'The father of Chryseis was a priest of Apollo, and when the maiden, his
daughter, was not given back to him, he went and prayed the god to
avenge him on the host. Apollo listened to his prayer, and straightway
the god left his mountain peak with his bow of silver in his hands. He
stood behind the ships and shot his arrows into the host. Terrible was
the clanging of his silver bow. He smote the beasts of the camp first,
the dogs and the mules and the horses, and then he smote the men, and
those whom his arrows smote were stricken by the plague.

'The warriors began to die, and every day more perished by the plague
than were killed by the spears and swords and arrows of the Trojans. Now
a council was summoned and the chiefs debated what was to be done to
save the host. At the council there was a soothsayer named Kalchas; he
stood up and declared that he knew the cause of the plague, and he knew
too how the remainder of the host might be saved from it.

'It was because of the anger of Apollo, Kalchas said; and that anger
could only be averted by Agamemnon sending back to his father, the
priest of Apollo, the maiden Chryseis.

'Then was Agamemnon wroth exceedingly. "Thou seer of things evil," said
he to Kalchas, "never didst thou see aught of good for me or mine. The
maiden given to me, Chryseis, I greatly prize. Yet rather than my folk
should perish I shall let her be taken from me. But this let you all of
the council know: some other prize must be given to me that the whole
host may know that Agamemnon is not slighted."'

'Then said Achilles: "Agamemnon, of all Kings you are the most covetous.
The best of us toil and battle that you may come and take what part of