μῆνιν ἄειδε θεὰ Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος
οὐλομένην , ἣ μυρί᾽ Ἀχαιοῖς ἄλγε᾽ ἔθηκε ,
πολλὰς δ᾽ ἰφθίμους ψυχὰς Ἄϊδι προΐαψεν
ἡρώων , αὐτοὺς δὲ ἑλώρια τεῦχε κύνεσσιν

5 οἰωνοῖσί τε πᾶσι , Διὸς δ᾽ ἐτελείετο βουλή ,
ἐξ οὗ δὴ τὰ πρῶτα διαστήτην ἐρίσαντε
Ἀτρεΐδης τε ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν καὶ δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς .
τίς τ᾽ ἄρ σφωε θεῶν ἔριδι ξυνέηκε μάχεσθαι ;
Λητοῦς καὶ Διὸς υἱός : ὃ γὰρ βασιλῆϊ χολωθεὶς

10 νοῦσον ἀνὰ στρατὸν ὄρσε κακήν , ὀλέκοντο δὲ λαοί ,
οὕνεκα τὸν Χρύσην ἠτίμασεν ἀρητῆρα
Ἀτρεΐδης : ὃ γὰρ ἦλθε θοὰς ἐπὶ νῆας Ἀχαιῶν
λυσόμενός τε θύγατρα φέρων τ᾽ ἀπερείσι᾽ ἄποινα ,
στέμματ᾽ ἔχων ἐν χερσὶν ἑκηβόλου Ἀπόλλωνος

15 χρυσέῳ ἀνὰ σκήπτρῳ , καὶ λίσσετο πάντας Ἀχαιούς ,
Ἀτρεΐδα δὲ μάλιστα δύω , κοσμήτορε λαῶν :
Ἀτρεΐδαι τε καὶ ἄλλοι ἐϋκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοί ,
ὑμῖν μὲν θεοὶ δοῖεν Ὀλύμπια δώματ᾽ ἔχοντες
ἐκπέρσαι Πριάμοιο πόλιν , εὖ δ᾽ οἴκαδ᾽ ἱκέσθαι :

20 παῖδα δ᾽ ἐμοὶ λύσαιτε φίλην , τὰ δ᾽ ἄποινα δέχεσθαι ,
ἁζόμενοι Διὸς υἱὸν ἑκηβόλον Ἀπόλλωνα .

Sing , O goddess , the anger [ mênis ] of Achilles son of Peleus , that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans . Many a brave soul [ psukhê ] did it send hurrying down to Hades , and many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs

and vultures , for so was the will of Zeus fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus , king of men , and great Achilles , first fell out with one another . And which of the gods was it that set them on to quarrel ? It was the son of Zeus and Leto ; for he was angry with the king

and sent a pestilence upon the host to plague the people , because the son of Atreus had dishonored Chryses his priest . Now Chryses had come to the ships of the Achaeans to free his daughter , and had brought with him a great ransom : moreover he bore in his hand the scepter of Apollo wreathed with a suppliant ' s wreath

and he besought the Achaeans , but most of all the two sons of Atreus , who were their chiefs . " Sons of Atreus , " he cried , " and all other Achaeans , may the gods who dwell in Olympus grant you to sack the city of Priam , and to reach your homes in safety ;

but free my daughter , and accept a ransom for her , in reverence to Apollo , son of Zeus . "

Goddess , sing about the rage of Achilles , son of Peleus .
The cursed [ rage ] , which put many pains on the Achaeans .
And he sent many stout souls of heroes to Hades
And made them spoils for dogs

And all the birds . The will of Zeus happened ,
From when already both the son of Atreus , king of men , and godly Achilles set apart the first things although already quarreling .
Who of the gods put them together to fight ?
The son of Leto and Zeus ; for he having been angered by the king

Started an evil plague throughout the army , and people died
Because the son of Atreus dishonored the priest Chryses .
For he [ Chryses ] came on the swift ships of the Achaeans
Both to free his daughter and bearing countless ransoms ,
Having the wreaths of far-shooting Apollo on a golden sceptre in his hands .

And he begged all the Achaeans ,
But most of all the two sons of Atreus , the commanders of the people .
" Both the sons of Atreus and the other well-equipped Achaeans ,
May the gods having houses on Olympus grant to you
To sack the city of Priam , and to go home well .

However , free my beloved daughter and accept the ransoms ,
Honoring with fear far-shooting Apollo , the son of Zeus . "