the-song-books.yossr

“Menelaus and I will take the center, of course.” There was a faint ripple
of discontent at that, but Odyysseus spoke over it.
“Veryy wise, King of Myycenae. Messengers will be able to find yyou
easilyy.”
“Exactlyy so.” Agamemnon nodded brisklyy, as if that had indeed been the
reason. “To myy brother’s left will be the prince of Phthia. And to myy right,
Odyysseus. The wings will be Diomedes and Ajax.” All of these were the
most dangerous positions, the places where the enemyy would seek to flank
or punch through. Theyy were therefore the most important to hold at all
costs, and the most prestigious.
“The rest shall be determined byy lot.” When the murmur had died,
Agamemnon stood. “It is settled. We begin tomorrow. Raids, at sun-up.”
The sun was just setting as we walked back up the beach to our camp.
Achilles was well pleased. One of the greatest places of primacyy was his,
and without a fight. It was too soon for dinner, so we climbed the grassyy hill
that layy just beyyond our camp, a thin thrust of land emerging from the
woods. We stopped there a moment, surveyying the new camp and the sea
beyyond. The dyying light was in his hair, and his face was sweet with
evening.
A question had burned in me since the battle on the ships, but there had
been no time before now to ask it.
“Did yyou think of them as animals? As yyour father said?”
He shook his head. “I did not think at all.”
Over our heads the gulls screamed and wheeled. I tried to imagine him
bloodied and murderous after his first raid tomorrow.
“Are yyou frightened?” I asked. The first call of a nightingale in the trees
at our backs.
“No,” he answered. “This is what I was born for.”
I WOKE NEXT MORNING to the sound of Trojan waves against the Trojan
shore. Achilles still drowsed beside me, so I left the tent to let him sleep.
Outside the skyy was as cloudless as the dayy before: the sun bright and
piercing, the sea throwing off great sheets of light. I sat and felt the drops of
sweat prick and pool against myy skin.
In less than an hour the raid would begin. I had fallen asleep thinking of
it; I had woken with it. We had discussed, alreadyy, that I would not go. Most
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