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will make you great amends if you will forgive him； listen； and I
will tell you what he has said in his tent that he will give you。
He will give you seven tripods that have never yet been on the
fire； and ten talents of gold； twenty iron cauldrons； and twelve
strong horses that have won races and carried off prizes。 Rich
indeed both in land and gold is he who has as many prizes as
these horses have won for Agamemnon。 Moreover he will give you
seven excellent workwomen； Lesbians； whom he chose for himself；
when you took Lesbosall of surpassing beauty。 He will give you
these； and with them her whom he erewhile took from you； the
daughter of Briseus； and he will swear a great oath； he has never
gone up into her couch nor been with her after the manner of men
and women。 All these things will he give you now down； and if
hereafter the gods vouchsafe him to sack the city of Priam； you
can e when we Achaeans are dividing the spoil； and load your
ship with gold and bronze to your liking。 You can take twenty
Trojan women； the loveliest after Helen herself。 Then； when we
reach Achaean Argos； wealthiest of all lands； you shall be his
son…in…law； and he will show you like honour with his own dear
son Orestes； who is being nurtured in all abundance。 Agamemnon
has three daughters； Chrysothemis； Laodice； and Iphianassa； you
may take the one of your choice； freely and without gifts of
wooing； to the house of Peleus； he will add such dower to boot as
no man ever yet gave his daughter； and will give you seven
well…established cities； Cardamyle； Enope； and Hire where there
is grass； holy Pheras and the rich meadows of Anthea； Aepea also；
and the vine…clad slopes of Pedasus； all near the sea； and on the
borders of sandy Pylos。 The men that dwell there are rich in
cattle and sheep； they will honour you with gifts as though were
a god； and be obedient to your fortable ordinances。 All this
will he do if you will now forgo your anger。 Moreover； though you
hate both him and his gifts with all your heart； yet pity the
rest of the Achaeans who are being harassed in all their host；
they will honour you as a god； and you will earn great glory at
their hands。 You might even kill Hector； he will e within your
reach； for he is infatuated； and declares that not a Danaan whom
the ships have brought can hold his own against him。〃
Achilles answered； 〃Ulysses； noble son of Laertes； I should give
you formal notice plainly and in all fixity of purpose that there
be no more of this cajoling； from whatsoever quarter it may e。
Him do I hate even as the gates of hell who says one thing while
he hides another in his heart； therefore I will say what I mean。
I will be appeased neither by Agamemnon son of Atreus nor by any
other of the Danaans； for I see that I have no thanks for all my
fighting。 He that fights fares no better than he that does not；
coward and hero are held in equal honour； and death deals like
measure to him who works and him who is idle。 I have taken
nothing by all my hardshipswith my life ever in my hand； as a
bird when she has found a morsel takes it to her nestlings； and
herself fares hardly； even so many a long night have I been
wakeful； and many a bloody battle have I waged by day against
those who were fighting for their women。 With my ships I have
taken twelve cities； and eleven round about Troy have I stormed
with my men by land； I took great store of wealth from every one
of them； but I gave all up to Agamemnon son of Atreus。 He stayed
where he was by his ships； yet of what came to him he gave
little； and kept much himself。
〃Nevertheless he did distribute some meeds of honour among the
chieftains and kings； and these have them still； from me alone of
the Achaeans did he take the woman in whom I delightedlet him
keep her and sleep with her。 Why； pray； must the Argives needs
fight the Trojans？ What made the son of Atreus gather the host
and bring them？ Was it not for the sake of Helen？ Are the sons of
Atreus the only men in the world who love their wives？ Any man of
mon right feeling will love and cherish her who is his own； as
I this woman； with my whole heart； though she was but a fruitling
of my spear。 Agamemnon has taken her from me； he has played me
false； I know him； let him tempt me no further； for he shall not
move me。 Let him look to you； Ulysses； and to the other princes
to save his ships from burning。 He has done much without me
already。 He has built a wall； he has dug a trench deep and wide
all round it； and he has planted it within with stakes； but even
so he stays not the murderous might of Hector。 So long as I
fought the Achaeans Hector suffered not the battle range far from
the city walls； he would e to the Scaean gates and to the oak
tree； but no further。 Once he stayed to meet me and hardly did he
escape my onset： now； however； since I am in no mood to fight
him； I will to…morrow offer sacrifice to Jove and to all the
gods； I will draw my ships into the water and then victual them
duly； to…morrow morning； if you care to look； you will see my
ships on the Hellespont； and my men rowing out to sea with might
and main。 If great Neptune vouchsafes me a fair passage； in three
days I shall be in Phthia。 I have much there that I left behind
me when I came here to my sorrow； and I shall bring back still
further store of gold； of red copper； of fair women； and of iron；
my share of the spoils that we have taken； but one prize； he who
gave has insolently taken away。 Tell him all as I now bid you；
and tell him in public that the Achaeans may hate him and beware
of him should he think that he can yet dupe others for his
effrontery never fails him。
〃As for me； hound that he is； he dares not look me in the face。
I will take no counsel with him； and will undertake nothing in
mon with him。 He has wronged me and deceived me enough； he
shall not cozen me further； let him go his own way； for Jove has
robbed him of his reason。 I loathe his presents； and for himself
care not one straw。 He may offer me ten or even twenty times what
he has now done； naynot though it be all that he has in the
world； both now or ever shall have； he may promise me the weal