Page:Iliad of Homer - Bryant - 1870.djvu/34

Sparkled like fire; he fixed a menacing look
Full on the augur Calchas, and began:—
"Prophet of evil! never hadst thou yet
A cheerful word for me. To mark the signs
Of coming mischief is thy great delight. 140
Good dost thou ne'er foretell nor bring to pass.
And now thou pratest, in thine auguries,
Before the Greeks, how that the archer-god
Afflicts us thus, because I would not take
The costly ransom offered to redeem 145
The virgin child of Chryses. 'T was my choice
To keep her with me, for I prize her more
Than Clytemnestra, bride of my young years,
And deem her not less nobly graced than she,
In form and feature, mind and pleasing arts. 150
Yet will I give her back, if that be best;
For gladly would I see my people saved
From this destruction. Let meet recompense,
Meantime, be ready, that I be not left,
Alone of all the Greeks, without my prize. 155
That were not seemly. All of you perceive
That now my share of spoil has passed from me."
To him the great Achilles, swift of foot,
Replied: "Renowned Atrides, greediest
Of men, where wilt thou that our noble Greeks 160
Find other spoil for thee, since none is set
Apart, a common store? The trophies brought
From towns which we have sacked have all been
shared