Achilles (Mythological character); Epic poetry, Greek -- Translations into English; Trojan War
Now when the twelfth morn thereafter was come, then the gods that are
for ever fared to Olympus all in company, led of Zeus. And Thetis
forgat not her son’s charge, but rose up from the sea-wave, and at
early morn mounted up to great heaven and Olympus. There found she
Kronos’ son of the far-sounding voice sitting apart from all on the
topmost peak of many-ridged Olympus. So she sat before his face and
with her left hand clasped his knees, and with her right touched him
beneath his chin, and spake in prayer to king Zeus son of Kronos:
“Father Zeus, if ever I gave thee aid amid the immortal gods, whether
by word or deed, fulfil thou this my desire: do honour to my son, that
is doomed to earliest death of all men: now hath Agamemnon king of men
done him dishonour, for he hath taken away his meed of honour and
keepeth her of his own violent deed. But honour thou him, Zeus of
Olympus, lord of counsel; grant thou victory to the Trojans the while
until the Achaians do my son honour and exalt him with recompense.”
So spake she; but Zeus the cloud-gatherer said no word to her, and sat
long time in silence. But even as Thetis had clasped his knees, so held
she by him clinging, and questioned him yet a second time: “Promise me
now this thing verily, and bow thy head thereto; or else deny me,
seeing there is naught for thee to fear; that I may know full well how
I among all gods am least in honour.”
Then Zeus the cloud-gatherer, sore troubled, spake to her: “Verily it
is a sorry matter, if thou wilt set me at variance with Hera, whene’er
she provoketh me with taunting words. Even now she upbraideth me ever
amid the immortal gods, and saith that I aid the Trojans in battle. But
do thou now depart again, lest Hera mark aught; and I will take thought
for these things to fulfil them. Come now, I will bow my head to thee,
that thou mayest be of good courage; for that, of my part, is the
surest token amid the immortals; no word of mine is revocable nor false
nor unfulfilled when the bowing of my head hath pledged it.”
Kronion spake, and bowed his dark brow, and the ambrosial locks waved
from the king’s immortal head; and he made great Olympus quake.
Thus the twain took counsel and parted; she leapt therewith into the
deep sea from glittering Olympus, and Zeus fared to his own palace. All
the gods in company arose from their seats before their father’s face;
neither ventured any to await his coming, but stood up all before him.
So he sate him there upon his throne; but Hera saw, and was not
ignorant how that the daughter of the Ancient of the sea, Thetis the
silver-footed, had devised counsel with him. Anon with taunting words
spake she to Zeus the son of Kronos: “Now who among the gods, thou
crafty of mind, hath devised counsel with thee? It is ever thy good
pleasure to hold aloof from me and in secret meditation to give thy
judgments, nor of thine own good will hast thou ever brought thyself to
declare unto me the thing thou purposest.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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