A weary life The orphan knows, and suffering cometh in From every side upon him like a flood. To me too thraldom's day shall doubtless come, Now thou hast died, who wast my god on earth." Then in all kindness Agamemnon spake: "Princess, no man on earth shall make thee thrall, While Teucer liveth yet, while yet I live. Thou shalt have worship of us evermore And honour as a Goddess, with thy son, As though yet living were that godlike man, Aias, who was the Achaeans' chiefest strength. Ah that he had not laid this load of grief On all, in dying by his own right hand! For all the countless armies of his foes Never availed to slay him in fair fight." So spake he, grieved to the inmost heart. The folk Woefully wafted all round. O'er Hellespont Echoes of mourning rolled: the sighing air Darkened around, a wide-spread sorrow-pall. Yea, grief laid hold on wise Odysseus' self For the great dead, and with remorseful soul To anguish-stricken Argives thus he spake: "O friends, there is no greater curse to men Than wrath, which groweth till its bitter fruit Is strife. Now wrath hath goaded Aias on To this dire issue of the rage that filled His soul against me. Would to God that ne'er Yon Trojans in the strife for Achilles' arms Had crowned me with that victory, for which Strong Telamon's brave son, in agony Of soul, thus perished by his own right hand! Yet blame not me, I pray you, for his wrath: Blame the dark dolorous Fate that struck him down. For, had mine heart foreboded aught of this, This desperation of a soul distraught, Never for victory had I striven with him, Nor had I suffered any Danaan else, Though ne'er so eager, to contend with him. Nay, I had taken up those arms divine With mine own hands, and gladly given them To him, ay, though himself desired it not. But for such mighty grief and wrath in him I had not looked, since not for a woman's sake Nor for a city, nor possessions wide, I then contended, but for Honour's meed, Which alway is for all right-hearted men The happy goal of all their rivalry. But that great-hearted man was led astray By Fate, the hateful fiend; for surely it is Unworthy a man to be made passion's fool. The wise man's part is, steadfast-souled to endure All ills, and not to rage against his lot."