Achilles’ wrath, to Greece the direful spring (The Iliad, book I) - Homer

Achilles’ wrath, to Greece the direful spring

Of woes unnumber’d, heavenly goddess, sing!

That wrath which hurl’d to Pluto’s gloomy reign

The souls of mighty chiefs untimely slain;

Whose limbs unburied on the naked shore,

Devouring dogs and hungry vultures tore.

Since great Achilles and Atrides strove,

Such was the sovereign doom, and such the will of Jove!

Declare, O Muse! in what ill-fated hour

Sprung the fierce strife, from what offended power

Latona’s son a dire contagion spread,

And heap’d the camp with mountains of the dead;

The king of men his reverent priest defied,

And for the king’s offence the people died.

For Chryses sought with costly gifts to gain

His captive daughter from the victor’s chain.

Suppliant the venerable father stands;

Apollo’s awful ensigns grace his hands:

By these he begs; and lowly bending down,

Extends the sceptre and the laurel crown.

He sued to all, but chief implored for grace

The brother-kings, of Atreus’ royal race

“Ye kings and warriors! may your vows be crown’d,

And Troy’s proud walls lie level with the ground.

May Jove restore you when your toils are o’er

Safe to the pleasures of your native shore.

But, oh! relieve a wretched parent’s pain,

And give Chryseïs to these arms again;

If mercy fail, yet let my presents move,

And dread avenging Phœbus, son of Jove.”

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The Iliad, Book I, lines 1-30

Homer (c. 8th century BC) Ancient Greece

Whether Homer was a real person is disputed!

Translated by Alexander Pope

Source: The Iliad of Homer Translated by Alexander Pope, Flaxman’s Designs. 1899