The Iliad Book I Sing the wrath, O goddess, of Peleos’ son Achilles— the virulent, lethal, uncanny wrath— that brought such suffering upon the Achaians and sent so many strong warrior souls down to Hades; that furnished their corpses as spoils for the dogs and for the birds rich carrion banquets. The thought of Zeus performed this. Take up the song from that time when first these two were split asunder in enmity: the son of Atreus, leader of men, and divine Achilles. But which god was it that bound them together to battle in enmity? The son of Zeus and Lêto. He was enraged at the King and struck up a plague through the camp and the people perished. [10] For the Son of Atreus had dishonored Chryses, his priest. Chryses came to the swift ships of the Achaians to set his daughter free holding the fillets of Apollo, who shoots from afar, on a golden scepter and bearing a boundless ransom. He prayed to all the Achaians, but most of all to the two sons of Atreus, marshals of the people: “Sons of Atreus and also you other well-greaved Achaians, may the gods who have homes on Olympos grant that you sack the city belonging to Priam and return unscathed to your homes. Give me back my daughter. Accept the shining ransom. Honor the son of Zeus, Apollo who shoots from afar.” All the other Achaians agreed to honor the priest and take the shining ransom. But that did not delight Atreus’ son, Agamemnon, in his heart, but he spoke contemptuously; uttered a mighty command: [25] “Let me not come upon you, old man, beside the hollow ships, either hanging back there now or at some time hereafter, lest the fillet and scepter of the god be of no use to you. I’ll not give back your daughter e’re old age falls upon her in my home, in Argos, far from her father, [30] as she goes to and fro in front of the loom and again and again goes to bed with me. Be gone. Don’t enrage me further. Safer to return whence you came.” So he spoke, and the old man was afraid, persuaded by his utterance. He walked in silence away by the strand of the loud-roaring sea. And when he was far away, the old man prayed in earnest to Lord Apollo, whom fair-haired Lêto bore. [35] “Hear me, O god of the silver bow, who stands over holy Kylla and over Chryse; god who disperses the mouse-plague, and mightily reigns above Tenedos: If I ever put a roof on a temple of yours and it pleased you; If ever I burned for you sumptuous ox-thighs and goat-thighs; [40] accomplish this prayer-wish for me now: Make the Danaäns pay for my tears with your arrows.” So he spoke, praying, and Phoibos Apollo heard him. He came down from Olympos, heart raging, bearing his bow and closed quiver upon his shoulders, [45] and the arrows clanged on the shoulders of the raging god as he strode along. He was like the night. He took his seat far from the ships and let fly an arrow. An uncanny twang arose from the silver bow. First he set upon mules and swift dogs, [50] but then releasing stinging shafts he smote the men themselves and the corpse fires burned. For nine days the shafts of the god struck throughout the camp. On the tenth Achilles called the people to assembly. The goddess white-armed Hera put the thought in his breast [55] because she was concerned about the Danaäns when she saw them dying. Once gathered in assembly, swift-footed Achilles addressed them: “Son of Atreus, I think that now we shall be beaten back and rapidly effect our home-coming, if we do indeed flee death, [60] as war and the plague together do overcome the Achaians. But let us consult some mantic priest, some dream-reader— for a dream can come from a god— who might say for what reason Phoibos Apollo is angry, whether it is because of a broken vow that he condemns us, or on account of a hecatomb; [65] if, perhaps, with the savor of rams and perfect goats, he might wish to direct the pestilence away from us.” Having spoken thus, he sat down. And Kalchas, son of Thestor, arose— he, the very best of the bird-augurs— who knew the things that are, the things that were, and the things that are to come. [70] It was he who led the Achaians to Ilion by his mantic skill, which Phoibos Apollo had given him. With benevolent intent he addressed the assembly and said: “O Achilles, dear to the gods, you command me to speak of the wrath of Apollo, the Lord who shoots from afar; [75] therefore I shall do it. But you must consider and swear that you will readily come to my aid both with your words and your hands, for I think a certain person will be angry, who rules with great force over all the Argives and whom the Achaians obey. When he rages at a lesser man, a king is always the stronger; [80] and even if he swallows down his wrath on the day it arises, he harbors resentment thereafter until he brings to pass what is in his breast. So do say whether you are willing to protect me.” Swift-footed Achilles spoke, responding: “Take courage. Say what you know. [85] For by Apollo, dear to Zeus, to whom you, Kalchas, pray, manifesting sooth for the Danaäns, as long as I am alive and have the power of sight upon the earth, no Danaän beside the hollow ships will lay a heavy hand upon you, not even Agamemnon of whom you speak, [90] who now boasts himself to be the very best of the Achaians.” The blameless mantic took courage then and spoke: “Not for a broken vow does Apollo blame us nor because of a hecatomb, but it is on account of the priest whom Agamemnon dishonored when he would not free the priest’s daughter or accept the ransom [95] that the far-darter delivers our afflictions and will deliver them yet nor will he take away the grievous pestilence from the Danaäns till we give back the sparkling-eyed maiden to her dear father without ransom and lead a holy hecatomb to Chryses. Then we might, appeasing him, persuade him.” [100] Having spoken thus, he sat back down, and the warrior, son of Atreus, wide-ruling Agamemnon, arose before them sorely vexed— his great black heart full of fury, his eyes like two lamps of firelight. First he spoke to Kalchas glaring menacingly at him: [105] “Soothsayer of ill-omens only; you never yet have said to me a thing that boded well; always to prophecy ill-fortune is dear to your heart. You never speak a good thing or bring a good saying to pass. And now you declare your prophecies before the Danaäns stating on account of what the far-darter has fashioned their afflictions— [110] that I did not wish to accept the shining ransom for the girl, the daughter of Chryses, since I wanted very much to keep her in my home because I prefer her indeed to Clytemnestra, my wedded bedmate. She’s in no way inferior to her in form or stature, in temperament or skill in handi-craftwork. [115] Even so I wish to return her, if that is the better way— that the people be safe rather than perishing. However: You must award me another trophy lest of all the Argives I alone go unrewarded. For all of you see this— that now my prize goes otherwhere, away from me.” [120] Swift-footed divine Achilles responded then: “Most illustrious son of Atreus, most covetous of men; how can the Achaians, great-hearted though they be, award you some fresh trophy? We have no abundance of possessions held in common store. But such booty as we seized from the cities we pillaged— [125] that booty has all been apportioned. Nor would it be seemly to gather it back from the people. But you must give the girl back as the god demands and the Achaians will honor you three times, four times over if and when Zeus awards us to sack the well-walled city of the Trojans.” Lord Agamemnon spoke in answer to him: [130] “Not thus, though you are noble, O godlike Achilles, can you cozen me with your intellect— you neither run ahead of me nor persuade me; or do you wish—so that you might keep your prize— to have me sit here bereft and so demand I return her? But let the great-hearted Achaians give me something suited to my spirit— [135] and it had better be something of equal value. And if they don’t award it, I myself shall seize your prize or that of Aias or Odysseus— I'll come and take her. And he indeed will wax angry to whom I come. However; let us take up these matters later. [140] Now we must draw a black ship down to the glittering ocean and gather a crew of oarsmen. sufficient in number, and set a hecatomb aboard her and the pretty-cheeked daughter of Chryses herself and some member of our high counsel also— Aias, Idomeneus, or divine Odysseus, [145] or perhaps you, son of Peleos, most vehement of men, so that you might offer sacrifice and appease the one who works from afar.” Swift-footed Achilles spoke looking out from under angry eyebrows: “Ai me—you who tarry in shamelessness— man of self-serving heart— how shall any of the Achaians willingly obey your commands, [150] either to go on a journey or to fight with vigor among men? For I did not come to fight here on account of the Trojan spearsmen. I’d nothing at all against them. They never seized my cows or stole my horses and never did they, in Phthiê, whose sod is deep and furnishes sustenance to men, [155] ravage the produce, for many things lie between us— shadowy mountains and the echoing sea. But together we followed you, O great one for shamelessness, that you might be happy, seeking, O dog-faced one, to win honor for Menelaos and yourself at the hands of the Trojans. But you never consider this or give it a thought. [160] And now you threaten to seize my prize for whom I labored much and which the sons of the Achaians have awarded me. Not ever do I have a prize equal to yours when the Achaians sack some well-peopled citadel of the Trojans, though my hands conduct the greater part of fierce fighting; [165] but when the distribution of the booty comes by far the greater portion goes to you while I return to my ships with something slight, though dear to me, when I am weary of fighting. Now shall I go back to Phthiê, because it is better by far to return with my beaked ships; [170] nor do I think to stay here in dishonor and provide you with wealth and property.” The Lord of Men Agamemnon answered him: “Run away then, if your heart so agitates you; nor will I beg you to stay. For others are here with me, who will honor me, but especially Zeus of wise counsel. [175] Most despicable of god-nurtured kings are you to me. Enmity ever is dear to you and battles and wars. And even if you are a mighty one— a god gave that to you. Go home with your ships and companions. Be Lord of your Myrmidons. I am not concerned with you, [180] nor do I give a thought to your anger, But I do threaten you thus: since Phoibos Apollo takes the daughter of Chryses away from me -- and I will send her back with my ships and companions -- I myself shall come to your hut and lead off your pretty-cheeked Briseis so that you will know well [185] how much stronger I am than you are, and that anyone else might demur from declaring himself my equal or comparing his own to my power.” So he spoke. Pain struck Peleos’ son and the heart in his hirsute bosom pondered, divided, whether to draw the sharp sword from its thigh sheath and, scattering the gathering, slay the son of Atreus, or whether to rein in his spirit and stifle his wrath. As he considered these things in heart and mind and was extracting the great sword from its scabbard, Athena descended from heaven. The goddess, white-armed Hera sent her forth for she loved both warriors. She took a stance behind him and grabbed Achilles by his golden hair, making herself apparent only to him— not any of the others saw her. Achilles was amazed and turned about and instantly recognized Pallas Athena and her eyes glittered uncannily. 200 He spoke to her with winged words and said: “Why do you come again, O aegis-holder, Zeus’s daughter? Because you behold the arrogance of Atreus’ son Agamemnon? But I shall declare it, and I think it shall come to pass: because of his extravagance he’ll forfeit his life forthwith.” The goddess gray-green-eyed Athena said back to him: “I come down from heaven to stay your rage, if you’ll be persuaded. The goddess white-armed Hera sent me forth because she loves you both and is concerned about you. But come—set aside your enmity. Do not take your sword in your hand, but taunt him rather with verbiage— tell him how things will be— for I tell you this, and it will be brought to pass— that shining prizes shall come to you hereafter, thrice greater in value because of this arrogance of his. So show restraint and obey us.” 214 Swift-footed Achilles answered her and said: “It is imperative for us O goddess, to comply with the utterance of Hera and Athena. Even if our heart is full of rage, it is but prudent. The gods do readily listen to him who obeys them.” And he stayed his heavy hand, that gripped his sword’s silver handle and thrust it back in its scabbard and did not disobey the utterance of Athena. Athena went back to Olympos and the dwellings of Zeus aegis-holder and the other spirits. 222 But Peleus’ son once again spoke terrible words to the son of Atreus and would not let go of his anger: “Wine-besotted one, with the eyes of a dog but doe-hearted— not once have you regaled yourself for battle with the rest of the troops nor dared to enter the ambuscade with the best of the Achaians, for such an act seemed like death to you. Far better through the camp of the Achaians, to seize the prize of whomever speaks out against you. O king who devours his own people— apparently you rule over men blind to their own interests or else, son of Atreus, you’d now have committed your last outrage. But I shall declare to you and swear a mighty oath: by this scepter, which has sprouted neither leaves nor branches since first it parted from its stump in the mountains, nor will it ever flourish again, for bronze blade has cut it, leaf and bark, and now the sons of the Achaians who pass judgments bear it in their palms— those who guard common law on behalf of Zeus: this mighty oath shall be in front of you: 239 To the sons of the Achaians one day will come a longing for Achilles, and you, though grieving, will have no power to help them, when many will fall down slain before man-slaughtering Hektor and you will gnaw at your heart within you in fury because you failed to honor the very best of the Achaians.” So spoke the son of Peleus and he threw down his scepter, studded with golden nails, upon the earth and he himself sat down. The son of Atreus went on raging against him. Sweet-voiced Nestor, the lucid orator of Pylos, stood up among them, and from his tongue flowed speech sweeter than honey. Two generations of mortals before this one had he witnessed pass away— generations born and reared with him in ancient times in sacred Pylos— and he himself was now ruler in this, the third. With generous intent he addressed them and said: “Ai me, now great affliction comes to the land of Achaia, and Priam and the sons of Priam would rejoice and the other Trojans be happy in their heart to learn the whole matter of the wrangling between you two, who are the leaders of the Danaäns in counsel and the leaders in war. But be persuaded by me— you are both younger than I am. 260 Before now I’ve consorted with warriors better than you, and they never slighted or ignored me. I have never seen since or will ever be likely to witness such men as Perithoös or Dryas, shepherd of the people, Kainea and Exadios and godlike Polyphemos and Theseus, son of Aigedos, the semblance of the immortals. These were the mightiest of men reared on the earth and, being mighty, with the mightiest they did battle, even with mountain beasts and ferociously destroyed them; 270 and I fought on my own behalf and no mortal now living on earth could bring contempt against them, and they took my advice and obeyed my word. So too must you be persuaded: ‘tis better to obey. And it will not be a good thing to seize the girl: let things be just as when the sons of the Achaians awarded the prizes originally. And do not desire, son of Peleus, to strive with the king face to face, for no ordinary honor is the lot of a sceptered king to whom Zeus has granted glory. Even if you are mighty since a goddess mother gave birth to you, that man is stronger still for he rules a multitude. Son of Atreus, stay your wrath, and I will beseech Achilles to terminate his animosity. He is a mighty bulwark for all the Achaians in evil war.” 284 Lord Agamemnon spoke in response: “All that you say, old man, is as it should be. But this man wishes to ascend above all others; he wishes to rule over all, to lord it over everyone, to give orders to everyone; but I think a certain person will not obey him. If the gods who are forever made him a warrior, do they, on account of that, put him forth to mouth abuse?” 291 Divine Achilles interrupted, saying: “I should be called a coward and a man of no account if I were to acquiesce in every matter that you happen to speak on. Give your commands to others but do not dictate to me for I do not think that I ever again shall obey you. And I tell you this, and do cast it into your breast: I shall not fight with my hands on account of the girl, neither with you nor with another, since you but take back what you’ve given. But you will not cart away anything else that is mine beside the swift black ships, seizing it in my despite. And if you come to make trial of me, all here may know, your black blood at once will spurt about my javelin.” 303 When the two had done contending in their battle of words, they arose and broke up the assembly by the ships of the Achaians. The son of Peleus went off to his huts and to his own comely ships to be with the son of Menoitios and his other companions. But the son of Atreus drew a swift ship seaward. He chose twenty oarsmen for it and drove a hecatomb onto it for the god and led on board the pretty-cheeked daughter of Chryses, and Odysseus of many devices boarded her as captain. These went aboard and plied the watery boulevards; and the son of Atreus commanded the people to cleans themselves of pollution, and they cleansed themselves and threw the pollution in the sea and accomplished perfect hecatombs of bulls and goats for Apollo by the strand of the desert sea and the eddying savor of fat-smoke went up to heaven. 317 And the men were at work through the camp. In no way did Agamemnon let go of the hostility with which, from the first, he confronted Achilles, but he said to Talthubios and Eurybates, his hearld and ready squire: “Go to the hut of Peleus’ son Achilles. Take by the hand the pretty-cheeked daughter of Brises and bring her. And if he will not give her up, I myself shall come with my ships and take her and that will be all the worse for him.” 325 So saying, he sent them out and issued his strong command; and the two went unwillingly along the strand of the desert sea and came to the ships and the huts of the Myrmidons; and they found Achilles sitting by his hut and black ship; and he took no delight at the sight of them. And the two men stood in awe and terror before the prince and neither said a thing nor questioned him, but Achilles in his breast understood very well and said: 333 “Hail, O heralds, messengers of Zeus and men. Do come hither. You are in no way culpable to me, but Agamemnon, who sent you on account of the daughter of Brises. But come, O Zeus-born Patroklos: bring out the maiden and give her to these two to take away. 338 Let them be witnesses before the blessèd gods and mortal men and before the intransigent king if ever hereafter there’s need of me to keep ignominious ruin from the troops; for he rushes ahead with destruction in his heart nor does he know to consider cause or consequence or how the Achaians might conduct their war by the ships in safety.” 344 So he spoke, and Patroklos obeyed his dear comrade and led the pretty-cheeked daughter of Brises out of the hut delivering her to be taken. The two men went back beside the Achaian ships and the woman went unwillingly with them away; and Achilles slipped away and sat weeping apart from his companions by the strand of the gray salt water and gazed out across the infinite sea and stretched his hands and passionately prayed to his mother: “Mother, since you bore me to live but for a moment, Olympian Zeus, who thunders above, ought ever to have paid me honor, but now he does not honor me at all; for the son of Atreus, wide-ruling Agamemnon, has contempt for me: he keeps my trophy having seized her and made off with her.” So he spoke, gushing tears, and his queenly mother heard it, sitting in the salty depths beside her agèd father. Swiftly she rose from the gray salty water in the form of a mist and sat before his face as he poured out his tears and stroked him with her hand and spoke and addressed him: “Child, why do you call? Don’t hide your mind. Speak, so that we both might know.” 363 Swift-footed Achilles spoke, moaning heavily: “You already know. Why must I declare it to you since you are cognizant of everything? We went to Thêbês, the holy city of Êetiôn —ravaged it and brought all the booty here; and the sons of the Achaians apportioned it out among themselves. For the son of Atreus they chose from it the pretty-cheeked daughter of Chryses, and Chryses, the priest of Apollo, who shoots from afar came to the ships of the bronze-shirted Achaians to free his daughter, holding, on a golden scepter in his fists, the fillets of Apollo, who shoots from afar, and bearing a boundless ransom. He prayed to all the Achaians, but most of all to the two sons of Atreus, marshals of the people. Now, all the other Achaians voiced their assent, to honor the priest and take the shining ransom. But that did not delight Atreus’ son, Agamemnon, in his heart. [is there more?] The old man departed in anger, and Apollo heard his prayer, for the priest was dear to him, and shot a deleterious arrow at the Achaians, and now the people died in rapid succession, for the shafts of the god were everywhere through the broad camp of th’Achaians. The prophet, who new very well the intent of the long-range god declared it to us. I was the first to command that we propitiate the god, whereupon rage seized the son of Atreus. He rose at once and uttered a threat which is now accomplished, 388 for the sparkling-eyed Achaians are sending the girl by swift ship to Chryses and bringing offerings to the Lord; but other heralds have come to my hut to take away Briseis the girl whom the sons of the Achaians had given me. But you, if you are able, must come to the aid of your child. Go to Olympos; importune Zeus, if ever before you pleased him with speech or action.395 For often I heard you declare to your father in the halls that you alone among the immortals everted ignominious ruin from the son of Kronos, the black cloud god, when all the other Olympians wanted to bind him— even Poseidon and Hera and Pallas Athena. But you came to him and released him from his chains summoning to blessèd Olympos the hundred-handed one whom the gods call Briareos but all men name Aegaion, and he is greater in power than Poseidon, his father. He sat down beside the Kronion exuding pleasure in his glory and the blessèd gods feared him and refrained from binding Zeus. Remind him of this now and sit down beside him and clasp his knees that he might wish to come to the aid of the Trojans and pen-in the Achaians down by the sterns of their ships and about the sea as they’re slaughtered so that all of them might appreciate their king and the son of Atreus, wide-ruling Agamemnon, know his own blind folly in that he failed to pay honor to the very best of the Achaians.” 412 Thetis responded, weeping all the while: “Ai me, my child, Oh why did I rear you since calamitous was my child-rearing? Would that it were yours to sit by your ships free of affliction and tearless since short life is your portion with no prolonged duration. Now swift fate is yours and sorrow beyond all men for I bore you to an odious portion in the halls. But I myself shall go to snow-clad Olympos and deliver your utterance to Zeus who delights in thunder and perhaps he might be persuaded. Meanwhile, you remain by the swift sea-faring vessels and rage against the Achaians and altogether hold yourself back from the War. Zeus went to Okeanos yeaterday for a feast with the blameless Ethiopians, and all the other gods went with him. On the twelfth day he returns to Olympos, and then I shall go to the palace of the gods and its brazen threshold and clasp his knees and I think I shall persuade him.” 427 So saying, she departed, leaving him to his raging on account of the fair-girdled woman who had been taken away by force in his despite. And Odysseus came to Chryses conducting the holy hecatomb. When they’d pulled into the deep harbor, they took down the sail and stowed it on the black ship and lowered the mast by the forestays, and quickly, and drew her with oars to the mooring site and cast away the stones and chained her with stern-cables and they themselves disembarked onto the shore of the ocean and led out the hecatomb for Apollo, far-shooter, and the daughter of Chryses climbed down from the sea-faring vessel. Then ever-so-cunning Odysseus conducted her to the altar and put her in the hands of her dear father and said to him: “O Chryses; the lord of men Agamemnon has sent me to bring your child to you and to offer a holy hecatomb to Apollo on behalf of the Danaäns that we might propitiate the Lord who presently causes the Argives such affliction and sorrow.” 445 So saying, he placed the dear child in her father’s arms and her father joyfully received her; and they swiftly set the holy hecatomb in proper order about the altar, properly constructed. Then they cleansed their hands and elevated the sacrificial barley grains. And Chryses raised his hands and made a mighty prayer on their behalf: “Hear me now, you of the silver bow, who, standing over Chryse and holy Kylla, lords it mightily o’er Tenedos; just as you heard my prayer and honored me formerly and smote the army of the Achaians, accomplish this wish for me now: evert the ignominious pestilence from the Danaäns.” 455 So he spoke, praying, and Phoibos Apollo heard him and when they had made their prayers and scattered the grains of barley, first they drew back the victims’ heads and slit their throats and flayed them and cut out the thigh pieces and covered them with fat and set raw flesh on top of them; and the old man burnt them on skids and poured out a libation of flaming wine and the young men beside him held in their hands forks with five tines. 463 But when the thigh parts were burnt up and they’d sampled the innards, they cut what parts remained and put them on skewers and roasted them through and through and drew it all off the spits; and when they’d completed their work and readied the feast, they dined, and their spirit lacked nothing pertaining to the justly distributed banquet; and when they’d sated their hunger for food and drink, young boys filled kraters to the brim and served everyone beverage. All day in song they propitiated the deity, young Achaian boys singing the beautiful paean— hymns to the far-darter, Apollo; he delighted to hear them. When the sun went down and darkness came, they lay down by the ships’ stern cables. When early dawn with rose-colored fingers appeared, they set off for the Achaian’s broad camp; and Apollo who works at long range sent them a favorable wind and they set up the mast and unfurled the white sail and the wind swelled the sail and the purple wave cried loudly about the stem of the ship as she sailed along and she flowed above the wave and made her way. But when they reached the broad camp of the Achaians, they drew the black ship up onto the shore high on the sands, lined up the long props and they themselves dispersed among huts and ships. But the god-born son of Peleus, swift-footed Achilles remained there raging beside the rapid sailing vessels. He neither frequented the assembly places where men distinguish themselves nor fought in the war but remained where he was, devouring his heart though longing for battle. 492 But when the twelfth dawn after their arrival, came all the gods who are forever came to Olympos together, Zeus at their head, and Thetis did not forget the behest of her son, but she rose from a wave of the sea and at dawn went up to the big sky and Mount Olympos. She found wide-watching Zeus sitting apart from the others atop the highest peak of stony Olympos. She sat down beside him and clasped his knees with her left hand; with her right she took his chin and beseeching him, she spoke to Lord Kronion Zeus. “Father Zeus, if ever in former times I came to your aid among the immortals either in speech or action, accomplish this for me now. Honor my son who is beyond all others most bound to swiftly on-coming doom, for the lord of men, Agamemnon presently dishonors him. He has appropriated and keeps my son’s trophy. But you must honor him, wise Olympian; make the Trojans strong until the Achaians honor my son and make him great with honorable compensation.” 510 So she spoke, but cloud-gathering Zeus said nothing. He sat in silence for a long while. Thetis clung close and asked him a second time. “Truly promise me and nod your head or else deny me, since you fear nothing, so that I might know well that I am the most dishonored among all the gods.” Then a most sorely disquieted cloud-gathering Zeus did utter: “This is an exceedingly troubling business, for you ask me to tangle with Hera because she is sure to vex me with contentious words. She already rebukes me among the immortal deities and says that I give succor to the Trojans in battle, so, for the moment, go away lest Hera suspect something, and I’ll mull over these matters, how to bring things to pass. Come and I will nod my head to you and you may rest assured for from me this is the greatest indication among the immortals for that to which I nod with my head shall neither be retracted nor falsified nor go unfulfilled.” 527 And indeed the Kronion nodded with his dark brows; The ambrosial locks of the lord fluttering from out his immortal head, he caused great Olympos to shake. When the two had thus conferred, they departed. Thetis plunged from shining Olympos to the sea depths; Zeus was off to his palace. All the gods together arose from their seats in front of the father. No one dared to wait for him to arrive, but all stood up in front of him. He took his seat on the throne; but Hera did not fail to see and to take cognizance that silver-footed Thetis, daughter of the Old Man of the Sea had conferred with him. She said to the divine son of Kronos, (and contentiously): “Who of the gods, O wily one, has just now been conferring with you? Forever it is dear to you to promulgate judgments cogitated in secret, apart from me. Never do you risk it to tell me out right what you are thinking.” The father of gods and men responded to her: “Hera, do not aspire to know all my thoughts: They will be troublesome for you, my wife though you are. But what it is appropriate that you hear, no god or man will know it first; but what I wish to consider apart from the gods: do not inquire into it.” 550 Cow-eyed Lady Hera said back to him: “Most terrible son of Kronos, what is this utterance you deliver? I have not been in the habit of inquiring or questioning you, but unimpeded you contrive matters just as you will. It is just that now I have a terrible foreboding in my heart that silver-footed Thetis, daughter of The Old Man of the Sea, has distracted you, for at dawn she sat beside you and clasped your knees, and I think that you nodded consent to honor Achilles and slaughter many men by the ships of the Achaians.” 559 Cloud-gathering Zeus said in response: “Woman possessed: you are always thinking. I cannot evade you. But you’ll not be able to do a thing about it, except to estrange yourself even further from me— and it shall be the worse for you. If matters stand as you say, it is dear to me that they do so. Sit down. Be silent. Obey my words— lest all the gods on Olympos not be able to assist you, if ever I come near to laying my in- evadable hands upon you.” So he spoke, and cow-eyed Lady Hera was afraid and she sat down in silence and curbed her heart. The Ouranian deities in the house of Zeus were disturbed; and Hephaistos, famed for his craft-art was first to address them bringing joy to his dear mother, white-armed Hera. “This will turn out to be a sorry business not to be put up with, if on account of mortals you two are to be at odds in this manner— an unseemly fracas struck up among the gods— with the upshot that there’ll be no pleasure in our excellent banquets since worse things will prevail. I’ll talk to my mother (though she, no doubt about it, is quite capable of providing advice to herself) to the effect that she ought to mollify dear father Zeus that he not further rebuke her, that our banquet not experience further disruption. What if the Olympian, who wields bolts of lightning, should wish to drive us from our sedulous situations? Well, he is very much the stronger! So, dear mother, go and accost him with mollifying speeches, and the Olympian will thereupon by gracious to us.” 583 Thus he spoke and, lifting a cup with two handles, he put it in his mother’s hands and said to her: “Be happy, my mother, and bear up in spite of your care lest, as you are dear to me, I behold you attacked right here before my eyes and have no power to assist you, in spite of my sorrow, for the Olympian is a tough one to contend with. Some time ago, when I wanted to come to your aid against him, he took me by the foot and threw me over the threshold of the gods. All day I was in motion. At sundown I landed on Lemnos. Little life was left in me, and the Sintian people tended me for my fall.” So he spoke, and the goddess, white-armed Hera, smiled and, smiling, accepted the cup from the hand of her child. And he poured sweet nectar that he drew from the krater for all the other immortals, left to right, and uncontrollable laughter rose among the blessèd gods as they saw Hephaistos bustling about the palace. 600 All day long until sundown, they feasted and their spirit lacked nothing for the fare was justly distributed, nor was the beautiful lyre that Apollo wielded lacking, nor the Muses lacking, who sang with beautiful answering voices. But when the refulgent light of the sun went down, they went, each one to his home, to lie down; for each one famous Hephaistos, god with the two strong arms, had fashioned a palatial dwelling by means of knowing skill. Olympian Zeus, who wields bolts of lightning, went to his couch on which from ancient times, he was accustomed to take his rest when calm sleep came upon him, and there he went and lay down, and golden thronèd Hera was beside him. 611