so？　Go　home；　then；　with　your　ships　and　comrades　to　lord　it　over　the
  Myrmidons。　I　care　neither　for　you　nor　for　your　anger；　and　thus　will
  I　do：　since　Phoebus　Apollo　is　taking　Chryseis　from　me；　I　shall　send
  her　with　my　ship　and　my　followers；　but　I　shall　come　to　your　tent　and
  take　your　own　prize　Briseis；　that　you　may　learn　how　much　stronger　I　am
  than　you　are；　and　that　another　may　fear　to　set　himself　up　as　equal
  or　comparable　with　me。〃
  The　son　of　Peleus　was　furious；　and　his　heart　within　his　shaggy
  breast　was　divided　whether　to　draw　his　sword；　push　the　others　aside；
  and　kill　the　son　of　Atreus；　or　to　restrain　himself　and　check　his
  anger。　While　he　was　thus　in　two　minds；　and　was　drawing　his　mighty
  sword　from　its　scabbard；　Minerva　came　down　from　heaven　（for　Juno　had
  sent　her　in　the　love　she　bore　to　them　both）；　and　seized　the　son　of
  Peleus　by　his　yellow　hair；　visible　to　him　alone；　for　of　the　others
  no　man　could　see　her。　Achilles　turned　in　amaze；　and　by　the　fire　that
  flashed　from　her　eyes　at　once　knew　that　she　was　Minerva。　〃Why　are
  you　here；〃　said　he；　〃daughter　of　aegis…bearing　Jove？　To　see　the
  pride　of　Agamemnon；　son　of　Atreus？　Let　me　tell　you…　and　it　shall
  surely　be…　he　shall　pay　for　this　insolence　with　his　life。〃
  And　Minerva　said；　〃I　come　from　heaven；　if　you　will　hear　me；　to　bid
  you　stay　your　anger。　Juno　has　sent　me；　who　cares　for　both　of　you
  alike。　Cease；　then；　this　brawling；　and　do　not　draw　your　sword；　rail　at
  him　if　you　will；　and　your　railing　will　not　be　vain；　for　I　tell　you…
  and　it　shall　surely　be…　that　you　shall　hereafter　receive　gifts　three
  times　as　splendid　by　reason　of　this　present　insult。　Hold；　therefore；
  and　obey。〃
  〃Goddess；〃　answered　Achilles；　〃however　angry　a　man　may　be；　he　must
  do　as　you　two　command　him。　This　will　be　best；　for　the　gods　ever　hear
  the　prayers　of　him　who　has　obeyed　them。〃
  He　stayed　his　hand　on　the　silver　hilt　of　his　sword；　and　thrust　it
  back　into　the　scabbard　as　Minerva　bade　him。　Then　she　went　back　to
  Olympus　among　the　other　gods；　and　to　the　house　of　aegis…bearing　Jove。
  But　the　son　of　Peleus　again　began　railing　at　the　son　of　Atreus；
  for　he　was　still　in　a　rage。　〃Wine…bibber；〃　he　cried；　〃with　the　face　of
  a　dog　and　the　heart　of　a　hind；　you　never　dare　to　go　out　with　the
  host　in　fight；　nor　yet　with　our　chosen　men　in　ambuscade。　You　shun　this
  as　you　do　death　itself。　You　had　rather　go　round　and　rob　his　prizes
  from　any　man　who　contradicts　you。　You　devour　your　people；　for　you
  are　king　over　a　feeble　folk；　otherwise；　son　of　Atreus；　henceforward
  you　would　insult　no　man。　Therefore　I　say；　and　swear　it　with　a　great
  oath…　nay；　by　this　my　sceptre　which　shalt　sprout　neither　leaf　nor
  shoot；　nor　bud　anew　from　the　day　on　which　it　left　its　parent　stem　upon
  the　mountains…　for　the　axe　stripped　it　of　leaf　and　bark；　and　now　the
  sons　of　the　Achaeans　bear　it　as　judges　and　guardians　of　the　decrees　of
  heaven…　so　surely　and　solemnly　do　I　swear　that　hereafter　they　shall
  look　fondly　for　Achilles　and　shall　not　find　him。　In　the　day　of　your
  distress；　when　your　men　fall　dying　by　the　murderous　hand　of　Hector；
  you　shall　not　know　how　to　help　them；　and　shall　rend　your　heart　with
  rage　for　the　hour　when　you　offered　insult　to　the　bravest　of　the
  Achaeans。〃
  With　this　the　son　of　Peleus　dashed　his　gold…bestudded　sceptre　on　the
  ground　and　took　his　seat；　while　the　son　of　Atreus　was　beginning
  fiercely　from　his　place　upon　the　other　side。　Then　uprose
  smooth…tongued　Nestor；　the　facile　speaker　of　the　Pylians；　and　the
  words　fell　from　his　lips　sweeter　than　honey。　Two　generations　of　men
  born　and　bred　in　Pylos　had　passed　away　under　his　rule；　and　he　was
  now　reigning　over　the　third。　With　all　sincerity　and　goodwill；
  therefore；　he　addressed　them　thus：…
  〃Of　a　truth；〃　he　said；　〃a　great　sorrow　has　befallen　the　Achaean
  land。　Surely　Priam　with　his　sons　would　rejoice；　and　the　Trojans　be
  glad　at　heart　if　they　could　hear　this　quarrel　between　you　two；　who　are
  so　excellent　in　fight　and　counsel。　I　am　older　than　either　of　you；
  therefore　be　guided　by　me。　Moreover　I　have　been　the　familiar　friend　of
  men　even　greater　than　you　are；　and　they　did　not　disregard　my　counsels。
  Never　again　can　I　behold　such　men　as　Pirithous　and　Dryas　shepherd　of
  his　people；　or　as　Caeneus；　Exadius；　godlike　Polyphemus；　and　Theseus
  son　of　Aegeus；　peer　of　the　immortals。　These　were　the　mightiest　men
  ever　born　upon　this　earth：　mightiest　were　they；　and　when　they　fought
  the　fiercest　tribes　of　mountain　savages　they　utterly　overthrew　them。　I
  came　from　distant　Pylos；　and　went　about　among　them；　for　they　would
  have　me　come；　and　I　fought　as　it　was　in　me　to　do。　Not　a　man　now　living
  could　withstand　them；　but　they　heard　my　words；　and　were　persuaded　by
  them。　So　be　it　also　with　yourselves；　for　this　is　the　more　excellent
  way。　Therefore；　Agamemnon；　though　you　be　strong；　take　not　this　girl
  away；　for　the　sons　of　the　Achaeans　have　already　given　her　to　Achilles；
  and　you；　Achilles；　strive　not　further　with　the　king；　for　no　man　who　by
  the　grace　of　Jove　wields　a　sceptre　has　like　honour　with　Agamemnon。　You
  are　strong；　and　have　a　goddess　for　your　mother；　but　Agamemnon　is
  stronger　than　you；　for　he　has　more　people　under　him。　Son　of　Atreus；
  check　your　anger；　I　implore　you；　end　this　quarrel　with　Achilles；　who
  in　the　day　of　battle　is　a　tower　of　strength　to　the　Achaeans。〃
  And　Agamemnon　answered；　〃Sir；　all　that　you　have　said　is　true；　but
  this　fellow　must　needs　become　our　lord　and　master：　he　must　be　lord
  of　all；　king　of　all；　and　captain　of　all；　and　this　shall　hardly　be。
  Granted　that　the　gods　have　made　him　a　great　warrior；　have　they　also
  given　him　the　right　to　speak　with　railing？〃
  Achilles　interrupted　him。　〃I　should　be　a　mean　coward；〃　he　cried；
  〃were　I　to　give　in　to　you　in　all　things。　Order　other　people　about；　not
  me；　for　I　shall　obey　no　longer。　Furthermore　I　say…　and　lay　my　saying
  to　your　heart…　I　shall　fight　neither　you　nor　any　man　about　this
  girl；　for　those　that　take　were　those　also　that　gave。　But　of　all　else
  that　is　at　my　ship　you　shall　carry　away　nothing　by　force。　Try；　that
  others　may　see；　if　you　do；　my　spear　shall　be　reddened　with　your
  blood。〃
  When　they　had　quarrelled　thus　angrily；　they　rose；　and　broke　up　the
  assembly　at　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans。　The　son　of　Peleus　went　back
  to　his　tents　and　ships　with　the　son　of　Menoetius　and　his　company；
  while　Agamemnon　drew　a　vessel　into　the　water　and　chose　a　crew　of
  twenty　oarsmen。　He　escorted　Chryseis　on　board　and　sent　moreover　a
  hecatomb　for　the　god。　And　Ulysses　went　as　captain。
  These；　then；　went　on　board　and　sailed　their　ways　over　the　sea。　But
  the　son　of　Atreus　bade　the　people　purify　themselves；　so　they
  purified　themselves　and　cast　their　filth　into　the　sea。　Then　they
  offered　hecatombs　of　bulls　and　goats　without　blemish　on　the　sea…shore；
  and　the　smoke　with　the　savour　of　their　sacrifice　rose　curling　up
  towards　heaven。
  Thus　did　they　busy　themselves　throughout　the　host。　But　Agamemnon　did
  not　forget　the　threat　that　he　had　made　Achilles；　and　called　his　trusty
  messengers　and　squires　Talthybius　and　Eurybates。　〃Go；〃　said　he；　〃to
  the　tent　of　Achilles；　son　of　Peleus；　take　Briseis　by　the　hand　and
  bring　her　hither；　if　he　will　not　give　her　I　shall　come　with　others　and
  take　her…　which　will　press　him　harder。〃
  He　charged　them　straightly　further　and　dismissed　them；　whereon
  they　went　their　way　sorrowfully　by　the　seaside；　till　they　came　to
  the　tents　and　ships　of　the　Myrmidons。　They　found　Achilles　sitting　by
  his　tent　and　his　ships；　and　ill…pleased　he　was　when　he　beheld　them。
  They　stood　fearfully　and　reverently　before　him；　and　never　a　word　did
  they　speak；　but　he　knew　them　and　said；　〃Welcome；　heralds；　messengers
  of　gods　and　men；　draw　near；　my　quarrel　is　not　with　you　but　with
  Agamemnon　who　has　sent　you　for　the　girl　Briseis。　Therefore；　Patroclus；
  bring　her　and　give　her　to　them；　but　let　them　be　witnesses　by　the
  blessed　gods；　by　mortal　men；　and　by　the　fierceness　of　Agamemnon's
  anger；　that　if　ever　again　there　be　need　of　me　to　save　the　people
  from　ruin；　they　shall　seek　and　they　shall　not　find。　Agamemnon　is　mad
  with　rage　and　knows　not　how　to　look　before　and　after　that　the　Achaeans
  may　fight　by　their　ships　in　safety。〃
  Patroclus　did　as　his　dear　comrade　had　bidden　him。　He　brought　Briseis
  from　the　tent　and　gave　her　over　to　the　heralds；　who　took　her　with　them
  to　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans…　and　the　woman　was　loth　to　go。　Then
  Achilles　went　all　alone　by　the　side　of　the　hoar　sea；　weeping　and
  looking　out　upon　the　boundless　waste　of　waters。　He　raised　his　hands　in
  prayer　to　his　immortal　mother；　〃Mother；〃　he　cried；　〃you　bore　me　doomed
  to　live　but　for　a　little　season；　surely　Jove；　who　thunders　from
  Olympus；　might　have　made　that　little　glorious。　It　is　not　so。
  Agamemnon；　son　of　Atreus；　has　done　me　dishonour；　and　has　robbed　me
  of　my　prize　by　force。〃
  As　he　spoke　he　wept　aloud；　and　his　mother　heard　him　where　she　was
  sitting　in　the　depths　of　the　sea　hard　by　the　old　man　her　father。
  Forthwith　she　rose　as　it　were　a　grey　mist　out　of　the　waves；　sat　down
  before　him　as　he　stood　weeping；　caressed　him　with　her　hand；　and
  said；　〃My　son；　why　are　you　weeping？　What　is　it　that　grieves　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