Book 19

Dawn of the saffron robe rose from the streams of Ocean,to bring light to the immortals and to mortal men;and she came to the ships, bearing gifts from the god.She found her own dear son lying over Patroclus,weeping shrilly; and many companions around himwere mourning; and among them stood the shining goddess,and she clung to his hand and spoke and called him by name:"My child, let us leave this man to lie here, grieved as we are,since he was first subdued by the will of the gods;but you — take from Hephaestus the glorious armor,very beautiful, such as no man has ever yet worn on his shoulders."So speaking, the goddess set the armor downbefore Achilles; and all the cunning work rang aloud.And trembling seized all the Myrmidons, nor did any darelook at it face to face, but they shrank back. But Achilles,as he saw it, so much the more anger entered him, and his two eyesflashed terribly from under his brows like a gleam of fire;and he delighted, holding in his hands the glorious gifts of the god.But when he had taken his pleasure in his heart, gazing on the cunning work,at once he spoke winged words to his mother:"Mother, the armor a god has given — such work as it is fittingto be the work of immortals, and no mortal man could accomplish.But now I will arm myself; yet exceedinglyI fear that in the meantime the flies, entering the woundsof the brave son of Menoetius, cut open by the bronze,may breed worms in them, and defile the corpse —for the life is destroyed, and all the flesh may rot."Then the goddess Thetis of the silver feet answered him:"My child, let these things not be your care in your heart.I will try to ward off from him the wild tribesof flies, which devour men slain in war;for even if he lies here through a full year,his flesh will always remain firm, or even better.But you — call the Achaean heroes to assembly,renounce your wrath against Agamemnon, shepherd of the people,and arm yourself quickly for war, and put on your valor."So speaking, she put great daring into him,and into Patroclus she dropped ambrosia and red nectardown through his nostrils, so that his flesh might remain firm.But godlike Achilles went along the shore of the sea,crying terribly, and roused the Achaean heroes.And even those who before had stayed by the ships in the gathering-place,the steersmen, and those who held the tillers of the ships,and the stewards who by the ships dealt out the grain —even these then came to the assembly, because Achilleshad appeared, and had long held back from painful battle.And the two came limping, the servants of Ares,Tydeides, steadfast in war, and brilliant Odysseus,leaning on their spears, for they still had their grievous wounds;and they came and sat down in the front of the assembly.But last of all came the lord of men, Agamemnon,carrying a wound; for in the strong battleCoön, son of Antenor, had stabbed him with the bronze spear.But when all the Achaeans had gathered together,then standing up among them swift-footed Achilles spoke:"Son of Atreus, was this then in any way better for us both,for you and for me, when we two, grieved at heart,raged in heart-devouring strife about a girl?Would that Artemis had killed her with an arrowon the day when I took Lyrnessos and laid it waste;then not so many Achaeans would have bitten the boundless earthunder enemy hands, through my anger.That was profit for Hector and the Trojans; but the Achaeans,I think, will long remember the strife of mine and yours.But let us let these things be, though we are grieved,mastering in our breasts the heart within us by necessity.Now I end my anger, nor is it right for meto rage relentlessly forever; but come, more quicklyrouse the long-haired Achaeans to war,so that I may still make trial of the Trojans, going against them,whether they wish to camp beside the ships; but I think some oneof them will gladly bend the knee, whoever escapesfrom the deadly war beneath my spear."So he spoke, and the well-greaved Achaeans rejoicedthat the great-hearted son of Peleus had renounced his wrath.And among them spoke the lord of men, Agamemnon,from his very seat, not standing up in the middle:"Friends, heroes, Danaans, servants of Ares,it is good to listen to a man standing, and it is not fittingto interrupt him; for it is hard even for one who knows.But in a great crowd of men, how could anyone hearor speak? Even a clear-voiced speaker is hindered.To the son of Peleus I will declare my mind; but you othersagree, Argives, and each of you mark my word well.Often indeed the Achaeans have said this word to meand have reproached me; but I am not the cause,but Zeus and Fate and the mist-walking Fury,who put wild ruin into my mind in the assembly,on the day when I myself took away the prize of Achilles.But what could I do? A god brings all things to fulfillment.Eldest daughter of Zeus is Ate, who harms all men,accursed; her feet are tender, for she does notcome near the ground, but she walks on the heads of men,harming mortals; and she has entangled one at least.For once even Zeus was blinded, whom they say is the bestof men and of gods; but even himHera, though she is a woman, deceived with her cunning,on the day when the might of Heracles was about to be bornto Alcmene, in fair-crowned Thebes.For he, boasting, spoke among all the gods:'Hear me, all you gods and all you goddesses,so that I may say what my heart in my breast bids me.Today the goddess of childbirth, Eileithyia who brings labor,will bring forth a man who will rule over all who dwell around him,of the race of men who are of my blood.'Then lordly Hera, devising guile, spoke to him:'You will lie, and you will not fulfill your word.Come now, swear to me, Olympian, a strong oath,that he will truly rule over all who dwell around,whoever falls today between the feet of a woman,of the men who are of your blood-line.'So she spoke; and Zeus did not at all perceive the guile,but swore the great oath, and then was greatly blinded.And Hera sprang up and left the peak of Olympus,and quickly came to Achaean Argos, where she knewthe strong wife of Sthenelus, son of Perseus.She was with child, with a son, and the seventh month had come;she brought him out to the light, though born before his time,and stopped the birth of Alcmene, and held back the Eileithyiai.And she herself, announcing it, spoke to Zeus, son of Cronus:'Father Zeus of the bright lightning, I will put a word in your heart:already a noble man has been born, who will rule over the Argives —Eurystheus, son of Sthenelus, son of Perseus,of your line; it is not unseemly for him to rule the Argives.'So she spoke, and sharp grief struck his deep heart;at once he seized Ate by her shining head,angry in his heart, and swore a strong oaththat never again to Olympus and the starry heavenshould Ate come, she who harms all men.So speaking, he threw her from the starry heaven,whirling her in his hand; and quickly she came to the works of men.Always he groaned when he looked at his own dear sonholding a shameful task, from the labors of Eurystheus.So I too, when great Hector of the shining helmwas destroying the Argives at the sterns of the ships,could not forget Ate, by which I was first blinded.But since I was blinded and Zeus took away my wits,I am willing in turn to make amends, and to give countless ransom;but rouse the war, and rouse the other peoples.And I am here ready to provide all the gifts that,coming yesterday to your hut, brilliant Odysseus promised you.If you wish, stay, though you hurry to Ares,and let my servants take the gifts from my shipand bring them, so that you may see what a pleasing gift I will give you."Then in answer swift-footed Achilles spoke to him:"Most glorious son of Atreus, lord of men Agamemnon,the gifts — if you wish to give them, as is fitting,you may, or keep them by you; but now let us think of battleat once; for we should not be chatting herenor wasting time; for a great deed is still undone.So that one may see Achilles again among the foremostdestroying the ranks of the Trojans with the bronze spear.In this way let each of you, remembering, fight his man."Then in answer much-devising Odysseus spoke to him:"Do not do so, godlike Achilles, though you are brave;do not drive the sons of the Achaeans fasting toward Iliosto fight the Trojans, since it will be no small time —the battle — when first the ranks closewith men, and a god breathes might into both sides.But bid the Achaeans take their fill beside the swift shipsof food and wine; for that is might and strength.For a man cannot fight all day to the setting of the sunif he is unfed of food;for even if in his heart he longs to fight,his limbs are secretly weighed down, and thirst seizes himand hunger, and his knees give way as he goes.But the man who has taken his fill of wine and foodfights all day against enemy men;his heart is bold in his breast, nor do his limbstire before all withdraw from the battle.But come, dismiss the people, and bid themprepare their meal; and let Agamemnon, lord of men,bring the gifts into the middle of the assembly, so that all the Achaeansmay see them with their eyes, and you may be warmed in your heart.And let him stand up among the Argives and swear an oath to youthat he never mounted the bed or had union with her —which is the custom, lord, for men and for women;and let your own heart in your breast be gentle.Then let him please you with a rich feast in his hut,so that you may lack nothing of what is due to you.And you, son of Atreus, afterward will be more just even toward another.For there is no cause for indignation for a kingto make amends to a man when one has first angered him."Then the lord of men, Agamemnon, spoke to him in turn:"I rejoice, son of Laertes, to hear your speech;for you have set out and told everything in due measure.I am willing to swear this, and my heart bids me,and I will not swear falsely before the god; but Achilleslet him wait here for now, though he hurries to Ares;and let all the rest of you wait here gathered, until the giftscome from my hut and we cut the faithful oaths.And to you yourself I lay this charge and command:choosing the best young men of all the Achaeans,bring the gifts from my ship — all that we promised yesterdayto give to Achilles — and bring the women.And let Talthybius quickly, through the wide camp of the Achaeans,make ready a boar to cut for Zeus and for the Sun."Then in answer swift-footed Achilles spoke to him:"Most glorious son of Atreus, lord of men Agamemnon,at another time too, and even more, you would do better to busy yourselves with these things,whenever there comes a pause from warand there is less fury in my breast.But now they lie torn, those whomHector son of Priam subdued, when Zeus gave him glory,and you two urge me to eat. Truly I at leastwould now bid the sons of the Achaeans to fightunfed and fasting, and at the setting of the sunto prepare a great supper, when we have taken vengeance for the outrage.Before that, no drink would ever go down my own throat,nor food, while my companion lies dead,who lies in my hut, torn by the sharp bronze,lying turned over in the doorway, and around him his companionsare mourning; that is no care at all to my heart,but slaughter and blood and the grievous groaning of men."Then in answer much-devising Odysseus spoke to him:"Achilles, son of Peleus, far the greatest of the Achaeans,you are stronger than I am and not a little betterwith the spear; but I might surpass you in understandingby much, since I was born before you and know more.So let your heart endure my words.Quickly do men have their fill of battle,battle where the bronze pours the most chaff on the groundand the harvest is smallest, when Zeus inclines the scales,Zeus, who is made the steward of the war of men.But it is not at all possible for the Achaeans to mourn a corpse with the belly;for too many, and in heaps, fall every day;when could anyone catch his breath from toil?But we must bury whoever dies,keeping a pitiless heart, weeping for one day;and all those who are left from hateful warmust remember food and drink, so that still morewe may fight the enemy men unceasingly, always,clothed in the tireless bronze on our bodies. And let no oneof the people, waiting for another summons, hold back;for this summons will be an evil thing for whoever is leftbeside the Argive ships; but let us all set out togetherand wake sharp Ares against the horse-taming Trojans."He spoke, and took with him the sons of glorious Nestor,Meges son of Phyleus, Thoas, and Meriones,and Lykomedes son of Kreion, and Melanippos;and they went to the hut of Agamemnon, son of Atreus.At once then the word was a deed, and it was accomplished:from the hut they carried seven tripods, as he had promised him,and twenty gleaming cauldrons, and twelve horses;and they quickly brought out women skilled in blameless work,seven of them; and the eighth was fair-cheeked Briseis.And Odysseus weighed out ten talents of gold in alland led the way, and the other young Achaeans carried the gifts.And they set them in the middle of the assembly, and Agamemnonstood up; and Talthybius, like a god in his voice,stood beside the shepherd of the people, holding a boar in his hands.And the son of Atreus, drawing with his hands the knifewhich always hung beside the great sheath of his sword,began to cut hairs from the boar, and lifted his hands to Zeus,and prayed; and all the Argives sat there in silence,listening to the king in due order.And when he had prayed, he spoke, looking up to the wide heaven:"Let Zeus now be witness, the highest and best of the gods,and Earth and the Sun and the Furies, who beneath the earthpunish men, whoever swears a false oath:I never laid my hand on the girl Briseis,neither needing the pretext of her bed nor of anything else,but she stayed untouched in my huts.But if any of this is a false oath, may the gods give memany griefs, all that they give to whoever sins against them in swearing."He spoke, and cut the boar's throat with the pitiless bronze.Talthybius took it and into the great gulf of the gray seathrew it, whirling it about, food for fishes; but Achillesstood up and spoke among the war-loving Argives:"Father Zeus, you do give men great blindness.Never would the son of Atreus have stirred my heart in my breastthrough and through, nor would he, helpless, have led the girl awayagainst my will; but it was surely Zeuswho wished death to come to many Achaeans.Now go to dinner, so that we may join battle."So he spoke, and dismissed the swift assembly.And they scattered, each to his own ship,but the great-hearted Myrmidons attended to the gifts,and went carrying them to the ship of godlike Achilles.And they set them in the huts, and seated the women,and the proud servants drove the horses into the herd.And Briseis, like golden Aphrodite,when she saw Patroclus torn by the sharp bronze,poured herself over him and wailed shrilly, and with her hands toreher breast and soft neck and lovely face.And the woman like the goddesses spoke, weeping:"Patroclus, by far the dearest to my unhappy heart,I left you alive when I went from the hut,and now I find you dead, leader of men,as I come back; so evil follows evil for me always.The man to whom my father and my lady mother gave meI saw torn by the sharp bronze before the city,and my three brothers, whom one mother bore to me,my kin, who all met their day of death.And you did not let me weep, when swift Achilleskilled my husband and sacked the city of godlike Mynes,but you said that you would make me the lawful wifeof godlike Achilles, and bring me in the shipsto Phthia, and hold a marriage feast among the Myrmidons.So I weep for you, dead, forever, ever kind."So she spoke weeping, and the women groanedfor Patroclus as a pretext, each for her own sorrows.And around him the elders of the Achaeans gathered,begging him to eat; but he refused, groaning:"I beg you, if any of my dear companions obeys me,do not bid me satisfy my dear heart with foodor drink before that, since terrible grief has come on me;but I will wait and endure until the sun sets."So speaking, he dismissed the other kings,but the two sons of Atreus stayed, and brilliant Odysseus,Nestor, Idomeneus, and the old horseman Phoenix,comforting him in his deep grief; but his hearttook no pleasure until he entered the mouth of bloody war.Remembering, he heaved a deep sigh and spoke:"Ah, truly once you too, unhappy one, dearest of companions,set a savory meal before me in my own hut,quickly and nimbly, whenever the Achaeans hurriedto bring tearful war against the horse-taming Trojans.But now you lie torn, and my own heartis fasting from drink and food, though they are here,out of longing for you; for I could suffer nothing worse,not even if I heard of my own father's death,who now somewhere in Phthia sheds a soft tearfor the lack of such a son as I; while I, in a foreign land,for the sake of hateful Helen, fight the Trojans;or if I heard of him, my dear son, who is raised for me in Skyros,if perhaps godlike Neoptolemus still lives.For before, my heart in my breast hopedthat I alone would perish, away from horse-pasturing Argos,here in Troy, and that you would return to Phthia,so that you might bring my boy out of Skyrosin a swift black ship, and show him everything —my possessions, my slaves, and my great high-roofed house.For I think Peleus is either altogetherdead, or still barely alive and grievingwith hateful old age, and always waitingfor the wretched message of my death, whenever he hears it."So he spoke weeping, and the elders groaned,each remembering what he had left in his halls;and the son of Cronus saw them mourning and pitied them,and at once spoke winged words to Athena:"My child, you have quite abandoned a good man.Is Achilles no longer any care at all to your heart?He sits before the straight-horned ships,mourning his dear companion; and the othershave gone off to dinner, but he is unfed and fasting.But come, drop nectar and lovely ambrosiainto his breast, so that hunger does not come on him."So speaking, he stirred Athena, who was eager already;and she, like a broad-winged, shrill-voiced hawk,swooped down from heaven through the clear air. But the Achaeanswere arming at once through the camp; and she into Achilles'breast dropped nectar and lovely ambrosia,so that hateful hunger might not come to his knees;and she herself went to the well-built house of her mighty father,and they poured out far from the swift ships.As when the thick snowflakes of Zeus fly down,cold under the blast of clear-sky Boreas,so then thick helmets, shining bright,were carried out from the ships, and bossed shields,and strongly-plated corselets, and ashen spears.The gleam reached heaven, and the whole earth laughed aroundunder the lightning of the bronze; and beneath their feet a din arosefrom the men; and in their midst godlike Achilles armed.And the clashing of his teeth was there, and his two eyesblazed as if it were the gleam of fire, and into his heartsank unbearable grief; and raging against the Trojanshe put on the gifts of the god, which Hephaestus had labored to make him.First he set the greaves about his shins,beautiful, fitted with silver ankle-clasps;second he put the corselet about his chest.Then he threw about his shoulders the silver-studded sword,of bronze; and then the great and sturdy shieldhe took up, and from it a gleam went far like the moon.As when from the sea a gleam appears to sailorsof a burning fire, which burns high up in the mountainsin a lonely sheepfold; and the storms carry them, unwilling,over the fishy sea, away from their friends —so from Achilles' shield the gleam reached the upper air,the fair shield, cunningly made; and lifting the helmethe set it on his head, mighty; and it shone like a star,the horse-tailed helmet, and the hairs waved around it,golden, which Hephaestus set thick around the crest.And godlike Achilles tested himself in his armor,whether it fitted him and his shining limbs ran free in it;and it became like wings to him, and it lifted up the shepherd of the people.And from its case he drew his father's spear,heavy, great, sturdy; no other of the Achaeanscould wield it, but Achilles alone knew how to brandish it,the Pelian ash, which Cheiron gave to his dear fatherfrom the peak of Pelion, to be the death of heroes.And the horses, Automedon and Alcimus tending them,were yoking; and they put the fair collars on them, and the bitsinto their jaws, and stretched the reins backto the well-joined chariot. And he, taking the shining whipfitted in his hand, sprang up into the chariot— Automedon; and behind him Achilles mounted, armed,blazing in his armor like Hyperion the sun,and terribly he called out to his father's horses:"Xanthus and Balius, far-famed children of Podarge,think differently now of bringing your charioteer safely backto the company of the Danaans, when we have had our fill of war,and do not leave him there dead, as you left Patroclus."Then the swift-footed horse Xanthus answered him from under the yoke,and at once bowed his head, and all his manefell out of the yoke-pad and reached the ground;and the white-armed goddess Hera gave him a voice:"Yes, we will still save you now, mighty Achilles;but the day of your destruction is near; and we are notthe cause, but the great god and strong Fate.For it was not by our slowness or sluggishnessthat the Trojans took the armor from Patroclus' shoulders;but the best of the gods, whom fair-haired Leto bore,killed him among the foremost, and gave glory to Hector.We two could run even with the breath of the West Wind,which they say is the lightest; but for you yourselfit is fated to be subdued by a god and a man by force."So speaking, the Furies checked his voice.And swift-footed Achilles, greatly angered, spoke to him:"Xanthus, why do you prophesy death to me? It is not your business.Well I know it myself: it is my fate to die here,far from my dear father and mother; but even soI will not stop until I have driven the Trojans to their fill of war."He spoke, and with a shout drove the single-hoofed horses among the foremost.

Dawn in her saffron robe rose from the streams of Oceanto bring light to the gods and to mortal men;and she came to the ships, bringing gifts from the god.She found her own dear son lying over Patroclus,crying out loud; and many companions around himwere mourning; and the shining goddess stood among them,took his hand, spoke to him, and called him by name:"My child, we will leave this man lying here, sad as we are,since he was struck down by the will of the gods;but you — take from Hephaestus the glorious armor,very beautiful, such as no man has ever worn on his shoulders."So the goddess spoke, and set the armor downin front of Achilles; and all the clever work clashed and rang.Trembling took hold of all the Myrmidons, and none daredlook at it directly; they shrank back. But Achilles,as soon as he saw it, felt his anger grow, and his two eyesflashed terribly from under his brows like a flash of fire;he was happy, holding the shining gifts of the god in his hands.When he had taken his pleasure looking at the clever work,he spoke winged words to his mother:"Mother, a god gave me this armor — work such as it is fittingfor the gods to make, and no mortal man could finish.Now I will put it on; but I am terriblyafraid that in the meantime the flies, getting into the woundsof the brave son of Menoetius, cut open by the bronze,will breed worms in them and spoil the body —his life is destroyed, and all his flesh may rot."Then the goddess Thetis of the silver feet answered him:"My child, do not let these things worry your heart.I will try to keep off from him the wild swarmsof flies, which eat men killed in battle;for even if he lies here a whole year,his flesh will always stay firm, or even better.But you — call the Achaean heroes to assembly,give up your anger at Agamemnon, shepherd of the people,and arm yourself quickly for war, and put on your strength."So she spoke, and put great courage into him,and into Patroclus she dropped ambrosia and red nectardown through his nostrils, so that his flesh would stay firm.But godlike Achilles walked along the shore of the sea,shouting terribly, and roused the Achaean heroes.Even those who before had stayed by the ships in the meeting place,the steersmen, and the men who held the ships' tillers,and the stewards by the ships who handed out the grain —even they now came to the assembly, because Achilleshad appeared, and had long stayed away from painful battle.And the two came limping, the servants of Ares,Tydeus' son, steadfast in war, and brilliant Odysseus,leaning on their spears, because they still had their ugly wounds;they came and sat down at the front of the assembly.But last of all came the lord of men, Agamemnon,carrying a wound; for in the strong battleCoön, son of Antenor, had stabbed him with a bronze spear.When all the Achaeans had gathered together,swift-footed Achilles stood up among them and said:"Son of Atreus, was this really better for us both,for you and for me, when we two, sick at heart,raged in heart-eating quarreling over a girl?I wish Artemis had killed her with an arrowthe day I took Lyrnessos and destroyed it;then not so many Achaeans would have bitten the endless earthunder enemy hands, because of my anger.That was good for Hector and the Trojans; but I think the Achaeanswill long remember the quarrel, yours and mine.But let's let all that go, sad as we are,forcing down the heart in our chests by need.Now I put an end to my anger; it isn't right for meto rage without stopping forever; but come, quicklyrouse the long-haired Achaeans to war,so that I can still go at the Trojans and test them,whether they want to camp beside the ships; but I think someof them will gladly drop to their knees, whoever escapesthe deadly war under my spear."So he spoke, and the well-armed Achaeans were gladthat the great-hearted son of Peleus had given up his anger.Then the lord of men, Agamemnon, spoke to them,right from his seat, not standing up in the middle:"Friends, heroes, Danaans, servants of Ares,it's good to listen to a man who is standing, and it isn't rightto interrupt him; it's hard even for someone who knows.But in a big crowd of men, how could anyone hearor speak? Even a clear-voiced speaker gets drowned out.I will explain my mind to the son of Peleus; but the rest of you,Argives, agree with me, and each of you mark my words well.Often the Achaeans have said this to meand have blamed me; but I'm not the one to blame,but Zeus and Fate and the mist-walking Fury,who threw wild ruin into my mind in the assembly,the day I myself took away Achilles' prize.But what could I do? A god brings everything to pass.Ate, the oldest daughter of Zeus, harms everyone —she is cursed; her feet are soft, because she nevercomes near the ground, but walks on the heads of men,hurting them; and she has tripped up one at least.For once even Zeus was blinded, though they say he is the bestof men and of gods; but even himHera, just a woman, tricked with her scheming,on the day when the strength of Heracles was going to be bornto Alcmene, in fair-crowned Thebes.For he, bragging, said to all the gods:'Hear me, all you gods and all you goddesses,so I can say what my heart in my chest tells me.Today the goddess of childbirth, Eileithyia who brings the pain,will bring out a man who will rule over everyone around him,of the race of men who come from my blood.'Then Queen Hera, planning a trick, said to him:'You'll be lying, and you won't carry out your word.Come now, swear me a strong oath, Olympian,that he really will rule over everyone around him,whoever falls today between a woman's feet,from the men who come from your bloodline.'So she spoke; and Zeus did not notice the trick at all,but swore the great oath, and then was badly blinded.And Hera darted off and left the peak of Olympus,and quickly came to Achaean Argos, where she knewthe strong wife of Sthenelus, son of Perseus.She was pregnant with a son, and the seventh month had come;she brought him out into the light, though he was born too early,and stopped Alcmene's labor, and held back the Eileithyiai.And she herself went and told Zeus, son of Cronus:'Father Zeus of the bright lightning, I will put a word in your heart:a noble man has already been born who will rule the Argives —Eurystheus, son of Sthenelus, son of Perseus,from your line; it is no shame for him to rule the Argives.'So she spoke, and sharp grief struck his deep heart;at once he grabbed Ate by her shining head,angry in his heart, and swore a strong oaththat never again to Olympus and the starry skywould Ate come, she who harms everyone.So he spoke, and threw her from the starry sky,spinning her in his hand; and quickly she came to the works of men.He always groaned when he looked at his own dear sondoing a shameful job, from the labors of Eurystheus.So I too, when great Hector of the shining helmetwas destroying the Argives at the sterns of the ships,couldn't forget Ate, the blindness I first fell into.But since I was blinded and Zeus took away my wits,I am willing to make up for it and give endless ransom;but rouse the war, and rouse the other peoples too.I am ready here to hand over all the gifts that,coming to your hut yesterday, brilliant Odysseus promised you.If you want, wait, even though you are eager for Ares,and let my servants take the gifts from my shipand bring them, so you can see what a pleasing gift I will give you."Then swift-footed Achilles answered him:"Most glorious son of Atreus, lord of men Agamemnon,the gifts — if you want to give them, as is right,you can, or keep them yourself; but now let's think about battleright away; we shouldn't be chatting hereor wasting time; a great deed is still undone.Let someone see Achilles among the front ranksdestroying the Trojan ranks with his bronze spear.Let each of you remember that and fight his man."Then much-devising Odysseus answered him:"Don't do that, godlike Achilles, brave as you are;don't drive the sons of the Achaeans to Ilios hungryto fight the Trojans, because the battle will beno short time, once the ranks first closewith men, and a god breathes strength into both sides.No — tell the Achaeans to fill themselves beside the swift shipswith food and wine; that's what gives strength and power.A man can't fight all day until the sun goes downif he has no food;even if his heart longs to fight,his limbs get heavy without him noticing, and thirstand hunger catch up with him, and his knees give out as he walks.But a man who has filled himself with wine and foodfights enemy men all day long;his heart is bold in his chest, and his limbsdon't tire before everyone pulls back from the battle.Come on, dismiss the people, and tell themto prepare a meal; and let Agamemnon, lord of men,bring the gifts into the middle of the assembly, so that all the Achaeanscan see them with their own eyes, and you can be warmed in your heart.Let him stand up among the Argives and swear an oath to youthat he never got into her bed or had sex with her —which is the custom, lord, for men and for women;and let your own heart in your chest be gentle.Then let him please you with a rich dinner in his hut,so that you lack nothing that is owed to you.And you, son of Atreus, will afterward be more fair even to someone else.For there's nothing to be angry about when a kingmakes up for it to a man who was angered first."Then the lord of men, Agamemnon, answered him:"I'm glad, son of Laertes, to hear your speech;you have laid everything out and told it in the right measure.I am willing to swear this, and my heart tells me to,and I won't swear falsely before the god; but let Achilleswait here for now, even though he is eager for Ares;and let all the rest of you wait here together, until the giftscome from my hut and we cut the faithful oaths.And to you I give this order and command:choose the best young men of all the Achaeansand bring the gifts from my ship — everything we promised yesterdayto give Achilles — and bring the women too.And let Talthybius quickly, through the wide Achaean camp,get a boar ready to cut for Zeus and the Sun."Then swift-footed Achilles answered him:"Most glorious son of Atreus, lord of men Agamemnon,at another time, and even more, you two would do better to busy yourselves with these things,whenever there is a pause from warand there is less anger in my chest.But right now these men lie torn apart, the onesHector son of Priam struck down, when Zeus gave him glory,and you two are urging me to eat. I for onewould tell the sons of the Achaeans to fightright now, hungry and without food, and at sunsetmake a big supper, once we have taken revenge for this outrage.Until then, no drink would go down my own throat,and no food, while my companion lies dead,who lies in my hut, torn by the sharp bronze,lying turned over in the doorway, and around him his friendsare mourning; none of that is any concern to my heart,but killing and blood and the miserable groaning of men."Then much-devising Odysseus answered him:"Achilles, son of Peleus, far the greatest of the Achaeans,you are stronger than me and not a little betterwith the spear; but I could beat you by a lot in thinking,since I was born before you and know more.So let your heart put up with my words.Men quickly get their fill of battle,battle where bronze pours the most straw on the groundand the harvest is smallest, when Zeus tips the scales,Zeus, who is the steward of men's war.The Achaeans cannot mourn a dead man with their stomachs;too many, in heaps, fall every single day;when could anyone catch his breath from all that toil?No — we have to bury whoever dies,keeping a hard heart, crying for one day;and all those who are left out of hateful warhave to remember food and drink, so that still morewe can fight the enemy men without stopping, always,with the tireless bronze on our bodies. And let no oneof the army, waiting for some other call, hang back;that call would be an evil thing for whoever is leftbeside the Argive ships; no — let's all set out togetherand wake sharp Ares against the horse-taming Trojans."He spoke, and took with him the sons of glorious Nestor,Meges son of Phyleus, Thoas, and Meriones,and Lykomedes son of Kreion, and Melanippos;and they went to the hut of Agamemnon, son of Atreus.At once the word became a deed, and it was done:from the hut they carried seven tripods, as he had promised him,and twenty shining cauldrons, and twelve horses;they quickly brought out women skilled at blameless work,seven of them; and the eighth was fair-cheeked Briseis.Odysseus weighed out ten talents of gold in alland led the way, and the other young Achaeans carried the gifts.They set them in the middle of the assembly, and Agamemnonstood up; and Talthybius, like a god in his voice,stood beside the shepherd of the people, holding a boar in his hands.The son of Atreus drew with his hands the knifethat always hung beside the great sheath of his sword,and began cutting hairs from the boar, and lifted his hands to Zeusand prayed; and all the Argives sat there in silence,listening to the king in proper order.When he had prayed, he spoke, looking up at the wide sky:"Let Zeus be my witness now, the highest and best of the gods,and Earth and the Sun and the Furies, who under the earthpunish men, whoever swears a false oath:I never laid a hand on the girl Briseis,I never needed her bed or anything else from her,but she stayed untouched in my huts.But if anything in this is a false oath, may the gods give memany pains, all the pains they give to anyone who sins against them by swearing."He spoke, and cut the boar's throat with the pitiless bronze.Talthybius took it and into the great gulf of the gray seathrew it, spinning it around, food for fish; but Achillesstood up and spoke among the war-loving Argives:"Father Zeus, you really do give men great blindness.Never would the son of Atreus have stirred my heart in my chestthrough and through, nor would he have led the girl away,helpless, against my will; it was surely Zeuswho wanted many Achaeans to die.Now go to dinner, so that we can join battle."So he spoke, and broke up the quick assembly.They scattered, each to his own ship,but the great-hearted Myrmidons took care of the gifts,and carried them to the ship of godlike Achilles.They set them in the huts, and seated the women,and the proud servants drove the horses into the herd.And Briseis, like golden Aphrodite,when she saw Patroclus torn by the sharp bronze,threw herself over him and wailed out loud, and with her hands toreher breast and soft neck and beautiful face.And the woman, like the goddesses, said, weeping:"Patroclus, by far the dearest to my poor heart,I left you alive when I went out from the hut,and now I find you dead, leader of men,as I come back; so evil follows evil for me, always.The husband my father and my lady mother gave meI saw torn by the sharp bronze in front of the city,and my three brothers, whom one mother bore to me,my own family, who all met their day of death.And you wouldn't let me cry when swift Achilleskilled my husband and destroyed the city of godlike Mynes,but you said you would make me the lawful wifeof godlike Achilles, and bring me in the shipsto Phthia, and hold a wedding feast among the Myrmidons.So I cry for you, dead, without stopping, always gentle."So she spoke, crying, and the women groanedfor Patroclus as an excuse, each one for her own sorrows.Around him the elders of the Achaeans gathered,begging him to eat; but he refused, groaning:"I beg you, if any of my dear companions will listen to me,don't tell me to fill my dear heart with foodor drink before then, since terrible grief has come on me;but I will wait and hold out until the sun goes down."So he spoke and sent the other kings away,but the two sons of Atreus stayed, and brilliant Odysseus,Nestor, Idomeneus, and the old horseman Phoenix,trying to comfort him in his deep grief; but his hearttook no pleasure until he walked into the mouth of bloody war.Remembering, he breathed out a deep sigh and said:"Ah, once you too, poor man, dearest of my companions,set a tasty meal in front of me in my own hut,quickly and nimbly, whenever the Achaeans hurriedto bring tearful war against the horse-taming Trojans.But now you lie torn apart, and my own hearthas no taste for drink or food, even though they are here,because I miss you; I could suffer nothing worse than this,not even if I heard that my own father had died,who somewhere in Phthia now sheds a soft tearfor the lack of a son like me; while I, in a foreign land,for the sake of hateful Helen, fight the Trojans;or if I heard about my dear son, who is being raised in Skyros,whether godlike Neoptolemus is still alive.Before, my heart in my chest hopedthat I alone would die, far from horse-pasturing Argos,here in Troy, and that you would go back to Phthia,so that you could bring my boy out of Skyrosin a swift black ship and show him everything —my property, my slaves, and my great high-roofed house.For I think Peleus is either completelydead, or still barely alive and grievingwith hateful old age, always waitingfor the miserable news of my death, whenever he hears it."So he spoke, crying, and the elders groaned,each remembering what he had left behind in his halls;and the son of Cronus saw them mourning and pitied them,and at once spoke winged words to Athena:"My child, you have completely abandoned a good man.Is Achilles no longer any concern to your heart?He sits in front of the straight-horned ships,mourning his dear companion; and the othershave gone off to dinner, but he is unfed and has eaten nothing.Come, drop nectar and lovely ambrosiainto his chest, so that hunger doesn't come on him."So he spoke, and stirred up Athena, who was eager already;and she, like a wide-winged, shrill-voiced hawk,swooped down from the sky through the clear air. But the Achaeanswere arming at once all through the camp; and she into Achilles'chest dropped nectar and lovely ambrosia,so that hateful hunger wouldn't reach his knees;and she herself went to the well-built house of her mighty father,and they poured out far from the swift ships.As when the thick snowflakes of Zeus fly down,cold under the blast of clear-sky Boreas,so then thick helmets, shining bright,were carried out from the ships, and bossed shields,and strongly-plated breastplates, and ashen spears.The gleam reached the sky, and the whole earth laughed aroundunder the lightning of the bronze; and a din rose beneath the feetof the men; and in their middle godlike Achilles put on his armor.The clashing of his teeth was there, and his two eyesblazed like the flash of fire, and into his heartsank unbearable grief; and raging against the Trojanshe put on the god's gifts, which Hephaestus had worked to make him.First he put the greaves on his shins,beautiful, fitted with silver ankle-clasps;next he put the breastplate on his chest.Then he slung over his shoulders the silver-studded sword,of bronze; then the great and sturdy shieldhe picked up, and a gleam went out from it like the moon.As when a gleam from the sea appears to sailorsfrom a burning fire, one that burns high up in the mountainsin a lonely sheepfold, and storms carry them, against their will,over the fish-filled sea, away from their friends —so from Achilles' shield the gleam reached the sky,the beautiful, cleverly made shield; and lifting the helmethe put it on his head, a strong one; and it shone like a star,the horse-haired helmet, and the hairs waved around it,golden, which Hephaestus set thick around the crest.Godlike Achilles tested himself in his armor,to see if it fitted him and his shining limbs moved freely in it;and it became like wings to him, and it lifted up the shepherd of the people.He pulled his father's spear out of its case,heavy, big, sturdy; no other Achaeancould swing it, but Achilles alone knew how to throw it,the Pelian ash, which Cheiron gave to his dear fatherfrom the top of Pelion, to be the death of heroes.The horses, with Automedon and Alcimus tending them,they yoked; they put the beautiful collars on them, and the bitsinto their jaws, and pulled the reins backto the well-joined chariot. He took the shining whipfitted in his hand and jumped up into the chariot— Automedon; and behind him Achilles climbed up, armed,blazing in his armor like Hyperion the sun,and he shouted terribly to his father's horses:"Xanthus and Balius, far-famous children of Podarge,think differently now about bringing your charioteer home safeto the crowd of the Danaans, once we have had enough of war,and don't leave him there dead, the way you left Patroclus."Then the swift-footed horse Xanthus answered from under the yoke,and at once bowed his head, and all his manefell out of the yoke-pad and touched the ground;and the white-armed goddess Hera gave him a voice:"Yes, we will still save you now, mighty Achilles;but the day of your destruction is near; and it isn't uswho are to blame, but the great god and strong Fate.For it wasn't because we were slow or lazythat the Trojans took the armor from Patroclus' shoulders;no — the best of the gods, whom fair-haired Leto bore,killed him among the front fighters, and gave glory to Hector.We two could run with the breath of the West Wind,which they say is the lightest of all; but for you yourselfit is fated to be beaten down by a god and a man by force."So he spoke, and the Furies stopped his voice.And swift-footed Achilles, very angry, said to him:"Xanthus, why do you prophesy my death? That is not your job.I know it well myself: it is my fate to die here,far from my dear father and mother; but even soI won't stop until I have driven the Trojans to their fill of war."He spoke, and with a shout drove the single-hoofed horses into the front ranks.