THE FIRST BOOK OF HOMER'S ILIA S. THE ARGUMENT. Chryfes, priest of Apollo, brings prefents to the Grecian princes, to ransom his daughter Chryfeis, who was prifoner in the fleet. Agamemnon, the general, whofe captive and mistress the young lady was, refufes to deliver, threatens the venerable old man, and difmiffes him with contumely. The priest craves vengeance of his God; who fends a plague among the Greeks: which occafions Achilles, their great champion, to fummon a council of the chief officers: he encourages Calchas, the high priest and prophet, to tell the reafon, why the Gods were fo much incenfed against them. Calchas is fearful of provoking Agamemnon, till Achilles engages to protect him: then, emboldened by the bero, he accufes the general as the cause of all, by detaining the fair captive, and refufing the prefents offered for her ranfom. By this proceeding, Agamemnon is obliged, against his will, to reftore Chryfeis, with gifts, that he might appease the wrath of Phebus; but, at the fame time, to revenge himself on Achilles, fends to feize his flave Brifeis. Achilles, thus affronted, complains to his mother Thetis; and begs her to revenge his injury, not only on the general, but on all the by giving victory to the Trojans, till the ungrateful king became fenfible of his injuftice. At the fame time, he retires from the camp into his ships, and withdraws his aid from his countrymen. Thetis prefers her fon's petition to Jupiter, who grants her fute. Funo suspects her errand, and quarrels with her bufband, for his grant; till army, Vulcan reconciles his parents with a bowl of nectar, and fends them peaceably to bed. T HE wrath of Peleus' fon, OMufe, refound; Whofe dire effects the Grecian army found, And many a hero, king, and hardy knight, Were fent, in early youth, to fhades of night: Their limbs a prey to dogs and vultures made: So was the fov'reign will of Jove obey'd: From that ill-omen'd hour when ftrife begun, Betwixt Atrides' great, and Thetis' god-like fon. What Pow'r provok'd, and for what cause, relate, Sow'd, in their breafts, the feeds of ftern debate: Against the king of men; who fwoln with pride, Amid the camp, where heaps on heaps lay dead. With gold and gifts of price, his daughter's liberty. Suppliant before the Grecian chiefs he ftood; Awful, and arm'd with enfigns of his God: Bare was his hoary head; one holy hand Held forth his laurel crown, and one his fceptre of command. may His fuit was common; but above the rest, With fhouts of loud acclaim the Greeks decree Nor thy God's crown, my vow'd revenge with ftand. Hence on thy life: the captive maid is mine; This, for the night; by day, the web and loom, He faid the helpless prieft reply'd no more, fhore: Silent he fled; fecure at length he stood, And whose broad eye their happy foil furveys; How much thy pow'r is injur'd in thy prieft. |