Sunday, February 12, 2017

Iliad I, lines 130-147

            Then, in response to him, Lord Agamemnon addressed the assembly:
            “No, no, no—as brave as you are, O godlike Achilles,
            do not deceive me: you cannot mislead me, you cannot persuade me.
133      What do you want?  Would you keep a prize for yourself, while I’m left
            sitting without one?  And are you ordering me to concede her?
            No—if the great-hearted Argives will give me a prize for my efforts,
            as I see fit for a worthy replacement, then so it shall be; but,
            if they do not, then I’ll have to go out myself and take one—
            your prize perhaps, or possibly Ajax’ or that of Odysseus,
139      stolen away.  But whoever I come to will not be happy.
            Still, nevermind it for now; we can all reconsider it later.
            Come, let us heave a swift black ship to the brilliant ocean,
            gather some oarsmen, and carry a sacrifice onto the vessel,
            bringing aboard Chryseis as well, with her beautiful cheekbones.
            And, let a sensible captain assume the command of the ship’s crew,
145      whether it’s Ajax, Idomeneus, or if it’s brilliant Odysseus,
            or even you, son of Peleus, most terrifying of all men—
            you could perform the rites, and appease the archer for us.”

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