Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 59, No. 367, May 1846

Far from the Apian land, being call'd of themselves for a comrade.
With them I fought as I could – but against them of earth's generation
None is there breathing to-day that could stand in the tempest of battle;
Yet they admitted me near and attended the words of my counsel.
Hear too, ye, and be sway'd; for in yielding to counsel is wisdom.
Neither do thou, though surpassing in station, lay hand on the damsel;
Leave her, as giv'n at the first by the voice of the sons of Achaia.
Nor let thy spirit, Peleides, excite thee to stand in contention,
Scornfully facing the King: – for of all that inherit the sceptre
He is the highest, and Zeus with pre-eminent glory adorns him.
Be it, thy strength is the greater, thy birth from the womb of a Goddess,
Still is his potency more because more are beneath his dominion.
Thou, Agamemnon, give pause to thine anger; myself I entreat thee:
Master the wrath, O King, that divides thee from noble Achilleus,
Ever in murderous war great bulwark for all the Achaians."
These were the answering words of the chief in the host, Agamemnon —
"Verily, elder rever'd, there is grace in whatever thou speakest,
But this man is resolv'd to be first over all and in all things;
All to his dictating word must submit themselves – all to his kingship —
He with his nod to command – which I think will have scanty approval.
Might in his spear if there be by the gift of the Gods everlasting,
Do they uphold him for that in the measureless railing of insult?"
Him, with a sidelong glance, thus answer'd the noble Achilleus: —
"Worthless I well might be call'd, of a surety, and cowardly caitiff,
Yielded I all at a word whensoever it pleas'd thee to dictate.
Such be thy lording with others, but not as to me, Agamemnon!
Waste not thy masterful signs: they shall never command my obedience.
This will I tell thee at once, let my fixt resolution be ponder'd —
Never a hand will I lift to resist for the sake of the damsel,
Neither on thee nor another – ye take what ye formerly granted!
But of whatever besides I possess in the camp of the galleys,
Nothing against my consent shall by thee or another be taken.
Come now – try it thyself, that the test may for all be sufficient,
Seeing how right from thy bosom the black blood streams on my spear-head."
They, having battled it thus in the striving of proud contradiction,
Rose and disperst the assembly of men at the ships of Achaia.
Then to his tents and the line of his galleys, the noble Peleides
Went with Menœtius' son and the rest of his comrades attending;
While from the beach to the water, a galley surpassing in swiftness
Drew Agamemnon the king, and selected a score for her oarsmen.
Then in the depth of her hull was the hecatomb placed for Apollo,
And he conducted himself to embark with them, rosy Chrysëis;
Lastly, to govern the voyage, ascended sagacious Odysseus;
Then being rang'd in the galley they sail'd on the watery courses.
But the Atreides commanded the people to purification,
And when they all had been cleans'd, and the sea had receiv'd the pollutions,
Hecatombs whole to Apollo of bulls and of goats without blemish
Bled for the purified host, on the margin of harvestless ocean,
Sending the savour to heaven in the wreaths of the smoke from the altar.
Busied herein was the leaguer – yet not in the King Agamemnon
Enmity ceas'd, nor the pride to fulfil what his anger had menaced.
He to Talthybius now and Eurybates spake his commission,
Heralds of royal command, ever near him in ministry watchful: —
"Pass, ye twain, to the right to the tent of Peleian Achilleus,
Enter and take with your hands, and conduct to me hither Brisëis.
If he refuses to yield her, myself will accomplish the seizure,
Following swiftly with more, which may chance to embitter his grudging."
Loth, they obey'd him; and pass'd by the rim of the harvestless ocean,
On to the Myrmidon tents and the black-hull'd ship of Peleides.
Near to his tent and his galley they found him seated; nor truly,
Viewing the twain as they came, did the sight bring joy to Achilleus.
Fearful were they meanwhile – and, in awe of the kingly Peleides,
Halted in silence, nor spake to salute him, nor utter'd the message,
But in his mind it was clearly discover'd; and thus he address'd them: —
"Hail to ye, heralds! of Zeus and of men the ambassadors holy!
Freely advance; ye are blameless before me; alone Agamemnon
Guilty, that sends ye to me for demand of the damsel Brisëis.
Noble Patroclus, I pray thee bring forth and surrender the damsel
Here to their guidance – but they – let the heralds themselves be my witness,
Both before Gods ever-blest and the Earth's generation of mortals,
Yea, and the insolent King. – If there ever arises hereafter
Need of my presence to ward the disgrace of impending disaster
Off from the rest – Yea, truly, the insolent raves to his ruin;
Neither the past he recalls, nor has wisdom to judge for the future,
Whence were salvation alone for his host in the war of the seaboard."
So did he speak; and Patroclus, obeying the word of his comrade,
From the pavilion within led forth Brisëis the rosy,
Yielding her up to the twain; and they turn'd again back by the galleys.
Not with her will did the woman attend on their path; but Achilleus
Sat by himself, as the tears roll'd down, and apart from his comrades,
Hard by the surf-white beach, overlooking the blackness of ocean.
There then, lifting his hands, to his mother he urg'd his petition: —
"Since I was born of thee, mother, with fewness of days for my fore-doom,
Surely Olympian Zeus, who is heard in the thunder of Æther,
Owed me in honour to live; but to-day he decrees my abasement.
Open contempt is my portion – for now wide-ruling Atreides
Tramples upon me himself, and has seiz'd and possesses my guerdon."
Thus amid tears did he speak, and the mother majestical heard him,
Sitting afar in the deep by her father the Ancient of Ocean.
Nimbly anon from the foam of the waves like a cloud she ascended,
And she was near to him soon, and she sat by him where he lamented,
Softly caress'd with her hand on his cheek, and address'd him and nam'd him: —
"Why art thou weeping, my child? what has burthen'd thy soul with affliction?
Speak to me, nothing conceal, that we both may have knowledge in fulness."
Heavily groaning, to her thus answer'd the rapid Achilleus: —
"Mother, already thou knowest, and why should it all be recounted?
We in our progress assailing Aëtion's hallowèd city,
Conquer'd and sack'd it, and hither conducted the plunder of Theba.
Then when the sons of Achaia assembled to make the division,
They to Atreides allotted for guerdon the comely Chrysëis.