Achilles (Mythological character) -- Juvenile literature; Trojan War -- Juvenile literature
"Nay, great Achilles," said Agamemnon, "thou shalt not cheat me thus.
If the Greeks will give me such a share as I should have, well and
good. But if not, I will take one for myself, whether it be from
thee, or from Ajax, or from Ulysses; for my share I will have. But
of this hereafter. Now let us see that this maiden be sent back.
Let them get ready a ship, and put her therein, and with her a
hundred victims for sacrifice, and let some chief go with the ship,
and see that all things be rightly done."
A'-jax.
Then cried Achilles, and his face was black as a thunder-storm:
"Surely thou art altogether shameless and greedy, and, in truth, an
ill ruler of men. No quarrel have I with the Trojans. They never
seized oxen or sheep of mine in my native land, for many mountains
lie between, and a great breadth of roaring sea. But I have been
fighting in thy cause, and that of thy brother. Naught carest thou
for that. Thou leavest me to fight, and sittest in thy tent at ease.
But when the spoil is divided, thine is always the lion's share.
Small indeed is my part, and this, forsooth, thou wilt take away!
Now am I resolved to go home. I have no mind to heap up goods and
gold for thee, and be myself dishonoured."
And King Agamemnon answered: "Go, and thy Myrmidons with thee! I
have other chieftains as good as thou art, and ready, as thou art
not, to pay me due respect; and Zeus is with me. I hate thee, for
thou always lovest war and strife. And as for the matter of the
spoil, know that I will take thy share, the girl Briseis, and fetch
her myself, if need be, that all may know that I am sovereign lord
here in the host of the Greeks."
Myr-mi-dons, the soldiers of Achilles. Bri-se'-is.
Then Achilles was mad with anger, and he thought in his heart, "Shall
I arise and slay him, or shall I keep down the wrath in my breast?"
And as he thought he laid his hand on his sword-hilt, and had half
drawn his sword from the scabbard, when lo! the goddess Athene stood
behind him (for Hera, who loved both chieftains had sent her), and
caught him by the long locks of his yellow hair. Achilles marvelled
much to feel the mighty grasp, and turned, and looked, and knew the
goddess, but no one else in the assembly could see her. Terrible was
the flash of his eyes as he cried: "Art thou come, child of Zeus, to
see the insolence of Agamemnon? Of a truth, I think that he will
perish for his folly."
A-the'-ne.
But Athene said: "Nay, I am come from heaven to calm thy wrath, if
thou wilt hear me; white-armed Hera sent me, for she loveth and
cherisheth you both alike. Draw not thy sword; but use bitter words,
even as thou wilt. Of a truth, I tell thee that for this insolence
of to-day he will bring thee hereafter splendid gifts, threefold and
fourfold for all that he may take away. Only restrain thyself and do
my bidding."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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