The repentance of Agamemnon
While the Trojans made merry, full of hope that they would soon be rid of their enemies, the Greeks were full of trouble and fear. None was sadder than King Agamemnon.
Agamemnon spoke to the chiefs: “Zeus seems to hate me. He promised that I should take this city of Troy, but this promise he has not kept. Let us flee to our own land, for Troy we will not take.”
Nestor spoke: “Zeus made you lord over many nations, and you have the need of good counsel. It was an evil day when you took away the damsel Briseïs from Achilles. You must undo this deed and make peace with this man.”
Agamemnon answered: “You have spoken true words. I acted as a fool that day. Achilles is a great warrior and dear to Zeus. See how we fight when he stands aside from the battle! This is the doing of Zeus. As I did Achilles wrong, so I will make amends, giving him many times more than that which I took from him.”
When we return to Greece, he shall be as a son to me. Of my three daughters, he shall have the one whom he shall choose. Seven fair cities will I give him, and the people of these cities shall honor him as lord and master. All these things will I give him, only he will cease from his anger.”
When Agamemnon finished speaking, Nestor said: “The gifts which you are ready to give Achilles are such as no man can find fault with. Let us, therefore, choose three men who may go to his tent and offer them to him.”
The three traveled along the shore of the sea. When they came to his camp, they stood before Achilles. When he saw them, Achilles said: “You are welcome. Though I am angry with the king, you are not the less my friends.”
Then he made a feast. Ulysses began to speak. He said: “Hail, Achilles! This is not a day to think of feasting, for destruction is close at hand, and we are afraid. The Trojans and their allies came very near to burning our ships. We are greatly in doubt whether we shall save them, for Zeus is on their side. What we ask of you is that you will not stand aside any longer from the battle, but will come and help us. Hector rages furiously, and even now he vows that he will destroy us. Therefore, stir yourself if you have a mind to save the Greeks. Make no delay. The king has sent us to offer you gifts to make up for the wrong he did to you.”
Ulysses set forth all the things that Agamemnon promised to give. Then he said: “Be content: Take these gifts. And if you have no thought for Agamemnon, have thought for the people who perish because you stand aside from the battle. Take the gifts, for by so doing you will have wealth and honor from the Greeks, and great glory also, for you will slay Hector, who is now ready to meet you in battle.”
Achilles answered: “I will speak plainly and set out what I intend to do. I took 12 cities to which I travelled in ships, and 11 to which I went by land, and from all I carried away much spoils. All these spoils I brought to King Agamemnon, and he, who all the time stayed safe in his tent, gave few things to me and others, but kept the greater part for himself. Then what did he do? He left to the other chiefs that which he had given to them, but what he had given to me, that he took from me. There are other chiefs whom he has not wronged and shamed; let him go to them and take counsel with them.
“Neither with Hector nor with any other of the sons of Troy will I fight again. Tomorrow, I will launch my ships. And, if the god of the sea gives me good passage, I shall come to my own dear country. There are the riches that I left behind when I came to Troy, gold and silver and slaves that King Agamemnon has not taken from me. But with him I will never take counsel again, nor will I stand by his side in battle. As for his gifts, I scorn them.
“My mother, Thetis of the sea, said to me, ‘My son, there are two lots of life before you, and you may choose one. If you stay in and fight against Troy, you will die in your youth. Only your name will live forever; but if you go back to your home, then shall you live long, but your name will be forgotten.’ Once I thought fame was better than life; but now my mind is changed, for indeed my fame is taken from me, seeing that King Agamemnon shamed me before the people. So now I go to my own land, and I counsel you to go also, for Troy you will never take. The city is dear to Zeus. He puts courage into the hearts of the people. Take this answer back to the man who sent you: ‘Find some other way of keeping Hector and the Trojans from the ships, for my help he shall not have.’ “
When Achilles ended his speech, the chiefs sat silent, so vehement was he.
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