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Achaeans find me a prize in fair exchange to my liking； or I will
e and take your own； or that of Ajax or of Ulysses； and he to
whomsoever I may e shall rue my ing。 But of this we will
take thought hereafter； for the present； let us draw a ship into
the sea； and find a crew for her expressly； let us put a hecatomb
on board； and let us send Chryseis also； further； let some chief
man among us be in mand； either Ajax； or Idomeneus； or
yourself； son of Peleus； mighty warrior that you are； that we may
offer sacrifice and appease the anger of the god。〃
Achilles scowled at him and answered； 〃You are steeped in
insolence and lust of gain。 With what heart can any of the
Achaeans do your bidding； either on foray or in open fighting？ I
came not warring here for any ill the Trojans had done me。 I have
no quarrel with them。 They have not raided my cattle nor my
horses； nor cut down my harvests on the rich plains of Phthia；
for between me and them there is a great space； both mountain and
sounding sea。 We have followed you； Sir Insolence！ for your
pleasure； not oursto gain satisfaction from the Trojans for
your shameless self and for Menelaus。 You forget this； and
threaten to rob me of the prize for which I have toiled； and
which the sons of the Achaeans have given me。 Never when the
Achaeans sack any rich city of the Trojans do I receive so good a
prize as you do； though it is my hands that do the better part of
the fighting。 When the sharing es； your share is far the
largest； and I； forsooth； must go back to my ships； take what I
can get and be thankful； when my labour of fighting is done。 Now；
therefore； I shall go back to Phthia； it will be much better for
me to return home with my ships； for I will not stay here
dishonoured to gather gold and substance for you。〃
And Agamemnon answered； 〃Fly if you will； I shall make you no
prayers to stay you。 I have others here who will do me honour；
and above all Jove； the lord of counsel。 There is no king here so
hateful to me as you are； for you are ever quarrelsome and ill…
affected。 What though you be brave？ Was it not heaven that made
you so？ Go home； then； with your ships and rades to lord it
over the Myrmidons。 I care neither for you nor for your anger；
and thus will I do： since Phoebus Apollo is taking Chryseis from
me； I shall send her with my ship and my followers； but I shall
e to your tent and take your own prize Briseis； that you may
learn how much stronger I am than you are； and that another may
fear to set himself up as equal or parable with me。〃
The son of Peleus was furious； and his heart within his shaggy
breast was divided whether to draw his sword； push the others
aside； and kill the son of Atreus； or to restrain himself and
check his anger。 While he was thus in two minds； and was drawing
his mighty sword from its scabbard； Minerva came down from heaven
（for Juno had sent her in the love she bore to them both）； and
seized the son of Peleus by his yellow hair； visible to him
alone； for of the others no man could see her。 Achilles turned in
amaze； and by the fire that flashed from her eyes at once knew
that she was Minerva。 〃Why are you here；〃 said he； 〃daughter of
aegis…bearing Jove？ To see the pride of Agamemnon； son of Atreus？
Let me tell youand it shall surely behe shall pay for this
insolence with his life。〃
And Minerva said； 〃I e from heaven； if you will hear me； to
bid you stay your anger。 Juno has sent me； who cares for both of
you alike。 Cease； then； this brawling； and do not draw your
sword； rail at him if you will； and your railing will not be
vain； for I tell youand it shall surely bethat you shall
hereafter receive gifts three times as splendid by reason of this
present insult。 Hold； therefore； and obey。〃
〃Goddess；〃 answered Achilles； 〃however angry a man may be； he
must do as you two mand him。 This will be best； for the gods
ever hear the prayers of him who has obeyed them。〃
He stayed his hand on the silver hilt of his sword； and thrust it
back into the scabbard as Minerva bade him。 Then she went back to
Olympus among the other gods； and to the house of aegis…bearing
Jove。
But the son of Peleus again began railing at the son of Atreus；
for he was still in a rage。 〃Wine…bibber；〃 he cried； 〃with the
face of a dog and the heart of a hind； you never dare to go out
with the host in fight； nor yet with our chosen men in ambuscade。
You shun this as you do death itself。 You had rather go round and
rob his prizes from any man who contradicts you。 You devour your
people； for you are king over a feeble folk； otherwise； son of
Atreus； henceforward you would insult no man。 Therefore I say；
and swear it with a great oathnay； by this my sceptre which
shalt sprout neither leaf nor shoot； nor bud anew from the day on
which it left its parent stem upon the mountainsfor the axe
stripped it of leaf and bark； and now the sons of the Achaeans
bear it as judges and guardians of the decrees of heavenso
surely and solemnly do I swear that hereafter they shall look
fondly for Achilles and shall not find him。 In the day of your
distress； when your men fall dying by the murderous hand of
Hector； you shall not know how to help them； and shall rend your
heart with rage for the hour when you offered insult to the
bravest of the Achaeans。〃
With this the son of Peleus dashed his gold…bestudded sceptre on
the ground and took his seat； while the son of Atreus was
beginning fiercely from his place upon the other side。 Then
uprose smooth…tongued Nestor； the facile speaker of the Pylians；
and the words fell from his lips sweeter than honey。 Two
generations of men born and bred in Pylos had passed away under
his rule； and he was now reigning over the third。 With all
sincerity and goodwill； therefore； he addressed them thus：
〃Of a truth；〃 he said； 〃a great sorrow has befallen the Achaean
land。 Surely Priam with his sons would rejoice； and the Trojans
be glad at heart if they could hear this quarrel between you two；
who are so excellent in fight and counsel。 I am older than either
of you； therefore be guided by me。 Moreover I have been the
familiar friend of men even greater than you are； and they did
not disregard my counsels。 Never again can I behold such men as
Pirithous and Dryas shepherd of his people； or as Caeneus；
Exadius； godlike Polyphemus； and Theseus son of Aegeus； peer of
the immortals。 These were the mightiest men ever born upon this
earth： mightiest were they； and when they fought the fiercest
tribes of mountain savages they utterly overthrew them。 I came
from distant Pylos； and went about among them； for they would
have me e； and I fought as it was in me to do。 Not a man now
living could withstand them； but they heard my words； and were
persuaded by them。 So be it also with yourselves； for this is the
more excellent way。 Therefore； Agamemnon； though you be strong；
take not this girl away； for the sons of the Achaeans have
already given her to Achilles； and you； Achilles； strive not
further with the king； for no man who by the grace of Jove wields
a sceptre has like honour with Agamemnon。 You are strong； and
have a goddess for your mother； but Agamemnon is stronger t