Final Comments

This is only the beginning of the first and greatest work in the history of Western literature, but it it feels as if it is a complete work all by itself. Clyde Pharr calls Book 1 the greatest book of Homer and indeed it does contain all that one could desire: a semi divine hero raging over a lost war prize after an intense quarrel between two monumental figures, a goddess mother comforting her grieving son, an old man trying and failing to calm the passions of two younger and stronger warriors, that same goddess mother pleading before the father of gods and men to avenge her son's lost honor, then that same father of gods and men nodding his assent to this vengeance and shaking the heavenly mountain, and finally the quarrel between Zeus and Hera with Hephaestus intervening in his comic role as peacemaker. What a beginning to this greatest epic of the western world! This poem may have its origins in some long forgotten clash between the kingdom of Akhkhayawa on the Greek peninsula and Hittite allied Wilusa on the shores of the Hellespont at the close of the Bronze Age, but it gave birth in mind and spirit to that thing which succeded in stretching its conquering hand out over all the world, for better or worse, and whose last days we are now watching unfold. But the real secret of Homer, whoever he was, is that he tapped into that vein of feeling which I imagine existed long before him and will most likely continue to exist long after our own demise: no man of I heart can say with any honesty that, when he first heard of fast ships sailing on a wine dark sea, it did not ring some sort of bell deep in his consciousness and the thought did not occur to him that he had hear this somewhere else before, though he couldn't place where...

Book 1 of the Iliad

Rage, goddess, sing the accursed rage of Peleus’ son,
Of Achilles, that put countless woes to the Achaeans
And hurled many valiant souls of heroes forth to Hades,
Then made their bodies spoils for the dogs
And a feast for the birds,
So the will of Zeus was being accomplished;
From that time when the two first stood apart, quarrelling,
The son of Atreus and lord of men, and shining Achilles.

Which of the gods then threw these two into war and strife?
Zeus’ and Leto’s son. Enraged by the king
He let loose an awful plague throughout the camp,
And the armies were perishing. All because Atreus’ son
Dishonored Chryses, that famous priest.
Since he came to the fast ships of the Achaeans,
Seeking to free his daughter and bearing ransoms without number,
Holding in his hands the wreaths of far shooting Apollo
Along with a golden scepter, and kept begging all the Achaeans
But most of all the two sons of Atreus, commanders of the armies:
“Sons of Atreus, and you well greaved Achaeans,
May the gods who dwell on Olympus grant to you
The sack of Priam’s city and a happy return to your homes;
Only free my dear child, and accept this ransom,
Respect Zeus’ son Apollo who strikes from afar.”

Then all the other Achaeans shouted their assent,
And they revered the priest, accepting his splendid ransom;
But not Atreus‘ son, no this did not please Agamemnon in his heart
So he sent him off cruelly, and imparted a harsh command:
“No old man, let me not catch you by the hollow ships,
Neither lingering now, nor coming back again another time,
Truly neither the scepter nor the wreaths of the god
Will help you then. Her I shall not free.
Sooner old age will overtake her in our house in Argos,
Far from this country, plying the loom and sharing my bed.
But be gone, and vex me not, so the safer you may return.”

Thus he spoke, and the old man was struck with terror,
And obeyed the command. He went in silence
Along the shore of the heavy thundering sea.
Then, going off, the old one prayed hard to the lord Apollo,
Whom fair haired Leto bore:
“Hear me O lord of the silver bow,
You who shield Chrysa, and most sacred Cilla,
And rule over Tenedos in power: Smintheus,
Lord of rats and mice, if ever I put a pleasing roof
Upon your temple, or if then I ever burned down
The rich thighs of bulls and goats for you,
Then fulfill my heart’s desire: may the Danaans pay
For my tears with your arrows.”

Thus he spoke the prayer, and Phoebus Apollo heard it.
Down he went from the heights of Olympus with wrath in his heart,
And bearing his bow with a double hooded quiver
Across his shoulders where the arrows rattled with rage.
Then stirred to action, he came on like the night.

Thereupon he set himself away from the ships,
And sent an arrow in among them, so a terrible roar
Went up from his silver bow. First the mules were struck
And the silver footed hounds, then he sent his biting missiles
Upon the men themselves, firing away at them;
And day and night the pyres of the dead burned on.

Nine days the arrows of the god went throughout the camp,
But on the tenth, Achilles called the host to assembly;
For the goddess, white armed Hera, put it in his heart,
Since she grieved greatly to behold her Danaans perishing.
Then when they had gathered themselves together,
Standing before the assembly, swift footed Achilles spoke among them:
“Son of Atreus, now I think we are beaten back, back again towards home,
If that is we may escape death, for war and plague together will
Vanquish the Achaeans. But come now, let us ask some seer
Or holy man or even an interpreter of dreams, for the dream as well
Is of Zeus, who might say what has so enraged Phoebus Apollo,
If then he holds us to blame for a vow left unfulfilled,
Or a hecatomb unfired, or if he should somehow desire
To taste the savor of goats and unblemished lambs,
To ward off our destruction.”

And so speaking he then sat down and Calchas son of Thestor,
By far the best of those who know the birds,
Was made to stand before them: he who knew what was,
What is, and the things that are to come, and who led the Achaean ships
To Ilium through the gift of foresight that Apollo gave him.
Brooding, he rose before the assembly and spoke among them:
“O Achilles you command me, one who is so dear to Zeus,
To speak the wrath of the lord Apollo who strikes at will.
Therefore I then ask you: band together and swear an oath
That you will come to my aid with words and hands, and with zeal.
For indeed I see that a man will be enraged who holds great sway
Over all the Argives, and whom the Achaeans all obey.
For a king is the mightier when he is enraged by a lesser man;
And though that day he may that day press back the anger in his breast,
Even so he will later hold on to that grudge, until it should be fulfilled.”

Then in reply swift footed Achilles spoke to him:
“By all means take heart and speak the oracle,
Whatever it is that you know, for by Apollo, who is dear to Zeus
And to whom you pray Calchas and by whom you reveal your oracles
To the Danaans, I swear that while I live and look upon the earth
No Danaan shall bear heavy hands against you by the hollow ships,
Not even if you should say Agamemnon, who now often boasts
That he is the best of the Achaeans.”

From then the blameless seer took heart and spoke up:
“Neither then does he place blame for a vow nor hecatomb,
But on account of the priest whom Agamemnon dishonored;
Neither did he free his daughter, nor accept the ransoms;
It is for this then that the god who strikes at will gives woes to us,
And will grant still more. Nor will he drive off this unseemly plague
For the Danaans before the bright eyed maiden is given back
To her dear father, unransomed and without price, and a hecatomb
Is led into sacred Chrysa: thus appeasing him we may win him over.”

Then when he had said this he sat himself down, and up stood
The great man himself, Atreus’ son, wide ruling Agamemnon,
Raging, his heart black all around and filling with wrath
And his eyes blazing like fire. Glaring at Calchas with the evilest of looks
He spoke to him: “Prophet of evil, never do you say a helpful thing
For me; it is always dear to you to prophesy evil, nor have you ever
In any way said or accomplished anything good or noble.
And now you harangue the Danaans in this assembly, prophesying
That it is on account of this that the god who strikes at will makes woes
For them, because I was not willing to accept the shining ransoms
For Chryseis, -- since I desire very much to keep the girl herself
At home with me. In fact I prefer her greatly to Clytamnestra,
My wedded wife, since I find that she is inferior neither in form,
Nor beauty, nor in her works, either of hand or heart.
But even so I am willing to give her back, if this is better;
For I desire the army to be safe, rather than destroyed.
But make ready a prize for me at once, in order that I alone
Of the Argives should not be without a prize of honor,
Since this would not be fitting. And you all surely see this:
My prize goes elsewhere and away from me.”

Thereupon shining Achilles swift of foot answered him:
“Most glorious son of Atreus, most avaricious of all men,
Just how will the great souled Achaeans give you this prize?
We do not know of a great common store just lying about,
But what we have plundered from the cities, this has been divided,
Nor would it be proper for the armies to bring it all back here
To be portioned out once more. But you give this one up
For the god, and then the Achaeans, all of us will repay you triply,
Even four times, if ever Zeus should grant us to plunder
Well walled Troy.”

And in reply mighty Agamemnon spoke to him:
“Though you be brave, godlike Achilles, do not attempt to deceive me,
Since you shall not outstrip me, nor will you win me over.
Indeed you desire, in order that you yourself should keep a prize,
That I sit here lacking, so you command me to give her back?!
Now, either the great souled Achaeans will give a prize that suits
My desire and will be in some way of equal value to the one I lost--
And if they do not grant me such a prize, then I will take it myself,
Either yours, or Ajax’ prize, or that of Odysseus, yes I will seize the prize,
And lead it off; and he who loses it will be enraged when I take this away.
But surely we can discuss this another time,
Come now let us launch a black ship into the blessed briny sea,
And let us gather a crew in sufficient numbers,
Then put on the hecatomb, and fair cheeked Chryseis herself.
And a judicious man will be commander: either Ajax,
Or Idomeneus, or divine Odysseus, or you son of Peleus,
Most fearsome of men, so that you can appease the Archer god for us
And perform the sacrifice.”

Then looking darkly swift footed Achilles accosted him:
“Dear me, you are clothed in shamelessness O crafty minded one.
How then will any Achaean be persuaded to set out on the road
With you, or do battle eagerly with men for you?
For I did not come here to fight on account of any Trojan spearman,
Since they are not blamable to me and they never took off either my cattle
Or my horses, nor did they burn the fields of rich clodded Phthia
Who breeds heroes, for surely there is a great deal between us,
Both shadowy mountains and the sounding sea.
But for you, O shameless one, we followed you so that you might rejoice,
Acquiring honor for Menelaus and for you, dogface;
It is for this we followed you to Troy.
And you neither heed this, nor give it your regard;
And now you threaten to take away my prize,
For which I toiled greatly, and that the sons of the Achaeans
Gave to me! As if I ever have a prize equal to yours
Whenever the Achaeans sack some well place Trojan city;
It is my hands that accomplish the greater part
Of the bloody onrush of war, and when there is a division of spoils
Then the far greater prize goes to you, and I go to the ships
When I should be weary of war with something small yet dear.
And now I will go to Phthia, since it is I think much better to go home
With the curved ships, and not to be here dishonored,
And piling up wealth for you.”

And then Agamemnon lord of men answered him:
“By all means flee, if desire drives you there,
Certainly I will not beg you to stay on my account,
For there are others beside me who may do me honor,
Above all wise and prudent Zeus, that counselor to kings.
To me then you are most odious of the Zeus bred kings;
Always dear to you are strife and war and battle,
And if you are so mighty, it is only some god that gave it to you.
Go home with your ships and with your comrades,
And rule over your Myrmidons, since you are no concern of mine,
Nor do I worry over your anger, but I will threaten you thus:
Since Phoebus Apollo deprives me of Chryseis,
Then I will send her along with one of my ships,
And my comrades, then I myself will be going to your tent
To lead off fair cheeked Briseis, this prize of yours,
So that you might well see how much more powerful
I am than you, and this might make it hateful to any other man
To speak against me and to liken himself to me!”

So he spoke and great grief came up in the rough chest
Of the son of Peleus, and in his heart he considered two ways:
Either to draw the sharp sword from his thigh
And stand them all up, so he might kill the son of Atreus,
Or to hold off his spirit and check his rage.
While he turned this over in his mind and heart
He pulled the mighty sword from its sheath,
Then Athena came down from the heavens,
For the goddess, white armed Hera, sent her there,
Since she loved them both in equal measure
And was grieving now. She stood behind him
And seized Peleus’ son by his tawny locks,
Appearing to him alone; none of the others beheld her.
Then Achilles stood aghast and turned around,
Recognizing Pallas Athena; and her eyes flashed terribly at him,
And he spoke to her with winged words:
“Why on earth have you come O child of aegis bearing Zeus?
So that you might see the insolence of Atreus’ son Agamemnon?
Though I tell you of this and I think it shall be accomplished:
Soon he might destroy his own life through this insolence.”

And the goddess, owl eyed Athena then addressed him:
“I came down to check your rage, if you will be persuaded,
The goddess, white armed Hera, sent me here
Since she loves and grieves for you both in equal measure.
But come now, cease from this strife, and draw not that sword.
Reproach him with words, and with what will be.
So this I will declare, and it shall be accomplished:
There will be a time when you shall have even three times
The splendid gifts on account of this insolence.
But check yourself now, and obey us.”

And in reply swift footed Achilles spoke to her:
“I must do what you two tell me goddess,
Though I rage on in my heart, since this is better:
He who obeys the gods, to him they turn their ear.”

Then he put his heavy hand on the silver handle,
And drove the great sword back into its sheath,
And did not fail to obey Athena’s command.
Then she went back to Olympus, to the halls of
Aegis bearing Zeus with the other sky dwellers.

But the son of Peleus anew accosted Atreus’s son
With harsh and bitter words, and did not cease his rage:
“You drunken sot, with the face of a dog and the heart of a deer!
Neither do you arm for war with your men,
Nor do you have the courage to go on ambush
With the Achaean chiefs, since this seems to be death for you.
No, far better for you to be about the broad camp of the Achaeans,
Seizing gifts from any man who might speak against you,
O king who rapes his own lands,
Since you rule over a worthless breed of men.
For now indeed, son of Atreus, this may be your last insult.
But I will tell you this, and swear a great oath:
Yes, by this scepter that will bear neither leaf nor branch,
Since it first forsook that stump in the mountains,
Nor shall these sprout again, for bronze has stripped it clean
Of both leaf and bark; but now the sons of the Achaeans
Bear it in their fists as judges, those who draw their laws from Zeus.
Such will be this oath: A great yearning for Achilles
Will come up among each and every one of the sons of the Achaeans.
And then, though grieving, you will be in no way able to give them aid
When so many perish at the hands of man slaying Hector.
And you will be gnawing at your soul while the rage consumes you,
Because you in no way honored the best of the Achaeans!”

So spoke the son of Peleus and he hurled the scepter,
Studded with golden nails, to the earth and sat himself down
While from the other side the son of Atreus raged on.
Then sweet speaking Nestor sprung up, that clear toned orator
Of the Pylians, and from that tongue flowed speech sweeter than honey.
In him already two generations of mortal men had wasted away,
They were born and bred with him in most sacred Pylos,
And he ruled then among the third. Thinking carefully,
He rose up before them and spoke to the assembly:
“Oh dear me, what grief comes up in the land of the Achaeans;
How greatly would Priam and the sons of Priam rejoice,
And all the other Trojans should have great joy in their hearts
If they were to learn of all this: you two contending and striving with each other.
You who surpass all the Danaans in doing battle and in counsel.
But heed this; since you two are both younger than I.
Already in my life I have associated with men who were by far
Braver than you, and even they did not disregard me.
No I will not see men of that sort ever again:
Men such as Pirithous, and Dryas, and Caeneas that shepherd of the people,
And Exadius, and Polyphemus who was a match for the gods,
And Aegeus’ son Theseus, so like the immortals.
That age bred the mightiest of earth born men, the mightiest they were,
Those who did battle with the most fearsome of the wild beasts who
Live in mountain lairs, and they smashed them.
And coming there, I consorted with them, me from the far country of Pylos.
They themselves summoned me. And I fought alone
Against those who no mortal now upon the earth would do battle.
And they would hearken to my advice and heed my command.
But both of you heed this, since it is better to obey.
And you who are so brave, do not take this girl.
But let her be: a prize as the sons of the Achaeans first gave to him.
And you son of Peleus, do not seek to match the king blow for blow,
Since never has a scepter bearing king received an equal share of honor
As this one to whom Zeus gave glory. And even if you are the stronger,
Since a goddess mother gave you life, this one is the mightier
Since he rules over many men. Son of Atreus check your rage,
We beg you to give up your anger at Achilles, who is a great bulwark
For the Achaeans against evil war.”

And in reply mighty Agamemnon spoke to him:
“Yes indeed old man, all of this you say is right and proper,
But this man desires to be above all other men, and he desires to rule over all,
And lord it over all of us, and to command all of us,
But I think that there is one who will not obey.
So what if the gods who are forever made him a spearman,
Did they also grant him the right to shout insults?”

Then breaking in, shining Achilles answered him:
“Indeed I should be called a miserable coward
If I should submit to you in all things, whatever you might say.
Yes command this to others, but do not give orders to me!
For I think that there is yet one more who will not obey.
But I tell you this, and you can toss it about in your heart:
I will not fight you with my hands on account of the maiden,
Neither you nor any other, since you only take away what was given me;
But as for anything else, that which is mine by my fast black ship,
These things you will not bear off, nor seize against my will.
Up now try it! So that all might know these things:
Right off your black blood will flow round my spear!”

Thus the two who battled with hostile words rose up,
And they broke up the assembly by the Achaean ships.
The son of Peleus went to the shelters and the well built ships
Along with Menoetius’ son and his comrades, while Atreus’ son
Put a fast ship into the salt sea and selected twenty rowers,
Then he put on a hecatomb for the god, leading up in
Fair cheeked Chryseis, and finally the commander
Wily Odysseus went in.

When they had gone up, sailing on their watery way,
The son of Atreus ordered the armies to purify themselves.
So they washed and hurled their filth into the briny deep,
And they made sacrifices to Apollo of perfect hecatombs
Of bulls and goats along the shore of the restless salty sea;
And the smoky savor went to the heavens, twisting round the cloud.

So they busied themselves about the camp. But Agamemnon
Did not give up the strife that he first hurled at Achilles,
And spoke fiercely to Talthybius and Eurybates,
Who were his heralds and ready attendants:
“Go to the tent of Peleus’ son Achilles and take fair cheeked Briseis
By the hand and lead her off, and if he does not give her up
Then I will be going there with many men and seize her myself.
And that will be so much the worse for him.”

So speaking he sent them forth, and imparted a harsh command.
So the two went grudgingly along the shore of the barren, briny sea,
And came to the tents and ships of the Myrmidons.
Him they found sitting between his tent and a black ship;
Nor did Achilles rejoice to see them. The two stood frightened,
In awe of the prince, and they neither spoke to him, nor addressed him in any way.
But he saw into their hearts and said this to them:
“Be welcome heralds, messengers from Zeus as well as men.
Come closer, you are not blamable to me in any way,
But Agamemnon, he who sent you out on account of the maiden Briseis.
But come now, Zeus born Patroclus, bring out the girl,
And give her away to them. Then let these two themselves
Be witnesses before the blessed gods and mortal men,
And before that heartless king, if ever a time should arise
Where there is a need for me to ward off grievous destruction
From the rest. For indeed he dashes about in that destructive mind of his,
And does not consider these things completely and all the way through:
That the Achaeans who would do battle for him be safe beside the ships.”

Thus he spoke, and Patroclus obeyed his dear comrade,
Leading fair cheeked Briseis out from the tent, he gave her up to them.
Then the two went right off past the ships of the Achaeans,
And the woman went along with them unwillingly, but Achilles wept
And sat down immediately on the shore of the gray and hoary sea;
Turning away from his comrades he looked out over the boundless sea,
And prayed hard to his dear mother with arms outstretched:
“Mother, since you bore me to a life so short, would that Olympian
Zeus who hurls the thunderbolt grant me honor and renown.
But now he does not honor me even a little. For indeed the son of Atreus,
Wide ruling Agamemnon, dishonors me; he has deprived me
Of my prize, seizing it and keeping it for himself.”

So he spoke, a tear streaming down, and his revered mother heard him
As she sat there in the briny depths beside her aged father.
Suddenly she ascended from the hoary salt brined sea like the mist
Then sat down beside him while his tears streamed down;
She caressed him with her hands and spoke to him, calling him by name:
“Why do you weep my child? But what grief has come up in your heart?
Speak it out loud and do not conceal it in your mind,
So that we both might know.”

And groaning heavily swift footed Achilles spoke to her:
“You know. Indeed why do I tell this to you who know all?
We went to Thebe, Eetion’s sacred city, and plundered it;
Then we brought all the spoils back here. And the sons of the Achaeans
Divided it all up among themselves, and for Atreus’ son
They chose out fair cheeked Chryseis. Then Chryses, priest of far shooting
Apollo, came to the fast ships of the bronze clad Achaeans
Seeking to free his daughter and bearing ransoms without number,
Holding in his hands the wreaths of far striking Apollo,
Along with a golden scepter, and he kept begging all the Achaeans,
But most of all the two sons of Atreus, commanders of the armies.
Then all the other Achaeans shouted their assent, revering the priest
And accepting the shining ransom, but not Agamemnon;
This did not please the son of Atreus in his soul.
But he sent him off with malice, and imparted a harsh command.
Then the old man went away enraged, and Apollo hearkened to
His prayer, since the priest was so very dear to him,
And he sent his evil missiles upon the Argives,
And was killing off the armies in quick succession,
For the arrows of the god were going against them
Everywhere in the broad camp of the Achaeans.
Then a seer, who knows well the oracles of the god who strikes at will,
Spoke to us. Right off I called for us to first appease the god,
But wrath took hold of Atreus’ son, and he stood up immediately
And issued threatening commands which he has now fulfilled.
They sent her away along with a fast ship of the bright eyed Achaeans,
Bearing gifts for the god; and just now his heralds came here
To lead Briseus’ girl from my tent, her whom the sons of the Achaeans
Gave to me! But you, if you are able, protect your valiant son.
Go to Olympus and beg Zeus, if ever at any time you aided his heart
In either word or deed. Often times I heard you in father’s house,
Boasting of when you alone among the immortals beat off
Grievous destruction for Cronus’ cloud wrapped son,
When all the other Olympians desired to bind him hand and foot:
Hera, and Poseidon, and even Pallas Athena.
But you, goddess, going there you loosed his bonds,
And quickly you summoned the hundred hander to lofty Olympus,
He who the gods name Briareus, but all men call Aegaeon.
He is far stronger than his father Poseidon and sat down beside
Cronus’ son, exulting in his glory; and the blessed gods shrank before him,
And did not even bind him. Remind him of this now;
Sit beside him and grasp his knees, if in any way he would be willing
To aid the Trojans so they drive the Achaeans to the sea,
Murdering them, all the way to the sterns of their ships,
So that all might reap this reward from their king,
And even Atreus’ son, wide ruling Agamemnon, might see
His insanity, he who in no way honored the best of the Achaeans!”

Thereupon Thetis answered him with a tear streaming down:
“Oh dear, child of mine, why did I bear you to this pain?
O that you could sit by the ships unharmed and without tears,
Since for you time is so very short and there is not long;
And now not only are you short lived but bitterness engulfs you
Beyond all men; I bore you to this evil fate in those halls.
So I shall go to white capped Olympus to speak this word to Zeus
Who hurls the thunderbolt, if he might be won over.
But you, sit beside the swift sailing ships and rage against the Achaeans,
And hold yourself back completely from the war;
Yesterday Zeus went down to a feast in Oceanus
Among the noble Ethiopians, and all the gods went with.
But on the twelfth day he will return to Olympus,
And on that day I will go for you to the bronze threshold of his house;
I will grasp his knees, and I think he will be persuaded.”

So she spoke and then departed, leaving him there
Raging at heart over a wasp waisted woman, who was taken away
By force and against his will. But Odysseus went to Chrysa
Leading the sacred hecatomb. Then when they came into a deep harbor
They furled the sail and put it in the black ship,
Then drew the mast into its receiver and quickly lowered the ropes
And rowed forward to the moorings. Then they dropped the anchor stone
And they themselves then went out on the seashore,
And led out the hecatomb for far striking Apollo,
And then Chryseis went out from the seagoing ship.
Odysseus led her then up to the altar where he put her in the hands
Of her dear father and spoke to him:
“Chryses, the lord of men Agamemnon has sent me here
To bring your child to you and to bring this hecatomb for Phoebus
That we shall sacrifice for the Danaans, so that we might appease the god
Who now causes the Argives many groans and sends such suffering upon them.

Thus speaking he put her in the old man’s hands, and he accepted his dear child
Rejoicing. Then the sacred hecatomb was put around the well built altar
For the god, and they purified themselves, snatching up the barley corns.
Then Chryses prayed aloud, lifting his hands before them:
“Hear me O god with the silver bow, you who shield Chrysa
And most sacred Cilla, and rule over Tenedos in power:
Truly you heard my prayer then, and you have honored me greatly,
And have punished the Achaean host terribly; now once more
Fulfill this request for me: drive off this unseemly plague for the Danaans.”

Thus he prayed, and Phoebus Apollo heard him.
So they prayed and cast down the barleycorns,
Then drew up the animals’ heads and cut their throats
And flayed them all; they then cut out the thighs
Making a double fold and wrapping them in fat,
Then they placed the meat upon it.
Then the old man burnt them down on split wood
And poured shimmering wine as libation, and the youths
Beside him carried five pronged forks in their hands.
But when the thighs were consumed and they fed on the organs
They then sliced the other parts to bits and skewered them,
And roasting them carefully they drew them all out.
But when they ceased their labor and prepared the banquet
They went to feasting, nor did any soul lack his portion of the feast.
But when they stayed the desire for food and drink
The youthful lords filled the mixing bowl to the brim with wine,
And passed it to all in cups to begin the rites.
Then all day long they appeased the god with their dance,
Singing well their song of praise, these Achaean youths
Chanting the Striker’s hymn; this pleased his ears.
And when the sun went down and the gloom of night came on
They lulled themselves to sleep by the stern of their ship.
Then when early rosy fingered dawn appeared
They set out for the broad camp of the Achaeans
And the Archer god Apollo put a favorable wind to their backs.
Then they stood up their sail and spread out the shining cloth;
The breeze filled up its heart and the wine dark waves
Roared about the stem of the sea going ship;
So it sped on its way crossing through the waves.
But then they came to the broad camp of the Achaeans
And drew the black ship onto the continent,
High up on the dunes, and placed in under the beams,
Then they themselves scattered to the shelters and the ships.

But he raged on sitting beside the swift sailing ships,
That Zeus born son of Peleus, swift footed Achilles.
Neither did he visit the meeting halls that give glory to men,
Nor did he go to war, but wasted his lifeblood away in that place,
And he yearned for the cry of battle and for war itself.

But when the twelfth dawn from that day arose,
Then the gods who are forever came all together to Olympus
With Zeus in front. Thetis did not forget her son’s behests,
But plunged through the sea’s waves early in the morning
And climbed high heaven to Olympus.
She found Cronus’ far thundering son sitting away from the others
On a sharp peak of craggy Olympus. Then she then sat down
In front of him and grasped his knees with her left hand,
And with her right she clutched at his beard, beseeching
Cronus’ son, the lord Zeus, and spoke this to him:
“Father Zeus, if ever there was a time among the immortals
Where I aided you either in word or deed, then grant this appeal:
Honor my son, whom death shall find long before his time;
He whom that lord of men Agamemnon greatly dishonors now:
For he has seized his prize of honor, depriving my son
And keeping it for himself. But you, wise Olympian Zeus,
Make him atone for this outrage; meanwhile give victory to the Trojans
So that the Achaeans might honor my son, and greatly increase his renown.”

Thus she spoke, and cloud gathering Zeus said nothing in reply
But sat long in silence. So Thetis once more laid hold of his knees,
Grasping tightly and clinging to them she asked at once a second time:
“Unerring one, promise me and nod your assent, or refuse me,
Since timidity does not become you, so that I might well know
That I am the most dishonored of all the gods.”

Deeply vexed, cloud wrapped Zeus spoke to her:
“Indeed this is a nasty mess, when you tell me to wrangle with
Hera; since already she torments me with abusive words and insults.
And even as things are she contends with me among the immortal gods,
Telling me that I give aid to the Trojans in battle. But you now
Depart, lest Hera know of this. Let this be my concern,
So that it might be accomplished. But come now
I will nod my head so that you might be persuaded;
For this is the greatest pledge I can give among the immortals.
Neither can it be a lie, nor taken back, nor can it be left
Unfulfilled if I should nod assent with my head.”

Even as he spoke the son of Cronus did nod his dusky brows
So his ambrosia locks fell down over the head of the deathless lord;
This shook Olympus terribly.

Thus the plot was hatched and the two parted ways;
Thereupon she leapt from shining Olympus into the briny depths,
Zeus going towards his house. And all the gods rose as one from their seats
To meet their father, nor did any have the heart to remain in his place
But all went toward him and they all went up to meet him.
So then he sat down upon his throne; nor did Hera fail to notice,
Catching them together making plans,
Silver footed Thetis, the daughter of the old man of the sea.
At once she accosted Cronus’ son with biting words:
“Which of the gods hatches plots with you now, Deceiver?
Always this is dear to you when I am away,
Planning and deciding things in secret; nor do you have the heart
To tell me or speak any word of it, whatever is in your mind.”

And thereupon the father of gods and men answered her:
“Hera, do not desire to know all of my thoughts and deeds.
This would be difficult for you, though you are my wife.
But of that which is right and proper for you to hear,
Nothing will be know first then, either to god or mortal man;
But that which I desire to keep from the gods’ knowledge,
Do not inquire into this, nor into each and every thing that I am about.”

And Hera, the ox eyed queen of the skies, then answered him:
“Most dread son of Cronus, what is this you are saying!
In the past I have neither questioned you nor inquired
Into each and every thing you were about, never!
But you plot and plan in peace and quiet, as you desire;
But now there is terror in my heart that silver footed Thetis,
Daughter of the old man of the sea, may have won you over;
Since early this morning she sat beside you and grasped your knees.
There I saw you nod your head and give a sure sign
That you will honor Achilles, and slaughter many
By the Achaean ships.”

And in reply cloud gathering Zeus accosted her:
“O sky dwelling goddess, truly you see always, nor do I forget you,
But nevertheless this thing will be accomplished, and you will not
Be able to do one thing to prevent it, but will only be that much
Further from my heart: and this will be the worse for you.
And if this is how it is, then it is as I wish it to be.
But sit down and be silent, and obey my command,
For they will not now be able to help you, as many gods
As are on Olympus, nor will they come any closer
When I strike you with invincible hands!”

Thus he spoke, and the ox eyed queen of the skies was struck with terror;
Then she sat down and hearkened to, bending to his desire
And all the sky dwelling gods were vexed,
Throughout the house of Zeus; then Hephaestus forger to the gods
Came forth to harangue them, bringing relief for his dear mother,
White armed Hera: “Yes indeed this will be a nasty mess,
Nor shall we be able to bear it if you two quarrel in this way
On account of mortals, or if you carry on wrangling among the gods;
Nor will this do any good for the feast since then the worst will prevail.
So I tell this to my mother, though it must already be in her mind:
Be kind to our dear father Zeus so that he might not contend with us anew,
And the banquet be ruined. And if the Olympian who hurls the lightning
Should desire to hurl us from our seats… He is far too strong.
But you, speak to him with soft words, then the Olympian will be good to us.”

Thus he spoke and sprung up and brought the double sided cup in hand
To his mother and spoke to her:
“Take heart my mother, and endure this, though you be grieving,
Oh that I should not see you who are so dear to me struck down
Before my eyes; for then, though in anguish, I could do nothing
To help you. For it is a terrible thing to oppose the Olympian.
There was in fact another time where I was eager to defend you,
And seizing me by the foot he hurled me from his divine threshold;
I was borne all through the day until I fell down along with the setting sun
On Lemnos, with my lifeblood drained nearly to the last drop,
But then the Sintian men tended promptly to my sinking self.”

Thus he spoke and the goddess, white armed Hera, smiled,
And laughing she took the cup in hand from her child.
So then he went to his right and poured sweet nectar for the other gods,
Dipping down the mixing bowl for each in turn.
And undying laughter then erupted from the blessed gods
When they saw Hephaestus panting and puffing throughout the house.

Then they feasted the whole of the day until the setting sun,
Neither did any soul lack his portion of the feast,
Nor the enchanting lyre that Apollo kept,
Nor the muses who sang their glorious harmonies.
But when the sun’s shining light went down
They desired to rest and each went to his own house,
That this renowned if bowlegged forger Hephaestus
Had made for each of them with his knowing mind,
And Zeus who hurls lightning from Olympus went to his bed
And lay down; when sweet sleep overcame him
Then Hera of the golden throne went up to lie beside him.