1.8
Iliad 1.8 · Which god?1.8Which god?
The singer asks the question and answers it at once: Apollo, angry at Agamemnon over a priest.
· · ·
τίς1
tís
Who
τʼ2
t’
then
ἄρ3
ár
—
θεῶν4
theôn
of the gods
ξυνέηκε5
xynéēke
setsent together
σφωε6
sphōe
the two
ἔριδι7
éridi
in strife
μάχεσθαι8
máchesthai
to fight
? υἱός9
hyiós
The son
Λητοῦς10
Lētoûs
of Leto
καὶ11
kaì
and
Διὸς12
Diòs
Zeus
. ὃ13
hò
He
γὰρ14
gàr
for
, χολωθεὶς15
cholōtheìs
angeredfilled with gall
βασιλῆϊ16
basilêï
at the king
, ὄρσε17
órse
roused
κακήν18
kakḗn
an evil
νοῦσον19
noûson
sickness
ἀνὰ20
anà
through
στρατὸν21
stratòn
the army
, δὲ22
dè
and
λαοί23
laoí
the people
ὀλέκοντο24
olékonto
were dying
, οὕνεκα25
hoúneka
because
Ἀτρεΐδης26
Atreí̈dēs
the son of Atreus
ἠτίμασεν27
ētímasen
had dishonoredhad stripped of honor
τὸν28
tòn
—
Χρύσην29
Chrýsēn
Chryses
ἀρητῆρα30
arētêra
the priestthe one who prays
. Who then of the gods set the two in strife to fight? The son of Leto and Zeus. For he, angered at the king, roused an evil sickness through the army, and the people were dying, because the son of Atreus had dishonored Chryses the priest.
Who then of the gods set the two in strife to fight? The son of Leto and Zeus. For he, angered at the king, roused an evil sickness through the army, and the people were dying, because the son of Atreus had dishonored Chryses the priest.
Interpretation
Who then of the gods set the two in strife to fight? The son of Leto and Zeus. For he, angered at the king, roused an evil sickness through the army, and the people were dying, because the son of Atreus had dishonored Chryses the priest.
Homer answers his own question with a riddle before he gives a name: “the son of Leto and Zeus.” Apollo is not named until line 14.
The cause of everything is one verb, ētimasen, “dishonored.” It is built on timē, honor you can count and hold: a share, a prize, a place. Agamemnon takes the priest’s away, and the plague follows. Before this book is over he will take Achilles’ away too, and the wrath follows. The people, laoi, pay for both.
1.12
Iliad 1.12 · The priest at the ships1.12The priest at the ships
Chryses comes to the Achaean camp with ransom, carrying the emblems of his god.
· · ·
For he had come to the swift ships of the Achaeans to free his daughter, and bringing boundless ransom, holding in his hands the ribbons of far-shooting Apollo on a golden staff, and he begged all the Achaeans, but most of all the two sons of Atreus, marshals of the people: