. No man will be of a truer mind than that
which has been mine from the hour when you, sir, angered Achilles by
taking the girl Briseis from his tent against my judgment. I urged you
not to do so, but you yielded to your own pride, and dishonoured a hero
whom heaven itself had honoured--for you still hold the prize that had
been awarded to him. Now, however, let us think how we may appease him,
both with presents and fair speeches that may conciliate him."

And King Agamemnon answered, "Sir, you have reproved my folly justly. I
was wrong. I own it. One whom heaven befriends is in himself a host,
and Jove has shown that he befriends this man by destroying much people
of the Achaeans. I was blinded with passion and yielded to my worser
mind; therefore I will make amends, and will give him great gifts by
way of atonement. I will tell them in the presence of you all. I will
give him seven tripods that have never yet been on the fire, and ten
talents of gold. I will give him twenty iron cauldrons and twelve
strong horses that have won races and carried off prizes. Rich, indeed,
both in land and gold is he that has as many prizes as my horses have
won me. I will give him seven excellent workwomen, Lesbians, whom I
chose for myself when he took Lesbos--all of surpassing beauty. I will
give him these, and with them her whom I erewhile took from him, the
daughter of Briseus; and I swear a great oath that I never went up into
her couch, nor have been with her after the manner of men and women.

"All these things will I give him now, and if hereafter the gods
vouchsafe me to sack the city of Priam, let him come when we Achaeans
are dividing the spoil, and load his ship with gold and bronze to his
liking; furthermore let him take twenty Trojan women, the loveliest
after Helen herself. Then, when we reach Achaean Argos, wealthiest of
all lands, he shall be my son-in-law and I will show him like honour
with my own dear son Orestes, who is being nurtured in all abundance. I
have three daughters, Chrysothemis, Laodice, and Iphianassa, let him
take the one of his choice, freely and without gifts of wooing, to the
house of Peleus; I will add such dower to boot as no man ever yet gave
his daughter, and will give him seven well established cities,
Cardamyle, Enope, and Hire, where there is grass; holy Pherae and the
rich meadows of Anthea; Aepea also, and the vine-clad slopes of
Pedasus, all near the sea, and on the borders of sandy Pylos.