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　come　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　common
  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；　nay…
  not　though　it　be　all　that　he　has　in　the　world；　both　now　or　ever
  shall　have；　he　may　promise　me　the　wealth　of　Orchomenus　or　of
  Egyptian　Thebes；　which　is　the　richest　city　in　the　whole　world；　for
  it　has　a　hundred　gates　through　each　of　which　two　hundred　men　may　drive
  at　once　with　their　chariots　and　horses；　he　may　offer　me　gifts　as　the
  sands　of　the　sea　or　the　dust　of　the　plain　in　multitude；　but　even　so　he
  shall　not　move　me　till　I　have　been　revenged　in　full　for　the　bitter
  wrong　he　has　done　me。　I　will　not　marry　his　daughter；　she　may　be　fair
  as　Venus；　and　skilful　as　Minerva；　but　I　will　have　none　of　her：　let
  another　take　her；　who　may　be　a　good　match　for　her　and　who　rules　a
  larger　kingdom。　If　the　gods　spare　me　to　return　home；　Peleus　will
  find　me　a　wife；　there　are　Achaean　women　in　Hellas　and　Phthia；
  daughters　of　kings　that　have　cities　under　them；　of　these　I　can　take
  whom　I　will　and　marry　her。　Many　a　time　was　I　minded　when　at　home　in
  Phthia　to　woo　and　wed　a　woman　who　would　make　me　a　suitable　wife；　and
  to　enjoy　the　riches　of　my　old　father　Peleus。　My　life　is　more　to　me
  than　all　the　wealth　of　Ilius　while　it　was　yet　at　peace　before　the
  Achaeans　went　there；　or　than　all　the　treasure　that　lies　on　the　stone
  floor　of　Apollo's　temple　beneath　the　cliffs　of　Pytho。　Cattle　and　sheep
  are　to　be　had　for　harrying；　and　a　man　buy　both　tripods　and　horses　if
  he　wants　them；　but　when　his　life　has　once　left　him　it　can　neither　be
  bought　nor　harried　back　again。
  〃My　mother　Thetis　tells　me　that　there　are　two　ways　in　which　I　may
  meet　my　end。　If　I　stay　here　and　fight；　I　shall　not　return　alive　but　my
  name　will　live　for　ever：　whereas　if　I　go　home　my　name　will　die；　but　it
  will　be　long　ere　death　shall　take　me。　To　the　rest　of　you；　then；　I　say；
  'Go　home；　for　you　will　not　take　Ilius。'　Jove　has　held　his　hand　over
  her　to　protect　her；　and　her　people　have　taken　heart。　Go；　therefore；　as
  in　duty　bound；　and　tell　the　princes　of　the　Achaeans　the　message　that　I
  have　sent　them；　tell　them　to　find　some　other　plan　for　the　saving　of
  their　ships　and　people；　for　so　long　as　my　displeasure　lasts　the　one
  that　they　have　now　hit　upon　may　not　be。　As　for　Phoenix；　let　him
  sleep　here　that　he　may　sail　with　me　in　the　morning　if　he　so　will。
  But　I　will　not　take　him　by　force。〃
  They　all　held　their　peace；　dismayed　at　the　sternness　with　which　he
  had　denied　them；　till　presently　the　old　knight　Phoenix　in　his　great
  fear　for　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans；　burst　into　tears　and　said；
  〃Noble　Achilles；　if　you　are　now　minded　to　return；　and　in　the
  fierceness　of　your　anger　will　do　nothing　to　save　the　ships　from
  burning；　how；　my　son；　can　I　remain　here　without　you？　Your　father
  Peleus　bade　me　go　with　you　when　he　sent　you　as　a　mere　lad　from
  Phthia　to　Agamemnon。　You　knew　nothing　neither　of　war　nor　of　the　arts
  whereby　men　make　their　mark　in　council；　and　he　sent　me　with　you　to
  train　you　in　all　excellence　of　speech　and　action。　Therefore；　my　son；　I
  will　not　stay　here　without　you…　no；　not　though　heaven　itself　vouchsafe
  to　strip　my　years　from　off　me；　and　make　me　young　as　I　was　when　I　first
  left　Hellas　the　land　of　fair　women。　I　was　then　flying　the　anger　of
  father　Amyntor；　son　of　Ormenus；　who　was　furious　with　me　in　the
  matter　of　his　concubine；　of　whom　he　was　enamoured　to　the　wronging　of
  his　wife　my　mother。　My　mother；　therefore；　prayed　me　without　ceasing　to
  lie　with　the　woman　myself；　that　so　she　hate　my　father；　and　in　the
  course　of　time　I　yielded。　But　my　father　soon　came　to　know；　and
  cursed　me　bitterly；　calling　the　dread　Erinyes　to　witness。　He　prayed
  that　no　son　of　mine　might　ever　sit　upon　knees…　and　the　gods；　Jove　of
  the　world　below　and　awful　Proserpine；　fulfilled　his　curse。　I　took
  counsel　to　kill　him；　but　some　god　stayed　my　rashness　and　bade　me　think
  on　men's　evil　tongues　and　how　I　should　be　branded　as　the　murderer　of
  my　father：　nevertheless　I　could　not　bear　to　stay　in　my　father's
  house　with　him　so　bitter　a　against　me。　My　cousins　and　clansmen　came
  about　me；　and　pressed　me　sorely　to　remain；　many　a　sheep　and　many　an　ox
  did　they　slaughter；　and　many　a　fat　hog　did　they　set　down　to　roast
  before　the　fire；　many　a　jar；　too；　did　they　broach　of　my　father's　wine。
  Nine　whole　nights　did　they　set　a　guard　over　me　taking　it　in　turns　to
  watch；　and　they　kept　a　fire　always　burning；　both　in　the　cloister　of
  the　outer　court　and　in　the　inner　court　at　the　doors　of　the　room
  wherein　I　lay；　but　when　the　darkness　of　the　tenth　night　came；　I
  broke　through　the　closed　doors　of　my　room；　and　climbed　the　wall　of　the
  outer　court　after　passing　quickly　and　unperceived　through　the　men　on
  guard　and　the　women　servants。　I　then　fled　through　Hellas　till　I　came
  to　fertile　Phthia；　mother　of　sheep；　and　to　King　Peleus；　who　made　me
  welcome　and　treated　me　as　a　father　treats　an　only　son　who　will　be　heir
  to　all　his　wealth。　He　made　me　rich　and　set　me　over　much　people；
  establishing　me　on　the　borders　of　Phthia　where　I　was　chief　ruler
  over　the　Dolopians。
  〃It　was　I；　Achilles；　who　had　the　making　of　you；　I　loved　you　with　all
  my　heart：　for　you　would　eat　neither　at　home　nor　when　you　had　gone
  out　elsewhere；　till　I　had　first　set　you　upon　my　knees；　cut　up　the
  dainty　morsel　that　you　were　to　eat；　and　held　the　wine…cup　to　your
  lips。　Many　a　time　have　you　slobbered　your　wine　in　baby　helplessness
  over　my　shirt；　I　had　infinite　trouble　with　you；　but　I　knew　that　heaven
  had　vouchsafed　me　no　offspring　of　my　own；　and　I　made　a　son　of　you；
  Achilles；　that　in　my　hour　of　need　you　might　protect　me。　Now；
  therefore；　I　say　battle　with　your　pride　and　beat　it；　cherish　not
  your　anger　for　ever；　the　might　and　majesty　of　heaven　are　more　than
  ours；　but　even　heaven　may　be　appeased；　and　if　a　man　has　sinned　he
  prays　the　gods；　and　reconciles　them　to　himself　by　his　piteous　cries
  and　by　frankincense；　with　drink…offerings　and　the　savour　of　burnt
  sacrifice。　For　prayers　are　as　daughters　to　great　Jove；　halt；　wrinkled；
  with　eyes　askance；　they　follow　in　the　footsteps　of　sin；　who；　being
  fierce　and　fleet　of　foot；　leaves　them　far　behind　him；　and　ever　baneful
  to　mankind　outstrips　them　even　to　the　ends　of　the　world；　but
  nevertheless　the　prayers　come　hobbling　and　healing　after。　If　a　man　has
  pity　upon　these　daughters　of　Jove　when　they　draw　near　him；　they　will
  bless　him　and　hear　him　too　when　he　is　praying；　but　if　he　deny　them　and
  will　not　listen　to　them；　they　go　to　Jove　the　son　of　Saturn　and　pray
  that　he　may　presently　fall　into　sin…　to　his　ruing　bitterly
  hereafter。　Therefore；　Achilles；　give　these　daughters　of　Jove　due
  reverence；　and　bow　before　them　as　all　good　men　will　bow。　Were　not
  the　son　of　Atreus　offering　you　gifts　and　promising　others　later…　if　he
  were　still　furious　and　implacable…　I　am　not　he　that　would　bid　you
  throw　off　your　anger　and　help　the　Achaeans；　no　matter　how　great
  their　need；　but　he　is　giving　much　now；　and　more　hereafter；　he　has　sent
  his　captains　to　urge　his　suit；　and　has　chosen　those　who　of　all　the
  Argives　are　most　acceptable　to　you；　make　not　then　their　words　and
  their　coming　to　be　of　none　effect。　Your　anger　has　been　righteous　so
  far。　We　have　heard　in　song　how　heroes　of　old　time　quarrelled　when　they
  were　roused　to　fury；　but　still　they　could　be　won　by　gifts；　and　fair
  words　could　soothe　them。
  〃I　have　an　old　story　in　my　mind…　a　very　old　one…　but　you　are　all
  friends　and　I　will　tell　it。　The　Curetes　and　the　Aetolians　were
  fighting　and　killing　one　another　round　Calydon…　the　Aetolians
  defending　the　city　and　the　Curetes　trying　to　destroy　i