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

But to the galleys anon of the brass-clad sons of Achaia,
Journey'd in sorrow her father, the grayhair'd priest of Apollo,
Eager to ransom the maiden, and bearing a bountiful ransom.
Holding the fillet divine in his hands of the Archer Apollo,
Twin'd on the sceptre of gold, he petition'd the host of Achaia —
Foremost of all the Atreidæ, the twain that are chief in dominion.
Then had it audible greeting from all the array of Achaians
Duly to honour the priest and accept fair gifts of redemption;
Only displeased in his mind was the King Agamemnon Atreides —
Stern the rejection from him and ungentle his word of dismissal.
Wrathful the elder departed, and pray'd in his wrath to Apollo;
Nor was the prayer unheard, for the priest was belov'd of the Godhead.
Swiftly the arrow of death was discharg'd on the host of the Argives;
More and yet more did he slay, for the terrible darts of his vengeance
Spared not a spot of the camp; till at last, when the people were gather'd,
Rose up a seer well skill'd and reveal'd the decree of the Archer.
Foremost was I in exhorting to bend to the God for atonement —
This the offence that enrag'd Agamemnon, who, instantly rising,
Utter'd the menacing word which his insolence now has accomplish'd.
Home at the last unto Chrysa the quick-eyed oarsmen of Argos.
Now are conducting the maiden, with plentiful gifts for Apollo;
But in the selfsame hour have his messengers left my pavilion,
Leading Brisëis away, my award from the host of Achaia.
Therefore I call upon thee, if with thee be the power to assist me,
Up to Olympus to go, and to supplicate Zeus for thine offspring,
If, or by word or by deed, thou hast pleasur'd the heart of the Highest:
And I have heard thee of old, full oft, in the halls of my father,
Boast how of all the immortals thy ministry only avail'd him
Then when the rest of the Gods were combin'd for his humiliation,
Hera herself at the head, with Poseidon and Pallas Athena,
All in conspiracy swearing to fetter the Lord of the Black Cloud;
But thou, Goddess, approaching, wast able to rescue from bondage,
Summoning swiftly to join thee, and leading to lofty Olympus,
Him who is Briăreus nam'd among men, by Immortals, Ægēon,
Him of the hundred hands, who surpasses his father[12 - Poseidon=Neptune.] in puissance;
And by Kronion he sat in the pride of his glory rejoicing,
Filling with terror the Blest; for they saw and desisted from binding.
Sit by the side of the God, and remind him of this, and entreat him,
Grasping his knees, if perchance it may please him to succour the Trojans,
Granting them back on the galleys to trample the sons of Achaia,
Scatter'd in dread, till they all have contentment enough of their Captain —
Yea, till Atreides himself, Agamemnon, the chief in dominion,
Rues the infatuate pride that dishonour'd the best of Achaians."
Sad was the mother at hearing, and thus amid weeping she answer'd: —
"Woe to me! why did I bear thee, my child, in an hour of misfortune?
Would I could see thee nor harm'd by injustice nor yielding to sadness,
Here by the ships, since the days of thy doom are the few and the fleeting!
Woe to me! both to a death premature and a sorrowful lifetime
Thee, in the darkness of Fate, did I bear in the house of thy father!
Surely thy word will I carry to thunder-delighting Kronion,
Up unto snowy Olympus, and prayer may prevail for persuasion.
Thou meanwhile for a season lie still by the Myrmidon galleys,
Hating the Danäid host, and abstaining entirely from battle.
Yesterday forth-far'd Zeus to a feast with the Æthiops blameless,
Far over ocean's stream, and the rest of the Gods in attendance;
Twelve are the signified days ere again he returns to Olympus.
Instantly then will I pass to the brass-built dome of the Highest,
There will I cling to his knees, and I think he will hear my petition."
So having said she departed, and left him to sit as aforetime,
Bitterness swelling his breast at the thought of the slender Brisëis
Forcefully torn from his side. Meanwhile ever-prudent Odysseus
Safe into Chrysa had come with the hecatomb vow'd to Apollo.
They, when at last they arrived in the spacious recess of the harbour,
Furl'd with alertness their sail, and bestow'd in the depth of the galley,
Loosen'd the ropes from the mast, and depress'd it to fix in the mast-hold,
Push'd with their oars to the landing, and anchor'd and fasten'd the hausers;
Then with the hecatomb laden, the mariners stept on the sea-beach.
Lastly, Chrysëis was led by Odysseus himself from the galley,
Straight to the altar of Phœbus, and placed in the hand of her father.
"Take her, O Chryses," he said; "I am sent by the King Agamemnon,
Charg'd to restore her to thee, with a hecatomb fair for Apollo,
Vow'd on behalf of the host, if perchance it may work our atonement,
Press'd with afflictions severe by the far-shot darts of the Godhead."
So did he speak, and deliver'd the daughter belov'd to her father:
Glad was the old man's heart to receive her. And now the Achaians,
Ranging the hecatomb goodly around the magnificent altar,
Cleansèd with water their hands, and besprinkled the victims with barley.
Lifting his hands in the midst, then Chryses made supplication: —
"Hear me, Protector divine both of Chrysa and beautiful Killa,
God of the silvery bow, over Tenedos mightily reigning —
Hear me, if ever before there was favour to crown my petition.
Greatly to honour thy priest, hast thou humbled the host of Achaia;
Now I beseech thee to hear, and again let my prayer be accepted —
Hence be the pestilence stay'd that is wasting the Danäid leaguer!"
So did he speak in his prayer, nor regardless was Phœbus Apollo;
Also the Danäids pray'd, and again they besprinkled with barley;
Then were the necks turn'd back, and they slaughter'd the victims, and skinn'd them.
And when the bones of the thighs were extracted, and wrapt in the fatness
Doubled upon them around, and the raw flesh added in fragments,
Over the split wood then did the old man burn them, and black wine
Pour'd, while with five-prong'd forks, at his side, were the youthful attendants.
But when the bones and the fat they had burn'd, and had tasted the entrails,
All that remain'd was divided and fix'd on the spits of the striplings,
Roasted with skill at the fire, and in readiness moved from the altar:
Then was the labour complete, and the banquet prepared for the people,
And they were banqueted all, nor had one to complain of his portion.
But when of meat and of drink the desire from them all had departed,
Duly the goblets were mantled with wine by the youths of the temple,
Handed in order to all, and the round of libation accomplish'd.
Then through the livelong day the Achaians, in melody gracious,