The Legend of Achilles. Carl Friedrich Becker
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nothing from me.” With deep sighs he related what had happened to him, begging his mother to avenge his wrongs and to intercede for him with Jupiter.
It was early on the twelfth day since Achilles had retired from the fray when Thetis rose from the dark waves and ascended the heights of Olympus. She found the mighty Jupiter seated on the summit of the mountain, apart from the other gods, bowed herself before him, embraced his knees with her left hand, and caressed his chin with her right hand. “Father Jupiter,” she said coaxingly, “if thou lovest me, grant me a boon and show favor to my son, who has but a short life to live. Give him redress against Agamemnon and let the Trojans prevail, until the Achaians shall be obliged to recompense him with redoubled honors, for this base insult.”
The father of the gods and men began dejectedly: “Thou wilt involve me in strife and enmity with Juno. Even now she quarrels with me and says I am aiding the Trojans. Leave me quickly, that she may not see thee, and I will grant thy request with a nod.”
The goddess descended from the shining heights of Olympus into the depths of the sea, while Jupiter arose and went to his palace. When the gods saw him coming they all left their places and went respectfully to meet him. He approached the throne and seated himself. But his jealous consort had noticed Thetis and began straightway to pick a quarrel with him. “Yes, I saw the silver-footed Thetis at thy knee, saw thy nod, and saw her depart content. Doubtless thou art about to honor Achilles once more, castigate the Achaians, and protect the insolent Trojans.”
“Thou art continually spying upon me,” answered the ruler. “But it shall do thee no good — I do as I please. Therefore sit still and be silent, for shouldst thou arouse my anger, all the immortals together could not save thee from my powerful hands.”
Thus spake the Thunderer, and Juno was frightened. All the gods were sorry for her, especially Hephæstus, the artist god of fire; for she was his mother, and he had. already learned that Jove’s threats often received terrible fulfilment. He began in his mother’s behalf: “It is intolerable that thou shouldst quarrel over mortals. I admonish thee, mother, to bear thyself acceptably, that our father may be content and our feast be undisturbed.” He took his goblet, and handing it to his mother, said: “Be patient, dear mother, even though grieved at heart, that I may not have to look upon thy punishment. Once before when he struck thee and I attempted to restrain him, he took me by the heel and cast me down into the air, so that I fell for a whole day before I struck the earth, and I have limped ever since.”
The mother smiled and took the cup, and Hephæstus filled the goblets of the other gods. Then Apollo with his muses broke forth in sweet song, and thus the day passed among the immortals in blissful contentment. When Helios had put out his flaming torch, each went to his dwelling to rest. Jove was the only one whom sleep fled. He meditated anxiously how he might favor Achilles by defeating the Greeks. He sent a deceptive dream to Agamemnon, telling him to prepare for battle and that it would be easy for him to conquer the city. As soon as he awoke, Agamemnon told the other princes of his dream. The assembly was called together. Agamemnon was uncertain whether he dared call upon the discontented army, and wishing first to feel his way, he began to talk of their return. “Here we have lain for ten years,” he said. “The ships are rotting, the anchor ropes are mouldering, and we have as yet accomplished nothing. Indeed the gods seem to be against us. Therefore my advice is that we quickly put to sea and sail for home before the Trojans do us a greater mischief. You all must see that we cannot take the city.”
He had scarcely ended when the whole company rushed exultantly away to the ships, for all were anxious to return to their homes. This was more than the king had expected and he looked on in despair, while the other brave leaders gnashed their teeth. They were powerless to stay the tumultuous rabble until Ulysses, hurrying forward with quick presence of mind, admonished leaders and men to return to the assembly. “Do not be in such a hurry,” he would say when he met one of the princes; “hear the end. Thou dost not know the king’s mind yet. He but wished to test us, and woe to thee if the mighty king’s wrath overtake thee.” Then he drove the people back, and they came with a roar like angry waves breaking on a rocky shore. They knew Ulysses’ warlike spirit and feared he might advise renewal of the struggle. Only respect for his great authority moved them to return.
When all the princes were seated and order had once more been restored, Ulysses was about to take up the sceptre. Suddenly Thersites pushed forward. He was despised by the whole army as a quarrelsome, insolent fellow, who seldom let an opportunity go by to insult the princes, not excepting Agamemnon himself, with mocking, rebellious words. He was the ugliest of all the Greeks, having a lame foot, a deformed shoulder, a pointed, bald head, and a cast in one eye.
“What wilt thou now, Atreus’ son?” he shrieked at Agamemnon. “I should have thought thou hadst collected enough money and valuable spoils to have satisfied thy avarice. Dost thou desire still more? Must the Achaians still sacrifice themselves to fill thy insatiable throat? Are ye not ashamed, ye princes, to suffer such a king to lead ye to destruction? But ye are women or ye would desert him and embark without him.
“Silence, foolish babbler!” cried Ulysses. “If I ever again hear thee slander one of us so shamelessly, true as I live, I will tear thy clothes from thy body and whip thee out of the assembly so that the whole camp shall hear thy cries!” Thus spake the hero, beating him about the back and shoulders with the sceptre, so that he cowered down and then ran away crying out.
The heralds now commanded silence as Ulysses again stood up to speak. Turning to Agamemnon he said: “Oh son of Atreus, how badly have the Achaians kept faith with thee. They promised not to return home until we had conquered Troy, and now they act like children. I do not blame anyone for longing for his home after ten years of absence. But just because we have waited so long, it were a shame to return when we are so near the goal. For we must succeed or all the signs of the immortal Jove are a mockery. Did not Calchas tell us, back in Aulis, how it would be? Do ye not remember the sparrow’s nest in the beautiful maple tree near our altar? I can still see the spotted serpent gliding up its trunk and swallowing the eight young birds and catching the frightened mother bird at last by the wing. We were all alarmed at the omen, but Calchas interpreted the occurrence favorably. He said: ‘The war shall consume nine years, but in the tenth, Troy shall fall.’ Behold, friends, the prophecy is about to be fulfilled, and will ye now flee? Wait but a short time until we have taken the proud city of Priam, and then let us depart laden with rich booty and crowned with immortal glory.”
Old Nestor next arose to persuade those who still hesitated. “That is right,” he said. “Let reason speak to you. Shall our great plans go up in smoke and shall our sacred vows to Menelaus and his good brother, Agamemnon, be broken? Indeed no! Lead the Achaians into battle, great king, and most of them will, I hope, cheerfully follow thee. Let the men be gathered together by tribes, that each may fight for his own blood. Then thou shalt clearly see whether the gods protect the city or whether it is the cowardice and ignorance of our army which defeats us.”
“Well spoken!” cried Agamemnon. “We must not rest until the fortress is taken. Jove will surely aid us. His flashing lightnings as we left Aulis are the surest pledge of this. The city would already be ours had I ten men in my army as wise as thou art, 0 Nestor, and alas! had Achilles not left us — Achilles, whom I have wounded so sorely. But come! Let everyone prepare for the battle. Let us quickly refresh and strengthen ourselves and then advance upon the city in a body.”
With, these words he dismissed the assembly and the people streamed back to the tents to arm themselves and take some food. The king invited all the chiefs to join him at breakfast in his tent. Nestor, Idomeneus, The two brave Ajaxes, Diomedes, and Ulysses were there, besides his brother Menelaus. They took a steer, strewing sacred barley upon it, and while they all stood about it in a circle, Agamemnon lifted up his voice and prayed to Jupiter for victory. Alas! he did not know that the god had turned against him.
The drivers harnessed their horses, the warriors donned helmet and shield and took up their lances, and the heralds lifted up their mighty voices above the din, to call the stragglers together. Company after company, they assembled like a swarm of migrating birds. Then the princes hastily mustered the ranks and arranged the races and tribes as Nestor had advised. But the king called