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the hand and bring her hither； if he will not give her I shall
e with others and take herwhich will press him harder。〃
He charged them straightly further and dismissed them； whereon
they went their way sorrowfully by the seaside； till they came to
the tents and ships of the Myrmidons。 They found Achilles sitting
by his tent and his ships； and ill…pleased he was when he beheld
them。 They stood fearfully and reverently before him； and never a
word did they speak； but he knew them and said； 〃Wele；
heralds； messengers of gods and men； draw near； my quarrel is not
with you but with Agamemnon who has sent you for the girl
Briseis。 Therefore； Patroclus； bring her and give her to them；
but let them be witnesses by the blessed gods； by mortal men； and
by the fierceness of Agamemnon's anger； that if ever again there
be need of me to save the people from ruin； they shall seek and
they shall not find。 Agamemnon is mad with rage and knows not how
to look before and after that the Achaeans may fight by their
ships in safety。〃
Patroclus did as his dear rade had bidden him。 He brought
Briseis from the tent and gave her over to the heralds； who took
her with them to the ships of the Achaeansand the woman was
loth to go。 Then Achilles went all alone by the side of the hoar
sea； weeping and looking out upon the boundless waste of waters。
He raised his hands in prayer to his immortal mother； 〃Mother；〃
he cried； 〃you bore me doomed to live but for a little season；
surely Jove； who thunders from Olympus； might have made that
little glorious。 It is not so。 Agamemnon； son of Atreus； has done
me dishonour； and has robbed me of my prize by force。〃
As he spoke he wept aloud； and his mother heard him where she was
sitting in the depths of the sea hard by the old man her father。
Forthwith she rose as it were a grey mist out of the waves； sat
down before him as he stood weeping； caressed him with her hand；
and said； 〃My son； why are you weeping？ What is it that grieves
you？ Keep it not from me； but tell me； that we may know it
together。〃
Achilles drew a deep sigh and said； 〃You know it； why tell you
what you know well already？ We went to Thebe the strong city of
Eetion； sacked it； and brought hither the spoil。 The sons of the
Achaeans shared it duly among themselves； and chose lovely
Chryseis as the meed of Agamemnon； but Chryses； priest of Apollo；
came to the ships of the Achaeans to free his daughter； and
brought with him a great ransom： moreover he bore in his hand the
sceptre of Apollo； wreathed with a suppliant's wreath； and he
besought the Achaeans； but most of all the two sons of Atreus who
were their chiefs。
〃On this the rest of the Achaeans with one voice were for
respecting the priest and taking the ransom that he offered； but
not so Agamemnon； who spoke fiercely to him and sent him roughly
away。 So he went back in anger； and Apollo； who loved him dearly；
heard his prayer。 Then the god sent a deadly dart upon the
Argives； and the people died thick on one another； for the arrows
went everywhither among the wide host of the Achaeans。 At last a
seer in the fulness of his knowledge declared to us the oracles
of Apollo； and I was myself first to say that we should appease
him。 Whereon the son of Atreus rose in anger； and threatened that
which he has since done。 The Achaeans are now taking the girl in
a ship to Chryse； and sending gifts of sacrifice to the god； but
the heralds have just taken from my tent the daughter of Briseus；
whom the Achaeans had awarded to myself。
〃Help your brave son； therefore； if you are able。 Go to Olympus；
and if you have ever done him service in word or deed； implore
the aid of Jove。 Ofttimes in my father's house have I heard you
glory in that you alone of the immortals saved the son of Saturn
from ruin； when the others； with Juno； Neptune； and Pallas
Minerva would have put him in bonds。 It was you； goddess； who
delivered him by calling to Olympus the hundred…handed monster
whom gods call Briareus； but men Aegaeon； for he is stronger even
than his father； when therefore he took his seat all…glorious
beside the son of Saturn； the other gods were afraid； and did not
bind him。 Go； then； to him； remind him of all this； clasp his
knees； and bid him give succour to the Trojans。 Let the Achaeans
be hemmed in at the sterns of their ships； and perish on the
sea…shore； that they may reap what joy they may of their king；
and that Agamemnon may rue his blindness in offering insult to
the foremost of the Achaeans。〃
Thetis wept and answered； 〃My son； woe is me that I should have
borne or suckled you。 Would indeed that you had lived your span
free from all sorrow at your ships； for it is all too brief；
alas； that you should be at once short of life and long of sorrow
above your peers： woe； therefore； was the hour in which I bore
you； nevertheless I will go to the snowy heights of Olympus； and
tell this tale to Jove； if he will hear our prayer： meanwhile
stay where you are with your ships； nurse your anger against the
Achaeans； and hold aloof from fight。 For Jove went yesterday to
Oceanus； to a feast among the Ethiopians； and the other gods went
with him。 He will return to Olympus twelve days hence； I will
then go to his mansion paved with bronze and will beseech him；
nor do I doubt that I shall be able to persuade him。〃
On this she left him； still furious at the loss of her that had
been taken from him。 Meanwhile Ulysses reached Chryse with the
hecatomb。 When they had e inside the harbour they furled the
sails and laid them in the ship's hold； they slackened the
forestays； lowered the mast into its place； and rowed the ship to
the place where they would have her lie； there they cast out
their mooring…stones and made fast the hawsers。 They then got out
upon the sea…shore and landed the hecatomb for Apollo； Chryseis
also left the ship； and Ulysses led her to the altar to deliver
her into the hands of her father。 〃Chryses；〃 said he； 〃King
Agamemnon has sent me to bring you back your child； and to offer
sacrifice to Apollo on behalf of the Danaans； that we may
propitiate the god； who has now brought sorrow upon the Argives。〃
So saying he gave the girl over to her father； who received her
gladly； and they ranged the holy hecatomb all orderly round the
altar of the god。 They washed their hands and took up the
barley…meal to sprinkle over the victims； while Chryses lifted up
his hands and prayed aloud on their behalf。 〃Hear me；〃 he cried；
〃O god of the silver bow； that protectest Chryse and holy Cilla；
and rulest Tenedos with thy might。 Even as thou didst hear me
aforetime when I prayed； and didst press hardly upon the
Achaeans； so hear me yet again； and stay this fearful pestilence
from the Danaans。〃
Thus did he pray； and Apollo heard his prayer。 When they had done
praying and sprinkling the barley…meal； they drew back the heads
of the victims and killed and flayed them。 They cut out the
thigh…bones； wrapped them round in two layers of fat； set some
pieces of raw meat on the top of them； and then Chryses laid them
on the wood fire and poured wine over them； while the young men
stood near him with five…pronged spits in their hands。 When the
thigh…bones were burned and they had tasted the inward meats；
they cut the rest up small； put the pieces upon the spits；
roasted them till they were done； and drew them off： then； when
they had finished their work and the feast was ready； they ate
it； and every man had his full share； so that all were satisfied。
As soon as they had had enough to eat and drink； pages filled the
mixing…bowl with wine and water and handed it round； after giving
every man his drink…offering。
Thus all day long the young men worshipped the god with song；
hymning him and chaunting the joyous paean； and the god took
pleasure in their voices； but when the sun went down； and it came
on dark； they laid themselves down to sleep by the stern cables
of the ship； and when the child of morning； rosy…fingered Dawn；
appeared they again set sail for the host of the Achaeans。 Apollo
sent them a fair wind； so they raised their mast and hoisted
their white sails aloft。 As the sail bellied with the wind t