s: from the war, and sends his mother Thetis to ask Jove to help


s: the Trojans--Scene between Jove and Juno on Olympus.


s: Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus, that


s: brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did


s: it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a hero did it yield a


s: prey to dogs and vultures, for so were the counsels of Jove


s: fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men,


s: and great Achilles, first fell out with one another.


s: And which of the gods was it that set them on to quarrel? It was


s: the son of Jove and Leto; for he was angry with the king and sent


s: of Atreus had dishonoured Chryses his priest. Now Chryses had


s: come to the ships of the Achaeans to free his daughter, and had


s: brought with him a great ransom: moreover he bore in his hand the


s: besought the Achaeans, but most of all the two sons of Atreus,


s: "Sons of Atreus," he cried, "and all other Achaeans, may the gods


s: reach your homes in safety; but free my daughter, and accept a


s: ransom for her, in reverence to Apollo, son of Jove."


s: On this the rest of the Achaeans with one voice were for


s: respecting the priest and taking the ransom that he offered; but


s: not so Agamemnon, who spoke fiercely to him and sent him roughly


s: away. "Old man," said he, "let me not find you tarrying about our


s: grow old in my house at Argos far from her own home, busying


s: herself with her loom and visiting my couch; so go, and do not


s: provoke me or it shall be the worse for you."


s: The old man feared him and obeyed. Not a word he spoke, but went


s: by the shore of the sounding sea and prayed apart to King Apollo


s: whom lovely Leto had borne. "Hear me," he cried, "O god of the


s: silver bow, that protectest Chryse and holy Cilla and rulest


s: Tenedos with thy might, hear me oh thou of Sminthe. If I have


s: ever decked your temple with garlands, or burned your thigh-bones


s: avenge these my tears upon the Danaans."


s: Thus did he pray, and Apollo heard his prayer. He came down


s: furious from the summits of Olympus, with his bow and his quiver


s: upon his shoulder, and the arrows rattled on his back with the


s: rage that trembled within him. He sat himself down away from the


s: ships with a face as dark as night, and his silver bow rang death


s: mules and their hounds, but presently he aimed his shafts at the


s: people themselves, and all day long the pyres of the dead were


s: For nine whole days he shot his arrows among the people, but upon


s: Juno, who saw the Achaeans in their death-throes and had


s: compassion upon them. Then, when they were got together, he rose


s: "Son of Atreus," said he, "I deem that we should now turn roving


s: home if we would escape destruction, for we are being cut down by


s: and whether he will accept the savour of lambs and goats without


s: blemish, so as to take away the plague from us."


s: With these words he sat down, and Calchas son of Thestor, wisest


s: of augurs, who knew things past present and to come, rose to


s: speak. He it was who had guided the Achaeans with their fleet to


s: Ilius, through the prophesyings with which Phoebus Apollo had


s: inspired him. With all sincerity and goodwill he addressed them


s: "Achilles, loved of heaven, you bid me tell you about the anger


s: of King Apollo, I will therefore do so; but consider first and


s: swear that you will stand by me heartily in word and deed, for I


s: know that I shall offend one who rules the Argives with might, to


s: now, will yet nurse revenge till he has wreaked it. Consider,


s: therefore, whether or no you will protect me."


s: And Achilles answered, "Fear not, but speak as it is borne in


s: upon you from heaven, for by Apollo, Calchas, to whom you pray,


s: and whose oracles you reveal to us, not a Danaan at our ships


s: shall lay his hand upon you, while I yet live to look upon the


s: face of the earth--no, not though you name Agamemnon himself, who


s: Thereon the seer spoke boldly. "The god," he said, "is angry


s: neither about vow nor hecatomb, but for his priest's sake, whom


s: Agamemnon has dishonoured, in that he would not free his daughter


s: from this pestilence till Agamemnon has restored the girl without


s: Chryse. Thus we may perhaps appease him."


s: With these words he sat down, and Agamemnon rose in anger. His


s: heart was black with rage, and his eyes flashed fire as he


s: scowled on Calchas and said, "Seer of evil, you never yet


s: prophesied smooth things concerning me, but have ever loved to


s: foretell that which was evil. You have brought me neither comfort


s: saying that Apollo has plagued us because I would not take a


s: ransom for this girl, the daughter of Chryses. I have set my


s: heart on keeping her in my own house, for I love her better even


s: than my own wife Clytemnestra, whose peer she is alike in form


s: and feature, in understanding and accomplishments. Still I will


s: give her up if I must, for I would have the people live, not die;


s: Argives shall be without one. This is not well; for you behold,


s: all of you, that my prize is to go elsewhither."


s: And Achilles answered, "Most noble son of Atreus, covetous beyond


s: have no common store from which to take one. Those we took from


s: the cities have been awarded; we cannot disallow the awards that


s: have been made already. Give this girl, therefore, to the god,


s: and if ever Jove grants us to sack the city of Troy we will


s: Then Agamemnon said, "Achilles, valiant though you be, you shall


s: not thus outwit me. You shall not overreach and you shall not


s: persuade me. Are you to keep your own prize, while I sit tamely


s: under my loss and give up the girl at your bidding? Let the


s: Achaeans find me a prize in fair exchange to my liking, or I will


s: whomsoever I may come shall rue my coming. But of this we will


s: take thought hereafter; for the present, let us draw a ship into


s: the sea, and find a crew for her expressly; let us put a hecatomb


s: man among us be in command, either Ajax, or Idomeneus, or


s: yourself, son of Peleus, mighty warrior that you are, that we may


s: Achilles scowled at him and answered, "You are steeped in


s: insolence and lust of gain. With what heart can any of the


s: Achaeans do your bidding, either on foray or in open fighting? I


s: came not warring here for any ill the Trojans had done me. I have


s: horses, nor cut down my harvests on the rich plains of Phthia;


s: for between me and them there is a great space, both mountain and


s: pleasure, not ours--to gain satisfaction from the Trojans for


s: your shameless self and for Menelaus. You forget this, and


s: threaten to rob me of the prize for which I have toiled, and


s: which the sons of the Achaeans have given me. Never when the


s: Achaeans sack any rich city of the Trojans do I receive so good a


s: largest, and I, forsooth, must go back to my ships, take what I


s: can get and be thankful, when my labour of fighting is done. Now,


s: me to return home with my ships, for I will not stay here


s: dishonoured to gather gold and substance for you."


s: And Agamemnon answered, "Fly if you will, I shall make you no


s: prayers to stay you. I have others here who will do me honour,


s: and above all Jove, the lord of counsel. There is no king here so


s: affected. What though you be brave? Was it not heaven that made


s: you so? Go home, then, with your ships and comrades to lord it


s: over the Myrmidons. I care neither for you nor for your anger;


s: and thus will I do: since Phoebus Apollo is taking Chryseis from


s: me, I shall send her with my ship and my followers, but I shall


s: come to your tent and take your own prize Briseis, that you may


s: learn how much stronger I am than you are, and that another may


s: fear to set himself up as equal or comparable with me."


s: The son of Peleus was furious, and his heart within his shaggy


s: breast was divided whether to draw his sword, push the others


s: aside, and kill the son of Atreus, or to restrain himself and


s: check his anger. While he was thus in two minds, and was drawing


s: his mighty sword from its scabbard, Minerva came down from heaven


s: seized the son of Peleus by his yellow hair, visible to him


s: alone, for of the others no man could see her. Achilles turned in


s: that she was Minerva. "Why are you here," said he, "daughter of


s: aegis-bearing Jove? To see the pride of Agamemnon, son of Atreus?


s: And Minerva said, "I come from heaven, if you will hear me, to


s: bid you stay your anger. Juno has sent me, who cares for both of


s: you alike. Cease, then, this brawling, and do not draw your


s: sword; rail at him if you will, and your railing will not be


s: vain, for I tell you--and it shall surely be--that you shall


s: hereafter receive gifts three times as splendid by reason of this


s: "Goddess," answered Achilles, "however angry a man may be, he


s: must do as you two command him. This will be best, for the gods


s: ever hear the prayers of him who has obeyed them."


s: He stayed his hand on the silver hilt of his sword, and thrust it


s: But the son of Peleus again began railing at the son of Atreus,


s: for he was still in a rage. "Wine-bibber," he cried, "with the


s: face of a dog and the heart of a hind, you never dare to go out


s: with the host in fight, nor yet with our chosen men in ambuscade.


s: people, for you are king over a feeble folk; otherwise, son of


s: Atreus, henceforward you would insult no man. Therefore I say,


s: and swear it with a great oath--nay, by this my sceptre which


s: shalt sprout neither leaf nor shoot, nor bud anew from the day on


s: stripped it of leaf and bark, and now the sons of the Achaeans


s: bear it as judges and guardians of the decrees of heaven--so


s: surely and solemnly do I swear that hereafter they shall look


s: fondly for Achilles and shall not find him. In the day of your


s: distress, when your men fall dying by the murderous hand of


s: Hector, you shall not know how to help them, and shall rend your


s: heart with rage for the hour when you offered insult to the


s: With this the son of Peleus dashed his gold-bestudded sceptre on


s: the ground and took his seat, while the son of Atreus was


s: beginning fiercely from his place upon the other side. Then


s: uprose smooth-tongued Nestor, the facile speaker of the Pylians,


s: and the words fell from his lips sweeter than honey. Two


s: generations of men born and bred in Pylos had passed away under


s: his rule, and he was now reigning over the third. With all


s: sincerity and goodwill, therefore, he addressed them thus:--


s: "Of a truth," he said, "a great sorrow has befallen the Achaean


s: land. Surely Priam with his sons would rejoice, and the Trojans


s: be glad at heart if they could hear this quarrel between you two,


s: familiar friend of men even greater than you are, and they did


s: not disregard my counsels. Never again can I behold such men as


s: Pirithous and Dryas shepherd of his people, or as Caeneus,


s: Exadius, godlike Polyphemus, and Theseus son of Aegeus, peer of


s: the immortals. These were the mightiest men ever born upon this


s: earth: mightiest were they, and when they fought the fiercest


s: tribes of mountain savages they utterly overthrew them. I came


s: from distant Pylos, and went about among them, for they would


s: have me come, and I fought as it was in me to do. Not a man now


s: living could withstand them, but they heard my words, and were


s: persuaded by them. So be it also with yourselves, for this is the


s: take not this girl away, for the sons of the Achaeans have


s: already given her to Achilles; and you, Achilles, strive not


s: further with the king, for no man who by the grace of Jove wields


s: have a goddess for your mother; but Agamemnon is stronger than


s: you, for he has more people under him. Son of Atreus, check your


s: anger, I implore you; end this quarrel with Achilles, who in the


s: day of battle is a tower of strength to the Achaeans."


s: And Agamemnon answered, "Sir, all that you have said is true, but


s: lord of all, king of all, and captain of all, and this shall


s: hardly be. Granted that the gods have made him a great warrior,


s: have they also given him the right to speak with railing?"


s: Achilles interrupted him. "I should be a mean coward," he cried,


s: "were I to give in to you in all things. Order other people


s: about, not me, for I shall obey no longer. Furthermore I say--and


s: man about this girl, for those that take were those also that


s: gave. But of all else that is at my ship you shall carry away


s: nothing by force. Try, that others may see; if you do, my spear


s: When they had quarrelled thus angrily, they rose, and broke up


s: the assembly at the ships of the Achaeans. The son of Peleus went


s: company, while Agamemnon drew a vessel into the water and chose a


s: moreover a hecatomb for the god. And Ulysses went as captain.


s: These, then, went on board and sailed their ways over the sea.


s: But the son of Atreus bade the people purify themselves; so they


s: purified themselves and cast their filth into the sea. Then they


s: offered hecatombs of bulls and goats without blemish on the


s: sea-shore, and the smoke with the savour of their sacrifice rose


s: Thus did they busy themselves throughout the host. But Agamemnon


s: did not forget the threat that he had made Achilles, and called


s: his trusty messengers and squires Talthybius and Eurybates. "Go,"


s: come with others and take her--which will press him harder."


s: He charged them straightly further and dismissed them, whereon


s: they went their way sorrowfully by the seaside, till they came to


s: them. They stood fearfully and reverently before him, and never a


s: heralds, messengers of gods and men; draw near; my quarrel is not


s: Briseis. Therefore, Patroclus, bring her and give her to them,


s: but let them be witnesses by the blessed gods, by mortal men, and


s: be need of me to save the people from ruin, they shall seek and


s: they shall not find. Agamemnon is mad with rage and knows not how


s: Patroclus did as his dear comrade had bidden him. He brought


s: Briseis from the tent and gave her over to the heralds, who took


s: her with them to the ships of the Achaeans--and the woman was


s: loth to go. Then Achilles went all alone by the side of the hoar


s: sea, weeping and looking out upon the boundless waste of waters.


s: He raised his hands in prayer to his immortal mother, "Mother,"


s: he cried, "you bore me doomed to live but for a little season;


s: surely Jove, who thunders from Olympus, might have made that


s: little glorious. It is not so. Agamemnon, son of Atreus, has done


s: As he spoke he wept aloud, and his mother heard him where she was


s: Forthwith she rose as it were a grey mist out of the waves, sat


s: down before him as he stood weeping, caressed him with her hand,


s: and said, "My son, why are you weeping? What is it that grieves


s: you? Keep it not from me, but tell me, that we may know it


s: Achilles drew a deep sigh and said, "You know it; why tell you


s: what you know well already? We went to Thebe the strong city of


s: Eetion, sacked it, and brought hither the spoil. The sons of the


s: Achaeans shared it duly among themselves, and chose lovely


s: Chryseis as the meed of Agamemnon; but Chryses, priest of Apollo,


s: brought with him a great ransom: moreover he bore in his hand the


s: besought the Achaeans, but most of all the two sons of Atreus who


s: "On this the rest of the Achaeans with one voice were for


s: respecting the priest and taking the ransom that he offered; but


s: not so Agamemnon, who spoke fiercely to him and sent him roughly


s: away. So he went back in anger, and Apollo, who loved him dearly,


s: Argives, and the people died thick on one another, for the arrows


s: seer in the fulness of his knowledge declared to us the oracles


s: of Apollo, and I was myself first to say that we should appease


s: him. Whereon the son of Atreus rose in anger, and threatened that


s: a ship to Chryse, and sending gifts of sacrifice to the god; but


s: the heralds have just taken from my tent the daughter of Briseus,


s: "Help your brave son, therefore, if you are able. Go to Olympus,


s: and if you have ever done him service in word or deed, implore


s: the aid of Jove. Ofttimes in my father's house have I heard you


s: glory in that you alone of the immortals saved the son of Saturn


s: from ruin, when the others, with Juno, Neptune, and Pallas


s: Minerva would have put him in bonds. It was you, goddess, who


s: delivered him by calling to Olympus the hundred-handed monster


s: whom gods call Briareus, but men Aegaeon, for he is stronger even


s: beside the son of Saturn, the other gods were afraid, and did not


s: knees, and bid him give succour to the Trojans. Let the Achaeans


s: be hemmed in at the sterns of their ships, and perish on the


s: sea-shore, that they may reap what joy they may of their king,


s: and that Agamemnon may rue his blindness in offering insult to


s: Thetis wept and answered, "My son, woe is me that I should have


s: borne or suckled you. Would indeed that you had lived your span


s: free from all sorrow at your ships, for it is all too brief;


s: alas, that you should be at once short of life and long of sorrow


s: you; nevertheless I will go to the snowy heights of Olympus, and


s: tell this tale to Jove, if he will hear our prayer: meanwhile


s: stay where you are with your ships, nurse your anger against the


s: Achaeans, and hold aloof from fight. For Jove went yesterday to


s: Oceanus, to a feast among the Ethiopians, and the other gods went


s: then go to his mansion paved with bronze and will beseech him;


s: nor do I doubt that I shall be able to persuade him."


s: On this she left him, still furious at the loss of her that had


s: been taken from him. Meanwhile Ulysses reached Chryse with the


s: hecatomb. When they had come inside the harbour they furled the


s: sails and laid them in the ship's hold; they slackened the


s: forestays, lowered the mast into its place, and rowed the ship to


s: their mooring-stones and made fast the hawsers. They then got out


s: also left the ship, and Ulysses led her to the altar to deliver


s: her into the hands of her father. "Chryses," said he, "King


s: Agamemnon has sent me to bring you back your child, and to offer


s: sacrifice to Apollo on behalf of the Danaans, that we may


s: propitiate the god, who has now brought sorrow upon the Argives."


s: So saying he gave the girl over to her father, who received her


s: gladly, and they ranged the holy hecatomb all orderly round the


s: altar of the god. They washed their hands and took up the


s: barley-meal to sprinkle over the victims, while Chryses lifted up


s: "O god of the silver bow, that protectest Chryse and holy Cilla,


s: and rulest Tenedos with thy might. Even as thou didst hear me


s: aforetime when I prayed, and didst press hardly upon the


s: Achaeans, so hear me yet again, and stay this fearful pestilence


s: Thus did he pray, and Apollo heard his prayer. When they had done


s: of the victims and killed and flayed them. They cut out the


s: thigh-bones, wrapped them round in two layers of fat, set some


s: pieces of raw meat on the top of them, and then Chryses laid them


s: stood near him with five-pronged spits in their hands. When the


s: thigh-bones were burned and they had tasted the inward meats,


s: they cut the rest up small, put the pieces upon the spits,


s: roasted them till they were done, and drew them off: then, when


s: they had finished their work and the feast was ready, they ate


s: it, and every man had his full share, so that all were satisfied.


s: Thus all day long the young men worshipped the god with song,


s: hymning him and chaunting the joyous paean, and the god took


s: pleasure in their voices; but when the sun went down, and it came


s: of the ship, and when the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn,


s: appeared they again set sail for the host of the Achaeans. Apollo


s: their white sails aloft. As the sail bellied with the wind the


s: ship flew through the deep blue water, and the foam hissed


s: against her bows as she sped onward. When they reached the


s: wide-stretching host of the Achaeans, they drew the vessel


s: ashore, high and dry upon the sands, set her strong props beneath


s: But Achilles abode at his ships and nursed his anger. He went not


s: gnawed at his own heart, pining for battle and the war-cry.


s: Now after twelve days the immortal gods came back in a body to


s: Olympus, and Jove led the way. Thetis was not unmindful of the


s: charge her son had laid upon her, so she rose from under the sea


s: and went through great heaven with early morning to Olympus,


s: where she found the mighty son of Saturn sitting all alone upon


s: its topmost ridges. She sat herself down before him, and with her


s: under the chin, and besought him, saying:--


s: "Father Jove, if I ever did you service in word or deed among the


s: taking his prize and keeping her. Honour him then yourself,


s: Olympian lord of counsel, and grant victory to the Trojans, till


s: the Achaeans give my son his due and load him with riches in


s: Jove sat for a while silent, and without a word, but Thetis still


s: "Incline your head," said she, "and promise me surely, or else


s: deny me--for you have nothing to fear--that I may learn how


s: At this Jove was much troubled and answered, "I shall have


s: trouble if you set me quarrelling with Juno, for she will provoke


s: me before the other gods and accusing me of giving aid to the


s: Trojans. Go back now, lest she should find out. I will consider


s: the matter, and will bring it about as you wish. See, I incline


s: my head that you may believe me. This is the most solemn promise


s: that I can give to any god. I never recall my word, or deceive,


s: or fail to do what I say, when I have nodded my head."


s: As he spoke the son of Saturn bowed his dark brows, and the


s: ambrosial locks swayed on his immortal head, till vast Olympus


s: When the pair had thus laid their plans, they parted--Jove to his


s: plunged into the depths of the sea. The gods rose from their


s: seats, before the coming of their sire. Not one of them dared to


s: remain sitting, but all stood up as he came among them. There,


s: then, he took his seat. But Juno, when she saw him, knew that he


s: and the old merman's daughter, silver-footed Thetis, had been


s: hatching mischief, so she at once began to upbraid him.


s: "Trickster," she cried, "which of the gods have you been taking


s: into your counsels now? You are always settling matters in secret


s: "Juno," replied the sire of gods and men, "you must not expect to


s: find it hard to understand them. When it is proper for you to


s: hear, there is no one, god or man, who will be told sooner, but


s: when I mean to keep a matter to myself, you must not pry nor ask


s: "Dread son of Saturn," answered Juno, "what are you talking


s: about? I? Pry and ask questions? Never. I let you have your own


s: way in everything. Still, I have a strong misgiving that the old


s: merman's daughter Thetis has been talking you over, for she was


s: with you and had hold of your knees this self-same morning. I


s: believe, therefore, that you have been promising her to give


s: glory to Achilles, and to kill much people at the ships of the


s: "Wife," said Jove, "I can do nothing but you suspect me and find


s: it out. You will take nothing by it, for I shall only dislike you


s: you say; I mean to have it so; sit down and hold your tongue as I


s: On this Juno was frightened, so she curbed her stubborn will and


s: sat down in silence. But the heavenly beings were disquieted


s: throughout the house of Jove, till the cunning workman Vulcan


s: began to try and pacify his mother Juno. "It will be


s: intolerable," said he, "if you two fall to wrangling and setting


s: heaven in an uproar about a pack of mortals. If such ill counsels


s: then advise my mother--and she must herself know that it will be


s: better--to make friends with my dear father Jove, lest he again


s: scold her and disturb our feast. If the Olympian Thunderer wants


s: to hurl us all from our seats, he can do so, for he is far the


s: strongest, so give him fair words, and he will then soon be in a


s: As he spoke, he took a double cup of nectar, and placed it in his


s: trying to help you, he caught me by the foot and flung me from


s: the heavenly threshold. All day long from morn till eve, was I


s: falling, till at sunset I came to ground in the island of Lemnos,


s: Juno smiled at this, and as she smiled she took the cup from her


s: son's hands. Then Vulcan drew sweet nectar from the mixing-bowl,


s: and served it round among the gods, going from left to right; and


s: Thus through the livelong day to the going down of the sun they


s: feasted, and every one had his full share, so that all were


s: satisfied. Apollo struck his lyre, and the Muses lifted up their


s: sweet voices, calling and answering one another. But when the


s: sun's glorious light had faded, they went home to bed, each in


s: his own abode, which lame Vulcan with his consummate skill had


s: fashioned for them. So Jove, the Olympian Lord of Thunder, hied


s: him to the bed in which he always slept; and when he had got on


s: to it he went to sleep, with Juno of the golden throne by his


s: Jove sends a lying dream to Agamemnon, who thereon calls the


s: chiefs in assembly, and proposes to sound the mind of his


s: army--In the end they march to fight--Catalogue of the


s: Now the other gods and the armed warriors on the plain slept


s: soundly, but Jove was wakeful, for he was thinking how to do


s: honour to Achilles, and destroyed much people at the ships of the


s: dream to King Agamemnon; so he called one to him and said to it,


s: "Lying Dream, go to the ships of the Achaeans, into the tent of


s: Agamemnon, and say to him word for word as I now bid you. Tell


s: him to get the Achaeans instantly under arms, for he shall take


s: Troy. There are no longer divided counsels among the gods; Juno


s: has brought them to her own mind, and woe betides the Trojans."


s: The dream went when it had heard its message, and soon reached


s: the ships of the Achaeans. It sought Agamemnon son of Atreus and


s: found him in his tent, wrapped in a profound slumber. It hovered


s: over his head in the likeness of Nestor, son of Neleus, whom


s: Agamemnon honoured above all his councillors, and said:--


s: "You are sleeping, son of Atreus; one who has the welfare of his


s: host and so much other care upon his shoulders should dock his


s: sleep. Hear me at once, for I come as a messenger from Jove, who,


s: He bids you get the Achaeans instantly under arms, for you shall


s: take Troy. There are no longer divided counsels among the gods;


s: Juno has brought them over to her own mind, and woe betides the


s: Trojans at the hands of Jove. Remember this, and when you wake


s: The dream then left him, and he thought of things that were,


s: surely not to be accomplished. He thought that on that same day


s: he was to take the city of Priam, but he little knew what was in


s: the mind of Jove, who had many another hard-fought fight in store


s: divine message still ringing in his ears; so he sat upright, and


s: put on his soft shirt so fair and new, and over this his heavy


s: cloak. He bound his sandals on to his comely feet, and slung his


s: silver-studded sword about his shoulders; then he took the


s: imperishable staff of his father, and sallied forth to the ships


s: The goddess Dawn now wended her way to vast Olympus that she


s: might herald day to Jove and to the other immortals, and


s: Agamemnon sent the criers round to call the people in assembly;


s: so they called them and the people gathered thereon. But first he


s: Pylos, and when they were assembled he laid a cunning counsel


s: "My friends," said he, "I have had a dream from heaven in the


s: dead of night, and its face and figure resembled none but


s: Nestor's. It hovered over my head and said, 'You are sleeping,


s: son of Atreus; one who has the welfare of his host and so much


s: other care upon his shoulders should dock his sleep. Hear me at


s: once, for I am a messenger from Jove, who, though he be not near,


s: Achaeans instantly under arms, for you shall take Troy. There are


s: over to her own mind, and woe betides the Trojans at the hands of


s: to fly with their ships; but do you others go about among the


s: He then sat down, and Nestor the prince of Pylos with all


s: sincerity and goodwill addressed them thus: "My friends," said


s: he, "princes and councillors of the Argives, if any other man of


s: the Achaeans had told us of this dream we should have declared it


s: seen it is the foremost man among us; we must therefore set about


s: With this he led the way from the assembly, and the other


s: sceptred kings rose with him in obedience to the word of


s: Agamemnon; but the people pressed forward to hear. They swarmed


s: like bees that sally from some hollow cave and flit in countless


s: throng among the spring flowers, bunched in knots and clusters;


s: even so did the mighty multitude pour from ships and tents to the


s: ever to the fore. Thus they gathered in a pell-mell of mad


s: confusion, and the earth groaned under the tramp of men as the


s: people sought their places. Nine heralds went crying about among


s: them to stay their tumult and bid them listen to the kings, till


s: at last they were got into their several places and ceased their


s: clamour. Then King Agamemnon rose, holding his sceptre. This was


s: the work of Vulcan, who gave it to Jove the son of Saturn. Jove


s: gave it to Mercury, slayer of Argus, guide and guardian. King


s: Mercury gave it to Pelops, the mighty charioteer, and Pelops to


s: Atreus, shepherd of his people. Atreus, when he died, left it to


s: Thyestes, rich in flocks, and Thyestes in his turn left it to be


s: borne by Agamemnon, that he might be lord of all Argos and of the


s: "My friends," he said, "heroes, servants of Mars, the hand of


s: heaven has been laid heavily upon me. Cruel Jove gave me his


s: solemn promise that I should sack the city of Priam before


s: returning, but he has played me false, and is now bidding me go


s: ingloriously back to Argos with the loss of much people. Such is


s: the will of Jove, who has laid many a proud city in the dust, as


s: he will yet lay others, for his power is above all. It will be a


s: sorry tale hereafter that an Achaean host, at once so great and


s: valiant, battled in vain against men fewer in number than


s: themselves; but as yet the end is not in sight. Think that the


s: Achaeans and Trojans have sworn to a solemn covenant, and that


s: they have each been numbered--the Trojans by the roll of their


s: householders, and we by companies of ten; think further that each


s: company would have to go without its cup-bearer. But they have in


s: years are gone; the timbers of our ships have rotted; their


s: tackling is sound no longer. Our wives and little ones at home


s: look anxiously for our coming, but the work that we came hither


s: to do has not been done. Now, therefore, let us all do as I say:


s: let us sail back to our own land, for we shall not take Troy."


s: With these words he moved the hearts of the multitude, so many of


s: south winds break from heaven's clouds to lash them; or as when


s: the west wind sweeps over a field of corn and the ears bow


s: beneath the blast, even so were they swayed as they flew with


s: loud cries towards the ships, and the dust from under their feet


s: rose heavenward. They cheered each other on to draw the ships


s: into the sea; they cleared the channels in front of them; they


s: began taking away the stays from underneath them, and the welkin


s: rang with their glad cries, so eager were they to return.


s: Then surely the Argives would have returned after a fashion that


s: was not fated. But Juno said to Minerva, "Alas, daughter of


s: aegis-bearing Jove, unweariable, shall the Argives fly home to


s: their own land over the broad sea, and leave Priam and the


s: Trojans the glory of still keeping Helen, for whose sake so many


s: of the Achaeans have died at Troy, far from their homes? Go about


s: that they draw not their ships into the sea."


s: Minerva was not slack to do her bidding. Down she darted from the


s: of the Achaeans. There she found Ulysses, peer of Jove in


s: counsel, standing alone. He had not as yet laid a hand upon his


s: ship, for he was grieved and sorry; so she went close up to him


s: and said, "Ulysses, noble son of Laertes, are you going to fling


s: yourselves into your ships and be off home to your own land in


s: this way? Will you leave Priam and the Trojans the glory of still


s: at Troy, far from their homes? Go about at once among the host,


s: and speak fairly to them, man by man, that they draw not their


s: Ulysses knew the voice as that of the goddess: he flung his cloak


s: Ithaca, who waited on him, took charge of the cloak, whereon


s: Ulysses went straight up to Agamemnon and received from him his


s: ancestral, imperishable staff. With this he went about among the


s: Whenever he met a king or chieftain, he stood by him and spoke


s: him fairly. "Sir," said he, "this flight is cowardly and


s: unworthy. Stand to your post, and bid your people also keep their


s: sounding us, and ere long will visit the Achaeans with his


s: displeasure. We were not all of us at the council to hear what he


s: the pride of kings is great, and the hand of Jove is with them."


s: But when he came across any common man who was making a noise, he


s: your peace, and listen to better men than yourself. You are a


s: coward and no soldier; you are nobody either in fight or council;


s: masters; one man must be supreme--one king to whom the son of


s: scheming Saturn has given the sceptre of sovereignty over you


s: Thus masterfully did he go about among the host, and the people


s: hurried back to the council from their tents and ships with a


s: sound as the thunder of surf when it comes crashing down upon the


s: The rest now took their seats and kept to their own several


s: places, but Thersites still went on wagging his unbridled


s: tongue--a man of many words, and those unseemly; a monger of


s: sedition, a railer against all who were in authority, who cared


s: not what he said, so that he might set the Achaeans in a laugh.


s: He was the ugliest man of all those that came before


s: Troy--bandy-legged, lame of one foot, with his two shoulders


s: rounded and hunched over his chest. His head ran up to a point,


s: but there was little hair on the top of it. Achilles and Ulysses


s: hated him worst of all, for it was with them that he was most


s: wont to wrangle; now, however, with a shrill squeaky voice he


s: began heaping his abuse on Agamemnon. The Achaeans were angry and


s: "Agamemnon," he cried, "what ails you now, and what more do you


s: want? Your tents are filled with bronze and with fair women, for


s: whenever we take a town we give you the pick of them. Would you


s: have yet more gold, which some Trojan is to give you as a ransom


s: for his son, when I or another Achaean has taken him prisoner? or


s: you, the ruler of the Achaeans, should bring them into such


s: misery. Weakling cowards, women rather than men, let us sail


s: home, and leave this fellow here at Troy to stew in his own meeds


s: no. Achilles is a much better man than he is, and see how he has


s: treated him--robbing him of his prize and keeping it himself.


s: Achilles takes it meekly and shows no fight; if he did, son of


s: Atreus, you would never again insult him."


s: Thus railed Thersites, but Ulysses at once went up to him and


s: rebuked him sternly. "Check your glib tongue, Thersites," said


s: be, "and babble not a word further. Chide not with princes when


s: you have none to back you. There is no viler creature come before


s: neither revile them nor keep harping about going home. We do not


s: yet know how things are going to be, nor whether the Achaeans are


s: Agamemnon because the Danaans have awarded him so many prizes? I


s: tell you, therefore--and it shall surely be--that if I again


s: catch you talking such nonsense, I will either forfeit my own


s: head and be no more called father of Telemachus, or I will take


s: you, strip you stark naked, and whip you out of the assembly till


s: On this he beat him with his staff about the back and shoulders


s: till he dropped and fell a-weeping. The golden sceptre raised a


s: bloody weal on his back, so he sat down frightened and in pain,


s: looking foolish as he wiped the tears from his eyes. The people


s: were sorry for him, yet they laughed heartily, and one would turn


s: now in fight and council, but he never did the Argives a better


s: turn than when he stopped this fellow's mouth from prating


s: further. He will give the kings no more of his insolence."


s: Thus said the people. Then Ulysses rose, sceptre in hand, and


s: Minerva in the likeness of a herald bade the people be still,


s: that those who were far off might hear him and consider his


s: council. He therefore with all sincerity and goodwill addressed


s: "King Agamemnon, the Achaeans are for making you a by-word among


s: all mankind. They forget the promise they made you when they set


s: out from Argos, that you should not return till you had sacked


s: the town of Troy, and, like children or widowed women, they


s: murmur and would set off homeward. True it is that they have had


s: toil enough to be disheartened. A man chafes at having to stay


s: away from his wife even for a single month, when he is on


s: shipboard, at the mercy of wind and sea, but it is now nine long


s: years that we have been kept here; I cannot, therefore, blame the


s: home empty after so long a stay--therefore, my friends, be


s: patient yet a little longer that we may learn whether the


s: prophesyings of Calchas were false or true.


s: "All who have not since perished must remember as though it were


s: yesterday or the day before, how the ships of the Achaeans were


s: detained in Aulis when we were on our way hither to make war on


s: Priam and the Trojans. We were ranged round about a fountain


s: offering hecatombs to the gods upon their holy altars, and there


s: was a fine plane-tree from beneath which there welled a stream of


s: serpent out of the ground, with blood-red stains upon its back,


s: and it darted from under the altar on to the plane-tree. Now


s: there was a brood of young sparrows, quite small, upon the


s: topmost bough, peeping out from under the leaves, eight in all,


s: and their mother that hatched them made nine. The serpent ate the


s: both the sparrow and her young, the god who had sent him made him


s: stone, and we stood there wondering at that which had come to


s: pass. Seeing, then, that such a fearful portent had broken in


s: upon our hecatombs, Calchas forthwith declared to us the oracles


s: of heaven. 'Why, Achaeans,' said he, 'are you thus speechless?


s: Jove has sent us this sign, long in coming, and long ere it be


s: fulfilled, though its fame shall last for ever. As the serpent


s: ate the eight fledglings and the sparrow that hatched them, which


s: tenth shall take the town.' This was what he said, and now it is


s: all coming true. Stay here, therefore, all of you, till we take


s: On this the Argives raised a shout, till the ships rang again


s: with the uproar. Nestor, knight of Gerene, then addressed them.


s: "Shame on you," he cried, "to stay talking here like children,


s: when you should fight like men. Where are our covenants now, and


s: where the oaths that we have taken? Shall our counsels be flung


s: into the fire, with our drink-offerings and the right hands of


s: fellowship wherein we have put our trust? We waste our time in


s: words, and for all our talking here shall be no further forward.


s: Stand, therefore, son of Atreus, by your own steadfast purpose;


s: lead the Argives on to battle, and leave this handful of men to


s: rot, who scheme, and scheme in vain, to get back to Argos ere


s: they have learned whether Jove be true or a liar. For the mighty


s: son of Saturn surely promised that we should succeed, when we


s: Argives set sail to bring death and destruction upon the Trojans.


s: right hands; therefore let none make haste to go till he has


s: first lain with the wife of some Trojan, and avenged the toil and


s: if any man is in such haste to be at home again, let him lay his


s: hand to his ship that he may meet his doom in the sight of all.


s: But, O king, consider and give ear to my counsel, for the word


s: that I say may not be neglected lightly. Divide your men,


s: Agamemnon, into their several tribes and clans, that clans and


s: tribes may stand by and help one another. If you do this, and if


s: the Achaeans obey you, you will find out who, both chiefs and


s: peoples, are brave, and who are cowards; for they will vie


s: against the other. Thus you shall also learn whether it is


s: through the counsel of heaven or the cowardice of man that you


s: And Agamemnon answered, "Nestor, you have again outdone the sons


s: of the Achaeans in counsel. Would, by Father Jove, Minerva, and


s: Apollo, that I had among them ten more such councillors, for the


s: city of King Priam would then soon fall beneath our hands, and we


s: wranglings and strife. Achilles and I are quarrelling about this


s: girl, in which matter I was the first to offend; if we can be of


s: one mind again, the Trojans will not stave off destruction for a


s: day. Now, therefore, get your morning meal, that our hosts join


s: in fight. Whet well your spears; see well to the ordering of your


s: carefully over, that we may do battle the livelong day; for we


s: shall have no rest, not for a moment, till night falls to part


s: us. The bands that bear your shields shall be wet with the sweat


s: upon your shoulders, your hands shall weary upon your spears,


s: your horses shall steam in front of your chariots, and if I see


s: any man shirking the fight, or trying to keep out of it at the


s: ships, there shall be no help for him, but he shall be a prey to


s: Thus he spoke, and the Achaeans roared applause. As when the


s: waves run high before the blast of the south wind and break on


s: some lofty headland, dashing against it and buffeting it without


s: ceasing, as the storms from every quarter drive them, even so did


s: There they lighted their fires at their tents and got dinner,


s: offering sacrifice every man to one or other of the gods, and


s: praying each one of them that he might live to come out of the


s: fight. Agamemnon, king of men, sacrificed a fat five-year-old


s: bull to the mighty son of Saturn, and invited the princes and


s: elders of his host. First he asked Nestor and King Idomeneus,


s: then the two Ajaxes and the son of Tydeus, and sixthly Ulysses,


s: peer of gods in counsel; but Menelaus came of his own accord, for


s: with the barley-meal in their hands, and Agamemnon prayed,


s: saying, "Jove, most glorious, supreme, that dwellest in heaven,


s: and ridest upon the storm-cloud, grant that the sun may not go


s: down, nor the night fall, till the palace of Priam is laid low,


s: and its gates are consumed with fire. Grant that my sword may


s: pierce the shirt of Hector about his heart, and that full many of


s: Thus he prayed, but the son of Saturn would not fulfil his


s: prayer. He accepted the sacrifice, yet none the less increased


s: their toil continually. When they had done praying and sprinkling


s: it, and then flayed it. They cut out the thigh-bones, wrapped


s: them round in two layers of fat, and set pieces of raw meat on


s: the top of them. These they burned upon the split logs of


s: firewood, but they spitted the inward meats, and held them in the


s: tasted the inward meats, they cut the rest up small, put the


s: pieces upon spits, roasted them till they were done, and drew


s: them off; then, when they had finished their work and the feast


s: was ready, they ate it, and every man had his full share, so that


s: drink, Nestor, knight of Gerene, began to speak. "King


s: Agamemnon," said he, "let us not stay talking here, nor be slack


s: in the work that heaven has put into our hands. Let the heralds


s: summon the people to gather at their several ships; we will then


s: go about among the host, that we may begin fighting at once."


s: Thus did he speak, and Agamemnon heeded his words. He at once


s: sent the criers round to call the people in assembly. So they


s: called them, and the people gathered thereon. The chiefs about


s: the son of Atreus chose their men and marshalled them, while


s: Minerva went among them holding her priceless aegis that knows


s: neither age nor death. From it there waved a hundred tassels of


s: pure gold, all deftly woven, and each one of them worth a hundred


s: of the Achaeans, urging them forward, and putting courage into


s: the heart of each, so that he might fight and do battle without


s: ceasing. Thus war became sweeter in their eyes even than


s: returning home in their ships. As when some great forest fire is


s: raging upon a mountain top and its light is seen afar, even so as


s: They were like great flocks of geese, or cranes, or swans on the


s: plain about the waters of Cayster, that wing their way hither and


s: settle till the fen is alive with their screaming. Even thus did


s: their tribes pour from ships and tents on to the plain of the


s: Scamander, and the ground rang as brass under the feet of men and


s: As countless swarms of flies buzz around a herdsman's homestead


s: in the time of spring when the pails are drenched with milk, even


s: The chiefs disposed their men this way and that before the fight


s: began, drafting them out as easily as goatherds draft their


s: flocks when they have got mixed while feeding; and among them


s: went King Agamemnon, with a head and face like Jove the lord of


s: thunder, a waist like Mars, and a chest like that of Neptune. As


s: some great bull that lords it over the herds upon the plain, even


s: And now, O Muses, dwellers in the mansions of Olympus, tell me--


s: for you are goddesses and are in all places so that you see all


s: things, while we know nothing but by report--who were the chiefs


s: and princes of the Danaans? As for the common soldiers, they were


s: ten tongues, and though my voice failed not and my heart were of


s: bronze within me, unless you, O Olympian Muses, daughters of


s: aegis-bearing Jove, were to recount them to me. Nevertheless, I


s: will tell the captains of the ships and all the fleet together.


s: Peneleos, Leitus, Arcesilaus, Prothoenor, and Clonius were


s: captains of the Boeotians. These were they that dwelt in Hyria


s: and rocky Aulis, and who held Schoenus, Scolus, and the highlands


s: Mycalessus. They also held Harma, Eilesium, and Erythrae; and


s: they had Eleon, Hyle, and Peteon; Ocalea and the strong fortress


s: of Medeon; Copae, Eutresis, and Thisbe the haunt of doves;


s: Coronea, and the pastures of Haliartus; Plataea and Glisas; the


s: fortress of Thebes the less; holy Onchestus with its famous grove


s: Anthedon upon the sea. From these there came fifty ships, and in


s: each there were a hundred and twenty young men of the Boeotians.


s: Ascalaphus and Ialmenus, sons of Mars, led the people that dwelt


s: in Aspledon and Orchomenus the realm of Minyas. Astyoche a noble


s: maiden bore them in the house of Actor son of Azeus; for she had


s: gone with Mars secretly into an upper chamber, and he had lain


s: with her. With these there came thirty ships.


s: The Phoceans were led by Schedius and Epistrophus, sons of mighty


s: Cyparissus, rocky Pytho, holy Crisa, Daulis, and Panopeus; they


s: also that dwelt in Anemorea and Hyampolis, and about the waters


s: of the river Cephissus, and Lilaea by the springs of the


s: Cephissus; with their chieftains came forty ships, and they


s: marshalled the forces of the Phoceans, which were stationed next


s: Ajax, the fleet son of Oileus, commanded the Locrians. He was not


s: of the spear he excelled all the Hellenes and the Achaeans.


s: These dwelt in Cynus, Opous, Calliarus, Bessa, Scarphe, fair


s: Augeae, Tarphe, and Thronium about the river Boagrius. With him


s: there came forty ships of the Locrians who dwell beyond Euboea.


s: The fierce Abantes held Euboea with its cities, Chalcis, Eretria,


s: rock-perched town of Dium; with them were also the men of


s: Carystus and Styra; Elephenor of the race of Mars was in command


s: of these; he was son of Chalcodon, and chief over all the


s: Abantes. With him they came, fleet of foot and wearing their hair


s: the corslets of their foes with their long ashen spears. Of these


s: And they that held the strong city of Athens, the people of great


s: rich sanctuary. There, year by year, the Athenian youths worship


s: him with sacrifices of bulls and rams. These were commanded by


s: Menestheus, son of Peteos. No man living could equal him in the


s: marshalling of chariots and foot soldiers. Nestor could alone


s: rival him, for he was older. With him there came fifty ships.


s: Ajax brought twelve ships from Salamis, and stationed them


s: The men of Argos, again, and those who held the walls of Tiryns,


s: with Hermione, and Asine upon the gulf; Troezene, Eionae, and the


s: came from Aegina and Mases; these were led by Diomed of the loud


s: battle-cry, and Sthenelus son of famed Capaneus. With them in


s: command was Euryalus, son of king Mecisteus, son of Talaus; but


s: Diomed was chief over them all. With these there came eighty


s: Those who held the strong city of Mycenae, rich Corinth and


s: Cleonae; Orneae, Araethyrea, and Licyon, where Adrastus reigned


s: of old; Hyperesia, high Gonoessa, and Pellene; Aegium and all the


s: the command of King Agamemnon, son of Atreus. His force was far


s: both finest and most numerous, and in their midst was the king


s: himself, all glorious in his armour of gleaming bronze--foremost


s: among the heroes, for he was the greatest king, and had most men


s: And those that dwelt in Lacedaemon, lying low among the hills,


s: Pharis, Sparta, with Messe the haunt of doves; Bryseae, Augeae,


s: Amyclae, and Helos upon the sea; Laas, moreover, and Oetylus;


s: these were led by Menelaus of the loud battle-cry, brother to


s: Agamemnon, and of them there were sixty ships, drawn up apart


s: from the others. Among them went Menelaus himself, strong in


s: zeal, urging his men to fight; for he longed to avenge the toil


s: and sorrow that he had suffered for the sake of Helen.


s: The men of Pylos and Arene, and Thryum where is the ford of the


s: river Alpheus; strong Aipy, Cyparisseis, and Amphigenea; Pteleum,


s: minstrelsy for ever. He was returning from Oechalia, where


s: Eurytus lived and reigned, and boasted that he would surpass even


s: against him; whereon they were angry, and maimed him. They robbed


s: the lyre no more. These were commanded by Nestor, knight of


s: Gerene, and with him there came ninety ships.


s: And those that held Arcadia, under the high mountain of Cyllene,


s: near the tomb of Aepytus, where the people fight hand to hand;


s: the men of Pheneus also, and Orchomenus rich in flocks; of


s: Rhipae, Stratie, and bleak Enispe; of Tegea and fair Mantinea; of


s: was commander, and they had sixty ships. Many Arcadians, good


s: soldiers, came in each one of them, but Agamemnon found them the


s: ships in which to cross the sea, for they were not a people that


s: occupied their business upon the waters.


s: The men, moreover, of Buprasium and of Elis, so much of it as is


s: enclosed between Hyrmine, Myrsinus upon the sea-shore, the rock


s: Olene and Alesium. These had four leaders, and each of them had


s: ten ships, with many Epeans on board. Their captains were


s: Amphimachus and Thalpius--the one, son of Cteatus, and the other,


s: And those of Dulichium with the sacred Echinean islands, who


s: dwelt beyond the sea off Elis; these were led by Meges, peer of


s: Mars, and the son of valiant Phyleus, dear to Jove, who


s: quarrelled with his father, and went to settle in Dulichium. With


s: Ulysses led the brave Cephallenians, who held Ithaca, Neritum


s: with its forests, Crocylea, rugged Aegilips, Samos and Zacynthus,


s: were led by Ulysses, peer of Jove in counsel, and with him there


s: Thoas, son of Andraemon, commanded the Aetolians, who dwelt in


s: Pleuron, Olenus, Pylene, Chalcis by the sea, and rocky Calydon,


s: for the great king Oeneus had now no sons living, and was himself


s: the Aetolians to be their king. And with Thoas there came forty


s: The famous spearsman Idomeneus led the Cretans, who held Cnossus,


s: Lycastus that lies upon the chalk; the populous towns of Phaestus


s: cities of Crete. All these were led by Idomeneus, and by


s: Meriones, peer of murderous Mars. And with these there came


s: Tlepolemus, son of Hercules, a man both brave and large of


s: stature, brought nine ships of lordly warriors from Rhodes. These


s: Lindus, Ielysus, and Cameirus, that lies upon the chalk. These


s: were commanded by Tlepolemus, son of Hercules by Astyochea, whom


s: he had carried off from Ephyra, on the river Selleis, after


s: sacking many cities of valiant warriors. When Tlepolemus grew up,


s: warrior in his time, but was then grown old. On this he built


s: himself a fleet, gathered a great following, and fled beyond the


s: sea, for he was menaced by the other sons and grandsons of


s: Hercules. After a voyage, during which he suffered great


s: hardship, he came to Rhodes, where the people divided into three


s: communities, according to their tribes, and were dearly loved by


s: Jove, the lord of gods and men; wherefore the son of Saturn


s: And Nireus brought three ships from Syme--Nireus, who was the


s: handsomest man that came up under Ilius of all the Danaans after


s: the son of Peleus--but he was a man of no substance, and had but


s: And those that held Nisyrus, Crapathus, and Casus, with Cos, the


s: city of Eurypylus, and the Calydnian islands, these were


s: commanded by Pheidippus and Antiphus, two sons of King Thessalus


s: the son of Hercules. And with them there came thirty ships.


s: Those again who held Pelasgic Argos, Alos, Alope, and Trachis;


s: and those of Phthia and Hellas the land of fair women, who were


s: called Myrmidons, Hellenes, and Achaeans; these had fifty ships,


s: over which Achilles was in command. But they now took no part in


s: the war, inasmuch as there was no one to marshal them; for


s: Achilles stayed by his ships, furious about the loss of the girl


s: Briseis, whom he had taken from Lyrnessus at his own great peril,


s: and Epistrophus, sons of king Evenor, son of Selepus. For her


s: sake Achilles was still grieving, but ere long he was again to


s: And those that held Phylace and the flowery meadows of Pyrasus,


s: sanctuary of Ceres; Iton, the mother of sheep; Antrum upon the


s: sea, and Pteleum that lies upon the grass lands. Of these brave


s: Protesilaus had been captain while he was yet alive, but he was


s: now lying under the earth. He had left a wife behind him in


s: Phylace to tear her cheeks in sorrow, and his house was only half


s: foremost of the Achaeans upon the soil of Troy. Still, though his


s: for Podarces, of the race of Mars, marshalled them; he was son of


s: own brother to Protesilaus, only younger, Protesilaus being at


s: once the elder and the more valiant. So the people were not


s: without a leader, though they mourned him whom they had lost.


s: And those that held Pherae by the Boebean lake, with Boebe,


s: Glaphyrae, and the populous city of Iolcus, these with their


s: eleven ships were led by Eumelus, son of Admetus, whom Alcestis


s: bore to him, loveliest of the daughters of Pelias.


s: And those that held Methone and Thaumacia, with Meliboea and


s: rugged Olizon, these were led by the skilful archer Philoctetes,


s: and they had seven ships, each with fifty oarsmen all of them


s: good archers; but Philoctetes was lying in great pain in the


s: Island of Lemnos, where the sons of the Achaeans left him, for he


s: people, though they felt his loss were not leaderless, for Medon,


s: Those, again, of Tricca and the stony region of Ithome, and they


s: that held Oechalia, the city of Oechalian Eurytus, these were


s: commanded by the two sons of Aesculapius, skilled in the art of


s: healing, Podalirius and Machaon. And with them there came thirty


s: The men, moreover, of Ormenius, and by the fountain of Hypereia,


s: with those that held Asterius, and the white crests of Titanus,


s: these were led by Eurypylus, the son of Euaemon, and with them


s: Those that held Argissa and Gyrtone, Orthe, Elone, and the white


s: city of Oloosson, of these brave Polypoetes was leader. He was


s: son of Pirithous, who was son of Jove himself, for Hippodameia


s: bore him to Pirithous on the day when he took his revenge on the


s: shaggy mountain savages and drove them from Mt. Pelion to the


s: Aithices. But Polypoetes was not sole in command, for with him


s: was Leonteus, of the race of Mars, who was son of Coronus, the


s: son of Caeneus. And with these there came forty ships.


s: Guneus brought two and twenty ships from Cyphus, and he was


s: followed by the Enienes and the valiant Peraebi, who dwelt about


s: wintry Dodona, and held the lands round the lovely river


s: Titaresius, which sends its waters into the Peneus. They do not


s: mingle with the silver eddies of the Peneus, but flow on the top


s: of them like oil; for the Titaresius is a branch of dread Orcus


s: Of the Magnetes, Prothous son of Tenthredon was commander. They


s: were they that dwelt about the river Peneus and Mt. Pelion.


s: Prothous, fleet of foot, was their leader, and with him there


s: Such were the chiefs and princes of the Danaans. Who, then, O


s: Muse, was the foremost, whether man or horse, among those that


s: Of the horses, those of the son of Pheres were by far the finest.


s: were of the same age and colour, and perfectly matched in height.


s: mares, and terrible as Mars in battle. Of the men, Ajax, son of


s: Telamon, was much the foremost so long as Achilles' anger lasted,


s: but Achilles was now holding aloof at his ships by reason of his


s: quarrel with Agamemnon, and his people passed their time upon the


s: lotus and wild celery. The chariots were housed under cover, but


s: their owners, for lack of leadership, wandered hither and thither


s: Thus marched the host like a consuming fire, and the earth


s: groaned beneath them when the lord of thunder is angry and lashes


s: lies. Even so did the earth groan beneath them as they sped over


s: And now Iris, fleet as the wind, was sent by Jove to tell the bad


s: young, at Priam's gates, and Iris came close up to Priam,


s: speaking with the voice of Priam's son Polites, who, being fleet


s: of foot, was stationed as watchman for the Trojans on the tomb of


s: likeness Iris spoke, saying, "Old man, you talk idly, as in time


s: of peace, while war is at hand. I have been in many a battle, but


s: the plain to attack the city as thick as leaves or as the sands


s: of the sea. Hector, I charge you above all others, do as I say.


s: There are many allies dispersed about the city of Priam from


s: distant places and speaking divers tongues. Therefore, let each


s: chief give orders to his own people, setting them severally in


s: array and leading them forth to battle."


s: Thus she spoke, but Hector knew that it was the goddess, and at


s: once broke up the assembly. The men flew to arms; all the gates


s: were opened, and the people thronged through them, horse and


s: foot, with the tramp as of a great multitude.


s: Now there is a high mound before the city, rising by itself upon


s: the plain. Men call it Batieia, but the gods know that it is the


s: tomb of lithe Myrine. Here the Trojans and their allies divided


s: Priam's son, great Hector of the gleaming helmet, commanded the


s: Trojans, and with him were arrayed by far the greater number and


s: most valiant of those who were longing for the fray.


s: The Dardanians were led by brave Aeneas, whom Venus bore to


s: Anchises, when she, goddess though she was, had lain with him


s: upon the mountain slopes of Ida. He was not alone, for with him


s: were the two sons of Antenor, Archilochus and Acamas, both


s: They that dwelt in Telea under the lowest spurs of Mt. Ida, men


s: of substance, who drink the limpid waters of the Aesepus, and are


s: They that held Adresteia and the land of Apaesus, with Pityeia,


s: and the high mountain of Tereia--these were led by Adrestus and


s: Amphius, whose breastplate was of linen. These were the sons of


s: Merops of Percote, who excelled in all kinds of divination. He


s: told them not to take part in the war, but they gave him no heed,


s: They that dwelt about Percote and Practius, with Sestos, Abydos,


s: and Arisbe--these were led by Asius, son of Hyrtacus, a brave


s: commander--Asius, the son of Hyrtacus, whom his powerful dark bay


s: Hippothous led the tribes of Pelasgian spearsmen, who dwelt in


s: fertile Larissa--Hippothous, and Pylaeus of the race of Mars, two


s: Acamas and the warrior Peirous commanded the Thracians and those


s: that came from beyond the mighty stream of the Hellespont.


s: Euphemus, son of Troezenus, the son of Ceos, was captain of the


s: Pyraechmes led the Paeonian archers from distant Amydon, by the


s: broad waters of the river Axius, the fairest that flow upon the


s: The Paphlagonians were commanded by stout-hearted Pylaemanes from


s: held Cytorus and the country round Sesamus, with the cities by


s: the river Parthenius, Cromna, Aegialus, and lofty Erithini.


s: Odius and Epistrophus were captains over the Halizoni from


s: distant Alybe, where there are mines of silver.


s: Chromis, and Ennomus the augur, led the Mysians, but his skill in


s: the hand of the fleet descendant of Aeacus in the river, where he


s: Phorcys, again, and noble Ascanius led the Phrygians from the far


s: Mesthles and Antiphus commanded the Meonians, sons of Talaemenes,


s: Nastes led the Carians, men of a strange speech. These held


s: Miletus and the wooded mountain of Phthires, with the water of


s: the river Maeander and the lofty crests of Mt. Mycale. These were


s: he was, his gold was of no avail to save him, for he fell in the


s: river by the hand of the fleet descendant of Aeacus, and Achilles


s: Sarpedon and Glaucus led the Lycians from their distant land, by


s: Alexandria, also called Paris, challenges Menelaus--Helen and


s: Priam view the Achaeans from the wall--The covenant--Paris


s: and Menelaus fight, and Paris is worsted--Venus carries him


s: off to save him--Scene between him and Helen.


s: When the companies were thus arrayed, each under its own captain,


s: scream overhead when rain and winter drive them over the flowing


s: waters of Oceanus to bring death and destruction on the Pygmies,


s: and they wrangle in the air as they fly; but the Achaeans marched


s: As when the south wind spreads a curtain of mist upon the


s: mountain tops, bad for shepherds but better than night for


s: thieves, and a man can see no further than he can throw a stone,


s: even so rose the dust from under their feet as they made all


s: When they were close up with one another, Alexandrus came forward


s: spears shod with bronze as a challenge to the bravest of the


s: Achaeans to meet him in single fight. Menelaus saw him thus


s: stride out before the ranks, and was glad as a hungry lion that


s: lights on the carcase of some goat or horned stag, and devours it


s: was Menelaus glad when his eyes caught sight of Alexandrus, for


s: he deemed that now he should be revenged. He sprang, therefore,


s: from his chariot, clad in his suit of armour.


s: Alexandrus quailed as he saw Menelaus come forward, and shrank in


s: affrighted, trembling and pale, when he comes suddenly upon a


s: serpent in some mountain glade, even so did Alexandrus plunge


s: into the throng of Trojan warriors, terror-stricken at the sight


s: Then Hector upbraided him. "Paris," said he, "evil-hearted Paris,


s: had never been born, or that you had died unwed. Better so, than


s: live to be disgraced and looked askance at. Will not the Achaeans


s: fair to see but who has neither wit nor courage? Did you not,


s: such as you are, get your following together and sail beyond the


s: seas? Did you not from your a far country carry off a lovely


s: woman wedded among a people of warriors--to bring sorrow upon


s: your father, your city, and your whole country, but joy to your


s: enemies, and hang-dog shamefacedness to yourself? And now can you


s: wife you have stolen? Where indeed would be your lyre and your


s: love-tricks, your comely locks and your fair favour, when you


s: were lying in the dust before him? The Trojans are a weak-kneed


s: people, or ere this you would have had a shirt of stones for the


s: And Alexandrus answered, "Hector, your rebuke is just. You are


s: hard as the axe which a shipwright wields at his work, and


s: cleaves the timber to his liking. As the axe in his hand, so keen


s: that golden Venus has given me; they are precious; let not a man


s: disdain them, for the gods give them where they are minded, and


s: none can have them for the asking. If you would have me do battle


s: while he and I fight in their midst for Helen and all her wealth.


s: take the woman and all she has, to bear them to his home, but let


s: shall stay here in Troy, while the others go home to Argos and


s: When Hector heard this he was glad, and went about among the


s: Trojan ranks holding his spear by the middle to keep them back,


s: and they all sat down at his bidding: but the Achaeans still


s: aimed at him with stones and arrows, till Agamemnon shouted to


s: them saying, "Hold, Argives, shoot not, sons of the Achaeans;


s: They ceased taking aim and were still, whereon Hector spoke.


s: "Hear from my mouth," said he, "Trojans and Achaeans, the saying


s: of Alexandrus, through whom this quarrel has come about. He bids


s: the Trojans and Achaeans lay their armour upon the ground, while


s: he and Menelaus fight in the midst of you for Helen and all her


s: wealth. Let him who shall be victorious and prove to be the


s: better man take the woman and all she has, to bear them to his


s: own home, but let the rest swear to a solemn covenant of peace."


s: Thus he spoke, and they all held their peace, till Menelaus of


s: the loud battle-cry addressed them. "And now," he said, "hear me


s: too, for it is I who am the most aggrieved. I deem that the


s: parting of Achaeans and Trojans is at hand, as well it may be,


s: seeing how much have suffered for my quarrel with Alexandrus and


s: the wrong he did me. Let him who shall die, die, and let the


s: others fight no more. Bring, then, two lambs, a white ram and a


s: black ewe, for Earth and Sun, and we will bring a third for Jove.


s: covenant himself; for his sons are high-handed and ill to trust,


s: and the oaths of Jove must not be transgressed or taken in vain.


s: Young men's minds are light as air, but when an old man comes he


s: looks before and after, deeming that which shall be fairest upon


s: The Trojans and Achaeans were glad when they heard this, for they


s: chariots toward the ranks, got out of them, and put off their


s: armour, laying it down upon the ground; and the hosts were near


s: to one another with a little space between them. Hector sent two


s: messengers to the city to bring the lambs and to bid Priam come,


s: while Agamemnon told Talthybius to fetch the other lamb from the


s: ships, and he did as Agamemnon had said.


s: Meanwhile Iris went to Helen in the form of her sister-in-law,


s: wife of the son of Antenor, for Helicaon, son of Antenor, had


s: married Laodice, the fairest of Priam's daughters. She found her


s: in her own room, working at a great web of purple linen, on which


s: that Mars had made them fight for her sake. Iris then came close


s: up to her and said, "Come hither, child, and see the strange


s: doings of the Trojans and Achaeans. Till now they have been


s: warring upon the plain, mad with lust of battle, but now they


s: have left off fighting, and are leaning upon their shields,


s: sitting still with their spears planted beside them. Alexandrus


s: and Menelaus are going to fight about yourself, and you are to be


s: Thus spoke the goddess, and Helen's heart yearned after her


s: former husband, her city, and her parents. She threw a white


s: mantle over her head, and hurried from her room, weeping as she


s: went, not alone, but attended by two of her handmaids, Aethrae,


s: daughter of Pittheus, and Clymene. And straightway they were at


s: The two sages, Ucalegon and Antenor, elders of the people, were


s: seated by the Scaean gates, with Priam, Panthous, Thymoetes,


s: Lampus, Clytius, and Hiketaon of the race of Mars. These were too


s: like cicales that chirrup delicately from the boughs of some high


s: they said softly to one another, "Small wonder that Trojans and


s: Achaeans should endure so much and so long, for the sake of a


s: woman so marvellously and divinely lovely. Still, fair though she


s: But Priam bade her draw nigh. "My child," said he, "take your


s: seat in front of me that you may see your former husband, your


s: kinsmen and your friends. I lay no blame upon you, it is the


s: gods, not you who are to blame. It is they that have brought


s: about this terrible war with the Achaeans. Tell me, then, who is


s: yonder huge hero so great and goodly? I have seen men taller by a


s: "Sir," answered Helen, "father of my husband, dear and reverend


s: in my eyes, would that I had chosen death rather than to have


s: come here with your son, far from my bridal chamber, my friends,


s: my darling daughter, and all the companions of my girlhood. But


s: it was not to be, and my lot is one of tears and sorrow. As for


s: your question, the hero of whom you ask is Agamemnon, son of


s: Atreus, a good king and a brave soldier, brother-in-law as surely


s: The old man marvelled at him and said, "Happy son of Atreus,


s: child of good fortune. I see that the Achaeans are subject to you


s: the people of Otreus and of Mygdon, who were camping upon the


s: banks of the river Sangarius; I was their ally, and with them


s: when the Amazons, peers of men, came up against them, but even


s: The old man next looked upon Ulysses; "Tell me," he said, "who is


s: the chest and shoulders? His armour is laid upon the ground, and


s: he stalks in front of the ranks as it were some great woolly ram


s: And Helen answered, "He is Ulysses, a man of great craft, son of


s: Laertes. He was born in rugged Ithaca, and excels in all manner


s: On this Antenor said, "Madam, you have spoken truly. Ulysses once


s: received them in my own house, and therefore know both of them by


s: assembled Trojans, Menelaus was the broader shouldered, but when


s: both were seated Ulysses had the more royal presence. After a


s: time they delivered their message, and the speech of Menelaus ran


s: of few words, but he spoke very clearly and to the point, though


s: he was the younger man of the two; Ulysses, on the other hand,


s: when he rose to speak, was at first silent and kept his eyes


s: fixed upon the ground. There was no play nor graceful movement of


s: simpleton; but when he raised his voice, and the words came


s: driving from his deep chest like winter snow before the wind,


s: then there was none to touch him, and no man thought further of


s: Priam then caught sight of Ajax and asked, "Who is that great and


s: "That," answered Helen, "is huge Ajax, bulwark of the Achaeans,


s: and on the other side of him, among the Cretans, stands Idomeneus


s: him. Often did Menelaus receive him as a guest in our house when


s: he came visiting us from Crete. I see, moreover, many other


s: Achaeans whose names I could tell you, but there are two whom I


s: can nowhere find, Castor, breaker of horses, and Pollux the


s: mighty boxer; they are children of my mother, and own brothers to


s: they have brought their ships, they will not show themselves in


s: battle for the shame and disgrace that I have brought upon them."


s: She knew not that both these heroes were already lying under the


s: Meanwhile the heralds were bringing the holy oath-offerings


s: through the city--two lambs and a goatskin of wine, the gift of


s: earth; and Idaeus brought the mixing bowl and the cups of gold.


s: He went up to Priam and said, "Son of Laomedon, the princes of


s: the Trojans and Achaeans bid you come down on to the plain and


s: swear to a solemn covenant. Alexandrus and Menelaus are to fight


s: for Helen in single combat, that she and all her wealth may go


s: with him who is the victor. We are to swear to a solemn covenant


s: of peace whereby we others shall dwell here in Troy, while the


s: Achaeans return to Argos and the land of the Achaeans."


s: The old man trembled as he heard, but bade his followers yoke the


s: him; they then drove through the Scaean gates on to the plain.


s: When they reached the ranks of the Trojans and Achaeans they left


s: Agamemnon and Ulysses both rose to meet them. The attendants


s: brought on the oath-offerings and mixed the wine in the


s: mixing-bowls; they poured water over the hands of the chieftains,


s: among the Trojan and Achaean princes, and the son of Atreus


s: lifted up his hands in prayer. "Father Jove," he cried, "that


s: rulest in Ida, most glorious in power, and thou oh Sun, that


s: seest and givest ear to all things, Earth and Rivers, and ye who


s: in the realms below chastise the soul of him that has broken his


s: oath, witness these rites and guard them, that they be not vain.


s: If Alexandrus kills Menelaus, let him keep Helen and all her


s: wealth, while we sail home with our ships; but if Menelaus kills


s: Alexandrus, let the Trojans give back Helen and all that she has;


s: agreed upon, in testimony among those that shall be born


s: hereafter. And if Priam and his sons refuse such fine when


s: Alexandrus has fallen, then will I stay here and fight on till I


s: As he spoke he drew his knife across the throats of the victims,


s: and laid them down gasping and dying upon the ground, for the


s: knife had reft them of their strength. Then they poured wine from


s: gods, saying, Trojans and Achaeans among one another, "Jove, most


s: and their children--may be shed upon the ground even as this


s: wine, and let their wives become the slaves of strangers."


s: Thus they prayed, but not as yet would Jove grant them their


s: prayer. Then Priam, descendant of Dardanus, spoke, saying, "Hear


s: me, Trojans and Achaeans, I will now go back to the wind-beaten


s: city of Ilius: I dare not with my own eyes witness this fight


s: between my son and Menelaus, for Jove and the other immortals


s: On this he laid the two lambs on his chariot and took his seat.


s: He gathered the reins in his hand, and Antenor sat beside him;


s: the two then went back to Ilius. Hector and Ulysses measured the


s: ground, and cast lots from a helmet of bronze to see which should


s: in power, grant that he who first brought about this war between


s: us may die, and enter the house of Hades, while we others remain


s: Great Hector now turned his head aside while he shook the helmet,


s: several stations, each by his horses and the place where his arms


s: make and fitted with ancle-clasps of silver; after this he donned


s: and then his mighty shield. On his comely head he set his helmet,


s: above it, and he grasped a redoubtable spear that suited his


s: hands. In like fashion Menelaus also put on his armour.


s: When they had thus armed, each amid his own people, they strode


s: fierce of aspect into the open space, and both Trojans and


s: Achaeans were struck with awe as they beheld them. They stood


s: near one another on the measured ground, brandishing their


s: spears, and each furious against the other. Alexandrus aimed


s: first, and struck the round shield of the son of Atreus, but the


s: spear did not pierce it, for the shield turned its point.


s: Menelaus next took aim, praying to Father Jove as he did so.


s: "King Jove," he said, "grant me revenge on Alexandrus who has


s: wronged me; subdue him under my hand that in ages yet to come a


s: man may shrink from doing ill deeds in the house of his host."


s: He poised his spear as he spoke, and hurled it at the shield of


s: Alexandrus. Through shield and cuirass it went, and tore the


s: shirt by his flank, but Alexandrus swerved aside, and thus saved


s: his life. Then the son of Atreus drew his sword, and drove at the


s: three or four pieces from his hand, and he cried, looking towards


s: spear has been hurled in vain, and I have not killed him."


s: With this he flew at Alexandrus, caught him by the horsehair


s: plume of his helmet, and began dragging him towards the Achaeans.


s: had not Jove's daughter Venus been quick to mark and to break the


s: This he flung to his comrades among the Achaeans, and was again


s: springing upon Alexandrus to run him through with a spear, but


s: Venus snatched him up in a moment (as a god can do), hid him


s: under a cloud of darkness, and conveyed him to his own


s: Then she went to call Helen, and found her on a high tower with


s: the Trojan women crowding round her. She took the form of an old


s: woman who used to dress wool for her when she was still in


s: Lacedaemon, and of whom she was very fond. Thus disguised she


s: plucked her by perfumed robe and said, "Come hither; Alexandrus


s: says you are to go to the house; he is on his bed in his own


s: room, radiant with beauty and dressed in gorgeous apparel. No one


s: was going to a dance, or had done dancing and was sitting down."


s: With these words she moved the heart of Helen to anger. When she


s: marked the beautiful neck of the goddess, her lovely bosom, and


s: sparkling eyes, she marvelled at her and said, "Goddess, why do


s: you thus beguile me? Are you going to send me afield still


s: further to some man whom you have taken up in Phrygia or fair


s: Meonia? Menelaus has just vanquished Alexandrus, and is to take


s: my hateful self back with him. You are come here to betray me. Go


s: never let your feet carry you back to Olympus; worry about him


s: and look after him till he make you his wife, or, for the matter


s: of that, his slave--but me? I shall not go; I can garnish his bed


s: Venus was very angry, and said, "Bold hussy, do not provoke me;


s: if you do, I shall leave you to your fate and hate you as much as


s: and Achaeans, and you shall come to a bad end."


s: At this Helen was frightened. She wrapped her mantle about her


s: and went in silence, following the goddess and unnoticed by the


s: When they came to the house of Alexandrus the maid-servants set


s: about their work, but Helen went into her own room, and the


s: laughter-loving goddess took a seat and set it for her facing


s: Alexandrus. On this Helen, daughter of aegis-bearing Jove, sat


s: down, and with eyes askance began to upbraid her husband.


s: "So you are come from the fight," said she; "would that you had


s: fallen rather by the hand of that brave man who was my husband.


s: You used to brag that you were a better man with hands and spear


s: than Menelaus. Go, then, and challenge him again--but I should


s: advise you not to do so, for if you are foolish enough to meet


s: him in single combat, you will soon fall by his spear."


s: And Paris answered, "Wife, do not vex me with your reproaches.


s: This time, with the help of Minerva, Menelaus has vanquished me;


s: another time I may myself be victor, for I too have gods that


s: will stand by me. Come, let us lie down together and make


s: friends. Never yet was I so passionately enamoured of you as at


s: this moment--not even when I first carried you off from


s: Lacedaemon and sailed away with you--not even when I had converse


s: enthralled by desire of you as now." On this he led her towards


s: Thus they laid themselves on the bed together; but the son of


s: Atreus strode among the throng, looking everywhere for


s: Alexandrus, and no man, neither of the Trojans nor of the allies,


s: Then Agamemnon, king of men, spoke, saying, "Hear me, Trojans,


s: Dardanians, and allies. The victory has been with Menelaus;


s: therefore give back Helen with all her wealth, and pay such fine


s: as shall be agreed upon, in testimony among them that shall be


s: Thus spoke the son of Atreus, and the Achaeans shouted in


s: A quarrel in Olympus--Minerva goes down and persuades Fandarus


s: to violate the oaths by wounding Menelaus with an arrow--


s: Agamemnon makes a speech and sends for Machaon--He then


s: goes about among his captains and upbraids Ulysses and


s: Sthenelus, who each of them retort fiercely--Diomed checks


s: Sthenelus, and the two hosts then engage, with great slaughter


s: Now the gods were sitting with Jove in council upon the golden


s: floor while Hebe went round pouring out nectar for them to drink,


s: "has two good friends among the goddesses, Juno of Argos, and


s: Minerva of Alalcomene, but they only sit still and look on, while


s: must consider what we shall do about all this; shall we set them


s: fighting anew or make peace between them? If you will agree to


s: this last Menelaus can take back Helen and the city of Priam may


s: Minerva and Juno muttered their discontent as they sat side by


s: side hatching mischief for the Trojans. Minerva scowled at her


s: father, for she was in a furious passion with him, and said


s: nothing, but Juno could not contain herself. "Dread son of


s: Saturn," said she, "what, pray, is the meaning of all this? Is my


s: sweated, to say nothing of my horses, while getting the people


s: together against Priam and his children? Do as you will, but we


s: other gods shall not all of us approve your counsel."


s: Jove was angry and answered, "My dear, what harm have Priam and


s: his sons done you that you are so hotly bent on sacking the city


s: of Ilius? Will nothing do for you but you must within their walls


s: boot? Have it your own way then; for I would not have this matter


s: friends of yours, you must not try to stop me; you will have to


s: let me do it, for I am giving in to you sorely against my will.


s: Of all inhabited cities under the sun and stars of heaven, there


s: was none that I so much respected as Ilius with Priam and his


s: whole people. Equitable feasts were never wanting about my altar,


s: "My own three favourite cities," answered Juno, "are Argos,


s: Sparta, and Mycenae. Sack them whenever you may be displeased


s: with them. I shall not defend them and I shall not care. Even if


s: I did, and tried to stay you, I should take nothing by it, for


s: you are much stronger than I am, but I will not have my own work


s: wasted. I too am a god and of the same race with yourself. I am


s: Saturn's eldest daughter, and am honourable not on this ground


s: only, but also because I am your wife, and you are king over the


s: gods. Let it be a case, then, of give-and-take between us, and


s: the rest of the gods will follow our lead. Tell Minerva to go and


s: Trojans shall be the first to break their oaths and set upon the


s: The sire of gods and men heeded her words, and said to Minerva,


s: "Go at once into the Trojan and Achaean hosts, and contrive that


s: the Trojans shall be the first to break their oaths and set upon


s: This was what Minerva was already eager to do, so down she darted


s: some brilliant meteor which the son of scheming Saturn has sent


s: as a sign to mariners or to some great army, and a fiery train of


s: with awe as they beheld, and one would turn to his neighbour,


s: saying, "Either we shall again have war and din of combat, or


s: Jove the lord of battle will now make peace between us."


s: Thus did they converse. Then Minerva took the form of Laodocus,


s: son of Antenor, and went through the ranks of the Trojans to find


s: among the stalwart heroes who had followed him from the banks of


s: the Aesopus, so she went close up to him and said, "Brave son of


s: Lycaon, will you do as I tell you? If you dare send an arrow at


s: Menelaus you will win honour and thanks from all the Trojans, and


s: requite you very handsomely if he could see Menelaus mount his


s: funeral pyre, slain by an arrow from your hand. Take your home


s: aim then, and pray to Lycian Apollo, the famous archer; vow that


s: when you get home to your strong city of Zelea you will offer a


s: hecatomb of firstling lambs in his honour."


s: His fool's heart was persuaded, and he took his bow from its


s: case. This bow was made from the horns of a wild ibex which he


s: had killed as it was bounding from a rock; he had stalked it, and


s: bow, smoothing them well down, and giving them tips of gold. When


s: and his brave followers held their shields before him lest the


s: Achaeans should set upon him before he had shot Menelaus. Then he


s: arrow on the string and prayed to Lycian Apollo, the famous


s: archer, vowing that when he got home to his strong city of Zelea


s: he would offer a hecatomb of firstling lambs in his honour. He


s: laid the notch of the arrow on the oxhide bowstring, and drew


s: both notch and string to his breast till the arrow-head was near


s: the bow; then when the bow was arched into a half-circle he let


s: fly, and the bow twanged, and the string sang as the arrow flew


s: But the blessed gods did not forget thee, O Menelaus, and Jove's


s: daughter, driver of the spoil, was the first to stand before thee


s: sweetly; she guided it to the part where the golden buckles of


s: the belt that passed over his double cuirass were fastened, so


s: the arrow struck the belt that went tightly round him. It went


s: right through this and through the cuirass of cunning


s: workmanship; it also pierced the belt beneath it, which he wore


s: next his skin to keep out darts or arrows; it was this that


s: served him in the best stead, nevertheless the arrow went through


s: As when some woman of Meonia or Caria strains purple dye on to a


s: piece of ivory that is to be the cheek-piece of a horse, and is


s: to be laid up in a treasure house--many a knight is fain to bear


s: it, but the king keeps it as an ornament of which both horse and


s: driver may be proud--even so, O Menelaus, were your shapely


s: thighs and your legs down to your fair ancles stained with blood.


s: When King Agamemnon saw the blood flowing from the wound he was


s: afraid, and so was brave Menelaus himself till he saw that the


s: barbs of the arrow and the thread that bound the arrow-head to


s: the shaft were still outside the wound. Then he took heart, but


s: Agamemnon heaved a deep sigh as he held Menelaus's hand in his


s: own, and his comrades made moan in concert. "Dear brother," he


s: cried, "I have been the death of you in pledging this covenant


s: and letting you come forward as our champion. The Trojans have


s: trampled on their oaths and have wounded you; nevertheless the


s: oath, the blood of lambs, the drink-offerings and the right hands


s: If he that rules Olympus fulfil it not here and now, he will yet


s: fulfil it hereafter, and they shall pay dearly with their lives


s: and with their wives and children. The day will surely come when


s: mighty Ilius shall be laid low, with Priam and Priam's people,


s: when the son of Saturn from his high throne shall overshadow them


s: This shall surely be; but how, Menelaus, shall I mourn you, if it


s: for the Achaeans will at once go home. We shall leave Priam and


s: the Trojans the glory of still keeping Helen, and the earth will


s: rot your bones as you lie here at Troy with your purpose not


s: fulfilled. Then shall some braggart Trojan leap upon your tomb


s: and say, 'Ever thus may Agamemnon wreak his vengeance; he brought


s: ships, and has left Menelaus behind him.' Thus will one of them


s: say, and may the earth then swallow me."


s: But Menelaus reassured him and said, "Take heart, and do not


s: alarm the people; the arrow has not struck me in a mortal part,


s: for my outer belt of burnished metal first stayed it, and under


s: this my cuirass and the belt of mail which the bronze-smiths made


s: And Agamemnon answered, "I trust, dear Menelaus, that it may be


s: even so, but the surgeon shall examine your wound and lay herbs


s: He then said to Talthybius, "Talthybius, tell Machaon, son to the


s: immediately. Some Trojan or Lycian archer has wounded him with an


s: Talthybius did as he was told, and went about the host trying to


s: find Machaon. Presently he found standing amid the brave warriors


s: said, "Son of Aesculapius, King Agamemnon says you are to come


s: and see Menelaus immediately. Some Trojan or Lycian archer has


s: wounded him with an arrow to our dismay and to his own great


s: Thus did he speak, and Machaon was moved to go. They passed


s: through the spreading host of the Achaeans and went on till they


s: came to the place where Menelaus had been wounded and was lying


s: with the chieftains gathered in a circle round him. Machaon


s: passed into the middle of the ring and at once drew the arrow


s: from the belt, bending its barbs back through the force with


s: which he pulled it out. He undid the burnished belt, and beneath


s: this the cuirass and the belt of mail which the bronze-smiths had


s: and applied some soothing drugs which Chiron had given to


s: Aesculapius out of the good will he bore him.


s: While they were thus busy about Menelaus, the Trojans came


s: forward against them, for they had put on their armour, and now


s: You would not have then found Agamemnon asleep nor cowardly and


s: unwilling to fight, but eager rather for the fray. He left his


s: chariot rich with bronze and his panting steeds in charge of


s: Eurymedon, son of Ptolemaeus the son of Peiraeus, and bade him


s: hold them in readiness against the time his limbs should weary of


s: ranks on foot. When he saw men hasting to the front he stood by


s: them and cheered them on. "Argives," said he, "slacken not one


s: whit in your onset; father Jove will be no helper of liars; the


s: Trojans have been the first to break their oaths and to attack


s: us; therefore they shall be devoured of vultures; we shall take


s: their city and carry off their wives and children in our ships."


s: But he angrily rebuked those whom he saw shirking and disinclined


s: have you no shame to stand here like frightened fawns who, when


s: they can no longer scud over the plain, huddle together, but show


s: Thus did he go about giving his orders among the ranks. Passing


s: through the crowd, he came presently on the Cretans, arming round


s: Meriones was bringing up the battalions that were in the rear.


s: Agamemnon was glad when he saw him, and spoke him fairly.


s: "Idomeneus," said he, "I treat you with greater distinction than


s: I do any others of the Achaeans, whether in war or in other


s: things, or at table. When the princes are mixing my choicest


s: wines in the mixing-bowls, they have each of them a fixed


s: allowance, but your cup is kept always full like my own, that you


s: and show yourself the man you have been always proud to be."


s: Idomeneus answered, "I will be a trusty comrade, as I promised


s: you from the first I would be. Urge on the other Achaeans, that


s: we may join battle at once, for the Trojans have trampled upon


s: their covenants. Death and destruction shall be theirs, seeing


s: they have been the first to break their oaths and to attack us."


s: The son of Atreus went on, glad at heart, till he came upon the


s: two Ajaxes arming themselves amid a host of foot-soldiers. As


s: when a goat-herd from some high post watches a storm drive over


s: the deep before the west wind--black as pitch is the offing and a


s: drives his flock into a cave--even thus did the ranks of stalwart


s: with shield and spear. Glad was King Agamemnon when he saw them.


s: "No need," he cried, "to give orders to such leaders of the


s: Argives as you are, for of your own selves you spur your men on


s: to fight with might and main. Would, by father Jove, Minerva, and


s: would then soon fall beneath our hands, and we should sack it."


s: With this he left them and went onward to Nestor, the facile


s: speaker of the Pylians, who was marshalling his men and urging


s: them on, in company with Pelagon, Alastor, Chromius, Haemon, and


s: Bias shepherd of his people. He placed his knights with their


s: chariots and horses in the front rank, while the foot-soldiers,


s: brave men and many, whom he could trust, were in the rear. The


s: cowards he drove into the middle, that they might fight whether


s: they would or no. He gave his orders to the knights first,


s: bidding them hold their horses well in hand, so as to avoid


s: confusion. "Let no man," he said, "relying on his strength or


s: horsemanship, get before the others and engage singly with the


s: Trojans, nor yet let him lag behind or you will weaken your


s: attack; but let each when he meets an enemy's chariot throw his


s: spear from his own; this be much the best; this is how the men of


s: Thus did the old man charge them, for he had been in many a


s: fight, and King Agamemnon was glad. "I wish," he said to him,


s: "that your limbs were as supple and your strength as sure as your


s: hand upon you; would that it had fallen upon some other, and that


s: And Nestor, knight of Gerene, answered, "Son of Atreus, I too


s: would gladly be the man I was when I slew mighty Ereuthalion; but


s: was then young, and now I am old; still I can go with my knights


s: and give them that counsel which old men have a right to give.


s: The wielding of the spear I leave to those who are younger and


s: Agamemnon went his way rejoicing, and presently found Menestheus,


s: Athenians loud of tongue in battle. Near him also tarried cunning


s: yet heard the battle-cry, for the ranks of Trojans and Achaeans


s: had only just begun to move, so they were standing still, waiting


s: begin the fighting. When he saw this Agamemnon rebuked them and


s: said, "Son of Peteos, and you other, steeped in cunning, heart of


s: done, for you are ever foremost to accept my invitation when we


s: councillors of the Achaeans are holding feast. You are glad


s: enough then to take your fill of roast meats and to drink wine as


s: Ulysses glared at him and answered, "Son of Atreus, what are you


s: talking about? How can you say that we are slack? When the


s: Achaeans are in full fight with the Trojans, you shall see, if


s: you care to do so, that the father of Telemachus will join battle


s: When Agamemnon saw that Ulysses was angry, he smiled pleasantly


s: at him and withdrew his words. "Ulysses," said he, "noble son of


s: Laertes, excellent in all good counsel, I have neither fault to


s: find nor orders to give you, for I know your heart is right, and


s: that you and I are of a mind. Enough; I will make you amends for


s: what I have said, and if any ill has now been spoken may the gods


s: He then left them and went on to others. Presently he saw the son


s: upbraid him. "Son of Tydeus," he said, "why stand you cowering


s: here upon the brink of battle? Tydeus did not shrink thus, but


s: was ever ahead of his men when leading them on against the foe--


s: so, at least, say they that saw him in battle, for I never set


s: eyes upon him myself. They say that there was no man like him. He


s: with Polynices to recruit his forces, for they were levying war


s: against the strong city of Thebes, and prayed our people for a


s: body of picked men to help them. The men of Mycenae were willing


s: to let them have one, but Jove dissuaded them by showing them


s: unfavourable omens. Tydeus, therefore, and Polynices went their


s: way. When they had got as far the deep-meadowed and rush-grown


s: banks of the Aesopus, the Achaeans sent Tydeus as their envoy,


s: and he found the Cadmeans gathered in great numbers to a banquet


s: in the house of Eteocles. Stranger though he was, he knew no fear


s: them to contests of all kinds, and in each one of them was at


s: once victorious, so mightily did Minerva help him. The Cadmeans


s: were incensed at his success, and set a force of fifty youths


s: with two captains--the godlike hero Maeon, son of Haemon, and


s: Polyphontes, son of Autophonus--at their head, to lie in wait for


s: save only Maeon, whom he let go in obedience to heaven's omens.


s: Such was Tydeus of Aetolia. His son can talk more glibly, but he


s: Diomed made no answer, for he was shamed by the rebuke of


s: Agamemnon; but the son of Capaneus took up his words and said,


s: "Son of Atreus, tell no lies, for you can speak truth if you


s: will. We boast ourselves as even better men than our fathers; we


s: took seven-gated Thebes, though the wall was stronger and our men


s: sheer folly; hold not, then, our fathers in like honour with us."


s: Diomed looked sternly at him and said, "Hold your peace, my


s: friend, as I bid you. It is not amiss that Agamemnon should urge


s: the Achaeans forward, for the glory will be his if we take the


s: city, and his the shame if we are vanquished. Therefore let us


s: As he spoke he sprang from his chariot, and his armour rang so


s: fiercely about his body that even a brave man might well have


s: As when some mighty wave that thunders on the beach when the west


s: over the jagged rocks and spews its salt foam in all