To whom Achilles, swift of foot, replied, Groaning, “Thou know’st; what boots to tell thee all? On Thebes we march’d, Eetion’s sacred town, And storm’d the walls, and hither bore the spoil. The spoils were fairly by the sons of Greece Apportion’d out; and to Atrides’ share The beauteous daughter of old Chryses fell. Chryses, Apollo’s priest, to free his child, Came to th’ encampment of the brass-clad Greeks, With costly ransom charg’d; and in his hand The sacred fillet of his God he bore, And golden staff; to all he sued, but chief To Atreus’ sons, twin captains of the host. Then through the ranks assenting murmurs ran, The priest to rev’rence, and the ransom take: Not so Atrides; he, with haughty mien And bitter words, the trembling sire dismiss’d. The old man turn’d in sorrow; but his pray’r Phoebus Apollo heard, who lov’d him well. Against the Greeks he bent his fatal bow, And fast the people fell; on ev’ry side Throughout the camp the heav’nly arrows flew; A skilful seer at length the cause reveal’d Why thus incens’d the Archer-God; I then, The first, gave counsel to appease his wrath. Whereat Atrides, full of fury, rose, And utter’d threats, which he hath now fulfill’d. For Chryses’ daughter to her native land In a swift-sailing ship the keen-ey’d Greeks Have sent, with costly off’rings to the God: But her, assign’d me by the sons of Greece, Brises’ fair daughter, from my tent e’en now The heralds bear away. Then, Goddess, thou, If thou hast pow’r, protect thine injur’d son. Fly to Olympus, to the feet of Jove, And make thy pray’r to him, if on his heart Thou hast in truth, by word or deed, a claim. For I remember, in my father’s house, I oft have heard thee boast, how thou, alone Of all th’ Immortals, Saturn’s cloud-girt son Didst shield from foul disgrace, when all the rest, Juno, and Neptune, and Minerva join’d, With chains to bind him; then, O Goddess, thou Didst set him free, invoking to his aid Him of the hundred arms, whom Briareus Th’ immortal Gods, and men Ægeon call. He, mightier than his father, took his seat By Saturn’s side, in pride of conscious strength: Fear seiz’d on all the Gods, nor did they dare To bind their King: of this remind him now, And clasp his knees, and supplicate his aid For Troy’s brave warriors, that the routed Greeks Back to their ships with slaughter may be driv’n; That all may taste the folly of their King, And Agamemnon’s haughty self may mourn The slight on Grecia’s bravest warrior cast.”