And ill he pays the promise of a god, If yon proud monarch thus thy son defies, Obscures my glories, and resumes my prize." Far from the deep recesses of the main, Where aged Ocean holds his watery reign, The goddess-mother heard. The waves divide; And like a mist she rose above the tide; Beheld him mourning on the naked shores, And thus the sorrows of his soul explores. "Why grieves my son? Thy anguish let me share; Reveal the cause, and trust a parent's care." He deeply sighing said: "To tell my woe Is but to mention what too well you know. From Thebe, sacred to Apollo's name(62) (Aetion's realm), our conquering army came, With treasure loaded and triumphant spoils, Whose just division crown'd the soldier's toils; But bright Chryseis, heavenly prize! was led, By vote selected, to the general's bed. The priest of Phoebus sought by gifts to gain His beauteous daughter from the victor's chain; The fleet he reach'd, and, lowly bending down, Held forth the sceptre and the laurel crown, Intreating all; but chief implored for grace The brother-kings of Atreus' royal race: The generous Greeks their joint consent declare, The priest to reverence, and release the fair; Not so Atrides: he, with wonted pride, The sire insulted, and his gifts denied: The insulted sire (his god's peculiar care) To Phoebus pray'd, and Phoebus heard the prayer: A dreadful plague ensues: the avenging darts Incessant fly, and pierce the Grecian hearts. A prophet then, inspired by heaven, arose, And points the crime, and thence derives the woes: Myself the first the assembled chiefs incline To avert the vengeance of the power divine; Then rising in his wrath, the monarch storm'd; Incensed he threaten'd, and his threats perform'd: The fair Chryseis to her sire was sent, With offer'd gifts to make the god relent; But now he seized Briseis' heavenly charms, And of my valour's prize defrauds my arms, Defrauds the