Among the army, that the people died:
For that of Atreus' son had been disdained
His servant, Chryses. To redeem his child
With ransom measureless had Chryses come
Ev'n to the Achaian war-ships-in his hand
The emblem of the god who smites from far,
Apollo, high upon a staff of gold.

To all the Greeks he prayed, but most of all
To Atreus' sons, twin captains of the host.

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"O Atreus' sons, and bravely-harnessed Greeks! The gods, whose dwelling is Olympus, grant That ye may sack Priam's city, and regain Your homes rejoicing! Yea and unto me

May give my child, my own, and take her price, 25 Since great is Zeus's son, the god who smites from far."

Forthwith from all the host came loud ac

claim:

"Take the rich ransom, reverence the priest." The soul of Agamemnon, Atreus' son,

Alone it liked not: scornfully he bade him

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Begone, and laid on him a hard command.

"Let me not find thee by the hollow ships Or lingering now, old man, or yet again Returning! Little shall avail thee then Apollo's staff and emblem. For the girl,

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I yield her not, till old age come on her
Ev'n in my home, in Argos, far away

From her own country; while she plies the loom And tends my bed. But go, provoke me not: So peradventure shall we part in peace."

40

So spake he; and the old man feared, and did His bidding. Mute he moved along the shore, Among the noises of the boisterous sea:

And there, apart from men, prayed many a prayer To gold-haired Leto's son, his King, Apollo.

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"Oh hear me, thou who standest round about

Chryse and sacred Cilla-mighty lord

Of Tenedos, who wield'st the silver bow!
Sminthian! If ever I have builded up
From floor to roof a temple in thy praise,
Or ever burned to thee fat flesh of goats

5°

And oxen then accomplish this my prayer:

And let thy shafts avenge my tears upon the Greeks."

So prayed he, and Apollo heard his prayer.
Yea from Olympus' heights he gat him down, 55
Wrath in his soul: upon his shoulder hung

The bow, and quiver covered all around.
Rang on the shoulder of the angry god

The arrows, as he stirred him: on he came

Like night: and by the ships he sate him down. 60
Twanged with a terrible twang the silver bow
As he sent forth one shaft. And first of all
He visited the mules and swift-paced dogs:

Next at their own flesh levelling his keen dart

Smote, and for aye burned on the thick-strown pyres

of slain.

Nine days his arrows went abroad among The host: and on the tenth Achilles called The folk to council. Moved thereto was he By Herè, white-armed goddess; for she saw Achaians dying, and it pitied her.

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To whom when met, and ranged in meet conclave, Achilles swift of foot arose and spake.

"Oh sons of Atreus! Now, I trow, will we Turn us again, and drift-if flee we may

From death-ev'n thither whence we came: since

war

And pestilence at once lay low the Greeks.

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But hearken. Seek we now some seer, or priest;
Or dream-interpreter ;-dreams come from Zeus ;—
To tell us what hath stirred Apollo thus.
If of a prayer, a sacrifice withheld,

He doth rebuke us: should it be his will,
Incense of lambs and goodliest of the goats
Accepting, to remove from us this plague."

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He spake and sate him down. Then rose to them High chief of augurs, Calchas, Thestor's son,

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Who knew what is and was and is to be,

Who into Ilion piloted the Greeks,

By virtue of his art, Apollo's gift.

He friendly-minded rose and spake in the midst.

"Lo! thou command'st me, oh beloved of Zeus,

Achilles, to declare Apollo's wrath,

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The far-off-smiting King. Now therefore I
Will speak heed thou, and swear that of a truth
Freely thou'lt aid me both with tongue and arm.
Yea, for I think to anger one who rules
With might the Argives; and upon him wait
The Achaians. Now a vantage hath a King,
Let but a meaner man have angered him:
For though to-day his fury simmer down,
Yet thenceforth wrath abideth—till it work 100
Its purpose-in the bosom of the King.
Wherefore bethink thee, wilt thou succour me?"

And then Achilles swift of foot replied. "The thing that thou dost know take heart and speak." For by Apollo, loved of Zeus, whom thou,

Oh Calchas, worshipping interpretest

Unto the Danaans the things of God :—
The hand of no man out of all this host
Shall, while I live and see the light of day,
By yon broad ships be heavy upon thee:
Not if thou namest Agamemnon, him

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Who vaunts himself this day the chiefest Greek."