Pal.gr.64

α An adverb: it went out. On the same day. "Ten thousand of us lie far away." Ten days. For the ancients also spoke of the "six days." This refers either to fertility or abundance original: εὐφορίαν καὶ τὴν εὐπορίαν, from which "wagons" original: ἅμαξαι are named. He says, then, that for nine days all were perishing. On the nineteenth, he brings us. By an ordeal. For it is accepted as a common cause of destruction. But the "harmonious number" is among the more universal concepts, since they testify to the vessel and immediately as if the divine arrow is about to be sent. But the lot with him pushed against the ships; for no one would be saved afterward. β After the sons of Atreus. That on the 7th day of the withdrawal, the summons came to him. For 7 is the portion of God and a turning away. The phases of the moon are 24. Those leading the reading consider the seer a common figure. But Porphyry A 3rd-century Neo-Platonist philosopher who wrote "Homeric Questions." says, "I do not think so," either commonly or by genus. α It happens

For nine days the god’s arrows ranged through the army,
but on the tenth Achilles called the people to assembly;
for the white-armed goddess Hera A standard epithet for Hera, suggesting her noble or divine beauty. put it in his mind;
for she cared for the Danaans The Greeks, because she saw them dying.
And when they were gathered and came together,
fleet-footed Achilles stood up among them and spoke:

β Son of Atreus

"Son of Atreus Agamemnon, now I think we shall be driven back

γ To return home

to return home, if indeed we might escape death,
if war and plague alike are to crush the Achaeans.
But come, let us ask some seer or priest,

δ Or even a dreamer

or even a dreamer—for a dream too is from Zeus—
who might say why Phoebus Apollo is so angry,
whether he finds fault with a vow or a sacrifice original: ἑκατόμβης, a "hecatomb," literally an offering of a hundred oxen.,

ε if somehow

if somehow he might be willing, having met the savor

ζ he wishes

of lambs and full-grown goats, to ward off the plague from us."
Indeed, when he had thus spoken, he sat down; and among them rose
Calchas, son of Thestor, by far the best of bird-diviners,

η already

who knew the things that are, the things to be, and those that were before,
and who had guided the ships of the Achaeans to Ilium Troy
by his prophetic power, which Phoebus Apollo had given him.
With good intent toward them, he addressed the assembly and spoke:

θ O Achilles

"O Achilles, dear to Zeus, you bid me declare
the wrath of Apollo, the lord who strikes from afar.
Therefore I will speak; but you must take heed and swear to me
that you will surely be ready to help me with word and hand.
For I think I shall provoke a man who rules mightily over all
the Argives, and whom the Achaeans obey."

Regarding the "nine days": Porphyry says that this number is adopted in times of mourning. Indeed, Homer knows this number is true. For they say that not all things happen at once and in succession. They say, then, that it ceased. For he says that the youth led the assembly on the tenth day, according to age and season. For the sacrifice of those being initiated is not offered for the released, but in a material sense. The seventh is greater, for the number of bodies is according to that number. Similarly, one should not "cut straight" original: ὀρθοτομεῖν, a term often used for handling truth or scripture correctly from fear, but with diligence. To "cut straight" every purpose and persistence. θ The beginning is through prophecy. To know the things spoken beforehand. The virtue of wisdom includes both understanding and action. That which is fitting is her sanctuary. Unknown to the subject, having subordinated correctly. So that he will not suffer miserably at the hands of the seer. Nor can he be saved from the accounting. Mad. The "strengthening" is destruction. For the seer was also a king. And others called him "Fortune" original: Τύχας because of bloodshed. He stood rightly. The causes of misfortune, which they call "sin." This is due to the weakness of the king. For he says, "it is not." Seeing Achilles. For to the king.

The text continues with the speech of Calchas to Achilles, discussing the wrath of Agamemnon.