Page 387 - the-iliad

Silver-footed Thetis answered, ‘My son, be not disquiet-
ed about this matter. I will find means to protect him from
the swarms of noisome flies that prey on the bodies of men
who have been killed in battle. He may lie for a whole year,
and his flesh shall still be as sound as ever, or even sounder.
Call, therefore, the Achaean heroes in assembly; unsay your
anger against Agamemnon; arm at once, and fight with
might and main.’
As she spoke she put strength and courage into his heart,
and she then dropped ambrosia and red nectar into the
wounds of Patroclus, that his body might suffer no change.
Then Achilles went out upon the seashore, and with a
loud cry called on the Achaean heroes. On this even those
who as yet had stayed always at the ships, the pilots and
helmsmen, and even the stewards who were about the ships
and served out rations, all came to the place of assembly
because Achilles had shown himself after having held aloof
so long from fighting. Two sons of Mars, Ulysses and the
son of Tydeus, came limping, for their wounds still pained
them; nevertheless they came, and took their seats in the
front row of the assembly. Last of all came Agamemnon,
king of men, he too wounded, for Coon son of Antenor had
struck him with a spear in battle.
When the Achaeans were got together Achilles rose and
said, ‘Son of Atreus, surely it would have been better alike
for both you and me, when we two were in such high anger
about Briseis, surely it would have been better, had Diana’s
arrow slain her at the ships on the day when I took her after
having sacked Lyrnessus. For so, many an Achaean the less

The Iliad