The Iliad

                                    by Homer
  
                                Written 800 B.C. 
                          Translated By Samuel Butler
   
  Book I
  
     Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus, that brought
     countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send
     hurrying down to Hades, and many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs
     and vultures, for so were the counsels of Jove fulfilled from the
     day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles,
     first fell out with one another. 
     
     And which of the gods was it that set them on to quarrel? It was the
     son of Jove and Leto; for he was angry with the king and sent a
     pestilence upon the host to plague the people, because the son of
     Atreus had dishonoured Chryses his priest. Now Chryses had come to
     the ships of the Achaeans to free his daughter, and had brought with
     him a great ransom: moreover he bore in his hand the sceptre of
     Apollo wreathed with a suppliant's wreath and he besought the
     Achaeans, but most of all the two sons of Atreus, who were their
     chiefs. 
     
     "Sons of Atreus," he cried, "and all other Achaeans, may the gods
     who dwell in Olympus grant you to sack the city of Priam, and to
     reach your homes in safety; but free my daughter, and accept a
     ransom for her, in reverence to Apollo, son of Jove." 
     
     On this the rest of the Achaeans with one voice were for respecting
     the priest and taking the ransom that he offered; but not so
     Agamemnon, who spoke fiercely to him and sent him roughly away. "Old
     man," said he, "let me not find you tarrying about our ships, nor
     yet coming hereafter. Your sceptre of the god and your wreath shall
     profit you nothing. I will not free her. She shall grow old in my
     house at Argos far from her own home, busying herself with her loom
     and visiting my couch; so go, and do not provoke me or it shall be
     the worse for you." 
     
     The old man feared him and obeyed. Not a word he spoke, but went by
     the shore of the sounding sea and prayed apart to King Apollo whom
     lovely Leto had borne. "Hear me," he cried, "O god of the silver
     bow, that protectest Chryse and holy Cilla and rulest Tenedos with
     thy might, hear me oh thou of Sminthe. If I have ever decked your
     temple with garlands, or burned your thigh-bones in fat of bulls or
     goats, grant my prayer, and let your arrows avenge these my tears
     upon the Danaans." 
     
     Thus did he pray, and Apollo heard his prayer. He came down furious
     from the summits of Olympus, with his bow and his quiver upon his
     shoulder, and the arrows rattled on his back with the rage that
     trembled within him. He sat himself down away from the ships with a
     face as dark as night, and his silver bow rang death as he shot his
     arrow in the midst of them. First he smote their mules and their
     hounds, but presently he aimed his shafts at the people themselves,
     and all day long the pyres of the dead were burning. 
     
     For nine whole days he shot his arrows among the people, but upon
     the tenth day Achilles called them in assembly- moved thereto by
     Juno, who saw the Achaeans in their death-throes and had compassion
     upon them. Then, when they were got together, he rose and spoke
     among them. 
     
     "Son of Atreus," said he, "I deem that we should now turn roving
     home if we would escape destruction, for we are being cut down by
     war and pestilence at once. Let us ask some priest or prophet, or
     some reader of dreams (for dreams, too, are of Jove) who can tell us
     why Phoebus Apollo is so angry, and say whether it is for some vow
     that we have broken, or hecatomb that we have not offered, and
     whether he will accept the savour of lambs and goats without
     blemish, so as to take away the plague from us." 
     
     With these words he sat down, and Calchas son of Thestor, wisest of
     augurs, who knew things past present and to come, rose to speak. He
     it was who had guided the Achaeans with their fleet to Ilius,
     through the prophesyings with which Phoebus Apollo had inspired him.
     With all sincerity and goodwill he addressed them thus:- 
     
     "Achilles, loved of heaven, you bid me tell you about the anger of
     King Apollo, I will therefore do so; but consider first and swear
     that you will stand by me heartily in word and deed, for I know that
     I shall offend one who rules the Argives with might, to whom all the
     Achaeans are in subjection. A plain man cannot stand against the
     anger of a king, who if he swallow his displeasure now, will yet
     nurse revenge till he has wreaked it. Consider, therefore, whether
     or no you will protect me." 
     
     And Achilles answered, "Fear not, but speak as it is borne in upon
     you from heaven, for by Apollo, Calchas, to whom you pray, and whose
     oracles you reveal to us, not a Danaan at our ships shall lay his
     hand upon you, while I yet live to look upon the face of the earth-
     no, not though you name Agamemnon himself, who is by far the
     foremost of the Achaeans." 
     
     Thereon the seer spoke boldly. "The god," he said, "is angry neither
     about vow nor hecatomb, but for his priest's sake, whom Agamemnon
     has dishonoured, in that he would not free his daughter nor take a
     ransom for her; therefore has he sent these evils upon us, and will
     yet send others. He will not deliver the Danaans from this
     pestilence till Agamemnon has restored the girl without fee or
     ransom to her father, and has sent a holy hecatomb to Chryse. Thus
     we may perhaps appease him." 
     
     With these words he sat down, and Agamemnon rose in anger. His heart
     was black with rage, and his eyes flashed fire as he scowled on
     Calchas and said, "Seer of evil, you never yet prophesied smooth
     things concerning me, but have ever loved to foretell that which was
     evil. You have brought me neither comfort nor performance; and now
     you come seeing among Danaans, and saying that Apollo has plagued us
     because I would not take a ransom for this girl, the daughter of
     Chryses. I have set my heart on keeping her in my own house, for I
     love her better even than my own wife Clytemnestra, whose peer she
     is alike in form and feature, in understanding and accomplishments.
     Still I will give her up if I must, for I would have the people
     live, not die; but you must find me a prize instead, or I alone
     among the Argives shall be without one. This is not well; for you
     behold, all of you, that my prize is to go elsewhither." 
     
     And Achilles answered, "Most noble son of Atreus, covetous beyond
     all mankind, how shall the Achaeans find you another prize? We have
     no common store from which to take one. Those we took from the
     cities have been awarded; we cannot disallow the awards that have
     been made already. Give this girl, therefore, to the god, and if
     ever Jove grants us to sack the city of Troy we will requite you
     three and fourfold." 
     
     Then Agamemnon said, "Achilles, valiant though you be, you shall not
     thus outwit me. You shall not overreach and you shall not persuade
     me. Are you to keep your own prize, while I sit tamely under my loss
     and give up the girl at your bidding? Let the Achaeans find me a
     prize in fair exchange to my liking, or I will come and take your
     own, or that of Ajax or of Ulysses; and he to whomsoever I may come
     shall rue my coming. But of this we will take thought hereafter; for
     the present, let us draw a ship into the sea, and find a crew for
     her expressly; let us put a hecatomb on board, and let us send
     Chryseis also; further, let some chief man among us be in command,
     either Ajax, or Idomeneus, or yourself, son of Peleus, mighty
     warrior that you are, that we may offer sacrifice and appease the
     the anger of the god." 
     
     Achilles scowled at him and answered, "You are steeped in insolence
     and lust of gain. With what heart can any of the Achaeans do your
     bidding, either on foray or in open fighting? I came not warring
     here for any ill the Trojans had done me. I have no quarrel with
     them. They have not raided my cattle nor my horses, nor cut down my
     harvests on the rich plains of Phthia; for between me and them there
     is a great space, both mountain and sounding sea. We have followed
     you, Sir Insolence! for your pleasure, not ours- to gain
     satisfaction from the Trojans for your shameless self and for
     Menelaus. You forget this, and threaten to rob me of the prize for
     which I have toiled, and which the sons of the Achaeans have given
     me. Never when the Achaeans sack any rich city of the Trojans do I
     receive so good a prize as you do, though it is my hands that do the
     better part of the fighting. When the sharing comes, your share is
     far the largest, and I, forsooth, must go back to my ships, take
     what I can get and be thankful, when my labour of fighting is done.
     Now, therefore, I shall go back to Phthia; it will be much better
     for me to return home with my ships, for I will not stay here
     dishonoured to gather gold and substance for you." 
     
     And Agamemnon answered, "Fly if you will, I shall make you no
     prayers to stay you. I have others here who will do me honour, and
     above all Jove, the lord of counsel. There is no king here so
     hateful to me as you are, for you are ever quarrelsome and ill
     affected. What though you be brave? Was it not heaven that made you
     so? Go home, then, with your ships and comrades to lord it over the
     Myrmidons. I care neither for you nor for your anger; and thus will
     I do: since Phoebus Apollo is taking Chryseis from me, I shall send
     her with my ship and my followers, but I shall come to your tent and
     take your own prize Briseis, that you may learn how much stronger I
     am than you are, and that another may fear to set himself up as
     equal or comparable with me." 
     
     The son of Peleus was furious, and his heart within his shaggy
     breast was divided whether to draw his sword, push the others aside,
     and kill the son of Atreus, or to restrain himself and check his
     anger. While he was thus in two minds, and was drawing his mighty
     sword from its scabbard, Minerva came down from heaven (for Juno had
     sent her in the love she bore to them both), and seized the son of
     Peleus by his yellow hair, visible to him alone, for of the others
     no man could see her. Achilles turned in amaze, and by the fire that
     flashed from her eyes at once knew that she was Minerva. "Why are
     you here," said he, "daughter of aegis-bearing Jove? To see the
     pride of Agamemnon, son of Atreus? Let me tell you- and it shall
     surely be- he shall pay for this insolence with his life." 
     
     And Minerva said, "I come from heaven, if you will hear me, to bid
     you stay your anger. Juno has sent me, who cares for both of you
     alike. Cease, then, this brawling, and do not draw your sword; rail
     at him if you will, and your railing will not be vain, for I tell
     you- and it shall surely be- that you shall hereafter receive gifts
     three times as splendid by reason of this present insult. Hold,
     therefore, and obey." 
     
     "Goddess," answered Achilles, "however angry a man may be, he must
     do as you two command him. This will be best, for the gods ever hear
     the prayers of him who has obeyed them." 
     
     He stayed his hand on the silver hilt of his sword, and thrust it
     back into the scabbard as Minerva bade him. Then she went back to
     Olympus among the other gods, and to the house of aegis-bearing
     Jove. 
     
     But the son of Peleus again began railing at the son of Atreus, for
     he was still in a rage. "Wine-bibber," he cried, "with the face of a
     dog and the heart of a hind, you never dare to go out with the host
     in fight, nor yet with our chosen men in ambuscade. You shun this as
     you do death itself. You had rather go round and rob his prizes from
     any man who contradicts you. You devour your people, for you are
     king over a feeble folk; otherwise, son of Atreus, henceforward you
     would insult no man. Therefore I say, and swear it with a great
     oath- nay, by this my sceptre which shalt sprout neither leaf nor
     shoot, nor bud anew from the day on which it left its parent stem
     upon the mountains- for the axe stripped it of leaf and bark, and
     now the sons of the Achaeans bear it as judges and guardians of the
     decrees of heaven- so surely and solemnly do I swear that hereafter
     they shall look fondly for Achilles and shall not find him. In the
     day of your distress, when your men fall dying by the murderous hand
     of Hector, you shall not know how to help them, and shall rend your
     heart with rage for the hour when you offered insult to the bravest
     of the Achaeans." 
     
     With this the son of Peleus dashed his gold-bestudded sceptre on the
     ground and took his seat, while the son of Atreus was beginning
     fiercely from his place upon the other side. Then uprose
     smooth-tongued Nestor, the facile speaker of the Pylians, and the
     words fell from his lips sweeter than honey. Two generations of men
     born and bred in Pylos had passed away under his rule, and he was
     now reigning over the third. With all sincerity and goodwill,
     therefore, he addressed them thus:- 
     
     "Of a truth," he said, "a great sorrow has befallen the Achaean
     land. Surely Priam with his sons would rejoice, and the Trojans be
     glad at heart if they could hear this quarrel between you two, who
     are so excellent in fight and counsel. I am older than either of
     you; therefore be guided by me. Moreover I have been the familiar
     friend of men even greater than you are, and they did not disregard
     my counsels. Never again can I behold such men as Pirithous and
     Dryas shepherd of his people, or as Caeneus, Exadius, godlike
     Polyphemus, and Theseus son of Aegeus, peer of the immortals. These
     were the mightiest men ever born upon this earth: mightiest were
     they, and when they fought the fiercest tribes of mountain savages
     they utterly overthrew them. I came from distant Pylos, and went
     about among them, for they would have me come, and I fought as it
     was in me to do. Not a man now living could withstand them, but they
     heard my words, and were persuaded by them. So be it also with
     yourselves, for this is the more excellent way. Therefore,
     Agamemnon, though you be strong, take not this girl away, for the
     sons of the Achaeans have already given her to Achilles; and you,
     Achilles, strive not further with the king, for no man who by the
     grace of Jove wields a sceptre has like honour with Agamemnon. You
     are strong, and have a goddess for your mother; but Agamemnon is
     stronger than you, for he has more people under him. Son of Atreus,
     check your anger, I implore you; end this quarrel with Achilles, who
     in the day of battle is a tower of strength to the Achaeans." 
     
     And Agamemnon answered, "Sir, all that you have said is true, but
     this fellow must needs become our lord and master: he must be lord
     of all, king of all, and captain of all, and this shall hardly be.
     Granted that the gods have made him a great warrior, have they also
     given him the right to speak with railing?" 
     
     Achilles interrupted him. "I should be a mean coward," he cried,
     "were I to give in to you in all things. Order other people about,
     not me, for I shall obey no longer. Furthermore I say- and lay my
     saying to your heart- I shall fight neither you nor any man about
     this girl, for those that take were those also that gave. But of all
     else that is at my ship you shall carry away nothing by force. Try,
     that others may see; if you do, my spear shall be reddened with your
     blood." 
     
     When they had quarrelled thus angrily, they rose, and broke up the
     assembly at the ships of the Achaeans. The son of Peleus went back
     to his tents and ships with the son of Menoetius and his company,
     while Agamemnon drew a vessel into the water and chose a crew of
     twenty oarsmen. He escorted Chryseis on board and sent moreover a
     hecatomb for the god. And Ulysses went as captain. 
     
     These, then, went on board and sailed their ways over the sea. But
     the son of Atreus bade the people purify themselves; so they
     purified themselves and cast their filth into the sea. Then they
     offered hecatombs of bulls and goats without blemish on the
     sea-shore, and the smoke with the savour of their sacrifice rose
     curling up towards heaven. 
     
     Thus did they busy themselves throughout the host. But Agamemnon did
     not forget the threat that he had made Achilles, and called his
     trusty messengers and squires Talthybius and Eurybates. "Go," said
     he, "to the tent of Achilles, son of Peleus; take Briseis by the
     hand and bring her hither; if he will not give her I shall come with
     others and take her- which will press him harder." 
     
     He charged them straightly further and dismissed them, whereon they
     went their way sorrowfully by the seaside, till they came to the
     tents and ships of the Myrmidons. They found Achilles sitting by his
     tent and his ships, and ill-pleased he was when he beheld them. They
     stood fearfully and reverently before him, and never a word did they
     speak, but he knew them and said, "Welcome, heralds, messengers of
     gods and men; draw near; my quarrel is not with you but with
     Agamemnon who has sent you for the girl Briseis. Therefore,
     Patroclus, bring her and give her to them, but let them be witnesses
     by the blessed gods, by mortal men, and by the fierceness of
     Agamemnon's anger, that if ever again there be need of me to save
     the people from ruin, they shall seek and they shall not find.
     Agamemnon is mad with rage and knows not how to look before and
     after that the Achaeans may fight by their ships in safety." 
     
     Patroclus did as his dear comrade had bidden him. He brought Briseis
     from the tent and gave her over to the heralds, who took her with
     them to the ships of the Achaeans- and the woman was loth to go.
     Then Achilles went all alone by the side of the hoar sea, weeping
     and looking out upon the boundless waste of waters. He raised his
     hands in prayer to his immortal mother, "Mother," he cried, "you
     bore me doomed to live but for a little season; surely Jove, who
     thunders from Olympus, might have made that little glorious. It is
     not so. Agamemnon, son of Atreus, has done me dishonour, and has
     robbed me of my prize by force." 
     
     As he spoke he wept aloud, and his mother heard him where she was
     sitting in the depths of the sea hard by the old man her father.
     Forthwith she rose as it were a grey mist out of the waves, sat down
     before him as he stood weeping, caressed him with her hand, and
     said, "My son, why are you weeping? What is it that grieves you?
     Keep it not from me, but tell me, that we may know it together." 
     
     Achilles drew a deep sigh and said, "You know it; why tell you what
     you know well already? We went to Thebe the strong city of Eetion,
     sacked it, and brought hither the spoil. The sons of the Achaeans
     shared it duly among themselves, and chose lovely Chryseis as the
     meed of Agamemnon; but Chryses, priest of Apollo, came to the ships
     of the Achaeans to free his daughter, and brought with him a great
     ransom: moreover he bore in his hand the sceptre of Apollo, wreathed
     with a suppliant's wreath, and he besought the Achaeans, but most of
     all the two sons of Atreus who were their chiefs. 
     
     "On this the rest of the Achaeans with one voice were for respecting
     the priest and taking the ransom that he offered; but not so
     Agamemnon, who spoke fiercely to him and sent him roughly away. So
     he went back in anger, and Apollo, who loved him dearly, heard his
     prayer. Then the god sent a deadly dart upon the Argives, and the
     people died thick on one another, for the arrows went everywhither
     among the wide host of the Achaeans. At last a seer in the fulness
     of his knowledge declared to us the oracles of Apollo, and I was
     myself first to say that we should appease him. Whereon the son of
     Atreus rose in anger, and threatened that which he has since done.
     The Achaeans are now taking the girl in a ship to Chryse, and
     sending gifts of sacrifice to the god; but the heralds have just
     taken from my tent the daughter of Briseus, whom the Achaeans had
     awarded to myself. 
     
     "Help your brave son, therefore, if you are able. Go to Olympus, and
     if you have ever done him service in word or deed, implore the aid
     of Jove. Ofttimes in my father's house have I heard you glory in
     that you alone of the immortals saved the son of Saturn from ruin,
     when the others, with Juno, Neptune, and Pallas Minerva would have
     put him in bonds. It was you, goddess, who delivered him by calling
     to Olympus the hundred-handed monster whom gods call Briareus, but
     men Aegaeon, for he is stronger even than his father; when therefore
     he took his seat all-glorious beside the son of Saturn, the other
     gods were afraid, and did not bind him. Go, then, to him, remind him
     of all this, clasp his knees, and bid him give succour to the
     Trojans. Let the Achaeans be hemmed in at the sterns of their ships,
     and perish on the sea-shore, that they may reap what joy they may of
     their king, and that Agamemnon may rue his blindness in offering
     insult to the foremost of the Achaeans." 
     
     Thetis wept and answered, "My son, woe is me that I should have
     borne or suckled you. Would indeed that you had lived your span free
     from all sorrow at your ships, for it is all too brief; alas, that
     you should be at once short of life and long of sorrow above your
     peers: woe, therefore, was the hour in which I bore you;
     nevertheless I will go to the snowy heights of Olympus, and tell
     this tale to Jove, if he will hear our prayer: meanwhile stay where
     you are with your ships, nurse your anger against the Achaeans, and
     hold aloof from fight. For Jove went yesterday to Oceanus, to a
     feast among the Ethiopians, and the other gods went with him. He
     will return to Olympus twelve days hence; I will then go to his
     mansion paved with bronze and will beseech him; nor do I doubt that
     I shall be able to persuade him." 
     
     On this she left him, still furious at the loss of her that had been
     taken from him. Meanwhile Ulysses reached Chryse with the hecatomb.
     When they had come inside the harbour they furled the sails and laid
     them in the ship's hold; they slackened the forestays, lowered the
     mast into its place, and rowed the ship to the place where they
     would have her lie; there they cast out their mooring-stones and
     made fast the hawsers. They then got out upon the sea-shore and
     landed the hecatomb for Apollo; Chryseis also left the ship, and
     Ulysses led her to the altar to deliver her into the hands of her
     father. "Chryses," said he, "King Agamemnon has sent me to bring you
     back your child, and to offer sacrifice to Apollo on behalf of the
     Danaans, that we may propitiate the god, who has now brought sorrow
     upon the Argives." 
     
     So saying he gave the girl over to her father, who received her
     gladly, and they ranged the holy hecatomb all orderly round the
     altar of the god. They washed their hands and took up the
     barley-meal to sprinkle over the victims, while Chryses lifted up
     his hands and prayed aloud on their behalf. "Hear me," he cried, "O
     god of the silver bow, that protectest Chryse and holy Cilla, and
     rulest Tenedos with thy might. Even as thou didst hear me aforetime
     when I prayed, and didst press hardly upon the Achaeans, so hear me
     yet again, and stay this fearful pestilence from the Danaans." 
     
     Thus did he pray, and Apollo heard his prayer. When they had done
     praying and sprinkling the barley-meal, they drew back the heads of
     the victims and killed and flayed them. They cut out the
     thigh-bones, wrapped them round in two layers of fat, set some
     pieces of raw meat on the top of them, and then Chryses laid them on
     the wood fire and poured wine over them, while the young men stood
     near him with five-pronged spits in their hands. When the
     thigh-bones were burned and they had tasted the inward meats, they
     cut the rest up small, put the pieces upon the spits, roasted them
     till they were done, and drew them off: then, when they had finished
     their work and the feast was ready, they ate it, and every man had
     his full share, so that all were satisfied. As soon as they had had
     enough to eat and drink, pages filled the mixing-bowl with wine and
     water and handed it round, after giving every man his
     drink-offering. 
     
     Thus all day long the young men worshipped the god with song,
     hymning him and chaunting the joyous paean, and the god took
     pleasure in their voices; but when the sun went down, and it came on
     dark, they laid themselves down to sleep by the stern cables of the
     ship, and when the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn, appeared
     they again set sail for the host of the Achaeans. Apollo sent them a
     fair wind, so they raised their mast and hoisted their white sails
     aloft. As the sail bellied with the wind the ship flew through the
     deep blue water, and the foam hissed against her bows as she sped
     onward. When they reached the wide-stretching host of the Achaeans,
     they drew the vessel ashore, high and dry upon the sands, set her
     strong props beneath her, and went their ways to their own tents and
     ships. 
     
     But Achilles abode at his ships and nursed his anger. He went not to
     the honourable assembly, and sallied not forth to fight, but gnawed
     at his own heart, pining for battle and the war-cry. 
     
     Now after twelve days the immortal gods came back in a body to
     Olympus, and Jove led the way. Thetis was not unmindful of the
     charge her son had laid upon her, so she rose from under the sea and
     went through great heaven with early morning to Olympus, where she
     found the mighty son of Saturn sitting all alone upon its topmost
     ridges. She sat herself down before him, and with her left hand
     seized his knees, while with her right she caught him under the
     chin, and besought him, saying- 
     
     "Father Jove, if I ever did you service in word or deed among the
     immortals, hear my prayer, and do honour to my son, whose life is to
     be cut short so early. King Agamemnon has dishonoured him by taking
     his prize and keeping her. Honour him then yourself, Olympian lord
     of counsel, and grant victory to the Trojans, till the Achaeans give
     my son his due and load him with riches in requital." 
     
     Jove sat for a while silent, and without a word, but Thetis still
     kept firm hold of his knees, and besought him a second time.
     "Incline your head," said she, "and promise me surely, or else deny
     me- for you have nothing to fear- that I may learn how greatly you
     disdain me." 
     
     At this Jove was much troubled and answered, "I shall have trouble
     if you set me quarrelling with Juno, for she will provoke me with
     her taunting speeches; even now she is always railing at me before
     the other gods and accusing me of giving aid to the Trojans. Go back
     now, lest she should find out. I will consider the matter, and will
     bring it about as wish. See, I incline my head that you believe me.
     This is the most solemn that I can give to any god. I never recall
     my word, or deceive, or fail to do what I say, when I have nodded my
     head." 
     
     As he spoke the son of Saturn bowed his dark brows, and the
     ambrosial locks swayed on his immortal head, till vast Olympus
     reeled. 
     
     When the pair had thus laid their plans, they parted- Jove to his
     house, while the goddess quitted the splendour of Olympus, and
     plunged into the depths of the sea. The gods rose from their seats,
     before the coming of their sire. Not one of them dared to remain
     sitting, but all stood up as he came among them. There, then, he
     took his seat. But Juno, when she saw him, knew that he and the old
     merman's daughter, silver-footed Thetis, had been hatching mischief,
     so she at once began to upbraid him. "Trickster," she cried, "which
     of the gods have you been taking into your counsels now? You are
     always settling matters in secret behind my back, and have never yet
     told me, if you could help it, one word of your intentions." 
     
     "Juno," replied the sire of gods and men, "you must not expect to be
     informed of all my counsels. You are my wife, but you would find it
     hard to understand them. When it is proper for you to hear, there is
     no one, god or man, who will be told sooner, but when I mean to keep
     a matter to myself, you must not pry nor ask questions." 
     
     "Dread son of Saturn," answered Juno, "what are you talking about?
     I? Pry and ask questions? Never. I let you have your own way in
     everything. Still, I have a strong misgiving that the old merman's
     daughter Thetis has been talking you over, for she was with you and
     had hold of your knees this self-same morning. I believe, therefore,
     that you have been promising her to give glory to Achilles, and to
     kill much people at the ships of the Achaeans." 
     
     "Wife," said Jove, "I can do nothing but you suspect me and find it
     out. You will take nothing by it, for I shall only dislike you the
     more, and it will go harder with you. Granted that it is as you say;
     I mean to have it so; sit down and hold your tongue as I bid you for
     if I once begin to lay my hands about you, though all heaven were on
     your side it would profit you nothing." 
     
     On this Juno was frightened, so she curbed her stubborn will and sat
     down in silence. But the heavenly beings were disquieted throughout
     the house of Jove, till the cunning workman Vulcan began to try and
     pacify his mother Juno. "It will be intolerable," said he, "if you
     two fall to wrangling and setting heaven in an uproar about a pack
     of mortals. If such ill counsels are to prevail, we shall have no
     pleasure at our banquet. Let me then advise my mother- and she must
     herself know that it will be better- to make friends with my dear
     father Jove, lest he again scold her and disturb our feast. If the
     Olympian Thunderer wants to hurl us all from our seats, he can do
     so, for he is far the strongest, so give him fair words, and he will
     then soon be in a good humour with us." 
     
     As he spoke, he took a double cup of nectar, and placed it in his
     mother's hand. "Cheer up, my dear mother," said he, "and make the
     best of it. I love you dearly, and should be very sorry to see you
     get a thrashing; however grieved I might be, I could not help for
     there is no standing against Jove. Once before when I was trying to
     help you, he caught me by the foot and flung me from the heavenly
     threshold. All day long from morn till eve, was I falling, till at
     sunset I came to ground in the island of Lemnos, and there I lay,
     with very little life left in me, till the Sintians came and tended
     me." 
     
     Juno smiled at this, and as she smiled she took the cup from her
     son's hands. Then Vulcan drew sweet nectar from the mixing-bowl, and
     served it round among the gods, going from left to right; and the
     blessed gods laughed out a loud applause as they saw him ing
     bustling about the heavenly mansion. 
     
     Thus through the livelong day to the going down of the sun they
     feasted, and every one had his full share, so that all were
     satisfied. Apollo struck his lyre, and the Muses lifted up their
     sweet voices, calling and answering one another. But when the sun's
     glorious light had faded, they went home to bed, each in his own
     abode, which lame Vulcan with his consummate skill had fashioned for
     them. So Jove, the Olympian Lord of Thunder, hied him to the bed in
     which he always slept; and when he had got on to it he went to
     sleep, with Juno of the golden throne by his side.