September 16, 2024 • 38 mins
Book 9 : The Embassy to Achilles
Agamemnon sends Odysseus, Phoenix, and Ajax to beg Achilles to return. Achilles refuses, choosing honor over personal gain. Summary by Dream Audiobooks
Agamemnon sends Odysseus, Phoenix, and Ajax to beg Achilles to return. Achilles refuses, choosing honor over personal gain. Summary by Dream Audiobooks
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Dream Audio Books presents second nine of the Iliad by Homer,
translated by Samuel Butler, Book nine the Embassy to Achilles.
Thus did the Trojans watch, but panic, comrade of blood
stained rout, had taken fast hold of the Achaeans, and
their princes. Were all of them in despair, as when
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the two winds that blow from Thrace, the north and
the northwest, spring up of a sudden and rouse the
fury of the main. In a moment, the dark waves
uprear their heads and scatter their sea rack in all directions.
Even thus troubled were the hearts of the Achaeans. The
son of Atreus in dismay Ad, the heralds call the
people to a council man by man, but not to
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cry the matter aloud. He made haste or so himself
to call them, and they sat sorry at heart in
their assembly. Agamemnon shed tears as it were a running
stream or cataract on the side of some sheer cliff,
And thus with many a heavy sigh he spoke to
the Achaeans. My friend said he, princes and counselors of
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the Argives, the hand of Heaven has been laid heavily
upon me. Cruel Jove gave me his solemn promise that
I should sack the city of Troy before returning. But
he has played me false and is now bidding me
go ingloriously back to Argos, with the loss of much people.
Such is the will of Jove, who has laid many
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a proud city in the dust, as he will yet
lay others. For his power is above all. Now therefore,
let us all do as I say, and sail back
to our own country, for we shall not take Troy.
Thus he spoke, and the sons of the Achaeans for
a long while sat sorrowful there, But they all held
their peace till at last Diomed of the loud battle
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cry made answer, saying, son of Atreus, I will chide
your folly as is my right in council. Be not
then aggrieved that I should do so. In the first place.
You attacked me before all the Danaans and said I
was a coward and no soldier. The Argives young and
old know that you did so. But the son of
scheming Satin endowed you by halves only. He gave you
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honor as the chief ruler over us. But valor which
is the highest both right and might. He did not
give you, sir, think you that the sons of the
Achaeans are indeed as unwarlike and cowardly as you say
they are. If your own mind is set upon going home,
go the way is open to you. The many ships
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that followed you from mycene stand raged upon the sea shore.
But the rest of us stay here till we have
sacked Troy. Nay, though these two should return homeward with
their ships, Sthenelus and myself will still fight on till
we reached the goal of Elias, For Heaven was with
us when we came. The sons of the Achaean shouted
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applause at the words of diomed, and presently Nestor rose
to speak. Zana Tidius said, he in war your prowess
is beyond question, and in counsel you excel all who
are of your own years. No one of the Achaeans
can make light of what you say, nor gainsay it.
But you have not yet come to the end of
the whole matter. You are still young. You might be
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the youngest of my own children. Still you have spoken
wisely and have counseled the chief of the Achaeans, not
without discretion. Nevertheless, I am older than you, and I
will tell you everything. Therefore, let no man, not even
King Agamemnon, disregard me, saying, for he that foments civil
discord is a clanless, hearthless outlaw. Now, however, let us
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obey the behests of night and get our suppers. But
let the sentinels, every man of them, camp by the trench,
that is, without the wall. I am giving these instructions
to the young men, when they have been attended to.
Do you, son of Atreus, give your orders, for you
are the most royal among us. All prepare a feast
for your counselors. It is right and reasonable that you
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should do so. There is abundance of wine in your tents,
which the ships of the Achaeans bring from thrace daily.
You have everything at your disposal wherewith to entertain guests,
and you have many subjects. When many are got together,
you can be guided by him whose counsel is wisest.
And surely do we need shrewd and prudent counsel, for
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the foe has lit his watch fires hard by our ships.
Who can be other than dismayed, this night will either
be the ruin of our host or save it. Thus
did he speak, and they did even as he had said.
The sentinels went out in their armor under command of
Nestus son Hassimides, a captain of the host, and of
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the bold warriors Ascallaephus and the Almenus. There were also Meriones,
Alpharaeus and Apayrus, and the son of Craon, noble Lycemedes.
There were seven captains of the sentinels, and with each
which there went a hundred youths armed with long spears.
They took their places midway between the trench and the wall,
and when they had done so, they lit their fires
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and got every man his supper. The son of Atreus
then bade many counselors of the Achaeans to his quarters,
and prepared a great feast in their honor. They laid
their hands on the good things that were before them,
and as soon as they had enough to eat and drink,
Old Nestor, whose counsel was ever truest, was the first
to lay his mind before them. He therefore, with all
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sincerity and good will, addressed them, thus with yourself, most
noble son of Atreus, King of Men, Agamemnon, will I
both begin my speech and end it. For you are
king over much people. Jove moreover has vouchsafed you to
wield the scepter and to uphold righteousness, that you may
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take thought for your people under you. Therefore it behooves
you above all others, both to speak and to givee,
and to out the counsel of another who shall have
been minded to speak wisely. All turns on you and
on your commands. Therefore I will say what I think
will be best. No man will be of a truer
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mind than that which has been mine from the hour.
And you, Sir, angered Achilles by taking the girl Bricius
from his tent. Against my judgment. I urged you not
to do so, But you yielded to your own pride
and dishonored a hero whom Heaven itself had honored. For
you still hold the prize that had been awarded to him. Now, however,
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let us think how we may appease him, both with
presents and fair speech that may conciliate him. And King
Agamemnon answered, Sir, you have reproved my folly justly. I
was wrong. I own it. One whom Heaven befriends is
in himself a host, and Jove has shown that he
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befriends this man by destroying much people of the Achaeans.
I was blinded with passion, and you to my worser mind.
Therefore I will make amends and will give him great
gifts by way of atonement. I will tell them in
the presence of you all. I will give him seven
tripods that have never yet been on the fire, and
ten talents of gold. I will give him twenty iron caldrons,
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and twelve strong horses that have won races and carried
off prizes rich. Indeed, both in land and gold. Is
he that has as many prizes as my horses have
won me. I will give him seven excellent workwomen, lesbians,
whom I chose for myself when he took Lesbos, all
of surpassing beauty. I will give him these, and with
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him her whom I erstwhile took from him, the daughter
of Briseus. And I swear a great oath that I
never went up into her couch, nor have been with her.
After the manner of men and women. All these things
will I give him now, And if hereafter the gods
vouchsafed me to sack the city of Priam. Let him
come when we are keyans are dividing the spoil and
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loading ship with gold and bronze to his liking. Furthermore,
let him take twenty Trojan women, the loveliest after Helen herself. Then,
when we reach Ace and Argos, wealthiest of all lands,
he shall be my son in law, and I will
show him honor with my own dear son Orestes, who
is being nurtured in all abundance. I have three daughters, Chrysothemas, Laodici,
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and Iphianasa. Let him take the one of his choice,
freely and without gifts of wooing, to the house of Pelias.
I will add such doubt a boot as no man
ever yet gave his daughter, and will give him seven
well established cities Cardamile, Enope and hire whether is grass
holy fare, and the rich meadows of Anthea Aepea, also,
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and the vine clad slopes of Padasus, all near the sea,
and on the borders of sandy Pylos. The men that
dwell there are rich in cattle and sheep. They will
honor him with gifts as though he were a God
and be obedient to his comfort ordinances. All this will
I do If he will now forego his anger, Let
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him then yield. It is only Hades who is utterly
ruthless and unyielding, and hence he is of all gods
the one most hateful to mankind. Moreover, I am older
and more royal than himself. Therefore let him now obey me. Then, Nestor, answered,
most noble, son of Atreus, king of men Agamemnon, the
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gifts you offer are no small ones. Let us then
send chosen messengers who may go to the tent of Achilles,
son of Peleus, without delay. Let those go whom I
shall name. Let Phoenix, dear to Jove lead the way,
Let Ajax and Ulysses follow, and let the Herald's odious
and euryberities go with them. Now bring water for our hands,
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and bid all keep silence while we pray to Jove,
the son of Saturn, if so be that he may
have mercy upon us. Thus did he speak, and his
saying pleased them well. Men servants poured water over the
hands of the guests, while pages filled the mixing bowls
with wine and water and handed it round after giving
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every man his drink offering. Then, when they had made
their offerings and had drunk each as much as he
was minded, the envoys set out from the tent of Agamemnon,
son of Atreus, and Nastor, looking first to one and
then to another, but most especially at Ulysses was instant
with them that they should prevail with the noble son
of Pelius. They went their way by the shore of
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the Sounding Sea and prayed earnestly to earth, encircling Neptune,
that the high spirit of the son of Aesus might
incline favorably towards them. When they reached the ships and
tents of the Myrmidons, they found Achilles playing on a
lyre fair of cunning workmanship and its cross barbers of silver.
It was part of the spoils which he had taken
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when he sacked the city of Aetion, and he was
now diverting himself with it and singing the feats of heroes.
He was alone with Petroclus, who sat opposite to him
and said nothing, waiting till he should cease singing. Ulysses
and Ajax now came in, Ulysses leading the way, and
stood before him. Achilles sprang from his seat with the
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lyre still in his hand, and Petroclus, when he saw
the strangers, rose also. Achilles then greeted them, saying, all,
hail and welcome. You must come upon some great matter,
you who, for all my anger, are still dearest to
me of the Achaeans. With this he led them forward
and bade them sit on seats covered with purple rugs.
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Then he said to Petroclus, who was close to him,
son of Menoetius, set a larger bowl upon the table,
Mix less water with the wine, and give every man
his cup, for these are very dear friends who are
now under my roof Petroclus did as his comrade bad him.
He set the chopping block in front of the fire,
and on it he laid the loin of a sheep,
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the loin or so of a goat, and the chine
of a fat hog or to maid, and held the
meat while Achilles chopped it. He then sliced the pieces
and put them on spits, while the son of Menoetius
made the fire burn high. When the flame had died down,
he spread the embers, laid the spits on top of them,
lifting them up and setting them upon the spit racks,
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and he sprinkled them with salt. When the meat was roasted,
he set it on platters, and handed bread round the
table in fair baskets, while Achilles dwelt with their portions.
Then Achilles took his seat, facing Ulysses against the opposite wall,
and battis Comrade Petroclus offer sacrifice to the gods. So
he cast the offerings into the fire, and they laid
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their hands upon the good things that were before them.
As soon as they had had enough to eat and drink,
Ajax made a sign to Phoenix, and when he saw this,
Ulysses filled his cup with wine and pledged Achilles. Hail,
said he, Achilles, they have had no scant of good cheer,
neither in the tent of Agamemnon, nor yet hear there
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has been plenty to eat and drink. But our thoughts
turn upon no such matter. Sir. We are in the
face of great disaster, and without your help know not
whether we shall save our fleet or lose it. The
Trojans and their allies have camped hard by our ships
and by the wall. They have lit watch fires throughout
their host, and deem that nothing can now prevent them
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from falling on our fleet. Jove moreover has sent his
lightnings on their right. Hector, in all his glory, rages
like a maniac, confident that Jove is with him. He
fears neither God nor Man, but is gone raving mad,
and prays for the approach of day. He vows that
he will hew the high sterns of our ships in pieces,
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set fire to their holes, and make havoc of the
Achaeans while they are dazed and smothered in smoke. I
much fear that Heaven will make good his boasting, and
it will prove our lot to perish at Troy, far
from our home. Nargos up then, and late, though it be,
save the sons of the Achaeans who faint before the
fury of the Trojans. You will repent bitterly hereafter if
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you do not, for when the harm is done there
will be no curing it. Consider ere it be too late,
and save the Danaeans from destruction. My good friend, when
your father Pelias sent you from Phythia to Agamemnon, did
he not charge you, saying son Minerva and Juno will
make you strong if they choose but check your high temper,
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for the better part is in good will a shoe
vain quarreling, and the Achaeans old and young will respect
you more for doing so. These were his words, but
you have forgotten them even now. However, be appeased and
put away your anger from you. Agamemnon will make you
great amends if you will forgive him. Listen, and I
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will tell you what he has said in his tenth
that he will give you. He will give you seven
tripods that have never yet been on the fire, and
ten talents of gold, twenty iron cauldrons, and twelve strong
horses that have won races and carried off prizes rich indeed,
both in land and gold. Is he who as as
many prizes as these horses have won. For Agamemnon. Moreover,
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he will give you seven excellent workwomen, lesbians, whom he
chose for himself when you took Lesbos, all of surpassing beauty.
He will give you these, and with them her whom
he erewhile took from you, the daughter of Brisius. And
he will swear a great oath he has never gone
up into her couch, nor been with her. After the
manner of men and women. All these things will he
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give you now down, And if hereafter the gods vouchsafe
him to sack the city of Priam, you can come
when the Achaeans are dividing the spoil and load your
ship with gold and bronze. To your liking. You can
take twenty Trojan women, the loveliest after Helen herself. Then,
when we rich Achaean Argos, wealthiest of all lands, you
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shall be his son in law, and he will show
you like honor with his own dear son Orestes, who
has been nurtured in all abundance. Agamemnon has three daughters, Chrysothemis, Laodichy,
and Iphianassa. You may take the one of your choice
freely and without gifts of wooing to the house of Pelias.
He will add such doubt a boot as no man
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ever yet gave his daughter, and will give you seven
well established cities Cardamile, Enopie, and Heiro, where there is
grass holy Fea I, and the rich meadows of Anthea
a Pea also, and the vine clad slopes of Pedasus,
all near the sea, and on the borders of sandy Pylos.
The men that dwell there are rich in cattle and sheep.
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They will honor you with gifts as though you were
a god, and be obedient to your comfortable ordinances. All
this will he do if you will now forego your anger. Moreover,
though you hate both him and his gifts with all
your heart, yet pity the rest of the Achaeans who
are being harassed in all their host They will honor
you as a god, and you will learn great glory
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at their hands. You might even kill Hector. He will
come within your reach, for he is infatuated and declares
that not a Danaeian whom the ships have brought can
hold his own against him. Achilles answered, Ulysses, noble, son
of Laertes, I should give you formal notice, plainly and
in all fixity of purpose, that there be no more
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of this cajoling, from whatsoever quarter it may come. M
do I hate, even as the gates of hell, who
says one thing while he hides another in his heart.
Therefore I will say what I mean. I will be
appeased neither by Agamemnon, son of Atreus, nor by any
other of the Danaeans, for I see that I have
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no thanks for all my fighting. He that fights fares
no better than he that does not. Coward and hero
are held in equal honor, and death deals like measure
to him who works and him who is idle. I
have taken nothing, by all my hardships, with my life
ever in my hand. As a bird when she has
found a morsel, takes her to her nestlings, and her
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self fares hardly even so. Many a long night have
I been wakeful, And many a bloody battle have I
waged by day against those who were fighting for their women.
With my ships, I have taken twelve cities and eleven
round about Troy have I stormed with my men by land.
I took great store of wealth from every one of them,
but I gave all up to Agamemnon, son of Atreus.
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He stayed where he was by his ships, hid of
what came to him. He gave little and kept much himself. Nevertheless,
he did distribute some meeds of honor among the chieftains
and kings, And these have them still from me alone
of the Achaeans. Did he take the woman in whom
I delighted, Let him keep her and sleep with her.
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Why pray must the argives need fight the Trojans. What
made the son of Atreus gather the host and bring them?
Was it not for the sake of Helen? Are the
sons of Atreus the only men in the world who
love their wives? Any man of common right feeling will
love and cherish her who is his own, as I
this woman with my whole heart, though she was but
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a fruitling of my spear. Agamemnon has taken her from me.
He has played me false, I know him. Let him
tempt me no further, for he shall not move me.
Let him look to you, you lysses, and to the
other princes, to save his ships from burning. He has
done much without me already he has built a wall.
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He has dug a trench deep and wide all round it,
and he has planked it within with stakes. But even
so he stays not the murderers might of Hector. So
long as I fought the Achaeans, Hector suffered not the
battle range far from the city walls. He would come
to the ski in gates and to the oak tree,
but no further once he stayed to meet me, and
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hardly did he escape my aunt set. Now, however, since
I am in no mood to fight him. I will
to morrow offer sacrifice to Jove and to all the gods.
I will draw my ships into the water and then
vittle them duly. To morrow morning, if you care to look,
you will see my ships on the all respond, and
my men rowing out to sea with might and main.
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If Great Neptune vouchsafes me a fair passage, in three
days I shall be in Phithia. I have much there
that I left behind me when I came here to
my sorrow, and I shall bring back still further store
of gold, of red copper, of fair women, and of iron,
my share of the spoils that we have taken. But
one prize he who gave has insolently taken away. Tell
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him all as I now bid you, and tell him
in public that the Achaeans may hate him and beware
of him, should he think that he can yet dupe others,
for his effrontery never fails him. As for me, hound
that he is, he dares not look me in the face.
I will take no counsel with him, and will undertake
nothing in common with him. He has wronged me and
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deceived me enough. He shall not cousin me further. Let
him go his own way, for Jove has robbed him
of his reason. I loathe his presence, and for himself
care not one straw. He may offer me ten or
even twenty times what he has done now, nay not,
though it be all that he has in the world,
both now ever shall have. He may promise me the
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wealth of Orcamanness, or of Egyptian thieves, which is the
richest city in the whole world, for it is a
hundred gaits, through each of which two hundred men may
drive at once with their chariots and horses. He may
offer me gifts as the sands of the sea or
the dust of the plain, in multitudes. But even so
he shall not move me till I have been revenged
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in full for the bitter wrong he has done me.
I will not marry his daughter. She may be fair,
as venous and skillful as Minerva, but I will have
none of her. Let another taker, who may be a
good match for her, and who rules a larger kingdom.
If the gods spare me to return home, Pelius will
find me a wife. There are key and women in
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Hellas and Phythia, daughters of kings that have cities under them.
Of these I can take whom I will and marry her.
Many a time was I minded, when at home and Phythia,
to woo and wed a woman who would make me
a suitable wife, and to enjoy the riches of my
old father Pelias. My life is more to me than
all the wealth of Elias, while it was yet at
peace before the Achaeans went there, or than all the
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treasure that lies on the stone floor of Apollo's temple
beneath the cliffs of Fitho. Cattle and sheep are to
be had for harrying, and a man by both tripods
and horses if he wants them. But when his life
has once left him, I can neither be bought nor
harried back again. My mother Thetis tells me that there
are two ways in which I may meet my end.
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If I stay here and fight, I shall not return alive,
but my name will live forever, whereas if I go home,
my name will die, but it will be long ere.
Death shall take me to the rest of you. Then
I say, go home, for you will not take ilias
joff has held his hand over her to protect her,
and her people have taken heart. Go therefore, as in
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duty bound and tell the princes of the Achaeans the
message that I have sent them. Tell them to find
some other plan for the saving of their ships and people.
For so long as my displeasure lasts, the one that
they have now hit upon may not be. As for Phoenix.
Let him sleep here, that he may sail with me
in the morning, if he so will, But I will
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not take him by force. They all held their peace,
dismayed at the sternness with which he had denied them,
till presently the old knight Phoenix, in his great fear
for the ships of the Achaeans, burst into tears and said,
Noble Achilles, if you are now minded to return, and
in the fierceness of your anger, will do nothing to
save the ships from burning, how, my son, can I
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remain here without you. Your father Pelias bade me go
with you when he sent you as a mere lad
from Phithera to Agamemnon. You knew nothing neither of war
nor of the arts whereby men make their mark into council.
And he sent me with you to train you in
all excellence of speech and action. Therefore, my son, I
will not stay here without you, No, not though Heaven
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itself voutsafe to strip my years from off me and
make me young as I was when I first left Alice,
the land of fair women. I was then flying the
anger of father Amnito, or son of Ormenus, who was
furious with me in the matter of his concubine, of
whom he was enamored to the wronging of his wife,
my mother. My mother therefore prayed me without ceasing to
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lie with the woman myself, that so she hate my father,
And in the course of time I yielded. But my
father soon came to know and cursed me bitterly, calling
the Dreaderinias to witness. He prayed that no son of
mine might ever sit upon knees, and the gods jove
the world below, and awful Proserpine fulfilled his curse. I
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took counsel to kill him, but some god stayed my
rashness and bade me think on men's evil tongues and
how I should be branded as the murderer of my father. Nevertheless,
I could not bear to stay in my father's house
with him so bitter against me, my cousins and clansmans
came about me and pressed me sorely to remain. Many
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a sheep and many an ox did they slaughter, And
many a fat hog did they set down to roast
before the fire. Many a jar, too, did they broach
of my father's wine. Nine whole nights did they set
a guard over me, taking it in turns to watch.
And they kept a fire always burning, both in the
cloister of the outer court and in the inner court
at the doors of the room wherein I lay. But
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when the darkness of the tenth night came, I broke
through the closed doors of my room and climbed the
wall of the outer court, after passing quickly and unperceived
through the men on guard and the women's servants, then
led through hellas till I came so fertile Phythia, mother
of sheep, and to King Pelias, who made me welcome
and treated me as a father treats an only son
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who will be heir to all his wealth. He made
me rich and set me over much people, establishing me
on the borders of Phythia, where I was chief ruler
over the Dilopeans. It was I Achilles who had the
making of you. I loved you with all my heart,
for you would eat neither at home, nor when you
had gone out elsewhere, till I had first set you
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upon my knees, cut up the dainty morsel that you
were to eat, and held the wine cup to your lips.
Many a time have you slobbered your wine in baby
helplessness over my shirt. I had infinite trouble with you,
but I knew that Heaven had vouchsafed me no offspring
of my own, and I made a son of you, Achilles,
that in my hour of need, you might protect me.
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Now therefore I say, battle with your pride and beat it.
Cherish not your anger, for ever the might and majesty
of Heaven are more than ours. But even Heaven may
be appeased. And if a man has sinned, he praise
the gods and reconciles them to himself by his piteous cries,
and by frank and sense, with drink offerings and the
savor of burnt sacrifice for prayers. Are as daughters to
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great Jove, halt, wrinkled with eyes as scance. They follow
in the footsteps of sin, who, being fierce and fleet
of foot, leaves them far behind him, and, ever baneful
to mankind, outstrips them. Even to the ends of the world.
But nevertheless the prayers come hobbling and healing. After. If
a man has pity upon these daughters of Jove, when
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they draw near him, they will bless him and hear
him too when he is praying. But if he deny
them and will not listen to them, they go to Jove,
the son of Saturn, and pray that he may presently
fall into sin, to his ruing bitterly hereafter. Therefore, Achilles
give these daughters of Jove due reverence and hour before them,
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as all good men will bow. Were not the son
of Atreus offering new gifts and promising others later if
he was still furious and implacable, I am not he
that would bid you throw off your anger and help
the Achaeans, no matter how great their need. But he
is giving much now and more hereafter. He has sent
his captains to urge his suit, and has chosen those
(28:21):
who have all the argives are most acceptable to you.
Make not then their words and their coming to be
of none effect. Your anger has been righteous. So far
we have heard in song how heroes of old time
quarreled when they were aroused to fury, but still they
could be won by gifts, and fair words could soothe them.
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I have an old story in my mind, a very
old one. But you are all friends, and I will
tell it. The Curates and the Itolians were fighting and
killing one another around Khalidon, the Itolians defending the city
and the Curtes trying to destroy it. For Diana of
the Golden Throne was angry and did them hurt because
Aeneus had not offered her his harvest first fruits. The
(29:05):
other gods had all been feasted with hecatoms, but to
the daughter of Great Jove alone, he had made no sacrifice.
He had forgotten her, or somehow or other he had
escaped him, and this was a grievous sin. Thereon, the
archer goddess, and her displeasure, sent a prodigious creature against him,
a savage wild boar with great white tusks that did
(29:26):
much harm to his orchard lands, uprooting apple trees in
full bloom and throwing them to the ground. But Meliaga,
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 its
stretch upon his funeral power. On this the goddess sent
the Curretes and Italians fighting furiously about the head and
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skin of the boar. So long as Meliaga was in
the field, things went badly with the Curretes, and for
all their numbers, they could not hold their ground under
the city walls. But in the course of time Meliaga
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
(30:12):
daughter of Marpessa, daughter of Uheneus 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 Alcione, because her mother
had mourned with the plaintive strains of the Halcian bird
when Phoebus Apollo had carried her off. Meliaga then stayed
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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 on an
awful Proserpine. She went down upon her knees, and a
bosom was wet with tears as she prayed that they
would kill her son and Rhinees that walks in darkness
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and knows no ruth. Heard from Erebus then was heard
the dinner of battle about the gates of Kaledon, and
the dull thump of the battering against their walls. Thereon,
the elders of the Otolians besought Meliaga. They set the
chiefest of their priests, and begged him to come out
and help them, Promising him a great reward, they bade
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him choose fifty plower gates, the most fertile in the
plains of Kaledon, the one half vineyard and the other
open plowland. The old warrior Oheneus 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
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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 Curites
had scaled the walls and were setting fire to the city.
Then at last his sorrowing wife detail the horrors that
before those whose city is taken. He reminded him how
the men are slain, and the city is given over
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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 armor to go forth. Thus, of
his own inward motion, he saved the city of the Otolians.
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,
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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 honor 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 honor.
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And Achilles answered Fennix, old friend and father, I have
no need of such honor. I have honor 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
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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 than in troubling those
that trouble me. Be king as much as I am,
and share like honor with myself. The others shall take
my answer. Stay here yourself and sleep comfortably in your bed.
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At daybreak we will consider whether to remain or go
on this He 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
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now take our answer, unwelcome though it be to the
Danaeans 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,
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and the wrongdoer, 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,
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respect the hospitality of your own roof. We are with
you as messages from the host of the Danaeans, and
would fain be held nearest and dearest to yourself of
all the Akayans. Ajax replied, Achilles, noble son of Telemon,
you have spoken much to my liking, but my blood
boils when I think it all over. And remember how
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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 Murmadans
in his murderous course and flings fire upon their ships.
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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 maid servants to make ready a comfortable
bed for Phoenix. They therefore did so with sheepskins, a rug,
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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 Fobas, lovely Diomede, whom he had carried off from Lesbos.
Patroclus lay on the other side of the room, and
with him fair Iphus, whom Achilles had given him when
(36:03):
he took Schayros the city of Eneus. 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 he refuse? And is he still furious? Ulysses
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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
bid you take counsel with the Achaeans to save the
ships and hosts as you best may. As for himself,
he said that at daybreak he should draw his ships
(36:47):
into the water. He said further that he should advise
every one to sail home likewise, but that you will
not reach the goal of Ilias Jove, he said, as
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
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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,
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most noble son of Atreus, king of men Agamemnon, you
ought not to have sued the son of Pelias, nor
offered him gifts. He is proud enough as it is,
and you have encouraged him in his pride. Still further,
let him stay or go as he will. He will
fight later when he is in the humor, and Heaven
puts it in his mind to do so. Now, therefore,
(37:55):
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,
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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. End of Section nine. Dream Audio Books hopes
you have enjoyed this program
Dream Audio Books presents second nine of the Iliad by Homer,
translated by Samuel Butler, Book nine the Embassy to Achilles.
Thus did the Trojans watch, but panic, comrade of blood
stained rout, had taken fast hold of the Achaeans, and
their princes. Were all of them in despair, as when
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the two winds that blow from Thrace, the north and
the northwest, spring up of a sudden and rouse the
fury of the main. In a moment, the dark waves
uprear their heads and scatter their sea rack in all directions.
Even thus troubled were the hearts of the Achaeans. The
son of Atreus in dismay Ad, the heralds call the
people to a council man by man, but not to
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cry the matter aloud. He made haste or so himself
to call them, and they sat sorry at heart in
their assembly. Agamemnon shed tears as it were a running
stream or cataract on the side of some sheer cliff,
And thus with many a heavy sigh he spoke to
the Achaeans. My friend said he, princes and counselors of
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the Argives, the hand of Heaven has been laid heavily
upon me. Cruel Jove gave me his solemn promise that
I should sack the city of Troy before returning. But
he has played me false and is now bidding me
go ingloriously back to Argos, with the loss of much people.
Such is the will of Jove, who has laid many
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a proud city in the dust, as he will yet
lay others. For his power is above all. Now therefore,
let us all do as I say, and sail back
to our own country, for we shall not take Troy.
Thus he spoke, and the sons of the Achaeans for
a long while sat sorrowful there, But they all held
their peace till at last Diomed of the loud battle
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cry made answer, saying, son of Atreus, I will chide
your folly as is my right in council. Be not
then aggrieved that I should do so. In the first place.
You attacked me before all the Danaans and said I
was a coward and no soldier. The Argives young and
old know that you did so. But the son of
scheming Satin endowed you by halves only. He gave you
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honor as the chief ruler over us. But valor which
is the highest both right and might. He did not
give you, sir, think you that the sons of the
Achaeans are indeed as unwarlike and cowardly as you say
they are. If your own mind is set upon going home,
go the way is open to you. The many ships
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that followed you from mycene stand raged upon the sea shore.
But the rest of us stay here till we have
sacked Troy. Nay, though these two should return homeward with
their ships, Sthenelus and myself will still fight on till
we reached the goal of Elias, For Heaven was with
us when we came. The sons of the Achaean shouted
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applause at the words of diomed, and presently Nestor rose
to speak. Zana Tidius said, he in war your prowess
is beyond question, and in counsel you excel all who
are of your own years. No one of the Achaeans
can make light of what you say, nor gainsay it.
But you have not yet come to the end of
the whole matter. You are still young. You might be
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the youngest of my own children. Still you have spoken
wisely and have counseled the chief of the Achaeans, not
without discretion. Nevertheless, I am older than you, and I
will tell you everything. Therefore, let no man, not even
King Agamemnon, disregard me, saying, for he that foments civil
discord is a clanless, hearthless outlaw. Now, however, let us
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obey the behests of night and get our suppers. But
let the sentinels, every man of them, camp by the trench,
that is, without the wall. I am giving these instructions
to the young men, when they have been attended to.
Do you, son of Atreus, give your orders, for you
are the most royal among us. All prepare a feast
for your counselors. It is right and reasonable that you
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should do so. There is abundance of wine in your tents,
which the ships of the Achaeans bring from thrace daily.
You have everything at your disposal wherewith to entertain guests,
and you have many subjects. When many are got together,
you can be guided by him whose counsel is wisest.
And surely do we need shrewd and prudent counsel, for
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the foe has lit his watch fires hard by our ships.
Who can be other than dismayed, this night will either
be the ruin of our host or save it. Thus
did he speak, and they did even as he had said.
The sentinels went out in their armor under command of
Nestus son Hassimides, a captain of the host, and of
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the bold warriors Ascallaephus and the Almenus. There were also Meriones,
Alpharaeus and Apayrus, and the son of Craon, noble Lycemedes.
There were seven captains of the sentinels, and with each
which there went a hundred youths armed with long spears.
They took their places midway between the trench and the wall,
and when they had done so, they lit their fires
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and got every man his supper. The son of Atreus
then bade many counselors of the Achaeans to his quarters,
and prepared a great feast in their honor. They laid
their hands on the good things that were before them,
and as soon as they had enough to eat and drink,
Old Nestor, whose counsel was ever truest, was the first
to lay his mind before them. He therefore, with all
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sincerity and good will, addressed them, thus with yourself, most
noble son of Atreus, King of Men, Agamemnon, will I
both begin my speech and end it. For you are
king over much people. Jove moreover has vouchsafed you to
wield the scepter and to uphold righteousness, that you may
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take thought for your people under you. Therefore it behooves
you above all others, both to speak and to givee,
and to out the counsel of another who shall have
been minded to speak wisely. All turns on you and
on your commands. Therefore I will say what I think
will be best. No man will be of a truer
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mind than that which has been mine from the hour.
And you, Sir, angered Achilles by taking the girl Bricius
from his tent. Against my judgment. I urged you not
to do so, But you yielded to your own pride
and dishonored a hero whom Heaven itself had honored. For
you still hold the prize that had been awarded to him. Now, however,
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let us think how we may appease him, both with
presents and fair speech that may conciliate him. And King
Agamemnon answered, Sir, you have reproved my folly justly. I
was wrong. I own it. One whom Heaven befriends is
in himself a host, and Jove has shown that he
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befriends this man by destroying much people of the Achaeans.
I was blinded with passion, and you to my worser mind.
Therefore I will make amends and will give him great
gifts by way of atonement. I will tell them in
the presence of you all. I will give him seven
tripods that have never yet been on the fire, and
ten talents of gold. I will give him twenty iron caldrons,
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and twelve strong horses that have won races and carried
off prizes rich. Indeed, both in land and gold. Is
he that has as many prizes as my horses have
won me. I will give him seven excellent workwomen, lesbians,
whom I chose for myself when he took Lesbos, all
of surpassing beauty. I will give him these, and with
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him her whom I erstwhile took from him, the daughter
of Briseus. And I swear a great oath that I
never went up into her couch, nor have been with her.
After the manner of men and women. All these things
will I give him now, And if hereafter the gods
vouchsafed me to sack the city of Priam. Let him
come when we are keyans are dividing the spoil and
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loading ship with gold and bronze to his liking. Furthermore,
let him take twenty Trojan women, the loveliest after Helen herself. Then,
when we reach Ace and Argos, wealthiest of all lands,
he shall be my son in law, and I will
show him honor with my own dear son Orestes, who
is being nurtured in all abundance. I have three daughters, Chrysothemas, Laodici,
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and Iphianasa. Let him take the one of his choice,
freely and without gifts of wooing, to the house of Pelias.
I will add such doubt a boot as no man
ever yet gave his daughter, and will give him seven
well established cities Cardamile, Enope and hire whether is grass
holy fare, and the rich meadows of Anthea Aepea, also,
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and the vine clad slopes of Padasus, all near the sea,
and on the borders of sandy Pylos. The men that
dwell there are rich in cattle and sheep. They will
honor him with gifts as though he were a God
and be obedient to his comfort ordinances. All this will
I do If he will now forego his anger, Let
(09:06):
him then yield. It is only Hades who is utterly
ruthless and unyielding, and hence he is of all gods
the one most hateful to mankind. Moreover, I am older
and more royal than himself. Therefore let him now obey me. Then, Nestor, answered,
most noble, son of Atreus, king of men Agamemnon, the
(09:29):
gifts you offer are no small ones. Let us then
send chosen messengers who may go to the tent of Achilles,
son of Peleus, without delay. Let those go whom I
shall name. Let Phoenix, dear to Jove lead the way,
Let Ajax and Ulysses follow, and let the Herald's odious
and euryberities go with them. Now bring water for our hands,
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and bid all keep silence while we pray to Jove,
the son of Saturn, if so be that he may
have mercy upon us. Thus did he speak, and his
saying pleased them well. Men servants poured water over the
hands of the guests, while pages filled the mixing bowls
with wine and water and handed it round after giving
(10:11):
every man his drink offering. Then, when they had made
their offerings and had drunk each as much as he
was minded, the envoys set out from the tent of Agamemnon,
son of Atreus, and Nastor, looking first to one and
then to another, but most especially at Ulysses was instant
with them that they should prevail with the noble son
of Pelius. They went their way by the shore of
(10:34):
the Sounding Sea and prayed earnestly to earth, encircling Neptune,
that the high spirit of the son of Aesus might
incline favorably towards them. When they reached the ships and
tents of the Myrmidons, they found Achilles playing on a
lyre fair of cunning workmanship and its cross barbers of silver.
It was part of the spoils which he had taken
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when he sacked the city of Aetion, and he was
now diverting himself with it and singing the feats of heroes.
He was alone with Petroclus, who sat opposite to him
and said nothing, waiting till he should cease singing. Ulysses
and Ajax now came in, Ulysses leading the way, and
stood before him. Achilles sprang from his seat with the
(11:17):
lyre still in his hand, and Petroclus, when he saw
the strangers, rose also. Achilles then greeted them, saying, all,
hail and welcome. You must come upon some great matter,
you who, for all my anger, are still dearest to
me of the Achaeans. With this he led them forward
and bade them sit on seats covered with purple rugs.
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Then he said to Petroclus, who was close to him,
son of Menoetius, set a larger bowl upon the table,
Mix less water with the wine, and give every man
his cup, for these are very dear friends who are
now under my roof Petroclus did as his comrade bad him.
He set the chopping block in front of the fire,
and on it he laid the loin of a sheep,
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the loin or so of a goat, and the chine
of a fat hog or to maid, and held the
meat while Achilles chopped it. He then sliced the pieces
and put them on spits, while the son of Menoetius
made the fire burn high. When the flame had died down,
he spread the embers, laid the spits on top of them,
lifting them up and setting them upon the spit racks,
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and he sprinkled them with salt. When the meat was roasted,
he set it on platters, and handed bread round the
table in fair baskets, while Achilles dwelt with their portions.
Then Achilles took his seat, facing Ulysses against the opposite wall,
and battis Comrade Petroclus offer sacrifice to the gods. So
he cast the offerings into the fire, and they laid
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their hands upon the good things that were before them.
As soon as they had had enough to eat and drink,
Ajax made a sign to Phoenix, and when he saw this,
Ulysses filled his cup with wine and pledged Achilles. Hail,
said he, Achilles, they have had no scant of good cheer,
neither in the tent of Agamemnon, nor yet hear there
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has been plenty to eat and drink. But our thoughts
turn upon no such matter. Sir. We are in the
face of great disaster, and without your help know not
whether we shall save our fleet or lose it. The
Trojans and their allies have camped hard by our ships
and by the wall. They have lit watch fires throughout
their host, and deem that nothing can now prevent them
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from falling on our fleet. Jove moreover has sent his
lightnings on their right. Hector, in all his glory, rages
like a maniac, confident that Jove is with him. He
fears neither God nor Man, but is gone raving mad,
and prays for the approach of day. He vows that
he will hew the high sterns of our ships in pieces,
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set fire to their holes, and make havoc of the
Achaeans while they are dazed and smothered in smoke. I
much fear that Heaven will make good his boasting, and
it will prove our lot to perish at Troy, far
from our home. Nargos up then, and late, though it be,
save the sons of the Achaeans who faint before the
fury of the Trojans. You will repent bitterly hereafter if
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you do not, for when the harm is done there
will be no curing it. Consider ere it be too late,
and save the Danaeans from destruction. My good friend, when
your father Pelias sent you from Phythia to Agamemnon, did
he not charge you, saying son Minerva and Juno will
make you strong if they choose but check your high temper,
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for the better part is in good will a shoe
vain quarreling, and the Achaeans old and young will respect
you more for doing so. These were his words, but
you have forgotten them even now. However, be appeased and
put away your anger from you. Agamemnon will make you
great amends if you will forgive him. Listen, and I
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will tell you what he has said in his tenth
that he will give you. He will give you seven
tripods that have never yet been on the fire, and
ten talents of gold, twenty iron cauldrons, and twelve strong
horses that have won races and carried off prizes rich indeed,
both in land and gold. Is he who as as
many prizes as these horses have won. For Agamemnon. Moreover,
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he will give you seven excellent workwomen, lesbians, whom he
chose for himself when you took Lesbos, all of surpassing beauty.
He will give you these, and with them her whom
he erewhile took from you, the daughter of Brisius. And
he will swear a great oath he has never gone
up into her couch, nor been with her. After the
manner of men and women. All these things will he
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give you now down, And if hereafter the gods vouchsafe
him to sack the city of Priam, you can come
when the Achaeans are dividing the spoil and load your
ship with gold and bronze. To your liking. You can
take twenty Trojan women, the loveliest after Helen herself. Then,
when we rich Achaean Argos, wealthiest of all lands, you
(15:58):
shall be his son in law, and he will show
you like honor with his own dear son Orestes, who
has been nurtured in all abundance. Agamemnon has three daughters, Chrysothemis, Laodichy,
and Iphianassa. You may take the one of your choice
freely and without gifts of wooing to the house of Pelias.
He will add such doubt a boot as no man
(16:19):
ever yet gave his daughter, and will give you seven
well established cities Cardamile, Enopie, and Heiro, where there is
grass holy Fea I, and the rich meadows of Anthea
a Pea also, and the vine clad slopes of Pedasus,
all near the sea, and on the borders of sandy Pylos.
The men that dwell there are rich in cattle and sheep.
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They will honor you with gifts as though you were
a god, and be obedient to your comfortable ordinances. All
this will he do if you will now forego your anger. Moreover,
though you hate both him and his gifts with all
your heart, yet pity the rest of the Achaeans who
are being harassed in all their host They will honor
you as a god, and you will learn great glory
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at their hands. You might even kill Hector. He will
come within your reach, for he is infatuated and declares
that not a Danaeian whom the ships have brought can
hold his own against him. Achilles answered, Ulysses, noble, son
of Laertes, I should give you formal notice, plainly and
in all fixity of purpose, that there be no more
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of this cajoling, from whatsoever quarter it may come. M
do I hate, even as the gates of hell, who
says one thing while he hides another in his heart.
Therefore I will say what I mean. I will be
appeased neither by Agamemnon, son of Atreus, nor by any
other of the Danaeans, for I see that I have
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no thanks for all my fighting. He that fights fares
no better than he that does not. Coward and hero
are held in equal honor, and death deals like measure
to him who works and him who is idle. I
have taken nothing, by all my hardships, with my life
ever in my hand. As a bird when she has
found a morsel, takes her to her nestlings, and her
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self fares hardly even so. Many a long night have
I been wakeful, And many a bloody battle have I
waged by day against those who were fighting for their women.
With my ships, I have taken twelve cities and eleven
round about Troy have I stormed with my men by land.
I took great store of wealth from every one of them,
but I gave all up to Agamemnon, son of Atreus.
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He stayed where he was by his ships, hid of
what came to him. He gave little and kept much himself. Nevertheless,
he did distribute some meeds of honor among the chieftains
and kings, And these have them still from me alone
of the Achaeans. Did he take the woman in whom
I delighted, Let him keep her and sleep with her.
(18:51):
Why pray must the argives need fight the Trojans. What
made the son of Atreus gather the host and bring them?
Was it not for the sake of Helen? Are the
sons of Atreus the only men in the world who
love their wives? Any man of common right feeling will
love and cherish her who is his own, as I
this woman with my whole heart, though she was but
(19:12):
a fruitling of my spear. Agamemnon has taken her from me.
He has played me false, I know him. Let him
tempt me no further, for he shall not move me.
Let him look to you, you lysses, and to the
other princes, to save his ships from burning. He has
done much without me already he has built a wall.
(19:33):
He has dug a trench deep and wide all round it,
and he has planked it within with stakes. But even
so he stays not the murderers might of Hector. So
long as I fought the Achaeans, Hector suffered not the
battle range far from the city walls. He would come
to the ski in gates and to the oak tree,
but no further once he stayed to meet me, and
(19:54):
hardly did he escape my aunt set. Now, however, since
I am in no mood to fight him. I will
to morrow offer sacrifice to Jove and to all the gods.
I will draw my ships into the water and then
vittle them duly. To morrow morning, if you care to look,
you will see my ships on the all respond, and
my men rowing out to sea with might and main.
(20:16):
If Great Neptune vouchsafes me a fair passage, in three
days I shall be in Phithia. I have much there
that I left behind me when I came here to
my sorrow, and I shall bring back still further store
of gold, of red copper, of fair women, and of iron,
my share of the spoils that we have taken. But
one prize he who gave has insolently taken away. Tell
(20:39):
him all as I now bid you, and tell him
in public that the Achaeans may hate him and beware
of him, should he think that he can yet dupe others,
for his effrontery never fails him. As for me, hound
that he is, he dares not look me in the face.
I will take no counsel with him, and will undertake
nothing in common with him. He has wronged me and
(21:01):
deceived me enough. He shall not cousin me further. Let
him go his own way, for Jove has robbed him
of his reason. I loathe his presence, and for himself
care not one straw. He may offer me ten or
even twenty times what he has done now, nay not,
though it be all that he has in the world,
both now ever shall have. He may promise me the
(21:22):
wealth of Orcamanness, or of Egyptian thieves, which is the
richest city in the whole world, for it is a
hundred gaits, through each of which two hundred men may
drive at once with their chariots and horses. He may
offer me gifts as the sands of the sea or
the dust of the plain, in multitudes. But even so
he shall not move me till I have been revenged
(21:43):
in full for the bitter wrong he has done me.
I will not marry his daughter. She may be fair,
as venous and skillful as Minerva, but I will have
none of her. Let another taker, who may be a
good match for her, and who rules a larger kingdom.
If the gods spare me to return home, Pelius will
find me a wife. There are key and women in
(22:04):
Hellas and Phythia, daughters of kings that have cities under them.
Of these I can take whom I will and marry her.
Many a time was I minded, when at home and Phythia,
to woo and wed a woman who would make me
a suitable wife, and to enjoy the riches of my
old father Pelias. My life is more to me than
all the wealth of Elias, while it was yet at
peace before the Achaeans went there, or than all the
(22:26):
treasure that lies on the stone floor of Apollo's temple
beneath the cliffs of Fitho. Cattle and sheep are to
be had for harrying, and a man by both tripods
and horses if he wants them. But when his life
has once left him, I can neither be bought nor
harried back again. My mother Thetis tells me that there
are two ways in which I may meet my end.
(22:49):
If I stay here and fight, I shall not return alive,
but my name will live forever, whereas if I go home,
my name will die, but it will be long ere.
Death shall take me to the rest of you. Then
I say, go home, for you will not take ilias
joff has held his hand over her to protect her,
and her people have taken heart. Go therefore, as in
(23:12):
duty bound and tell the princes of the Achaeans the
message that I have sent them. Tell them to find
some other plan for the saving of their ships and people.
For so long as my displeasure lasts, the one that
they have now hit upon may not be. As for Phoenix.
Let him sleep here, that he may sail with me
in the morning, if he so will, But I will
(23:33):
not take him by force. They all held their peace,
dismayed at the sternness with which he had denied them,
till presently the old knight Phoenix, in his great fear
for the ships of the Achaeans, burst into tears and said,
Noble Achilles, if you are now minded to return, and
in the fierceness of your anger, will do nothing to
save the ships from burning, how, my son, can I
(23:56):
remain here without you. Your father Pelias bade me go
with you when he sent you as a mere lad
from Phithera to Agamemnon. You knew nothing neither of war
nor of the arts whereby men make their mark into council.
And he sent me with you to train you in
all excellence of speech and action. Therefore, my son, I
will not stay here without you, No, not though Heaven
(24:20):
itself voutsafe to strip my years from off me and
make me young as I was when I first left Alice,
the land of fair women. I was then flying the
anger of father Amnito, or son of Ormenus, who was
furious with me in the matter of his concubine, of
whom he was enamored to the wronging of his wife,
my mother. My mother therefore prayed me without ceasing to
(24:41):
lie with the woman myself, that so she hate my father,
And in the course of time I yielded. But my
father soon came to know and cursed me bitterly, calling
the Dreaderinias to witness. He prayed that no son of
mine might ever sit upon knees, and the gods jove
the world below, and awful Proserpine fulfilled his curse. I
(25:04):
took counsel to kill him, but some god stayed my
rashness and bade me think on men's evil tongues and
how I should be branded as the murderer of my father. Nevertheless,
I could not bear to stay in my father's house
with him so bitter against me, my cousins and clansmans
came about me and pressed me sorely to remain. Many
(25:25):
a sheep and many an ox did they slaughter, And
many a fat hog did they set down to roast
before the fire. Many a jar, too, did they broach
of my father's wine. Nine whole nights did they set
a guard over me, taking it in turns to watch.
And they kept a fire always burning, both in the
cloister of the outer court and in the inner court
at the doors of the room wherein I lay. But
(25:47):
when the darkness of the tenth night came, I broke
through the closed doors of my room and climbed the
wall of the outer court, after passing quickly and unperceived
through the men on guard and the women's servants, then
led through hellas till I came so fertile Phythia, mother
of sheep, and to King Pelias, who made me welcome
and treated me as a father treats an only son
(26:08):
who will be heir to all his wealth. He made
me rich and set me over much people, establishing me
on the borders of Phythia, where I was chief ruler
over the Dilopeans. It was I Achilles who had the
making of you. I loved you with all my heart,
for you would eat neither at home, nor when you
had gone out elsewhere, till I had first set you
(26:30):
upon my knees, cut up the dainty morsel that you
were to eat, and held the wine cup to your lips.
Many a time have you slobbered your wine in baby
helplessness over my shirt. I had infinite trouble with you,
but I knew that Heaven had vouchsafed me no offspring
of my own, and I made a son of you, Achilles,
that in my hour of need, you might protect me.
(26:53):
Now therefore I say, battle with your pride and beat it.
Cherish not your anger, for ever the might and majesty
of Heaven are more than ours. But even Heaven may
be appeased. And if a man has sinned, he praise
the gods and reconciles them to himself by his piteous cries,
and by frank and sense, with drink offerings and the
savor of burnt sacrifice for prayers. Are as daughters to
(27:18):
great Jove, halt, wrinkled with eyes as scance. They follow
in the footsteps of sin, who, being fierce and fleet
of foot, leaves them far behind him, and, ever baneful
to mankind, outstrips them. Even to the ends of the world.
But nevertheless the prayers come hobbling and healing. After. If
a man has pity upon these daughters of Jove, when
(27:40):
they draw near him, they will bless him and hear
him too when he is praying. But if he deny
them and will not listen to them, they go to Jove,
the son of Saturn, and pray that he may presently
fall into sin, to his ruing bitterly hereafter. Therefore, Achilles
give these daughters of Jove due reverence and hour before them,
(28:00):
as all good men will bow. Were not the son
of Atreus offering new gifts and promising others later if
he was still furious and implacable, I am not he
that would bid you throw off your anger and help
the Achaeans, no matter how great their need. But he
is giving much now and more hereafter. He has sent
his captains to urge his suit, and has chosen those
(28:21):
who have all the argives are most acceptable to you.
Make not then their words and their coming to be
of none effect. Your anger has been righteous. So far
we have heard in song how heroes of old time
quarreled when they were aroused to fury, but still they
could be won by gifts, and fair words could soothe them.
(28:42):
I have an old story in my mind, a very
old one. But you are all friends, and I will
tell it. The Curates and the Itolians were fighting and
killing one another around Khalidon, the Itolians defending the city
and the Curtes trying to destroy it. For Diana of
the Golden Throne was angry and did them hurt because
Aeneus had not offered her his harvest first fruits. The
(29:05):
other gods had all been feasted with hecatoms, but to
the daughter of Great Jove alone, he had made no sacrifice.
He had forgotten her, or somehow or other he had
escaped him, and this was a grievous sin. Thereon, the
archer goddess, and her displeasure, sent a prodigious creature against him,
a savage wild boar with great white tusks that did
(29:26):
much harm to his orchard lands, uprooting apple trees in
full bloom and throwing them to the ground. But Meliaga,
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 its
stretch upon his funeral power. On this the goddess sent
the Curretes and Italians fighting furiously about the head and
(29:49):
skin of the boar. So long as Meliaga was in
the field, things went badly with the Curretes, and for
all their numbers, they could not hold their ground under
the city walls. But in the course of time Meliaga
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
(30:12):
daughter of Marpessa, daughter of Uheneus 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 Alcione, because her mother
had mourned with the plaintive strains of the Halcian bird
when Phoebus Apollo had carried her off. Meliaga then stayed
(30:34):
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 on an
awful Proserpine. She went down upon her knees, and a
bosom was wet with tears as she prayed that they
would kill her son and Rhinees that walks in darkness
(30:58):
and knows no ruth. Heard from Erebus then was heard
the dinner of battle about the gates of Kaledon, and
the dull thump of the battering against their walls. Thereon,
the elders of the Otolians besought Meliaga. They set the
chiefest of their priests, and begged him to come out
and help them, Promising him a great reward, they bade
(31:19):
him choose fifty plower gates, the most fertile in the
plains of Kaledon, the one half vineyard and the other
open plowland. The old warrior Oheneus 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
(31:41):
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 Curites
had scaled the walls and were setting fire to the city.
Then at last his sorrowing wife detail the horrors that
before those whose city is taken. He reminded him how
the men are slain, and the city is given over
(32:03):
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 armor to go forth. Thus, of
his own inward motion, he saved the city of the Otolians.
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,
(32:27):
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 honor 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 honor.
(32:48):
And Achilles answered Fennix, old friend and father, I have
no need of such honor. I have honor 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
(33:10):
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 than in troubling those
that trouble me. Be king as much as I am,
and share like honor with myself. The others shall take
my answer. Stay here yourself and sleep comfortably in your bed.
(33:31):
At daybreak we will consider whether to remain or go
on this He 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
(33:53):
now take our answer, unwelcome though it be to the
Danaeans 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,
(34:14):
and the wrongdoer, 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,
(34:37):
respect the hospitality of your own roof. We are with
you as messages from the host of the Danaeans, and
would fain be held nearest and dearest to yourself of
all the Akayans. Ajax replied, Achilles, noble son of Telemon,
you have spoken much to my liking, but my blood
boils when I think it all over. And remember how
(34:59):
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 Murmadans
in his murderous course and flings fire upon their ships.
(35:20):
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 maid servants to make ready a comfortable
bed for Phoenix. They therefore did so with sheepskins, a rug,
(35:43):
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 Fobas, lovely Diomede, whom he had carried off from Lesbos.
Patroclus lay on the other side of the room, and
with him fair Iphus, whom Achilles had given him when
(36:03):
he took Schayros the city of Eneus. 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 he refuse? And is he still furious? Ulysses
(36:26):
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
bid you take counsel with the Achaeans to save the
ships and hosts as you best may. As for himself,
he said that at daybreak he should draw his ships
(36:47):
into the water. He said further that he should advise
every one to sail home likewise, but that you will
not reach the goal of Ilias Jove, he said, as
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
(37:09):
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,
(37:33):
most noble son of Atreus, king of men Agamemnon, you
ought not to have sued the son of Pelias, nor
offered him gifts. He is proud enough as it is,
and you have encouraged him in his pride. Still further,
let him stay or go as he will. He will
fight later when he is in the humor, and Heaven
puts it in his mind to do so. Now, therefore,
(37:55):
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,
(38:17):
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. End of Section nine. Dream Audio Books hopes
you have enjoyed this program
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