you may be satisfied。 Moreover let him swear an oath before the
Argives that he has never gone up into the couch of Briseis； nor
been with her after the manner of men and women； and do you； too； show
yourself of a gracious mind； let Agamemnon entertain you in his
tents with a feast of reconciliation； that so you may have had your
dues in full。 As for you； son of Atreus； treat people more righteously
in future； it is no disgrace even to a king that he should make amends
if he was wrong in the first instance。〃
And King Agamemnon answered； 〃Son of Laertes； your words please me
well； for throughout you have spoken wisely。 I will swear as you would
have me do； I do so of my own free will； neither shall I take the name
of heaven in vain。 Let； then； Achilles wait； though he would fain
fight at once； and do you others wait also； till the gifts come from
my tent and we ratify the oath with sacrifice。 Thus； then； do I charge
you： take some noble young Achaeans with you； and bring from my
tents the gifts that I promised yesterday to Achilles； and bring the
women also； furthermore let Talthybius find me a boar from those
that are with the host； and make it ready for sacrifice to Jove and to
the sun。〃
Then said Achilles； 〃Son of Atreus； king of men Agamemnon； see to
these matters at some other season； when there is breathing time and
when I am calmer。 Would you have men eat while the bodies of those
whom Hector son of Priam slew are still lying mangled upon the
plain？ Let the sons of the Achaeans； say I； fight fasting and
without food； till we have avenged them； afterwards at the going
down of the sun let them eat their fill。 As for me； Patroclus is lying
dead in my tent； all hacked and hewn； with his feet to the door； and
his comrades are mourning round him。 Therefore I can take thought of
nothing save only slaughter and blood and the rattle in the throat
of the dying。〃
Ulysses answered； 〃Achilles； son of Peleus； mightiest of all the
Achaeans； in battle you are better than I； and that more than a
little； but in counsel I am much before you； for I am older and of
greater knowledge。 Therefore be patient under my words。 Fighting is
a thing of which men soon surfeit； and when Jove； who is wars steward；
weighs the upshot； it may well prove that the straw which our
sickles have reaped is far heavier than the grain。 It may not be
that the Achaeans should mourn the dead with their bellies； day by day
men fall thick and threefold continually； when should we have
respite from our sorrow？ Let us mourn our dead for a day and bury them
out of sight and mind； but let those of us who are left eat and
drink that we may arm and fight our foes more fiercely。 In that hour
let no man hold back； waiting for a second summons； such summons shall
bode ill for him who is found lagging behind at our ships； let us
rather sally as one man and loose the fury of war upon the Trojans。〃
When he had thus spoken he took with him the sons of Nestor； with
Meges son of Phyleus； Thoas； Meriones； Lycomedes son of Creontes；
and Melanippus； and went to the tent of Agamemnon son of Atreus。 The
word was not sooner said than the deed was done： they brought out
the seven tripods which Agamemnon had promised； with the twenty
metal cauldrons and the twelve horses； they also brought the women
skilled in useful arts； seven in number； with Briseis； which made
eight。 Ulysses weighed out the ten talents of gold and then led the
way back； while the young Achaeans brought the rest of the gifts；
and laid them in the middle of the assembly。
Agamemnon then rose； and Talthybius whose voice was like that of a
god came to him with the boar。 The son of Atreus drew the knife
which he wore by the scabbard of his mighty sword； and began by
cutting off some bristles from the boar； lifting up his hands in
prayer as he did so。 The other Achaeans sat where they were all silent
and orderly to hear the king； and Agamemnon looked into the vault of
heaven and prayed saying； 〃I call Jove the first and mightiest of
all gods to witness； I call also Earth and Sun and the Erinyes who
dwell below and take vengeance on him who shall swear falsely； that
I have laid no hand upon the girl Briseis； neither to take her to my
bed nor otherwise； but that she has remained in my tents inviolate。 If
I swear falsely may heaven visit me with all the penalties which it
metes out to those who perjure themselves。〃
He cut the boar's throat as he spoke； whereon Talthybius whirled
it round his head； and flung it into the wide sea to feed the
fishes。 Then Achilles also rose and said to the Argives； 〃Father Jove；
of a truth you blind men's eyes and bane them。 The son of Atreus had
not else stirred me to so fierce an anger； nor so stubbornly taken
Briseis from me against my will。 Surely Jove must have counselled
the destruction of many an Argive。 Go； now； and take your food that we
may begin fighting。〃
On this he broke up the assembly； and every man went back to his own
ship。 The Myrmidons attended to the presents and took them away to the
ship of Achilles。 They placed them in his tents； while the
stable…men drove the horses in among the others。
Briseis； fair as Venus； when she saw the mangled body of
Patroclus； flung herself upon it and cried aloud； tearing her
breast； her neck； and her lovely face with both her hands。 Beautiful
as a goddess she wept and said； 〃Patroclus； dearest friend； when I
went hence I left you living； I return； O prince； to find you dead；
thus do fresh sorrows multiply upon me one after the other。 I saw
him to whom my father and mother married me； cut down before our city；
and my three own dear brothers perished with him on the self…same day；
but you； Patroclus； even when Achilles slew my husband and sacked
the city of noble Mynes； told me that I was not to weep； for you
said you would make Achilles marry me； and take me back with him to
Phthia； we should have a wedding feast among the Myrmidons。 You were
always kind to me and I shall never cease to grieve for you。〃
She wept as she spoke； and the women joined in her lament…making
as though their tears were for Patroclus； but in truth each was
weeping for her own sorrows。 The elders of the Achaeans gathered round
Achilles and prayed him to take food； but he groaned and would not
do so。 〃I pray you；〃 said he； 〃if any comrade will hear me； bid me
neither eat nor drink； for I am in great heaviness； and will stay
fasting even to the going down of the sun。〃
On this he sent the other princes away； save only the two sons of
Atreus and Ulysses； Nestor； Idomeneus； and the knight Phoenix； who
stayed behind and tried to comfort him in the bitterness of his
sorrow： but he would not be comforted till he should have flung
himself into the jaws of battle； and he fetched sigh on sigh； thinking
ever of Patroclus。 Then he said…
〃Hapless and dearest comrade； you it was who would get a good dinner
ready for me at once and without delay when the Achaeans were
hasting to fight the Trojans； now； therefore； though I have meat and
drink in my tents； yet will I fast for sorrow。 Grief greater than this
I could not know； not even though I were to hear of the death of my
father； who is now in Phthia weeping for the loss of me his son； who
am here fighting the Trojans in a strange land for the accursed sake
of Helen； nor yet though I should hear that my son is no more… he
who is being brought up in Scyros… if indeed Neoptolemus is still
living。 Till now I made sure that I alone was to fall here at Troy
away from Argos； while you were to return to Phthia； bring back my son
with you in your own ship； and show him all my property； my
bondsmen； and the greatness of my house… for Peleus must surely be
either dead； or what little life remains to him is oppressed alike
with the infirmities of age and ever present fear lest he should
hear the sad tidings of my death。〃
He wept as he spoke； and the elders sighed in concert as each
thought on what he had left at home behind him。 The son of Saturn
looked down with pity upon them； and said presently to Minerva； 〃My
child； you have quite deserted your hero； is he then gone so clean out
of your recollection？ There he sits by the ships all desolate for
the loss of his dear comrade； and though the others are gone to
their dinner he will neither eat nor drink。 Go then and drop nectar
and ambrosia into his breast； that he may know no hunger。〃
With these words he urged Minerva； who was already of the same mind。
She darted down from heaven into the air like some falcon sailing on
his broad wings and screaming。 Meanwhile the Achaeans were arming
throughout the host； and when Minerva had dropped nectar and
ambrosia into Achilles so that no cruel hunger should cause his
limbs to fail him； she went back to the house of her mighty father。
Thick as the chill snow…flakes shed from the hand of Jove and borne on
the keen blasts of the north wind； even so thick did the gleaming
helmets； the bossed shields； the strongly plated breastplates； and the
ashen spears stream from the ships。 The sheen pierced the sky； the
whole land was radiant with their flashing armour； and the sound of
the tramp of their treading rose from un