Sing, goddess, the wrath of Achilles Peleus' son, the ruinous wrath that
brought on the Achaians woes innumerable, and hurled down into Hades
many strong souls of heroes, and gave their bodies to be a prey to dogs
and all winged fowls; and so the counsel of Zeus wrought out its
accomplishment from the day when first strife parted Atreides king of
men and noble Achilles.

Who among the gods set the twain at strife and variance? Apollo, the son
of Leto and of Zeus; for he in anger at the king sent a sore plague upon
the host, so that the folk began to perish, because Atreides had done
dishonour to Chryses the priest. For the priest had come to the
Achaians' fleet ships to win his daughter's freedom, and brought a
ransom beyond telling; and bare in his hands the fillet of Apollo the
Far-darter upon a golden staff; and made his prayer unto all the
Achaians, and most of all to the two sons of Atreus, orderers of the
host; "Ye sons of Atreus and all ye well-greaved Achaians, now may the
gods that dwell in the mansions of Olympus grant you to lay waste the
city of Priam, and to fare happily homeward; only set ye my dear child
free, and accept the ransom in reverence to the son of Zeus, far-darting
Apollo."

Then all the other Achaians cried assent, to reverence the priest and
accept his goodly ransom; yet the thing pleased not the heart of
Agamemnon son of Atreus, but he roughly sent him away, and laid stern
charge upon him, saying: "Let me not find thee, old man, amid the hollow
ships, whether tarrying now or returning again hereafter, lest the staff
and fillet of the god avail thee naught. And her will I not set free;
nay, ere that shall old age come on her in our house, in Argos, far from
her native land, where she shall ply the loom and serve my couch. But
depart, provoke me not, that thou mayest the rather go in peace."