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people； for so long as my displeasure lasts the one that they
have now hit upon may not be。 As for Phoenix； let him sleep here
that he may sail with me in the morning if he so will。 But I
will not take him by force。〃
They all held their peace； dismayed at the sternness with which
he had denied them； till presently the old knight Phoenix in his
great fear for the ships of the Achaeans； burst into tears and
said； 〃Noble Achilles； if you are now minded to return； and in
the fierceness of your anger will do nothing to save the ships
from burning； how； my son； can I remain here without you？ Your
father Peleus bade me go with you when he sent you as a mere lad
from Phthia to Agamemnon。 You knew nothing neither of war nor of
the arts whereby men make their mark in council； and he sent me
with you to train you in all excellence of speech and action。
Therefore； my son； I will not stay here without youno； not
though heaven itself vouchsafe to strip my years from off me； and
make me young as I was when I first left Hellas the land of fair
women。 I was then flying the anger of father Amyntor； son of
Ormenus； who was furious with me in the matter of his concubine；
of whom he was enamoured to the wronging of his wife my mother。
My mother； therefore； prayed me without ceasing to lie with the
woman myself； that so she hate my father； and in the course of
time I yielded。 But my father soon came to know； and cursed me
bitterly； calling the dread Erinyes to witness。 He prayed that no
son of mine might ever sit upon kneesand the gods； Jove of the
world below and awful Proserpine； fulfilled his curse。 I took
counsel to kill him； but some god stayed my rashness and bade me
think on men's evil tongues and how I should be branded as the
murderer of my father； nevertheless I could not bear to stay in
my father's house with him so bitter a against me。 My cousins and
clansmen came about me； and pressed me sorely to remain； many a
sheep and many an ox did they slaughter； and many a fat hog did
they set down to roast before the fire； many a jar； too； did they
broach of my father's wine。 Nine whole nights did they set a
guard over me taking it in turns to watch； and they kept a fire
always burning； both in the cloister of the outer court and in
the inner court at the doors of the room wherein I lay； but when
the darkness of the tenth night came； I broke through the closed
doors of my room； and climbed the wall of the outer court after
passing quickly and unperceived through the men on guard and the
women servants。 I then fled through Hellas till I came to fertile
Phthia； mother of sheep； and to King Peleus； who made me wele
and treated me as a father treats an only son who will be heir to
all his wealth。 He made me rich and set me over much people；
establishing me on the borders of Phthia where I was chief ruler
over the Dolopians。
〃It was I； Achilles； who had the making of you； I loved you with
all my heart： for you would eat neither at home nor when you had
gone out elsewhere； till I had first set you upon my knees； cut
up the dainty morsel that you were to eat； and held the wine…cup
to your lips。 Many a time have you slobbered your wine in baby
helplessness over my shirt； I had infinite trouble with you； but
I knew that heaven had vouchsafed me no offspring of my own； and
I made a son of you； Achilles； that in my hour of need you might
protect me。 Now； therefore； I say battle with your pride and beat
it； cherish not your anger for ever； the might and majesty of
heaven are more than ours； but even heaven may be appeased； and
if a man has sinned he prays the gods； and reconciles them to
himself by his piteous cries and by frankincense； with
drink…offerings and the savour of burnt sacrifice。 For prayers
are as daughters to great Jove； halt； wrinkled； with eyes
askance； they follow in the footsteps of sin； who； being fierce
and fleet of foot； leaves them far behind him； and ever baneful
to mankind outstrips them even to the ends of the world； but
nevertheless the prayers e hobbling and healing after。 If a
man has pity upon these daughters of Jove when they draw near
him； they will bless him and hear him too when he is praying； but
if he deny them and will not listen to them； they go to Jove the
son of Saturn and pray that he may presently fall into sinto
his ruing bitterly hereafter。 Therefore； Achilles； give these
daughters of Jove due reverence； and bow before them as all good
men will bow。 Were not the son of Atreus offering you gifts and
promising others laterif he were still furious and implacable
I am not he that would bid you throw off your anger and help the
Achaeans； no matter how great their need； but he is giving much
now； and more hereafter； he has sent his captains to urge his
suit； and has chosen those who of all the Argives are most
acceptable to you； make not then their words and their ing to
be of none effect。 Your anger has been righteous so far。 We have
heard in song how heroes of old time quarrelled when they were
roused to fury； but still they could be won by gifts； and fair
words could soothe them。
〃I have an old story in my minda very old onebut you are all
friends and I will tell it。 The Curetes and the Aetolians were
fighting and killing one another round Calydonthe Aetolians
defending the city and the Curetes trying to destroy it。 For
Diana of the golden throne was angry and did them hurt because
Oeneus had not offered her his harvest first…fruits。 The other
gods had all been feasted with hecatombs； but to the daughter of
great Jove alone he had made no sacrifice。 He had forgotten her；
or somehow or other it had escaped him； and this was a grievous
sin。 Thereon the archer goddess in her displeasure sent a
prodigious creature against hima savage wild boar with great
white tusks that did much harm to his orchard lands； uprooting
apple…trees in full bloom and throwing them to the ground。 But
Meleager son of Oeneus got huntsmen and hounds from many cities
and killed itfor it was so monstrous that not a few were
needed； and many a man did it stretch upon his funeral pyre。 On
this the goddess set the Curetes and the Aetolians fighting
furiously about the head and skin of the boar。
〃So long as Meleager was in the field things went badly with the
Curetes； and for all their numbers they could not hold their
ground under the city walls； but in the course of time Meleager
was angered as even a wise man will sometimes be。 He was incensed
with his mother Althaea； and therefore stayed at home with his
wedded wife fair Cleopatra； who was daughter of Marpessa daughter
of Euenus； and of Ides the man then living。 He it was who took
his bow and faced King Apollo himself for fair Marpessa's sake；
her father and mother then named her Alcyone； because her mother
had mourned with the plaintive strains of the halcyon…bird when
Phoebus Apollo had carried her off。 Meleager； then； stayed at
home with Cleopatra； nursing the anger which he felt by reason of
his mother's curses。 His mother； grieving for the death of her
brother； prayed the gods； and beat the earth with her hands；
calling upon Hades and on awful Proserpine； she went down upon
he