the-song-books.yossr

“Tell me,” Achilles said. “Do yyou think Aristos Achaion fights in
hopeless wars?”
The men did not answer.
“Well?”
“No,” someone said.
Achilles nodded, gravelyy. “No. I do not, and I will swear so on anyy oath.
I am here because I believe that we will win. I am stayying until the end.”
“That is fine for yyou.” A different voice. “But what of those who wish to
go?”
Agamemnon opened his mouth to answer. I could imagine what he might
have said. No one leaves! Deserters will be executed! But he was luckyy that
Achilles was swifter.
“You’re welcome to leave whenever yyou like.”
“We are?” The voice was dubious.
“Of course.” He paused, and offered his most guileless, friendlyy smile.
“But I get yyour share of the treasure when we take Troyy.”
I felt the tension in the air ease, heard a few huffs of appreciative
laughter. The prince Achilles spoke of treasure to be won, and where there
was greed there was hope.
Achilles saw the change in them. He said, “It is past time to take the
field. The Trojans will start to think we are afraid.” He drew his flashing
sword and held it in the air. “Who dares to show them otherwise?”
There were shouts of agreement, followed byy a general clanging as men
reclaimed their armor, seized their spears. Theyy hoisted the dead man and
carried him off; everyyone agreed that he had alwayys been troublesome.
Achilles leapt down from the dais and passed Agamemnon with a formal
nod. The king of Myycenae said nothing. But I watched his eyyes follow
Achilles for a long time after that.
IN THE AFTERMATH of the almost-rebellion, Odyysseus devised a project to
keep the men too busyy for further unrest: a giant palisade, built around the
entire camp. Ten miles, he wanted it to run, protecting our tents and our
ships from the plain beyyond. At its base would be a ditch, bristling with
spikes.
When Agamemnon announced the project, I was sure the men would
know it for the ployy it was. In all the yyears of the war, the camp and ships
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