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have a goddess for your mother； but Agamemnon is stronger than
you； for he has more people under him。 Son of Atreus； check your
anger； I implore you； end this quarrel with Achilles； who in the
day of battle is a tower of strength to the Achaeans。〃
And Agamemnon answered； 〃Sir； all that you have said is true； but
this fellow must needs bee our lord and master： he must be
lord of all； king of all； and captain of all； and this shall
hardly be。 Granted that the gods have made him a great warrior；
have they also given him the right to speak with railing？〃
Achilles interrupted him。 〃I should be a mean coward；〃 he cried；
〃were I to give in to you in all things。 Order other people
about； not me； for I shall obey no longer。 Furthermore I sayand
lay my saying to your heartI shall fight neither you nor any
man about this girl； for those that take were those also that
gave。 But of all else that is at my ship you shall carry away
nothing by force。 Try； that others may see； if you do； my spear
shall be reddened with your blood。〃
When they had quarrelled thus angrily； they rose； and broke up
the assembly at the ships of the Achaeans。 The son of Peleus went
back to his tents and ships with the son of Menoetius and his
pany； while Agamemnon drew a vessel into the water and chose a
crew of twenty oarsmen。 He escorted Chryseis on board and sent
moreover a hecatomb for the god。 And Ulysses went as captain。
These； then； went on board and sailed their ways over the sea。
But the son of Atreus bade the people purify themselves； so they
purified themselves and cast their filth into the sea。 Then they
offered hecatombs of bulls and goats without blemish on the
sea…shore； and the smoke with the savour of their sacrifice rose
curling up towards heaven。
Thus did they busy themselves throughout the host。 But Agamemnon
did not forget the threat that he had made Achilles； and called
his trusty messengers and squires Talthybius and Eurybates。 〃Go；〃
said he； 〃to the tent of Achilles； son of Peleus； take Briseis by
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