Achaeans, to you may the gods who have dwellings on Olympus grant that you sack the city of Priam, and return home safely; but set my dear child free for me, and accept the ransom in reverence for the son of Zeus, Apollo, who strikes from afar.”

Then all the rest of the Achaeans shouted their agreement, to respect the priest and accept the glorious ransom; yet this did not please the heart of Agamemnon, son of Atreus, but he sent him away harshly, and laid on him a stern command: “Let me not find you, old man, by the hollow ships, either loitering now or coming back later, for fear your staff and the god’s ribbon not protect you. But her I will not set free; before that, old age will come on her in our house, in Argos, far from her country, as she walks back and forth in front of the loom and shares my bed. But go; do not anger me, so that you may go the safer.”

So he spoke, and the old man was seized with fear and obeyed his words. He went in silence along the shore of the loud-resounding sea; and then, when he had gone apart, the old man prayed earnestly to the lord Apollo, whom fair-haired Leto bore: “Hear me, you of the silver bow, who have under your protection Chryse and sacred Cilla, and who rule mightily over Tenedos, Smintheus, if ever I roofed over a pleasing shrine for you, or if ever I burned to you fat thigh pieces of bulls or goats, fulfill for me this wish: let the Danaans pay for my tears by your arrows.”

So he spoke in prayer, and Phoebus Apollo heard him.