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No Trojan attack today.

However, something nearly as disastrous happened.

Hermes is gone.

Early this morning, Odysseus himself rushed into my tent and pulled me out of bed. -He was in a frantic state. At first, I ran for my sword and shield, thinking the Trojans were upon us.

However, the General began yelling: "He's gone, Eurylochus! How could he get out?! Hermes is gone! Have you seen him?! His gate was closed!"

When I assured Odysseus that I had no knowledge of the goat's whereabouts, he calmed enough to explain the circumstances of his disappearance.

Apparently, Odysseus had last seen Hermes yesterday evening. In fact, Odysseus had actually taken the goat for a walk along the beach last night, accompanied by one of his lady friends.

When Odysseus returned, he handed Hermes off to Dolon, one of the soldiers whom Odysseus appointed to look after the goat. Dolon reported to have brushed Hermes and promptly returned him to his pen.

Under the specter of a looming attack, finding a lost goat was low on my list of priorities. However, today it was apparently on the top of Odysseus’ list. Therefore, I dressed in an exaggeratedly urgency, and rushed with Odysseus to the scene of the crime.

There we found Dolon and Achaemenides, the other of Hermes’ two sentries. -Achaemenides looked like he was either going to, or just had vomited.

As we hurried back to his encampment, Odysseus explained to me what little there was to know about Hermes’ disappearance.

When we found Dolon and Achaemenides, they repeated the story.

When Dolon and Achaemenides awoke this morning, Hermes was gone. However, the gate to the goat’s corral was latched. Dolon and Achaemenides sleep in a tent next to Hermes’ enclosure. Yet, neither one claimed to have heard anything suspicious.

Even so, Achaemenides repeatedly stated that he thought foul play was involved. -I repeatedly nodded in agreement.

I have no idea why Odysseus thought I could better locate a goat than he. However, I took his genuine trust in my goat-finding abilities as a compliment. In appreciation, I scrutinized Hermes’ corral and the surrounding area more than any rational person would dare.

When I found some straw on the south side of Odysseus’ encampment, and suggested it to be a possible clue, the General looked sincerely hopeful.

I then suggested Dolon and Achaemenides canvass the encampment, beginning with the Argosian camp to the south.

I promised Odysseus I would get two more of our men to join the search.

He suggested we enlist more, but I reminded him an attack was expected. Becoming instantly more General-like, he sternly nodded in agreement.

I then recommended to Odysseus that he get more rest. He said he had little time for rest, and that he was off to visit with Agamemnon. He thanked me for my help, and saluting me, he turned and left.

I didn’t see the General again today.

I spent the rest of the day further preparing our troops and running more drills. -Most of the camps around us are doing the same.

Thoas, Ajax and Achilles rode by our encampment at one point this afternoon. -As they passed, Ajax gave me a wry smile.