defending　the　city　and　the　Curetes　trying　to　destroy　it。　For　Diana
  of　the　golden　throne　was　angry　and　did　them　hurt　because　Oeneus　had
  not　offered　her　his　harvest　first…fruits。　The　other　gods　had　all
  been　feasted　with　hecatombs；　but　to　the　daughter　of　great　Jove　alone
  he　had　made　no　sacrifice。　He　had　forgotten　her；　or　somehow　or　other　it
  had　escaped　him；　and　this　was　a　grievous　sin。　Thereon　the　archer
  goddess　in　her　displeasure　sent　a　prodigious　creature　against　him…　a
  savage　wild　boar　with　great　white　tusks　that　did　much　harm　to　his
  orchard　lands；　uprooting　apple…trees　in　full　bloom　and　throwing　them
  to　the　ground。　But　Meleager　son　of　Oeneus　got　huntsmen　and　hounds　from
  many　cities　and　killed　it…　for　it　was　so　monstrous　that　not　a　few　were
  needed；　and　many　a　man　did　it　stretch　upon　his　funeral　pyre。　On　this
  the　goddess　set　the　Curetes　and　the　Aetolians　fighting　furiously　about
  the　head　and　skin　of　the　boar。
  〃So　long　as　Meleager　was　in　the　field　things　went　badly　with　the
  Curetes；　and　for　all　their　numbers　they　could　not　hold　their　ground
  under　the　city　walls；　but　in　the　course　of　time　Meleager　was　angered
  as　even　a　wise　man　will　sometimes　be。　He　was　incensed　with　his
  mother　Althaea；　and　therefore　stayed　at　home　with　his　wedded　wife　fair
  Cleopatra；　who　was　daughter　of　Marpessa　daughter　of　Euenus；　and　of
  Ides　the　man　then　living。　He　it　was　who　took　his　bow　and　faced　King
  Apollo　himself　for　fair　Marpessa's　sake；　her　father　and　mother　then
  named　her　Alcyone；　because　her　mother　had　mourned　with　the　plaintive
  strains　of　the　halcyon…bird　when　Phoebus　Apollo　had　carried　her　off。
  Meleager；　then；　stayed　at　home　with　Cleopatra；　nursing　the　anger　which
  he　felt　by　reason　of　his　mother's　curses。　His　mother；　grieving　for　the
  death　of　her　brother；　prayed　the　gods；　and　beat　the　earth　with　her
  hands；　calling　upon　Hades　and　on　awful　Proserpine；　she　went　down
  upon　her　knees　and　her　bosom　was　wet　with　tears　as　she　prayed　that
  they　would　kill　her　son…　and　Erinys　that　walks　in　darkness　and　knows
  no　ruth　heard　her　from　Erebus。
  〃Then　was　heard　the　din　of　battle　about　the　gates　of　Calydon；　and
  the　dull　thump　of　the　battering　against　their　walls。　Thereon　the
  elders　of　the　Aetolians　besought　Meleager；　they　sent　the　chiefest　of
  their　priests；　and　begged　him　to　come　out　and　help　them；　promising　him
  a　great　reward。　They　bade　him　choose　fifty　plough…gates；　the　most
  fertile　in　the　plain　of　Calydon；　the　one…half　vineyard　and　the　other
  open　plough…land。　The　old　warrior　Oeneus　implored　him；　standing　at　the
  threshold　of　his　room　and　beating　the　doors　in　supplication。　His
  sisters　and　his　mother　herself　besought　him　sore；　but　he　the　more
  refused　them；　those　of　his　comrades　who　were　nearest　and　dearest　to
  him　also　prayed　him；　but　they　could　not　move　him　till　the　foe　was
  battering　at　the　very　doors　of　his　chamber；　and　the　Curetes　had　scaled
  the　walls　and　were　setting　fire　to　the　city。　Then　at　last　his
  sorrowing　wife　detailed　the　horrors　that　befall　those　whose　city　is
  taken；　she　reminded　him　how　the　men　are　slain；　and　the　city　is　given
  over　to　the　flames；　while　the　women　and　children　are　carried　into
  captivity；　when　he　heard　all　this；　his　heart　was　touched；　and　he
  donned　his　armour　to　go　forth。　Thus　of　his　own　inward　motion　he
  saved　the　city　of　the　Aetolians；　but　they　now　gave　him　nothing　of
  those　rich　rewards　that　they　had　offered　earlier；　and　though　he
  saved　the　city　he　took　nothing　by　it。　Be　not　then；　my　son；　thus
  minded；　let　not　heaven　lure　you　into　any　such　course。　When　the　ships
  are　burning　it　will　be　a　harder　matter　to　save　them。　Take　the　gifts；
  and　go；　for　the　Achaeans　will　then　honour　you　as　a　god；　whereas　if　you
  fight　without　taking　them；　you　may　beat　the　battle　back；　but　you
  will　not　be　held　in　like　honour。〃
  And　Achilles　answered；　〃Phoenix；　old　friend　and　father；　I　have　no
  need　of　such　honour。　I　have　honour　from　Jove　himself；　which　will　abide
  with　me　at　my　ships　while　I　have　breath　in　my　body；　and　my　limbs　are
  strong。　I　say　further…　and　lay　my　saying　to　your　heart…　vex　me　no　more
  with　this　weeping　and　lamentation；　all　in　the　cause　of　the　son　of
  Atreus。　Love　him　so　well；　and　you　may　lose　the　love　I　bear　you。　You
  ought　to　help　me　rather　in　troubling　those　that　trouble　me；　be　king　as
  much　as　I　am；　and　share　like　honour　with　myself；　the　others　shall　take
  my　answer；　stay　here　yourself　and　sleep　comfortably　in　your　bed；　at
  daybreak　we　will　consider　whether　to　remain　or　go。〃
  On　this　she　nodded　quietly　to　Patroclus　as　a　sign　that　he　was　to
  prepare　a　bed　for　Phoenix；　and　that　the　others　should　take　their
  leave。　Ajax　son　of　Telamon　then　said；　〃Ulysses；　noble　son　of
  Laertes；　let　us　be　gone；　for　I　see　that　our　journey　is　vain。　We　must
  now　take　our　answer；　unwelcome　though　it　be；　to　the　Danaans　who　are
  waiting　to　receive　it。　Achilles　is　savage　and　remorseless；　he　is
  cruel；　and　cares　nothing　for　the　love　his　comrades　lavished　upon　him
  more　than　on　all　the　others。　He　is　implacable…　and　yet　if　a　man's
  brother　or　son　has　been　slain　he　will　accept　a　fine　by　way　of　amends
  from　him　that　killed　him；　and　the　wrong…doer　having　paid　in　full
  remains　in　peace　among　his　own　people；　but　as　for　you；　Achilles；　the
  gods　have　put　a　wicked　unforgiving　spirit　in　your　heart；　and　this；　all
  about　one　single　girl；　whereas　we　now　offer　you　the　seven　best　we
  have；　and　much　else　into　the　bargain。　Be　then　of　a　more　gracious　mind；
  respect　the　hospitality　of　your　own　roof。　We　are　with　you　as
  messengers　from　the　host　of　the　Danaans；　and　would　fain　he　held
  nearest　and　dearest　to　yourself　of　all　the　Achaeans。〃
  〃Ajax；〃　replied　Achilles；　〃noble　son　of　Telamon；　you　have　spoken
  much　to　my　liking；　but　my　blood　boils　when　I　think　it　all　over；　and
  remember　how　the　son　of　Atreus　treated　me　with　contumely　as　though　I
  were　some　vile　tramp；　and　that　too　in　the　presence　of　the　Argives。　Go；
  then；　and　deliver　your　message；　say　that　I　will　have　no　concern　with
  fighting　till　Hector；　son　of　noble　Priam；　reaches　the　tents　of　the
  Myrmidons　in　his　murderous　course；　and　flings　fire　upon　their　ships。
  For　all　his　lust　of　battle；　I　take　it　he　will　be　held　in　check　when　he
  is　at　my　own　tent　and　ship。〃
  On　this　they　took　every　man　his　double　cup；　made　their
  drink…offerings；　and　went　back　to　the　ships；　Ulysses　leading　the
  way。　But　Patroclus　told　his　men　and　the　maid…servants　to　make　ready
  a　comfortable　bed　for　Phoenix；　they　therefore　did　so　with
  sheepskins；　a　rug；　and　a　sheet　of　fine　linen。　The　old　man　then　laid
  himself　down　and　waited　till　morning　came。　But　Achilles　slept　in　an
  inner　room；　and　beside　him　the　daughter　of　Phorbas　lovely　Diomede；
  whom　he　had　carried　off　from　Lesbos。　Patroclus　lay　on　the　other　side
  of　the　room；　and　with　him　fair　Iphis　whom　Achilles　had　given　him
  when　he　took　Scyros　the　city　of　Enyeus。
  When　the　envoys　reached　the　tents　of　the　son　of　Atreus；　the　Achaeans
  rose；　pledged　them　in　cups　of　gold；　and　began　to　question　them。　King
  Agamemnon　was　the　first　to　do　so。　Tell　me；　Ulysses；〃　said　he；　〃will　he
  save　the　ships　from　burning；　or　did　be　refuse；　and　is　he　still
  furious？〃
  Ulysses　answered；　〃Most　noble　son　of　Atreus；　king　of　men；　Agamemnon；
  Achilles　will　not　be　calmed；　but　is　more　fiercely　angry　than　ever；　and
  spurns　both　you　and　your　gifts。　He　bids　you　take　counsel　with　the
  Achaeans　to　save　the　ships　and　host　as　you　best　may；　as　for　himself；
  he　said　that　at　daybreak　he　should　draw　his　ships　into　the　water。　He
  said　further　that　he　should　advise　every　one　to　sail　home　likewise；
  for　that　you　will　not　reach　the　goal　of　Ilius。　'Jove；'　he　said；　'has
  laid　his　hand　over　the　city　to　protect　it；　and　the　people　have　taken
  heart。'　This　is　what　he　said；　and　the　others　who　were　with　me　can　tell
  you　the　same　story…　Ajax　and　the　two　heralds；　men；　both　of　them；　who
  may　be　trusted。　The　old　man　Phoenix　stayed　where　he　was　to　sleep；
  for　so　Achilles　would　have　it；　that　he　might　go　home　with　him　in　the
  morning　if　he　so　would；　but　he　will　not　take　him　by　force。〃
  They　all　held　their　peace；　sitting　for　a　long　time　silent　and
  dejected；　by　reason　of　the　sternness　with　which　Achilles　had　refused
  them；　till　presently　Diomed　said；　〃Most　noble　son　of　Atreus；　king　of
  men；　Agamemnon；　you　ought　not　to　have　sued　the　son　of　Peleus　nor
  offered　him　gifts。　He　is　proud　enough　as　it　is；　and　you　have
  encouraged　him　in　his　pride　am　further。　Let　him　stay　or　go　as　he　will。
  He　will　fight　later　when　he　is　in　the　humour；　and　heaven　puts　it　in
  his　mind　to　do　so。　Now；　therefore；　let　us　all　do　as　I　say；　we　have
  eaten　and　drunk　our　fill；　let　us　then　take　our　rest；　for　in　rest　there
  is　both　strength　and　stay。　But　when　fair　rosy…fingered　morn　appears；
  forthwith　bring　out　your　host　and　your　horsemen　in　front　of　the　ships；
  urging　them　on；　and　yourself　fighting　among　the　foremost。〃
  Thus　he　spoke；　and　the　other　chieftains　approved　his　words。　They
  then　made　their　drink…offerings　and　went　every　man　to　his　own　tent；
  where　they　laid　down　to　rest　and　enjoyed　the　boon　of　sleep。
  BOOK　X
  NOW　the　other　princes　of　the　Achaeans　slept　soundly　the　whole
  night　through；　but　Agamemnon　son　of　Atreus　was　troubled；　so　that　he
  could　get　no　rest。　As　when　fair　Juno's　lord　flashes　his　lightning　in
  token　of　great