Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Homer’s Iliad
you as a god; whereas if you fight without taking them, you may
beat the battle back, but you will not be held in like honour.”
And Achilles answered, “Phoenix, old friend and father, I have no
need of such honour. I have honour from Jove himself, which will
abide with me at my ships while I have breath in my body, and my
limbs are strong. I say further- and lay my saying to your heart- vex
me no more with this weeping and lamentation, all in the cause of
the son of Atreus. Love him so well, and you may lose the love I
bear you. You ought to help me rather in troubling those that
trouble me; be king as much as I am, and share like honour with
myself; the others shall take my answer; stay here yourself and
sleep comfortably in your bed; at daybreak we will consider
whether to remain or go.”
On this she nodded quietly to Patroclus as a sign that he was to
prepare a bed for Phoenix, and that the others should take their
leave. Ajax son of Telamon then said, “Ulysses, noble son of
Laertes, let us be gone, for I see that our journey is vain. We must
now take our answer, unwelcome though it be, to the Danaans who
are waiting to receive it. Achilles is savage and remorseless; he is
cruel, and cares nothing for the love his comrades lavished upon
him more than on all the others. He is implacable- and yet if a
man’s brother or son has been slain he will accept a fine by way of
amends from him that killed him, and the wrong-doer having paid
in full remains in peace among his own people; but as for you,
Achilles, the gods have put a wicked unforgiving spirit in your
heart, and this, all about one single girl, whereas we now offer you
the seven best we have, and much else into the bargain. Be then of
a more gracious mind, respect the hospitality of your own roof. We
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