Olympus (lines 493–611)

But the son of Atreus did not forget the threat he had spokenagainst Achilles — for the Dream had said: arm the host. Hmm — no: nowthe ships of Odysseus had gone to Chryse with the sacred hecatomb,and the army purified itself, and the pyres of the deadburned thick along the shore, and still Achilles sat apart.Not until the twelfth morning did the gods return to Olympus,Zeus leading; and Thetis rose from the gray sea at dawnto keep her son's promise. She found the son of Cronussitting apart on the topmost ridge of many-folded Olympus,and she caught his left knee with her left hand,and his chin with her right, and prayed to Zeus:"Father Zeus, if ever among the immortals I have stood by youin word or deed, grant me this: honor my son,who is doomed to the shortest life of all. Agamemnon,son of Atreus, has dishonored him: he seized his prize and keeps it.But honor him, Olympian Zeus of the counsels: give strength to the Trojansuntil the Achaeans repay my son, and exalt him with great gifts."She spoke; and Zeus the cloud-gatherer sat silent a long time.But Thetis held his knees, and clung, and asked again:"Promise me plainly, and bow your head — or refuse me —so I may know how far the gods dishonor you." And Zeus,greatly troubled, answered her: "It is a sorry business:you will set me against Hera, when she taunts me with her insults.Even now among the immortals she never stops accusing me,saying I help the Trojans. Go now, lest she see you,and leave the rest to me: I will nod my head to you,so you may believe. This among the immortals is the greatestpledge from me: nothing I bow my head to can be recalled,or false, or unfulfilled." The son of Cronus spoke, and benthis dark brows, and the deathless hair of the kingfell forward from his deathless head, and great Olympus shook.So the two parted: she dove from bright Olympus into the deep sea,and Zeus went to his own hall. And all the gods rose togetherfrom their seats before their father: none dared to sit waiting,all stood to meet him. He sat upon his throne; but Hera,seeing, knew at once: silver-footed Thetis, daughterof the Old Man of the Sea, had been scheming with him. At onceshe taunted the son of Cronus: "Which of the gods has beenscheming with you now, schemer? Always it delights youto creep away from me and take secret counsel —and never, even a little, do you willingly tell mewhat you have resolved." And the father of gods and men answered:"Hera, do not hope to know all my words: they are hardfor you, my wife, though you share my bed. But what is fittingfor others to hear, no god or man shall hear before you:what I plan apart from the gods — do not question, do not pry."And the great-eyed lady Hera answered him:"Dread son of Cronus, what a word is this! Before nowI never questioned you, never pried. But nowyou take your ease in counsel without me. For I am afraid:Thetis, daughter of the Old Man of the Sea, silver-footed,rose with you at early dawn — I saw it with my eyes.And now you have nodded yes to her, and promised: to honorher son Achilles, and destroy many beside the ships of the Achaeans."Then Zeus the cloud-gatherer answered: "Madam,you imagine everything, and yet you escape me:you have not heard my plan. But this I say:no immortal, no man, shall learn my mindbefore I bring it to pass — not Hera herself,though she divide all things from me. Be silent, sit by me,and obey my word — lest all the gods in Olympusfail to defend you, when I come nearand lay my unbreakable hands upon you." He spoke;and the great-eyed lady Hera was afraid, and sat in silence,bending her heart. And the gods throughout the house of Zeuswere troubled. Then the famous smith Hephaestus roseto bring comfort to his white-armed mother: "It is ruinous work,this — unbearable. If you two quarrel like this for mortal menand stir the gods to strife, there will be no pleasure in the feast:bad things win. I advise my mother — she knows it in her heart —to be pleasant to our father Zeus, that he may not againscold her and spoil our dinner. For if the Olympian lordof lightning means to bind us all, who can withstand him?Remember the last time: I, striving to save you,caught him by the knees — and he seized me by the footand hurled me from the divine threshold. All day I fell,and at sunset I landed in Lemnos, little life in me.There the Sintian men cared for me when I fell." So he spoke,and the white-armed goddess Hera smiled, and smilingtook the double cup from her son's hand. And he pouredsweet wine for all the gods, left to right,drawing nectar from the bowl. And unquenchable laughterarose among the blessed gods, watching Hephaestus bustlethrough the palace. And so they feasted all day till sunset,and none lacked a fair share, nor failed of the lovely lyrein Apollo's hands, nor the Muses singing with beautiful voices,answering one another. But when the sun's bright light went down,each went home to sleep, each to the housethe famous lame Smith had built for each, with knowledge of his craft.And Zeus, the Olympian lord of lightning, went to his bed,where of old he lay when sweet sleep came upon him. There he climbed,and slept, and beside him lay golden-throned Hera.

On the twelfth morning the gods returned to Olympus, Zeus at their head.Thetis hadn't forgotten her son's request. She rose out of the seaat dawn, climbed to great Olympus, and found Zeussitting alone on the highest ridge. She sat in front of him,grabbed his left knee with her left hand, his chin with her right,and prayed: "Father Zeus, if I've ever helped youamong the gods, in word or deed — grant me one thing:honor my son, who is fated to die sooner than anyone.Agamemnon has disgraced him — seized his prize and keeps it.Honor him, Zeus: give the Trojans strengthuntil the Greeks repay my son and shower him with gifts."Zeus said nothing, a long time. Thetis held his knee,pressed, asked again: "Promise me plainly. Bow your head —or refuse. You have nothing to fear. Then I'll knowexactly how much the gods despise you." Zeus, troubled, said:"This is a bad business. You'll set me against Hera —she'll insult me forever. She already accuses meof helping the Trojans. Go now, before she sees you.Leave it all to me. I'll bow my head to you, so you can believe it:nothing I promise with a nod can be taken back,or lied about, or left undone." He spoke —and bent his dark brows. The deathless hair of the kingfell forward from his deathless head, and Olympus shook.They parted: she dove from Olympus into the deep sea;Zeus went to his own hall. All the gods rose from their seatswhen they saw him coming: nobody dared stay seated.He sat on his throne. Hera saw him — and knew at oncethat silver-footed Thetis had been scheming with him. She went at him:"Which god has been whispering with you now, you schemer?You love sneaking off, making secret plans —never telling me a thing, never, willingly."The father of gods and men said: "Hera,don't expect to know everything I say. It's too much for you,wife or no wife. Whatever is fit for others to hear,no god or man hears before you. What I plan alone —stop asking. Stop prying."Hera answered: "What a thing to say, dread son of Cronus!I've never questioned you, never pried. But nowyou plan in peace without me. I'm afraid —Thetis, the Old Man of the Sea's daughter, rose with you at dawn.I saw her. And now you've nodded yes to her:you promised to honor her son Achillesand slaughter Greeks by the ships."Zeus said: "Wife, you see everything, and you see nothing.You haven't heard my plan — and you won't. No immortal,no human, learns my mind before it happens. Not even Hera,though she fights me on everything. Be quiet,sit down beside me, and do as I say — or all the godson Olympus together won't save youwhen I come over and lay these unbreakable hands on you."Hera was afraid. She sat in silence, swallowing her anger.All the gods in the house were upset. Then the famous smithHephaestus stood up to help his white-armed mother:"This is a disaster. Unbearable. If you twofight like this over mortals, and drag the gods into it,there's no pleasure in the feast — bad wins. Mother,listen to me — you know I'm right: be sweet to Zeus,so he doesn't start scolding you again and ruin dinner.If the thunder lord decides to tie us all up —who's going to stop him? Remember last time?I tried to save you, grabbed his knees —he grabbed my foot and threw me off the threshold.I fell all day and landed on Lemnos at sunset,barely alive. The Sintian men took me in."Hera smiled, took the double cup from her son's hand.He poured sweet wine for all the gods, left to right,scooping nectar from the bowl — and the gods roared with laughter,helpless, watching Hephaestus hustle around the hall.So they feasted all day until sunset,no one short of a fair share, nobody missingthe lovely lyre in Apollo's hands, or the Musessinging in answer, one to another. When the sun's light went down,each went home to sleep, each to the housethe famous lame smith had built him with his craft.And Zeus, lord of lightning, went to his bed —the bed where he always slept when sweet sleep came. He climbed in,and slept, and golden-throned Hera lay beside him.