Homer: The Origin of Conflict

Ode, Goddess, the noxious ire of Achilleus, descendant of Peleos. 

Ruinous, the Achaeans were placed in a myriad of sufferings.

And with potency, a multitude of valiant psyches were subjected to Hades.

Heroes, these selves formed the prey of canines and omnifarious avian omen.

The council of Zeus was being conducted to telos.

From the time of the prime quarrel and separation.

Of the descendant of Atreus, ruler Agamemnon, and divine Achilleus.

Then, which of the Gods synthesised the two into contention and engaged them in battle?

The descendant of Leto and Zeus, having been made choleric by the monarch.

He set in motion an injurious malady upon the army, and the population was perishing.

The descendant of Atreus dishonoured Chryses, the hierophant,

upon his arrival at the agile vessels of the Achaeans,

to release his daughter, offering boundless ransom,

and favourably in hand, the fillets of Apollo, who afflicts from a distance.

Upon the golden sceptre, he implored the entire Achaeans,

particularly the two of Atreus, who arranged the people:

"Descendants of Atreus, and also other plenty-greaved Achaeans.

With you, be the deities whose domicile is Olympia, and provide 

the polity of Priam to be sacked, and a safe return to your domicile. 

Resolve the matter of the cherished girl for me, receive this ransom,

delighting the son of Zeus, Apollo, who afflicts from a distance."

The entire remainder of the Achaeans were in acclamation

and admiration for the hierophant, and in receiving the splendid ransom. 

But, this did not please the spirited part of Agamemnon, descendant of Atreus,

who instead asserted with injurious and commanding power of elocution:

"Do not let me discover you, old-aged man, in the presence of these vessels with a cavity,

neither remaining at this moment, nor returning later,

Indeed, the sceptre and fillet of the God may not avail you.

And, this girl, I will not release before old age is upon her.

She will be at our household in Argos, a distant expatriate,

plying at the posts of the loom and present at my nuptial couch.

Go now! Do not provoke me, return to safety."

After this assertion, the old-aged man was terrified, convinced by the declaration.

Then, silently, he departed adjacent to the coastline and the resounding sea.

When he was far apart, the old-aged one raised a multitude of prayers

to the ruler Apollo, the one, beautifully tressed Leto produced,

'Hear my prayer, argent-bowed one who protects Chryse

and sacred Cilla and the ruler of Tenedos by force,

O Smintheus! Always do I adorn a charming temple for you,

and always do I burn for you, prepared superior thigh portions

of bulls and of goats; now proceed with this appeal to completion

Let the Danaans recompense my tears, with your argent missiles.'

So he offered his prayers, and Phoebus Apollo apprehended them.

He descended from the summit of Olympus, profoundly choleric at heart,

with a bow and covered quivers over his shoulders.

There was a clanging of arrows on choleric shoulders

as Self set in motion, and he proceeded, comparable with the night.

Later, from a sedentary position, at a distance from the vessels,

he discharged an arrow into the middle of them,

and there was a terrible clang generated from the argent bow.

First, he assailed the onus of mules and instinctive dogs,

but then, he discharged a piercing missile on selves.

He continued to afflict with his missiles, and the caustic pyres of corpses flamed incessantly. 

And for nine days, the missiles from the God approached the army.

On the tenth, Achilleus summoned the army to the place of assembly,

for brilliant-white [achromatic] armed Goddess, Hera, placed aim upon his consciousness,

for she had concern for the Danaans, since she was observing them dying.

Then, when they all convened and became homogeneous,

 celeritous-footed Achilleus made a stand in the middle of them, and declared:

"Descendant of Atreus, I believe, we, at present, having been forced back to a former condition,

should return home if indeed we possibly avoid mortality,

since both battle and plague, in conjunction, are subduing the Achaeans.

Come now, let us ask an interpreter, or hierophant,

or even an oneirocritic, for dreams come to be from Zeus,

one of whom may say what made Phoebus Apollo so choleric,

and indeed, whether our prayer or if a hecatomb is to blame, 

and if there is some way, having encountered the savour from perfect lambs and goats,

and we having propitiated, he would be willing to repel the plague from us."

Indeed, after he had spoken to them, he was seated, and then from amongst them,

Kalkhas, descendant of Thestor, made a stand, by far the noblest augur,

who already knew,

the things that are, the things that have cause to be, and the things that have been.

He was the guide for the Achaean vessels to Ilion,

using the interpretation granted by Phoebus Apollo.

He, being of good discernment, addressed those assembled:

"O Achilleus, cherished by Zeus, you urge me to narrate

on the choleric ruler Apollo of the distant missiles. 

So accordingly, I shall articulate, but you must enter into an agreement and pledge to me

that you are willing to aid me vocally and with your hands.

For I believe that a man shall become choleric, one who rules magnificently

over the Argives, and one whom the Achaeans obey.

For when a monarch has superior power and becomes choleric with an inferior man,

even if he indeed digests his choler on selfsame day,

he will hold rancour under his sternum, until later, when he conducts it to telos.

Declare if you will save me."

In response, the celeritous-footed Achilleus addressed him:

"Be of superior courage indeed, speak of the prophetic that you know,

for indeed, by Apollo, cherished by Zeus, O you pray, Kalkhas,

and while praying, reveal prophecies to the Danaans.

No one, while I exist, and while I survey upon the earth,

will impose the pressure of hands upon you in the presence of the vessels with a cavity,

not of the collective Danaans, not even if it were to be Agamemnon you speak of,

who at present vaunts to be the most noble of the assembled army."

And indeed, the excellent prophet took courage and spoke:

"Indeed then, neither prayer nor hecatomb is to blame.

Rather, the hierophant was dishonoured by Agamemnon,

who would not release his daughter nor accept the ransom.

For this reason, the one who afflicts from a distance provides this pain,

and will continue to provide pain,

and nor indeed will he remove the ruinous hands of the plague,

until the helicoid-glancing chaste female is returned to her cherished father

without payment or ransom. And a sacred hecatomb must be taken to Chryses.

Then indeed, having appeased him, we may persuade him"

Indeed, he thus spoke and then took a sedentary position.

And then, a different one made a stand,

The heroic descendant of Atreus, broad-ruling Agamemnon.

Magnificent in vexation and spirit,

his place of emotion and conception profoundly black on both parts,

both eyes appeared to be illuminated with fire.

To Kalkhas he spoke above all, addressing him concerning the foreseeing of injurious things:

"Interpreter of things injurious, not ever, as yet, have you communicated to me favourably.

Instead, you continually communicate the injurious cherished by your place of emotion

and conception,

Nor has your voice been noble yet. Nor has it delivered completion to telos.

And you address the Danaans, delivering the prophetic, as now.

That for this reason, the one who afflicts from a distance causes, at this place, suffering within,

that I declined receiving splendid things, and the ransom for the chaste female of Chryses,

for I have a plentiful desire to keep herself at my place of residence.

Indeed, it does appear that I prefer the chaste female over Clytemnestra, my wife,

because she is not inferior to her,

not in form, nor nature, nor indeed spirit, nor any action.

However, on the contrary, I am prepared to return her if that is a superior act,

for I prefer the populace to be intact than to perish.

But, for me, prepare recompense of honour instantly, so that I am not deficient,

and the solitary Argive unhonoured, for this is not appropriate,

for you all to see that my recompense of honour will be distant."

And then celeritous-footed divine Achilleus responded to him,

"Most renowned descendant of Atreus, of all people, the preeminent adorer of profit,

how can the magnanimous Achaeans offer you an antidote for your recompense of honour?

Nor do we know of any supplies set apart as common property,

since the things we sacked from all the polities have been apportioned,

and it does not appear appropriate to approach the populace and restate these things,

Thus, on the one hand, you should now remit her, for the cause of the God,

and on the other hand, the Achaeans shall compensate you to a triple and quadruple degree,

if Zeus ever decrees the sacking of the well-walled polity of Troy."

Then the ruler, Agamemnon, responded, addressing him,

"Divine Achilleus, although a noble being, now do not act in this way,

using your intellect and rational perception to deceive me,

for you will neither evade nor persuade me.

Do you genuinely desire for self to retain your recompense of honour,

while you place me in a position of deprivation, by enticing me to return her?

However, if indeed, on the one hand, you magnanimous Achaeans,

could accord a recompense of honour,

apportion it according to your spirited part, and let it be of equal value.

But, on the other hand, if you do not accord, then I will seize recompense of honour for self,

either yours, or that of Aias, or that of Odysseus,

and once the recompense of honour is seized, I will carry it away.

Then he, whoever I come upon, will be provoked and become choleric.

However, indeed, for these things, we should take counsel and consider them again later,

but, for now, let us move a black vessel into the divine sea,

assemble an appropriate complement, and let us place into it a hecatomb,

and self, with an attractive profile, of Chryses.

So, let us go, and let one man be in command, someone who has a mode of counsel,

either Aias, or Idomeneus, or noble Odysseus,

or you, descendant of Peleos, most extraordinary of all the men,

who, after having performed the sacred rites for us, appeases the one who acts from a distance."

But then, having observed from underneath blackness, Achilleus of celeritous-foot, addressed him,

"Alas! You, cloaked in impudence and desiring profit,

how can any of the Achaeans, of one's own accord, be persuaded by your diction,

and either go your way, or battle men by force?

For I did not convene at this place to battle the spear-armed Trojans,

because, for me, they are not at all responsible.

For, at no time have they chased away my cattle, nor indeed my horses,

nor at any time have they spoiled my produce in especially fertile Phthia, nourisher of men;

indeed, there are both shadowy mountains and resounding sea separating us.

But, so that you may show charisma, O especially impudent one,

we have to accompany you in attaining this from the Trojans,

both for Menelaus and for yourself, dog-observing [cynic] one.

These Trojons, whom you have no care for, nor are they in your conscience.

And then, you menace me by saying, self will remove my recompense of honour,

for which I have toiled with valour, and the male progeny of the Achaeans portioned to me.

I have not shared equally with you, at any time, in a recompense of honour,

whenever the Achaeans have sacked a large inhabited Trojan citadel,

although it was my hands that accomplished and exceeded in furious battle,

but, when there was an apportionment to be made,

your recompense of honour was the most considerable, and mine is a few cherished items.

I am returning to the vessels containing those items, for I have become fatigued from battle,

and then my destination is Phthia, since it is far superior

to proceed to one's domicile with curved-rostrate vessels, nor do I wish

to accumulate prosperity and wealth here for you, while being without honour myself."

Then, Agamemnon, sovereign over all men, addressed him:

"Use subterfuge indeed, if your heart is set in motion,

nor will I entreat you to remain for my cause; there are others here with me,

who would also honour me, especially Zeus the counsellor.

You are the most hostile to me of all the sovereigns of divine nourishment,

for quarrels, conflicts, and battles are always pleasing to you.

If you are exceedingly powerful, then, I suppose, this was God-given to you.

Homeward go with your vessels and your companions.

Rule over the Murmidones. I do not care for you,

nor take notice of your indignation. Still, I warn you of this,

As Phoebus Apollo deprives me of the daughter of Chryses,

I will return her with my own vessel and companions,

and then I will proceed to your quarters and will possess for self,

your recompense of honour, Briseis, of attractive profile,

so that you will observe with clarity how measurably superior I am to you,

and so another man averts from declaring they are an equal comparison to me face to face."

Thus he spoke, and vexation consumed the descendant of Peleos.

And within his fleecy chest, the place of emotion and conception produced a dichotomy:

On the one hand, by indeed extracting the acute sword from his thigh,

others should be revitalised and inspired to perpetrate

the homicide of the descendant of Atreus,

or,

On the other hand, should he repress his ire and restrain his spiritedness... 

Homer, The Iliad Book I  (Book 1: 1 to 192)

New English Recensional Translation by The Editor of ClassicalPhilosophy.org, Chichester, England, 2025.