The Iliad of Homer | Page 5

he should dismiss them,[28] and should
kill the son of Atreus, or should put a stop to his wrath, and restrain his
passion. While he was thus pondering in his heart and soul, and was
drawing his mighty sword from the scabbard, came Minerva from
heaven; for her the white-armed goddess Juno had sent forward,
equally loving and regarding both from her soul. And she stood behind,
and caught the son of Peleus by his yellow hair, appearing to him alone;
but none of the others beheld her. But Achilles was amazed, and turned
himself round, and immediately recognized Pallas Minerva; and
awe-inspiring her eyes appeared to him. And addressing her, he spoke
winged words:
"Why, O offspring of ægis-bearing Jove, hast thou come hither? Is it
that thou mayest witness the insolence of Agamemnon, the son of
Atreus? But I tell thee, what I think will be accomplished, that he will
probably soon lose his life by his haughtiness."
[Footnote 28: The princes assembled.]
But him in turn the azure-eyed goddess Minerva addressed: "I came
from heaven to assuage thy wrath, if thou wilt obey me; for the
white-armed goddess Juno sent me forward, equally loving and
regarding both from her soul. But come, cease from strife, nor draw the
sword with thine hand. But reproach by words, as the occasion may
suggest; for thus I declare, and it shall be accomplished, that thrice as
many splendid gifts shall be presented to thee, because of this insolent

act; only restrain thyself, and obey us."
But her answering,[29] swift-footed Achilles addressed: "It behoves me
to observe the command of you both, O goddess, although much
enraged in my soul; for so it is better. Whosoever obeys the gods, to
him they hearken propitiously."
[Footnote 29: Columna on Ennius, p. 17, ed. Hessel., compares "Ollei
respondet Rex Albaï longaï," and "Ollei respondet suavis sonus
Egeriäi," observing that this formula was probably as common in the
heroic annals of Ennius as [Greek: ton d' apameixomenos] is in
Homer.]
He spoke, and held still his heavy hand upon the silvery hilt, and thrust
back the great sword into the scabbard, nor did he disobey the mandate
of Minerva; but she had gone to Olympus, to the mansions of
ægis-bearing Jove, amongst the other deities. But the son of Peleus
again addressed Atrides with injurious[30] words, nor as yet ceased
from anger:
"Wine-bibber, having the countenance of a dog, but the heart of a stag,
never hast thou at any time dared in soul to arm thyself with the people
for war, nor to go to ambuscade with the chiefs of the Greeks; for this
always appears to thee to be death. Certainly it is much better through
the wide army of the Achæans, to take away the rewards of whoever
may speak against thee. A people-devouring king [art thou], since thou
rulest over fellows of no account; for assuredly, son of Atreus, thou
[otherwise] wouldst have insulted now for the last time. But I will tell
thee, and I will further swear a great oath: yea, by this sceptre, which
will never bear leaves and branches, nor will bud again, after it has
once left its trunk on the mountains; for the axe has lopped it all around
of its leaves and bark; but now the sons of the Greeks, the judges, they
who protect the laws [received] from Jove, bear it in their hands; and
this will be a great oath to thee; surely will a longing desire for Achilles
come upon all the sons of the Achæans at some future day, and thou,
although much grieved, wilt be unable to assist them, when many dying
shall fall by the hand of man-slaying Hector. Then enraged, wilt thou
inwardly fret thy soul, that thou didst in no way honour the bravest of

the Greeks."
[Footnote 30: Epimerism. Hom. in Cramer's Anecdott. vol. i. p. 24.
[Greek: atartêros, ê para tên atên, o sêmainei tên blaxên,
atêros].--Hesych. [Greek: blaxros, atêros].]
Thus spoke the son of Peleus; and he cast upon the earth his sceptre
studded with golden nails, and sat down. But on the other hand, the son
of Atreus was enraged; therefore to them arose the sweet-voiced
Nestor,[31] the harmonious orator of the Pylians, from whose tongue
flowed language sweeter than honey. During his life two generations of
articulately-speaking men had become extinct, who, formerly, were
reared and lived with him in divine Pylus, but he was now ruling over
the third; who, wisely counselling, addressed them, and said:
[Footnote 31: I must refer the reader to a most happy sketch of Nestor's
exploits and character in Crete's Hist, of Greece, vol. i. p. 153.]
"O gods! surely a great sorrow comes upon the Grecian land. Verily,
Priam would exult, and the sons of