As he spoke a hawk flew down from the right, and fell on a heron, and
slew it in mid-air. The host shouted, for the hawk is the Holy Bird of
Ra, and the Wanderer, too, rejoiced in the omen. "Look, men," he cried;
"the Bird of Ra has slain the wandering thief from the waters. And so
shall ye smite the spoilers from the sea."
Then he held counsel with Captains, and certain trusty men were sent
out to the camp of the barbarians. And they were charged to give an ill
report of the host of Pharaoh, and to say that such of it as remained
awaited the barbarian onset behind the shelter of the hill on the
further side of the pass.
Then the Wanderer summoned the Captains of the archers, and bade them
hide all their force among the rocks and thorns on either side of the
mountain pass, and there to wait till he drew the hosts of the foe into
the pass. And with the archers he sent a part of the spearmen, but the
chariots he hid beneath the shelter of the hill on the hither side of
the pass.
Now, when the ambush was set, and all were gone save the horsemen only,
his spies came in and told him that the host of the barbarians marched
from their camp, but that the Achaeans marched not, but stopped by the
river to guard the camp and ships. Then the Wanderer bade the horsemen
ride through the pass and stand in the plain beyond, and there await the
foe.
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