Pal.gr.64 (1460) - Page 11

The judgments concerning all the claims are maintained here: for instance, that they did not rise up against the land itself or for the sake of interest, but that justice only touches the war later, following the onset of their misfortunes. From this, the younger writers, starting their histories, considered the sacrifice itself to be the sole cause of the war This refers to the sacrifice of Iphigenia at Aulis, which late antique and Byzantine scholars often compared to the causes of the Trojan War mentioned in Homer. The seizure of the cattle and the wrath were revealed; they did not even think it worthy to learn how well they suffered, or they said it was not an insult to them, but even to Artemis herself, someone else having [sacrificed] the sacred animal, not for the sake of food. This was the same cause: the boasting about this, as if Artemis were nothing to her. It seemed even to me that he prepared many unjust and sudden things for the girl at the altar, and thus the goddess saved her, placing some [substitute] for her near the sea A reference to the myth where Artemis replaces Iphigenia with a deer at the last moment. It is sacrificed for the sake of ending the goddess's terrible wrath. This history is found in many authors; the examples provided by many writers are quite extensive.

Then looking at him scowling, the lord Agamemnon spoke:

"Seer of evil! Never yet have you told me anything good!
Always it is dear to your heart to prophesy evils;
never have you spoken a good word, nor brought one to pass.
And now you speak as a prophet among the Trojans, haranguing them,
claiming that it is for this reason the Far-Shooter original: "hekēbolos" – an epithet for Apollo brings grief upon them:
because I was unwilling to accept the glorious ransom
for the girl the girl Chryseïs. For I very much desire
to have her at home; indeed, I prefer her to Clytemnestra,
my wedded wife, since she is not at all inferior to her—
not in body, nor in stature, nor in mind, nor in any skill.
But even so, I am willing to give her back, if that is better;
I want the people to be safe rather than to perish.
But provide a prize for me immediately, so that I may not be
the only one of the Argives without a prize term: "geras" – a prize of honor or a portion of booty that marked a warrior's status; for that is not fitting.
For you all see this: that my prize is going elsewhere."

Then the swift-footed, godlike Achilles answered him:
"Son of Atreus, most glorious, yet most greedy of all men!
How shall the great-hearted Achaeans give you a prize?
We do not know of any great common store lying anywhere;
but the things we took from the cities have been distributed,
and it is not fitting for the people to gather these things back together.
But for now, give the girl up to the god; then we Achaeans
will repay you threefold or fourfold, if ever Zeus
grants that we sack the well-walled city of Troy."

The solution to the problem arises from the proposition: "my [will] is for the sake of the girl." And as for Clytemnestra, I blame her for accepting the gift through the sacrifice, though she is the daughter of a god. He says "I prefer" original: "probeboula", which is a stronger form of "I wish." He does not necessarily prefer the captive woman over his wedded wife in status, but says "I prefer Clytemnestra" [as a comparison]. The exclamation [follows] because he knows he cannot keep her by force, so he knows he must raise his own [demand] so that nothing is lost. He seems to want to grant a favor, but he strips it away so that he might be litigious. He judges it right to give her back to be happy, but because it was decreed by the god, it is better for the captive not to be held any longer after she has suffered. That he did not fulfill this wish is clear from what we have received. The word "body" original: "soma" refers to something lifeless; but some say it is fitting for the living. It is very simple after saying it: perhaps because it is not today, nor "on the one hand," since he did not receive his lot. For having shown the Argives, he would not be in debt. He uses the words abusively, it seems. "I say," meaning "to appear." "For you, on the one hand, send her forth." For she did not suffer. Therefore she is cared for. The [particle] "de" is used instead of "for" to clarify. The sickness is "purple" metaphorical for "dark" or "deadly", an example used instead of "and," reasonably. For he says he wishes the people to be saved, rather than himself to perish. The virtue [of the text] is seen in the word "we know" instead of "and" because of the difficulty. "I fall, I will fall; I see." He labors from within; "I see." This is according to the interpretation of the first part. For if I take counsel, it will be present. For it is not "as," but toward the poetry. Having assembled the gathering, he seeks justice from those who are factional. "Great-hearted" is from "long." The "but" is instead of "for." Toward the old man in the second part, they commonly enjoy the fruit toward force. But in our text, "today" he allowed "on," from "for." The "you" will suffice. For generally every article is taken as something following; it is heavy. Instead of "to us." Since the variety itself brought wandering with them, having arrived before him, the needs are neglected. The things concerning the hypothesis are said here: the cause is from the transfer, that with and under the exception one must make favors, because of the injustice of fortune. First and last. The law is requested. From the cause, he coordinates their whole impulse before the whole. One must know that when he says "syllable," it is not yet entirely from justice. For the "de" in the syllable is from those things he took back again. And there, since he will war against his own temple. For he will coordinate with the honor to return, being persuaded. He speaks a falsehood regarding the sacrifices, because of the grace and the small part of the race being lost.