B O O K I S 1 N G t ho u the W r a t h , 0 M u t e I t M b alef u l w r a th O f P d c u l ' l O ft , A c h il le s: w rath w h ich he ap ed U nn tre d w o es u p on A c h a ' s ba n d . A n d h u rl f tl t o H a des c oun tles s m ig h ty $ au ls O f eroa , an d t b dr b ocli tS g &\' e f o r 5 p0il T o d o e s an d b i r d s o f p rey, t h a t th e d ~ i g n O f Z e us m i&h t be fulf i lled t h u i . · n ~ t hin~ : S a l l F ou n d o riai n t h a t d ay w h en p oa nr J t i n t I n j r al o u s b i clt' r in a A p m em n o n , lur c .l O f w a r r i o n , a n d A ch illes t h e div i ne . W h o w as i t t h f tt a m M ~ t h e 2 tJdS w h o b r o u 2h t T b a e t w o t o diKO rd a n d t o f e u d ? T h e son O f Z eu s a n d L d o . H e , co n e eiv i n 2 i re A p i na t t h t m o n arch , ca u se d a f e arfu l p l a g ue T o ra a e t h r o u ~ t h o u t th e ar m )'• ~tnd th e m rn W e r e f al lin& fast . F o r A t r e u s ' son h ad c i v 'n A f l r o a t t o ( .."0r }'$eS ,- t o tlaa t p n t ' S t w h o t :lm c T o t h r s w i f t b arks o f G u ~ t o fr ee h i s c h ild, B r i n g in g a b o u n d l m rM so m . I n h is h nn B o r e h e th e fil l e ts of t h e a r e h e r - ~ t o d A p oll o , o n a a taff of go ld e n t w in e d ; I m p l orin g a ll t b e G r e c h , ~ p e c i a l l y T h e t w a i n At ri d r , m a rsha ls o f t h
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O f Pdcul' lO ft , Achilles: w rath which heaped Unn .mbtred woes upon Acha's band.
And hurlftl to Hades countless mighty $auls O f beroa, and tbdr boclitS g&\'e for 5p0il To does and birds of prey, that the d ~ i g nO f Zeus mi&ht be fulfilled thui. · n ~ t h i n ~ : S all
Found oriain that day when poanrJ tin tIn jralous biclt'rina A pm em non, lurc.l
Of w arrion , and Achilles the divine.
Who was it thftt a m M ~ the 2tJdS who brou2ht
Tbae tw o to diKOrd and to feud? The son
Of Zeus and L do . He, coneeivin2 ireApinat tht monarch, caused a fearful plague
To raae t h r o u ~ t h o u t the arm)'• ~ t n d the mrn
Were fallin& fast. For Atreus' son had civ'n
A flroat to ( . ."0r} '$eS ,- to tlaat pnt'S t who t:lmc To thr swift barks of G u ~ to free his child,
Bringing a boundlm rMsom. In his hnndBore he the fillets of the a r e h e r - ~ t o d Apollo, on a ataff of gold entwined ;
Imploring all tbe Grech, ~ p e c i a l l y The twain Atridr, marshals of thr throng:
C o ~ from Acha. I en trea t tbt hostThroned on Olym pus, that your lot may be To spoil erat Priam's city, and ~ t u mTo ,·our own homa, ~ u prospered. Yet ratore
l \ 1 ~ now t h ~ daughter whom I love, and take
The protlertd ransom ; revermc:inc thus
Apollo the far-darting. Zeus's son."
Tbm, with approval, all the other Grerb
u ,.d that tlw p r i e s t ~ bonoml.- his rich store
Rea:iwd ; bu t Apmemnon, A treus' son,
The thinK pltaatd not. He sent the suppliant thence
With words of insult, and upon him laid
Thus his acem m andate: .. Let me nn-crm ore
Find thee, old man, be$ide our wide-hulled barb;
ow ling'ring here, no r darinc to return I
Else staff and fillet of the archer-kine
May naught avail thee. For that maid of t h i n ~ , I " "ill not free her. Sooner shall old ~ Come o 'er htt there in AfKQS, in my halls,
Far from her country, as she plies the loom And decks my ~ u c h "ith busy trud.
Begone, then, and provoke me not to wrath,
I f thou wouldst find thy way unsc:atht'd from here."
H e spa.kt: the old man trembled and obeyed ,
And sonowful ro '•ed on along the str.andOf countless-tchoed ocean. As he paned,
Thus he invoked with many an eam rst prayer
Lordly Apollo, fair-haired Leto's child:
" Hear, Archer sih·er·howrd! defender thou
' . _ _ ~ O f Chn1oa and of Cilia's hsllowed w a l ~
If ewer llwve ..-.a allariae to lhee T'MI: pie Mill . ._ wcU, 0 Smiatbeual if 1 'er CMw••• tbiDe a ltan tbe fat thicha Of ••n • ~ t e , aow waachMfe co me
Thil lloaaI aae:
lblt, l l l l i t ttn by thy d am ,Tile Arahe laGit IIAiJ' apia te thae can.••
'n. lie: llld Apollo hard h il prafft'.
Daaa fnal * hefah&s OIJUIPiul, full of race.T ill AR fllr 1.- 111 d; lad his lhouldm bore
":ne ._ .a co•acd qu iyer : utd the shafts
U poa tiMI of cbe &nii'Y kina
3
• lie mowecl. Like niaht he c a m ~ : afar p ,_ . the Orak 1laib be Dte him down, and sped All anow: from tbc lilver llow wu hard, D1 z• to ebe m r, a twang. He first •ailed Tile .... N I n i m b i ~ clop ; but 10011 be w i n ~W• h¥1
•ft'pinst the men; thick-crowded
"'l1le ,_ ., . PJI"8 enlcinclled for the slain.
fa•" a,. tlw mi-la of the KOCf
J&cl ... &nel the army: the tenth day ~ I • ••••III'IIICd to a council-throng JJil wanicwa; Hera, the w h i ~ a r m e d , inspired
The ehirf to do to, IOftu"•ing for the host ,TJ.a CO laeWcl them perish. Whtn the Greeks
Of duat umc day, his thirst for ''m gtancc: bicksStill in l1is brelUt till slaked. Consider thm
U thou wilt undt"rcalce to cllampW>n me.''
A chilla. swift of foot, thus nnsw'ring Jpake:
•• Tell fearlc:ssl}· the hta\·'nl)· word that dwdls
'Vi hin thy thoughts ; for here: I s w e ~ ~ r to thee, Calch:u, by Pho:obu$,- him to wlwm thy pr . l ) ' tn
Arc: uttered, wMn to our A chr:ans here
Thou dost disdose th ine a u . ~ : u r i l ' J - that while
1 ~ i \ · ~ and while I still bthold the: light
Upon the: earth, no mJin of all thr Grt"cks
Shall by upon thtt b)' our hollow barhA band to harm thee, though the nRmc: thou name ~ that of Apmemnon, hi ru who claim$ Such proud prccm inm cc 'moog all our host."
Then $flGike the noble auJtUr, talc n ~ he:lrt:
"No vow is it, nor heatom b, for which
He blames ) 'Ou: 'tis clut :\rma' scinn ~ v eAHront to P b rrbus ' p r i ~ t , and would not Irc:c
His child, r d u s i n ~ aU his lriftr.. Fnr this
The god wbo sp«ds his shafts dar hath b r o u ~ h t Thac won upon you,- y ~ and still will bring,
Alld never from your ~ t will th rust a.side
T he loathsome pestnencr, until )'C y i ~ l d T he queck-eyed maid : l ~ : U n ro her fond , . i ~Unbought, unransomed, and to C h r y ~ bring
V . ' i d ~ · r u l i n g Agamem non, h e m - ~ n Of Atreus, full of grid; his darkened soul Brimmed o 'er with anger, and ~ t l n w c - c l forth his eyn
Like: burning flame. With t h f t ' : t t ' n i n ~ : s n i ~ n he
tlJm.ed14itsr upo1l Caleha.'l, and in t h ~ e w ortls "pake:
" Ill bodtng prophet! no ~ : o o d word hast thou
Yet ever u tte red to m e. Aye thy heart
D dights in auguring disaster, while:Good fortune thou hau never prophrsieti
!'lor brought to pass. 'l'hy divination now Proclnims before the G m :ks . forsooth, th a t t h i ~H ath led the . t \ l ' ( h c r - ~ d to Stntl these iJt,..Upon th' A c h ~ n n s - this, that I r c f u ~ d To liberate for tathOtn Chry!!b.' chilct,E 'en for rich g i l ~ Far rather would I keep The m:tid with me; for I prder her e'en
To Cl)'ttmnestra,- her. my'' cddcd wife:
Sin('( M\\ ~ e this d a m ~ d w nn.e th:tn ~ h e ,In form, in face. in mind, in skillful lore.
Y rt if be$t, I n o n ~ t h ~ I ~ c o n ~ c - n tTo render up the 111aid : for 'tis my will
The JlC'Ople ~ h o u l d be savC'd, and no t be lost.
Ytt do ye !ltraightw:ly -s ince 'tis e'en d i ~ V : I . C l e Th:u I alone among our Argive: bandShould unrew :trded go prepllre for me
Some fitting gift; for ye do all beholtl How mine ; a l l n t r ~ d pri7..c C'$C1\flC'1> my hands."
Most glorious and mo&t gr«d)', how, I pra}'•Shall the pe&t-j()Uled A ch:nns ~ r : & n t tl) theeThe gih thou aakest? Nowhere we beholdSuCh thinp as these laid by llS common !.tore;
Nay, all the spoil of p i l t a ~ d towns has now
Been pualcd out a m o n ~ t us. It would i ll
Become our host to gather up onot more
Thit once·di'"idN t r e a s u r e ~ Prithee yield
Thy damstl for the non.:e to Ph<rbu'J; then
Threefold, yea, fourfold shall the Argive host
Requite thy loa , if 7 ~ s sh:all l!;fllnt to us
'\V cJI·guardcd I liw n 's cit}· for our spoil.''
The monarch AICMlemnon t h u ~ ~ p l i e d :.. Godlike Acllillcs, though indeed thou beA mi&hty hero, think not tl1us to hide
The thoughts within thy heart: for thou ~ l 1 1 1 l not
Elude me, nor pcnuade me. Then wouldst thou
Enjoy, forsooth, thine own JH ir.e uruliuurbecl,
Whibt, $hom of honors, I ~ i t idlr hen:? 1D ou bid'st me fm the maiden:- if the G ~ Mighty of 1001, shall du lr honor me
\ \1 ith some meet r i f t ll(lapted to m y mood,
That 1 ma)' have th ' cqui\·a lcn t- be it so;
But if they grant it not, mnelf w ill I
Seize upon Ajax' guerdon or on thine,Or t'Ue 0 d ) ' $ $ t ' u ~ ' - hr to whom I comeM:ay wdl bt' wroth, 1 trO \\, But thi" mlly l,e
I A t ~ r c o n J i d ~ r e d . Quickly lc:t us draw
And place within a hecAtomb, bt-sideThe r o s y - c h e e k ~ Chf)·scis. Ltt there come
Some man, some counsd-bearer, who shall be ~ d e r on board; ldomeneus, pm;hMc:c,
Or Ajax, or d y ~ e u s , godlike chief,
Or thou, 0 son of Pdrus,- of all men M ost dread,- by ! ' t 3 . i f i c i r i t ts to win
The r e a t F ar-\\ 'o rker 's favor for our host."
Thtn sw ift Achilles, \\ ith a d : ~ r l d i n g m i t t ~ ,T hus answered him: "Ah, man o f greed and guile,
And clotlted in s h a m e ! ~ ness I ~ any one
Among th' Achlt'l'ns yidd obedience, save
\V ith ~ t r u d ~ t i n £ spirit, \11\to th)· b c h e s ~When that thou bid'st them journey, or contend
S tou tly · ~ ~ n s t foe.1-? No e ; t u ~ e of w ~ r I h ~ t d\\'ith the sptar-balring Trojans brouw u me here.
The qu:trrcl with them j , not mine. They ne'e r
Jla\•e d riv 'n my herds of ca ttle from tn)' lands,
Nor ) ' r t my steccls, nor in rich Phthia, whereHeroes arc nurrured, have they t \ 'e r laid
~ I > grain·fidds waste. Full many a l e a ~ N e , I trow,
Of shn.dow}' steep and ~ u n d i n g ocean lies
D a \ · i d i n ~ u ~ 0 , lait to shame! ' twM thou
\\'e foiiO\\-ed, t h : ~ t thou 1night'st be ~ t i l l e d ;F o r M cn d au s ' s a l t ~ . thou dog, Rnd thine \V e u g b t to w rrng requital from Troy'' r ; ~ c eFor wront.t$ that they had done you. Naught of thi.sDost thou give heed to nor consider now.
l11en to thr lod5!e wil l I m y ~ l f procttd,And talc from thtt B r i s e i ~ rosy-cheeked, That prize of thine; that thou m a ) · ~ t krlow full well H ow far :un 1 the m i ~ h t i e s t of us twainl-
That other m en may dread to St}le thetnscl\'es, Helore my faee, my peen and equals here."
T hus spa.ke the monar.:h. A n ~ t u i s h filled the r.oulOf Peleus' son; ,.,.ithin his shaei:Y breast
His heart betwixt tw o COunt$ \\'Ol\·ered; one
To d raw from by his thigh his whene4 brand And, s t ~ r t l i n ~ all the othel'$, to l ~ y low
Atrides and to spoil him of bis arms;-
One, to rotrain his fury t.nd to quell H is raging spirit. \ Vhilst he pondered thus,
Petplexed in mind Md heart, 11nd from i ~ sheath
\Vas drawing the huge brand, Athena came,Oe.oending from the 3 l t i ~ ; t-he h11d been l<"ntBv white-armed Hera the divine, who lo\·ed
And cheri$hed both theh e r ~
equally.Behind the chief she stcpt, and l.a.id her hand
Upon his yellow hlt.ir;- to him alone
Appearing, and by aU the rest unseen.
1\chili('S, marv'ling, turned, and instant k n ~ wPn.llas A th tna ; f i e r ~ l y r.leamed her eyts,
Amon& the other chieftains of our host ;Sure death it aetms to thee. Far better, sooth.
Throughout the wide Ach.ran camp to ranKe
And spoil o f trophies all who dare to raise Protatin& voice apinst thee. Kin& that feeds
Upon his people:! Surely thou dolt reignO'er phan tom warrion; ebe, At rides, this
Of all thy foul affronts should be the last.
Y t t plainly will I tell thee, and beside
Swear a p-eat oath upon thia rod I widd:
So surely aJ it ne'er &Ktin shall budWith leaws o r shoots. aince first it ldt behind Ita Stock upon the steep, nor ever teem Apin with bl06S0Dls; for the brum axe Hath stripped from every side the leaves and harl
And now th ' Ac:h2ans btu i t in their hands,Warden of justice, they that well defend Laws in Zeus' name: yea, this of mine shall be
A migf,ty oath: One day o'er all this host
Shall come a yramin1 after Peleus' son:
Tilen- howe'er bitter be thy aorrow- thou
Shalt lack the pow'r to save tMm whm they fall
In throngs bmeath the deadly II «tor's hand:
And thou thalt rm d thy spirit with r e m o ~ That thou didst slight the bravest o f the Grttb."
T h u• spake the son of P d n ~ s ; on the around
He threw the attptn, studded o'tr with nails- L - - - O f srold. and took his o liO '. Meantime h ~ ~ " V l ~ = =
Git-c no such mandates, since I am r r 9 0 1 v ~ d
15
~ DlOJ'e to heed them. Y C't another thing
ntcrll th te - &tore i t w ~ u within th y hr:ltt:
Noc for t b ~ damsel shall these bands conte-ndWith thre nor o t h ~ , . , Sffing that )'e "ho gave An taken. But of all mine other goods &aide mr dusky plley, dare not move
One "'hit without my license. C o m ~ . forsooth.
ADd try, that these ma)' ~ the outoume; soonAround my ~ a r · h e a d sh:all the dark blood flow."
Thus having wasted tlu:ir wordy w:n, t h ~ tw o
Arost, d i s p c r s i n ~ thus t h ~ council-throng
Br the Gretk $QUadron. Now did Pdrus' ~ o n ,JJj, mm-:u-am11, ancl M e n r e t i : u l ~ ,Pass to the lodga and the shape!)• barks; Atride» ordered a JWift ship to be
Drawn to the deep, and oarsmen c h ~ . a score.
To within; and to :.ppe:ase the .:otl
Placed in the ship a hcC3tomb. and las-t
He l ~ d on board Chry$C'iS, fair of dlee!c,
W h i l ~ as CClCllmander went Odysseus, heOf many c o u ~ l s . T hus ditl they tmbtlrk,
And sailed the water)' w:ay9; and At e u ~ · son M tantime bade all the host be purified.And so they did, ancl ~ ~ t the o f f ' r i n ~ down
Out from the gray sea like a mist ; ~ f o r e Him 1at she. as he wept, and with her hiU'Id
Caressed him fondly, calling him by name:
" \Vhy w e e ~ s t thou, 0 son? and why hath grid
Come o 'er thee thus? Tell frank ly; let th)• heart
Hide nothing from me, that we both may kno":,"
And then , d e c p - s i ~ h i n g , sw ift A chille$ sp:alce:"E'en now thou know'st it; why need I tell all
To thee who know Q t? L ate to Thebes w e fared,
Eetion's sacred city: this we sacked,
And all its treasures brought away. Our Green Prtsently portioned 'm ong themselves the >J>Oil,
Fairl)•; for Atreus' son they chose, and gll\'CO,
Rose-cheeked Chryseit.. Then to the ~ w i f t barks
Of the brom:e-m ailro Acha:ans ChT)"SC'S 1.-ume,
P r i ~ t of Apollo, him " h ~ e shafts fly far;
A boundlm ransom brougllt he. In his hand Bore he the fillets of the archer-aoJ
Apollo, on a golden staff entwined,
E ntrtA ting all the G r«lcs, apecia lly
The tw o A trid:r, marshals of the throng ;
And nil the other Greeb. ~ a p p r o v i n l ( l ) · ,Gn\'e \'oic:e that rev'rence shou ld be shown the priestAnd rich gifts acc-cpte<l. Y ct the sonOf A r ~ u s . Ai8fllC1Unon, sore d i s p l ~ d .Sent him away w ith haDb i n ~ u l t i n ~ : : ~ p e t t h ,L:l)·ing on him fttern mandates. Then returned
For food and drink w as s a t ~ d . t h ~ young men,
BrimminK the wa.W l-bowls, outpourtd the wine
ln chalica w ith rituals meet, and made
1'bm their libations, to each 1\)cst his share
Duly apportioning. Then all the da)'
Laboffd th' Achaean )'Ouths with sonit to gain
T'he fa\·or o f the god ; and chantd loud
'I'beir pa-an J\lo 'rtt; of Him who w orks t ~ f a rWas a ll their song. The ~ t o d rejoiced at hHrt
To hear their straim . \Vhm sank rhe sun and cune
O'tr th em the dark , tbty laid thetn dO\\ n to rest
By the ships' cables. Now whm brake the dawn,That to$y-lin.:ered ~ t o d c l e s , child of day,
They put to sea for the broad Grecian Qmp;
And the F a ~ w o r l t e r catmd a f ~ w o r i n g .:ale
To blow up o n them. In its place the)' ~ c tmat, the white p i!\ l"prud. The fair breeze
filltd The swdling sat1, and rnund the sttm roan!d loud
The purp le wave, u onward s ~ the barlc;
So through the wavn she ftew, and r . r ~ > \0011
H t'r course. \Vhen now the wide Greek cam p w as
pintd,
Tht)· btach<'d the d u t ~ k y ve$$el on the ~ t r n n c lH igh on the s a n d ~ . and 'neath her set long t a y s As props, and soon dispc-rsed 'monl! tenN Md fleet.
But swift Achilles, P e l c u ~ · l iO n divint',
Srill sate in anger by his rapid barks,
Nor e 'e r the council, m a n - e : n n o b l i n ~ t m o ~
Uprose, and went to meet him. On his throne He took his ~ t ; and Hera marked full well
That silver-footed Thetis, she, the chiJd Of that old ~ a n king. had w ith her lord
Framed counsels and c:oncerted. Tauntingly
The quem addressed Chronidts, and thus spake:
" Thou wiJy one I who now among the godsHath formed desilt"S with thee? T h o u lovest ayt,
Apart from me, to harbor hidden thoughts
And pronounce judgments. Ne'er ret bast thou
d tign td
To tdl me thine intentions readily."
Thm answered her the sire of ~ and m en:" Hope not, 0 Hera, that thou canst know all
My thoualus: 'tw ill prove tO<> hard for thee, though
thou
My OOOI()r t art. That which is fit for thee To hear, no dtity shall sooner know,
Nor an)· 'mon5t m ankind : but what, apan From th' o th e r gods, I choose to ponder.- askThou not of this, nor q u ~ t i o n what it be:•
Thm thus made 21\SWer Hcrt, large-eyed queen:
"What words arc t h ~ . Cbronidcs. dreaded lord?
N C\cr h ~ v e r aforetim e asked thy thougf\ts
Nor sought to know them : unruolcstrd quiteJ)ai.t thou ddiberate at th y free will.B ut now rn)' mind is full of fear that she, T hat Th('tis of the silv'ry ~ t , the child
To btt a .u ran ce that thou wouldJt not failTo rindicate Achilles and destroy
FuJJ many .an Argive warrior hy the hark1."
Thm the C l o u d - g a t h ' ~ r Zeus r e j o i n i n ~ spake:
• PmerK one I ever 'tis ' I think • with th re ;
Ji1u&ht that J do escapes t h ~ None the lrss,Thor.. canst accomplish nothing. but shalt br: Tht further from my heart, otnd w one r.halt fare. Ir thus it ~ 'tis that I will it so. Sit down in •ilence, b e e d i n ~ my b e h ~ t , Lea haply I come nip, and all gods here:
Upon Olympus fail to wield thee, wlarn I by upon thee mine unconquered hands.''
HC' spakc:, and H era of the t<'ndcr
D.nced, sate silent down, aod bowed her will,
While sorrow smote the he&\•'nly·mansionrd b;md Throughout the h o u t ~ e of Zeu!. H e p h I ! S t then,
The skilled artificer, stood fonh to speak, Met loving service did hi$ mother de:tr,1\e white-anned H ers: " Bitter times, alas,SbalJ come, and unendurable, if thus
Ye two o'e r mortals biclr.er, raising din
.Among the &00s; no pleasure shall be found
In 5U.Diptuout feast$ , since mischief reigneth. l CourmJ my mother,- thoogb she u n d e ~ t 1 m d s 1llc t h o u ~ h t I have :,- to bend bdore the will
Of my dnu father Zeus, that he no moreUpbraid her, and disturb our banquet'll here.