollo saw how Pallas Athena helped Diomedes and Odysseus. He rushed to the Trojan camp and woke up the hero Hippocoon, a relative of Res. Hippocoon jumped up from his bed and saw that the place where the horses stood was empty. He began to call Resa by name, but no one answered. The alarm was raised in the Trojan camp. Those who came running looked in horror at what Diomedes and Odysseus had done. They, having captured Dolon's weapons along the way, returned to where the Greek leaders were waiting for them. Odysseus told how they caught Dolon, how Diomedes killed King Res and twelve famous Thracian heroes, and how they got the horses. The heroes of Diomedes and Odysseus were glorified. All the Greeks rejoiced when they learned about their feat. The horses of Res were tied near the tent of King Diomedes, and Odysseus carried the weapons of Dolon to his ship.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru