Iliad

Front 1

Sons of Atreus and you other strong greaved Achians, to you may the gods grant who have their homes on Olympos that Priam's city to be plundered and a fair homecoming thereafter, but may you give me back my own daughter and take the ransom giving honor to Zeus' son who strikes from afar, Apollo.

Back 1

Apollo

Front 2

Never let me find you again, old sir, near our hollowships, neither lingering now nor coming again hereafter, for fear your staff and the god's ribbons help you no longer.

Back 2

Agamemnon

Front 3

The girl I will not give back; sooner will old age come upon her in my own house. in Argos, far from her owl land, going up and down by the loom and being in my bed as my companion. So go now, do not make me angry; so you will be safer.

Back 3

Agamemnon

Front 4

Hear me. lord of the silver bow who set you rpower about Chryse and Killa the sacrosanct. who are lord in strength over Tenedos, Smintheus, if ever it pleased your heart that I built your temple, if ever it pleased your heart that I built your temple, if ever it pleased you that I burned all the rich thigh pieces of bulls, of goats, then bring to pass this wish I pray for: let your arrows make the Danaans pay for my tears shed.

Back 4

Old Man

Front 5

Son of Atreus, I believe now that straggling backwards we must make our way home if we can even escape death, if fighting now must crush the Achaians and the plauge likewise. No, come let us ask some holy man, some prophet, even an interpreter of dearms, since a dream also comes from Zeus, who can tell why Phoibos Apollo is so angry, if for the sake of some vow, some hecatomb he blames us, if given the fragrent smoke of labs, of he goats, somehow he can be made willing to beat the bane aside from us.

Back 5

Achilleus

Front 6

You have bidden me, Achilleus beloved of Zeus, to explain to you this anger of Apollo the lord who strikes from afar, Then I will speak; yet make me a promise and swear before mereadily by word and work of your hands to defend me, since I believe I shall make a man angry with a man beneath him is too strong, and suppose even for the day itself he swallow down his anger, he still keeps bitterness that remains until fulfilment deep in his chest. Speak forth then, tell me if you will protect me.

Back 6

Kalchas

Front 7

Speak, interpreting whatever you know, and fear nothing. In the name of Apollo beloved of Zeus to whom you, Kalchas, make your prayers when you interpret the gods' will to the Danaans, no man so long as I am alive above earth and see daylight shall lay the weight of his hands on you beside the hollow ships, not one of all the Danaans, even if you mean Agamemnon, who now claims to be far the greatest of all the Achains.

Back 7

Achilleus

Front 8

No, it is not for the sake of some vow or hecatomb he blames us, but for the sake of his priest whom Agamemnon dishonoured and would not give him back his daughter nor accept the ransom.

Back 8

Blameless seer

Front 9

Therefore the archer sent griefs against us and will send them still, nor sooner thrust back the shameful plague from the Danaans until we give the glancing eyed girl back to her father without price, without ransom, and lead also a blessed hecatomb to Chryse; thus we might propitiate and persuade him.

Back 9

Blameless seer

Front 10

Seer of evil: never yet have you told me a good thing. Always the evil things are dear to your heart to prophesy, but nothing excellent have you said nor ever accomplished.

Back 10

Agamemnon

Front 11

Now once more yuo make divination to the Danaans, argue forth your reason why he whjo strikes from afar afflicts them. because I for the sake of the girl Chryseis would not take the shining ransom; and indeed I wish greatlly to have her in my own house; since I like her better than Klytaimestra my own wife, for in truth she is no way inferior, neither in build nor stature nor wit, not in accomplishment.

Back 11

Agamemnon

Front 12

Still I am willing to give her back, if such is the best way. I myself desire that my people be safe, not perish. Find me then some prize that shall be my own, lest I only among the Argives go without, since that were unfitting; you are all witnesses to this thing, that my prize goes elsewhere.

Back 12

Agamemnon

Front 13

Son of Atreus, most lordly, greediest for gain of all men, how shall the great hearted Achains give you a prize now? There is no great store of things lying about I know of.

Back 13

Achilleus

Front 14

But what we took from the cities by storm has been distributed; it is unbecoming for the people to call back things once given. No, for the present give the girl back to the god; we Achaians thrice and four times over will repay you, if ever Zeus gives into our hands the strong-walled citadel of Troy to be plundered

Back 14

Achilleus

Front 15

Not that way, good fighter though you bem, godlike Achilleus, strive to cheat, for ytou will not deceive, you will not persuade me. What do you want? To keep your own prize and have me sit here lacking one?

Back 15

Agamemnon

Front 16

Are you ordering me to give this girl back? Either the great-hearted Achaians shall give me a new prize chosen according to my desire to atone for the girl lost, or else if they will not give me one I myself shall take her, your own prize, or that of Aias, or that of odysseus, going myself in person; and he whom I visit will be bitter.

Back 16

Agamemnon.

Front 17

Still, these are things we shall deliberate again hereafter. Come, now, we must haul a black ship down to the bright sea, and assemble rowers enough for it, and put onboard it the hecatomb, and the girl herself, Chryseis of the fair cheeks, and let there be one responsible man in charge of her, either Aias or Idomeneus or brilliant Odysseus, or you yourself, son of Peleus, most terrifying of all men, to reconcile by accomplishing sacrifice the archer.

Back 17

Agamemnon

Front 18

O wrapped in shamelessness, with your mind forever on profit, how shall any one of the Achaians readily obey you either to go on a journey or to fight men strongly in battle? I for my part did not come here for the sake of the Trojan spearmen to fight against them, since to me they have done nothing.

Back 18

Achilleus

Front 19

Never yet have they driven away my cattle or my horses, never in Phthia where the soil is rich and men grow great did they spoil my harvest, since indeed there is much that lies between us, the shadowy mountains and the echoing sea; but for your sake, o great shamelessness, we followed, to do you favour, you with the dog's eyes, to win your honour and Menelaos' from the Trojans.

Back 19

Achilleus

Front 20

You forget all this or else you care nothing. And now my prize you threaten in person to strip from me, for whom I laboured much, the gift of the sons of the Achaians. Never, when the Achaians sakc some well-founded citadel of the Trojans, do I have a prize that is equal to your prize.

Back 20

Achilleus

Front 21

Always the greater part of the painful fighting is the work of my hands; but when the time comes to distribute the booty yours is far the greater reward, and I with some small thing yet dear to me go back to my ships when I am weary with fighting. Now I am returning to Pthia, since it is much better to go home again with my curved ships, and I am minded no longer to stay here dishonoured and pile up your wealth and your luxury.

Back 21

Achilleus

Front 22

Run away by all means if your heart drives you. I will not entreat you to stay here for my sake. There are others with me wou will do me honour, and above all Zeus of the counsels. To me you are the most hateful of all the kings whom the gods love.

Back 22

Agamemnon

Front 23

Forever quarrelling is dear to your heart, and wars and battles; and if you are very strong indeed, that is a god's gift. Go home then with your own ships and your own companions, be king over the Myrmidons. I care nothing about you. I take no account of your anger. But here is my threat to you.

Back 23

Agamemnon

Front 24

Even as Phobios Apollo is taking away my Chryseis. I shall convey her back in my own ship, with my own followers; but I shall take the fair-cheeked Briseis, your prize, I myself going to your shelter, that you may learn well how much greater I am then you, and another man may shrink back from likening himself to me and contending against me.

Back 24

Agamemnon

Front 25

Why have you come now, o child of Zeus the aegis, once more? Is it that you may see the outrageousness of the son of Atreus Agamemnon? Yet I will tell you this thing, and I think it shall be accomplished. By such acts of arrogance he may even lose his own life.

Back 25

Achilleus

Front 26

I have come down to stay your anger--but will you obey me?--from the sky; and the goddess of the white arms Hera sent me, who loves both of you equally in her heart and cares for you. Come then, do not take your sword in your hand, keep clear of fighting, though indeed with words you may abuse him, and it will be that way.

Back 26

Athene

Front 27

And this also will I tell you and it will be a thing accomplished. Some day three times over such shining gifts shall be given you by reason of this outrage. Hold your hand then, and obey us.

Back 27

Athene

Front 28

Goddess, it is necessary that I obey the word of you two, angry though I am in my heart. So it will be better if any man obeys the gods, they listen to him also.

Back 28

Achilleus