The Iliad, Book IX [The Embassy]

^{translated from the ancient Greek by Emily Wilson}

Swift-footed Lord Achilles answered him, 
“Son of Laertes, favorite of Zeus, 
scheming Odysseus, I must speak out 
emphatically and unreservedly. 
I must tell you exactly how I feel, 
and what the future holds for us, or else 
the three of you will keep on sitting there 
and take turns chittering and clucking at me. 
I hate like Hades’ gates the man who hides 
one thought inside his heart and says another. 
So I will tell you what I think is best. 
I do not think the son of Atreus 
or any of the Greeks can change my mind, 
because I got no thanks for all my labors, 
constantly battling the enemy. 
A man who fights his hardest in the war 
gets just the same as one who stays behind. 
Cowards and heroes have the same reward. 
Do everything or nothing—death still comes. 
I have endured great pain—I risked my life 
over and over in this endless war 
but I got nothing for it. As a bird 
brings little mouthfuls for her fledgling chicks 
whenever she gets food and starves herself, 
so I kept watch for many sleepless nights 
and fought my way through many bloody days, 
struggling with men to rob them of their women.”