The Iliad | Page 9

at his ships and nursed his anger. He went not to the
honourable assembly, and sallied not forth to fight, but gnawed at his
own heart, pining for battle and the war-cry.
Now after twelve days the immortal gods came back in a body to

Olympus, and Jove led the way. Thetis was not unmindful of the charge
her son had laid upon her, so she rose from under the sea and went
through great heaven with early morning to Olympus, where she found
the mighty son of Saturn sitting all alone upon its topmost ridges. She
sat herself down before him, and with her left hand seized his knees,
while with her right she caught him under the chin, and besought him,
saying:--
"Father Jove, if I ever did you service in word or deed among the
immortals, hear my prayer, and do honour to my son, whose life is to
be cut short so early. King Agamemnon has dishonoured him by taking
his prize and keeping her. Honour him then yourself, Olympian lord of
counsel, and grant victory to the Trojans, till the Achaeans give my son
his due and load him with riches in requital."
Jove sat for a while silent, and without a word, but Thetis still kept firm
hold of his knees, and besought him a second time. "Incline your head,"
said she, "and promise me surely, or else deny me--for you have
nothing to fear--that I may learn how greatly you disdain me."
At this Jove was much troubled and answered, "I shall have trouble if
you set me quarrelling with Juno, for she will provoke me with her
taunting speeches; even now she is always railing at me before the
other gods and accusing me of giving aid to the Trojans. Go back now,
lest she should find out. I will consider the matter, and will bring it
about as you wish. See, I incline my head that you may believe me.
This is the most solemn promise that I can give to any god. I never
recall my word, or deceive, or fail to do what I say, when I have
nodded my head."
As he spoke the son of Saturn bowed his dark brows, and the ambrosial
locks swayed on his immortal head, till vast Olympus reeled.
When the pair had thus laid their plans, they parted--Jove to his house,
while the goddess quitted the splendour of Olympus, and plunged into
the depths of the sea. The gods rose from their seats, before the coming
of their sire. Not one of them dared to remain sitting, but all stood up as
he came among them. There, then, he took his seat. But Juno, when she

saw him, knew that he and the old merman's daughter, silver-footed
Thetis, had been hatching mischief, so she at once began to upbraid
him. "Trickster," she cried, "which of the gods have you been taking
into your counsels now? You are always settling matters in secret
behind my back, and have never yet told me, if you could help it, one
word of your intentions."
"Juno," replied the sire of gods and men, "you must not expect to be
informed of all my counsels. You are my wife, but you would find it
hard to understand them. When it is proper for you to hear, there is no
one, god or man, who will be told sooner, but when I mean to keep a
matter to myself, you must not pry nor ask questions."
"Dread son of Saturn," answered Juno, "what are you talking about? I?
Pry and ask questions? Never. I let you have your own way in
everything. Still, I have a strong misgiving that the old merman's
daughter Thetis has been talking you over, for she was with you and
had hold of your knees this self-same morning. I believe, therefore, that
you have been promising her to give glory to Achilles, and to kill much
people at the ships of the Achaeans."
"Wife," said Jove, "I can do nothing but you suspect me and find it out.
You will take nothing by it, for I shall only dislike you the more, and it
will go harder with you. Granted that it is as you say; I mean to have it
so; sit down and hold your tongue as I bid you for if I once begin to lay
my hands about you, though all heaven were on your side it would
profit you nothing."
On this Juno was frightened, so she curbed her stubborn will and sat
down in silence. But the heavenly beings were disquieted throughout
the house of Jove, till the cunning workman Vulcan began to try and
pacify his mother Juno. "It will be intolerable," said he, "if you two fall