Reviving a dead iPod Touch 8GB (2nd gen?)
Try leaving it connected to a PC or Mac for several hours. If the Battery is completely empty, it will take some time to turn on. Happens to my 8GB iPod (which is not used much anymore) every time I leave it disconnected for 2 weeks or more.

THe only other option I can think of is trying to use a tool called RecBoot to boot the iPod into recovery mode. I don't know if that works (never needed it) and where to download it, but it's the only other option that would come to my mind.