dost thou want?
Thy tents are full of brass, and many chosen women are in thy tents,
whom we Greeks bestow on thee the first of all, whenever we capture a
city. Dost thou still require gold, which some one of the horse-taming
Trojans shall bring from Troy, as a ransom for his son, whom I, or some
other of the Greeks, having bound, may lead away? Or a young maid, that
thou mayest be mingled in dalliance, and whom thou for thyself mayest
retain apart[97] [from the rest]? Indeed it becomes not a man who is
chief in command, to lead the sons of the Greeks into evil. O ye soft
ones, vile disgraces, Grecian dames, no longer Grecian men,[98] let us
return home, home![99] with our ships, and let us leave him here to
digest his honours at Troy, that he may know whether we really aid him
in anything or not. He, who but just now has dishonoured Achilles, a man
much more valiant than himself; for, taking away, he retains his prize,
he himself having seized it. But assuredly there is not much anger in
the heart of Achilles; but he is forbearing; for truly, were it not so,
O son of Atreus, thou wouldest have insulted now for the last time."

[Footnote 97: Not being compelled to restore her, like the
daughter of Chryses.]

[Footnote 98: Virg. AEn. ix. 617: "O vere Phrygiae, neque enim
Phryges!"]

[Footnote 99: This is Naegelsbach's spirited rendering of [Greek:
oikade per].]

Thus spoke Thersites, reviling Agamemnon, the shepherd of the people.
But godlike Ulysses immediately stood beside him, and eyeing him with
scowling brow, reproached him with harsh language:

"Thersites, reckless babbler! noisy declaimer though thou be, refrain,
nor be forward singly to strive with princes; for I affirm that there is
not another mortal more base than thou, as many as came with the son of
Atreus to Ilium. Wherefore do not harangue, having kings in thy mouth,
nor cast reproaches against them, nor be on the watch for a return. Not
as yet indeed do we certainly know how these matters will turn out,
whether we sons of the Greeks shall return to our advantage or
disadvantage. Wherefore, now thou sittest reviling Agamemnon, son of
Atreus, the leader of the people, because the Grecian heroes give him
very many gifts, whilst thou, insulting, dost harangue. But I declare to
thee, which shall also be accomplished: if ever again I catch thee
raving, as now thou art, no longer may the head of Ulysses rest upon his
shoulders, and no lo