The Iliad | Page 4

being cut down by war and
pestilence at once. Let us ask some priest or prophet, or some reader of
dreams (for dreams, too, are of Jove) who can tell us why Phoebus
Apollo is so angry, and say whether it is for some vow that we have
broken, or hecatomb that we have not offered, and whether he will
accept the savour of lambs and goats without blemish, so as to take
away the plague from us."
With these words he sat down, and Calchas son of Thestor, wisest of
augurs, who knew things past present and to come, rose to speak. He it
was who had guided the Achaeans with their fleet to Ilius, through the
prophesyings with which Phoebus Apollo had inspired him. With all
sincerity and goodwill he addressed them thus:--
"Achilles, loved of heaven, you bid me tell you about the anger of King
Apollo, I will therefore do so; but consider first and swear that you will
stand by me heartily in word and deed, for I know that I shall offend
one who rules the Argives with might, to whom all the Achaeans are in
subjection. A plain man cannot stand against the anger of a king, who if
he swallow his displeasure now, will yet nurse revenge till he has
wreaked it. Consider, therefore, whether or no you will protect me."
And Achilles answered, "Fear not, but speak as it is borne in upon you
from heaven, for by Apollo, Calchas, to whom you pray, and whose

oracles you reveal to us, not a Danaan at our ships shall lay his hand
upon you, while I yet live to look upon the face of the earth--no, not
though you name Agamemnon himself, who is by far the foremost of
the Achaeans."
Thereon the seer spoke boldly. "The god," he said, "is angry neither
about vow nor hecatomb, but for his priest's sake, whom Agamemnon
has dishonoured, in that he would not free his daughter nor take a
ransom for her; therefore has he sent these evils upon us, and will yet
send others. He will not deliver the Danaans from this pestilence till
Agamemnon has restored the girl without fee or ransom to her father,
and has sent a holy hecatomb to Chryse. Thus we may perhaps appease
him."
With these words he sat down, and Agamemnon rose in anger. His
heart was black with rage, and his eyes flashed fire as he scowled on
Calchas and said, "Seer of evil, you never yet prophesied smooth things
concerning me, but have ever loved to foretell that which was evil. You
have brought me neither comfort nor performance; and now you come
seeing among Danaans, and saying that Apollo has plagued us because
I would not take a ransom for this girl, the daughter of Chryses. I have
set my heart on keeping her in my own house, for I love her better even
than my own wife Clytemnestra, whose peer she is alike in form and
feature, in understanding and accomplishments. Still I will give her up
if I must, for I would have the people live, not die; but you must find
me a prize instead, or I alone among the Argives shall be without one.
This is not well; for you behold, all of you, that my prize is to go
elsewhither."
And Achilles answered, "Most noble son of Atreus, covetous beyond
all mankind, how shall the Achaeans find you another prize? We have
no common store from which to take one. Those we took from the
cities have been awarded; we cannot disallow the awards that have
been made already. Give this girl, therefore, to the god, and if ever Jove
grants us to sack the city of Troy we will requite you three and
fourfold."
Then Agamemnon said, "Achilles, valiant though you be, you shall not

thus outwit me. You shall not overreach and you shall not persuade me.
Are you to keep your own prize, while I sit tamely under my loss and
give up the girl at your bidding? Let the Achaeans find me a prize in
fair exchange to my liking, or I will come and take your own, or that of
Ajax or of Ulysses; and he to whomsoever I may come shall rue my
coming. But of this we will take thought hereafter; for the present, let
us draw a ship into the sea, and find a crew for her expressly; let us put
a hecatomb on board, and let us send Chryseis also; further, let some
chief man among us be in command, either Ajax, or Idomeneus, or
yourself, son of Peleus, mighty warrior that you are, that we may offer
sacrifice and appease the the anger of the god."
Achilles scowled at him