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 The Iliad of Homer, 
 
 3 1924 031 303 757 
 
Cornell University 
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THE 
 
 ILIAD OF HOMER, 
 
 BOOKS I, VI, IX, 
 
 Rendered into English Blank Verse 
 
 BY 
 
 VV. CUDWORTH, M. Inst. C.E, 
 
 T, C. H. Bowser, Printer, Prebend Row, 
 1895. 
 
 A^oi Published. 
 
Some of the early parts of Book VI 
 
 ARE OMITTED, 
 
" He (Homer) is the greatest epic poet of the 
 world, and the only representative of the earliest 
 artistic form which the Greek mind gave to its work. 
 He is also the first author who presents any clear 
 or vivid picture of Aryan civilization. An entire 
 period of early Hellenic life which, but for him, 
 would be almost a blank, is seen to be connected 
 by an unbroken course of development with the later 
 Hellenic age." — Homer, by Professor R. C. Jebb. 
 
 "It cannot be too strongly afiSrmed, that the 
 song of Homer is historic song. Indeed he has 
 probably told us more about the world and its 
 inhabitants at his own epoch, than any historian 
 that ever lived. But the primary and principal 
 meaning of the assertion is, that he is historical 
 as to manners, customs, ideas, and institutions : 
 whereas events and names are the pegs on which 
 they hang. It is with respect, not to the dry bones 
 of fact, but to all that gives them life, beauty, and 
 meaning, that he has supplied us with a more 
 
complete picture of the Greek, or, as he would, 
 probably say, Achaian, people of his time, than any 
 other author, it might almost be said than any 
 number of authors, have supplied with reference to 
 any other age and people." — Juventus Mundi. 
 
 By the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone. 
 
 " Of all the features of the Homeric Poems, 
 perhaps the most remarkable are the delineations of 
 personal character which they contain. They are 
 not only in a high degree varied and refined ; but 
 they are also marvellously comprehensive and pro- 
 found." — Ibid. 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 BOOK I. 
 
 The wrath, O goddess, sing of Peleus' son 
 Achilles ; for 'twas baneful, and upon 
 The Achaians countless miseries it wrought. 
 And sent to Hades' realm before their time 
 Many heroic souls, their corpses left 
 A prey to dogs and all the fowls of heaven, 
 Fulfilling thus the counsel high of Zeus ; 
 Since what time stood apart at variance 
 Godlike Achilles and the king of men, 
 Atrides. Say, what god was he who stirred 
 The strife between them ? He the son of Zeus 
 And Leto ; for incensed against the king. 
 He sent among the host a pestilence 
 Fearful and fatal, and the people fell. 
 Wherefore ? Because upon his sacred priest 
 
8 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Chryses, dishonour had Atrides cast. 
 For to the swift Achaian ships he came 
 To free his daughter, with a ransom vast. 
 And bearing in his hand the suppliant wreath 
 Of far-shooting Apollo, on a wand 
 Of gold ; and all the Achaian host he prayed, 
 And the two sons of Atreus most of all, 
 The leaders of the people. " Ye two sons 
 Of Atreus, and ye other well-greaved Greeks, 
 May the high gods who on Olympus dwell. 
 Grant you to overthrow old Priam's town, 
 And safely to return ; but free my child 
 Beloved, and deign to take for her release 
 The gifts I bring, in all things honouring 
 The far-shooting Apollo, son of Zeus ! " 
 Then all the other Greeks agreed 'twas best 
 To reverence the priest, and take from him 
 The splendid ransom, but not so it pleased 
 The mind of Agamemnon, Atreus' son ; 
 But he dismissed him scornfully, and spake 
 Stern words. " No longer, old man, let me find 
 Thee lingering here beside the hollow ships, 
 Or coming here again, lest nought avail 
 Apollo's wreath and wand. For I decline 
 To set her free before she reach old age 
 In my abode in Argos, far away 
 From father-land, attending to the loom, 
 And partner of my bed. But go ! No more 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Argue with me, and 'twill be safer far." 
 
 So spake he, and the old man feared, and did 
 
 His bidding, going onward silently 
 
 Along the much-resounding ocean shore. 
 
 Alone there, many prayers the old man raised 
 
 To King Apollo, fair-haired Leto's son. 
 
 " God of the silver bow, hear thou my plaint ! 
 
 Guardian of Chryse, and the sacred fane 
 
 Of Killa, and who rulest in thy might 
 
 O'er Tenedos ; O Sminthian, if I e'er 
 
 Have crowned thine altar, or thereon have burnt 
 
 The thighs of bulls or goats, grant this my prayer ! 
 
 Let the Greeks suffer for the tears I've shed. 
 
 By thy dread arrows ! " So he praying spake, 
 
 And Phoebus heard, and ireful in his heart, 
 
 From the Olympian heights he downward sped. 
 
 Accoutred with his bow and quiver stout 
 
 Slung from his shoulders. As he moved in wrath 
 
 The arrows on his shoulders rattled loud. 
 
 And dark as night he seemed, and terrible 
 
 Sounded the clanging of his silver bow. 
 
 Seating himself some distance from the ships. 
 
 He sent an arrow from his silver bow. 
 
 And dreadful was its twang. The mules he first 
 
 Smote and the lazy dogs, then at the host 
 
 He sent his stinging shafts ; and constantly 
 
 The pyres were burning of the many dead. 
 
 Nine days upon the host the arrows fell 
 
to THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Sent by the god, but when the tenth day came, 
 
 Achilles to a general council called 
 
 The people, prompted in his mind thereto 
 
 By Her^, -white-armed goddess. For she grieved 
 
 Sorely about the Danaans for the death 
 
 That raged among them. When they then had come 
 
 Together in assembly, in their midst 
 
 Achilles swift of foot arose and said : 
 
 " Atrides, now I think we must begin 
 
 Our ocean wanderings and sail home again 
 
 If we would 'scape from death, since both at once, 
 
 War and dread pestilence subdue the Greeks. 
 
 But come, let us consult some soothsayer. 
 
 Or priest, or one who can interpret dreams, 
 
 (For dreams too come from Zeus,) that he may tell 
 
 Wherefore Apollo is so filled with ire ; 
 
 Whether he's grieved for some neglected vow 
 
 Or hecatomb, or he perchance would have 
 
 The smoke of lambs or goats, unblemished all,. 
 
 To rise that he might free us from the plague." 
 
 This said, he took his seat and then stood up 
 
 Calchas, the son of Thestor, wisest far 
 
 Of augurs, who could tell of things that are, 
 
 And things that were, and things that are to be ; 
 
 Who led the Achaian ships to Ilium's shore 
 
 Through his divining art by Phoebus given. 
 
 He wise in counsel, raised his voice and said : 
 
 " Achilles, loved of Zeus, thou biddest me 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. I I 
 
 Make known the cause of king Apollo's wrath : 
 Wherefore I'll tell thee, but do thou take heed, 
 And swear that thou wilt be my kindly shield 
 By word and deed ; for I suspect that he 
 Will be incensed, who rules o'er Argive men, 
 And whom Achaians follow. For a king 
 Is to be dreaded when he has a feud 
 With a man less exalted : and although 
 He may suppress his anger at the time. 
 Yet will he cherish it within his breast 
 Until in days to come it finds a vent. 
 Say then if thou wilt shield me ! " And replied 
 Achilles swift of foot : "Be confident, 
 And tell the oracle made known to thee ; 
 For by Apollo, loved of Zeus, through whom 
 Thou Calchas, praying, shewest to the Greeks 
 The god's decrees, no one, while I'm alive 
 And see the light of day, of all the Greeks, 
 Shall lay his hands on thee beside the ships. 
 Not even shouldst thou Agamemnon's self 
 Name, who among the Achaians boasts to be 
 Highest in rank." And then the blameless seer 
 Took courage and outspake : " For no vain vow 
 Or hecatomb neglected finds he fault. 
 But for his priest's dishonour at the hands 
 Of Agamemnon, who refused to free 
 His daughter, and no ransom would accept. 
 Wherefore the Far-shooter this plague has sent. 
 
12 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 And still will send ; nor will he from the Greeks 
 
 Remove the pestilence until the king 
 
 Gives to her sire beloved the bright-e3'ed maid, 
 
 Unbought, unransomed ; and a hecatomb, 
 
 Brings as a sacred gift to Chryse's fane. 
 
 Then he perchance, his anger pacified. 
 
 Will hear our prayers." So saying he sat down 
 
 And then before them great Atrides rose. 
 
 Wide-ruling Agamemnon, deeply grieved. 
 
 His gloomy soul with rage was boiling o'er, 
 
 And his eyes shone like fire, and looking first 
 
 With threatening glance on Calchas, thus he spake : 
 
 " Prophet of evil, never hast thou said 
 
 Aught that is good about me, but 'tis all 
 
 Thy pleasure to presage ill-boding things, 
 
 And nought auspicious hast thou ever told. 
 
 Or brought to pass. And now among the Greeks 
 
 Thou speakest of the heavenly oracle, 
 
 How that for this the Far-shooter has sent 
 
 Trouble among them ; — that I would not take 
 
 A noble ransom for the Chrysan maid. 
 
 Much I desire to keep her in my house. 
 
 And more than Clytemnestra value her, 
 
 My wedded wife, inferior in nought, 
 
 In gracious presence, or in gifts of mind, 
 
 Or ladies' handicraft. Yet I consent 
 
 To give her back again if that is best ; 
 
 Far rather would I have the people saved 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 13 
 
 Than perish. Wherefore look ye out for me 
 
 A gift, lest I alone of all the Greeks 
 
 Should go without a prize unseemingly : 
 
 Mine being as ye see thus doomed to go 
 
 Another way." Achilles, hero swift, 
 
 Then answered: "Son of Atreus, most renowned. 
 
 Of all the host most covetous of gain, 
 
 How can the Achaian chieftains give to thee 
 
 A prize ? Nought know we of a common store 
 
 Laid by ; since all the plunder of the towns 
 
 Taken by us has been distributed. 
 
 And to reclaim it from the host would be 
 
 Unseemly. But now yield her to the god, 
 
 And we Achaians will give back to thee 
 
 Threefold, yea fourfold, if it pleaseth Zeus 
 
 To grant us to lay low Troy's mighty walls." 
 
 And Agamemnon, King of men, replied : 
 
 " Godlike Achilles, warrior though thou art, 
 
 Delude not so thyself, not thus shalt thou 
 
 O'erreach me or herein persuade my mind. 
 
 Wouldst thou thyself retain thy hard-won prize 
 
 While I am sitting here deprived of mine. 
 
 And dost thou ask me to deliver her .^ 
 
 If the Achaian chieftains will devise 
 
 Fair compensation I am satisfied. 
 
 But if they will not give, then I myself 
 
 Will come and take the prize to thee assigned, 
 
 Or to Odysseus, or to Ajax famed, 
 
14 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Incensed though he may be to whom I come. 
 But let us talk of this another time, 
 For now we'll go and launch into the sea 
 A dark-hulled ship, and we will furnish her 
 With chosen oarsmen, and a hecatomb 
 Provide ; and send on board the blooming girl 
 Chryseis. And some chief or councillor 
 Shall be the leader, or Idomeneus, 
 Or Ajax, or Odysseus, godlike man. 
 Or thou Pelides, of all men most dread, 
 That thou mayst with our offerings appease 
 The Far-shooter." Then sternly eyeing him, 
 The fleet Achilles said : " O shameless man. 
 And greedy-minded, how can, thinkest thou, 
 Any Achaian with a willing heart 
 Obey or follow thee to battle fierce ? 
 Not on account of Trojan warriors' deeds 
 Came I to fight ; for me they never harmed, 
 Never drove off my oxen or my steeds, 
 Or devastated crops in Phthia's rich 
 And hero-rearing land that smiles between 
 The shadowy mountains and the moaning sea. 
 But we have followed thee, most shameless man. 
 Pleasing thee with demand of recompense 
 From Troy for thine and Menelaus' wrongs, 
 O brazen-faced ! all which thou valuest not, 
 Nor carest for. And now thou threatenest 
 Thyself to snatch my prize for which I've toiled, 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 1 5 
 
 And which the sons of Greece allotted me. 
 I never get an equal prize with thine 
 When the Achaians some well-peopled town 
 Of Troia ravage ; though in war's rude shock 
 My arms are foremost, if there chance to be 
 Division of the spoil, much larger is 
 Thy share, and I, all wearied with the fight, 
 Take to my ships a small and hard-won prize. 
 And now I go to Phthia ; better far 
 Were it to go home with our beaked ships. 
 Nor do I think that thou, dishonouring me, 
 Wilt pile up plunder here." Then answered him 
 The king of men : " Begone, if so thy mind 
 Impels thee ! Neither would I bid thee stay 
 For my sake. There are others on my side 
 Who'll honour me, and Zeus the most of all, 
 Greatest in counsel. Of Zeus-nurtured kings 
 Thou art most hateful to me, for thy heart 
 Revels in strife, and never tires of war. 
 If thou in might excellest, 'tis the gift 
 Of god. But go home with thy ships and crews. 
 And lord it o'er thy Myrmidons. For thee 
 I care not, nor thy wrath. And now I'll tell 
 What I will do. Since Phoebus takes from me 
 The maid Chryseis, her I will send off 
 With ship and crew of mine, and I will take 
 Bright-cheeked Briseis, (going to thy tent 
 Myself,) the girl who is thy prize in war. 
 
1 6 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 That thou mayst know how much superior 
 
 Am I than thou, and other men may fear 
 
 To claim equality with me, and that 
 
 In public." So he spake, and trouble filled 
 
 Pelides' heart, that in his manly breast 
 
 Was torn with conflict, whether from his thigh 
 
 Drawing his blade, the council he should loose, 
 
 And slay Atrides ; or abstain from wrath. 
 
 And keep his soul in check. And while these thoughts 
 
 Perplexed his mind and heart, he from its sheath 
 
 Drew his great sword ; but down from heaven sped 
 
 Athene, sent by Her6, white-armed queen. 
 
 Who loved and cared for both of them at once. 
 
 She stood behind, and by his auburn hair 
 
 Held Peleus' son, but seen by him alone. 
 
 Invisible to others. Startled then 
 
 Achilles turned and recognized at once 
 
 Pallas Athene ; and his eye-balls glared. 
 
 And with these winged words he spake to her : '■ 
 
 " Why now, O child of ^gis-bearing Zeus 
 
 Comest thou ? Is it that thou mayst behold 
 
 Atrides Agamemnon's insolence .'' 
 
 But I declare, and think 'twill come to pass ; 
 
 For his presumption soon his life may pay." 
 
 And gleaming-eyed Athene answered him : 
 
 " To end thy fury, down from heaven I come. 
 
 If thou wilt hear. For Her^, white-armed queen 
 
 Sent me, who loves and cares for both of you. 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 1 7 
 
 Cease then your strife, and draw not out thy blade ; 
 
 But with words only quarrel as ye list. 
 
 Yet this I say, and it shall come to pass. 
 
 Some day, three times as many splendid gifts 
 
 This insult shall procure thee ; but be calm, 
 
 And do as I desire." And answering her 
 
 Spake fleet Achilles : " I must needs obey 
 
 Thy word, O goddess, though enraged at heart. 
 
 'Tis better so, and he who doth the gods' 
 
 Behests obey is heard of them the more." 
 
 He said, and on the silver hilt he placed 
 
 His heavy hand, and thrust his mighty sword 
 
 Into its sheath again, nor disobeyed 
 
 Athene's words. And to Olympus went 
 
 Pallas, where dwelleth segis-bearing Zeus 
 
 Among the other gods. Pelides then 
 
 Once more Atrides with his words assailed 
 
 Of keen reproach, his anger unallayed. 
 
 " Heavy with wine, thou man with eye of dog. 
 
 And heart of timid deer, thou never hast 
 
 The courage to go forth in arms to war 
 
 Together with the host, nor yet to lie 
 
 In ambush with the noblest of the Greeks, 
 
 And thy heart knows 'tis so. 'Tis better, sure, 
 
 Through the Achaian host to levy gifts 
 
 From him who would oppose thee with his words. 
 
 Devourer of the people, thou must rule 
 
 O'er worthless men, or now this insolence 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Would be thy last ! But this I say to thee, 
 And with an oath confirm it : by this staff 
 Which never has put forth or leaves or shoots 
 Since when it first upon the mountain side 
 Cut down was left, and stripped by woodman's knife 
 Of leaves and bark, shall never bud again, — 
 Now in their hands by Grecian magnates borne. 
 Through aid of Zeus administering law : 
 By this dread oath be sure the sons of Greece 
 Shall need Achilles, and thou, troubled sore, 
 Shalt have no power to save them when they fall, 
 Dying in crowds by mighty Hector's hands. 
 And thou shalt lacerate thy heart with wrath 
 Because the bravest of Achaian chiefs 
 Thou hast dishonoured." So Pelides said, 
 And down upon the ground he cast his staff" 
 Studded with gold, and took again his seat. 
 But swelled Atrides' heart with furious wrath. 
 Then 'mong them Nestor rose, of fluent speech. 
 The Pylian's clear-toned orator, whose words 
 Flowed from his tongue than honey sweeter far. 
 Two generations of the race of man 
 Ere this had passed away, his comrades once 
 In sacred Pylos, and now o'er the third 
 He ruled, who with sound mind addressing them, 
 Spake : "Ah, what mighty trouble has o'erflowed 
 The land of Greece ! well may both Priam's sons 
 And Priam's self rejoice, and Trojans all 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 1 9 
 
 Exult indeed if they should come to hear 
 
 Of your contentions, yours who all the Greeks 
 
 Excel in war and counsel ! But do ye 
 
 Obey my words, both younger men than I. 
 
 For long ago I companied with men 
 
 Better than you, who never slighted me ; 
 
 Yet never have I seen men, nor shall see 
 
 The equals of Peirithoiis and him 
 
 His people's shepherd, Dryas, Coeneus too, 
 
 Exadius and Polyphemus great. 
 
 And Theseus son of ^geus, rivalling 
 
 The immortals ; for of heroes reared on earth 
 
 They were the mightiest, and with men of might 
 
 Waged war, and with the savage mountain beasts. 
 
 Being their deadly enemies. And these, 
 
 Coming from Pylos, I consorted with, 
 
 Far from the Apian land ; for they desired 
 
 My presence, and with them I took my part. 
 
 With them could none of all the men who now 
 
 Dwell on the earth compare : but my advice 
 
 They took, and were obedient to my word. 
 
 Wherefore do ye too heed me, it will be 
 
 Far better : nor do thou, though high in rank. 
 
 Take from this man the maid, but suffer, since 
 
 The sons of Greece first gave to him the prize. 
 
 Nor do thou, son of Peleus, think to strive 
 
 Openly with the king, for never yet 
 
 Has sceptre-bearing ruler had such share 
 
20 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Of honour, and his fame has come from Zeus. 
 
 And if thou art the mightier, and thou had'st 
 
 A goddess for thy mother, yet is he 
 
 Nobler, for he is ruler over more. 
 
 Atrides, do thou let thy fury cease. 
 
 And I will beg Achilles to remit 
 
 His wrath, who is to all the Achaian host 
 
 A wall of strength against disastrous war." 
 
 And Kingly Agamemnon answering, said : 
 
 " Truly all this, old friend, thou'st said right well. 
 
 But this man wishes to have power o'er all, 
 
 And he would rule o'er all, and give commands 
 
 Which I will not obey. And if the gods 
 
 Who live forever made him warrior stout, 
 
 Do they on that account a warrant give 
 
 To speak offensive words ? " Then answered him 
 
 Godlike Achilles, and this warning gave : 
 
 " Coward and worthless I indeed should be 
 
 Were I to yield to thee in everything 
 
 That thou requirest. -Give forth thy commands 
 
 To other men but give them not to me, 
 
 In nothing am I willing to obey. 
 
 And one thing more I say which in thy mind 
 
 Turn over well, that not with arms will I 
 
 Fight for the girl with thee or any man. 
 
 Since ye who gave her take her back again : 
 
 But of all else that in my swift dark ship 
 
 Is stored, believe me there is nought thou may'st 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 21 
 
 Snatching bear off against my own free will. 
 
 And if thou shouldst attempt it, let these know, 
 
 Soon should my spear be purpled with thy blood." 
 
 At variance still, they rose with wrangling words. 
 
 And loosed the council by the Achaian ships. 
 
 Pelides to his tents and vessels long 
 
 Went with Mencetius' son and comrades brave ; 
 
 But Agamemnon launched into the sea 
 
 A swift ship, choosing twenty oarsmen good. 
 
 And for the god a hecatomb embarked. 
 
 And brought and put on board the blooming-cheeked 
 
 Chryseis. And the man for counsel famed, 
 
 Odysseus, went in charge of her. They then 
 
 Embarking, sailed across the watery way. 
 
 Atrides next a proclamation made 
 
 To purify the host ; the host obeyed, 
 
 And in the sea pollution washed away. 
 
 Then to Apollo perfect hecatombs 
 
 Of bulls and goats they sacrificed upon 
 
 The barren ocean's ever-sounding shore : 
 
 And in a cloud the odour rose to heaven. 
 
 So were they occupied throughout the host, 
 
 Yet ceased not Agamemnon from the strife. 
 
 Nor to make good the threats which he had vowed 
 
 Against Achilles ; but he called to him 
 
 Talthybius and Eurybates, both true 
 
 Heralds and faithful servants of their lord. 
 
 " Go to the tent of Peleus' mighty son, 
 
22 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Achilles, and there taking by the hand, 
 
 Seize and lead off Briseis, bright-cheeked maid. 
 
 But if he will not yield her, I myself 
 
 Will come and take her with an arm^d band, 
 
 And it shall be the worse for him." This said. 
 
 He sent them off with heavy errand charged. 
 
 Along the dreary ocean's shore they went. 
 
 Unwillingly, and to the Myrmidons' 
 
 Tents and swift ships they came, and found him there 
 
 Sitting beside his tent and dark-hulled ship ; 
 
 Nor did Achilles, seeing them, rejoice. 
 
 They then in awe and reverence for the king 
 
 Stood silently, not uttering a word. 
 
 But in his mind he knew why they had come, 
 
 And said : " Hail heralds, messengers of Zeus 
 
 And men, approach ! for you I do not blame. 
 
 But Agamemnon who has sent you here 
 
 To take the girl Briseis. Come my good 
 
 Patroclus, bring her out and give her up 
 
 For them to lead away. Be witnesses 
 
 Ye two, by all the blessed gods and men 
 
 Of mortal mould, and by the unfeeling king, 
 
 If ever there be need of me to shield 
 
 The host from death inglorious, — in his mind 
 
 He fumes, nor can he take a forward look 
 
 Or backward, how the Achaians by the ships 
 
 May fight in safety." Thus Achilles spake. 
 
 And as his comrade loved desired so did 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 23 
 
 Patroclus, and Briseis from the tent 
 
 Brought out and gave her up. They two again 
 
 Went to the Grecian ships, and with them went 
 
 The girl unwillingly. But from his friends 
 
 Apart Achilles sat dissolved in tears, 
 
 Alone upon the hoary ocean's shore. 
 
 Gazing upon the deep. And much he prayed. 
 
 Calling his mother with uplifted hands. 
 
 " Mother, since thou hast borne me, and for life 
 
 So short, Olympian Zeus, the Thunderer 
 
 Might have vouchsafed me honour ; and yet now 
 
 I have not e'en a little ; for the son 
 
 Of Atreus, Agamemnon, king of men 
 
 Has cast foul insult on me, who my prize 
 
 Now holds, which he has taken for himself." 
 
 So spake he weeping, and his mother heard, 
 
 Sitting in ocean's depths beside her sire 
 
 The ancient sea-god. Quickly like a mist, 
 
 Emerging from the deep she took a seat 
 
 Before him as he wept, and fondled him, 
 
 Consoling with her words. " My child, O why 
 
 Weepest thou ? What great grief has filled thy breast } 
 
 Speak out, hide nothing, that we both may know ! " 
 
 And swift-footed Achilles with deep groans 
 
 Answered her : " Well thou knowest ! Why should I 
 
 Tell this to one who knows ? To Thebes we went. 
 
 The sacred city of Eetion 
 
 And ravaged it, and filled ourselves with spoil. 
 
24 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Then the Achaians fair division made 
 
 Among themselves, and for Atrides' share 
 
 Went blooming-cheeked Chryseis. But the Priest 
 
 Of far-shooting Apollo, Chryses, came, 
 
 Her sire, to the Achaians' long swift ships 
 
 To free his daughter, bringing ransom rich. 
 
 And bearing in his hand a golden wand 
 
 And wreath of the Far-shooter. He besought 
 
 All the Achaians, the Atrids most. 
 
 The leaders of the host. Then all the Greeks 
 
 Shouted assent to reverence the priest. 
 
 And take the splendid ransom. Yet not so 
 
 Pleased it Atrides Agamemnon's mind. 
 
 But he dismissed him with insulting words 
 
 Of stern rebuke ; and back the old man went 
 
 In anger. And his prayer Apollo heard. 
 
 For he was loved by him. Wherefore he sent 
 
 His deadly arrows on the Argive host. 
 
 Then quickly, one by one the people died. 
 
 And everywhere throughout the wide array 
 
 Of Greece the weapons of Apollo fell. 
 
 But unto us a skilful seer made known 
 
 The will of the Far-shooter ; whereupon 
 
 I straight advised the god should be appeased. 
 
 But then within the heart of Atreus' son 
 
 Anger arose, and rising up at once, 
 
 He uttered threats and now has made them good. 
 
 For in a swift ship her the dark-eyed Greeks 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 25 
 
 To Chryse sent with oiFerings to the god. 
 
 But heralds have now come and led away 
 
 Out of my tent Briseis, bright-cheeked girl, 
 
 Whom the Achaians gave me for my prize. 
 
 But do thou, if thou hast the power, protect 
 
 Thy son, and going to Olympus, call 
 
 On Zeus, if ever thou his heart hast pleased 
 
 By word or deed ; for often in thy sire's 
 
 Abode I've heard thy boast, that thou alone 
 
 Among the immortals, didst from Cronos' son 
 
 Wrapped in dark clouds, inglorious ill avert, 
 
 When others of the Olympians, Her6, queen, 
 
 Pallas Athene, and Poseidon thought 
 
 To bind him ; but thou then didst come and loose 
 
 His fetters, to Olympus bidding speed 
 
 With utmost haste, him of the hundred hands, 
 
 Whoni the gods name Briareus, but all men 
 
 .(Egseon ; (he surpasses in his might 
 
 His father ;) who beside Cronion sat 
 
 Rejoicing in his glory. Him the gods 
 
 Dreaded, and feared to bind old Cronos' son. 
 
 Which things remind him of, and sitting down 
 
 Beside him, as a suppliant clasp his knees, 
 
 If he perchance his aid to men of Troy 
 
 May grant, and drive the Achaians to the ships 
 
 And sea with slaughter, so they all may share 
 
 Their King's disfavour, and the ruler, great 
 
 Atrides Agamemnon may perceive 
 
26 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 His folly, when the bravest of the Greeks 
 
 He treated with dishonour." Thetis then 
 
 Answered him, letting fall a tender tear. 
 
 " Ah me, my son, why did I nourish thee 
 
 When born with dreadful pangs 7 Would thou hadst 
 
 staid 
 Beside the ships, at ease without a tear, 
 And all unhurt ! For now thy fate will come 
 Soon, nor be long delayed. But short-lived now 
 Art thou and woe-begone beyond them all. 
 Truly I bore thee to an evil fate 
 In my sire's deep abode. But I myself 
 Will to Olympus speed with snow-wreaths crowned. 
 And tell the lord of thunder, mighty Zeus, 
 These words ; and may he be prevailed upon ! 
 But do thou by thy swift ships seat thyself. 
 And fume against the Achaians as thou wilt ; 
 But thou must from all violence abstain. 
 Unto a banquet yesterday went Zeus 
 Among the Ethiopians o'er the sea, 
 A blameless people, and the other gods 
 Followed him. But the twelfth day when it comes. 
 Will see him to Olympus going back. 
 And then unto the brass-based house of Zeus 
 I will go and beseech him at his knees ; 
 I think that he will listen." Saying this. 
 She went and left him there in angry mood 
 Because of the rich-girdled girl borne off 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 27 
 
 By force against her will. Odysseus now 
 
 To Chryse came with sacred hecatomb. 
 
 But when within the haven deep arrived, 
 
 They furled the sail and in the ship's dark hull 
 
 Stowed it, and dropped the mast into its crutch, 
 
 Lashing it with the forestay hastily. 
 
 And pulled up to the anchorage with their oars. 
 
 Then they cast out the anchor-stones and made 
 
 Fast the stern moorings ; going next ashore 
 
 Upon the ocean beach, they landed there 
 
 The hecatomb that was Apollo's due ; 
 
 And from the swift ship went Chryseis forth. 
 
 Then to the altar, sage Odysseus brought 
 
 The girl and placed her in her father's arms, 
 
 And said : " O Chryses, Agamemnon, king 
 
 Of men, has sent me to bring back thy child. 
 
 And sacrifice a sacred hecatomb 
 
 To Phoebus for the Greeks, so they the wrath 
 
 May pacify of him who now has sent 
 
 Trouble most grievous on the Argive host." 
 
 So saying, in his hands he placed the maid. 
 
 And he with joy received his much-loved child. 
 
 And speedily the sacred hecatomb 
 
 They ranged in order round the well-built shrine. 
 
 And laved their hands, and sprinkled barley meal. 
 
 Then earnestly prayed Chryses for the Greeks, 
 
 Raising his hands : " Thou who the silver bow 
 
 Lovest, O hear me, thou who guardest well 
 
28 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Chiyse and sacred Killa, and whose might 
 
 Is great in Tenedos ; if heretofore 
 
 Thou hast e'er heard my prayer, and honouring me 
 
 Hast laid a heavy hand on Grecia's host, 
 
 Fulfil thou now my wish, and from the Greeks 
 
 Avert the deadly plague." As thus he prayed, 
 
 Phoebus Apollo heard, and when the rites 
 
 Were duly done, and meal upon the fire 
 
 Was sprinkled, back the victims' heads they drew, 
 
 And slew, and flayed, and cut away the thighs. 
 
 Wrapping them in the fat with double fold. 
 
 And heaped raw flesh thereon. Then o'er the wood 
 
 The old man burnt them, pouring on the flame 
 
 Bright sparkling wine. And young men at his side 
 
 Held in their hands the forks. When they had burnt 
 
 The thighs, the inwards tasted, all the rest 
 
 They carved, the pieces thrusting on the spits, 
 
 And roasting them right knowingly ; then from 
 
 The fire withdrew them. And when finished this 
 
 Their labour, and the banquet all prepared. 
 
 They feasted ; nor did any of them lack 
 
 His equal share. And when desire for food 
 
 And drink had vanished, young men crowned with 
 
 wine 
 The bowls, and dealt it out to all in cups 
 In due succession. And all through the day 
 The sons of Greece with song appeased the god. 
 Praising the far-shooter in paeans sweet. 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 29 
 
 He heard and was content. And when the sun 
 
 Had set and darkness came, they laid them down 
 
 Beside their ship's stern moorings, seeking sleep. 
 
 And when the mist-born rosy-fingered Dawn 
 
 Illumed the sky, they put again to sea 
 
 To join the Achaian host. And following them 
 
 Apollo sent a prospering breeze to blow : 
 
 They raised the mast and spread their snowy sail, 
 
 Which bellied to the wind, and round the prow 
 
 The blue waves swirled as on her rapid course 
 
 The vessel flew, till o'er the heaving deep 
 
 She reached her haven. And when they had come 
 
 To Grecia's wide-spread host, high up the beach 
 
 Upon the sand they drew the ship, and set 
 
 Stout shores beneath her, and themselves dispersed 
 
 Among the tents and ships. But Peleus' son, 
 
 Achilles fleet, of Zeus's glorious race. 
 
 Beside his swift ship sat in gloomy wrath ; 
 
 Nor to the Agora ever would he go 
 
 Where fame is won, nor to the battle-field. 
 
 But there abode, and wore his heart away. 
 
 Shunning the stirring fight and battle-cry. 
 
 But when the dawning of the twelfth day came. 
 
 The gods immortal to Olympus high 
 
 Returned in company, Zeus leading them. 
 
 Then Thetis not unmindful of her son's 
 
 Injunction, from the ocean wave emerged. 
 
 And through the vast cerulean sped along 
 
30 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 To high Olympus. And all-seeing Zeus 
 
 She found, from other deities apart, 
 
 Seated alone upon the loftiest peak 
 
 Of many-ridged Olympus. And she sat 
 
 Herself before him, with her left hand clasped 
 
 His knees, and with her right hand stroked his beard, 
 
 And earnestly besought Cronion, king, 
 
 Saying : " O father Zeus, if ever I 
 
 Among the gods have been of use to thee. 
 
 Either by word or deed, grant this my prayer ! 
 
 Give honour to my son, who more than all 
 
 Is doomed to early death, on whom has now 
 
 King Agamemnon foul dishonour cast ; 
 
 For he hath sent and borne away his prize, 
 
 Taking her for himself. But do thou him 
 
 Avenge, Olympian, mighty counsellor, 
 
 And grant predominance in war to Troy 
 
 Until the Greeks shall reverence my son, 
 
 And yield him honour ! " Thus she urged her plea, 
 
 And cloud-compelling Zeus no answer gave. 
 
 But long while sat in silence. Thetis then 
 
 As still she clasped his knees and clung to him, 
 
 Again addressed him : " Do thou promise me 
 
 Faithfully, and confirm it with thy nod ; 
 
 Or else refuse (no cause hast thou to fear), 
 
 That I may plainly know how much I am 
 
 A slighted goddess 'mid the immortal band." 
 
 Then Zeus the cloud-compeller answered her, 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 3 1 
 
 Troubled in soul : " Thou wouldst a grievous thing 
 
 Have me to do, to stir up Herd's ire, 
 
 And bring upon myself her cutting words ! 
 
 Thus is she ever finding fault with me 
 
 Among the immortals, and she charges me 
 
 With succouring the Trojans in the fight. 
 
 Go back again lest Her^ notice aught ; 
 
 And as for this, it shall be all my care 
 
 Until thy wish is realized. Nay more, 
 
 My nod I'll give that thou mayst be assured. 
 
 For this among the immortals is the most 
 
 Sure token that I give. For when my head 
 
 I nod, the thing is not to be recalled, 
 
 Is true, and will not want accomplishment." 
 
 He said, and with his eyebrows dark his nod 
 
 Cronion gave, and from his mighty head 
 
 The locks divine fell waving, and he shook 
 
 The vast Olympus. Having communed so, 
 
 They parted. She then plunged into the deep 
 
 From bright Olympus, Zeus his mansion sought. 
 
 The gods rose from their seats in unison 
 
 In presence of their father ; none of them 
 
 Dared to sit at his coming, all stood up. 
 
 So there he took his seat upon his throne. 
 
 But it escaped not Herd's vigilance 
 
 That silver-footed Thetis, daughter loved 
 
 Of the old sea-god, had communed with him ; 
 
 And straightway Zeus Cronion she assailed 
 
32 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 With bitter words : " Say, which one of the gods, 
 O wily one, hath had discourse with thee ? 
 'Tis always thy delight apart from me 
 To settle things in secret, nor hast thou 
 E'er ventured with a willing mind to speak 
 
 All tftat 1 speaK ; my woras may grieve tnee sore. 
 Although thou art my wife. But what is fit 
 For thee to hear, that no one of the gods 
 Or men shall know before thee. And such things 
 As I would plan apart from other gods. 
 Do not thou question of or seek to know." 
 Then answered ox-eyed Her6, honoured queen : 
 " Most dread Cronion, what is this thou sayest ? 
 Assuredly aforetime I have not, 
 Or questioned thee, or troubled thee with aught. 
 But tranquilly hast thou thy thoughts revolved. 
 Yet now great apprehension fills my mind 
 Lest silver-footed Thetis with her arts, 
 Child of the sea-god old, hath thee beguiled. 
 For at the break of day, she sat by thee 
 And clasped thy knees : and to her I suspect 
 Thou gav'st thy nod that cannot be recalled, 
 To avenge Achilles, and the Greeks repulse 
 Beside their ships." And cloud-compelling Zeus 
 Answered her : " Goddess thou art ever prone 
 To be suspicious ; nor can I escape 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 33 
 
 Thy observation ; yet for all this, nought 
 
 Shalt thou accomplish, but the more shalt be 
 
 An alien from mine heart, and thou shalt fare 
 
 The worse for it. And if this thing be so, 
 
 My mind is set upon it. Sit thou down 
 
 Silent, and be obedient to my word ; 
 
 Lest all the gods who in Olympus dwell 
 
 Avail thee not, though coming to thy side. 
 
 When I my hand invincible launch forth." 
 
 So spake he, and the ox-eyed Her^ feared, 
 
 And sat in silence bending low her will. 
 
 But in the hall of Zeus the heavenly gods 
 
 Had heavy hearts. Hephaistos, craftsman famed, 
 
 With kind intentions toward his mother dear, 
 
 The white-armed Heih, thus his speech began : 
 
 " Twill be indeed a pestilential thing. 
 
 And not to be endured, if they for sake 
 
 Of mortals in contention thus engage, 
 
 And make a brawl among the immortal gods ; 
 
 Nor shall we have enjoyment at our feasts 
 
 If the weak has her way. But I advise 
 
 My mother, (she may think the same herself,) 
 
 To make things pleasant to my father loved, 
 
 Cronion, that he so find fault no more, 
 
 Nor bring confusion to our festive board. 
 
 For if he will, the Olympian lightning's lord 
 
 Can thrust us from our seats, for he is far 
 
 The mightiest. But do thou with soothing words 
 
34 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Appease him, so the Olympian again 
 
 May smile upon us." Saying this he rose 
 
 And put into his mother's hands a cup, 
 
 And said : " Be patient, mother mine, and bear, 
 
 Though deeply grieved ! not ever may these eyes 
 
 See one so dear to me as thou ill-used. 
 
 For I however pained, should have no power 
 
 To help thee. For the Olympian is one 
 
 Hard to contend with. Long ago when I 
 
 Resisted him, he caught me by the foot 
 
 And from heaven's lofty threshold hurled me down ; 
 
 Through a whole day I fell, and at the set 
 
 Of sun, I lighted on the Lemnian Isle ; 
 
 And little life was left in me. 'Twas then 
 
 That Sintian men attended to my wants." 
 
 So spake he. and the white-armed goddess smiled, 
 
 And from his hand received the double cup. 
 
 Then for the other gods from left to right 
 
 He poured sweet nectar, drawing from a bowl ; 
 
 And laughter inextinguishable arose 
 
 Among the blessed gods when they beheld 
 
 Hephaistos bustling all around the hall. 
 
 Thus all day long until the set of sun 
 
 They feasted, nor lacked any one his share. 
 
 Nor of the charming music of the lyre. 
 
 By Phoebus touched, nor of the Muses' strains 
 
 Singing responsively with clearest voice. 
 
 But when the splendour of the sun had waned. 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 35 
 
 Departing, each one went to his abode, 
 Where lame Hephaistos famed had made for each 
 A dwelling by his skilfulness and wit. 
 And to his couch Olympian Zeus repaired. 
 The lightning's lord, where he was wont to rest 
 When pleasant sleep o'ercame him. Going there 
 He slept, and by him Her^ golden-throned. 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 BOOK VI. 
 
 Book VI. commences with detaih of a stubborn fight 
 between the Ttojans and the Greeks. 
 
 Across the plain the shock of battle flew, 
 
 And many a straight stroke dealt their brass-tipped 
 
 spears 
 Between the ample floods of Simois 
 And Xanthus. 
 
 The Greeks prevailing, are^ loudly exhorted by aged 
 Nestor to refrain from stripping the slain until the work 
 of slaughter is done. 
 
 So saying, he new strength and life 
 Inspired in each, and Trojans everywhere 
 Had into Ilium from the warlike Greeks 
 Fled powerless, but that Helenus, a son 
 Of Priam, far the best of augurs he. 
 Approaching Hector and ^neas, said : 
 
38 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 " Ye Hector and ^neas, since on you 
 Of Trojans and of Lycians presses most 
 The toil of war — for ye in open fight 
 And counsel are before the rest — stand here, 
 And keep beside the gates the flying crowd 
 From all parts hurrying, ere they fall again 
 Into the women's arms in coward flight, 
 And make rejoicing for their enemies. 
 And when your words have told upon the ranks, 
 We staying here will face the Danaan host. 
 Though spent with toil ; necessity compels. 
 But Hector, do thou to the city go, 
 And with thy mother and with mine confer ; 
 Who summoning the aged dames of Troy 
 Where stands Athene's temple on the height. 
 And opening with a key the door that keeps 
 The sacred fane, shall on Athene's knees 
 Gleaming-eyed, lay such rich robe as she deems 
 Most lovely, and most ample of all those 
 Stored in her chamber, and most prized by her. 
 And she shall vow to offer in her fane 
 Twelve oxen, yearlings, to the yoke unused. 
 If she will have compassion on the state. 
 And on the wives of Trojans and their babes. 
 And sacred Ilium shield from Tydeus' son, * 
 Fierce warrior, dreaded most, and deemed by me 
 The mightiest of all the Achaian host. 
 * Diomede. 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 39 
 
 Not have we ever so Achilles feared, 
 
 Leader of men, though goddess-born he be. 
 
 As men say. But this man is furious, 
 
 And none are able to withstand his might." 
 
 So spake he, nor did Hector disobey 
 
 His brother's bidding. From his car he sprang 
 
 Down to the ground, accoutred with his arms ; 
 
 And brandishing his spear, through all the host 
 
 He strode along inspiring them to fight, 
 
 And raised a dreadful battle-cry ; and round 
 
 They wheeled and faced the Greeks. The Argives 
 
 then 
 Retreated, and their hands from slaughter ceased ; 
 For they supposed that down from starry heaven 
 Some deity had come the Trojan cause 
 To aid, when they thus rallied. Loudly then 
 Cried Hector to the Trojans : " Men of Troy, 
 High-souled, and ye allies from lands afar. 
 Be men, my friends, and your impetuous might 
 Forget not, while to Ilium I go 
 And bid the ancient men and councillors. 
 And Trojan wives to call upon the gods. 
 And promise hecatombs." This said, away 
 Rushed Hector of the glancing helm, and 'gainst 
 His ancles and his neck the black bull's hide. 
 The outer circle of his bossy shield. 
 Alternate rubbed. Then in the middle space 
 Between both armies, Glaucus and the son 
 
40 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Of Tydeus met, both eager for the fray ; 
 
 Glaucus who claimed Hippolochus for sire. 
 
 When near to one another they had come, 
 
 The warrior Diomede spake out the first : 
 
 " Who art thou, valiant foe, of mortal men, 
 
 For never have I met with thee before 
 
 In glorious war ? But now beyond the rest 
 
 Far hast thou ventured in thy confidence. 
 
 Awaiting my long shadow casting spear ; 
 
 And they are children of unhappy men 
 
 Who wait my onset. But if thou art one 
 
 From heaven come down, immortal, I would not 
 
 With heavenly gods encounter. For not long ' 
 
 Lived mighty Lycoergus, Dryas' son. 
 
 Who dared to combat with the heavenly powers. 
 
 He once down Nyssa's sacred mountain chased 
 
 The frenzied Dionysus with his maids, 
 
 And these the sacred vessels with one mind 
 
 Cast to the ground when with an ox-goad beat 
 
 By Lycoergus. Dionysus then 
 
 Terrified, plunged beneath the ocean wave. 
 
 And Thetis in her lap the shivering boy 
 
 Received, for at the shouting of the man 
 
 He trembled much. The easy-living gods 
 
 Then hated Lycoergus, and the son 
 
 Of Cronos blinded him ; nor did his life 
 
 Last long, since he was odious to all 
 
 The immortal gods ; and therefore will not I 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 4 1 
 
 With blessed gods contend. But if thou art 
 Mortal, and eatest of the corn-land's fruit, 
 Come near, that so thou mayst the sooner reach 
 The limit of thy life." To him replied 
 The famed son of Hippolochus : " O son 
 Of Tydeus, noble-hearted, of my race. 
 Why askest thou ? for like the forest leaves 
 Is man's succession ; o'er the ground the wind 
 Scatters the leaves, but when the spring returns. 
 The budding trees with green again are clad. 
 As is the leaves' succession so is man's. 
 Who flourishes, then vanishes from earth. 
 But if thou wishest, thou shalt know my race. 
 Far has its fame extended." 
 
 Here follows a long discourse by Glaucus, running 
 through seventy-six lines, wherein he relates to Diomede 
 a number of incidents of days gone by, ending with 
 
 " Of such a race and blood I'm proud to be." 
 
 So said he, and brave Diomede rejoiced ; 
 
 Into the fruitful ground his spear he thrust. 
 
 And with bland words the noble prince addressed : 
 
 " Then are we guest-friends for our fathers' sakes 
 
 In old time. For Bellerophon the good 
 
 Did god-like CEneus once receive as guest, 
 
 Keeping him in his palace twenty days. 
 
 And noble presents each to other gave. 
 
 CEneus a girdle gave of brilliant hue ; 
 
42 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Bellerophon a golden double-cup ; 
 
 And it I left behind me in the hall 
 
 When I departed : but of Tydeus no 
 
 Remembrance have I ; me a child he left 
 
 Behind, what time at Thebes the Achaian host 
 
 Perished. So therefore I shall be thy host 
 
 In middle Argos, thou in Lycia mine, 
 
 When to my land I come. Now let us shun 
 
 Each other's weapons in the battle-field ! 
 
 Trojans enough there are for me to slay, 
 
 And famed allies whom gods may give to me 
 
 And I by speed may reach ; and then again, 
 
 Many Achaians are there for thy blade, 
 
 If thou canst slay them. But now let us make 
 
 Exchange of arms, that these may also know 
 
 We are ancestral guest-friends." Ended then 
 
 Their converse, from their cars they leaped, and seized 
 
 Each other's hands, and faithful oaths exchanged. 
 
 Then Glaucus did Zeus Cronides deprive 
 
 Of common sense, who gave to Diomede 
 
 The son of Tydeus, arms of gold instead 
 
 Of arms of brass : one hundred oxen's worth 
 
 For nine. When Hector to the Skaean gate 
 
 And oak had come, the wives and maids of Troy 
 
 Ran to him, questioning about their sons, 
 
 Their brothers, and their husbands, and their friends. 
 
 He then all, one by one, exhorted them 
 
 To pray unto the gods, and loaded them 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 43 
 
 With anxious cares. But when unto the house 
 
 He came of Priam, fair exceedingly, 
 
 Adorned with polished vestibules, wherein 
 
 Were fifty chambers built of fine-cut stone, 
 
 Near to each other, where slept Priam's sons 
 
 Beside their wedded wives ; and opposite 
 
 Within the court upon the other side 
 
 Were twelve roofed chambers built of stone to match ; 
 
 All side by side, where Priam's sons-in-law 
 
 Slept with their wedded wives, his daughters fair ; 
 
 There came his gracious mother to his side. 
 
 Bringing Laodike her daughter, fair 
 
 Beyond the rest, and clasped his hand, and spake 
 
 Familiar words : " My son why comest thou, 
 
 Leaving the doubtful battle ? Art o'erdone 
 
 With toil, contending with Achaia's sons 
 
 Of evil name who round the city fight ? 
 
 And does thy heart impel thee to come here, 
 
 And on the citadel thy hands to raise 
 
 To Zeus ? But wait until I bring for thee 
 
 Refreshing wine, that thou to father Zeus 
 
 And the immortal gods mayst first pour out, 
 
 And then thyself mayst drink and be revived ! 
 
 Wine gives new strength to him who labours hard 
 
 As thou hast laboured for thy country's cause." 
 
 Then answered Hector of the glancing helm : 
 
 " Tempt me not, honoured mother, with a draught 
 
 Of sparkling wine, lest so thou take away 
 
44 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Strength from my limbs, and I forget my skill 
 And prowess. Nor dare I with unwashed hands 
 Offer to Zeus libations of the wine ; 
 Nor may it be that one with gore and blood 
 Bespattered o'er, to cloud-girt Cronos' son 
 Should raise his prayer. But go thou to the fane 
 Loved by Athene, bringing offerings. 
 Attended by a crowd of aged dames. 
 A robe, the choicest one that can be found 
 In all the palace, amplest, and most prized 
 By thee, that place thou on Athene's knees, 
 The bright-haired, vowing in her fane to slay 
 Twelve oxen, yearlings, to the yoke unused. 
 If she will have compassion on the state, 
 On Trojan wives and children : if the son 
 Of Tydeus, furious warrior, she will keep 
 From sacred Ilium ; that inspirer stern 
 Of fear. But go thou to Athene's fane. 
 Goddess of spoil, and I will go in quest 
 Of Paris, if perchance he'll hear my call, 
 And listen to my words. Oh would the earth 
 Might gape for him ! for him the Olympian 
 Hath reared to be a fearful bane to Troy, 
 And noble Priam, and to Priam's sons. 
 Could I but see him going down below 
 To Hades' realm, my wearied heart would quite 
 Forget her troubles." So he spake, and she 
 Going into her palace called her maids, 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 45 
 
 Who at her bidding gathered in her train 
 
 The city's aged dames. And next she went 
 
 To the sweet-scented chamber where were stored 
 
 Robes of embroidered work, by women's hands 
 
 Of Sidon wrought, which Alexander's self, 
 
 The godlike, thence across the wide-wayed sea 
 
 Brought by the selfsame course o'er which he once 
 
 Took high-born Helen. Choosing one of these 
 
 Hecuba for Athene bore the gift. 
 
 It was the loveliest, and the most adorned. 
 
 And largest, and it shone as doth a star. 
 
 And lay beneath the rest. With this she went. 
 
 And many aged women followed her. 
 
 And when to the Acropolis they came, 
 
 Where was Athene's temple, oped for them 
 
 The doors Theano, child of Kisseus, spouse 
 
 Of horse-taming Antenor. She was there 
 
 Athene's priestess by the Trojans' choice. 
 
 And all with loud laments upraised their hands, 
 
 Calling upon Athene. And the fair 
 
 Theano took the robe and placed it on 
 
 Athene's knees, and to the mighty child 
 
 Of Zeus sent up her prayer : " Athene dread. 
 
 Our city's guardian, goddess most divine, 
 
 Break thou the spear of Diomede, and cause 
 
 Himself before the Sksean gates to fall 
 
 Prostrate, and straightway we will slay for thee 
 
 Twelve oxen in thy temple, yearlings, un- 
 
46 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Accustomed to the yoke, and may'st thou save 
 
 The city and the Trojan wives and babes ! " 
 
 So prayed she, but Athene granted not 
 
 Her prayer ; yet thus to Zeus's mighty child 
 
 Prayed Hecuba and her attendant band. 
 
 But Hector to the noble mansion went 
 
 Of Alexander, which himself had built 
 
 With artizans most cunning in their art 
 
 In fertile Troia, men who reared for him 
 
 A chamber, and a lofty hall and court, 
 
 Near by where Priam and where Hector dwelt. 
 
 The city's topmost height. In went the man 
 
 Beloved of Zeus, and in his hand he bore 
 
 His mighty spear, and shone in front of him 
 
 Its glittering head of brass : its socket ring 
 
 Was golden. Him he in his chamber found 
 
 Brightening his splendid armour, shield and plate. 
 
 And polishing his bow. And 'mid her maids 
 
 Sat Argive Helen who the women-folk 
 
 Instructed in the pleasant works of art. 
 
 As soon as Hector Alexander saw, 
 
 He with upbraiding words accosted him : 
 
 " Sir, it becomes thee not within thy heart 
 
 To nourish wrath. The people waste away 
 
 Around the city and its towering walls. 
 
 Contending in thy cause ; for thee the war 
 
 Is waged, the city ringed with hostile fire*. 
 
 Thou wouldst reproach another whom thou saw'st 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 47 
 
 Shrinking from hateful war. But quick, arise, 
 
 Lest foemen's fire invade the city's bounds ! " 
 
 And godlike Alexander answered him : 
 
 " Hector, since thy reproof is not beyond 
 
 The bound of reason, but has justice in it, 
 
 I will speak out, and be thou well-inclined, 
 
 And hear me ! Not so much for ire and grudge 
 
 Against the Trojans sat I in my room, 
 
 As that I wished to give a vent to grief. 
 
 But now my wife prevailing with her words 
 
 Gently persuasive, urges me to fight. 
 
 And to myself this seems the better course, 
 
 For victory alternates among men. 
 
 But stay now while I put my armour on. 
 
 Or go before, and I will follow thee ; 
 
 I'll find thee without fail." So said he, but 
 
 Naught answered Hector of the glancing helm. 
 
 But Helen spake to him with soothing words : 
 
 " Brother of one a shame and bane to thee, 
 
 Would that that day my mother gave me birth 
 
 A fatal storm of wind had hurried me 
 
 Away to mountain wastes, or o'er the waves 
 
 Of tossing ocean, and a rolling surge 
 
 Had swallowed me before these things had been ! 
 
 But since the gods these evils have decreed, 
 
 Would I had had a better man for spouse, 
 
 One with a sense of shame and what is mean ! 
 
 For he has no stability of mind, 
 
48 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Nor ever will have, and methinks he soon 
 Will suffer for it. But, my brother, now 
 Come in, and take thy seat upon this chair, 
 Since heavy trouble hath encircled thee 
 For Alexander's folly and for mine, 
 Both lost to shame, for whom hath Zeus reserved 
 An evil fate, that henceforth we may be 
 A song for men in ages yet to come." 
 And mighty Hector of the glancing helm 
 Answered her : " Helen, though I'm dear to thee 
 Make me not sit ; entreaty naught avails. 
 For now I hurry to the Trojans' aid. 
 Who feel my absence bitterly ; but him 
 Arouse thou ; let himself be prompt to move. 
 So he may join me while I am within 
 The city. For I go unto my house 
 To see my servants, and my wife beloved. 
 And infant child. For little know I now 
 Whether I shall return to them again. 
 Or by Achaian hands the gods decree 
 My overthrow." So saying, strode away 
 Gleaming-helmed Hector, and he quickly reached 
 His stately dwelling ; but he found not there 
 White-armed Andromache. She with her child 
 And neat-robed nurse was standing on the tower 
 In grief and tears. But Hector when he found 
 Not there his blameless wife, delayed his step 
 Upon the threshold, and the maids addressed : 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 49 
 
 " Tell me, my servants, and speak out the truth ! 
 
 Whither has gone white-armed Andromache 
 
 Away from here ? To where her sisters dwell. 
 
 Or noble relatives ? Or has she gone 
 
 Up to Athene's fane where other dames 
 
 Of Troy propitiate the goddess dread ? " 
 
 Then answered him the trusty housekeeper : 
 
 " Hector, since thou wouldst have me tell the truth : 
 
 Not to where dwell her sisters has she gone. 
 
 Or noble relatives, nor to the fane 
 
 Of great Athene where the other dames 
 
 Of Troy propitiate the goddess dread. 
 
 But she has gone to Ilium's loftiest tower 
 
 Because she heard the Trojan strength gave way. 
 
 And Grecian might prevailed. She went in haste. 
 
 Mounting the wall as if beside herself, 
 
 And the nurse with the child attended her." 
 
 So said the housekeeper, and from the house 
 
 Rushed Hector back the same way through the streets. 
 
 And when the city he had traversed through. 
 
 And reached the Sksean gates, about to pass 
 
 Into the plain, there running np to him 
 
 Came his much-gifted wife Andromache, 
 
 Daughter of high-minded Eetion, 
 
 Who dwelt in Thebes beneath the wooded height 
 
 Of Placos, ruling o'er Cilician men. 
 
 He was the sire of brass-clad Hector's wife. 
 
 She then ran up to him, and followed her 
 
50 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 The nurse, the infant bearing in her arms, 
 
 Hector's loved son, as fair as some bright star ; 
 
 Whom Hector named Scamandrius, but the rest 
 
 Astyanax, for they to Hector looked 
 
 Alone for Ilium's safety. Silently 
 
 He smiled as on his infant son he gazed. 
 
 And shedding tears Andromache drew nigh, 
 
 And grasped his hand, and spake as wife might do. 
 
 " Great prince, thy might will be the death of thee. 
 
 Nor hast thou any pity on thy son. 
 
 This infant, nor on me, ill-fated one 
 
 Who soon will be a widow, for ere long 
 
 The Achaian host will rush to the assault 
 
 And slay thee. Better would it be for me 
 
 Deprived of thee to go beneath the earth ; 
 
 For no more comfort would remain for me 
 
 When thou hast met thy fate, but only grief. 
 
 No longer have I mother chaste, nor sire ; 
 
 For him, Eetion, great Achilles slew. 
 
 What time he took the lofty-gated Thebes, 
 
 Well-peopled city of Cilician men ; 
 
 He slew him truly, but he stripped him not, 
 
 (For in his heart he had regard for him,) 
 
 And burnt him with his highly-burnished arms. 
 
 Raising a mound above him, and around 
 
 Grew elm-trees planted by the mountain nymphs. 
 
 Daughters of .(Egis-bearing Zeus. I had 
 
 Seven brothers in my father's hou,se, and they 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 5 1 
 
 All in one day to Hades' realm went down ; 
 
 For swift-footed Achilles slew them all 
 
 Among their oxen and their white-faced sheep. 
 
 My mother, queen of that fair land that lay 
 
 'Neath wooded Placos, he then took away 
 
 Along with other plunder, but again 
 
 Released for a large ransom ; but she died. 
 
 Struck in my father's mansion by the darts 
 
 Of Artemis. But Hector, thou to me 
 
 Art sire and honoured mother ; brother too 
 
 And best of husbands art thou. Do thou then 
 
 Have pity on me, and stay here upon 
 
 This tower, lest thou shouldst orphanize thy child 
 
 And make thy wife a widow. And the host 
 
 Station beside the fig-tree where our Troy 
 
 Can best be entered, and its circling walls 
 
 Are least impregnable. For there three times 
 
 Their bravest came and tried them, following 
 
 The Ajax brothers and Idomeneus 
 
 Far-famed, and Atreus' sons, and Diomede 
 
 The sturdy son of Tydeus : whether one 
 
 Well-skilled in auguries had prompted them. 
 
 Or their own minds conceived and wrought the 
 
 scheme." 
 Great Hector of the glancing-helm replied ; 
 " All these things are my proper care, my wife, 
 But I should dread the scorn of Trojan men. 
 And long-robed women, if, as craven-souled, 
 
52 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 I were to shun the fight ; nor will my heart 
 
 Permit me, since I've studied to be brave, 
 
 And ever 'mong the foremost in the fight 
 
 On Troy's behalf, my sire's great name and mine 
 
 Upholding. Yet within my heart and soul 
 
 I know too well the day will come wherein 
 
 Shall perish sacred Ilium and its king, 
 
 And Priam's people, but in days to come 
 
 I shall not grieve so much for Trojan men, 
 
 Or Hecuba herself, or Priam, king. 
 
 Or for my brothers, numerous and brave, 
 
 Who in the dust shall fall by hostile men. 
 
 As for thee when some brass-clad Grecian chief 
 
 Shall lead thee off in tears, thy freedom's days 
 
 Departed. When in Argos thou mayst ply 
 
 The loom to please a mistress, and mayst bring 
 
 From Hypereia's or Messeis' fount 
 
 Water with heavy heart, compelled thereto 
 
 By stern command. Then some one seeing thee 
 
 In tears, may say : ' This dame was Hector's wife. 
 
 The greatest warrior of the Trojan host 
 
 When Ilium was at stake.' And hearing them, 
 
 It will to thee be a fresh cause of grief 
 
 For loss of such a man to shield thee from 
 
 A servile day. But may a mound of earth 
 
 Cover my corpse ere tidings come to me 
 
 Of thy wild shrieks and capture !" Saying this, 
 
 Hector stretched out his hand to take his child. 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 53 
 
 But the babe shrank back to his nurse's arms 
 Crying-, and startled at his father's look, 
 And at his brazen helm and horse-hair crest 
 Which nodded fearful on his helmet's peak. 
 Then smiled his mother and his loving sire ; 
 And straightway from his head great Hector took 
 The helm, and placed it shining on the ground. 
 And when he'd kissed his son, and with his hands 
 Had dandled him, to Zeus he raised his prayer. 
 And to the other gods : " Grant, Zeus, and ye 
 Olympians, that this my son may be 
 Like me among the Trojans eminent 
 For might and valour, and may firmly rule 
 O'er Ilium ; so that haply one may say, 
 Returning from the war : ' this youth excels 
 His father far.' And may he carry back 
 The bloody spoils of foemen slain, and fill 
 His mother's heart with joy ! " He said and gave 
 His son into his loving mother's arms. 
 And she received him to her fragrant breast. 
 Smiling amid her tears. And seeing this. 
 Her husband pitied her and with his hand 
 Caressed her, and addressed with gentle words. 
 " Lady, be not too greatly grieved for me. 
 For no one can to Hades send me down 
 Before my time, and in advance of fate ; 
 And well I know man can in no way shun 
 His fate, or be it bad, or be it good. 
 
54 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 When once 'tis fixed. But go into the house 
 
 And occupy thyself with women's work, 
 
 The loom, the distaif, and in ordering 
 
 Thy servants' daily round ; and leave the war 
 
 To Trojan men and most of all to me." 
 
 So saying, noble Hector took his helm 
 
 With hairy crest ; and to the house returned 
 
 His loving wife, with frequent backward look, 
 
 Dropping big tears. And soon as she had reached 
 
 The stately house of Hector, there she found 
 
 Not a few serving women, and they all 
 
 Burst into grief on seeing her and wept 
 
 For Hector living, for they thought that he 
 
 Would never, from the war return again. 
 
 Or the Achaians' might and arms escape. 
 
 Nor lingered Paris in his lofty house. 
 
 But when his armour he had donned, a blaze 
 
 Of brass, he hurried through the city's streets. 
 
 Exulting in his nimbleness of foot ; 
 
 Like to a stall-fed horse, with provender 
 
 Unstinted, who, his halter torn away. 
 
 Careers across the plain with many a bound. 
 
 Seeking the ample stream where 'twas his wont 
 
 To bathe, and revels, tossing high his head. 
 
 Shaking his mane, exulting in his pride. 
 
 Rearing and gambolling as a horse will do ; 
 
 So Paris, Priam's son, from Pergamus 
 
 Went down, in armour shining like the sun 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 55 
 
 Laughing and borne along with rapid feet. 
 Hector, his valiant brother, found he soon, 
 Leaving the place where with his loving wife 
 He'd held familiar converse ; and to him 
 First godlike Alexander spoke and said : 
 " Good brother, with my lingering I fear 
 I've kept thee back, most eager for the fray. 
 Nor have I come as promptly as thou bad'st." 
 And gleaming helmed Hector answered him : 
 " Sir, there is not a man who thinks aright 
 Who would despise thy prowess in the war, 
 Seeing what might is thine ; of thine own will 
 Thou art remiss and shunn'st the battlefield ; 
 And to my very heart I'm grieved to hear 
 How thou art jeered at by the men of Troy 
 Who for thy sake have suffered endless toil. 
 But let us go, and these things we will leave 
 For settlement hereafter, if perchance 
 Zeus may vouchsafe to us with freedom's bowl 
 To honour in our halls the heavenly gods 
 Who live for ever, and the well-greaved Greeks 
 Tq chase from Troy. 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 BOOK IX. 
 
 So kept the Trojans watch ; but awful rout, 
 Child of chill fear, dissolved the Achaian host, 
 And all their bravest were cast down with grief 
 Unbearable. As when the teeming deep 
 Two winds stir up, the north wind and the west, 
 Blowing from Thrace, and rising suddenly ; 
 When the dark waters rear their hoary crests 
 In unison, and lined is all the shore 
 With sea-wrack : so within their troubled breasts 
 The hearts of Grecian men were two ways tossed. 
 The son of Atreus with a weight of grief 
 Loading his heart, went ranging to and fro, 
 Bidding the clear-toned heralds call by name 
 Each hero to the agora, and enjoin 
 To come in silence : and himself toiled hard 
 Among the foremost. And they came and sat 
 In grief. And Agamemnon stood and shed 
 Tears, as a fountain from a craggy rock 
 
58 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Pours its dark flood. So, groaning heavily, 
 
 He spoke amid the Greeks : " My friends, ye chiefs 
 
 And counsellors of Greece, Zeus Cronides, 
 
 Hard-hearted, hath upon my cause brought down 
 
 A mighty ruin ; who once promised me, 
 
 (And with his nod confirmed.) I should return 
 
 When Troy's proud walls were levelled with the 
 
 ground. 
 But now a wretched fraud hath he devised, 
 And bids me back with ignominy go 
 To Argos, after many warriors' loss. 
 So doth it seem to be the mind of Zeus 
 All-potent, who the heads of many states 
 Hath laid low, and who yet will lowly lay. 
 For he is mightiest. But come, do ye all 
 As I advise 1 Now let us launch our ships. 
 And flee to our loved father-land. No more 
 Shall we possess ourselves of wide-wayed Troy." 
 So spake he, and a death-like silence came 
 O'er all ; and long the sorrowing sons of Greece 
 Were mute. At length the hero Diomede 
 Arose and said : " Atrides, I will first 
 Reprove thy folly, as I well may do, 
 A king, in the assembly ; nor do thou 
 Give way to wrath 1 Who once among the Greeks 
 Despised my power, and dealt with me as one 
 Weak and unwarlike. And all this know well 
 The Greeks both young and old. But unto thee 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER, 59 
 
 The son of wily Cronos hath dispensed 
 Discordant qualities. With rule, indeed, 
 Above them all he hath exalted thee ; 
 But courag:e is not thine, though this is far 
 The best resource. Good sir, dost thou suppose 
 The sons of Greece will show themselves for war 
 Unfit, and powerless, as thy words imply .'' 
 But if thy mind on going home is fixed. 
 Go Ihou 1 the way is open and the ships 
 Lie by the sea, the fleet which sailed with thee 
 From far Mycene ; but we other Greeks 
 Will here abide until we've overthrown 
 The Trojan city. But were these in ships 
 To flee to their dear father-land ; yet we, 
 Stout Sthenelus and I, will struggle on 
 Till Ilium's towers are levelled with the dust ; 
 (For by the favour of a god we came.") 
 So said he, and the Greeks with one accord 
 Shouted assent, by Diomede's brave words 
 Encouraged. Then among them Nestor old 
 Arose and said : " Tydides, thou in war 
 Excellest, and in council there is none 
 Before thee, of like age, nor can the Greeks 
 Blame what thou say'st, or question thee again ; 
 But there is something more, for thou art young. 
 And well might'st be the youngest of my sons. 
 Yet thou speak' st wisely to the Grecian chiefs. 
 And what is just. But I who am so much 
 
6o THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Thy senior will speak out, and all the points 
 Examine ; nor may any one reject 
 My counsel, not e'en Agamemnon, king. 
 Friendless and lawless, and without a home 
 Must he be who exults in civil strife. 
 With its chill horrors. So now let us yield 
 To dusky night, and let us straight prepare 
 The evening meal, and let the sentinels 
 Be placed at intervals beside the trench 
 Outside the wall ; this is the young men's part. 
 But thou, Atrides, over all must be ; 
 For 'tis thy royal place ; feast thou the chiefs 
 As well beseems thee. In the tents is wine 
 In plenty, which from Thrace the Achaian ships 
 Bring daily o'er the ocean's wide expanse. 
 The means are all at hand, and thou art king 
 Of many men, and of the numerous throng 
 Trust thou in him who can advise the best. 
 Great need have all the Greeks of counsel good, 
 And well thought out, for all around the ships 
 The camp-fires of our enemies burn bright. 
 Who would not grieve at this ? this very night 
 The army will be either lost or saved." 
 So spake he, and they heard him and obeyed 
 With eagerness ; the sentries with their arms 
 Hastened, led on by Thrasymedes brave, 
 The son of Nestor, and Ascalaphus 
 And stout lalmenus, all warriors good. 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 6 1 
 
 And Aphareiis, and Deipyrus, 
 
 Meriones, and by the god-like son 
 
 Of Creon, Lycomedes. Seven they were, 
 
 Chiefs of the watch, and following each went forth 
 
 With long-shanked spears in hand a hundred youths ; 
 
 And took their posts between the trench and wall. 
 
 There lit they fires, and each his meal prepared. 
 
 But the Achaian chiefs Atrides brought 
 
 Together in his tent, and spread for them 
 
 Substantial fare. And on the wholesome food 
 
 That lay before them, with keen appetite 
 
 They put their hands. And when desire for meat 
 
 And drink was gone, the aged Nestor first 
 
 Began to unfold his counsel, whose before 
 
 Had seemed the best : endued with judgment sound. 
 
 He rose and said : " Atrides, famed afar, 
 
 King Agamemnon, I in thee will end, 
 
 In thee begin ; for thou art counted king 
 
 O'er many peoples, and to thee hath Zeus 
 
 Ordained the sceptre and prerogative. 
 
 That thou by them mayst regulate thy course. 
 
 Wherefore 'tis fit that thou should' st speak the most. 
 
 Yet listen to another, and his words 
 
 Change into action when his soul is moved 
 
 To counsel what is good ; for with thee rests 
 
 The initiative. But I will now declare 
 
 What seems to me to be the better way ; 
 
 For no one can devise a wiser plan 
 
62 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Than this, which is and has been from the first 
 
 My thought, since thou didst go, O Zeus-sprung prince. 
 
 And from incensed Achilles' tent didst take 
 
 The maid Briseis, much against my mind, 
 
 (For very strongly I dissuaded thee.) 
 
 But yielding to thy arrogance of soul. 
 
 Thou hast insulted one of noblest mould, 
 
 Whom e'en immortals honour ; for his prize 
 
 Taking, thou keepest. Yet now let us still 
 
 Consider how with gifts and gentle words 
 
 And soothing, we may pacify his wrath." 
 
 Then answered Agamemnon, King of men : 
 
 " My aged friend, thou hast too truly told 
 
 My folly ; I have erred, nor will I spurn 
 
 Thy counsel. He is worthy more than most. 
 
 And loved at heart by Zeus, who now his cause 
 
 Avenges, taking victory from the Greeks. 
 
 And since I've erred, by evil promptings led, 
 
 I wish to make amends, and give to him 
 
 Full compensation, and before you all 
 
 I name what it shall be ; seven tripods new 
 
 That have not felt the fire ; and talents ten 
 
 Of gold ; and twenty basins gleaming bright ; 
 
 And horses twelve, well-knit, and prize-winners 
 
 By reason of their fleetness : he who owns 
 
 Such horses could not be accounted poor, 
 
 Nor lacking precious gold, the prizes won 
 
 By these swift racers. And I'll give beside 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 63 
 
 Seven women, Lesbians, skilled in fancy work, 
 
 Whom when he captured Lesbos, well-built town, 
 
 I chose, and who the most of woman-kind 
 
 Surpass in beauty. These I'll send to him, 
 
 And she whom I bore off shall go with them. 
 
 The girl Briseis. And besides, I'll swear 
 
 A mighty oath, that never to her bed 
 
 I've gone, nor joined with her in love's embrace, 
 
 As is man's way with woman. All these things 
 
 Shall forthwith be produced. And if besides, 
 
 The gods shall grant us Priam's mighty town 
 
 To devastate ; he sacking it, a ship 
 
 Shall load with gold and brass unstintedly. 
 
 When we Greeks make division of the spoil. 
 
 And twenty Trojan women he may choose, 
 
 Only than Argive Helen less esteemed 
 
 For beauty. And if e'er we come again 
 
 To Argos in Achaia, fruitful land. 
 
 He shall become my son-in-law, whom I 
 
 Equally with Orestes will esteem. 
 
 My only son, in much abundance nursed. 
 
 Three daughters have I in my well-built house. 
 
 Their names Chrysothemis, Laodike, 
 
 And Iphianassa : which of these he will. 
 
 Without a bridegroom's presents, to the house 
 
 Of Peleus he may bring, and dowry large 
 
 I'll give, the like of which no man has e'er 
 
 Endowed his daughters with : seven cities, large, 
 
64 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Well peopled, I will give : Cardamyle, 
 And Enope, and Hyr6 'mong the meads, 
 And sacred Pherse, and Antheia, rich 
 In grass-land, and ^paea fair, and wine- 
 Producing Pedasus. They all are near 
 The sea, and to the confines stretch away 
 Of sandy Pylos. And therein dwell men 
 Wealthy in sheep and oxen, who with gifts 
 Will honour him as if he were a god, 
 And who beneath his sway will still observe 
 Their gracious ways. All this will I perform 
 If he will quell his wrath — Why should he not ? 
 Hades implacable, unyielding is. 
 And therefore is most hated by mankind 
 Of all the gods. Then let him yield to me. 
 Seeing I am of higher rank than he. 
 And older." Then Gerenian Nestor old, 
 Replied : " Most famed Atrides, King of men. 
 No more the gifts thou oflferest will be scorned 
 By King Achilles ; come now, chosen men 
 Let us appoint to go in utmost haste. 
 And seek the tent of Peleus' mighty son. 
 I if thou wilt, will choose them, and let them 
 Obey. First Phoenix, well-beloved of Zeus, 
 Shall take the lead ; then Ajax, called the great. 
 Shall go, and wise Odysseus, god-like man. 
 And of the heralds there shall follow them 
 Odius and Eurybates. Now bring 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 65 
 
 Water to lave their hands, and bid them keep 
 
 Silence, that we to Cronos' son may pray, 
 
 If he perchance may pity us." He spake, 
 
 And all approved his words. The heralds straight 
 
 Poured water on their hands, and young men crowned 
 
 The bowls with wine, and dealt it out to all 
 
 In due succession ; and when they had made 
 
 Libation, and had drunk what wine they would, 
 
 They left in haste King Agamemnon's tent ; 
 
 And many charges aged Nestor gave. 
 
 Glancing at each, and at Odysseus most. 
 
 How they must strive to move the haughty soul 
 
 Of Peleus' blameless son. And on they went 
 
 Along the moaning ocean's sandy shore. 
 
 Praying much to Poseidon, Earth-shaker, 
 
 And Earth-encircler, hoping he would melt 
 
 The heart of great ^akides. They come 
 
 To where his Myrmidons their tents and ships' 
 
 Had placed, and found him solacing himself 
 
 With fingering his lyre, fine-toned, adorned 
 
 With cunning work, and bearing on its horns 
 
 A bar of silver : 'twas among the spoil 
 
 When he the city of Eetion sacked. 
 
 With it he soothed his soul and sang the feats 
 
 Of heroes, and in silence sat with him 
 
 Patroclus only, waiting till his friend 
 
 Should end his song. Odysseus leading them, 
 
 They entered and before Achilles stood. 
 
66 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Surprised, with lyre in hand he rose and left 
 His seat ; Patroclus also, seeing them. 
 Arose. And fleet Achilles greeting them 
 Exclaimed : " Hail, either if as friends ye come, 
 Or some great urgency has brought you here, 
 Who are to me the dearest of the Greeks, 
 Vexed though I am." So great Achilles said. 
 And made them sit on couches and on rugs 
 Of purple, and immediately he called 
 Patroclus who was near: " Mencetius' son, 
 Bring out the larger bowl, mix purer wine. 
 And set a cup for each, for dearest friends 
 Have sought my roof." So said he, and so did 
 Patroclus his loved comrade's call obey. 
 And in the fire-light placed a mighty tray. 
 Putting thereon of flesh of sheep and goat 
 The choicest parts, and chine of well-fed hog. 
 With fatness redolent. Automedon 
 Held them, but great Achilles carved the meat ; 
 And well he did it, and the pieces stuck 
 On spits ; Menoetius' son, the god-like man. 
 Kindling a blazing fire — and when the fire 
 Burnt low, and died the flame, he spread about 
 The embers, lifting from their stands the spits. 
 And sprinkled sacred salt upon the meat. 
 And when the roast was finished and upon 
 The dresser lodged, Patroclus then took bread 
 And in fair wicker baskets set it out 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 67 
 
 Upon the table ; but Achilles self 
 
 Dealt out the meat. This done, his seat he took 
 
 Facing Odysseus, 'gainst the other wall. 
 
 And bade Patroclus, his companion loved. 
 
 Make offering to the gods ; who on the fire 
 
 The offering placed. And then upon the meats 
 
 Before them spread, their willing hands they laid. 
 
 And when the wish for food and drink was gone, 
 
 Ajax made sign to Phoenix ; seeing this, 
 
 Divine Odysseus filled his cup with wine 
 
 And thus he pledged Achilles : " Hail, thou son 
 
 Of Peleus, nought of banquet fair we lack. 
 
 Whether in Agamemnon's tent or here, 
 
 For thou hast given us a grateful meal. 
 
 Yet not for pleasant banquet is our care, 
 
 But a disaster dire before us looms. 
 
 Filling our hearts with dread ; for much we fear, 
 
 Zeus-nurtured prince, our well-benched ships may be 
 
 A prey to hostile fire, unless thy might 
 
 Thou puttest on. For near our ships and wall 
 
 The daring Trojans, and allies, from far 
 
 Summoned, have pitched their tents, and many fires 
 
 Are blazing in their camp, and 'tis their boast 
 
 That nought shall hinder them from falling on 
 
 Our dark-hulled ships. And Zeus, old Cronos' son. 
 
 Thunders auspicious omens in their cause. 
 
 And Hector, glorying in his might, with wrath 
 
 Is filled, and places all his trust In Zeus, 
 
68 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Neither cares he for men or other gods : 
 
 Intensely for the conflict yearneth he, 
 
 And for the coming of the Dawn divine 
 
 He prays. For from our ships he vows he'll hurl 
 
 The towering poops, and burn the hulls with fire 
 
 Unquenchable, and there will overcome 
 
 The Achaians all bewildered with the smoke. 
 
 So in my heart I dread exceedingly 
 
 Lest his proud vaunts the god may bring to pass, 
 
 And it may be our doom to die at Troy 
 
 Far from horse-feeding Argos. But arise. 
 
 If thou hast any wish, though late, to save 
 
 The sons of Greece, worn out with wars' alarms. 
 
 In time to come 'twould be a grief to thee 
 
 Thyself, nor could a way be found to heal 
 
 The mischief done. But think while there is time 
 
 How thou mayst turn away this evil day 
 
 From Greece. My friend, remember what thy sire 
 
 Peleus impressed upon thee when he once 
 
 Sent thee away from Phthia to the abode 
 
 Of Agamemnon : ' Son, the goddesses 
 
 Pallas and Her^, if it be their will, 
 
 Will give thee might, but do thou put restraint 
 
 Upon the haughty soul within thy breast, 
 
 For courteousness is best. Abstain from strife. 
 
 The source of mischief, and the Argive men 
 
 Both old and young will honour thee the more. 
 
 So the old man enjoined, but thou hast not 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 69 
 
 Remembered, but pause even now, and cease 
 Thy life-consuming wrath, for worthy gifts 
 Will Agamemnon make thy own if thou 
 Wilt cease from anger. And if thou wilt hear, 
 I will enumerate what noble gifts 
 Stored in his tents hath Agamemnon vowed. 
 Seven tripods new and clean, and talents ten 
 Of gold, and twenty basins gleaming bright, 
 And horses twelve, well-knit and prize-winners 
 By reason of their fleetness. He who owns 
 Such horses could not be accounted poor. 
 Nor lacking precious gold, the prizes won 
 By these swift racers. And he'll give beside 
 Seven women, Lesbians, skilled in cunning work. 
 Whom when the well-built Lesbos thou did'st take. 
 He chose, and who the most of woman-kind 
 Surpass in beauty. Them he'll send to thee. 
 And with them there shall go whom he bore off, 
 The girl Briseis ; and beside he'll swear 
 A mighty oath that never to her bed 
 He's gone, nor joined with her in love's embrace. 
 As is man's way with woman. All these things 
 Shall forthwith be produced. And if besides. 
 The gods shall grant us Priam's mighty town 
 To overthrow ; thou ransacking, a ship 
 Shalt load with gold and brass unstintedly. 
 When we Greeks make division of the spoil. 
 And twenty Trojan women thou may'st choose. 
 
70 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Only than Argive Helen less esteemed 
 For beauty. And if e'er we come again 
 To Argos in Achaia, richest land, 
 Thou may' St become his son-in-law, and with 
 Orestes equally be honoured there, 
 His only son, in much abundance nursed. 
 Three daughters has he in his well-built house. 
 Their names Chrysothemis, Laodike, 
 And Iphianassa : which of these thou wilt, 
 Without a bridegroom's presents to the house 
 Of Peleus thou may'st bring. And dowry large 
 He'll give, the like of which no man has e'er 
 Endowed his daughter with : seven cities large, 
 Well peopled, he will give, Cardamyle, 
 And Enope, and Hyre 'mong the meads, 
 And sacred Pherae, and Antheia rich 
 In grass-land, and ^Epsea fair, and wine- 
 Producing Pedasus. They all are near 
 The sea, and to the confines stretch away 
 Of sandy Pylos. And therein dwell men 
 Wealthy in sheep and oxen, who with gifts 
 Will honour thee as if thou wert a god. 
 And who beneath thy sway will still observe 
 Their gracious ways. All this will he perform 
 If thou wilt quell thy wrath. And if the son 
 Of Atreus is too hateful to thy heart. 
 He and his gifts, yet pity thou the Greeks 
 Exhausted with the conflict, who thyself 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 7 1 
 
 Will honour as a god. For great indeed 
 
 The glory thou may'st reap. Yea, Hector's self 
 
 Thou might' St o'ercome since he would seek for thee 
 
 In deadly conflict, and he boasts that none 
 
 Of all the Greeks who hither brought their ships 
 
 Can equal him." Achilles swift of foot 
 
 Answered and said : " Laertes' noble son. 
 
 Crafty Odysseus, I must needs reply 
 
 Bluntly, and let you know my mind and fixed 
 
 Determination, that you, sitting here 
 
 Weary me not with specious arguments ; 
 
 For as the gates of Hades do I hate 
 
 The man who hides one thing within his breast. 
 
 And says another. But what seems to me 
 
 The best I will speak out. I do not think 
 
 Atrides Agamemnon will prevail. 
 
 Or other Greeks to move my fix^d soul ; 
 
 For 'tis no joy to fight incessantly 
 
 With hostile men. Fate comes the same to him 
 
 Who shuns the war and to the man who fights 
 
 His utmost ; in one honour are we held, 
 
 The cowards and the brave ; and die alike 
 
 The man who works not, and the man whose toil 
 
 Is great ; nor would it profit me who've borne 
 
 Much grief to be for ever hazarding 
 
 My life in war. And as a bird conveys 
 
 Food to her unfledged nestlings when 'tis gained. 
 
 And fares herself but badly in the quest, 
 
72 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 So I through many sleepless nights have passed, 
 
 And many bloody days have spent in war, 
 
 Fighting with warriors on your wives' behalf. 
 
 Twelve thriving cities with my ships I've sacked, 
 
 Eleven by land I boast to have o'erthrown 
 
 In fertile Troia; and from these I've borne 
 
 Much treasure rich, and all I brought and gave 
 
 To Agamemnon. And he lingering 
 
 Beside the swift ships, took it all, and dealt 
 
 But little out, and kept the most himself. 
 
 What prizes to the nobles and the kings 
 
 He made division of, remain their own ; 
 
 Me only hath he robbed, and now he has 
 
 The girl I took delight in. Let him take 
 
 His pleasure with her. But why should the Greeks 
 
 Fight with the Trojans ? Wherefore did the king 
 
 Muster the people and convey them here ? 
 
 Was it not for the fair-haired Helen's sake .'' 
 
 Do the Atridas only love their wives 
 
 Of mortal men ? Nay, every man who thinks 
 
 Aright his own wife cherishes and loves. 
 
 But now since from my hands my prize he's borne. 
 
 Cheating me, let him not think fit to tempt 
 
 One who sees through him. He will not succeed. 
 
 But let him now deliberate with thee 
 
 And with the other Greeks how best ye may 
 
 From Grecian ships ward off the hostile fire. 
 
 For many things he's done without my aid. 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 73 
 
 Even built a wall and drawn around a trench, 
 Both wide and deep, and fixed upon its bank 
 A palisade. But not so can he check 
 The might of Hector, slaughterer of men. 
 As long as I was fighting with the Greeks, 
 Hector was loth beyond the walls of Troy 
 To venture, but came only to the oak, 
 And Sksean gates, where once in single fight 
 He met me, and but barely saved his life. 
 But now, since I no longer wish to fight 
 With godlike Hector ; when to-morrow comes. 
 And I have offered sacrifice to Zeus 
 And all the gods, and launched my vessels, well 
 Loading them, thou shalt see, (if thou dost wish, 
 And such things are a care to thee,) my ships 
 Sailing across fish-teeming Hellespont 
 At dawn ; and eager rowers thronging them. 
 And if the famous Earthshaker should grant 
 Fair passage, on the third day I shall come 
 To fertile Phthia. There have I much wealth. 
 Left when I came here roaming o'er the sea ; 
 And other gold I'll add, and ruddy brass 
 And well-girt women, and much hoary steel 
 Which fell to me by lot. But yet my prize 
 Atrides Agamemnon, though he gave. 
 Dared in his insolence to take away. 
 To whom tell everything as I instruct. 
 Openly, that the other Greeks may be 
 
74 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Indignant also, if perchance he still, 
 
 (For ever clothed with impudence,) should hope 
 
 To cheat some other man. He will not dare, 
 
 Though void of shame, to look me in the face. 
 
 Nor will I join in conference with him, 
 
 Or warlike deed ; for he has cheated me 
 
 And done me wrong, and never shall again 
 
 Delude me with his words. He's sinned enough ; 
 
 But let him go unharmed, for Zeus, the lord 
 
 Of counsel, has his intellect disturbed. 
 
 His gifts are hateful to me, and himself 
 
 I hold in high contempt. Not, should he give 
 
 Ten times or twenty times the gifts he's named, 
 
 And even more would give ; not all the wealth 
 
 That flows into Orchomenus, nor what 
 
 Egyptian Thebes contains, (of treasure full. 
 
 Where are the hundred gates, and where through each 
 
 Two hundred men drive out their well-horsed cars,) 
 
 Not if his gifts were countless as the sand 
 
 Or dust, would Agamemnon so persuade 
 
 My fix^d mind ere he in full atone 
 
 For all his grievous insolence to me. 
 
 I will not marry Agamemnon's child. 
 
 Not even if in beauty she may vie 
 
 With golden Aphrodite, and in skill 
 
 With gleaming-eyed Athene. Not e'en then 
 
 Should I desire to take her. Let him choose 
 
 Some other Greek, of higher rank and more 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 75 
 
 Befitting her, for if indeed the gods 
 Preserve me, and I reach my home again. 
 Then surely Peleus' self will find for me 
 A wife, for many are the Achaian maids 
 In Hellas and in Phthia claiming sires 
 Of noble blood, their cities' guardian lords. 
 Of these, her whom I will I'll make my wife. 
 And much I've brooded in my manly mind 
 How, wedding a fair maid, I may enjoy 
 The wealth of aged Peleus. For not all 
 Which, (as they say,) in Ilium was contained. 
 Well-fenced city, in the peaceful time 
 Before the Achaians came, is worth my life ; 
 Nor what the stony threshold of the god. 
 The archer Phoebus, holds within its bounds 
 In rocky Pythos. For fat flocks and herds 
 In foray may be won, and tripods tall. 
 And chestnut horses ; but the life of man 
 When it has crossed the enclosure of his teeth 
 Can ne'er return ; no foray will avail, 
 Nor can it be recovered. For declares 
 My goddess mother of the silver foot. 
 The fates have two ways fixed my end of life. 
 If I stay here and round the Trojan walls 
 Wage war, the hope of my return is gone. 
 But I shall win imperishable fame ; 
 And if instead I to my home return 
 And much-loved fatherland, my fame is gone. 
 
76 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 But my life will be mine, nor shall I soon 
 Yield it in death. And to you other Greeks 
 I give this counsel ; to your homes sail back, 
 Since never shall ye, staying, see the end 
 Of lofty Ilium. For wide-seeing Zeus 
 Hath raised on her behalf his mighty arm. 
 And courage fills her people. But go ye 
 And speak my message to the Grecian chiefs. 
 ('Tis due to them,) that so they may devise 
 Other and better way to save their ships 
 And Grecian host encamped upon the shore ; 
 For this is unavailable which now 
 They've chosen since my wrath is unappeased. 
 But Phcenix, he shall stay here and repose. 
 That on the morrow he may sail with me, 
 If so he will, to his dear father-land, 
 But no constraint think I to put on him." 
 So spake he, and they all with one consent 
 Were silent with astonishment ; for stern 
 Indeed was his refusal. Afterwards 
 The aged warrior Phoenix found a voice 
 Amidst his tears, so great was his alarm 
 For the Achaian ships : " If thou indeed, 
 Far-famed Achilles, in thy mind revolv'st 
 Thy going home, and carest not the least 
 To keep the fatal burning from the ships. 
 Being so full of rage ; how then can I, 
 Dear son, be left alone here far from thee ? 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 77 
 
 Of thee the aged Peleus gave me charge 
 That day when he from Phthia sent me to 
 The abode of Agamemnon, yet a child 
 Untaught in warfare and the agora's arts 
 Wherein men make a name. And thee he sent 
 To learn these things : to be an orator 
 And man of action too. So then, dear child, 
 I would not be left here apart from thee, 
 Not even if a god himself should vow 
 To free me from old age and make me young, 
 Such as I was when Hellas first I left. 
 Land of fair women, fleeing from my sire, 
 Amyntor, son of Ormenus, whose ire 
 Burnt hot against me for his concubine 
 Whom loving, he cast slight upon his wife. 
 My mother. And she pressed me much and oft 
 To couch with her, the concubine, that so 
 She might be odious to the aged man. 
 And I obeying, did so. And my sire. 
 At once suspecting, uttered many a curse. 
 Invoking the Erinnyes dread, and vowed 
 That never should a son of mine be nursed 
 Upon his knees. And these his curses deep 
 The gods fulfilled ; the underworld's great lord 
 And dread Persephone. Then him I thought 
 To slay with my keen sword. But my stern ire 
 Was quelled by some immortal who my mind 
 Filled with the thought of popular report, 
 
78 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Lest I should be among Achaian men 
 
 Called parricide. No longer could I bear 
 
 In the abode of my vexed sire to stay ; 
 
 Yet friends and kinsmen who surrounded me. 
 
 Detained me in his house with many prayers. 
 
 And many sheep and oxen sound they slew, 
 
 And many hogs with rich fat overlaid 
 
 Singeing, they stretched across Hephaistos' flame ; 
 
 And much wine from the old man's jars they drank. 
 
 Nine times they spent the night around my couch, 
 
 Keeping the watch in turn, and never were 
 
 The fires extinguished, one alive beneath 
 
 The well-fenced court-yard's corridor, and one 
 
 In the forehouse before the chamber's doors. 
 
 But when the tenth dark night o'erspread the ways, 
 
 I, breaking through the chamber's well-fit doors, 
 
 Went out, and bounding o'er the court-yard's fence 
 
 With ease, escaped the notice of the watch, 
 
 Both men, and women servants. Then I fled 
 
 Away through spacious Hellas, and I came 
 
 To fertile Phthia, flock-abounding land, 
 
 To Peleus, king. And he with willing mind 
 
 Received me and he loved me, as his son 
 
 A father loves, his only one, the heir 
 
 To his possessions. And he made me rich, 
 
 And granted me much people, and I dwelt 
 
 In Phthia's furthest region, ruling o'er 
 
 Dolopian men. And with my heart's great love. 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER, 79 
 
 Godlike Achilles, thee I cherished so. 
 
 That with none other wouldst thou ever go 
 
 To banquet, nor wouldst taste it in the house 
 
 Ere I had caught thee on my knees, and fed 
 
 With dainty bits of meat and sips of wine. 
 
 And often wouldst thou stain my tunic's breast 
 
 Spurting the wine with childish wantonness. 
 
 So did I bear and labour much for thee, 
 
 This thinking, as the gods have granted me 
 
 No son, that I would tend thee as a son. 
 
 Godlike Achilles, so mightst thou some day 
 
 Shield me from sad calamity. But bend 
 
 Thy mighty soul, Achilles, 'tis not meet 
 
 Thy heart should ne'er relent ; the gods themselves 
 
 May be appeased, whose dignity and might 
 
 Are greater ; and with offerings and prayers. 
 
 Libations and the smoke of sacrifice. 
 
 Men may prevail to turn aside their wrath 
 
 When they have erred, or run into excess. 
 
 For Prayers are daughters too of mighty Zeus, 
 
 But lame and wrinkled, and with eyes asquint. 
 
 And trail on after At^ in her course : 
 
 But At^'s strength is firm and swift her foot. 
 
 Wherefore she far surpasses them in speed, 
 
 And so forestalls them over all the earth. 
 
 Injuring men, and Prayers bind up her wounds. 
 
 To him who reverences the maids of Zeus 
 
 When they come near, they, hearkening to his call. 
 
8o THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Vouchsafe their potent aid. But he who spurns, 
 
 And stubbornly repels them, upon him, 
 
 Flying to Zeus Cronion, they entreat 
 
 That Atd may attend, and smiting him 
 
 Give just requital. So, Achilles, yield 
 
 Honour and service to the maids of Zeus, 
 
 Who at least other heroes' souls can bend. 
 
 For if Atrides did not offer gifts, 
 
 Naming what they should be, but still remained 
 
 Relentlessly obdurate, surely then 
 
 I would not ask thee, throwing wrath aside. 
 
 To shield the Greeks, though sorely needing help. 
 
 But now at once he'll give thee many gifts, 
 
 And more he promises, and he has sent 
 
 The foremost men to move thee with their prayers, 
 
 Choosing for this among the Achaian host 
 
 Men dearest to myself of all the Greeks, 
 
 Whom do not thou dishonour in their words 
 
 Or mission ; but before this there was ground 
 
 For thy great ire. And so, as we have heard. 
 
 Did heroes of old time when towering wrath 
 
 Rose in some breast ; they could be won by gifts. 
 
 And were accessible to argument. 
 
 A case I have in mind of long ago, 
 
 Not recent, and I'll tell to you, my friends. 
 
 How it occurred : the staunch .(Etolian men 
 
 Fought with the Curetes for Calydon, 
 
 Famed city, and the slaughter was not small 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 8 1 
 
 On either side. The ^tohans fought to keep 
 
 Fair Calydon ; the Curetes burned hot 
 
 To overthrow it. For the golden-throned 
 
 Artemis wrought its ruin, vexed because 
 
 .iEneus to her no sacrifices gave, 
 
 The first-fruits of his lands, though other gods 
 
 Had hecatombs, but only to the child 
 
 Of mighty Zeus no offering was made, 
 
 Through inattention or forgetfulness. 
 
 Thus the slight rankled keenly in her heart, 
 
 And she, the arrow-shooter, in her wrath 
 
 Sent to his detriment a white-tusked boar 
 
 Fierce from the woods, which haunting .iEneus' land. 
 
 Did him much harm, and many goodly trees 
 
 Uprooted in their bloom, and ruined all 
 
 Their fruiting promise. And this mighty boar 
 
 Was slain by Mel eager, valiant son 
 
 Of .(Eneus with the aid of many men 
 
 And dogs, for with a few he might not be 
 
 Subdued, so savage was he, many a one 
 
 Causing to load the dismal funeral-pyre. 
 
 And Artemis much rivalry aroused 
 
 Between the .(Etolians and the Curetes, 
 
 Which should the boar's head and his rough hide win. 
 
 As long as warlike Meleager fought, 
 
 111 went it with the Curetes, who feared 
 
 To venture near the wall although their force 
 
 Was strong. But when in Meleager" s heart 
 
82 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Wrath sprang, which swells the breasts of other men 
 
 Accounted wise, he, with his mother vexed, 
 
 Althaea, to his wedded wife withdrew, 
 
 Fair Cleopatra, who for parents claimed 
 
 Marpessa slim of foot, Evenus' child, 
 
 And Idas, mightiest of men who then 
 
 Dwelt on the earth. He taking arms against 
 
 Phoebus Apollo, king, contended for 
 
 The shapely-ancled nymph. Her father then 
 
 And lady mother gave her in their home 
 
 The surname Alcyonfe, because for her 
 
 Her mother wept with grief like Alcyone's 
 
 When Phoebus the far-shooter dragged her off. 
 
 With his wife, nursing anger in his heart. 
 
 Stayed Meleager, with his mother vexed, 
 
 Who grieving for her brother's death, much prayer 
 
 Made to the gods, and beat the fruitful ground. 
 
 Sunk on her knees, her bosom wet with tears, 
 
 Invoking Hades and Persephone 
 
 To bring death to her son. And she was heard 
 
 From Erebus by her who walks in gloom, 
 
 Erinnys, for a cruel heart had she. 
 
 And speedily around their gates arose 
 
 The din and crash of falling towers and walls. 
 
 Him then the .^tolian elders much besought 
 
 (Sending their gods' chief priests,) to come and fight 
 
 On their side, promising a noble gift. 
 
 Where Calydon's fair plain is richest land 
 
 They bade him choose a fifty-acre farm, 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 83 
 
 The best, of vine-land half, the other half 
 Of open corn-land ; and the aged chief, 
 iEneus besought him much, and stood beside 
 The threshold of his lofty-roofed abode. 
 And knocking loudly at the close-fit doors, 
 Entreated him. His lady mother too 
 And sisters joined their prayers, but he the more 
 Refused them. And his comrades added theirs, 
 They whom he valued most, and whom he held 
 Dearest of all. But not e'en these availed 
 To move the stubborn heart within his breast. 
 Until indeed his dwelling was attacked, • 
 And, swarming o'er the walls, the Curetes 
 Fired the great city. Then his wife, alarmed. 
 In tears, entreated Meleager much, 
 Telling him all her trouble, and what haps 
 At capture of a city ; how the men 
 Are slain, how burning devastates the homes, 
 And strangers seize the children and the wives. 
 These horrors brought to mind aroused his ire, 
 And rising, he his shining armour donned ; 
 And thus from the ^tolians he kept off 
 An evil day, relenting in his mind. 
 But they their promised bounty rendered not. 
 Though he had sent the evil from their doors. 
 So do not thou think thus within thy heart. 
 Nor let a god avert thee, O my friend ; 
 For when the ships are burning 'twould be hard 
 
84 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 To render help. But look thou at the gifts, 
 For like a god the Greeks will honour thee ; 
 But if without a gift the deadly fight 
 Thou enterest on, thou wouldst not then receive 
 Such honour, though thou turn the tide of war." 
 And swift- footed Achilles, answering, said : 
 " O father Phoenix, old man Zeus-beloved, 
 This honour want I not ; for, as I think, 
 I shall have honour by decree of Zeus 
 Restraining me beside the beaked ships 
 As long as breath remains within my breast, 
 And power within my limbs. And this word too 
 I'll say, and let it sink into thine heart : 
 Disquiet not my mind with tears and grief, 
 Bringing joy to Atrides ; 'tis not meet 
 Him thou shouldst love, or so thou mayst incur 
 My hatred who love thee. 'Tis good for me 
 To care for him who feels for my distress. 
 Reign thou with me, my equal, and partake 
 Of half my honour. These will carry back 
 My message, but do thou abide with me 
 And take thy rest upon an easeful couch. 
 And with the morning light will we debate 
 Whether to Phthia's land we shall depart. 
 Or here remain." He said, and made a sign 
 In silence to Patroclus to spread out 
 A warm soft bed, that so the two might think 
 'Twas time for their departure from the tent. 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 85 
 
 Then Ajax godlike son of Telamon 
 
 Exclaimed : " Odysseus, man of many arts, 
 
 Son of Laertes, Zeus-sprung, let us go, 
 
 Vain is the use of further argument ! 
 
 With all speed must we carry to the Greeks 
 
 His answer, unpropitious though it is, 
 
 Who now perchance in expectation sit. 
 
 But merciless Achilles' mighty heart 
 
 Is callous, nor to comrades can be turned 
 
 By friendship, though for this we honoured him 
 
 More than all others by the beaked ships ; 
 
 Relentless one ! Another man would take 
 
 Atonement for the slaughter of his son, 
 
 Or of his brother, and who did the deed 
 
 Abides among the people, having paid 
 
 The ransom, and the other's manly heart 
 
 For this restrains itself; but in thy breast 
 
 The gods have put a heart implacable. 
 
 Ill-boding, and all this for one girl's sake. 
 
 And now we offer thee seven choicest maids. 
 
 And many other things would give beside ; 
 
 Let these appease thy wrath, and honour thou 
 
 The roof 'neath which we've met, for we have come 
 
 The chosen of the Greeks, and more than all 
 
 Are anxious for thy welfare and thy love." 
 
 And swift-footed Achilles answering said : 
 
 "Ajax, the people's leader, Zeus-sprung son 
 
 Of Telamon, all this thou seem'st to speak 
 
86 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 Sincerely, but my heart with anger swells 
 When I remember all, and how the son 
 Of Atreus made me vile among the Greeks, 
 As if I were some some wretched wanderer. 
 But go ye now and take my answer back ! 
 For in the bloody war I will not join 
 Ere godlike Hector, kingly Priam's son 
 Assaults with hostile fire the tents and ships, 
 And round the vessels many a Greek lays low. 
 But against my tent, and my dark-hulled ship 
 I fancy Hector, ardent though he be. 
 Will hold his hand." So said he, and they each. 
 Taking a double cup, their pledges gave. 
 And to the ships returned ; Odysseus first. 
 Meantime his comrades and the serving maids 
 Patroclus bade for Phoenix speedily 
 An easeful couch prepare ; who prompt obeyed. 
 And fleeces spread, and rugs, and linen soft. 
 There the old man reclined and waited for 
 The heavenly dawn. But in his well-built tent's 
 Innermost nook divine Achilles slept : 
 And by his side reclined a woman fair. 
 Daughter of Phorbas, DiomedS named, 
 From Lesbos brought. And opposite reposed 
 Patroclus and the well-zoned Iphis, gift 
 Of great Achilles, captured when he took 
 Scyrus upon the rock, Enue's hold. 
 And when into Atrides' tent returned 
 
THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 87 
 
 The embassy, the Greeks with golden cups 
 
 Welcomed them, each man rising, and they gave 
 
 Their message. But first Agamemnon, king. 
 
 Questioned them : " Say, Odysseus, much renowned, 
 
 The Achaians' glory, whether he agrees 
 
 To ward off from the ships the hostile fire, 
 
 Or still refuses, and hot anger still 
 
 Rules liis great heart." Odysseus, godlike man 
 
 And much-enduring, answered : " King of men, 
 
 Most noble Agamemnon, he indeed 
 
 Declines to quell his wrath, nay even more 
 
 Is filled with fury, and rejects outright 
 
 Thee and thy gifts. And thee thyself he bids 
 
 Take counsel with the Greeks how best to save 
 
 The well-benched vessels and the Achaian host. 
 
 And he has threatened with the dawn of day 
 
 To launch into the sea his dark-hulled ships. 
 
 He also vows he will the rest advise 
 
 To sail away for home, since hope is gone 
 
 To see the end of Ilium on the rock. 
 
 For over her wide-seeing Zeus has stretched 
 
 His shielding hand, her people gather heart. 
 
 These were his words, and they who follow me, 
 
 Ajax and the two heralds, prudent men. 
 
 Know what I've told you. But the aged man. 
 
 Phoenix remains to rest, Achilles' guest, 
 
 Asked to sail back with him at break of day 
 
 To his loved fatherland if such his mind, 
 
88 THE ILIAD OF HOMER. 
 
 But no constraint is on him." So he said, 
 
 And all were mute, aghast at what they heard, 
 
 For crushing was the message that he bore. 
 
 And silent long the troubled sons of Greece 
 
 Remained. At length rose warlike Diomede 
 
 And said : " Famed Agamemnon, king of men, 
 
 Would thou hadst not to Peleus' blameless son 
 
 Been suppliant, nor offered costly gifts ! 
 
 For headstrong is he and to reason deaf. 
 
 And now thou hast more swelled his haughty soul. 
 
 But let us leave him to himself, nor care 
 
 Whether he goes or stays. He'll fight again 
 
 What time his heart within his breast impels, 
 
 Or a god moves him. But come, let us do 
 
 As I advise. Now let us take our rest 
 
 When we have cheered our hearts with food and wine. 
 
 Wherein is life and strength, and when the Dawn, 
 
 Fair, rosy-fingered, breaks, in haste array 
 
 The people and the cars before the ships. 
 
 And fight thyself among the foremost chiefs." 
 
 So said he, and the princes all approved. 
 
 Pleased with the words of hero Diomede. 
 
 And then, libations offered, every man 
 
 Sought tent and rest, and on their eye-lids fell 
 
 The gift of sleep. 
 
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