THE　ILIAD
  by　Homer
  translated　by　Samuel　Butler
  BOOK　I
  Sing；　O　goddess；　the　anger　of　Achilles　son　of　Peleus；　that　brought
  countless　ills　upon　the　Achaeans。　Many　a　brave　soul　did　it　send
  hurrying　down　to　Hades；　and　many　a　hero　did　it　yield　a　prey　to　dogs
  and　vultures；　for　so　were　the　counsels　of　Jove　fulfilled　from　the
  day　on　which　the　son　of　Atreus；　king　of　men；　and　great　Achilles；　first
  fell　out　with　one　another。
  And　which　of　the　gods　was　it　that　set　them　on　to　quarrel？　It　was　the
  son　of　Jove　and　Leto；　for　he　was　angry　with　the　king　and　sent　a
  pestilence　upon　the　host　to　plague　the　people；　because　the　son　of
  Atreus　had　dishonoured　Chryses　his　priest。　Now　Chryses　had　come　to　the
  ships　of　the　Achaeans　to　free　his　daughter；　and　had　brought　with　him　a
  great　ransom：　moreover　he　bore　in　his　hand　the　sceptre　of　Apollo
  wreathed　with　a　suppliant's　wreath　and　he　besought　the　Achaeans；　but
  most　of　all　the　two　sons　of　Atreus；　who　were　their　chiefs。
  〃Sons　of　Atreus；〃　he　cried；　〃and　all　other　Achaeans；　may　the　gods
  who　dwell　in　Olympus　grant　you　to　sack　the　city　of　Priam；　and　to　reach
  your　homes　in　safety；　but　free　my　daughter；　and　accept　a　ransom　for
  her；　in　reverence　to　Apollo；　son　of　Jove。〃
  On　this　the　rest　of　the　Achaeans　with　one　voice　were　for
  respecting　the　priest　and　taking　the　ransom　that　he　offered；　but　not
  so　Agamemnon；　who　spoke　fiercely　to　him　and　sent　him　roughly　away。
  〃Old　man；〃　said　he；　〃let　me　not　find　you　tarrying　about　our　ships；　nor
  yet　coming　hereafter。　Your　sceptre　of　the　god　and　your　wreath　shall
  profit　you　nothing。　I　will　not　free　her。　She　shall　grow　old　in　my
  house　at　Argos　far　from　her　own　home；　busying　herself　with　her　loom
  and　visiting　my　couch；　so　go；　and　do　not　provoke　me　or　it　shall　be　the
  worse　for　you。〃
  The　old　man　feared　him　and　obeyed。　Not　a　word　he　spoke；　but　went
  by　the　shore　of　the　sounding　sea　and　prayed　apart　to　King　Apollo
  whom　lovely　Leto　had　borne。　〃Hear　me；〃　he　cried；　〃O　god　of　the
  silver　bow；　that　protectest　Chryse　and　holy　Cilla　and　rulest　Tenedos
  with　thy　might；　hear　me　oh　thou　of　Sminthe。　If　I　have　ever　decked　your
  temple　with　garlands；　or　burned　your　thigh…bones　in　fat　of　bulls　or
  goats；　grant　my　prayer；　and　let　your　arrows　avenge　these　my　tears　upon
  the　Danaans。〃
  Thus　did　he　pray；　and　Apollo　heard　his　prayer。　He　came　down
  furious　from　the　summits　of　Olympus；　with　his　bow　and　his　quiver
  upon　his　shoulder；　and　the　arrows　rattled　on　his　back　with　the　rage
  that　trembled　within　him。　He　sat　himself　down　away　from　the　ships　with
  a　face　as　dark　as　night；　and　his　silver　bow　rang　death　as　he　shot
  his　arrow　in　the　midst　of　them。　First　he　smote　their　mules　and　their
  hounds；　but　presently　he　aimed　his　shafts　at　the　people　themselves；
  and　all　day　long　the　pyres　of　the　dead　were　burning。
  For　nine　whole　days　he　shot　his　arrows　among　the　people；　but　upon
  the　tenth　day　Achilles　called　them　in　assembly…　moved　thereto　by　Juno；
  who　saw　the　Achaeans　in　their　death…throes　and　had　compassion　upon
  them。　Then；　when　they　were　got　together；　he　rose　and　spoke　among　them。
  〃Son　of　Atreus；〃　said　he；　〃I　deem　that　we　should　now　turn　roving
  home　if　we　would　escape　destruction；　for　we　are　being　cut　down　by
  war　and　pestilence　at　once。　Let　us　ask　some　priest　or　prophet；　or　some
  reader　of　dreams　（for　dreams；　too；　are　of　Jove）　who　can　tell　us　why
  Phoebus　Apollo　is　so　angry；　and　say　whether　it　is　for　some　vow　that　we
  have　broken；　or　hecatomb　that　we　have　not　offered；　and　whether　he　will
  accept　the　savour　of　lambs　and　goats　without　blemish；　so　as　to　take
  away　the　plague　from　us。〃
  With　these　words　he　sat　down；　and　Calchas　son　of　Thestor；　wisest
  of　augurs；　who　knew　things　past　present　and　to　come；　rose　to　speak。　He
  it　was　who　had　guided　the　Achaeans　with　their　fleet　to　Ilius；
  through　the　prophesyings　with　which　Phoebus　Apollo　had　inspired　him。
  With　all　sincerity　and　goodwill　he　addressed　them　thus：…
  〃Achilles；　loved　of　heaven；　you　bid　me　tell　you　about　the　anger　of
  King　Apollo；　I　will　therefore　do　so；　but　consider　first　and　swear　that
  you　will　stand　by　me　heartily　in　word　and　deed；　for　I　know　that　I
  shall　offend　one　who　rules　the　Argives　with　might；　to　whom　all　the
  Achaeans　are　in　subjection。　A　plain　man　cannot　stand　against　the　anger
  of　a　king；　who　if　he　swallow　his　displeasure　now；　will　yet　nurse
  revenge　till　he　has　wreaked　it。　Consider；　therefore；　whether　or　no　you
  will　protect　me。〃
  And　Achilles　answered；　〃Fear　not；　but　speak　as　it　is　borne　in　upon
  you　from　heaven；　for　by　Apollo；　Calchas；　to　whom　you　pray；　and　whose
  oracles　you　reveal　to　us；　not　a　Danaan　at　our　ships　shall　lay　his　hand
  upon　you；　while　I　yet　live　to　look　upon　the　face　of　the　earth…　no；　not
  though　you　name　Agamemnon　himself；　who　is　by　far　the　foremost　of　the
  Achaeans。〃
  Thereon　the　seer　spoke　boldly。　〃The　god；〃　he　said；　〃is　angry　neither
  about　vow　nor　hecatomb；　but　for　his　priest's　sake；　whom　Agamemnon
  has　dishonoured；　in　that　he　would　not　free　his　daughter　nor　take　a
  ransom　for　her；　therefore　has　he　sent　these　evils　upon　us；　and　will
  yet　send　others。　He　will　not　deliver　the　Danaans　from　this
  pestilence　till　Agamemnon　has　restored　the　girl　without　fee　or
  ransom　to　her　father；　and　has　sent　a　holy　hecatomb　to　Chryse。　Thus
  we　may　perhaps　appease　him。〃
  With　these　words　he　sat　down；　and　Agamemnon　rose　in　anger。　His　heart
  was　black　with　rage；　and　his　eyes　flashed　fire　as　he　scowled　on
  Calchas　and　said；　〃Seer　of　evil；　you　never　yet　prophesied　smooth
  things　concerning　me；　but　have　ever　loved　to　foretell　that　which　was
  evil。　You　have　brought　me　neither　comfort　nor　performance；　and　now　you
  come　seeing　among　Danaans；　and　saying　that　Apollo　has　plagued　us
  because　I　would　not　take　a　ransom　for　this　girl；　the　daughter　of
  Chryses。　I　have　set　my　heart　on　keeping　her　in　my　own　house；　for　I
  love　her　better　even　than　my　own　wife　Clytemnestra；　whose　peer　she
  is　alike　in　form　and　feature；　in　understanding　and　accomplishments。
  Still　I　will　give　her　up　if　I　must；　for　I　would　have　the　people
  live；　not　die；　but　you　must　find　me　a　prize　instead；　or　I　alone
  among　the　Argives　shall　be　without　one。　This　is　not　well；　for　you
  behold；　all　of　you；　that　my　prize　is　to　go　elsewhither。〃
  And　Achilles　answered；　〃Most　noble　son　of　Atreus；　covetous　beyond
  all　mankind；　how　shall　the　Achaeans　find　you　another　prize？　We　have　no
  common　store　from　which　to　take　one。　Those　we　took　from　the　cities
  have　been　awarded；　we　cannot　disallow　the　awards　that　have　been　made
  already。　Give　this　girl；　therefore；　to　the　god；　and　if　ever　Jove
  grants　us　to　sack　the　city　of　Troy　we　will　requite　you　three　and
  fourfold。〃
  Then　Agamemnon　said；　〃Achilles；　valiant　though　you　be；　you　shall　not
  thus　outwit　me。　You　shall　not　overreach　and　you　shall　not　persuade　me。
  Are　you　to　keep　your　own　prize；　while　I　sit　tamely　under　my　loss　and
  give　up　the　girl　at　your　bidding？　Let　the　Achaeans　find　me　a　prize
  in　fair　exchange　to　my　liking；　or　I　will　come　and　take　your　own；　or
  that　of　Ajax　or　of　Ulysses；　and　he　to　whomsoever　I　may　come　shall
  rue　my　coming。　But　of　this　we　will　take　thought　hereafter；　for　the
  present；　let　us　draw　a　ship　into　the　sea；　and　find　a　crew　for　her
  expressly；　let　us　put　a　hecatomb　on　board；　and　let　us　send　Chryseis
  also；　further；　let　some　chief　man　among　us　be　in　command；　either　Ajax；
  or　Idomeneus；　or　yourself；　son　of　Peleus；　mighty　warrior　that　you　are；
  that　we　may　offer　sacrifice　and　appease　the　the　anger　of　the　god。〃
  Achilles　scowled　at　him　and　answered；　〃You　are　steeped　in
  insolence　and　lust　of　gain。　With　what　heart　can　any　of　the　Achaeans　do
  your　bidding；　either　on　foray　or　in　open　fighting？　I　came　not
  warring　here　for　any　ill　the　Trojans　had　done　me。　I　have　no　quarrel
  with　them。　They　have　not　raided　my　cattle　nor　my　horses；　nor　cut
  down　my　harvests　on　the　rich　plains　of　Phthia；　for　between　me　and　them
  there　is　a　great　space；　both　mountain　and　sounding　sea。　We　have
  followed　you；　Sir　Insolence！　for　your　pleasure；　not　ours…　to　gain
  satisfaction　from　the　Trojans　for　your　shameless　self　and　for
  Menelaus。　You　forget　this；　and　threaten　to　rob　me　of　the　prize　for
  which　I　have　toiled；　and　which　the　sons　of　the　Achaeans　have　given　me。
  Never　when　the　Achaeans　sack　any　rich　city　of　the　Trojans　do　I　receive
  so　good　a　prize　as　you　do；　though　it　is　my　hands　that　do　the　better
  part　of　the　fighting。　When　the　sharing　comes；　your　share　is　far　the
  largest；　and　I；　forsooth；　must　go　back　to　my　ships；　take　what　I　can
  get　and　be　thankful；　when　my　labour　of　fighting　is　done。　Now；
  therefore；　I　shall　go　back　to　Phthia；　it　will　be　much　better　for　me　to
  return　home　with　my　ships；　for　I　will　not　stay　here　dishonoured　to
  gather　gold　and　substance　for　you。〃
  And　Agamemnon　answered；　〃Fly　if　you　will；　I　shall　make　you　no
  prayers　to　stay　you。　I　have　others　here　who　will　do　me　honour；　and
  above　all　Jove；　the　lord　of　counsel。　There　is　no　king　here　so
  hateful　to　me　as　you　are；　for　you　are　ever　quarrelsome　and　ill
  affected。　What　though　you　be　brave？　Was　it　not　heaven　that　made　you
  so？　Go　home；　then；　with　your　ships　and　comrades　to　lord　it　over　the
  Myrmidons。　I　care　ne