* * * But when now, at length, The twelfth day came, the ever-living gods Returned together to the Olympian mount With Jove, their leader. Thetis kept in mind Her son’s desire, and, with the early morn, Emerging from the depths of ocean, climbed To the great heaven and the high mount, and found All-seeing Jove, who, from the rest apart, Was seated on the loftiest pinnacle Of many-peaked Olympus. She sat down Before the son of Saturn, clasped his knees With her left arm, and lifted up her right In supplication to the Sovereign One: “O Jupiter, my father, if among The immortals I have ever given thee aid By word or act, deny not my request. Honor my son, whose life is doomed to end So soon; for Agamemnon, king of men, Hath done him shameful wrong: he takes from him And keeps the prize he won in war. But thou, Olympian Jupiter, supremely wise, Honor him now, and give the Trojan host The victory, until the humbled Greeks Heap large increase of honors on my son.” She spake, but cloud-compelling Jupiter Answered her not; in silence long he sat. But Thetis, who had clasped his knees at first, Clung to them still, and prayed him yet again:— “O promise me, and grant my suit; or else Deny it,—for thou need’st not fear,—and I Shall know how far below the other gods Thou holdest me in honor.” As she spake, The cloud-compeller, sighing heavily, Answered her thus: “Hard things dost thou require, And thou wilt force me into new disputes With Juno, who will anger me again With contumelious words; for ever thus, In presence of the immortals, doth she seek Cause of contention, charging that I aid The Trojans in their battles. Now depart, And let her not perceive thee. Leave the rest To be by me accomplished; and that thou Mayst be assured, behold, I give the nod; For this, with me, the immortals know, portends The highest certainty: no word of mine Which once my nod confirms can be revoked, Or prove untrue, or fail to be fulfilled.” As thus he spake, the son of Saturn gave The nod with his dark brows. The ambrosial curls Upon the Sovereign One’s immortal head Were shaken, and with them the mighty mount Olympus trembled. Then they parted, she Plunging from bright Olympus to the deep, And Jove returning to his palace home; Where all the gods, uprising from their thrones, At sight of the Great Father, waited not For his approach, but met him as he came. And now upon his throne the Godhead took His seat, but Juno knew—for she had seen— That Thetis of the silver feet, and child Of the gray Ancient of the Deep, had held Close counsel with her consort. Therefore she Bespake the son of Saturn harshly, thus:—