The Iliad | Page 5

and answered, "You are steeped in insolence
and lust of gain. With what heart can any of the Achaeans do your
bidding, either on foray or in open fighting? I came not warring here
for any ill the Trojans had done me. I have no quarrel with them. They
have not raided my cattle nor my horses, nor cut down my harvests on
the rich plains of Phthia; for between me and them there is a great
space, both mountain and sounding sea. We have followed you, Sir
Insolence! for your pleasure, not ours--to gain satisfaction from the
Trojans for your shameless self and for Menelaus. You forget this, and
threaten to rob me of the prize for which I have toiled, and which the
sons of the Achaeans have given me. Never when the Achaeans sack
any rich city of the Trojans do I receive so good a prize as you do,
though it is my hands that do the better part of the fighting. When the
sharing comes, your share is far the largest, and I, forsooth, must go
back to my ships, take what I can get and be thankful, when my labour
of fighting is done. Now, therefore, I shall go back to Phthia; it will be
much better for me to return home with my ships, for I will not stay
here dishonoured to gather gold and substance for you."
And Agamemnon answered, "Fly if you will, I shall make you no
prayers to stay you. I have others here who will do me honour, and
above all Jove, the lord of counsel. There is no king here so hateful to
me as you are, for you are ever quarrelsome and ill- affected. What
though you be brave? Was it not heaven that made you so? Go home,
then, with your ships and comrades to lord it over the Myrmidons. I

care neither for you nor for your anger; and thus will I do: since
Phoebus Apollo is taking Chryseis from me, I shall send her with my
ship and my followers, but I shall come to your tent and take your own
prize Briseis, that you may learn how much stronger I am than you are,
and that another may fear to set himself up as equal or comparable with
me."
The son of Peleus was furious, and his heart within his shaggy breast
was divided whether to draw his sword, push the others aside, and kill
the son of Atreus, or to restrain himself and check his anger. While he
was thus in two minds, and was drawing his mighty sword from its
scabbard, Minerva came down from heaven (for Juno had sent her in
the love she bore to them both), and seized the son of Peleus by his
yellow hair, visible to him alone, for of the others no man could see her.
Achilles turned in amaze, and by the fire that flashed from her eyes at
once knew that she was Minerva. "Why are you here," said he,
"daughter of aegis-bearing Jove? To see the pride of Agamemnon, son
of Atreus? Let me tell you--and it shall surely be--he shall pay for this
insolence with his life."
And Minerva said, "I come from heaven, if you will hear me, to bid
you stay your anger. Juno has sent me, who cares for both of you alike.
Cease, then, this brawling, and do not draw your sword; rail at him if
you will, and your railing will not be vain, for I tell you--and it shall
surely be--that you shall hereafter receive gifts three times as splendid
by reason of this present insult. Hold, therefore, and obey."
"Goddess," answered Achilles, "however angry a man may be, he must
do as you two command him. This will be best, for the gods ever hear
the prayers of him who has obeyed them."
He stayed his hand on the silver hilt of his sword, and thrust it back into
the scabbard as Minerva bade him. Then she went back to Olympus
among the other gods, and to the house of aegis-bearing Jove.
But the son of Peleus again began railing at the son of Atreus, for he
was still in a rage. "Wine-bibber," he cried, "with the face of a dog and
the heart of a hind, you never dare to go out with the host in fight, nor

yet with our chosen men in ambuscade. You shun this as you do death
itself. You had rather go round and rob his prizes from any man who
contradicts you. You devour your people, for you are king over a feeble
folk; otherwise, son of Atreus, henceforward you would insult no man.
Therefore I say, and swear it with a great oath--nay, by this my sceptre