Speaker 1: Book nineteen. Now, when dawn in robe of Saffron was
Speaker 1: hasting from the streams of Oceanus to bring light to
Speaker 1: mortals and immortals, Thetis reached the ships with the armor
Speaker 1: that the God had given her. She found her son
Speaker 1: fallen about the body of Patroclus and weeping bitterly. Many
Speaker 1: also of his followers were weeping round him, But when
Speaker 1: the Goddess came among them, she clasped his hand in
Speaker 1: her own, saying, my son, grieve as we may. We
Speaker 1: must let this man lie, for it is by Heaven's
Speaker 1: will that he has fallen. Now therefore, except from Vulcan,
Speaker 1: this rich and goodly armor, which no man has ever
Speaker 1: yet borne upon his shoulders. As she spoke, she set
Speaker 1: the armor before Achilles, and it rang out bravely. As
Speaker 1: she did so, the myrmidons were struck with awe, and
Speaker 1: none dared look full at it, for they were afraid.
Speaker 1: But Achilles was roused to still greater feure, and his
Speaker 1: eyes gleamed with a fierce light, for he was glad
Speaker 1: when he handled the splendid present which the God had
Speaker 1: made him. Then, as soon as he had satisfied himself
Speaker 1: with looking at it, he said to his mother mother,
Speaker 1: the God has given me armor meet handiwork for an immortal,
Speaker 1: and such as no living could have fashioned. I will
Speaker 1: now arm. But I much fear that flies will settle
Speaker 1: upon the son of Menoetius and breed worms about his wounds,
Speaker 1: so that his body, now he is dead, will be disfigured,
Speaker 1: and the flesh will rot silver footed. Thetis answered, my son,
Speaker 1: be not disquieted about this matter. I will find means
Speaker 1: to protect him from the swarms of noisome flies that
Speaker 1: prey on the bodies of men who have been killed
Speaker 1: in battle. He may lie for a whole year, and
Speaker 1: his flesh shall still be as sound as ever, or
Speaker 1: even sounder. Call. Therefore, the Achaean heroes in assembly, unsay
Speaker 1: your anger against Agamemnon. Arm at once and fight with
Speaker 1: might and main. As she spoke, she put strength and
Speaker 1: courage into his heart. And she then dropped ambrosia and
Speaker 1: read nectar into the wounds of Patroclus, that his body
Speaker 1: might suffer no change. Then Achilles went out upon the
Speaker 1: sea shore, and with a loud cry called on the
Speaker 1: Achaean heroes on this even those who as yet had
Speaker 1: stayed always at the ships. The pilots and helmsmen, and
Speaker 1: even the stewards who were about the ships and served
Speaker 1: out rations, all came to the place of assembly. Because
Speaker 1: Achilles had shown himself after having held aloof so long
Speaker 1: from fighting. Two sons of Mars, Ulysses and the son
Speaker 1: of Tydeus came limping, for their wounds still pained them. Nevertheless,
Speaker 1: they came and took their seats in the front row
Speaker 1: of the assembly. Last of all came Agamemnon, king of Men,
Speaker 1: He too wounded for coons, the son of Antonor, had
Speaker 1: struck him with a spear in battle. When the Achaeans
Speaker 1: were got together, Achilles rose and said, son of Atreus,
Speaker 1: surely it would have been better alike for both you
Speaker 1: and me when we two were in such high anger
Speaker 1: about Brysis. Surely it would have been better had Diana's
Speaker 1: arrow slain her at the ships on the day when
Speaker 1: I took her after having sacked Lanesus. For so many
Speaker 1: an Achaean the less would have bitten dust before the
Speaker 1: foe in the days of my anger. It has been
Speaker 1: well for Hector and the Trojans, but the Achaeans will
Speaker 1: long indeed remember our quarrel Now, however, let it be,
Speaker 1: for it is over. If we have been angry, Necessity
Speaker 1: has schooled our anger. I put it from me. I
Speaker 1: dare not nurse it forever. Therefore bid the Achaean's arm
Speaker 1: forthwith that I may go out against the Trojans and
Speaker 1: learn whether they will be in a mind to sleep
Speaker 1: by the ships or no glad I ween, will he
Speaker 1: be to rest his knees? Who may fly my spear
Speaker 1: when I wield it. Thus did he speak, and the
Speaker 1: Achaeans rejoiced in that he had put away his anger.
Speaker 1: Then Agamemnon spoke, rising in his place and not going
Speaker 1: into the middle of the assembly. Dana An heroes said
Speaker 1: he servants of Mars. It is well to listen when
Speaker 1: a man stands up to speak, and it is not
Speaker 1: seemly to interrupt him, or it will go hard. Even
Speaker 1: with a practiced speaker, who can either hear or speak
Speaker 1: in an uproar. Even the finest orator will be disconcerted
Speaker 1: by it. I will expound to the son of Pelias,
Speaker 1: and do you other Achaeans heed me and mark me well?
Speaker 1: Often have the Achaeans spoken to me of this matter
Speaker 1: and upbraided me. But it was not I that did it.
Speaker 1: Jove and Fate and Ernis that walks in darkness struck
Speaker 1: me mad when we were assembled, on the day that
Speaker 1: I took from Achilles the meed that had been awarded
Speaker 1: to him. What could I do? All things are in
Speaker 1: the hand of Heaven, and Folly, eldest of Jove's daughters,
Speaker 1: shuts men's eyes to their destruction. She walks delicately, not
Speaker 1: on the solid earth, but hovers over the heads of men,
Speaker 1: to make them stumble or to ensnare them. Time was
Speaker 1: when she fooled Jove himself, who they say is greatest,
Speaker 1: whether of gods or men. For Juno woman, though she
Speaker 1: was beguiled him, on the day when Alcmena was to
Speaker 1: bring forth mighty Hercules in the fair city of Thebes,
Speaker 1: he told it out among the gods, saying, hear me,
Speaker 1: all gods and goddesses, that I may speak, even as
Speaker 1: I am minded. This day, shall an Ilithuia help her
Speaker 1: of women who are in labor bring a man child
Speaker 1: into the world, who shall be lord over all that
Speaker 1: dwell about him. Who are of my blood and lineage.
Speaker 1: Then said Juno, all crafty and full of guile, you
Speaker 1: will play false and will not hold to your word.
Speaker 1: Swear me, O Olympian, swear me a great oath that
Speaker 1: he who shall this day fall between the feet of
Speaker 1: a woman shall be lord over all that dwell about him,
Speaker 1: who are of your blood and lineage. Thus she spoke,
Speaker 1: and Jove suspected her not, but swore the great oath
Speaker 1: to his much ruing thereafter, for Juno darted down from
Speaker 1: the high summit of Olympus and went in haste to
Speaker 1: a Chian Argos, where she knew that the noble wife
Speaker 1: of Sthenelus, son of Perseus. Then was she being with child,
Speaker 1: And in her seventh month, Juno brought the child to birth,
Speaker 1: though there was a month still wanting, but she stayed
Speaker 1: the offspring of Alcmena and kept back the Illethuie. Then
Speaker 1: she went to tell Jove, the son of Saturn, and said, Father, Jove,
Speaker 1: Lord of the Lightning, I have a word for your ear.
Speaker 1: There is a fine child born this day, Eurystheus, son
Speaker 1: to Sthenelus, the son of Perseus. He is of your lineage.
Speaker 1: It is well therefore that he should reign over the archives.
Speaker 1: On this Jove was stung to the very quick, and
Speaker 1: in his rage he caught Folly by the hair, and
Speaker 1: swore a great oath that never should she again invade
Speaker 1: starry Heaven and Olympus, for she was the bane of all.
Speaker 1: Then he whirled her round with a twist of his
Speaker 1: hand and flung her down from heaven, so that she
Speaker 1: fell on to the fields of mortal men. And he
Speaker 1: was ever angry with her when he saw his son
Speaker 1: groaning under the cruel labours that Eurystheus laid upon him.
Speaker 1: Even so did I grieve when mighty Hector was killing
Speaker 1: the archives at their ships. And all the time I
Speaker 1: kept thinking of Folly, who had so banned me. I
Speaker 1: was blind, and Jove robbed me of my reason. I
Speaker 1: will now make atonement and will add much treasure by
Speaker 1: way of amends. Go therefore into battle, you and your
Speaker 1: people with you. I will give you all that Ulysses
Speaker 1: offered you yesterday in your tents, or if it so
Speaker 1: please you, wait, though you would fain, fight at once,
Speaker 1: and my squires shall bring the gifts from my ship,
Speaker 1: that you may see whether what I give you is enough.
Speaker 1: And Achilles answered, son of Atreus, king of Men, Agamemnon,
Speaker 1: you can give such gifts as you think proper, or
Speaker 1: you can withhold them. It is in your own hands.
Speaker 1: Let us now set battle in array. It is not
Speaker 1: well to tarry talking about trifles, for there is a
Speaker 1: deed which is as yet to do. Achilles shall again
Speaker 1: be seen fighting among the foremost, and laying low the
Speaker 1: ranks of the Trojans. Bear this in mind, each one
Speaker 1: of you, when he is fighting. Then, Ulysses, said Achilles,
Speaker 1: god like and brave, Send not the Achaeans thus against
Speaker 1: Ilias to fight the Trojans, fasting, for the battle will
Speaker 1: be no brief one. When it is once begun and
Speaker 1: Heaven has filled both sides with fury, Bid them first
Speaker 1: take food, both bread and wine by the ships, for
Speaker 1: in this there is strength and stay. No man can
Speaker 1: do battle the live long day to the going down
Speaker 1: of the sun. If he is without food, however much
Speaker 1: he may want to fight, his strength will fail him
Speaker 1: before he knows it. Hunger and thirst will find him out,
Speaker 1: and his limbs will grow weary under him. But a
Speaker 1: man can fight all day if he is full fed
Speaker 1: with meat and wine. His heart beats high, and his
Speaker 1: strength will stay till he has routed all his foes. Therefore,
Speaker 1: send the people away and bid them prepare their meal.
Speaker 1: King Agamemnon will bring out the gifts in presence of
Speaker 1: the assembly, that all may see them, and you may
Speaker 1: be satisfied. Moreover, let him swear an oath before the
Speaker 1: argives that he has never gone up into the couch
Speaker 1: of Brisaeus, nor been with her after the manner of
Speaker 1: men and women. And do you too, show yourself of
Speaker 1: a gracious mind. Let Agamemnon entertain you in his tents
Speaker 1: with a feast of reconciliation, that so you may have
Speaker 1: had your dues in full. As for you, son of Atreus,
Speaker 1: treat people more righteously in future. It is no disgrace
Speaker 1: even to a king that he should make amends if
Speaker 1: he was wrong in the first instance. And King Agamemnon answered,
Speaker 1: son of Laertes, your words please me well, for throughout
Speaker 1: you have spoken wisely. I will swear as you would
Speaker 1: have me. Do I do so of my own free will.
Speaker 1: Neither shall I take the name of Heaven in vain.
Speaker 1: Let then Achilles wait, though he would faigin fight at once,
Speaker 1: And do you others wait also till the gifts come
Speaker 1: from my tent, And we ratify the oath with sacrifice. Thus,
Speaker 1: then do I charge you take some noble young Achaeans
Speaker 1: with you, and bring from my tents the gifts that
Speaker 1: I promised yet yesterday to Achilles, and bring the women also. Furthermore,
Speaker 1: let Talphibius find me a bore from those that are
Speaker 1: with the host, and make it ready for sacrifice to
Speaker 1: Jove and to the Sun. Then said Achilles, son of Atreus,
Speaker 1: king of men Agamemnon. See to these matters at some
Speaker 1: other season, when there is breathing time, and when I
Speaker 1: am calmer. Would you have men eat while the bodies
Speaker 1: of those whom Hector, son of Priam slew are still
Speaker 1: lying mangled upon the plain. Let the sons of the Achaeans,
Speaker 1: say I, fight fasting and without food, till we have
Speaker 1: avenged them. Afterwards, at the going down of the sun,
Speaker 1: let them eat their fill. As for me, Patroclus is
Speaker 1: lying dead in my tent, all hacked and hewn, with
Speaker 1: his feet to the door, and his comrades are mourning
Speaker 1: round him. Therefore I can take thought of nothing save
Speaker 1: only slaughter and blood, and the rattle in the throat
Speaker 1: of the dying Ulysses, answered Achilles, son of Pelias, mightiest
Speaker 1: of all the Achaeans. In battle, you are better than I,
Speaker 1: and that more than a little. But in counsel I
Speaker 1: am much before you, for I am older and of
Speaker 1: greater knowledge. Therefore be patient under my words. Fighting is
Speaker 1: a thing of which men soon surfeit. And when Jove,
Speaker 1: who is war's steward, weighs the upshot, it may well
Speaker 1: prove that the straw which our sickles have reaped is
Speaker 1: far heavier than the grain. It may not be that
Speaker 1: the Achaeans should mourn the dead with their bellies. Day
Speaker 1: by day men fall thick and threefold continually. When should
Speaker 1: we have respite from our sorrow, Let us mourn our
Speaker 1: dead for a day and bury them out of sight
Speaker 1: and mind. But let those of us who are left
Speaker 1: eat and drink, that we may arm and fight our
Speaker 1: foes more fiercely in that hour. Let no man hold
Speaker 1: back waiting for a second summons. Such summons shall bode
Speaker 1: ill for him who is found lagging behind at our ships.
Speaker 1: Let us rather sally as one man, and loose the
Speaker 1: fury of war upon the Trojans. When he had thus spoken,
Speaker 1: he took with him the sons of Nestor with Megis
Speaker 1: son of Phileus, Thoas, Meriones, Lycomedes, son of Creontes, and Melanippus,
Speaker 1: and went to the tent of Agamemnon, son of Atreus.
Speaker 1: The word was not sooner said than the deed was done.
Speaker 1: They brought out the seven tripods which Agamemnon had promised,
Speaker 1: with the twenty metal cauldrons and the twelve horses. They
Speaker 1: also brought the women skilled in useful arts, seven in
Speaker 1: number with Bresaeis, which made eight ulysses. Weighed out the
Speaker 1: ten talents of gold, and then led the way back,
Speaker 1: while the young Achaeans brought the rest of the gifts
Speaker 1: and laid them in the middle of the assembly. Agamemnon
Speaker 1: then rose, and Talthhibius, whose voice was like that of
Speaker 1: a god, came to him with the boar. The son
Speaker 1: of Atreus, drew the knife, which he wore by the
Speaker 1: scabbard of his mighty sword, and began by cutting off
Speaker 1: some bristles from the boar, lifting up his hands in prayer.
Speaker 1: As he did so. The other Achaean sat where they
Speaker 1: were all silent and orderly to hear the king, and
Speaker 1: Agamemnon looked into the vault of heaven and prayed, saying,
Speaker 1: I call Jove, the first and mightiest of all gods,
Speaker 1: to witness. I call also Earth and Sun, and the
Speaker 1: Erinnyes who dwell below, and take vengeance on him who
Speaker 1: shall swear falsely that I have laid no hand upon
Speaker 1: the girl Brisaeus, neither to take her to my bed,
Speaker 1: nor otherwise, but that she has remained in my tents inviolate.
Speaker 1: If I swear falsely, may Heaven visit me with all
Speaker 1: the penalties which it meets out to those who perjure themselves.
Speaker 1: He cut the boar's throat as he spoke, whereon Talthhibius
Speaker 1: whirled it round his head and flung it into the
Speaker 1: wide sea to feed the fishes. Then Achilles also rose,
Speaker 1: said to the Argives, Father Jove, of a truth, you
Speaker 1: blind men's eyes and bane them. The son of Atreus
Speaker 1: had not else stirred me to so fierce an anger,
Speaker 1: nor so stubbornly taken bryss from me against my will.
Speaker 1: Surely Jove must have counseled the destruction of many an argive.
Speaker 1: Go now and take your food, that we may begin fighting.
Speaker 1: On this. He broke up the assembly and every man
Speaker 1: went back to his own ship. The mermadons attended to
Speaker 1: the presence and took them away to the ship of Achilles.
Speaker 1: They placed them in his tents, while the stable men
Speaker 1: drove the horses in among the others. Breseis fair as Venus,
Speaker 1: when she saw the mangled body of Patroclus, flung herself
Speaker 1: upon it and cried aloud, tearing her breast, her neck,
Speaker 1: and her lovely face with both her hands. Beautiful as
Speaker 1: a goddess, she wept and said, Patroclus, dearest friend, when
Speaker 1: I went, hence I left you living, I return o
Speaker 1: prince to you dead. Thus do fresh sorrows multiply upon me,
Speaker 1: one after the other. I saw him to whom my
Speaker 1: father and mother married me, cut down before our city,
Speaker 1: and my three own dear brothers perished with him on
Speaker 1: the self same day. But you, Patroclus, even when Achilles
Speaker 1: slew my husband and sacked the city of noble minds,
Speaker 1: told me that I was not to weep, for you
Speaker 1: said you would make Achilles marry me and take me
Speaker 1: back with him Ti Phthea, we should have a wedding
Speaker 1: feast among the mermidons. You were always kind to me
Speaker 1: and I shall never cease to grieve for you. She
Speaker 1: wept as she spoke, and the women joined in her lament,
Speaker 1: making as though their tears were for Patroclus, but in
Speaker 1: truth each was weeping for her own sorrows. The elders
Speaker 1: of the Achaeans gathered round Achilles and prayed him to
Speaker 1: take food, but he groaned and would not do so.
Speaker 1: I pray you, said he. If any comrade will hear me,
Speaker 1: bid me neither eat nor drink, for I am in
Speaker 1: great heaviness and will stay fasting even to the going
Speaker 1: down of the sun. On this he sent the other
Speaker 1: princes away, save only the two sons of Atreus and Ulysses,
Speaker 1: Nestor Idomenius, and the knight Phoenix, who stayed behind and
Speaker 1: tried to comfort him in the bitterness of his sorrow.
Speaker 1: But he would not be comforted till he should have
Speaker 1: flung himself into the jaws of battle, and he fetched
Speaker 1: sigh on sigh, thinking ever of Patroclus. Then he said, hapless,
Speaker 1: and dearest comrade, you it was who would get a
Speaker 1: good dinner ready for me at once and without delay.
Speaker 1: When the Achaeans were hasting to fight the Trojans now Therefore,
Speaker 1: though I have meat and drink in my tents, yet
Speaker 1: will I fast for sorrow? Grief greater than this? I
Speaker 1: could not know, not even though I were to hear
Speaker 1: of the death of my father, who is now in
Speaker 1: thea weeping for the loss of me, his son, who
Speaker 1: am here fighting the Trojans in a strange land, for
Speaker 1: the accursed sake of Helen. Nor yet though I should
Speaker 1: hear that my son is no more he who is
Speaker 1: being brought up in Siros, if indeed Neoptolemus is still living.
Speaker 1: Till now, I made sure that I alone was to
Speaker 1: fall here at Troy, away from Argos, while you were
Speaker 1: to return to theear, bring back my son with you
Speaker 1: in your own ship, and show him all my property,
Speaker 1: my bondsmen, and the greatness of my house. For Pelias
Speaker 1: must surely be either dead, or what little life remains
Speaker 1: to him is oppressed alike with the infirmities of age,
Speaker 1: and ever present, fear lest he should hear the sad
Speaker 1: tidings of my death. He wept as he spoke, and
Speaker 1: the elders sighed in concert, as each thought on what
Speaker 1: he had left at home behind him. The son of
Speaker 1: Saturn looked down with pity upon them, and said, presently
Speaker 1: to Minerva, my child, you have quite deserted your hearero
Speaker 1: is he then gone so clean out of your recollection?
Speaker 1: There he sits by the ships, all desolate for the
Speaker 1: loss of his dear comrade. And though the others are
Speaker 1: gone to their dinner, he will neither eat nor drink.
Speaker 1: Go then, and drop nectar and ambrosia into his breast,
Speaker 1: that he may know no hunger. With these words he
Speaker 1: urged Minerva, who was already of the same mind. She
Speaker 1: darted down from heaven into the air like some falcon,
Speaker 1: sailing on his broad wings and screaming. Meanwhile, the Achaeans
Speaker 1: were arming throughout the host. And when Minerva had dropped
Speaker 1: nectar and ambrosia into Achilles, so that no cruel hunger
Speaker 1: should cause his limbs to fail him, she went back
Speaker 1: to the house of her mighty father. Thick as the
Speaker 1: chill snowflakes shed from the hand of Jove and borne
Speaker 1: on the keen blasts of the north wind. Even so
Speaker 1: thick did the gleaming helmets, the bossed shields, the strong
Speaker 1: plated breastplates, and the ashen spears stream from the ships.
Speaker 1: The sheen pierced the sky. The whole land was radiant
Speaker 1: with their flashing armor, and the sound of the tramp
Speaker 1: of their treading rose from under their feet. In the
Speaker 1: midst of them all Achilles put on his armor. He
Speaker 1: gnashed his teeth, his eyes gleamed like fire, for his
Speaker 1: grief was greater than he could bear. Thus, then, full
Speaker 1: of fury against the Trojans, did he don the gift
Speaker 1: of the God, the armor that Vulcan had made him.
Speaker 1: First he put on the goodly greaves fitted with ankle clasps,
Speaker 1: and next he did on the breastplate about his chest.
Speaker 1: He slung the silver studded sword of bronze about his shoulders,
Speaker 1: and then took up the shield, so great and strong
Speaker 1: that shone afar with a splendor as of the moon,
Speaker 1: as the light seen by sailors from out at sea,
Speaker 1: when men have lit a fire in their homestead, high
Speaker 1: up among the mountains. But the sailors are carried out
Speaker 1: to sea by wind and storm, far from the haven
Speaker 1: where they would be. Even so did the gleam of
Speaker 1: achilles wondrous shield strike up into the heavens. He lifted
Speaker 1: the redoubtable helmet and set it upon his head from
Speaker 1: whence it shone like a star, and the golden plumes
Speaker 1: which Vulcan had set thick about the ridge of the helmet,
Speaker 1: waved all around it. Then Achilles made trial of himself
Speaker 1: in his armor to see whether it fitted him so
Speaker 1: that his limbs could play freely under it, and it
Speaker 1: seemed to buoy him up as though it had been wings.
Speaker 1: He also drew his father's spear out of the spear stand,
Speaker 1: a spear so great and heavy and strong that none
Speaker 1: of the Achaeans save only Achilles, had strength to wield it.
Speaker 1: This was the spear of Pelian Ash from the topmost
Speaker 1: ridges of Mount Pelion, which Chiron had once given to Pelias.
Speaker 1: Fraught with the death of heroes, Automidon and Alcimus, busied
Speaker 1: themselves with the harnessing of his horses. They made the bands,
Speaker 1: asked about them, and put the bit in their mouths,
Speaker 1: Drawing the reins back towards the chariot, Automodon, whip in hand,
Speaker 1: sprang up behind the horses, and after him Achilles, mounted
Speaker 1: in full armor, resplendent as the sun god Hyperion. Then,
Speaker 1: with a loud voice, he chided with his father's horses,
Speaker 1: saying Xanthus and Bailius, famed offspring of Podage. This time,
Speaker 1: when we have done fighting, be sure and bring your
Speaker 1: driver safely back to the host of the Achaeans, and
Speaker 1: do not leave him dead on the plain as you
Speaker 1: did Patroclus. Then fleet Xanthus answered under the yoke, for
Speaker 1: white armed Juno had endowed him with human speech, and
Speaker 1: he bowed his head till his mane touched the ground
Speaker 1: as it hung down from under the yoke. Band dread.
Speaker 1: Achilles said he we will indeed save you now, but
Speaker 1: the day of your death is near, and the blame
Speaker 1: will not be ours, for it will be heaven and
Speaker 1: stern fate that will destroy you. Neither was it through
Speaker 1: any sloth or slackness on our part that the Trojans
Speaker 1: stripped Patroclus of his armor. It was the mighty God,
Speaker 1: whom lovely leto bore, that slew him as he fought
Speaker 1: among the foremost, and vouchsafed a triumph to hector. We
Speaker 1: too can fly as swiftly as Zephyrus, who they say
Speaker 1: is fleetest of all winds. Nevertheless, it is your doom
Speaker 1: to fall by the hand of a man and of
Speaker 1: a god. When he had thus said the Arynyus stayed
Speaker 1: his speech, and Achilles answered him in great sadness, saying, why,
Speaker 1: O xanthus, do you thus foretell my death? You need
Speaker 1: not do so, for I well know that I am
Speaker 1: to fall here, far from my dear father and mother.
Speaker 1: None the more, however, shall I stay my hand till
Speaker 1: I have given the Trojans their fill of fighting. So,
Speaker 1: saying with a loud cry, he drove his horses to
Speaker 1: the front,