“Sons of Atreus,” he cried, “and all other Achæans, may the gods who dwell in Olympus grant you to sack the city of Priam, and to reach your homes in SING, O GODDESS, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus, safety; but free my daughter, and accept a ransom that brought countless ills upon the Achæans. Many for her, in reverence to Apollo, son of Jove.” a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, On this the rest of the Achæans with one voice and many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs and were for respecting the priest and taking the ran-vultures, for so were the counsels of Jove fulfilled som that he offered; but not so Agamemnon, who from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of spoke fiercely to him and sent him roughly away.
men, and great Achilles, first fell out with one an-
“Old man,” said he, “let me not find you tarrying other.
about our ships, nor yet coming hereafter. Your And which of the gods was it that set them on to 3
The Iliad – Book I
sceptre of the god and your wreath shall profit you down away from the ships with a face as dark as nothing. I will not free her. She shall grow old in night, and his silver bow rang death as he shot his my house at Argos far from her own home, busying arrow in the midst of them. First he smote their herself with her loom and visiting my couch; so go, mules and their hounds, but presently he aimed his and do not provoke me or it shall be the worse for shafts at the people themselves, and all day long you.”
the pyres of the dead were burning.
The old man feared him and obeyed. Not a word For nine whole days he shot his arrows among he spoke, but went by the shore of the sounding the people, but upon the tenth day Achilles called sea and prayed apart to King Apollo whom lovely them in assembly—moved thereto by Juno, who saw Leto had borne. “Hear me,” he cried, “O god of the the Achæans in their death-throes and had com-silver bow, that protectest Chryse and holy Cilla passion upon them. Then, when they were got to-and rulest Tenedos with thy might, hear me oh thou gether, he rose and spoke among them.
of Sminthe. If I have ever decked your temple with
“Son of Atreus,” said he, “I deem that we should garlands, or burned your thigh-bones in fat of bulls now turn roving home if we would escape destruc-or goats, grant my prayer, and let your arrows avenge tion, for we are being cut down by war and pesti-these my tears upon the Danaans.” lence at once. Let us ask some priest or prophet, or Thus did he pray, and Apollo heard his prayer.
some reader of dreams (for dreams, too, are of Jove) He came down furious from the summits of who can tell us why Phoebus Apollo is so angry, Olympus, with his bow and his quiver upon his and say whether it is for some vow that we have shoulder, and the arrows rattled on his back with broken, or hecatomb that we have not offered, and the rage that trembled within him. He sat himself whether he will accept the savour of lambs and goats 4
The Iliad – Book I
without blemish, so as to take away the plague from Calchas, to whom you pray, and whose oracles you us.”
reveal to us, not a Danaan at our ships shall lay his With these words he sat down, and Calchas son hand upon you, while I yet live to look upon the of Thestor, wisest of augurs, who knew things past face of the earth—no, not though you name present and to come, rose to speak. He it was who Agamemnon himself, who is by far the foremost of had guided the Achæans with their fleet to Ilius, the Achæans.”
through the prophesyings with which Phoebus Thereon the seer spoke boldly. “The god,” he said, Apollo had inspired him. With all sincerity and
“is angry neither about vow nor hecatomb, but for goodwill he addressed them thus—
his priest’s sake, whom Agamemnon has
“Achilles, loved of heaven, you bid me tell you dishonoured, in that he would not free his daugh-about the anger of King Apollo, I will therefore do ter nor take a ransom for her; therefore has he sent so; but consider first and swear that you will stand these evils upon us, and will yet send others. He by me heartily in word and deed, for I know that I will not deliver the Danaans from this pestilence shall offend one who rules the Argives with might, till Agamemnon has restored the girl without fee or to whom all the Achæans are in subjection. A plain ransom to her father, and has sent a holy hecatomb man cannot stand against the anger of a king, who to Chryse. Thus we may perhaps appease him.” if he swallow his displeasure now, will yet nurse reWith these words he sat down, and Agamemnon venge till he has wreaked it. Consider, therefore, rose in anger. His heart was black with rage, and his whether or no you will protect me.” eyes flashed fire as he scowled on Calchas and said, And Achilles answered, “Fear not, but speak as it
“Seer of evil, you never yet prophesied smooth is borne in upon you from heaven, for by Apollo, things concerning me, but have ever loved to fore-5
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tell that which was evil. You have brought me nei-us to sack the city of Troy we will requite you three ther comfort nor performance; and now you come and fourfold.”
seeing among Danaans, and saying that Apollo has Then Agamemnon said, “Achilles, valiant though plagued us because I would not take a ransom for you be, you shall not thus outwit me. You shall not this girl, the daughter of Chryses. I have set my overreach and you shall not persuade me. Are you heart on keeping her in my own house, for I love to keep your own prize, while I sit tamely under her better even than my own wife Clytemnestra, my loss and give up the girl at your bidding? Let whose peer she is alike in form and feature, in un-the Achæans find me a prize in fair exchange to my derstanding and accomplishments. Still I will give liking, or I will come and take your own, or that of her up if I must, for I would have the people live, Ajax or of Ulysses; and he to whomsoever I may not die; but you must find me a prize instead, or I come shall rue my coming. But of this we will take alone among the Argives shall be without one. This thought hereafter; for the present, let us draw a ship is not well; for you behold, all of you, that my prize into the sea, and find a crew for her expressly; let us is to go elsewhither.”
put a hecatomb on board, and let us send Chryseis And Achilles answered, “Most noble son of Atreus, also; further, let some chief man among us be in covetous beyond all mankind, how shall the command, either Ajax, or Idomeneus, or yourself, Achæans find you another prize? We have no com-son of Peleus, mighty warrior that you are, that we mon store from which to take one. Those we took may offer sacrifice and appease the the anger of the from the cities have been awarded; we cannot disal-god.”
low the awards that have been made already. Give Achilles scowled at him and answered, “You are this girl, therefore, to the god, and if ever Jove grants steeped in insolence and lust of gain. With what 6
The Iliad – Book I
heart can any of the Achæans do your bidding, ei-will not stay here dishonoured to gather gold and ther on foray or in open fighting? I came not war-substance for you.”
ring here for any ill the Trojans had done me. I have And Agamemnon answered, “Fly if you will, I shall no quarrel with them. They have not raided my make you no prayers to stay you. I have others here cattle nor my horses, nor cut down my harvests on who will do me honour, and above all Jove, the lord the rich plains of Phthia; for between me and them of counsel. There is no king here so hateful to me there is a great space, both mountain and sounding as you are, for you are ever quarrelsome and ill af-sea. We have followed you, Sir Insolence! for your fected. What though you be brave? Was it not pleasure, not ours—to gain satisfaction from the heaven that made you so? Go home, then, with your Trojans for your shameless self and for Menelaus.
ships and comrades to lord it over the Myrmidons.
You forget this, and threaten to rob me of the prize I care neither for you nor for your anger; and thus for which I have toiled, and which the sons of the will I do: since Phoebus Apollo is taking Chryseis Achæans have given me. Never when the Achæans from me, I shall send her with my ship and my fol-sack any rich city of the Trojans do I receive so good lowers, but I shall come to your tent and take your a prize as you do, though it is my hands that do the own prize Briseis, that you may learn how much better part of the fighting. When the sharing comes, stronger I am than you are, and that another may your share is far the largest, and I, forsooth, must fear to set himself up as equal or comparable with go back to my ships, take what I can get and be me.”
thankful, when my labour of fighting is done. Now, The son of Peleus was furious, and his heart within therefore, I shall go back to Phthia; it will be much his shaggy breast was divided whether to draw his better for me to return home with my ships, for I sword, push the others aside, and kill the son of 7
The Iliad – Book I
Atreus, or to restrain himself and check his anger.
“Goddess,” answered Achilles, “however angry a While he was thus in two minds, and was drawing man may be, he must do as you two command him.
his mighty sword from its scabbard, Minerva came This will be best, for the gods ever hear the prayers down from heaven (for Juno had sent her in the of him who has obeyed them.” love she bore to them both), and seized the son of He stayed his hand on the silver hilt of his sword, Peleus by his yellow hair, visible to him alone, for and thrust it back into the scabbard as Minerva of the others no man could see her. Achilles turned bade him. Then she went back to Olympus among in amaze, and by the fire that flashed from her eyes the other gods, and to the house of ægis-bearing at once knew that she was Minerva. “Why are you Jove.
here,” said he, “daughter of ægis-bearing Jove? To But the son of Peleus again began railing at the see the pride of Agamemnon, son of Atreus? Let son of Atreus, for he was still in a rage. “Wine-me tell you—and it shall surely be—he shall pay bibber,” he cried, “with the face of a dog and the for this insolence with his life.” heart of a hind, you never dare to go out with the And Minerva said, “I come from heaven, if you host in fight, nor yet with our chosen men in am-will hear me, to bid you stay your anger. Juno has buscade. You shun this as you do death itself. You sent me, who cares for both of you alike. Cease, then, had rather go round and rob his prizes from any this brawling, and do not draw your sword; rail at man who contradicts you. You devour your people, him if you will, and your railing will not be vain, for for you are king over a feeble folk; otherwise, son I tell you—and it shall surely be—that you shall hereof Atreus, henceforward you would insult no man.
after receive gifts three times as splendid by reason Therefore I say, and swear it with a great oath—
of this present insult. Hold, therefore, and obey.” nay, by this my sceptre which shalt sprout neither 8
The Iliad – Book I
leaf nor shoot, nor bud anew from the day on which therefore, he addressed them thus—
it left its parent stem upon the mountains—for the
“Of a truth,” he said, “a great sorrow has befallen axe stripped it of leaf and bark, and now the sons the Achæan land. Surely Priam with his sons would of the Achæans bear it as judges and guardians of rejoice, and the Trojans be glad at heart if they could the decrees of heaven—so surely and solemnly do I hear this quarrel between you two, who are so ex-swear that hereafter they shall look fondly for Achil-cellent in fight and counsel. I am older than either les and shall not find him. In the day of your dis-of you; therefore be guided by me. Moreover I have tress, when your men fall dying by the murderous been the familiar friend of men even greater than hand of Hector, you shall not know how to help you are, and they did not disregard my counsels.
them, and shall rend your heart with rage for the Never again can I behold such men as Pirithous hour when you offered insult to the bravest of the and Dryas shepherd of his people, or as Cæneus, Achæans.”
Exadius, godlike Polyphemus, and Theseus son of With this the son of Peleus dashed his gold-
Ægeus, peer of the immortals. These were the bestudded sceptre on the ground and took his seat, mightiest men ever born upon this earth: mightiest while the son of Atreus was beginning fiercely from were they, and when they fought the fiercest tribes his place upon the other side. Then uprose smooth-of mountain savages they utterly overthrew them. I tongued Nestor, the facile speaker of the Pylians, came from distant Pylos, and went about among and the words fell from his lips sweeter than honey.
them, for they would have me come, and I fought Two generations of men born and bred in Pylos had as it was in me to do. Not a man now living could passed away under his rule, and he was now reign-withstand them, but they heard my words, and were ing over the third. With all sincerity and goodwill, persuaded by them. So be it also with yourselves, 9
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for this is the more excellent way. Therefore, Order other people about, not me, for I shall obey Agamemnon, though you be strong, take not this no longer. Furthermore I say—and lay my saying to girl away, for the sons of the Achæans have already your heart—I shall fight neither you nor any man given her to Achilles; and you, Achilles, strive not about this girl, for those that take were those also further with the king, for no man who by the grace that gave. But of all else that is at my ship you shall of Jove wields a sceptre has like honour with carry away nothing by force. Try, that others may Agamemnon. You are strong, and have a goddess see; if you do, my spear shall be reddened with your for your mother; but Agamemnon is stronger than blood.”
you, for he has more people under him. Son of When they had quarrelled thus angrily, they rose, Atreus, check your anger, I implore you; end this and broke up the assembly at the ships of the quarrel with Achilles, who in the day of battle is a Achæans. The son of Peleus went back to his tents tower of strength to the Achæans.” and ships with the son of Menoetius and his com-And Agamemnon answered, “Sir, all that you have pany, while Agamemnon drew a vessel into the wa-said is true, but this fellow must needs become our ter and chose a crew of twenty oarsmen. He escorted lord and master: he must be lord of all, king of all, Chryseis on board and sent moreover a hecatomb and captain of all, and this shall hardly be. Granted for the god. And Ulysses went as captain.
that the gods have made him a great warrior, have These, then, went on board and sailed their ways they also given him the right to speak with rail-over the sea. But the son of Atreus bade the people ing?”
purify themselves; so they purified themselves and Achilles interrupted him. “I should be a mean cow-cast their filth into the sea. Then they offered ard,” he cried, “were I to give in to you in all things.
hecatombs of bulls and goats without blemish on 10
The Iliad – Book I
the sea-shore, and the smoke with the savour of her and give her to them, but let them be witnesses their sacrifice rose curling up towards heaven.
by the blessed gods, by mortal men, and by the Thus did they busy themselves throughout the fierceness of Agamemnon’s anger, that if ever again host. But Agamemnon did not forget the threat that there be need of me to save the people from ruin, he had made Achilles, and called his trusty messen-they shall seek and they shall not find. Agamemnon gers and squires Talthybius and Eurybates. “Go,” is mad with rage and knows not how to look before said he, “to the tent of Achilles, son of Peleus; take and after that the Achæans may fight by their ships Briseis by the hand and bring her hither; if he will in safety.”
not give her I shall come with others and take her—
Patroclus did as his dear comrade had bidden him.
which will press him harder.” He brought Briseis from the tent and gave her over He charged them straightly further and dismissed to the heralds, who took her with them to the ships them, whereon they went their way sorrowfully by of the Achæans—and the woman was loth to go.
the seaside, till they came to the tents and ships of Then Achilles went all alone by the side of the hoar the Myrmidons. They found Achilles sitting by his sea, weeping and looking out upon the boundless tent and his ships, and ill-pleased he was when he waste of waters. He raised his hands in prayer to beheld them. They stood fearfully and reverently his immortal mother, “Mother,” he cried, “you bore before him, and never a word did they speak, but me doomed to live but for a little season; surely he knew them and said, “Welcome, heralds, mes-Jove, who thunders from Olympus, might have made sengers of gods and men; draw near; my quarrel is that little glorious. It is not so. Agamemnon, son of not with you but with Agamemnon who has sent Atreus, has done me dishonour, and has robbed me you for the girl Briseis. Therefore, Patroclus, bring of my prize by force.”
11
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As he spoke he wept aloud, and his mother heard were for respecting the priest and taking the ran-him where she was sitting in the depths of the sea som that he offered; but not so Agamemnon, who hard by the old man her father. Forthwith she rose spoke fiercely to him and sent him roughly away.
as it were a grey mist out of the waves, sat down So he went back in anger, and Apollo, who loved before him as he stood weeping, caressed him with him dearly, heard his prayer. Then the god sent a her hand, and said, “My son, why are you weep-deadly dart upon the Argives, and the people died ing? What is it that grieves you? Keep it not from thick on one another, for the arrows went me, but tell me, that we may know it together.” everywhither among the wide host of the Achæans.
Achilles drew a deep sigh and said, “You know it; At last a seer in the fulness of his knowledge de-why tell you what you know well already? We went clared to us the oracles of Apollo, and I was myself to Thebe the strong city of Eetion, sacked it, and first to say that we should appease him. Whereon brought hither the spoil. The sons of the Achæans the son of Atreus rose in anger, and threatened that shared it duly among themselves, and chose lovely which he has since done. The Achæans are now tak-Chryseis as the meed of Agamemnon; but Chryses, ing the girl in a ship to Chryse, and sending gifts of priest of Apollo, came to the ships of the Achæans sacrifice to the god; but the heralds have just taken to free his daughter, and brought with him a great from my tent the daughter of Briseus, whom the ransom: moreover he bore in his hand the sceptre Achæans had awarded to myself.
of Apollo, wreathed with a suppliant’s wreath, and
“Help your brave son, therefore, if you are able.
he besought the Achæans, but most of all the two Go to Olympus, and if you have ever done him ser-sons of Atreus who were their chiefs.
vice in word or deed, implore the aid of Jove.
“On this the rest of the Achæans with one voice Ofttimes in my father’s house have I heard you glory 12
The Iliad – Book I
in that you alone of the immortals saved the son of row above your peers: woe, therefore, was the hour Saturn from ruin, when the others, with Juno, Nep-in which I bore you; nevertheless I will go to the tune, and Pallas Minerva would have put him in snowy heights of Olympus, and tell this tale to Jove, bonds. It was you, goddess, who delivered him by if he will hear our prayer: meanwhile stay where calling to Olympus the hundred-handed monster you are with your ships, nurse your anger against whom gods call Briareus, but men Ægæon, for he is the Achæans, and hold aloof from fight. For Jove stronger even than his father; when therefore he went yesterday to Oceanus, to a feast among the took his seat all-glorious beside the son of Saturn, Ethiopians, and the other gods went with him. He the other gods were afraid, and did not bind him.
will return to Olympus twelve days hence; I will Go, then, to him, remind him of all this, clasp his then go to his mansion paved with bronze and will knees, and bid him give succour to the Trojans. Let beseech him; nor do I doubt that I shall be able to the Achæans be hemmed in at the sterns of their persuade him.”
ships, and perish on the sea-shore, that they may On this she left him, still furious at the loss of her reap what joy they may of their king, and that that had been taken from him. Meanwhile Ulysses Agamemnon may rue his blindness in offering in-reached Chryse with the hecatomb. When they had sult to the foremost of the Achæans.” come inside the harbour they furled the sails and Thetis wept and answered, “My son, woe is me laid them in the ship’s hold; they slackened the that I should have borne or suckled you. Would forestays, lowered the mast into its place, and rowed indeed that you had lived your span free from all the ship to the place where they would have her lie; sorrow at your ships, for it is all too brief; alas, that there they cast out their mooring-stones and made you should be at once short of life and long of sor-fast the hawsers. They then got out upon the sea-13
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shore and landed the hecatomb for Apollo; Chryseis When they had done praying and sprinkling the also left the ship, and Ulysses led her to the altar to barley-meal, they drew back the heads of the vic-deliver her into the hands of her father. “Chryses,” tims and killed and flayed them. They cut out the said he, “King Agamemnon has sent me to bring thigh-bones, wrapped them round in two layers of you back your child, and to offer sacrifice to Apollo fat, set some pieces of raw meat on the top of them, on behalf of the Danaans, that we may propitiate and then Chryses laid them on the wood fire and the god, who has now brought sorrow upon the poured wine over them, while the young men stood Argives.”
near him with five-pronged spits in their hands.
So saying he gave the girl over to her father, who When the thigh-bones were burned and they had received her gladly, and they ranged the holy tasted the inward meats, they cut the rest up small, hecatomb all orderly round the altar of the god.
put the pieces upon the spits, roasted them till they They washed their hands and took up the barley-were done, and drew them off: then, when they had meal to sprinkle over the victims, while Chryses finished their work and the feast was ready, they lifted up his hands and prayed aloud on their beate it, and every man had his full share, so that all half. “Hear me,” he cried, “O god of the silver bow, were satisfied. As soon as they had had enough to that protectest Chryse and holy Cilla, and rulest eat and drink, pages filled the mixing-bowl with wine Tenedos with thy might. Even as thou didst hear and water and handed it round, after giving every me aforetime when I prayed, and didst press hardly man his drink-offering.
upon the Achæans, so hear me yet again, and stay Thus all day long the young men worshipped the this fearful pestilence from the Danaans.” god with song, hymning him and chaunting the joy-Thus did he pray, and Apollo heard his prayer.
ous pæan, and the god took pleasure in their voices; 14
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but when the sun went down, and it came on dark, went through great heaven with early morning to they laid themselves down to sleep by the stern Olympus, where she found the mighty son of Sat-cables of the ship, and when the child of morning, urn sitting all alone upon its topmost ridges. She rosy-fingered Dawn, appeared they again set sail sat herself down before him, and with her left hand for the host of the Achæans. Apollo sent them a seized his knees, while with her right she caught fair wind, so they raised their mast and hoisted their him under the chin, and besought him, saying—
white sails aloft. As the sail bellied with the wind
“Father Jove, if I ever did you service in word or the ship flew through the deep blue water, and the deed among the immortals, hear my prayer, and do foam hissed against her bows as she sped onward.
honour to my son, whose life is to be cut short so When they reached the wide-stretching host of the early. King Agamemnon has dishonoured him by Achæans, they drew the vessel ashore, high and dry taking his prize and keeping her. Honour him then upon the sands, set her strong props beneath her, yourself, Olympian lord of counsel, and grant vic-and went their ways to their own tents and ships.
tory to the Trojans, till the Achæans give my son But Achilles abode at his ships and nursed his his due and load him with riches in requital.” anger. He went not to the honourable assembly, and Jove sat for a while silent, and without a word, sallied not forth to fight, but gnawed at his own but Thetis still kept firm hold of his knees, and heart, pining for battle and the war-cry.
besought him a second time. “Incline your head,” Now after twelve days the immortal gods came said she, “and promise me surely, or else deny me—
back in a body to Olympus, and Jove led the way.
for you have nothing to fear—that I may learn how Thetis was not unmindful of the charge her son had greatly you disdain me.”
laid upon her, so she rose from under the sea and At this Jove was much troubled and answered, “I 15
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shall have trouble if you set me quarrelling with old merman’s daughter, silver-footed Thetis, had Juno, for she will provoke me with her taunting been hatching mischief, so she at once began to speeches; even now she is always railing at me be-upbraid him. “Trickster,” she cried, “which of the fore the other gods and accusing me of giving aid to gods have you been taking into your counsels now?
the Trojans. Go back now, lest she should find out.
You are always settling matters in secret behind my I will consider the matter, and will bring it about as back, and have never yet told me, if you could help wish. See, I incline my head that you believe me.
it, one word of your intentions.” This is the most solemn that I can give to any god.
“Juno,” replied the sire of gods and men, “you I never recall my word, or deceive, or fail to do what must not expect to be informed of all my counsels.
I say, when I have nodded my head.” You are my wife, but you would find it hard to un-As he spoke the son of Saturn bowed his dark derstand them. When it is proper for you to hear, brows, and the ambrosial locks swayed on his im-there is no one, god or man, who will be told sooner, mortal head, till vast Olympus reeled.
but when I mean to keep a matter to myself, you When the pair had thus laid their plans, they must not pry nor ask questions.” parted—Jove to his house, while the goddess quit-
“Dread son of Saturn,” answered Juno, “what are ted the splendour of Olympus, and plunged into you talking about? I? Pry and ask questions? Never.
the depths of the sea. The gods rose from their seats, I let you have your own way in everything. Still, I before the coming of their sire. Not one of them have a strong misgiving that the old merman’s dared to remain sitting, but all stood up as he came daughter Thetis has been talking you over, for she among them. There, then, he took his seat.
was with you and had hold of your knees this self-But Juno, when she saw him, knew that he and the same morning. I believe, therefore, that you have 16
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been promising her to give glory to Achilles, and to lest he again scold her and disturb our feast. If the kill much people at the ships of the Achæans.” Olympian Thunderer wants to hurl us all from our
“Wife,” said Jove, “I can do nothing but you sus-seats, he can do so, for he is far the strongest, so pect me and find it out. You will take nothing by it, give him fair words, and he will then soon be in a for I shall only dislike you the more, and it will go good humour with us.”
harder with you. Granted that it is as you say; I As he spoke, he took a double cup of nectar, and mean to have it so; sit down and hold your tongue placed it in his mother’s hand. “Cheer up, my dear as I bid you for if I once begin to lay my hands mother,” said he, “and make the best of it. I love about you, though all heaven were on your side it you dearly, and should be very sorry to see you get would profit you nothing.”
a thrashing; however grieved I might be, I could On this Juno was frightened, so she curbed her not help for there is no standing against Jove. Once stubborn will and sat down in silence. But the heav-before when I was trying to help you, he caught me enly beings were disquieted throughout the house by the foot and flung me from the heavenly thresh-of Jove, till the cunning workman Vulcan began to old. All day long from morn till eve, was I falling, try and pacify his mother Juno. “It will be intoler-till at sunset I came to ground in the island of able,” said he, “if you two fall to wrangling and set-Lemnos, and there I lay, with very little life left in ting heaven in an uproar about a pack of mortals. If me, till the Sintians came and tended me.” such ill counsels are to prevail, we shall have no Juno smiled at this, and as she smiled she took pleasure at our banquet. Let me then advise my the cup from her son’s hands. Then Vulcan dr