The Iliad of Homer | Page 4

magnanimous
Greeks assign thee a prize? Nor do we know of many common stores
laid up anywhere. But what we plundered[21] from the cities, these
have been divided, and it is not fitting that the troops should collect
these brought together again. But do thou now let her go to the God,
and we Greeks will compensate thee thrice, or four-fold, if haply Jove
grant to us to sack the well-fortified city of Troy."
[Footnote 21: More closely: "took from the cities, when we destroyed
them."]
But him answering, king Agamemnon addressed: "Do not thus,
excellent though thou be, godlike Achilles, practise deceit in thy mind;
since thou shalt not overreach, nor yet persuade me. Dost thou wish
that thou thyself mayest have a prize, whilst I sit down idly,[22]
wanting one? And dost thou bid me to restore her? If, however, the
magnanimous Greeks will give me a prize, having suited it to my mind,
so that it shall be an equivalent, [it is well]. But if they will not give it,
then I myself coming, will seize your prize, or that of Ajax,[23] or
Ulysses,[24] and will bear it away; and he to whom I may come shall
have cause for anger. On these things, however, we will consult
afterwards. But now come, let us launch a sable ship into the boundless
sea, and let us collect into it rowers in sufficient number, and place on
board a hecatomb; and let us make the fair-cheeked daughter of
Chryses to embark, and let some one noble man be commander, Ajax
or Idomeneus, or divine Ulysses; or thyself, son of Peleus, most terrible
of all men, that thou mayest appease for us the Far-darter, having
offered sacrifices."
[Footnote 22: Buttmann would take [Greek: autôs] as = frustra.]

[Footnote 23: Tecmessa.]
[Footnote 24: Laodice, daughter of Cyenus.]
But him swift-footed Achilles sternly regarding, addressed: "Ha![25]
thou clad in impudence, thou bent on gain, how can any of the Greeks
willingly obey thy orders, either to undertake a mission, or to fight
bravely with men? For I did not come hither to fight on account of the
warlike Trojans, seeing that they are blameless as respects me. Since
they have never driven away my oxen, nor my horses either nor ever
injured my crops in fertile and populous Phthia: for very many
shadowy mountains, and the resounding sea, are between us. But thee,
O most shameless man, we follow, that thou mayest rejoice; seeking
satisfaction from the Trojans for Menelaus, and for thy pleasure,
shameless one! for which things thou hast neither respect nor care. And
now thou hast threatened that thou wilt in person wrest from me my
prize, for which I have toiled much, and which the sons of the Greeks
have given me. Whenever the Greeks sacked a well-inhabited city of
the Trojans, I never have had a prize equal to thine; although my hands
perform the greater portion of the tumultuous conflict, yet when the
division [of spoil] may come, a much greater prize is given to thee,
while I come to my ships, when I am fatigued with fighting, having one
small and agreeable. But now I will go to Phthia, for it is much better to
return home with our curved ships; for I do not think that thou shalt
amass wealth and treasures while I am dishonoured here."
[Footnote 25: See my note on Od. i. p. 2, n. 11, ed. Bohn.]
But him, the king of men, Agamemnon, then answered: "Fly, by all
means, if thy mind urges thee; nor will I entreat thee to remain on my
account: there are others with me who will honour me, but chiefly the
all-wise Jove. For to me thou art the most odious of the Jove-nourished
princes, for ever is contention agreeable to thee, and wars and battles. If
thou be very bold, why doubtless a deity has given this to thee. Going
home with thy ships and thy companions, rule over the Myrmidons; for
I do not regard thee, nor care for thee in thy wrath; but thus will I
threaten thee: Since Phoebus Apollo is depriving me of the daughter of
Chryses,[26] her indeed I will send, with my own ship, and with my

own friends; but I myself, going to thy tent, will lead away the
fair-cheeked daughter of Brises,[27] thy prize; that thou mayest well
know how much more powerful I am than thou, and that another may
dread to pronounce himself equal to me, and to liken himself openly [to
me]."
[Footnote 26: Astynome. Cf. Eustath. fol. 58]
[Footnote 27: Hippodameia.]
Thus he spoke, and grief arose to the son of Peleus, and the heart within,
in his hairy breast, was pondering upon two courses; whether, drawing
his sharp sword from his thigh,