THE ILIAD. BOOK I. O GODDESS! sing the wrath of Peleus' son, Achilles; sing the deadly wrath that brought Woes numberless the Greeks, and swept upon To Hades many a valiant soul, and gave Which of the gods put strife between the chiefs, For Atreus' son with insult had received го 15 Came to redeem his daughter, offering To all the Greeks, but chiefly to the sons Of Atreus, the two leaders of the host: "Ye sons of Atreus, and ye other chiefs, Well-greaved Achaians, may the gods who dwell Upon Olympus give you to o'erthrow The city of Priam, and in safety reach Your homes; but give me my beloved child, And take her ransom, honoring him who sends Then all the other Greeks, applauding, bade Revere the priest and take the liberal gifts He offered, but the counsel did not please Atrides Agamemnon; he dismissed The priest with scorn, and added threatening words: "Old man, let me not find thee loitering here, Beside the roomy ships, or coming back Hereafter, lest the fillet thou dost bear And sceptre of thy god protect thee not. 20 25 30 35 Far from her native country, where her hand "Hear me, thou bearer of the silver bow, O Smintheus! if I ever helped to deck Upon thy altar the fat thighs of goats And bullocks, grant my prayer, and let thy shafts Avenge upon the Greeks the tears I shed." So spake he supplicating, and to him Down he came, Phœbus Apollo hearkened. Down he Down from the summit of the Olympian mount, And hollow quiver; there the arrows rang Upon the shoulders of the angry god, As on he moved. He came as comes the night, And, seated from the ships aloof, sent forth 40 45 50 55 60 |