father, unbought, unransomed, and carried a holy hecatomb to Chryse;
then might we propitiate him to our prayer."

So said he and sate him down, and there stood up before them the hero
son of Atreus, wide-ruling Agamemnon, sore displeased; and his dark
heart within him was greatly filled with anger, and his eyes were like
flashing fire. To Kalchas first spake he with look of ill: "Thou seer of
evil, never yet hast thou told me the thing that is pleasant. Evil is
ever the joy of thy heart to prophesy, but never yet didst thou tell any
good matter nor bring to pass. And now with soothsaying thou makest
harangue among the Danaans, how that the Far-darter bringeth woes upon
them because, forsooth, I would not take the goodly ransom of the damsel
Chryseis, seeing I am the rather fain to keep her own self within mine
house. Yea, I prefer her before Klytaimnestra my wedded wife; in no wise
is she lacking beside her, neither in favour nor stature, nor wit nor
skill. Yet for all this will I give her back, if that is better; rather
would I see my folk whole than perishing. Only make ye me ready a prize
of honour forthwith, lest I alone of all the Argives be disprized, which
thing beseemeth not; for ye all behold how my prize is departing from
me."

To him then made answer fleet-footed goodly Achilles: "Most noble son of
Atreus, of all men most covetous, how shall the great-hearted Achaians
give thee a meed of honour? We know naught of any wealth of common
store, but what spoil soe'er we took from captured cities hath been
apportioned, and it beseemeth not to beg all this back from the folk.
Nay, yield thou the damsel to the god, and we Achaians will pay thee
back threefold and fourfold, if ever Zeus grant us to sack some
well-walled town of Troy-land."