Note (return) — BOOK THE SECOND.

“Son of Atreus, of what dost thou now complain, or what dost thou want? Thy tents are full of brass, and many chosen women are in thy tents, whom we Greeks bestow on thee the first of all, whenever we capture a city. Dost thou still require gold, which some one of the horse-taming Trojans shall bring from Troy, as a ransom for his son, whom I, or some other of the Greeks, having bound, may lead away? Or a young maid, that thou mayest be mingled in dalliance, and whom thou for thyself mayest retain apart 97 [from the rest]? Indeed it becomes not a man who is chief in command, to lead the sons of the Greeks into evil. Ο ye soft ones, vile disgraces, Grecian dames, no longer Grecian men, 98 let us return home, home! 99 with our ships, and let us leave him here to digest his honours at Troy, that he may know whether we really aid him in anything or not. He, who but just now has dishonoured Achilles, a man much more valiant than himself; for, taking away, he retains his prize, he himself having seized it. But assuredly there is not much anger in the heart of Achilles; but he is forbearing; for truly, were it not so, Ο son of Atreus, thou wouldest have insulted now for the last time.”