Mythology of the Iliad and the Odyssey Read Online Free PDF Page A

bow and quiver of arrows. He knelt down on one knee and shot one arrow after another at the Greeks from his silver bow, for nine days in a row. Every time an arrow hit, it spread pestilence throughout the army, killing many warriors.
    Achilles called together all the leaders of the Greek expedition. “We cannot fight against both disease and the Trojans. Perhaps we are beaten and the campaign lost. But let us first consult with the prophet Calchas. This holy man may reveal why Apollo rages so against us.”
    Calchas knew that Agamemnon would dislike his prophecy, so he asked Achilles to save him from Agamemnon’s anger. “Apollo sends down his deadly arrows because Agamemnon has angered him by sending away his priest. The king ignored Chryses’ ransom and refused to return his daughter.”
    Agamemnon stood, his eyes blazing with fury, and turned upon the prophet. “Never do your prophecies favor me! Now you say I must give up Chryseïs! I am willing to give her back if that will be best for my troops. Just bring me another prize in her place.” Agamemnon felt that he would be disgraced if he did not have a war prize as wonderful as Chryseïs.
    Achilles quickly answered. “Just how, Agamemnon, can you receive another prize now? All our treasures captured in war have been given out to the rank and file of our troops. Should we force one of them to give up his prize? That would be truly disgraceful.”
    Agamemnon accused Achilles of selfishness. “Would you keep your own prize while I sit here empty-handed? No, if I have to give up Chryseïs, I will take your prize of war, the young woman Briseïs, as my own, just to show you how much greater I am than you!”
    Achilles fell into a rage, determined to draw his sword and slay Agamemnon for this slight to his honor. “See here, you scoundrel,” he raged at Agamemnon. “Even though you command our forces, you have no right to take my war prize. Whenever we battle our foe, you already take more booty for yourself. Yet I have always done more of the actual fighting. By rights, I deserve all of the booty I have received and more.”
    Agamemnon replied, “I am the commander of these forces. I care not what you do, nor do I fear your rage. I shall keep Briseïs.”
    A furious Achilles stormed off to his tents where his friend, Patroclus, waited along with the rest of Achilles’ troops, who were known as the Myrmidons. Achilles commanded Patroclus to surrender Briseïs to Agamemnon’s men. But because his anger against the king had not lessened, Achilles withdrew from all the fighting and stayed in his tent. He forbid the Myrmidons to fight under any other commander.
    Thetis, Achilles’ mother, was as furious with Agamemnon as was her son. “Have nothing more to do with the Greeks, my son,” said Thetis. “I shall go up to Mount Olympus where the gods reside and speak on your behalf to Zeus, the king of all the gods.” Thetis asked Zeus to give success not to the Greeks, but to the Trojans. In this way, she hoped that Agamemnon would suffer for the dishonor and anger he had caused her son.
    Zeus decided to favor Thetis’ plea. He knew that without Achilles, the Greeks had no chance of defeating the Trojans. That night, Zeus sent to Agamemnon a dream that was untrue. The dream foretold that the Greeks would win if he attacked.
    The next day, Achilles remained in his tent while the Greeks fought fiercely, with neither side winning. Suddenly the fighting stopped, and the armies drew apart. Two warriors—the Trojan, Paris, and the Greek, Menelaus—faced each other. The two would fight each other to the death to determine the outcome of the battle.
    Paris struck at Menelaus with his spear, but Menelaus pushed the spear back with his shield. Menelaus then hurled his own spear. It tore Paris’ tunic, but did not wound him. Menelaus quickly drew his sword, but it mysteriously fell from his hand, broken in pieces. Quickly, Menelaus jumped on top of Paris and grabbed the