Consum’d us so, and for a wench, whom, when I choos’d for prise, In laying Lyrnessus’ ruin’d walls amongst our victories, I would to heav’n, as first she set her dainty foot aboard, Diana’s hand had tumbled off, and with a jav’lin gor’d! For then th’ unmeasurable earth had not so thick been gnawn, In death’s convulsions, by our friends, since my affects were drawn To such distemper. To our foe, and to our foe’s chief friend, Our jar brought profit; but the Greeks will never give an end To thought of what it prejudic’d them. Past things yet past our aid; Fit grief for what wrath rul’d in them, must make th’ amends repaid With that necessity of love, that now forbids our ire; Which I with free affects obey. ’Tis for the senseless fire Still to be burning, having stuff; but men must curb rage still, Being fram’d with voluntary pow’rs, as well to check the will As give it reins. Give you then charge, that for our instant fight The Greeks may follow me to field, to try if still the night Will bear out Trojans at our ships. I hope there is some one, Amongst their chief encouragers, will thank me to be gone, And bring his heart down to his knees in that submissión.” The Greeks rejoic’d to hear the heart of Peleus’ mighty son So qualified. And then the king (not rising from his throne For his late hurt) to get good ear, thus order’d his reply: “Princes of Greece, your states shall suffer no indignity, If, being far off, ye stand and hear; nor fits it such as stand At greater distance, to disturb the council now in hand By uproar, in their too much care of hearing. Some, of force, Must lose some words; for hard it is, in such a great concourse (Though hearers’ ears be ne’er so sharp) to touch at all things spoke; And in assemblies of such thrust, how can a man provoke Fit pow’r to hear, or leave to speak? Best auditors may there Lose fittest words, and the most vocal orator fit ear. My main end then, to satisfy Pelides with reply, My words shall prosecute; to him my speech especially Shall bear direction. Yet I wish, the court in general Would give fit ear; my speech shall need attentión of all. Oft have our peers of Greece much blam’d my forcing of the prise Due to Achilles; of which act, not I, but destinies, And Jove himself, and black Erinnys (that casts false mists still Betwixt us and our actions done, both by her pow’r and will) Are authors. What could I do then? The very day and hour Of our debate, that Fury stole in that act on my pow’r. And more; all things are done by strife; that ancient seed of Jove, Ate, that hurts all, perfects all, her feet are soft, and move Not on the earth, they bear her still aloft men’s heads, and there The harmful hurts them. Nor was I alone her prisoner, Jove, best of men and Gods, hath been; not he himself hath gone Beyond her fetters, no, she made a woman put them on; For when Alcmena was to vent the force of Hercules In well-wall’d Thebes, thus Jove triumph’d: ‘Hear, Gods and Goddesses,