Collection 6: "Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of the Iliad" by Rosemary Sutcliff

In the high and far-off days when men were heroes and walked with the gods, Peleus, king of the Myrmidons, took for his wife a sea nymph called Thetis, Thetis of the Silver Feet.

There should have been great rejoicing, but while Hecuba still carried the babe within her, the soothsayers had foretold that she would give birth to a firebrand that should burn down Troy.

There should have been great rejoicing, but while Hecuba still carried the babe within her, the soothsayers had foretold that she would give birth to a firebrand that should burn down Troy.

They were growing somewhat weary of the argument by then.

And presently, clad in fresh clothes, they were standing before the king in his great hall, where the fire burned on the raised hearth in the center and the king’s favorite hounds lay sprawled about his feet.

And while they ate and talked with their host, telling the adventures of their journey, Helen the queen came in from the women’s quarters, two of her maidens following, one carrying her baby daughter, one carrying her ivory spindle and distaff laden with wool of the deepest violet color.

And while they ate and talked with their host, telling the adventures of their journey, Helen the queen came in from the women’s quarters, two of her maidens following, one carrying her baby daughter, one carrying her ivory spindle and distaff laden with wool of the deepest violet color.

And while they ate and talked with their host, telling the adventures of their journey, Helen the queen came in from the women’s quarters, two of her maidens following, one carrying her baby daughter, one carrying her ivory spindle and distaff laden with wool of the deepest violet color.

And from golden Mycenae of the Lion Gate where Agamemnon sat in his great hall, the call went out for men and ships. To ancient Nestor of Pylos, to Thisbe, where the wild doves croon, to rocky Pytho, to Ajax the mighty, Lord of Salamis, and Diomedes of the Loud War Cry whose land was Argos of the many horses, to the cunning Odysseus among the harsh hills of Ithaca, even far south to Idomeneus of Crete, and many more.

And with the other boy, Chiron taught him to ride (on his own back) and trained him in all the warrior skills of sword and spear and bow, and in making the music of the lyre, until the time came for him to return to his father’s court.

But when the High King’s summons went out and the black ships were launched for war, his mother sent him secretly to the Isle of Scyros, begging King Lycomedes to have him dressed as a maiden and hidden among his own daughters, so that he might be safe.

But Thetis’ loving plan failed after all, for, following the seaways eastward, part of the fleet put in to take on fresh water at Scyros, where the whisper was abroad that Prince Achilles was concealed.

And the Trojans, ruled by an old king and a council of old men, remained for the most part within their city walls, or came out to skirmish only a little way outside them, though Hector, their war-leader and foremost among the king’s sons, would have attacked and stormed the Greek camp if he had had his will.

Chryseis was given to Agamemnon, who as High King always received the richest of the plunder, while Briseis was awarded to Achilles, who had led the raid.

Many died, and the smoke of the death-fires hung day and night along the shore, and in despair the Greeks begged the soothsayer Calchas to tell them the cause of the evil.

And Calchas watched the flight of birds and made patterns in the sand, and told them that Apollo, angry on behalf of his priest, was shooting arrows of pestilence into the camp from his silver bow; and that his anger would not be cooled until the maiden Chryseis was returned to her father.

And as soon as the ship had sailed, he sent his heralds to fetch Briseis from Achilles’ hall and bring her to his own.

So for twelve days Achilles remained by his ships, waiting and brooding on his wrongs.