University of Virginia Library

Wise and illustrious chief, Laertes' heir,
“'Tis best my settled purpose to declare,
“As reason and my fix'd resolves decide,
“No more with vain discourses to be plied,
“And baffled and beset from side to side:
“For worse than hell the caitiff I detest,
“Whose tongue belies the secret of his breast;
“Thus, then, receive mine answer, in the strain
“That suits my character, broad speech and plain.

“Not he the king, nor any wiser Greek
“Will prosper in his errand, if they seek
“To win me to their purpose—for the meed
“Of valour waits not upon warlike deed—
“The coward and the brave alike succeed.
“When I have labour'd hard and nobly fought,
“When all is ended, it avails me nought
“To pass my days in danger and in strife,
“At ev'ry turn of war to stake my life;
“As the fond bird protects her infant brood,
“Fatigued and fasting to provide them food,
“I watch'd the Greeks: for them in arms I lay
“Long weary nights that sleepless pass'd away,
“And toil'd in tasks of bloodshed thro' the day.
“Twelve island towns I took, eleven more
“I storm'd and sack'd upon the Trojan shore;
“Large booty from them all I bore away,—
“Atrides, in the camp here where he lay,
“Received the whole, and, as it lik'd him best,
“Dealt round a portion, and reserv'd the rest.
“Each chief retains that portion as his own,
“Mine, mine, he re-demands, and mine alone;
“He has her—let him surfeit with delight,
“There let him pass the careless easy night,
“With the fond partner that my soul held dear—
“But tell me, then! what purpose brought us here?
“Why are the tribes of Greece and Troy at strife?
“Forsooth for Menelaus and his wife—
“The noble sons of Athens it should seem
“Feel for their wives and women. Do they deem
“That passion to their single soul's confin'd,
“Or common to the hearts of human kind?”
“Not so.—The wife or consort claims a part,
“Endear'd and inward in each manly heart,
“The heart of ev'ry worthy man and brave—
“And I loved her, though captive and a slave.
“Now then, let him that scorn'd me and misused,
“(Scorn'd in his turn, rejected and refused)
“Forbear, for shame, no more resort to us,
“But some more practicable point discuss;
“Let him with you, Ulysses, and the rest
“Deliberate what means may promise best
“To save his fleet and camp from being fired:
“Great things has he achieved since I retired.
“Has he not built a noble mound and wall,
“Turrets and trenches, palisades and all?
“But all is little when the headlong might
“Of murderous Hector urges on the fight.
“When I was in the field his utmost reach
“Was to the seven portals and the beach;
“Once, only once, he ventured to advance,—
“He stood one onset, and escaped by chance.
“But now those transient enmities are o'er,
“The noble Hector is my foe no more.
“And if the sight be worth your thought or care,
“To-morrow you may view a prospect fair—
“The ships and vessels crowding from the shore,
“And lusty sailors stooping to the oar;
“The prows with garlands crown'd in joyous pride,
“Stemming athwart the strong proponding tide;
“A three days' voyage, if our vows are heard,
“We reach the shores of Phthia on the third.
“The wealth that I relinquish'd there before,
“To die despised on this accursed shore,
“I shall again behold, and add thereto
“Gold, brass, and comely captives not a few:
“My lawful prize, the purchase of the sword;
“As for the boon he gave—your haughty lord
“Has falsified his gift and borne her hence,
“In my despite, with wrong and insolence—
“So tell him, word for word, my plain reply
“Aloud in public—that the common cry
“May vindicate my wrongs—that every Greek
“(Whene'er this tyrant Lord again may seek
“To pillage and dishonour him) may know,
“And stand forewarn'd of what his actions show—
“His fraud, his insolence, his love of pelf,—
“This for the rest. For what concerns myself
“The tyrant's impudence would scarce suffice
“To meet me face to face; no more advice,
“Counsel, or aid shall he receive from me—
“Enough! more than enough! so let him be,
“Even as he is, mark'd by the fates' decree,
“For speedy wrath, by the just hand of Jove,
“Blasted with pride and madness from above;
“His gifts I loathe—and hate the giver worse—
“The poorest Carian born, that fills a purse,
“Following his trade of mercenary war,
“I deem a nobler chief, and worthier far—
“I scorn, then, I reject his gifts, his gold,
“If they were doubled, trebled, ten times told—
“With all that he possesses else or more—
“No, not the piles of wealth amass'd of yore
“In old Orchomenus, nor all the store
“Of Thebes in Egypt, where a hundred gates
“Pour forth their armies to the subject states—
“Not these, nor all the wealth of land and sea
“Shall ever reconcile your lord and me,
“Till my full vengeance has its course, the last,
“The sole requital of offences past.
“His girls may equal Venus in their bloom,
“Or Pallas in the labours of the loom,
“Adorn'd with graces and with charms divine,
“But never shall he see them wives of mine.
“Some suitable alliance let him seek;
“Some other nobler, more distinguish'd Greek;
“For me, when all my wars are at an end,
“If I return alive, with heaven to friend,
“My father Peleus will himself provide,
“Among the neighbouring chiefs a proper bride:
“Some daughter of the native nobles there,
“Of goodly kindred and possessions fair,
“That hold the cities of the plain in charge,
“Or in their rocky castles live at large:
“There, too, whatever girl may most attract
“My fancy would be mine; my mind, in fact,
“Is turn'd to marriage and domestic life;
“A fair inheritance, a comely wife,
“To live at ease with what the pains and care
“Of Peleus have provided for his heir;
“For after all this life-blood in the breast
“Of all possessions is the first and best;
“Not to be barter'd, countervaled, or sold
“For all that in the wealthy times of old
“This town of Troy possess'd, before the day
“That brought her power and treasure to decay;
“Or all that rocky Pythos holds immured,
“For sanctuary, secret and secured;
“Flocks, herds, and coursers of a noble strain,
“By force or fraud, we lose them and regain;
“But when the breath of life is past and gone,
“No rescue serves, and ransom there is none.
“This, too, my mother goddess has declared,
“The double destiny by Jove's award,
“Allotted to my choice, free to refuse,
“Or to select at will the fate I choose.
“If longer I remain and persevere
“To prosecute the siege I perish here,
“Leaving a name and memory behind
“Renown'd among the races of mankind;
“Returning home a peaceful easy life
“Awaits me, destitute of care and strife,
“Compensating the loss of future praise,
“With wealth and ease and length of happy days.
“And truly the same counsel I should give,
“For all my comrades to return and live,
“And save your host and navy while you may.
“The Trojan race are brave, and day by day
“More desperate they manifestly fight
“With Jove's assistance and increasing might.
“Now then return, and to the chiefs in court
“Assembled make a full and fair report,
“With this advice, moreover sound and short,
“To think of other means that may suffice
“To save their army—for this new device,
“This scheme of reconcilement to secure
“My service at their need, is premature.”
He ceased—the chiefs astounded at the force,
And unabated wrath of his discourse,
Sat mute, till Phœnix like a worthy Greek,
In pity for his friends, essayed to speak,
The tears fast falling down his aged cheek.
“Since then, indeed, you mean, Achilles dear,
“To leave the fleet and host in danger here,
“Moved by the fiery pride and high disdain
“That rules your spirit, how should I remain?
“What should I do without you left behind,
“When he, your father Peleus, old and kind,
“Appointed me your guide the very day
“We went to join the king, and came away
“From his own house at Phthia, then were you
“A youth unpractis'd in the world, and new,—
“New to the wars, and to concerns of state,
“Unus'd to public council and debate.
“Therefore I went, appointed, you to teach
“All stratagems of war and arts of speech,
“To make you, what the world has known and seen,
“The creature that you are and long have been.
“And shall I leave you now, my son—not I,
“Not if the Gods, to tempt me to comply,
“Would make me young and active, and restore
“My strength and spirit as it was before
“When I abandon'd first my native place,
“Flying an exile from my father's face.
“Our strife too for a woman's cause began,
“He view'd and chose and brought her home, his plan
“To take her for a concubine to shame
“My noble mother his own lawful dame;
“She therewithal with earnest pray'r and strong,
“Entreated and besought me fast and long
“To anticipate him—yielding to the son
“She deem'd the damsel would detest and shun
“The father. I complied, and it was done—
“It was detected—and my father knew—
“And ever, as his rage of passion grew,
“He prayed aloud, with grief and fury torn,
“That never infant from my body born
“Might press my arms or prattle at my knee—
“Thus prayed my Sire, and thus the fates decree.
“Then was my spirit mov'd with grief and pain,
“As restless and indignant to remain
“Under a father's curse, beneath his roof
“Then, too, the friends and kindred wide aloof,
“Came at a summons on my Sire's behoof—
“Kinsmen and cousins, all with long discourse,
“To reconcile or keep me there by force;
“They feasted and caroused, the beeves and swine
“Were slaughter'd, hoarded jars of racy wine
“Drawn forth and emptied—thus the day was past;
“At night they watch'd by turns and kept me fast
“Within my chamber, with a fire before
“The threshold of my gate and at my door.
“Thus nine continued days with guard and light
“They watch'd me till the tenth and fatal night:
“Then forth I burst and broke the chamber door,
“And rush'd across the court and vaulted o'er
“Th' enclosure, fence and all, fleeing amain
“Straight forward thro' the broad Helladian plain:
“There noble Peleus, with a kind good will,
“Receiv'd me, favour'd and protected still,
“Even as a cherish'd unexpected heir,
“Appointing me possessions rich and fair,
“Vassals and lands—there in a frontier place,
“I dwelt and govern'd the Dolopian race:
“And there, Achilles, with all pains and care
“I nurs'd and rear'd and made you what you are.
“And dearly did I love you, for your will
“Was ever constant to be with me still;
“Nor ever would you dine abroad or eat,
“But I must mix the wine and carve the meat;
“And often was my bosom drench'd with wine,
“When you were seated on these knees of mine,
“Coughing and heaving at an awkward sup,
“When with your hands in mine I held the cup.”