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you？　Keep　it　not　from　me；　but　tell　me；　that　we　may　know　it
together。〃

Achilles　drew　a　deep　sigh　and　said；　〃You　know　it；　why　tell　you
what　you　know　well　already？　We　went　to　Thebe　the　strong　city　of
Eetion；　sacked　it；　and　brought　hither　the　spoil。　The　sons　of　the
Achaeans　shared　it　duly　among　themselves；　and　chose　lovely
Chryseis　as　the　meed　of　Agamemnon；　but　Chryses；　priest　of　Apollo；
came　to　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans　to　free　his　daughter；　and
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。

〃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。　So　he　went　back　in　anger；　and　Apollo；　who　loved　him　dearly；
heard　his　prayer。　Then　the　god　sent　a　deadly　dart　upon　the
Argives；　and　the　people　died　thick　on　one　another；　for　the　arrows
went　everywhither　among　the　wide　host　of　the　Achaeans。　At　last　a
seer　in　the　fulness　of　his　knowledge　declared　to　us　the　oracles
of　Apollo；　and　I　was　myself　first　to　say　that　we　should　appease
him。　Whereon　the　son　of　Atreus　rose　in　anger；　and　threatened　that
which　he　has　since　done。　The　Achaeans　are　now　taking　the　girl　in
a　ship　to　Chryse；　and　sending　gifts　of　sacrifice　to　the　god；　but
the　heralds　have　just　taken　from　my　tent　the　daughter　of　Briseus；
whom　the　Achaeans　had　awarded　to　myself。

〃Help　your　brave　son；　therefore；　if　you　are　able。　Go　to　Olympus；
and　if　you　have　ever　done　him　service　in　word　or　deed；　implore
the　aid　of　Jove。　Ofttimes　in　my　father's　house　have　I　heard　you
glory　in　that　you　alone　of　the　immortals　saved　the　son　of　Saturn
from　ruin；　when　the　others；　with　Juno；　Neptune；　and　Pallas
Minerva　would　have　put　him　in　bonds。　It　was　you；　goddess；　who
delivered　him　by　calling　to　Olympus　the　hundred…handed　monster
whom　gods　call　Briareus；　but　men　Aegaeon；　for　he　is　stronger　even
than　his　father；　when　therefore　he　took　his　seat　all…glorious
beside　the　son　of　Saturn；　the　other　gods　were　afraid；　and　did　not
bind　him。　Go；　then；　to　him；　remind　him　of　all　this；　clasp　his
knees；　and　bid　him　give　succour　to　the　Trojans。　Let　the　Achaeans
be　hemmed　in　at　the　sterns　of　their　ships；　and　perish　on　the
sea…shore；　that　they　may　reap　what　joy　they　may　of　their　king；
and　that　Agamemnon　may　rue　his　blindness　in　offering　insult　to
the　foremost　of　the　Achaeans。〃

Thetis　wept　and　answered；　〃My　son；　woe　is　me　that　I　should　have
borne　or　suckled　you。　Would　indeed　that　you　had　lived　your　span
free　from　all　sorrow　at　your　ships；　for　it　is　all　too　brief；
alas；　that　you　should　be　at　once　short　of　life　and　long　of　sorrow
above　your　peers：　woe；　therefore；　was　the　hour　in　which　I　bore
you；　nevertheless　I　will　go　to　the　snowy　heights　of　Olympus；　and
tell　this　tale　to　Jove；　if　he　will　hear　our　prayer：　meanwhile
stay　where　you　are　with　your　ships；　nurse　your　anger　against　the
Achaeans；　and　hold　aloof　from　fight。　For　Jove　went　yesterday　to
Oceanus；　to　a　feast　among　the　Ethiopians；　and　the　other　gods　went
with　him。　He　will　return　to　Olympus　twelve　days　hence；　I　will
then　go　to　his　mansion　paved　with　bronze　and　will　beseech　him；
nor　do　I　doubt　that　I　shall　be　able　to　persuade　him。〃

On　this　she　left　him；　still　furious　at　the　loss　of　her　that　had
been　taken　from　him。　Meanwhile　Ulysses　reached　Chryse　with　the
hecatomb。　When　they　had　e　inside　the　harbour　they　furled　the
sails　and　laid　them　in　the　ship's　hold；　they　slackened　the
forestays；　lowered　the　mast　into　its　place；　and　rowed　the　ship　to
the　place　where　they　would　have　her　lie；　there　they　cast　out
their　mooring…stones　and　made　fast　the　hawsers。　They　then　got　out
upon　the　sea…shore　and　landed　the　hecatomb　for　Apollo；　Chryseis
also　left　the　ship；　and　Ulysses　led　her　to　the　altar　to　deliver
her　into　the　hands　of　her　father。　〃Chryses；〃　said　he；　〃King
Agamemnon　has　sent　me　to　bring　you　back　your　child；　and　to　offer
sacrifice　to　Apollo　on　behalf　of　the　Danaans；　that　we　may
propitiate　the　god；　who　has　now　brought　sorrow　upon　the　Argives。〃

So　saying　he　gave　the　girl　over　to　her　father；　who　received　her
gladly；　and　they　ranged　the　holy　hecatomb　all　orderly　round　the
altar　of　the　god。　They　washed　their　hands　and　took　up　the
barley…meal　to　sprinkle　over　the　victims；　while　Chryses　lifted　up
his　hands　and　prayed　aloud　on　their　behalf。　〃Hear　me；〃　he　cried；
〃O　god　of　the　silver　bow；　that　protectest　Chryse　and　holy　Cilla；
and　rulest　Tenedos　with　thy　might。　Even　as　thou　didst　hear　me
aforetime　when　I　prayed；　and　didst　press　hardly　upon　the
Achaeans；　so　hear　me　yet　again；　and　stay　this　fearful　pestilence
from　the　Danaans。〃

Thus　did　he　pray；　and　Apollo　heard　his　prayer。　When　they　had　done
praying　and　sprinkling　the　barley…meal；　they　drew　back　the　heads
of　the　victims　and　killed　and　flayed　them。　They　cut　out　the
thigh…bones；　wrapped　them　round　in　two　layers　of　fat；　set　some
pieces　of　raw　meat　on　the　top　of　them；　and　then　Chryses　laid　them
on　the　wood　fire　and　poured　wine　over　them；　while　the　young　men
stood　near　him　with　five…pronged　spits　in　their　hands。　When　the
thigh…bones　were　burned　and　they　had　tasted　the　inward　meats；
they　cut　the　rest　up　small；　put　the　pieces　upon　the　spits；
roasted　them　till　they　were　done；　and　drew　them　off：　then；　when
they　had　finished　their　work　and　the　feast　was　ready；　they　ate
it；　and　every　man　had　his　full　share；　so　that　all　were　satisfied。
As　soon　as　they　had　had　enough　to　eat　and　drink；　pages　filled　the
mixing…bowl　with　wine　and　water　and　handed　it　round；　after　giving
every　man　his　drink…offering。

Thus　all　day　long　the　young　men　worshipped　the　god　with　song；
hymning　him　and　chaunting　the　joyous　paean；　and　the　god　took
pleasure　in　their　voices；　but　when　the　sun　went　down；　and　it　came
on　dark；　they　laid　themselves　down　to　sleep　by　the　stern　cables
of　the　ship；　and　when　the　child　of　morning；　rosy…fingered　Dawn；
appeared　they　again　set　sail　for　the　host　of　the　Achaeans。　Apollo
sent　them　a　fair　wind；　so　they　raised　their　mast　and　hoisted
their　white　sails　aloft。　As　the　sail　bellied　with　the　wind　the
ship　flew　through　the　deep　blue　water；　and　the　foam　hissed
against　her　bows　as　she　sped　onward。　When　they　reached　the
wide…stretching　host　of　the　Achaeans；　they　drew　the　vessel
ashore；　high　and　dry　upon　the　sands；　set　her　strong　props　beneath
her；　and　went　their　ways　to　their　own　tents　and　ships。

But　Achilles　abode　at　his　ships　and　nursed　his　anger。　He　went　not
to　the　honourable　assembly；　and　sallied　not　forth　to　fight；　but
gnawed　at　his　own　heart；　pining　for　battle　and　the　war…cry。

Now　after　twelve　days　the　immortal　gods　came　back　in　a　body　to
Olympus；　and　Jove　led　the　way。　Thetis　was　not　unmindful　of　the
charge　her　son　had　laid　upon　her；　so　she　rose　from　under　the　sea
and　went　through　great　heaven　with　early　morning　to　Olympus；
where　she　found　the　mighty　son　of　Saturn　sitting　all　alone　upon
its　topmost　ridges。　She　sat　herself　down　before　him；　and　with　her
left　hand　seized　his　knees；　while　with　her　right　she　caught　him
under　the　chin；　and　besought　him；　saying：

〃Father　Jove；　if　I　ever　did　you　service　in　word　or　deed　among　the
immortals；　hear　my　prayer；　and　do　honour　to　my　son；　whose　life　is
to　be　cut　short　so　early。　King　Agamemnon　has　dishonoured　him　by
taking　his　prize　and　keeping　her。　Honour　him　then　yourself；
Olympian　lord　of　counsel；　and　grant　victory　to　the　Trojans；　till
the　Achaeans　give　my　son　his　due　and　load　him　with　riches　in
requital。〃

Jove　sat　for　a　while　silent；　and　without　a　word；　but　Thetis　still
kept　firm　hold　of　his　knees；　and　besought　him　a　second　time。
〃Incline　your　head；〃　said　she；　〃and　promise　me　surely；　or　else
deny　mefor　you　have　nothing　to　fearthat　I　may　learn　how
greatly　you　disdain　me。〃

At　this　Jove　was　much　troubled　and　answered；　〃I　shall　have
trouble　if　you　set　me　quarrelling　with　Juno；　for　she　will　provoke
me　with　her　taunting　speeches；　even　now　she　is　always　railing　at
me　before　the　other　gods　and　accusing　me　of　giving　aid　to　the
Trojans。　Go　back　now；　lest　she　should　find　out。　I　will　consider
the　matter；　and　will　bring　it　about　as　you　wish。　See；　I　incline
my　head　that　you　may　believe　me。　This　is　the　most　solemn　promise
that　I　can　give　to　any　god。　I　never　recall　my　word；　or　deceive；
or　fail　to　do　what　I　say；　when　I　have　nodded　my　head。〃

As　he　spoke　the　son　of　Saturn　bowed　his　dark　brows；　and　the
ambrosial　locks　swayed　on　his　immortal　head；　till　vast　Olympus
reeled。

When　the　pair　had　thus　laid　their　plans；　they　partedJove　to　his
house；　while　the　goddess　quitted　the　splendour　of　Olympus；　and
plunged　into　the　depths　of　the　sea。　The　gods　rose　from　their
seats；　before　the　ing　of　their　sire。　Not　one　of　them　dared　to
remain　sitting；　but　all　stood　up　as　he　came　among　them。　There；
then；　he　took　his　seat。　But　Juno；　when　she　saw　him；　knew　that　he
and　the　old　merman's　daughter；　silver…footed　Thetis；　had　been
hatching　mischief；　so　she　at　once　began　to　upbraid　him。
〃Trickster；〃　she　cried；　〃which　of　the　gods　have　you　been　taking
into　your　counsels　now？　You　are　always　settling　matters　in　secret
behind