d not accept the money, and sent a rude message to the
priest, who, in anger, asked Apollo to avenge this insult by sending a
plague upon the Greeks. The god heard and granted this prayer, and soon
all the soldiers in the Greek camp were suffering from a terrible
disease, of which many of them died.

As no remedy could relieve the sufferers, the Greek leaders consulted an
oracle, to find out how the plague might be stopped. Then they learned
that Apollo was angry with Agamemnon because he had refused to give up
his slave, and that the Greeks would continue to suffer until he made up
his mind to give her back to her father.

Thus forced to give her up to save his men from further suffering and
even from death, Agamemnon angrily said he would take Achilles' slave
instead, and he had her brought to wait upon him in his tent.

Achilles, who wanted to save the Greeks from the plague, allowed the
maiden to depart, warning Agamemnon, however, that he would no longer
fight for a chief who could be so selfish and unjust. As soon as the
girl had gone, therefore, he laid aside his fine armor; and although he
heard the call for battle, and the din of fighting, he staid quietly
within his tent.

While Achilles sat thus sulking day after day, his companions were
bravely fighting. In spite of their bravery, however, the Trojans were
gaining the advantage; for, now that Achilles was no longer there to
fill their hearts with terror, they fought with new courage.

The Greeks, missing the bright young leader who always led them into the
midst of the fray, were gradually driven back by the Trojans, who
pressed eagerly forward, and even began to set fire to some of the Greek
ships.

Achilles' friend, Patroclus, who was fighting at the head of the Greeks,
now saw that the Trojans, unless they were checked, would soon destroy
the whole army, and he rushed into Achilles' tent to beg him to come and
help them once more.

His entreaties were vain. Achilles refused to move a step; but he
consented at last to let Patroclus wear his armor, and, thus disguised,
make a last attempt to rally the Greeks and drive back the Trojans.

Patroclus started out, and, when the Trojans saw the well-known armor,
they shrank back in terror, for they greatly feared Achilles. They soon
saw their mistake, however; and Hector, rushing forward, killed
Patroclus, tore the armor off his body, and retired to put it on in
honor of his victory.

Then a terrible s