ive me such a share as I should have, well and good. But
if not, I will take one for myself, whether it be from thee or from Ajax
or from Ulysses; for my share I will have. But of this hereafter. Now let
us see that this maiden be sent back. Let them get ready a ship, and put
her herein, and with her a hundred victims, and let some chief go with the
ship, and see that all things be rightly done."

Then cried Achilles, and his face was as black as a thunder-storm: "Surely
thou art altogether shameless and greedy, and, in truth, an ill ruler of
men. No quarrel have I with the Trojans. They never harried oxen or sheep
of mine in fertile Phthia, for many murky mountains lie between, and a
great breadth of roaring sea. But I have been fighting in thy cause, and
that of thy brother Menelaus. Naught carest thou for that. Thou leavest me
to fight, and sittest in thy tent at ease. But when the spoil is divided,
thine is always the lion's share. Small, indeed, is my part,--'a little
thing, but dear.' And this, forsooth, thou wilt take away! Now am I
resolved to go home. I have no mind to heap up goods and gold for thee,
and be myself dishonored."

And King Agamemnon answered, "Go, and thy Myrmidons with thee! I have
other chieftains as good as thou art, and ready, as thou art not, to pay
me due respect; and Zeus, the god of council, is with me. I hate thee, for
thou always lovest war and strife. And as for the matter of the spoil,
know that I will take thy share, the girl Briseis, and fetch her myself,
if need be, that all may know that I am sovereign lord here in the host of
the Greeks."

Then Achilles was mad with anger, and he thought in his heart, "Shall I
arise and slay this caitiff, or shall I keep down the wrath in my breast?"
And as he thought he laid his hand on his sword-hilt, and had half-drawn
his sword from the scabbard, when lo! the goddess Athene stood behind him
(for Juno, who loved both this chieftain and that, had sent her), and
caught him by the long locks of his yellow hair. But Achilles marveled
much to feel the mighty grasp, and turned and looked, and knew the
goddess, but no one else in the assembly might see her. Terrible was the
flash of his eyes as he cried, "Art thou come, child of Zeus, to see the
insolence of Agamemnon? Of a truth, I think that he will perish for his
folly."

But Athene said, "Nay, but I am come from heaven to abate thy wrath, if
thou wilt hear me; white-armed Juno sent me, for she