approached the maiden’s bed To claim a husband’s right. Thus let thy heart Be satisfied. Yet let the monarch spread A sumptuous banquet in his tent for thee, That thy redress may be complete. And thou, Atrides, wilt hereafter be more just To others. It dishonors not a king To make amends to one whom he has wronged.”
And then King Agamemnon spake in turn: “Son of Laertes, gladly have I heard What thou hast said, and well hast thou discoursed Of all things in their order. I will take The oath of which thou speakest—so my heart Commands me. In the presence of a god I take it, and commit no perjury. Now let Achilles, though he longs for war, Delay awhile; and all assembled here, Remain ye on the ground till from my ship The gifts are brought. This charge and this command I give to thee, Ulysses. Take with thee A band of youths, the noblest of the host, And bring the presents promised yesterday To Peleus’ son, and hither let them lead The women. Meantime let Talthybius haste To bring from our broad camp a boar, which I Will offer up to Jove and to the Sun.”
The swift of foot, Achilles, thus replied: “Most glorious son of Atreus, king of men, These things are for the time when there shall come A pause from battle, and this warlike heat Within my breast shall cool. They whom the spear Of Hector, son of Priam, has o’ercome Lie mangled on the earth, since Jupiter Awarded him the glory of the day:— And ye propose a banquet. I would call The sons of Greece to rush into the war Unfed and fasting, and when this disgrace Shall be avenged, I would, at sunset, spread A liberal feast. Be sure that I, till then, Taste neither food nor drink, while my slain friend Lies gashed with weapons in my tent, amidst His sorrowing comrades. Little I regard The things of which thou speakest, for my thoughts Are all of bloodshed and of dying groans.”
Ulysses, the sagacious, thus rejoined: “Achilles, son of Peleus, bravest far Of all the Achaians, mightier with the spear By no small odds than I, yet