The Iliad by Homer COMPLETE Audiobook - Book 1

Genetic History
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The Iliad is an ancient Greek epic poem in dactylic hexameter, traditionally attributed to Homer. Usually considered to have been written down circa the 8th century BC, the Iliad is among the oldest extant works of Western literature, along with the Odyssey, another epic poem attributed to Homer, which tells of Odysseus's experiences after the events of the Iliad.[2] In the modern vulgate (the standard accepted version), the Iliad contains 15,693 lines, divided into 24 books; it is written in Homeric Greek, a literary amalgam of Ionic Greek and other dialects. It is usually grouped in the Epic Cycle.
The Iliad by Homer. Translated by Samuel Butler. Book 1. Recording by Joshua Christensen.
The quarrel between Agamemnon and Achilles. Achilles withdraws from the war and sends
his mother Thetis to ask Jove to help the Trojans. Scene between Jove and Juno on Olympus.
Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles, son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the
Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a hero did it yield the
prey to dogs and vultures. For so were the counsels of Jove fulfilled from the day on
which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles first fell out with one another.
And which of the gods was it that set them on to quarrel? It was the son of Jove and Leto,
for he was angry with the king and sent a pestilence upon the host to plague the people,
because the son of Atreus had dishonored Croesus, his priest. Now Croesus had come to the ships of
the Achaeans to free his daughter, and had brought with him a great ransom. Moreover,
he bore in his hand the scepter of Apollo, wreathed with a suppliant's wreath, and he besought the
Achaeans, but most of all the two sons of Atreus, who were their chiefs.
Sons of Atreus, he cried, and all other Achaeans, may the gods who dwell in Olympus grant you to
sack the city of Priam, and to reach your homes in safety, but free my daughter,
and accept a ransom for her, in reverence to Apollo, son of Jove. On this, the rest of the
Achaeans with one voice were for respecting the priest, and taking the ransom that he offered.
But not so Agamemnon, who spoke fiercely to him, and sent him roughly away.
Old man, said he, let me not find you tarrying about our ships, nor yet coming hereafter.
Your scepter of the god, and your wreath shall profit you nothing. I will not free her. She
shall grow old in my house at Argos, far from her own home, busying herself with her loom,
and visiting my couch. So go, and do not provoke me, for it shall be the worst for you.
The old man feared him, and obeyed. Not a word he spoke, but went by the shore of the
sounding sea, and prayed a part to King Apollo, whom lovely Leto had borne.
Hear me, he cried, O god of the silver bow, the protectest Chryse, and holy Scylla,
and rulest Tenedos with thy might. Hear me, O thou of Smyrna. If I have ever decked your
temple with garlands, or burned your thigh bones in fat of bulls or goats, grant my prayer,
and let your arrows avenge these my tears upon the Deneans.
Thus did he pray, and Apollo heard his prayer. He came down furious from the summits of Olympus,
with his bow and his quiver upon his shoulder, and the arrows rattled on his back with the
rage that trembled within him. He sat himself down away from the ships, with a face as dark
as night, and his silver bow rang death as he shot his arrow in the midst of them.
First he smote their mules and their hounds, but presently he aimed his shafts
at the people themselves, and all day long the pyres of the dead were burning.
For nine whole days he shot his arrows among the people, but upon the tenth day Achilles
called them in assembly, moved thereto by Juno, who saw the Achaeans in their death-throes and
had compassion upon them. Then, when they were got together, he rose and spoke among them.
Son of Atreus, said he, I deem that we should now turn roving home,
if we would escape destruction, for we are being cut down by war and pestilence at once.
Let us ask some priest or prophet, or some reader of dreams, or dreams too are of Job,
who can tell us why Thebes Apollo is so angry, and say whether it is for some vow that we have
broken, or hecatomb that we have not offered, and whether he will accept the savor of lambs
and goats without blemish, so as to take away the plague from us. With these words he sat down,
and Calchas, son of Thestor, wisest of augurs, who knew things past, present, and to come,
rose to speak. He it was who had guided the Achaeans with their fleet to Ilias,
through the prophesying of which Thebes Apollo had inspired him.
With all sincerity and goodwill he addressed them thus.
Achilles, loved of heaven, you bid me tell you about the anger of King Apollo.
I will therefore do so, but consider first and swear that you will stand by me heartily in word
and deed, for I know that I shall offend one who rules the Argives with might, to whom all the
Achaeans are in subjection. A plain man cannot stand against the anger of a king, who if he
swallow his displeasure now, will yet nurse revenge till he has wreaked it. Consider, therefore,
whether or no you will protect me." And Achilles answered,
Fear not, but speak as it is borne upon you from heaven. For by Apollo, Calchas, to whom you pray,
and whose oracles you reveal to us, not a Danaan at our ships shall lay his hand upon you,
while I yet live to look upon the face of the earth. No, not though you name Agamemnon himself,
who is by far the foremost of the Achaeans." Thereon the seer spoke boldly.
The god, he said, is angry neither about Baal nor Hecaton, but for his priest's sake,
whom Agamemnon has dishonored, in that he would not free his daughter nor take a ransom for her.
Therefore he has sent these evils upon us, and will yet send others. He will not deliver the
Danaans from this pestilence till Agamemnon has restored the girl without fee or ransom to her
father, and has sent a holy Hecaton to Chryse. Thus we may perhaps appease him.
With these words he sat down, and Agamemnon rose in anger. His heart was black with rage,
and his eyes flashed fire as he scowled on Calchas and said,
Seer of evil, you never yet prophesied smooth things concerning me, but have ever loved to
foretell that which was evil. You have brought me neither comfort nor performance, and now you
come seeing among the Danaans, and saying that Apollo has plagued us because I would not take
a ransom for this girl, the daughter of Chryse. I have set my heart on keeping her in my own house,
for I love her better even than my own wife Clemenestra, whose peer she is alike in form
and feature, in understanding and accomplishment. Still, I will give her up if I must, for I would
have the people live, not die. But you must find me a prize instead, or I alone among the Argives
shall be without one. This is not well, for you behold, all of you, that my prize is to go elsewhere."
And Achilles answered, Most noble son of Atreus, covetous beyond all mankind, how shall the Achaeans
find you another prize? We have no common store from which to take one. Those we took from the
cannot disallow the awards that have been made already. Give this girl, therefore, to the god,
and if ever Job grants us to sack the city of Troy, we will requite you three and fourfold.
Then Agamemnon said, Achilles, valiant though you be, you shall not thus outwit me.
You shall not overreach, and you shall not persuade me. Are you to keep your own prize,
while I sit tamely under my loss, and give up the girl at your bidding? Let the Achaeans
find me a prize in fair exchange to my liking, or I will come and take your own, or that of Ajax,
or of Ulysses, and he to whomsoever I may come shall rue my coming. But of this we will take
thought hereafter. For the present, let us draw a ship into the sea, and find a crew for her
expressly. Let us put a Hecatomb on board, and let us send Chryseus also. Further, let some chief
man among us be in command, either Ajax, or Idomeneus, or yourself, son of Peleus, mighty
warrior that you are, that we may offer sacrifice, and appease the anger of the god." Achilles
scowled at him and answered, You are steeped in insolence and lust of gain. With what heart can
any of the Achaeans do your bidding, either on foray or in open fighting? I came not warring
here for any ill the Trojans had done me. I had no quarrel with them. They have not raided my
cattle, nor my horses, nor cut down my harvests on the rich plains of Pythia. For between me and
them there is a great space, both mountain and sounding sea. We have followed you, Sir Insolent,
for your pleasure, not ours, to gain satisfaction from the Trojans, for your shameless self,
and for Menelaus. You forget this, and threaten to rob me of the prize for which I have toiled,
and which the sons of the Achaeans have given me. Never when the Achaeans sack any rich city
of the Trojans do I receive so good a prize as you do, though it is my hands that do the better
part of the fighting. When the sharing comes, your share is far the largest, and I, forsooth,
must go back to my ships, take what I can get, and be thankful, when my labor of fighting is done.
Now, therefore, I shall go back to Pythia. It will be much better for me to return home with my ships,
for I will not stay here dishonored to gather gold and substance for you."
And Agamemnon answered, Fly if you will, I shall make you no prayers to stay you.
I have others here who will do me honor, and above all Job, the lord of counsel.
There is no king here so hateful to me as you are, for you are ever cordalsome and ill-affected.
What, though you be brave, was it not heaven that made you so? Go home, then, with your ships and
comrades, to lord it over the Mermidons. I care neither for you, nor for your anger, and thus
will I do. Since Phoebus Apollo is taking Praseas from me, I shall send her with my ship and my
followers, but I shall come to your tent and take your own prize, Praseas, that you may learn how
much stronger I am than you are, and that another may fear to set himself up as equal or comparable
with me. The son of Peleus was furious, and his heart within his shaggy breast was divided
whether to draw his sword, push the others aside, and kill the son of Atreus, or to restrain himself
and check his anger. While he was thus in two minds, and was drawing his mighty sword from
its scabbard, Minerva came down from heaven, for Juno had sent her in the love she bore to them
both, and seized the son of Peleus by his yellow hair, visible to him alone, for of the others no
man could see her. Achilles turned in amaze, and by the fire that flashed from her eyes at once
knew that she was Minerva. Why are you here, said he, daughter of Aegeus Berenjo, to see the pride
of Agamemnon, son of Atreus? Let me tell you, and it shall surely be, he shall pay for this
insolence with his life. And Minerva said, I come from heaven, if you will hear me, to bid you stay
your anger. Juno has sent me, who cares for both of you alike. Cease then this brawling, and do not
draw your sword. Rail at him if you will, and your railing will not be vain, for I tell you, and it
shall surely be, that you shall hereafter receive gifts three times as splendid by reason of this
present insult. Hold, therefore, and obey." Goddess, answered Achilles, however angry a man may be,
he must do as you two command him. This will be best, for the gods ever hear the prayers of him
who has obeyed them. He stayed his hand on the silver hilt of his sword, and thrusted back into
the scabbard as Minerva bade him. Then she went back to Olympus among the other gods, and to the
house of Aegeus Berenjo. But the son of Peleus again began railing at the son of Atreus, for he
was still in a rage.
Wine-biver, he cried, with the face of a dog and the heart of a hind, you never dare to go out
with the host and fight, nor yet with our chosen men and ambuscade. You shun this, as you do death
itself. You had rather go round and rob his prizes from any man who contradicts you. You devour your
people, for you are king over a feeble folk. Otherwise, son of Atreus, henceforward you would
Therefore I say, and swear it with a great oath. Nay, by this my scepter which shall sprout neither
leaf nor shoot, nor bud anew from the day on which it left its parent's stem upon the mountains,
for the axe stripped it of leaf and bark, and now the sons of the Achaeans bear it as judges and
guardians of the decrees of heaven. So surely and solemnly do I swear, that hereafter they shall
look fondly for Achilles and shall not find him. In the day of your distress, when your men fall
dying by the murderous hand of Hector, you shall not know how to help them, and shall rend your
heart with rage for the hour when you offered insult to the bravest of the Achaeans. With this,
the son of Peleus dashed his gold-bestudded scepter on the ground and took his seat,
while the son of Atreus was beginning fiercely from his place upon the other side.
Then up rose smooth-tongued Nestor, the facile speaker of the Pileans, and the words fell from
his lips sweeter than honey. Two generations of men, born and bred in Peleus, had passed away
under his rule, and he was now reigning over the third. With all sincerity and goodwill, therefore,
he addressed them thus. Of a truth, he said, a great sorrow has befallen the Achaean land.
Surely Priam, with his sons, would rejoice, and the Trojans be glad at heart if they could hear
this quarrel between you two, who are so excellent in fight and counsel. I am older than either of
you, therefore be guided by me. Moreover, I have been the familiar friend of men even greater than
you are, and they did not disregard my counsels. Never again can I behold such men as Pirithous,
and Dryas, shepherd of his people, or Ascanius, Exadius, godlike Polyphemus, and Theseus,
son of Aegeus, peer of the immortals. These were the mightiest men ever born upon this earth.
Mightiest were they, and when they fought the fiercest tribes of mountain savages,
they utterly overthrew them. I came from distant Pylos, and went about among them,
for they would have me come, and I fought as was in me to do. Not a man now living could withstand
them, but they heard my word, and were persuaded by it. So be it also with yourselves, for this is
the more excellent way. Therefore, Agamemnon, though you be strong, take not this girl away,
for the sons of the Achaeans have already given her to Achilles. And you, Achilles,
strive not further with the king, for no man who by the grace of Job wields a scepter has like
honor with Agamemnon. You are strong and have a goddess for your mother, but Agamemnon is stronger
than you, for he has more people under him. Son of Atreus, check your anger I implore you,
end this quarrel with Achilles, who in the day of battle is a tower of strength to the Achaeans."
And Agamemnon answered, Sir, all that you have said is true, but this fellow must needs become
our lord and master. He must be lord of all, king of all, and captain of all, and this shall hardly
be. Granted that the gods have made him a great warrior, have they also given him the right to
Achilles interrupted me. I should be a mean coward, he cried, were I to give in to you in
all things. Order other people about, not me, for I shall obey no longer. Furthermore, I say,
and lay my saying to your heart, I shall fight neither you nor any man about this girl,
for those that take were those also that gave. But of all else that is at my ship, you shall
carry away nothing by force. Try that others may see, if you do my spear shall be reddened with
your blood. When they had quarreled thus angrily, they rose and broke up the assembly at the ships
of the Achaeans. The son of Peleus went back to his tents and ships with the son of Menoetius and
his company, while Agamemnon drew a vessel into the water and chose a crew of twenty oarsmen.
He escorted Praseus on board and sent moreover a hecatomb for the god, and Ulysses went as
captain. These then went on board and sailed their ways over the sea, but the son of Atreus
bade the people purify themselves. So they purified themselves and cast their filth into the sea,
then they offered hecatombs of bulls and goats without blemish on the seashore,
and the smoke with the sabre of their sacrifice rose curling up towards heaven.
Thus did they busy themselves to the host. But Agamemnon did not forget the threat that he had
made Achilles, and called his trusty messengers and squires, Calphibius and Eurybides. Go,
said he, to the tent of Achilles, son of Peleus. Take Praseus by the hand and bring her hither.
If he will not give her, I shall come with others and take her, which will press him harder.
He charged them straightly further and dismissed them. Whereon they went their way sorrowfully by
the seaside, till they came to the tents and ships of the Myrmidons. They found Achilles
sitting by his tent in his ships, and ill-pleased he was when he beheld them.
They stood fearfully and reverently before him, and never a word did they speak,
but he knew them and said, Welcome, heralds, messengers of gods and men. Draw near. My
quarrel is not with you, but with Agamemnon, who has sent you for the girl of the saints.
Therefore, Patroclus, bring her and give her to them, but let them be witnesses by the blessed
gods, by mortal men, and by the fierceness of Agamemnon's anger, that if ever again there be
need of me to save the people from ruin, they shall seek and they shall not find. Agamemnon
is mad with rage, and knows not how to look before and after that the Achaeans may fight
by their ships in safety. Patroclus did as his dear comrade had bid him.
He brought Theseus from the tent and gave her over to the heralds,
who took her with them to the ships of the Achaeans, and the woman was lost to go.
Then Achilles went all alone by the side of the horror sea, weeping and looking out upon
the boundless waste of waters. He raised his hands in prayer to his immortal mother.
Mother, he cried, you bore me doomed to live but for a little season.
Surely Jove, who thunders from Olympus, might have made that little glorious. It is not so.
Agamemnon, son of Atreus, has done me dishonor and has robbed me of my prize by force.
As he spoke he wept aloud, and his mother heard him where she was sitting in the depths of the sea,
hard by the old man her father. Forthwith she rose as it were a gray mist out of the waves,
sat down before him as he stood weeping, caressed him with her hand and said,
My son, why are you weeping? What is it that grieves you?
Keep it not from me, but tell me, that we may know it together.
Achilles drew a deep sigh and said, You know it. Why tell you what you know well already?
We went to Thebes, the strong city of Aetion, sacked it and brought hither the spoil. The
sons of the Achaeans shared it duly among themselves, and chose lovely Chryseis as the
But Chryseis, priest of Apollo, came to the ships of the Achaeans to free his daughter
and brought with him a great ransom. Moreover he bore in his hand the scepter of Apollo,
wreathed with the suppliant's wreath, and he besought the Achaeans, but most of all the
two sons of Atreus who were their chief. On this the rest of the Achaeans with one voice
were for respecting the priest and taking the ransom that he offered. But not so Agamemnon,
who spoke fiercely to him and sent him roughly away. So he went back in anger, and Apollo,
who loved him dearly, heard his prayer. Then the gods sent a deadly dart upon the Argives,
and the people died thick on one another, for the arrows went everywither among the
wide host of the Achaeans. At last the seer in the fullness of his knowledge declared to us the
oracles of Apollo, and I was myself first to say that we should appease him. Whereon the son of
Atreus rose in anger and threatened that which he has since done. The Achaeans are now taking
the girl and the ship to Chryse, and sending gifts of sacrifice to the gods. But the heralds have
just taken for my tent the daughter of Briseus, whom the Achaeans had awarded to myself.
Help your brave son, therefore, if you are able. Go to Olympus, and if you have ever done him
service in word or deed, implore the aid of Jove. Ofttimes in my father's house have I heard you
glory, in that you alone of the immortals saved the son of Saturn from ruin, when the others with
Juno, Neptune, and Pallas, Minerva, would have put him in bonds. It was you, goddess, who delivered
him by calling to Olympus the hundred-handed monster whom gods call Briareus, but men Aegean,
for he is stronger even than his father. When therefore he took his seat all glorious beside
the son of Saturn, the other gods were afraid and did not bind him. Go then to him, remind him of
all this. Clasp his knees and bid him give supper to the Trojans. Let the Achaeans be hemmed in at
the sterns of their ships, and perish on the seashore, that they may reap what joy they may
of their king, and that Agamemnon may rue his blindness in offering insult to the foremost of
the Achaeans." Thetis wept and answered,
My son, woe is me that I should have borne or suckled you. Would indeed that you had lived
your span free from all sorrow at your ships, for it is all too brief. Alas, that you should
be at once short of life, and long of sorrow above your peers. Woe, therefore, was the hour
in which I bore you. Nevertheless, I will go to the snowy heights of Olympus, and tell this tale
to Job, if he will hear our prayer. Meanwhile, stay where you are with your ships, nurse your
anger against the Achaeans, and hold aloof from fight. For Job went yesterday to Oceanus,
to a feast among the Ethiopians, and the other gods went with him. He will return to Olympus
twelve days hence. I will then go to his mansion paved with bronze, and will beseech him.
Nor do I doubt that I shall be able to persuade him.
On this she left him, still furious at the loss of her that had been taken from him.
Meanwhile, Ulysses reached Crisey with the Hecaton. When they had come inside the harbour,
they furled the sails, and laid them in the ship's hold. They slackened the forestays,
lowered the mast into its place, and rowed the ship to the place where they would have her lie.
There they cast out their mooring stones, and made fast the housers.
Then they got out upon the seashore, and landed the Hecaton for Apollo.
Crisey also left the ship, and Ulysses led her to the altar to deliver her into the hands of
her father. Crisey, said he, King Agamemnon has sent me to bring you back your child.
And to offer sacrifice to Apollo on behalf of the Deneans, that we may propitiate the god
who has now brought sorrow upon the Argives. So saying, he gave the girl over to her father,
who received her gladly, and they ranged the holy Hecaton all orderly round the altar of the god.
They washed their hands and took up the barley meal to sprinkle over the victims,
while Crisey lifted up his hands and prayed aloud on their behalf.
Hear me, he cried, O god of the silver bow, that protectest Crisey and holy Scylla,
and rulest Thanados with thy might. Even as thou didst hear me aforetime when I prayed,
and didst press hardly upon the Achaeans, so hear me yet again, and stay this fearful
pestilence from the Deneans. Thus did he pray, and Apollo heard his prayer.
When they had done praying and sprinkling the barley meal, they drew back the heads of the
victims, and killed and slayed them. They cut out the thigh bones, wrapped them round in two
layers of fat, set some pieces of raw meat on the top of them, and then Crisey laid them on
the wood fire and poured wine over them, while the young man stood near him with five pronged
spits in their hands. When the thigh bones were burnt, and they had tasted the inward meat,
they cut the rest of small, put the pieces upon the spits, roasted them till they were done,
and drew them off. Then, when they had finished their work, and the feast was ready,
they ate it, and every man had his full share, so that all were satisfied. As soon as they had
had enough to eat and drink, Pages filled the mixing bowl with wine and water and handed it
round, after giving every man his drink offering. Thus all day long the young men worshipped the
God with song, hymning him and chanting the joyous paean, and the God took pleasure in their voices.
But when the sun went down, and it came on dark, they laid themselves down to sleep by the stern
cables of the ship, and when the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dom, appeared they again set sail
for the host of the Achaean. Apollo sent them a fair wind, so they raised their masts and hoisted
their white sails aloft. As the sail bellied with the wind, the ship flew through the deep blue
water, and the foam hissed against her bowels as she sped onward. When they reached the wide
stretch and host of the Achaeans, they drew the vessel ashore, high and dry upon the sands,
set her strong crops beneath her, and went their ways to their own tents and ship.
But Achilles aboded his ships, and nursed his anger. He went not to the honourable assembly,
and sallied not forth to fight, but gnawed at his own heart, pining for battle and the war cry.
Now, after twelve days the immortal gods came back in a body to Olympus,
and Jove led the way. Thetis was not unmindful of the charge her son had laid upon her,
so she rose from under the sea, and went through great heaven with early morning to Olympus,
where she found the mighty son of Saturn sitting all alone upon its topmost ridges.
She sat herself down before him, and with her left hand seized his knees,
while with her right she caught him under the chin and besought him, saying,
Father Jove, if I ever did you service in word or deed among the immortals,
hear my prayer, and do honour to my son, whose life is to be cut short so early.
King Agamemnon has dishonoured him by taking his prize and keeping her.
Honour him then yourself, Olympian lord of counsel, and grant victory to the Trojans,
till the Achaeans give my son his due, and load him with riches and requital.
Jove sat for a while silent, and without word, but Thetis still kept firm hold of his knees,
and besought him a second time. Incline your head, said she, and promise me surely, or else
deny me, for you have nothing to fear, that I may learn how greatly you disdain me.
At this Jove was much troubled and answered, I shall have trouble if you set me quarrelling
with Juno, for she will provoke me with her taunting speeches. Even now she is always railing
at me before the other gods and accusing me of giving aid to the Trojans. Go back now,
lest she should find out. I will consider the matter, and will bring it about as you wish.
See, I incline my head that you may believe me. This is the most solemn promise that I can give
to any god. I never recall my word, or deceive, or fail to do what I say, when I have not in my head.
As he spoke, the son of Saturn bowed his dark brows, and the ambrosial locks swayed on his
mortal head till vast Olympus reeled. When the pair had thus laid their plans,
they parted. Jove to his house, while the goddess quitted the splendor of Olympus,
and plunged into the depths of the sea. The gods rose from their seats before the coming of their
sire. Not one of them dared to remain sitting, but all stood up as he came among them. There,
then, he took his seat. But Juno, when she saw him, knew that he and the old merman's daughter,
Silver-footed Thetis, had been hatching mischief, so she at once began to upbraid him.
Trickster! she cried. Which of the gods have you been taking into your counsels now?
You are always settling matters in secret behind my back, and have never yet told me
if you could help in one word of your intentions. Juno, replied the sire of gods and men,
you must not expect to be informed of all my counsels. You are my wife, but you would find
it hard to understand them. When it is proper for you to hear, there is no one, god or man,
who will be told sooner. But when I mean to keep a matter to myself, you must not pry nor ask
questions. Dread son of Saturn, answered Juno, what are you talking about? I? Pry and ask questions?
Never! I let you have your own way in everything. Still, I have strong misgivings that the old
merman's daughter Thetis has been talking you over, for she was with you and had hold of your
knees this selfsame morning. I believe therefore that you have been promising her to give glory
to Achilles, and to kill much people at the ships of the Achilles. Wife, said Joe, I can do nothing
but you suspect me and find it out. You will take nothing by it, for I shall only dislike you the
more, and it will go harder with you. Granted, that it is as you say, I mean to have it so.
Sit down and hold your tongue as I bid you, for if I once begin to lay my hands about you,
though all heaven were on your side it would profit you nothing. On this Juno was frightened,
so she curbed her stubborn will and sat down in silence. But the heavenly beings were disquieted
throughout the house of Job, till the cunning workman Vulcan began to try and pacify his mother
Juno. It will be intolerable, said he, if you two fall to wrangling and setting heaven in an uproar
about a pack of mortals. If such ill counsels are to prevail, we shall have no pleasure at
our banquet. Let me then advise my mother, and she must herself know that it will be better,
to make friends with my dear father Joe, lest he again scold her and disturb our feast.
If the Olympian thunderer wants to hurl us all from our seats, he can do so, for he is far the
strongest. So give him fair words, and he then will soon be in a good humor with us. As he spoke,
he took a double cup of nectar and placed it in his mother's hand.
Cheer up, my dear mother, said he, and make the best of it. I love you dearly, and should be very
sorry to see you get a thrashing. However grieved I might be, I could not help, for there is no
standing against Job. Once before, when I was trying to help you, he caught me by the foot
and flung me from the heavenly threshold. All day long, from morn till eve, was I falling,
till at sunset I came to ground in the island of Lemnos, and there I lay, with very little life
left in me, till the Scythians came and tended me. Juno smiled at this, and as she smiled she took
the cup from her son's hand. Then Vulcan drew sweet nectar from the mixing bowl, and served
it round among the gods, going from left to right, and the blessed gods laughed out a loud applause
as they saw him bustling about the heavenly mansion. Thus, through the live-long day,
to the going down of the sun they feasted, and every one had his full share, so that all were
satisfied. Apollo struck his lyre, and the muses lifted up their sweet voices, calling and answering
one another. But when the sun's glorious light had faded, they went home to bed, each in his own
abode, which lame Vulcan, with his consummate skill, had fashioned for them. So Jove, the Olympian
Lord of Thunder, tied him to the bed in which he always slept, and when he had got on to it,
he went to sleep, with Juno of the Golden Throne by his side. End of Book One
