To Phœbus, hoping to appease the God By whose dread shafts the Argives now expire. So saying, he gave her to him, who with joy Received his daughter. Then, before the shrine550 Magnificent in order due they ranged The noble Hecatomb.[31] Each laved his hands And took the salted meal, and Chryses made His fervent prayer with hands upraised on high. God of the silver bow, who with thy power555 Encirclest Chrysa, and who reign’st supreme In Tenedos, and Cilla the divine! Thou prov’dst propitious to my first request, Hast honor’d me, and punish’d sore the Greeks; Hear yet thy servant’s prayer; take from their host560 At once the loathsome pestilence away! So Chryses prayed, whom Phœbus heard well-pleased; Then prayed the Grecians also, and with meal Sprinkling the victims, their retracted necks First pierced, then flay’d them; the disjointed thighs565 They, next, invested with the double caul, Which with crude slices thin they overspread. The priest burned incense, and libation poured Large on the hissing brands, while, him beside, Busy with spit and prong, stood many a youth570 Trained to the task. The thighs with fire consumed, They gave to each his portion of the maw, Then slashed the remnant, pierced it with the spits, And managing with culinary skill The roast, withdrew it from the spits again.575 Their whole task thus accomplish’d, and the board Set forth, they feasted, and were all sufficed. When neither hunger more nor thirst remained Unsatisfied, boys crown’d the beakers high With wine delicious, and from right to left580 Distributing the cups, served every guest. Thenceforth the youths of the Achaian race To song propitiatory gave the day, Pæans[32] to Phœbus, Archer of the skies, Chaunting melodious. Pleased, Apollo heard.585 But, when, the sun descending, darkness fell, They on the beach beside their hawsers slept; And, when the day-spring’s daughter rosy-palm’d Aurora look’d abroad, then back they steer’d To the vast camp. Fair wind, and blowing fresh,590 Apollo sent them; quick they rear’d the mast, Then spread the unsullied canvas to the gale, And the wind filled it. Roared the sable flood Around the bark, that ever as she went Dash’d wide the brine, and scudded swift away.595 Thus reaching soon the spacious camp of Greece, Their galley they updrew sheer o’er the sands From the rude surge remote, then propp’d her sides With scantlings long,[33] and sought their several tents. But Peleus’ noble son, the speed-renown’d600 Achilles, he, his well-built bark beside, Consumed his hours, nor would in council more, Where wise men win distinction, or in fight Appear, to sorrow and heart-withering wo Abandon’d; though for battle, ardent, still605 He panted, and the shout-resounding field. But when the twelfth fair morrow streak’d the East, Then all the everlasting Gods to Heaven Resorted, with the Thunderer at their head, And Thetis, not unmindful of her son,610 Prom the salt flood emerged, seeking betimes