y death to
fishes. She found Thetis sitting in a great cave with the other
sea-goddesses gathered round her; there she sat in the midst of them
weeping for her noble son who was to fall far from his own land, on the
rich plains of Troy. Iris went up to her and said, "Rise Thetis; Jove,
whose counsels fail not, bids you come to him." And Thetis answered,
"Why does the mighty god so bid me? I am in great grief, and shrink
from going in and out among the immortals. Still, I will go, and the
word that he may speak shall not be spoken in vain."

The goddess took her dark veil, than which there can be no robe more
sombre, and went forth with fleet Iris leading the way before her. The
waves of the sea opened them a path, and when they reached the shore
they flew up into the heavens, where they found the all-seeing son of
Saturn with the blessed gods that live for ever assembled near him.
Minerva gave up her seat to her, and she sat down by the side of father
Jove. Juno then placed a fair golden cup in her hand, and spoke to her
in words of comfort, whereon Thetis drank and gave her back the cup;
and the sire of gods and men was the first to speak.

"So, goddess," said he, "for all your sorrow, and the grief that I well
know reigns ever in your heart, you have come hither to Olympus, and I
will tell you why I have sent for you. This nine days past the
immortals have been quarrelling about Achilles waster of cities and the
body of Hector. The gods would have Mercury slayer of Argus steal the
body, but in furtherance of our peace and amity henceforward, I will
concede such honour to your son as I will now tell you. Go, then, to
the host and lay these commands upon him; say that the gods are angry
with him, and that I am myself more angry than them all, in that he
keeps Hector at the ships and will not give him up. He may thus fear me
and let the body go. At the same time I will send Iris to great Priam
to bid him go to the ships of the Achaeans, and ransom his son, taking
with him such gifts for Achilles as may give him satisfaction."

Silver-footed Thetis did as the god had told her, and forthwith down
she darted from the topmost summits of Olympus. She went to her son's
tents where she found him grieving bitterly, while his trusty comrades
round him were busy preparing their morning meal, for which they had
killed a great woolly sheep. His mother sat down beside him and
caressed him with her hand saying, "My son, how long wil