Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-12-10
ROMER'S lLIAD.
Book IA Literal Translation by c.
MacLean, Ph. d.


Wv. 53-1O0. Hera's Interposition and
the Declaration of kalchas:
For nine days the missiles of the god
went sweeping through the army, and
Oh the tenth [day] Achilles caused the
people to be summoned to a council, for
Hera. the white-armed goddess, put this
in his heart. For she was grieved for
the Danai, because she saw them dying.
When, therefore, they were assembled
and were met together For this form OF
expression see Prayer Book, page 4,
"When we assemble and met together to
etc. Achilles, swift as to his feet, rising
up ia the midst, addressed them:
so son of Atreus, now I think that We,
driven back, will return home again, if,
indeed, we would escape death, since, as
it now appears, war and pestiience have
united to subdue the Achaeans Hit. since
war and pestilence together will subdue
II. But come now, let us consult some
seer, or priest, or even an interpreter OF
dreams-for dream also is from Zeus-
who might tell why Phoebus Apollo con-
ceived such anger; whether he finds
fault on account of a VOW neglected, or
on account of hecatomb not offered, if
perchance, in some way, he, having par
taken of the SAVIOR of the fat of lambs and
I of choice goats, would be willing to ward
off ruin from us.
| Now, when he had thus spoken, he
sat down, and there stood up in the
midst of them, Kalchas, the son of Thes-
tor, by far the best Of soothsayers. He
knew the things that are, the things that
will be, and the things that were before ;
and. by his knowledge of divination which
Phoebus Apollo gave to him, he guided
the ships of the Achaeans all the way to
Ilium. This one took part in the bust
ness of the council and addressed them (:
80 Achilles, dear to Zeus, thou sum
monest me to explain the wrath of Apol-
lo-the far-darter king. I shall, there
fore. speak: But do thou give heed, and
swear to me that thou wilt surely and
truly aid me by word and by deed. For
of a truth I am Of the opinion that I
shall enrage man who powerfully rules
the Argives and to whom the Achaeans
submit. For king is superior when he
is angry with an inferior; for even if he
suppress his anger at the time, yet he
afterward holds his grudge in his heart
until he can make it effective. But make
thou clear to thyself whether or not thou
wilt protect me-"
Then Achilles, swift as to his feet,
made answer, aEd said:
every courageously tell thou the
prophecy, whatever thou knowest For
not by Apollo dear to Zeus, by praying
to whom, thou, 0 Kalchas, makest
known to the Danai the oracles, no one,
while I live and behold the ground, will
lay heavy hands on thee near the hollow
ships-not even if thou tell Agamemnon
himself who now boasts that he is by far
the bravest of the Achaeans."
Aud so the blameless seer took courage
and spoke out:
''Not then, indeed, on account of a
vow, nor on account of hecatomb, but
on account of his priest, whom Aga
memnon dishonored, he is offended, nor
did he release his daughter, and did not
even accept his gifts. On this account,
then, the Far-darter sent tEesbles, and
will still send [theml. Nor will he re-
strain his hands, heavy with pestilence,
until we restore to her dear father the
quick-glancing maiden unbought, with
out ransom, and lead a sacred hecatomb
to Chrysa. Then, having propitiated
[hirnl We might persuade [himl.''