So he spoke and went away, and left Agamemnon there, believing things in his heart that were not to be accomplished. For he thought that on that very day he would take Priam’s city; fool, who knew nothing of all the things Zeus planned to accomplish, Zeus, who yet was minded to visit tears and sufferings on Trojans and Danaans alike in the strong encounters.
‘Son of Atreus, what thing further do you want, or find fault with now? Your shelters are filled with bronze, there are plenty of the choicest women for you within your shelter, whom we Achaians give to you first of all whenever we capture some stronghold. Or is it still more gold you will be wanting, that some son of the Trojans, breakers of horses, brings as ransom out of Ilion, one that I, or some other Achaian, capture and bring in? Is it some young woman to lie with in love and keep her all to yourself apart from the others? It is not right for you, their leader, to lead in sorrow the sons of the Achaians. My good fools, poor abuses, you women, not men, of Achaia, let us go back home in our ships, and leave this man here by himself in Troy to mull his prizes of honour that he may find out whether or not we others are helping him. And now he has dishonoured Achilleus, a man much better than he is. He has taken his prize by force and keeps her. But there is no gall in Achilleus’ heart, and he is forgiving. Otherwise, son of Atreus, this were your last outrage.‘
let me nevermore be called Telemachos’ father, if I do not take you and strip away your personal clothing, your mantle and your tunic that cover over your nakedness, and send you thus bare and howling back to the fast ships, whipping you out of the assembly place with the strokes of indignity.‘
In truth, it is a hard thing, to be grieved with desire for going. Any man who stays away one month from his own wife with his intricate ship is impatient, one whom the storm winds of winter and the sea rising keep back. And for us now this is the ninth of the circling years that we wait here. Therefore I cannot find fault with the Achaians for their impatience beside the curved ships; yet always it is disgraceful to wait long and at the end go home empty-handed. No, but be patient, friends, and stay yet a little longer until we know whether Kalchas’ prophecy is true or is not true.
whether Zeus of the aegis promises false or truly.
Now all those who dwelt about Pelasgian Argos, those who lived by Alos and Alope and at Trachis, those who held Phthia and Hellas the land of fair women, who were called Myrmidons and Hellenes and Achaians, of all these and their fifty ships the lord was Achilleus. But these took no thought now for the grim clamour of battle since there was no one who could guide them into close order, since he, swift-footed brilliant Achilleus, lay where the ships were, angered over the girl of the lovely hair, Briseis, whom after much hard work he had taken away from Lyrnessos after he had sacked Lyrnessos and the walls of Thebe and struck down Epistrophos and Mynes the furious spearmen, children of Euenos, king, and son of Selepios. For her sake he lay grieving now, but was soon to rise up.
Therefore now, if a god making trial of you comes hither do you not do battle head on with the gods immortal, not with the rest; but only if Aphrodite, Zeus’ daughter, comes to the fighting, her at least you may stab with the sharp bronze.'
'Tydeus’ son Diomedes, the too high-hearted, stabbed me as I was carrying my own beloved son out of the fighting, Aineias, who beyond all else in the world is dear to me; so now this is no horrible war of Achaians and Trojans, but the Danaans are beginning to fight even with the immortals.‘
But you: you stand here, not even giving the word to the rest of your people to stand fast and fight in defence of their own wives. Let not yourselves, caught as in the sweeping toils of the spun net, be taken as war-spoil and plunder by the men who hate you, men who presently will storm your strong-founded citadel. All these things should lie night and day on your mind, forever, supplication to the lords of your far-renowned companions, to fight unwearying and hold off the strength of an insult.’ Sarpedon
’Father Zeus, are you not angry with Ares for his violent acts, for killing so many and such good Achaian warriors for no reason, and out of due order, to grieve me? And meanwhile Kypris and Apollo of the silver bow take their ease and their pleasure having let loose this maniac who knows nothing of justice. Father Zeus, would you be angry with me if I were to smite Ares with painful strokes and drive him out of the fighting?‘
but Zeus the son of Kronos stole away the wits of Glaukos who exchanged with Diomedes the son of Tydeus armour of gold for bronze, for nine oxen’s worth the worth of a hundred.
”This is the wife of Hektor, who was ever the bravest fighter of the Trojans, breakers of horses, in the days when they fought about Ilion.” So will one speak of you; and for you it will be yet a fresh grief, to be widowed of such a man who could fight off the day of your slavery. But may I be dead and the piled earth hide me under before I hear you crying and know by this that they drag you captive.‘
No man is going to hurl me to Hades, unless it is fated, but as for fate, I think that no man yet has escaped it once it has taken its first form, neither brave man nor coward.
Then in turn Diomedes of the great war cry answered: ‘Yes, old sir, all this you have said is fair and orderly. But this thought comes as a bitter sorrow to my heart and my spirit; for some day Hektor will say openly before the Trojans: The son of Tydeus, running before me, fled to his vessels. So he will vaunt; and then let the wide earth open beneath me.’ Nestor the Gerenian horseman spoke to him in answer: ‘Ah me, son of brave Tydeus; what a thing to have spoken. If Hektor calls you a coward and a man of no strength, then the Trojans and Dardanians will never believe him, nor will the wives of the high-hearted Trojan warriors, they whose husbands you hurled in the dust in the pride of their manhood.’