Of thy rude rage now, and his wrong that most deserv'd the rightOf all thy army." Thus, he threw his sceptre 'gainst the ground,
With golden studs stuck, and took seat. Atrides' breast was drown'd
In rising choler. Up to both sweet-spoken Nestor stood,
The cunning Pylian orator, whose tongue pour'd forth a flood
Of more-than-honey-sweet discourse; two ages were increas'd
Of divers-languag'd men, all born in his time and deceas'd,
In sacred Pylos, where he reign'd amongst the third-ag'd men
He, well-seen in the world, advis'd, and thus express'd it then:
"O Gods! Our Greek earth will be drown'd in just tears; rapeful
Troy,
Her king, and all his sons, will make as just a mock, and joy,
Of these disjunctions; if of you, that all our host excel
In counsel and in skill of fight, they hear this. Come, repel
These young men's passions. Y' are not both, put both your years in
one,
So old as I. I liv'd long since, and was companion
With men superior to you both, who yet would ever hear
My counsels with respect. My eyes yet never witness were,
Nor ever will be, of such men as then delighted them;
Pirithous, Exadius, and god-like Polypheme,
Cæneus, and Dryas prince of men, Ægean Theseüs,
A man like heav'n's immortals form'd; all, all most vigorous,
Of all men that ev'n those days: bred; most vig'rous men, and
fought
With beasts most vig'rous, mountain beasts, (for men in strength
were nought
Match'd with their forces) fought with them, and bravely fought
them down
Yet ev'n with these men I convers'd, being call'd to the renown
Of their societies, by their suits, from Pylos far, to fight
In th' Apian kingdom; and I fought, to a degree of might
That help'd ev'n their mights, against such as no man now would
dare
To meet in conflict; yet ev'n these my counsels still would hear,
And with obedience crown my words. Give you such palm to them;
'Tis better than to wreath your wraths. Atrides, give not stream
To all thy pow'r, nor force his prise, but yield her still his own,
As all men else do. Nor do thou encounter with thy crown,
Great son of Peleus, since no king that ever Jove allow'd
Grace of a sceptre equals him. Suppose thy nerves endow'd
With strength superior, and thy birth a very goddess gave,
Yet he of force is mightier, since what his own nerves have
Is amplified with just command of many other. King of men,
Command thou then thyself; and I with my pray'rs will obtain
Grace of Achilles to subdue his fury; whose parts are
Worth our entreaty, being chief check to all our ill in war."
"All this, good father," said the king, "is comely and good right;
But this man breaks all such bounds; he affects, past all men,
height;
All would in his pow'r hold, all make his subjects, give to all
His hot will for their temp'rate law; all which he never shall
Persuade at my hands. If the gods have giv'n him the great style
Of ablest soldier, made they that his licence to revile
Men with vile language?" Thetis' son prevented him, and said:
"Fearful and vile I might be thought, if the exactions laid
By all means on me I should bear. Others command to this,
Thou shalt not me; or if thou dost, far my free spirit is
From serving thy command. Beside, this I affirm (afford
Impression of it in thy soul): will not use my sword
On thee or any for a wench, unjustly though thou tak'st
The thing thou gav'st; but all things else, that in my ship thou
mak'st
Greedy survey of, do not touch without my leave; or do—
Add that act's wrong to this, that these may see that outrage
too—
And then comes my part; then be sure, thy blood upon my lance
Shall flow in vengeance." These high terms these two at variance
Us'd to each other; left their seats; and after them arose
The whole court. To his tents and ships, with friends and soldiers,
goes
Angry Achilles. Atreus' son the swift ship launch'd, and put
Within it twenty chosen row'rs, within it likewise shut
The hecatomb t' appease the God; then caus'd to come aboard
Fair-cheek'd Chryseis; for the chief, he in whom Pallas pour'd
Her store of counsels, Ithacus, aboard went last; and then
The moist ways of the sea they sail'd. And now the king of men
Bade all the host to sacrifice. They sacrific'd, and cast
The offal of all to the deeps; the angry God they grac'd
With perfect hecatombs; some bulls, some goats, along the shore
Of the unfruitful sea, inflam'd. To heav'n the thick fumes bore
Enwrapped savours. Thus, though all the politic king made shew
Respects to heav'n, yet he himself all that
