council mindful, what time for the hand of
Thetis there was strife between Zeus and glorious Poseidon, each
having desire that she should be his fair bride, for love had obtained
dominion over them.

Yet did not the wisdom of the immortal gods fulfil for them such
marriage, when they had heard a certain oracle. For Themis of wise
counsels spake in the midst of them of how it was pre-destined that
the sea-goddess should bear a royal offspring mightier than his
father, whose hand should wield a bolt more terrible than the
lightning or the dread trident, if she came ever into the bed of Zeus,
or of brethren of Zeus.

'Cease ye herefrom: let her enter a mortal's couch and see her son
fall in war, who shall be as Ares in the might of his hands, and as
the lightning in the swiftness of his feet. My counsel is that ye give
her to be the heaven-sent prize of Peleus son of Aiakos, whom the
speech of men showeth to be their most righteous, an offspring of
Iolkos' plain. Thus straightway let the message go forth to Cheiron's
cave divine, neither let the daughter of Nereus put a second time
into your hands the ballot-leaves of strife. So on the evening of the
mid-month moon shall she unbind for the hero the fair girdle of her
virginity.'

Thus spake the goddess her word to the children of Kronos, and they
bowed their everlasting brows. Nor failed her words of fruit, for they
say that to Thetis' bridals came those twain kings even with the rest.

Out of the mouths of the wise hath the young valour of Achilles
been declared to them that beheld it not. He it was who stained the
vine-clad Mysian plain with the dark blood of Telephos that he shed
thereon, and made for the sons of Atreus a safe return across the sea,
and delivered Helen, when that he had cut asunder with his spear the
sinews of Troy, even the men who kept him back as he plied the work
of slaughterous battle on the plain, the strength of Memnon and
high-hearted Hektor, and other chiefs of pride. Unto all these did
Achilles, champion of the Aiakid race, point the way to the house of
Persephone, and thereby did he glorify Aigina and the root whence he
was sprung.

Neither in death was he of songs forsaken, for at his funeral pyre and
beside his tomb stood the Helikonian maiden-choir, and poured thereon
a dirge of many melodies. For so the immortals willed, to give charge
unto the songs of goddesses over that valorous man even in his death.

And now also holdeth such