Postal Letter

Do Parcelforce Delivery Drivers pick up Parcels Too? LoL, i have 3 parcels going out tomorrow and i just realized that parcelforce are delivering the damn bubble wrap tomorrow aswell. So i'm just wondering if the guy comes to deliver my package tomorrow will he want to pick up them parcels or do they have separate delivery and pick up vans?

if i layed a refrigerator on its side in my van for only, 2 miles (pick up and delivery) would it still work? A friend of mine is trying to tell me that it won't workm again and i think it will? Can someone please tell me who's right, my friend or I? Thank you!

the procedure of picking up special delivery from local Post Office branch? It may seem stupid to ask but could anyone explain what the procedure like for the Royal Mail to picking up the Special Delivery packages from the local Post Office branch? Do they use a van to carry all the packages to a sorting office? My second question is: When is the latest time for the Royal Mail to pick up the Special Delivery packages from the local branch for the next day delivery? Many thanks!!!

How tough is it to open an independant courier business in Texas? I want to pick up and deliver small items.? I have 8 years experience working in the mailroom for 2 large oil companies, so I have some experience on the receiving end of the business. I would like to deliver small packages, letters, envelopes, etc. and possibly court/legal documents. I would start out as a one man operation, but does anyone have any ideas on how I would begin to market myself, rates to charge and types of insurance I would need. I would base my operation from home at the beginning. I have 3 vehicles (van, sedan,small car),a state- of -the -art computer, a business cell phone and a willingness to work hard. How does a person break into the business? Would it be better for me to start out working as a contractor for an existing company? I don't want to try to compete with the "Big 3" (FedEX, UPS and DHL). I want find my niche by offering same day delivery, not over night services. Any independant courier guys/girls out there who have tried this and have been successful? Any response or ideas will be appreciated!

How can I make money with a Cargo Van? I'm looking to pick up a relatively low-mile Cargo Van very soon. I have a second shift full time job, and do not want to quit it, but I feel like the Van could help me bring in some extra income. What type of oppurtunities might I have for making money with my van? Maybe part-time late night delivery jobs, etc.

How would you start a wheelchair accessible van/delivery service? I live in an area that is rurally spread out..The 2 major towns are 14 miles apart with a lot of little places in between and all around. The 2 towns have one taxi service each and they're both privately owned by 1 person. There is a van service but because my area is so big they're on a limited schedule with limited funding they stop at 6pm and don't run at all on weekends. They offer limited door to door service and even if you give advance notice chances are they won't be available unless you give at least 2 weeks notice..The elderly the indigent and the disabled have no way to make medical appointments go to jobs or get groceries..How would one go about starting at the very least, a service where passingers can be picked up door to door where groceries, perscriptions can be picked up from the stores and delivered to the customers who can't get out? A business plan, funding, the works.

Would you trust these 'van sellers' asking to utilise eBay's Purchase Protection in the transaction? Seller #1: Hello, The van I'm selling is in excellent condition, no damage, no engine problems, garage kept, HPI clear (no finance,no accidents) and it will come with all the needed documents! I am selling this van for £2,000.00 including delivery anywhere in UK. I've listed a "very, very low" price to guarantee a sale. The only reason for the low price is that I need cash for a family emergency. I also have to tell you that I'm currently out of town with some major problems so pick up/view isn't an option right now. However, before any delivery can be done I want to be sure that we do this transaction in the safest mode possible for both of us. I recommend we do the transaction using eBay.co.uk because it's a reliable market place and I'm a very experienced seller there. eBay will act as a 3rd party between us to create confidence; this way you'll have a chance to VIEW AND TEST the van BEFORE any money will be given to me; If you want to buy this van email me back with your full name and address for delivery to start the official procedure on eBay. Once the requested details will be provided, eBay will contact you with ALL the info regarding delivery, purchase protection, and refund policy so please provide your details before any other questions. You will find 90% of answers in the info eBay will send you. Will wait to hear from you. Thank you, ('Buyer'): Ok, please send me pictures. If you have any other vans for sale aswell I'd be interested to see too as I have 2 friends looking for something similar. Links are good. Many thanks, Seller: Hello, I've attached more pics of the van to this email... If you think we can do a deal, please email me back with your full name and address for delivery so I can start the transaction on eBay. Will wait your email. Thank you. (Buyer): Ok, thanks Stephen. Do you have a phone number I can contact you on. Regards Seller: Hello. I tried to call you but I have a problem with my telephone line in my house - there seems to be a "static" sort of noise or interference on my line. I have done all the usual checks and know the line coming into the house is OK, as i have plugged a phone into the master socket and the line is clear. Is causing havoc with my broadband connection, the connection keeps dropping. Our transaction will be covered by eBay's Purchase Protection program , which protects you against description errors, damages or if the van is not delivered to you. We will start the transaction on eBay and you will receive all the instructions and details about our transaction. An eBay agent will deliver the van to you. Should the van not be exactly as described, you can reject it, and get a full refund from the eBay. We can start the eBay transaction with no obligation to buy. Let me know your details (full name and delivery address). Let me know if we can do a deal as I told you. Thanks. Buyer: Ok, thanks Stephen, I understand. What's your ebay id so I can send you the money. Many thanks ... Seller#2 (Buyer asks for phone number) Hi there, Unfortunately, I am not able to use the phone, as I'm wearing a hearing device (sound signal amp) as a result of a car crash I've experienced a couple of months ago. Let's not waste time and get to work. The price is 2300 pounds, wedding next month forces low price sale.The van is in very good conditions! I am a consultant engineer so I spend most of my time doing field work therefore I am offering a 5 days refund and return policy. Can arrange pick up or delivery. Kindly reply in a timely manner with your full name,eBay ID,and address (for the delivery purposes) if you want to buy it now and secure the deal through eBay. (Buyer Q's tax/mot phone call from other person for viewing...) Seller: Hi --,He got tax on for 2 months more,mot expire in 20/08/2010,FSH. I'm out of town and you can't pick up/view the van... Sorry... That's why I'm offering free delivery and a refund policy... I don't know how many sellers on eBay offer buyers a refund policy, let's not forget the free delivery. The transaction will take place on eBay and you will be offered free eBay Vehicle Purchase Protection so your money will be safe. So, if you think we can do a deal, please email me back with your your full name, address and ebay id so I can start the transaction on eBay. Will wait your email. Thank you. ... So, would you trust either of these sellers based on this kind of correspondence? Ok, I'm not dumb - this question is somewhat rhetorical and sure there's plenty other Q/A's like this. But you know what - more the better. If some poor sod can find the answer quicker than fall for these scams then terrific! ... See what happens later when someone searches 'eBay's Purchase Protection'. Give it a week... Also, replies above are me playing along. I figure if I can waste their time, kinda like chattin to a traffic warden ;)

I have a 1999 Plymouth van and want to start a courier business. Is commercial insurance expensive? I will be a one man operation until I can pick up some business. I am bonded and will provide notary service in addition to courier and delivery services. I will not be dealing in securities.

Anyone in need of delivery for goods? I own 1 pick-up truck and one cargo van that are available, so if anyone needs delivery for goods to a store or something I am looking for that kind of job I can deliver all the goods to you with my vans and unload them, if anyone is interested leave me an answer or email, phone number, or any other form of contact to negoiate the salary, detail, address, schedule, or anything else. thanks!!! Location : 08854 NJ Driving Range: NJ, PA, NY.

Asos -delivery to ireland method? I am ordering items from Asos but need to know first what method of delivery they use. Is it courier with a van where you need to be in to arrange a delivery time or is it regular post in which case you can pick up in post office if missed? Anybody actually know for sure which. Website is not clear. Any Irish people out there ordered from Asos?????!!

We are trying to buy a commerical truck or van for our business, what are the pros and cons of both choices? We are a business that sell Pools, Spas and Billiards and are trying to figure out whats better for us to buy; a commerical truck or van. We currently have one commerical truck that we use for delivery and for service maintenance on pools. Most people pick up their stuff so we hardly do delivery. Our maintence service is increasing in high demand over the past two years, so we decided to leave the old truck we currently have for delivery purposes and buying the new van or truck for our maintence service. Please provide your answer with links and/or lots of information. Thanks.

Why does my 94 Dodge Caravan have a fuel delivery problem? I own a 94 Dodge Caravan with 190,000 miles. It has a sparatic fuel delivery problem. Ocasionally when driving the van will loose power as if the fuel line was getting clogged. and hesitates when accelerating. When the pedal is smashed to the floor it does nothing for a few seconds and then takes off. This cycle will carry on for about 5 minutes and then is fine for the rest of the driving trip. It just had a tune up, new wires, plugs & fuel filter. I have just replaced the fuel pump and saw no improvement. The computer wiring is shot so the machine will not pick up any codes. I have tried fuel treatment and it does now seem to help. Attention car geniuses out there. What do you think is the problem? Any ideas would be appreciated. Engine is the 3.3L V6 As for the computer wiring. Them mecahinic said when they hooked the computer up to it it would not read at all. So there is something wrong with the plug to read the codes.

Where would the package be according to the tracking details? Is it back at the depot or delivered? I sent an international priority package to the UK from the US via USPS. Everything went fine until it was received in the UK. I just checked the status of the package on parcelforce.com and it states that the package was delivered to the Romford depot (after being loaded on the van for delivery), a few miles from the designated address. Also, when I checked the address listed on the parcelforce site, it is missing the house number! Would it be possible that the driver made a mistake and sent the package back to the depot? The recipient did not receive any note/card from the driver. It is a bank holiday now, so should I wait for a re-delivery or pick up from the depot? I called the Romford depot and it was an automated tracking feature. It stated that my package was last tracked at the Romford depot at the time listed below. I am hoping this means it is at the depot and not delivered! But I have no experience with UK mail services, so am asking you for help! :) This is what I see on parcelforce.com: Date Time Location Tracking Event 30-12-2011 14:17 Romford Depot Delivered 30-12-2011 00:33 Romford Depot Loaded to vehicle for delivery 30-12-2011 00:32 Romford Depot Received at delivery depot 29-12-2011 13:45 National Hub Received and processed 29-12-2011 08:13 International Hub Forwarded for UK processing 29-12-2011 08:08 International Hub Received in destination country 27-12-2011 12:33 FOREIGN CENTER JERSEY CITY NJ 099 Forwarded for export 24-12-2011 20:49 Delivery Agent - UNITED STATES AMERICA Collected from customer Can the recipient just take his passport ID to the depot and pick up the box? Or would I, the sender, have to do anything? Sorry for all the questions, but this is a very important package! Thank you for all your help!!! There does not seem to be any electronic signature on the online tracking site. However, it does say NNA C but I am not sure what that is.

Do jobs have to pay your delivery expenses according to the IRS mileage rate? I deliver food for my job for the evening shift. When I started I was told that I'll be reimbursed for gas since I'm using my own vehicle (a mini van) which is $1.75 per trip regardless of mileage. Plus they imply (kind of hinted) that my tip money will be my gas money. This didn't bother me at first because they made me shadow another driver for a few days first, and I only saw him make close range deliveries (about 5 miles tops) to big corporate businesses, and he was getting tipped between $10 - $15 a delivery. This when the red flags start. I'm always the only driver for the evening shifts because it's typically dead, and it's mostly corporate customers in the day and residential customers in the evening, so tipping is not as big. I have been making runs about 30 minutes away from the restaurant at least three times a week, and I know $1.75 will not cover that. I've noticed two things that wasn't right; one was that the delivery fee on the receipt was $5, and another was that I've unlocked hidden cells on Excel by mistake when I was typing my mileage in realizing that there is a mileage rate. I've did my research at home and realize they are obviously profiting off of my gas burning. I've noticed that although they're paying me by the trip, they're reporting that the drivers are getting paid by the mile for tax deduction purposes. The mileage rate is now 55 cents per mile from their 51 cents. Even though their hidden Excel files calculate $0.505 a mile, it's still a lot I should be paid back. I know I'm getting cheated off of my gas and wear and tear for my car, but I can't find online to prove if this is legal or not yet. [Side Note #1] One time, one my way to a delivery I caught a flat a couple weeks ago. They didn't do anything for me, but they waived the delivery fee for the customer although I was literally down the street from the customer, so the customer just met me down the street while a good samaritan is helping me with the flat tire. [Side Note #2] This is in Georgia. [Side Note #3] I had to make a half an hour trip for a delivery and they called back and said that I forgot some food. (Note: I don't prepare the food nor bag them. I just pick up and deliver.) The manager refused to pay the extra $1.75 because he told me that I've should've double checked my order before I left which I explained that the person who prepared the food (nor the other manager that printed the receipt before I left for the delivery) didn't clarify that there were more prepared on the side other the bags I saw up front. Normally, the person who prepares the food (or the manager) double checks the food; and I normally get a call to turn back around if I've forgotten something.

Prison delivery, I currently work as a driver? I currently work as a delivery driver I have a felony on my record, should i be alarm? My company just pick up a account out in Phoenix, that the customers works with the Arizona dept of corrections facility, I was asked to filled out some visitor paperwork for the prison, that ask for my SS# and DL# and vehicle info (it’s a full size van), I’m worried that I might get in trouble. I have a felony on my record for a white collar crime. and scared that they not want me to delivered there, and even worse let my employer know of my pass, I was hired on a good driving record basis, By the way there are window shutter components wood material, and I also have no outstanding warrants of anything involving breaking the law Oh by the way the paperwork also is totally different than the regular visitation form, it has more info requirements for my company, and it states that no criminal activity done in the pass will denied entry, but what is pending in the present, wish me luck

Has anyone useTrans-Atlantic Van lines to relocate? We contracted this company to move us from Ashburn, VA to Fayetteville, NC June 30, 2006. The drivers showed up a day late for pickup, causing us to have to reschedule our move-in date to July 5, 2006. We were promised to have our belongings delivered on Wed. July 5, only to be told they would be delivered on Thursday, July 6. They did not deliver that date either. We were then told they would guarantee the delivery for Friday July 7. Wrong again! Then they said it would definately be Sunday July 9. Guess what? Still no show and no communicatation. This company has repeatedly lied to us and the contact persons are very rude and hateful. We were told that they could deliver our furnishings anytime up to 21 days from the pick up.If you have had this problem with this company I would like to hear from you as to how you resolved this issue short of a law suit?

Is there any way to run H.I.D Work lights without the engine running? I want to get a luton van later this year and i will be doing 24 hour delivery and pick ups. I want to install H.I.D work lights for the inside and above the tail lift. Is there anyway I could do this? I dont want to run the risk of leaving my keys in the ignition and having my van stolen. I don't want halogen lights as they're not has bright. Any way?

Have Securicor some special priviliges? Last night on a highway near Bukit Kiara, a convoy of 3 Securicor vans, preceded by a pick up van with a flashing light and siren, bludgeoned everyone out of the fast lane and sped off into the distance. There was no police presence or outriders. Do they have the right to do this? Or is it just a ploy by a private company to speed up their deliveries?

Please help me solve a transport planning problem? Does anyone know of any FREE web-based applications or websites for logistics / transport planning? I need to organise timed deliveries and collections each day for 5 vans travelling to various areas throughout the UK, and would love to find a website where I can just enter all the destinations and times of each delivery or pick up and have the most efficient delivery order calculated for all the vehicles. To clarify, I don't really need to know which routes to take, (drivers use sat-nav for that), it's more about taking say.. 30 timed deliveries/collections + 5 vans, entering all the destinations into the computer and having it split the all the jobs between the 5 vans into some sort of sensible order based on the various destinations. Or, alternatively, just tell me how you'd tackle the problem quickly using only your brainpower. Perhaps your already a great transport manager. I'm NOT, I'm only doing this job to cover someone on holiday. I am a driver and can organise my own runs fine, but can't seem to get my head around organising the whole days work for the entire transport fleet! HELP!!

I've just driven my 04 Mondeo 2 ltre DCI LX home after taking delivery from the garage.? Something that I did not pick up on the test drive is that the friont windscreen has heating elements in it and these are extremely wavey and noticable. Is it the same with all this model of car and can anything be done about it? What ought I do as I found it very distracting. Could the fact that I wear varifocal glasses have anything to do with it. All the years I have driven various makes of car I have never seen anything so obvious as this. Even my hubbys ford van is not like this. Just got rid of a Saab dear and it was rubbish! Believe me it was rubbish! William H...... Horses for courses great car for towing whereas the Saab was useless

Is this an OKay first part of Chapter one of my new story? This is only the start of Chapter one... The mid-December breeze bit at my exposed fingers as I stepped out of the alley. I shivered and drew my coat around me. The empty streets echoed my heavy footfall as I walked through the barren neighbourhood. The stillness and the tense atmosphere made me uneasy and the bone chilling wind swept the hair of my face and the leafless tree’s created strange shadows on the floor. Although the roads and streets were completely deserted I couldn’t shake off the feeling someone was watching me. I shook my head. This was the sort of thing I would have been afraid of when I was eleven – not sixteen. The bag carrying my food was starting to get heavy in my hand, A sudden craving for cheese and chive pretzels and coca cola at half past nine at night, probably wasn’t the best time to take a trip down to Tesco’s. I was about to shift my shopping bag from my left hand to the right, when I noticed A black van parked across the road – a little way up the hill. A shiver ran down my spine as I took in the tinted windows and shiny black surface. I couldn’t seem to draw my eyes away from its unsettling perfection and glossy exterior. The one thing I couldn’t help but notice was how every part of it screamed danger. I hadn’t realised I had stopped walking until my shopping bag split on the floor. “Ah shit.” I moaned, dragging my gaze away from the van. Another blast of ice cold air ripped the now useless shopping bag from my hands. I picked up my twelve pack cans of coke and mega bag of pretzels and struggled upright, my eyes instantly combing the surroundings and felt a flash of relief as my eyes found the van again. The relief was replaced with anxiety almost straight away. What the hell was a black van doing parked at the end of the road at ten ‘o’ clock at night? It was an extremely cliché and classic example of a story of someone going missing. I was probably worrying over nothing and when I found out it was a fed-ex or Wincanton delivery service vehicle, I was going to feel like a complete idiot. I convinced myself the whole way up the hill it was probably just a delivery van or even just a black van that belonged to one of the residents in the distant houses. It wasn’t illegal to own a black van; it was just a black van. As I drew level with it though, my weariness increased and I gave it an as wide berth as possible, my breathing increased and my heart slammed against my ribs as I passed the tinted window… I jumped at my own reflection and then realised I was the pale thing staring back and let out a nervous hysterical giggle to try and shroud my fear. As I passed the back-end of the van, my chest loosened and I could start breathing again. I cursed myself for being such a stupid idiot and rejoiced in the waves or relief that washed through me. Until the engine started… I'm nearly 15. I'm A - A* My Punctuation is letting me down apparently - I get so into the coursework - i forget to check it before I hand it in... Ooopsie :L

what do you think of the wording of my resume? Would it interest you if you were an employer? Objective: a class A or class B driving position where I make the most of my professional appearance, and excellent customer service skills. Past Employer # 1 Truck Driver; Colorado region. 07-07 to 09-10 .Conscientiously maintained assigned company truck. .Fork lift certified by company; yearly accreditation. . Carefully secured freight with straps and bars to prevent damage during transport .Delivered high-value equipment such as computer servers, and other sensitive freight. .Inspected freight prior to pick-up to protect company from damage charges. .Contacted customers to advise them of pick-up and delivery times. .Serviced both businesses and residential homes. .Increased volume from shippers through devoted customer service. .Never called in sick to work. Never injured on the job. .Worked closely with UPS Supply Chain assisting with their pick-ups and deliveries. .Drove tractor-trailers, and straight trucks with lift-gate. Past Employer # 2 Bus Driver; 47 passenger. 06-03 to 06-07 .Drove out-dated MCI buses in need of constant mechanical attention. .Communicated closely with mechanics about safety issues that arose with buses. .Maintained good relationship with mechanics (and dispatchers) .Designated bus driver trainer of all new-hires .Safety drove to the airport via the Interstate in all types of weather conditions. .Never had a traffic accident. Never injured on the job. Never called in sick. Past employer # 3 Courier, van driver. 01-02 to 10-02 .Operated the biggest route in the station. Known for never complaining, for showing up each day ready to work, never calling in sick, and being well-liked by customers. Past employer # 4 .Drove for JB Hunt and US Xpress and Cannon Express as an over-the-road driver. From 1999 to 2003 collectively drove 24 months of OTR. Operated in 48 states. .Pulled 53' dry vans. Bachelor of General Studies 1991 Class A CDL with HAZMAT, tanker, double-triples, and passenger endorsements.

Pc world knowhow collection/delivery guys? Hi, I was just wondering if anyone could put my mind at ease. I arranged to have my laptop picked up and taken for repair, they gave me a day and job number to confirm. The man called me and told me they will be at mine in 30mins. They came and I confirmed the job number and signed the sheet which had all the Collections they need to do. Everything seems fine but the only thjng that is kind of worrying me is that when I looked out my window the van was a hire vehicle (north gate to be precise). I was just wondering does anyone know that they use these vehicles or should I be worried.

My husband and I have started our small business. What are we missing? HELP!? My husband and I have started a small part-time business (pick ups and deliveries). It's only been running two weeks but the results are good. We're now beginning to think about name, tax issues, etc. 1- Should we be keeping receipts? Should we be writing them? What do we do with these at the end of the year (what form(s) do we file with them? We bought a new van - is this tax deductible? What else is? 2- What else do we need? Who do we have to register with? Do we need tax id numbers, permits, licenses? And where do we do this? 3- Can anyone recommend good resources to call or check out on the web? If anyone else is running a similar business, a small business or a home based business (and Uncle Sam knows) I'd appreciate the feedback. Please be as specific as possible - we want to set this up right. Thanks!

can anyone help me with my resume? i also need help add what skills i have. i'm not good at this. Jonathan D Garza championjdg@yahoo.com Employment History Cleaner 06/2007 - 06/2007ButlerButler, IN Work 12 hr shifts, sweep floors, put dirty in barrels for pickup. Asst. Servicer 02/2007 - 02/2007Don Pablo‘sFort Wayne, IN cleaning tables, helping run food, clean floor, help where needed, take dishes to dish washing area to be clean, take keg to bar on second floor, run chips and salsa to second floor when need, sweep or mop floor when needed, make tortillas when needed, take out the trash, help after parties, put high chairs in right location, clean bathrooms, help servers when needed or hostess, vacuum floor on second floor, bring drinks, set up for server, help hostess set up for families, set up for parties or groups,; deal with some customers,; wash dishes and other things when needed, put dishes in correct location, work the dinner time and lunch shifts, help set up for parties-set up tables for parties and take apart after parties Asst. Server 06/2005 - 09/2006Don Pablo’sFort Wayne, IN Cleaning tables of plates, cups, mochas, chips, etc. And then wiping cleaning, running food, bringing salsa and chips for upstairs, taking garage to correct location, getting things for the other employers that are needed, help in anyway I can or was needed to, putting high chair away, cleaning up after parties, organize of dirty plates and silverware upstairs to save time, help move a keg upstairs to restock their beer, clean up any broking plates, help set up for parties-set up tables for parties and take apart after parties Trash Hauler 09/1983 - 05/2006Miguel GarzaFort Wayne, IN collect the trash, tie the bags up, put cover on trash bins to stop animals form getting to trash, separate paper, plastics and other things form trash, put in bins, put trash out Cleaner, Housekeeping 07/2005 - 08/2005Chase ManorFort Wayne, IN Clean apartments that were vacated by people. Throw away trash and other things. Clean fridge and freezer. Clean the kitchen, living room, bedrooms and bathroom of anything. move things out of apartment for showing had to move TV stands, chairs, TVs, and more out of the apartments., move things out of basement for recycling and for trash, report if any damage to apartment or area was done, help with customers when needed Lawn Care 01/1984 - 04/2005Miguel GarzaFort Wayne, IN Cleaning up yard, raking leaves and other things, trimming bushes, watering grass, grass care, clean up front and back yards, sweeping of sidewalk, moving stones to make yard, sawing bushes, wind blower to move leaves, planting, cleaning drive-way, put waste in city bags for pickup, clean roofs of leaves and other things, clean the gutters of waste, climb ladder to clean roofs of leaves and other things and gutters, trim the bushes Snow Remover 01/1984 - 02/2005Miguel GarzaFort Wayne, IN Remove of snow driveway, remove of snow form stair and sidewalk area, use salt on sidewalk and driveway, clean cars of snow, using shovels and other equipment to move or break snow up, break ice when needed Dock Worker 07/2002 - 09/2002Fort Wayne NewspaperFort Wayne, IN help stack newspaper for delivery, tell forklift to pick up stack when done, put paper in sorting to create inserts for Sunday and Saturday paper Clerk 08/2000 - 08/2000OmniSourceFort Wayne, IN Had to move boxes of files and put in order form one location to another location, put boxes in van to be move to storage. put boxes in correct order form date on boxes, use handcart to move boxes Warehouse Worker 08/2000 - 08/2000Wal-martFort Wayne, IN Work at Wal-mart to help get it ready to became a super wal-mart, organizing of junk, shelves, and other store, equipment in warehouse, repaint shelves for use, stack shelves that could not be use, clean warehouse, use pallet jack to move things to save space, throw away scrap and trash, unload truck of pallets of shelves and other things and put in warehouse for storage, move clothes racks that were in storage Factory Worker 09/1999 - 02/2000TI AutomotiveOssian, IN Working on gas tanks, making gas tanks, data processing of gas tanks, working gas tanks, adding parts to gas tanks, checking and inspecting gas tanks to make sure they are good to go, sorting gas tanks, calling for pick up for gas tanks or more gas tanks, communicate with leads and fork lifters drivers, work 12 hrs shift, Cargo Agent-Ramp-Belly 05/1998 - 03/1999Kitty Hawk AircagroFort Wayne, IN Work on cargo planes-747, 727-100 series, 727-200 series, DC-8 baby and stretches, airbuses, work on unloading and loading of cargo planes, commutate with leaders and supervisors, can close the doors of mainly bellies of many planes, work topside on all planes, work on some of the equipment, had to know where things can form and go to, three letter identities for test, became a belly lead, had to sort things and send

I need help to identify this movie probably of 80's or mid 90's which was a compilation of many short stories? I watched this obscure english move 7-8 years ago on an Indian English movie channel (zee MGM) and need to recapitulate it.Two of the short stories that i remember are as follows- (1) There's this delivery boy in a van, trying to make his way through an american countryside village to deliver a parcel.In the mean time he gets lost into the jungles and stops by a cafe to ask the localities about his destination,The people in the cafe looks strangely at the guy as if he's an alien to them.The guy approaches the old manager to ask the address but the manager in turn asks the guy to have a cup of coffee.The guy has gone nuts searching the entire village for the address and so out of frustration yells at the guy that he is not interested to have the coffee but later says that he will have the coffee later after he delivers the parcel.The guy comes out of the cafe and again sets out to discover the destination location.Strange things begin to happen and the guy again gets lost into the jungle,unable to find the address.He keeps on circling the same roads and once again arrives at the coffee shop.Not only he is trapped in the jungles, the guy can't even return back to his home as if he has been forcefully localized by the evil forces of nature.The short story ends when the guy out of fear and anger gives up to the coffee guy and asks where the hell am i?The guy is seen brewing a cup of coffee which he had promised in a weirdly strange manner. (2)This one is about an estranged old women who lives in the same village as mentioned above.One day at night she hear strange voices coming from here garage or store house.She picks up a gun and walks in the store house to discover the mystery behind those voices.She finally uncovers the mystery by finding out a flying saucer loaded with flashy lights which was buried there for many years, unnoticed . any idea of the name of this movie?

Is stealing from Best Buy okay? Well, I have a little bit of a problem: I purchased a 65in DLP, audio system, blu-ray player, and hd-dvd player on wednesday. I told them that I would need to come back and pick everything up later in the week. I needed to borrow a cube van from my neighbor to get my order home. I did not live close enough for the cheap delivery and did not want to pay more than it would cost me to get to the store. I then exchanged everything that was not the television. I had everything I bought set for pickup and after exchange took everything home. Then I went today to pick up my television. I went to the department and they called my television up. I pulled up my van and they loaded my television up. I was not paying attention to them. I noticed that there was other stuff near the door, but it did not concern me. The television fit inside of the van and I waited for them to load everything. I get home and they put the entire order in my van. The television and all the items I have exchanged. Do you think that they will come pick this stuff up without charging me? This was not my mistake. I specifically said I was there to pick up my television. I should have paid more attention to what was going on, but I saw the tv was correct and thought that was everything. I figured they would know enough what I was supposed to get. Now I have extra stuff that I need to return, but the nearest Best Buy is about 90 miles away. I do not feel like paying for more gas to return this stuff. The van I used got 8 miles per gallon. I am afraid that if I call they will tell me to bring everything back. I do not want to pay $100 for fuel and a case of beer (for allowing me to use the van) because of their mistake. That would take a nice bite out of my savings. I do not want them to charge me and force me to return or resell. I just want rid of this stuff. I might look for some traveling through the area going near manhattan (ks, not ny) that could return the stuff for me.

Catalouge order returned, gone missing!? I orderd a fridge freezer from a catalouge. The item was badly dameged. I called the dispatcher and the catalouge company. I was given a replacement. I was told to box the damaged fridge ready for the courier. 1 week later a new fridge freezer arrived and they took thedamaged one away. Now the catalouge company say the item is missing and are billing me for it. The couriers who delivered the replacement, took the damaged on away, the same courier company that do all the deliverys. One week after, a man came to my home to pick up a fridge freezer, i told him it was taken away the same day when the new one arrived, by the same company. He said ok, however the catalouge, had now gone back to his company, that the other couriers were not good. Other than that he said nothing. Now the catalouge wants me to pay for the missing fridge. I signed three lots of papers. I can see that all three are dispatch notes. 2 i signed for in my home, the 3rd was brought to me after they loaded the damaged fridge into the van. They said it was for that fridge. However i see that it is just another delivery note. I have witnesses to all that took place on that day and also about the damage to the first fridge freezer, the one thats gone missing? What can i do, to stop them making me pay for that fridge freezer?

Do you like redneck humor....? Are you ready Jamie lol.... Your definition of "getting lucky" is finding a lottery ticket in your wife's jeans. You met your wife on The Jerry Springer Show. The most romantic moment in your life was captured on a security camera. You think rug burns are a sexually transmitted disease. Your wedding reception was a tailgate party. If you've ever given your date flowers you stole from a cemetery You've ever french-kissed within five feet of a dumpster. You had your anniversary dinner at the food court in the mall. In preparation for a romantic evening, you stop by the grocery store for a bottle of Mr. Bubble. You've ever hot-wired a motel vibrating bed. Sex education at your school included advice on avoiding the steering wheel. You have to roll up your sleeve and look at your arm to spell your wife's name. You've ever spray-painted your girlfriend's name on an overpass. Your honeymoon hotel advertised "Truckers welcome." You're making "rabbit ears" behind the bride in your wedding photos. You dated your daddy's current wife in high school. You carried your bride over the threshold in a fork lift. You got a new set of teeth as a wedding present. Your current girlfriend was the midwife at the birth of your child. Your wife puts candles on a pan of corn bread for your birthday. A dating service matches you up with a relative. You proposed while watching a football game out of the corner of your eye. You've ever accepted an invitation written on a bathroom wall. Your favorite pickup line is "Dang, are those things real?" There were dogs in the church on your wedding day. You had a prom night and a wedding night, but not in that order. You remember the entire NASCAR schedule, but can't remember your wife's birthday. For laughs, you watch your wife's delivery video backwards. Your current wife was a bridesmaid at your first wedding. You've ever celebrated your wife's birthday in a tree. You've ever used ketchup in the bedroom. Your brother-in-law played the Wedding March on a kazoo. Your wife can drink a gallon of hooch quicker than you can. You confused shaving cream for whipped cream and didn't notice until morning. You view the upcoming family reunion as a chance to meet women. Your wedding reception was catered by your previous wife. Your will states your wife can't touch your money until she's 14. At the wedding, you and your wife Instant Messaged your vows. When people talk about the Big Easy, you think they are referring to your ex-girlfriend. You proposed to your wife while working under your truck. Your definition of "getting lucky" is passing the emissions test. The last time you fought with your wife was on The Jerry Springer Show. Your favorite sex position is "awake". You've been married three times and still have the same in-laws. You're making payments on more than one wedding ring. You took your honeymoon photos to Ripley's Believe It Or Not. You've ever asked a widow for her phone number at the funeral home. You have to reschedule your wedding because the alimony payment was late. The most romantic moment of your life was captured on a security camera. You've ever flirted over a drive-thru window speaker. Your bed is held together with baling wire. Your belt buckle cost more than the wedding ring. You go to the Jiffy Lube to pick up women. Your wife ever had to use her Bear Spray on you. Your wedding reception was catered by Hooters. You refer to the van as the "Love Machine." The first time you saw your wife in lingerie, you had to pay a cover charge. You've ever had to hide a bra before you make love. You think "dinner reservations" means they've tasted your wife's cooking. You've ever had sex in a satellite dish. You wrote your girlfriend's phone number on a bathroom wall. You met your wife when she came to repossess your pickup truck. The menu for the wedding buffet included possum. The champagne fountain at your wedding was full of beer. Your favorite sex position is on all fours. You can't remember what name you used on your marriage license. You scheduled your wedding during a conjugal visit. You hit on the midwife while your wife was in labor. You married your wife for her socket set. Your favorite cologne is Deep Woods Off. You think "showing a girl a good time" means letting her bait the hook. You gave your wife a glue gun for your anniversary. You've ever won a wedding ring in a poker game. Truckers tell your wife to watch her language. You had a marriage license before you had a driver's license. You've ever told a bride, "You clean up pretty good." Your prenuptial agreement mentions chickens. You and your wife stay married for the sake of the dogs. I guess Jack is not into reading a lot, maybe we can get him a Jack and Jill book lol! Mz President, another person who leaves nasty comments and has no return e-mail, ah ha, another coward, you people know who you are lol?

Sale of Goods Act and Warranty - Where do I stand? A customer bought some heaters from me nearly 12 months ago. These generally fine and we've had very few if any other returns on them. Now on our terms and conditions - which were agreed to at the point of sale, we stated we offer a 12 months return to base warranty. Now the goods are about 11 and a half months old - and the customer is saying they are all faulty, that one blew up and the other three have failed a PAT test. I said - that's fine send them back to me and we'll have a look at them and either repair or replace them. She however wasn't happy with this and threatened taking us to Trading Standards and speaking to her Solicitor. Now if we had a van in the area I would have had them picked up - but according to all our terms and conditions which are clearly stated on the website - it is a return to base warranty. People have a problem - they return the machine to us, we repair it and return it at our cost. Legally do I have anything to worry about here? I've tried to look into the Sale of goods act and it only covers goods which are faulty at the point of delivery - which wasn't the case. I haven't had the machines back to inspect them to make sure they were being used correctly, and I find it bizarre that they happen to call jsut a couple of weeks before the warranty expires. Any advice would be appreciated.

Job Hiring Discrimination Question - Do I Have A Case? My name is Josh. I used to live in Illinois. I moved to Wheeler, Wisconsin in September, and to Apple Valley, Minnesota in January to live with my Fiance. It took me 4 and a half months to find work, when I came across a medically challenged customer transport company. I went through a week and a half of interviewing and preparation for the job and I started training on the 22nd of February. I had had previous courier experience, taxi driving experience, and towing experience, plus other delivery experience. Each of the people that I had met for interviews and had talked to within the company, knew I was from a different state. The main people were telling me I was doing well, the trainers were telling me and the bosses were telling me that I was doing well; that I was learning quickly. I was being told that I would have a company van to drive and begin working on my own by the 25th of this month. This morning (the morning of the 24th I was told that my trainer was not picking me up as usual. I called the office and was told by one of the receptionists that the Driver Boss, did not know that I had just moved from another state, and for that reason had decided I would not be able to find my way around the areas that they drive in because (even though I had experience using map books, and I own a gps - which is what all the drivers in the company use anyway to find their way around). Now, during my interview process, I had already told him where I had lived before. Not only that, but his sister, his son, and his niece (all who work at the company) knew I had just moved to Minnesota. I spoke to my two trainers and both of them told me that the Driver Boss had called them the night before asking how I had been doing, and both of them told me, that they had told him I was doing very well in the training, that I was following and finding directions very well, and had picked up on all the procedures faster than others they had trained. I tried many times today to get a hold of the Driver Boss, speaking to everyone but him, but every timeI was given the run around. I have been told by my trainers on numerous occasions now that they themselves, as well as many other drivers lived out of state before coming to Minnesota and knew nothing about driving around and finding their way around until they started working the job and bought GPS's to help them. I was also told that each of them, including recently new drivers had had trouble finding their way, calling the dispatcher many times to ask directions, and I have not had to do that at all during training, nor would I, as I am an excellent reader of maps, I have a very good direction sense, I have a map book, and I have a GPS. I have not been given any good reason to have been let go without being given even one day's chance to prove myself on the road alone (as every other driver has gotten). The only think I can think of is that I have longer hair, which (in the company's employee handbook IS ALLOWED, as long as it is pulled back, which mine was). I believe I am being discriminated against in this case and wish to know what I can do. Please help me. This job was to be my livelihood, and my fiance and I could lose our place to live, our vehicle, and more if I don't have this job. Please, tell me if I have a case at all, and if there is anything that can be done. Honestly, all I truly want is my job and my chance to prove myself at said job, but if they are not willing to give me that, then I'd like to run them through the ringer for discrimination and get some sort of compensation for the amount of money that I would have been able to get in the long run from having the position. I need someone that will tell me if I have a case and someone that will only charge me if we win in court.

Where would the package be according to the tracking details? Is it back at the depot or delivered? I sent an international priority package to the UK from the US via USPS. Everything went fine until it was received in the UK. I just checked the status of the package on parcelforce.com and it states that the package was delivered to the Romford depot (after being loaded on the van for delivery), a few miles from the designated address. Also, when I checked the address listed on the parcelforce site, it is missing the house number! Would it be possible that the driver made a mistake and sent the package back to the depot? The recipient did not receive any note/card from the driver. It is a bank holiday now, so should I wait for a re-delivery or pick up from the depot? I called the Romford depot and it was an automated tracking feature. It stated that my package was last tracked at the Romford depot at the time listed below. I am hoping this means it is at the depot and not delivered! But I have no experience with UK mail services, so am asking you for help! :) This is what I see on parcelforce.com: Date Time Location Tracking Event 30-12-201114:17Romford DepotDelivered 30-12-201100:33Romford DepotLoaded to vehicle for delivery 30-12-201100:32Romford DepotReceived at delivery depot 29-12-201113:45National HubReceived and processed 29-12-201108:13International HubForwarded for UK processing 29-12-201108:08International HubReceived in destination country 27-12-201112:33FOREIGN CENTER JERSEY CITY NJ 099Forwarded for export 24-12-201120:49Delivery Agent - UNITED STATES AMERICACollected from customer Can the recipient just take his passport ID to the depot and pick up the box? Or would I, the sender, have to do anything? Sorry for all the questions, but this is a very important package! Thank you for all your help!!!

Can someone please give me an honest assessment on my short story? Here's a piece of it. Is it interesting and is it going anywhere? May could not have come fast enough for the budding group of departing seniors from Colford University. On an evening where the euphoric skyline that draped over the jubilant grads stood still in a blend of blue and tangerine, the day was about to retire into the evening twilight. For the numerous students who packed commuter vans and walked in groups averaging 3-5, their nights were just beginning. Most were ready to let their hair down after a tumultuous month of papers, exams, and research studies. Among the gallery of white baseball caps, oversized cups and domesticated cackling, stood well known attendees at an off-campus mixer. Ellie Bowden and her group of girlfriends comprised that list. Ellie and her girls were checking out the scenery, as they had so succinctly put into their efforts of meeting men of legitimate dating material. Across the way, Brendan Rainer had his sights set on the 5’7 tawny-haired bombshell her mother affectionately refers to as 'A little Ellie-fish, about to enter the big pond of life'. Wearing a striped, button-down shirt, draped onto dreary denim jeans, and parted black hair and sideburns Brenden has had his ups-and-downs with the girl department. To his chagrin, although he valued and respected women, it has most often proved to be his Achilles heel as far as his love life was concerned. He was usually the best friend and he had long since tired of that image. Him and his buddies were also on hand kicking back in the corner and conversing. Was Ellie Bowden out of his league? Maybe. But then again, he had his gameface on. Nothing was going to stand in his way, except for two Capri-sporting, sandal-wearing, necklaced girls who got his attention first. In the traditional sense, Brendan and Ellie came from opposite sides of the tracks. In lieu of their social standing, neither lacked drive. Besides, they were graduating college next week, so things should even out smoothly. Early afternoon, Brendan woke up from a semi-drunken stupor to the hammering of the door from his father Don. Right off the bat the everso blunt, yet overprotective old man of the Rainers look his son square in the eye with a sentiment of Son, we need to talk.’ For Brendan this was all too routine. Had it been a cd that lain next to his hundreds of music tapes, a more fitting title of his father's speech would be The Best of Mr. Rainer’s Bullshit Lectures: Volume 1, available in both Stressful and Unnecessary.. Brendan cared much for his parents although he sought to find his own identity in his 4 years of Colford. His mother Beverly was the first to hug the first of the clan to have done anything productive past high school. She and her husband were high school sweethearts who married into their early 20s and raised Brendan when they were relatively anew to their own existence. Over the years, they had gone out of their way to bond with their kid over a variety of topics, ranging from learning to balance his own check book to sex. Brendan beyond hoped it would not be one of those talks.. Admittedly enough his estrangement from his parents at a young age was not something that would deter his parents from doing their part in raising his son with some semblance of integrity and standard. That did not always stay in tact once Brendan started his freshman year, but then again so didn't his laundry habits. How you been, dad?,” Brendan asked with heavy eyes and semi-combed hair carrying a heaping helping of a month's worth of wardrobe. Just bring in the rest of your bags---you know your mom and I really missed you.” He put on weight, Don,” Beverly chimed. “I doubt that, honey.” It's been a while since you been at school, and.we're going to have to ask that you switch to living in the basement or possibly moving out,” his father relayed passively. What the hell?,” Brendan stood dumbfounded. He looked to his mother with a glance in his eye seeking approval if she would be too put off that he curse up a storm. It would not be the first time. what about MY room, ma ?” “Look son, we know this has been a hard pill to swallow but things haven’t been on the up and up at work,” his father retorted. “And ever since we came here her and I have had a hard enough time getting aid to put your brother and sister through school. That’s what it is, Brendan. I’m sorry.” The middle child of the family was feeling like the forgotten one as he buried his head in his hands with an animated grunt and galloped upstairs before getting the attention of his mother. “Bren, we did keep your stuff downstairs,” his mother proclaimed to her defeated son, in a tone resembling a game show announcer letting a contestant know they had still won the complimentary parting prize. "What the hell is that about, man?," was the initial reaction from his buddy Dennis. "I dunno, they're being weird. But maybe it's for the better," Brendan nonchalantly quipped as he drew devil horns around stick figures emulating his folks.Brendan was a drawer who also liked to write. Since artists who occasionally penned was not a solid major, Brendan took side jobs and apprentice work shops after school to hone his passion for drawing. He used to just stick to comic book superheroes until he figured he move on to bigger and better once he hit campus. Plus he did could do without being taunted for it by potential love interests. That night, Brendan and his sentimental entourage of post-collegiate hopeless romantics took to one of Colford Universities popular off-campus dive bars: Chet's. What started out as a series of walks 3 nights a week amid-st tethered finances and the occasionally overdue midterm take home exam, became a car ride into town, feeling like the had taken the wrong turn at the crossroads of their newly-designated roles in society: Rookie real worlders. Ellie Bowden felt a sense of loss when she had trouble finding a full-time job after graduating with a degree in finance. She was very involved on campus and was a tri-star athlete who excelled in the class, and definitely knew how to have a good time in between and around her endeavors. At times overly conscientious of her looks, Ellie would tussle her strand of tawny-brown locks and bat her green eyes, along with soft lips and a diamond necklace she wore in tribute to her grandmother. Ellie was a family person at heart. Although she felt she may have done some things at college she may not have done after finishing school, nor necessarily felt proud of Ellie sported lots of energy and personality aside from her good looks. She was also not one to take lightly in terns of pulling the wool over her eyes. Months after finishing school, Ellie took notice of how infrequent she would see her friends from high school, let alone some of her suite mates she had been tight with since her sophomore year. Ellie had her "return nights" at Colford but it was not the same. New faces, new crowd, new drama. Same old routine. Brendan felt similar at his guys night out at Chet's, sitting at the bar watching ESPN parallel to older townsfolk who sported Keno tickets and cigars. His and Shawn and their friends of their old roommates sat awkwardly ajar a storm of spilt drinks and camera flashes. That night, Ellie babysat for her neighbors, but instead of chatting up with some of her old teammates plastered on her cell phone directory, she brought over a scrap book and glossed over it since one of the pages had a congratulations card that said "Here's Looking at you Kid", and had a baby emblazoned on the front. Ellie wanted children of her own somebody, but finding Mr. Right was not something she took lightly, especially when many of the men who had flirted up a storm toward her at Chet's two nights a week back in her final semester were old enough to be her uncle...literally. She was still her mother's princess, her 'Ellie-fish in a pond.' And it really annoyed her with a passion. Though she loved her mother, she wasn't quite ready to take on a role as a 12-year old girl trapped in a young woman's body. Bickering ensued and Ellie's trip to Key West on Spring Break was now rivaled by bickering over keeping her room picked up. Six months after the homestretch of senior year winded down, talk show reruns and Gelato proved stale to Ellie--a determined post-collegiate, who had sent out hundreds of resumes but ended up getting called off of most jobs she went for. Temping and waitressing to support herself, aside from the clothes store she clamored at since high school, Ellie got the occasional pep talk of others who hated their jobs and ask that someone with as much potential as her break out of her rut and exit their self-proclaimed retail hell. Then she remembered that her time would come in spite of the prominent mentality that who you are replicates what you make of it. Brendan contributed to several on-line magazines to pad his amateur resume, but nothing that paid off his student loans. Characteristically, those that are fortunate---and there are usually a lot of people, who receive their degrees and get into their fields, were on the opposite of Brendan who had since come to feel that he did not know what the hell he wanted to do with his life. Even though he had not needed much of his parents help when he lived on campus, he commonly never turned it down when offered. Truth be told, both of Colford's fresh new representatives in finding themselves after dusk has overcast their dawn of post-adolescence-- alongside the always prominent 'we're not kids anymore, now what?!' mentality were pawns of the separation anxiety that thrusted what was set to be the crossroads of their journey into their mid-twenties. Both were hard workers, but each had their own parental sparring and runaround responses from job recruiters that they were not quite preparing to see, but were not immune to. The determination and long term goals of each had long since been compromised and their morales were declining. Brendan stayed around town and frequented the basement aside from his parent's garage. He had grown to adjust to the independence he had long hoped for, but never expected--particularly in the fashion in which it was first introduced months prior. At a New Year's Eve party took out to the patio at Dennis's apartment, an epiphany struck Brendan Rainer, two years removed from his five-year plight of early class, 3am pizza deliveries and the occasional practical joke by his hallway mates. He had come to realize that would likely never happen again, though he could still sing a mean Tom Petty song using a beer bottle as a microphone when playing guitar that night. Looking back at that time of a college grad's life where the fun and glory of finding yourself on your own, 8 months at a time proved to be overly gratuitous and sentimental. Things would not be the same for either but then there were the inevitabilities of getting older that was also on deck in their own ambiguous agendas. Then again, there is always grad school. Alesia and Pamela, I honestly don't like your attitudes. First off, neither one of you work for Yahoo!, so stop acting like it. Second of all no one twisted your arms to read the damn thing. And lastly, none of you have done me any favors. Pamela, my story isn't perfect but it's quite far from being about nothing. I have OCD too, I know it must be hard keeping focused......

Can anyone give me an honest opinion of my short story? Here's a piece of it. Is it interesting and is it going anywhere? May could not have come fast enough for the budding group of departing seniors from Colford University. On an evening where the euphoric skyline that draped over the jubilant grads stood still in a blend of blue and tangerine, the day was about to retire into the evening twilight. For the numerous students who packed commuter vans and walked in groups averaging 3-5, their nights were just beginning. Most were ready to let their hair down after a tumultuous month of papers, exams, and research studies. Among the gallery of white baseball caps, oversized cups and domesticated cackling, stood well known attendees at an off-campus mixer. Ellie Bowden and her group of girlfriends comprised that list. Ellie and her girls were checking out the scenery, as they had so succinctly put into their efforts of meeting men of legitimate dating material. Across the way, Brendan Rainer had his sights set on the 5’7 tawny-haired bombshell her mother affectionately refers to as 'A little Ellie-fish, about to enter the big pond of life'. Wearing a striped, button-down shirt, draped onto dreary denim jeans, and parted black hair and sideburns Brenden has had his ups-and-downs with the girl department. To his chagrin, although he valued and respected women, it has most often proved to be his Achilles heel as far as his love life was concerned. He was usually the best friend and he had long since tired of that image. Him and his buddies were also on hand kicking back in the corner and conversing. Was Ellie Bowden out of his league? Maybe. But then again, he had his gameface on. Nothing was going to stand in his way, except for two Capri-sporting, sandal-wearing, necklaced girls who got his attention first. In the traditional sense, Brendan and Ellie came from opposite sides of the tracks. In lieu of their social standing, neither lacked drive. Besides, they were graduating college next week, so things should even out smoothly. Early afternoon, Brendan woke up from a semi-drunken stupor to the hammering of the door from his father Don. Right off the bat the everso blunt, yet overprotective old man of the Rainers look his son square in the eye with a sentiment of Son, we need to talk.’ For Brendan this was all too routine. Had it been a cd that lain next to his hundreds of music tapes, a more fitting title of his father's speech would be The Best of Mr. Rainer’s Bullshit Lectures: Volume 1, available in both Stressful and Unnecessary.. Brendan cared much for his parents although he sought to find his own identity in his 4 years of Colford. His mother Beverly was the first to hug the first of the clan to have done anything productive past high school. She and her husband were high school sweethearts who married into their early 20s and raised Brendan when they were relatively anew to their own existence. Over the years, they had gone out of their way to bond with their kid over a variety of topics, ranging from learning to balance his own check book to sex. Brendan beyond hoped it would not be one of those talks.. Admittedly enough his estrangement from his parents at a young age was not something that would deter his parents from doing their part in raising his son with some semblance of integrity and standard. That did not always stay in tact once Brendan started his freshman year, but then again so didn't his laundry habits. How you been, dad?,” Brendan asked with heavy eyes and semi-combed hair carrying a heaping helping of a month's worth of wardrobe. Just bring in the rest of your bags---you know your mom and I really missed you.” He put on weight, Don,” Beverly chimed. “I doubt that, honey.” It's been a while since you been at school, and.we're going to have to ask that you switch to living in the basement or possibly moving out,” his father relayed passively. What the hell?,” Brendan stood dumbfounded. He looked to his mother with a glance in his eye seeking approval if she would be too put off that he curse up a storm. It would not be the first time. what about MY room, ma ?” “Look son, we know this has been a hard pill to swallow but things haven’t been on the up and up at work,” his father retorted. “And ever since we came here her and I have had a hard enough time getting aid to put your brother and sister through school. That’s what it is, Brendan. I’m sorry.” The middle child of the family was feeling like the forgotten one as he buried his head in his hands with an animated grunt and galloped upstairs before getting the attention of his mother. “Bren, we did keep your stuff downstairs,” his mother proclaimed to her defeated son, in a tone resembling a game show announcer letting a contestant know they had still won the complimentary parting prize. "What the hell is that about, man?," was the initial reaction from his buddy Dennis. "I dunno, they're being weird. But maybe it's for the better," Brendan nonchalantly quipped as he drew devil horns around stick figures emulating his folks.Brendan was a drawer who also liked to write. Since artists who occasionally penned was not a solid major, Brendan took side jobs and apprentice work shops after school to hone his passion for drawing. He used to just stick to comic book superheroes until he figured he move on to bigger and better once he hit campus. Plus he did could do without being taunted for it by potential love interests. That night, Brendan and his sentimental entourage of post-collegiate hopeless romantics took to one of Colford Universities popular off-campus dive bars: Chet's. What started out as a series of walks 3 nights a week amid-st tethered finances and the occasionally overdue midterm take home exam, became a car ride into town, feeling like the had taken the wrong turn at the crossroads of their newly-designated roles in society: Rookie real worlders. Ellie Bowden felt a sense of loss when she had trouble finding a full-time job after graduating with a degree in finance. She was very involved on campus and was a tri-star athlete who excelled in the class, and definitely knew how to have a good time in between and around her endeavors. At times overly conscientious of her looks, Ellie would tussle her strand of tawny-brown locks and bat her green eyes, along with soft lips and a diamond necklace she wore in tribute to her grandmother. Ellie was a family person at heart. Although she felt she may have done some things at college she may not have done after finishing school, nor necessarily felt proud of Ellie sported lots of energy and personality aside from her good looks. She was also not one to take lightly in terns of pulling the wool over her eyes. Months after finishing school, Ellie took notice of how infrequent she would see her friends from high school, let alone some of her suite mates she had been tight with since her sophomore year. Ellie had her "return nights" at Colford but it was not the same. New faces, new crowd, new drama. Same old routine. Brendan felt similar at his guys night out at Chet's, sitting at the bar watching ESPN parallel to older townsfolk who sported Keno tickets and cigars. His and Shawn and their friends of their old roommates sat awkwardly ajar a storm of spilt drinks and camera flashes. That night, Ellie babysat for her neighbors, but instead of chatting up with some of her old teammates plastered on her cell phone directory, she brought over a scrap book and glossed over it since one of the pages had a congratulations card that said "Here's Looking at you Kid", and had a baby emblazoned on the front. Ellie wanted children of her own somebody, but finding Mr. Right was not something she took lightly, especially when many of the men who had flirted up a storm toward her at Chet's two nights a week back in her final semester were old enough to be her uncle...literally. She was still her mother's princess, her 'Ellie-fish in a pond.' And it really annoyed her with a passion. Though she loved her mother, she wasn't quite ready to take on a role as a 12-year old girl trapped in a young woman's body. Bickering ensued and Ellie's trip to Key West on Spring Break was now rivaled by bickering over keeping her room picked up. Six months after the homestretch of senior year winded down, talk show reruns and Gelato proved stale to Ellie--a determined post-collegiate, who had sent out hundreds of resumes but ended up getting called off of most jobs she went for. Temping and waitressing to support herself, aside from the clothes store she clamored at since high school, Ellie got the occasional pep talk of others who hated their jobs and ask that someone with as much potential as her break out of her rut and exit their self-proclaimed retail hell. Then she remembered that her time would come in spite of the prominent mentality that who you are replicates what you make of it. Brendan contributed to several on-line magazines to pad his amateur resume, but nothing that paid off his student loans. Characteristically, those that are fortunate---and there are usually a lot of people, who receive their degrees and get into their fields, were on the opposite of Brendan who had since come to feel that he did not know what the hell he wanted to do with his life. Even though he had not needed much of his parents help when he lived on campus, he commonly never turned it down when offered. Truth be told, both of Colford's fresh new representatives in finding themselves after dusk has overcast their dawn of post-adolescence-- alongside the always prominent 'we're not kids anymore, now what?!' mentality were pawns of the separation anxiety that thrusted what was set to be the crossroads of their journey into their mid-twenties. Both were hard workers, but each had their own parental sparring and runaround responses from job recruiters that they were not quite preparing to see, but were not immune to. The determination and long term goals of each had long since been compromised and their morales were declining. Brendan stayed around town and frequented the basement aside from his parent's garage. He had grown to adjust to the independence he had long hoped for, but never expected--particularly in the fashion in which it was first introduced months prior. At a New Year's Eve party took out to the patio at Dennis's apartment, an epiphany struck Brendan Rainer, two years removed from his five-year plight of early class, 3am pizza deliveries and the occasional practical joke by his hallway mates. He had come to realize that would likely never happen again, though he could still sing a mean Tom Petty song using a beer bottle as a microphone when playing guitar that night. Looking back at that time of a college grad's life where the fun and glory of finding yourself on your own, 8 months at a time proved to be overly gratuitous and sentimental. Things would not be the same for either but then there were the inevitabilities of getting older that was also on deck in their own ambiguous agendas. Then again, there is always grad school.

Can anyone give me an assessment of my short story? Is it interesting and is it going anywhere? May could not have come fast enough for the budding group of departing seniors from Colford University. On an evening where the euphoric skyline that draped over the jubilant grads stood still in a blend of blue and tangerine, the day was about to retire into the evening twilight. For the numerous students who packed commuter vans and walked in groups averaging 3-5, their nights were just beginning. Most were ready to let their hair down after a tumultuous month of papers, exams, and research studies. Among the gallery of white baseball caps, oversized cups and domesticated cackling, stood well known attendees at an off-campus mixer. Ellie Bowden and her group of girlfriends comprised that list. Ellie and her girls were checking out the scenery, as they had so succinctly put into their efforts of meeting men of legitimate dating material. Across the way, Brendan Rainer had his sights set on the 5’7 tawny-haired bombshell her mother affectionately refers to as 'A little Ellie-fish, about to enter the big pond of life'. Wearing a striped, button-down shirt, draped onto dreary denim jeans, and parted black hair and sideburns Brenden has had his ups-and-downs with the girl department. To his chagrin, although he valued and respected women, it has most often proved to be his Achilles heel as far as his love life was concerned. He was usually the best friend and he had long since tired of that image. Him and his buddies were also on hand kicking back in the corner and conversing. Was Ellie Bowden out of his league? Maybe. But then again, he had his gameface on. Nothing was going to stand in his way, except for two Capri-sporting, sandal-wearing, necklaced girls who got his attention first. In the traditional sense, Brendan and Ellie came from opposite sides of the tracks. In lieu of their social standing, neither lacked drive. Besides, they were graduating college next week, so things should even out smoothly. Early afternoon, Brendan woke up from a semi-drunken stupor to the hammering of the door from his father Don. Right off the bat the everso blunt, yet overprotective old man of the Rainers look his son square in the eye with a sentiment of Son, we need to talk.’ For Brendan this was all too routine. Had it been a cd that lain next to his hundreds of music tapes, a more fitting title of his father's speech would be The Best of Mr. Rainer’s Bullshit Lectures: Volume 1, available in both Stressful and Unnecessary.. Brendan cared much for his parents although he sought to find his own identity in his 4 years of Colford. His mother Beverly was the first to hug the first of the clan to have done anything productive past high school. She and her husband were high school sweethearts who married into their early 20s and raised Brendan when they were relatively anew to their own existence. Over the years, they had gone out of their way to bond with their kid over a variety of topics, ranging from learning to balance his own check book to sex. Brendan beyond hoped it would not be one of those talks.. Admittedly enough his estrangement from his parents at a young age was not something that would deter his parents from doing their part in raising his son with some semblance of integrity and standard. That did not always stay in tact once Brendan started his freshman year, but then again so didn't his laundry habits. How you been, dad?,” Brendan asked with heavy eyes and semi-combed hair carrying a heaping helping of a month's worth of wardrobe. Just bring in the rest of your bags---you know your mom and I really missed you.” He put on weight, Don,” Beverly chimed. “I doubt that, honey.” It's been a while since you been at school, and.we're going to have to ask that you switch to living in the basement or possibly moving out,” his father relayed passively. What the hell?,” Brendan stood dumbfounded. He looked to his mother with a glance in his eye seeking approval if she would be too put off that he curse up a storm. It would not be the first time. what about MY room, ma ?” “Look son, we know this has been a hard pill to swallow but things haven’t been on the up and up at work,” his father retorted. “And ever since we came here her and I have had a hard enough time getting aid to put your brother and sister through school. That’s what it is, Brendan. I’m sorry.” The middle child of the family was feeling like the forgotten one as he buried his head in his hands with an animated grunt and galloped upstairs before getting the attention of his mother. “Bren, we did keep your stuff downstairs,” his mother proclaimed to her defeated son, in a tone resembling a game show announcer letting a contestant know they had still won the complimentary parting prize. "What the hell is that about, man?," was the initial reaction from his buddy Dennis. "I dunno, they're being weird. But maybe it's for the better," Brendan nonchalantly quipped as he drew devil horns around stick figures emulating his folks.Brendan was a drawer who also liked to write. Since artists who occasionally penned was not a solid major, Brendan took side jobs and apprentice work shops after school to hone his passion for drawing. He used to just stick to comic book superheroes until he figured he move on to bigger and better once he hit campus. Plus he did could do without being taunted for it by potential love interests. That night, Brendan and his sentimental entourage of post-collegiate hopeless romantics took to one of Colford Universities popular off-campus dive bars: Chet's. What started out as a series of walks 3 nights a week amid-st tethered finances and the occasionally overdue midterm take home exam, became a car ride into town, feeling like the had taken the wrong turn at the crossroads of their newly-designated roles in society: Rookie real worlders. Ellie Bowden felt a sense of loss when she had trouble finding a full-time job after graduating with a degree in finance. She was very involved on campus and was a tri-star athlete who excelled in the class, and definitely knew how to have a good time in between and around her endeavors. At times overly conscientious of her looks, Ellie would tussle her strand of tawny-brown locks and bat her green eyes, along with soft lips and a diamond necklace she wore in tribute to her grandmother. Ellie was a family person at heart. Although she felt she may have done some things at college she may not have done after finishing school, nor necessarily felt proud of Ellie sported lots of energy and personality aside from her good looks. She was also not one to take lightly in terns of pulling the wool over her eyes. Months after finishing school, Ellie took notice of how infrequent she would see her friends from high school, let alone some of her suite mates she had been tight with since her sophomore year. Ellie had her "return nights" at Colford but it was not the same. New faces, new crowd, new drama. Same old routine. Brendan felt similar at his guys night out at Chet's, sitting at the bar watching ESPN parallel to older townsfolk who sported Keno tickets and cigars. His and Shawn and their friends of their old roommates sat awkwardly ajar a storm of spilt drinks and camera flashes. That night, Ellie babysat for her neighbors, but instead of chatting up with some of her old teammates plastered on her cell phone directory, she brought over a scrap book and glossed over it since one of the pages had a congratulations card that said "Here's Looking at you Kid", and had a baby emblazoned on the front. Ellie wanted children of her own somebody, but finding Mr. Right was not something she took lightly, especially when many of the men who had flirted up a storm toward her at Chet's two nights a week back in her final semester were old enough to be her uncle...literally. She was still her mother's princess, her 'Ellie-fish in a pond.' And it really annoyed her with a passion. Though she loved her mother, she wasn't quite ready to take on a role as a 12-year old girl trapped in a young woman's body. Bickering ensued and Ellie's trip to Key West on Spring Break was now rivaled by bickering over keeping her room picked up. Six months after the homestretch of senior year winded down, talk show reruns and Gelato proved stale to Ellie--a determined post-collegiate, who had sent out hundreds of resumes but ended up getting called off of most jobs she went for. Temping and waitressing to support herself, aside from the clothes store she clamored at since high school, Ellie got the occasional pep talk of others who hated their jobs and ask that someone with as much potential as her break out of her rut and exit their self-proclaimed retail hell. Then she remembered that her time would come in spite of the prominent mentality that who you are replicates what you make of it. Brendan contributed to several on-line magazines to pad his amateur resume, but nothing that paid off his student loans. Characteristically, those that are fortunate---and there are usually a lot of people, who receive their degrees and get into their fields, were on the opposite of Brendan who had since come to feel that he did not know what the hell he wanted to do with his life. Even though he had not needed much of his parents help when he lived on campus, he commonly never turned it down when offered. Truth be told, both of Colford's fresh new representatives in finding themselves after dusk has overcast their dawn of post-adolescence-- alongside the always prominent 'we're not kids anymore, now what?!' mentality were pawns of the separation anxiety that thrusted what was set to be the crossroads of their journey into their mid-twenties. Both were hard workers, but each had their own parental sparring and runaround responses from job recruiters that they were not quite preparing to see, but were not immune to. The determination and long term goals of each had long since been compromised and their morales were declining. Brendan stayed around town and frequented the basement aside from his parent's garage. He had grown to adjust to the independence he had long hoped for, but never expected--particularly in the fashion in which it was first introduced months prior. At a New Year's Eve party took out to the patio at Dennis's apartment, an epiphany struck Brendan Rainer, two years removed from his five-year plight of early class, 3am pizza deliveries and the occasional practical joke by his hallway mates. He had come to realize that would likely never happen again, though he could still sing a mean Tom Petty song using a beer bottle as a microphone when playing guitar that night. Looking back at that time of a college grad's life where the fun and glory of finding yourself on your own, 8 months at a time proved to be overly gratuitous and sentimental. Things would not be the same for either but then there were the inevitabilities of getting older that was also on deck in their own ambiguous agendas. Then again, there is always grad school.

Can anyone give me an honest opinion of my short story? Here's a piece of it. Is it interesting and is it going anywhere? May could not have come fast enough for the budding group of departing seniors from Colford University. On an evening where the euphoric skyline that draped over the jubilant grads stood still in a blend of blue and tangerine, the day was about to retire into the evening twilight. For the numerous students who packed commuter vans and walked in groups averaging 3-5, their nights were just beginning. Most were ready to let their hair down after a tumultuous month of papers, exams, and research studies. Among the gallery of white baseball caps, oversized cups and domesticated cackling, stood well known attendees at an off-campus mixer. Ellie Bowden and her group of girlfriends comprised that list. Ellie and her girls were checking out the scenery, as they had so succinctly put into their efforts of meeting men of legitimate dating material. Across the way, Brendan Rainer had his sights set on the 5’7 tawny-haired bombshell her mother affectionately refers to as 'A little Ellie-fish, about to enter the big pond of life'. Wearing a striped, button-down shirt, draped onto dreary denim jeans, and parted black hair and sideburns Brenden has had his ups-and-downs with the girl department. To his chagrin, although he valued and respected women, it has most often proved to be his Achilles heel as far as his love life was concerned. He was usually the best friend and he had long since tired of that image. Him and his buddies were also on hand kicking back in the corner and conversing. Was Ellie Bowden out of his league? Maybe. But then again, he had his gameface on. Nothing was going to stand in his way, except for two Capri-sporting, sandal-wearing, necklaced girls who got his attention first. In the traditional sense, Brendan and Ellie came from opposite sides of the tracks. In lieu of their social standing, neither lacked drive. Besides, they were graduating college next week, so things should even out smoothly. Early afternoon, Brendan woke up from a semi-drunken stupor to the hammering of the door from his father Don. Right off the bat the everso blunt, yet overprotective old man of the Rainers look his son square in the eye with a sentiment of Son, we need to talk.’ For Brendan this was all too routine. Had it been a cd that lain next to his hundreds of music tapes, a more fitting title of his father's speech would be The Best of Mr. Rainer’s Bullshit Lectures: Volume 1, available in both Stressful and Unnecessary.. Brendan cared much for his parents although he sought to find his own identity in his 4 years of Colford. His mother Beverly was the first to hug the first of the clan to have done anything productive past high school. She and her husband were high school sweethearts who married into their early 20s and raised Brendan when they were relatively anew to their own existence. Over the years, they had gone out of their way to bond with their kid over a variety of topics, ranging from learning to balance his own check book to sex. Brendan beyond hoped it would not be one of those talks.. Admittedly enough his estrangement from his parents at a young age was not something that would deter his parents from doing their part in raising his son with some semblance of integrity and standard. That did not always stay in tact once Brendan started his freshman year, but then again so didn't his laundry habits. How you been, dad?,” Brendan asked with heavy eyes and semi-combed hair carrying a heaping helping of a month's worth of wardrobe. Just bring in the rest of your bags---you know your mom and I really missed you.” He put on weight, Don,” Beverly chimed. “I doubt that, honey.” It's been a while since you been at school, and.we're going to have to ask that you switch to living in the basement or possibly moving out,” his father relayed passively. What the hell?,” Brendan stood dumbfounded. He looked to his mother with a glance in his eye seeking approval if she would be too put off that he curse up a storm. It would not be the first time. what about MY room, ma ?” “Look son, we know this has been a hard pill to swallow but things haven’t been on the up and up at work,” his father retorted. “And ever since we came here her and I have had a hard enough time getting aid to put your brother and sister through school. That’s what it is, Brendan. I’m sorry.” The middle child of the family was feeling like the forgotten one as he buried his head in his hands with an animated grunt and galloped upstairs before getting the attention of his mother. “Bren, we did keep your stuff downstairs,” his mother proclaimed to her defeated son, in a tone resembling a game show announcer letting a contestant know they had still won the complimentary parting prize. "What the hell is that about, man?," was the initial reaction from his buddy Dennis. "I dunno, they're being weird. But maybe it's for the better," Brendan nonchalantly quipped as he drew devil horns around stick figures emulating his folks.Brendan was a drawer who also liked to write. Since artists who occasionally penned was not a solid major, Brendan took side jobs and apprentice work shops after school to hone his passion for drawing. He used to just stick to comic book superheroes until he figured he move on to bigger and better once he hit campus. Plus he did could do without being taunted for it by potential love interests. That night, Brendan and his sentimental entourage of post-collegiate hopeless romantics took to one of Colford Universities popular off-campus dive bars: Chet's. What started out as a series of walks 3 nights a week amid-st tethered finances and the occasionally overdue midterm take home exam, became a car ride into town, feeling like the had taken the wrong turn at the crossroads of their newly-designated roles in society: Rookie real worlders. Ellie Bowden felt a sense of loss when she had trouble finding a full-time job after graduating with a degree in finance. She was very involved on campus and was a tri-star athlete who excelled in the class, and definitely knew how to have a good time in between and around her endeavors. At times overly conscientious of her looks, Ellie would tussle her strand of tawny-brown locks and bat her green eyes, along with soft lips and a diamond necklace she wore in tribute to her grandmother. Ellie was a family person at heart. Although she felt she may have done some things at college she may not have done after finishing school, nor necessarily felt proud of Ellie sported lots of energy and personality aside from her good looks. She was also not one to take lightly in terns of pulling the wool over her eyes. Months after finishing school, Ellie took notice of how infrequent she would see her friends from high school, let alone some of her suite mates she had been tight with since her sophomore year. Ellie had her "return nights" at Colford but it was not the same. New faces, new crowd, new drama. Same old routine. Brendan felt similar at his guys night out at Chet's, sitting at the bar watching ESPN parallel to older townsfolk who sported Keno tickets and cigars. His and Shawn and their friends of their old roommates sat awkwardly ajar a storm of spilt drinks and camera flashes. That night, Ellie babysat for her neighbors, but instead of chatting up with some of her old teammates plastered on her cell phone directory, she brought over a scrap book and glossed over it since one of the pages had a congratulations card that said "Here's Looking at you Kid", and had a baby emblazoned on the front. Ellie wanted children of her own somebody, but finding Mr. Right was not something she took lightly, especially when many of the men who had flirted up a storm toward her at Chet's two nights a week back in her final semester were old enough to be her uncle...literally. She was still her mother's princess, her 'Ellie-fish in a pond.' And it really annoyed her with a passion. Though she loved her mother, she wasn't quite ready to take on a role as a 12-year old girl trapped in a young woman's body. Bickering ensued and Ellie's trip to Key West on Spring Break was now rivaled by bickering over keeping her room picked up. Six months after the homestretch of senior year winded down, talk show reruns and Gelato proved stale to Ellie--a determined post-collegiate, who had sent out hundreds of resumes but ended up getting called off of most jobs she went for. Temping and waitressing to support herself, aside from the clothes store she clamored at since high school, Ellie got the occasional pep talk of others who hated their jobs and ask that someone with as much potential as her break out of her rut and exit their self-proclaimed retail hell. Then she remembered that her time would come in spite of the prominent mentality that who you are replicates what you make of it. Brendan contributed to several on-line magazines to pad his amateur resume, but nothing that paid off his student loans. Characteristically, those that are fortunate---and there are usually a lot of people, who receive their degrees and get into their fields, were on the opposite of Brendan who had since come to feel that he did not know what the hell he wanted to do with his life. Even though he had not needed much of his parents help when he lived on campus, he commonly never turned it down when offered. Truth be told, both of Colford's fresh new representatives in finding themselves after dusk has overcast their dawn of post-adolescence-- alongside the always prominent 'we're not kids anymore, now what?!' mentality were pawns of the separation anxiety that thrusted what was set to be the crossroads of their journey into their mid-twenties. Both were hard workers, but each had their own parental sparring and runaround responses from job recruiters that they were not quite preparing to see, but were not immune to. The determination and long term goals of each had long since been compromised and their morales were declining. Brendan stayed around town and frequented the basement aside from his parent's garage. He had grown to adjust to the independence he had long hoped for, but never expected--particularly in the fashion in which it was first introduced months prior. At a New Year's Eve party took out to the patio at Dennis's apartment, an epiphany struck Brendan Rainer, two years removed from his five-year plight of early class, 3am pizza deliveries and the occasional practical joke by his hallway mates. He had come to realize that would likely never happen again, though he could still sing a mean Tom Petty song using a beer bottle as a microphone when playing guitar that night. Looking back at that time of a college grad's life where the fun and glory of finding yourself on your own, 8 months at a time proved to be overly gratuitous and sentimental. Things would not be the same for either but then there were the inevitabilities of getting older that was also on deck in their own ambiguous agendas. Then again, there is always grad school.

consumer advice needed please ? I ordered and paid for a large kitchen appliance at the end of December from a well known retailer. I spoke with the sales person, who guaranteed that the item would be in their warehouse on the 9th jan and ready to collect from in store on the 14th. Double checked this with sales person as reminded him I would need to arrange transport etc. (Store is less than 5 minutes away from home so £50 delivery charge seemed a bit extortionate) I have arranged for transport and a few pairs of hands to help with the collection and phoned the store today to confirm that it will be ok to pick up on the 18th. I have been told that it won't actually be in store now until the 21st. My man with a van won't be available again for some time and i'm a bit stuck. Am I within my rights to complain to the store and request free delivery of the item? Do I stamp my feet until I get it? Or would it be a lost cause? Thanks in advance lol, Apologies. Should I 'insist' and not accept no as an answer. Believe me, I had no intention of standing in a public area crying and stamping my feet until I have my own way - I have a child who does that for me! :)

Poll: Did you like The Oddysey or The Iliad better? I liked the Iliad better. This was my favorite part: Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures, for so were the counsels of Jove 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 Jove 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 dishonoured 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 sceptre 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 Jove." On this the rest of the Achaeans with one voice were for respecting the priest and taking the ransom that he offered; but not so Agamemnon, who spoke fiercely to him and sent him roughly away. "Old man," said he, "let me not find you tarrying about our ships, nor yet coming hereafter. Your sceptre of the god and your wreath shall profit you nothing. I will not free her. She shall grow old in my house at Argos far from her own home, busying herself with her loom and visiting my couch; so go, and do not provoke me or it shall be the worse for you." The old man feared him and obeyed. Not a word he spoke, but went by the shore of the sounding sea and prayed apart to King Apollo whom lovely Leto had borne. "Hear me," he cried, "O god of the silver bow, that protectest Chryse and holy Cilla and rulest Tenedos with thy might, hear me oh thou of Sminthe. If I have ever decked your temple with garlands, or burned your thigh-bones in fat of bulls or goats, grant my prayer, and let your arrows avenge these my tears upon the Danaans." Thus did he pray, and Apollo heard his prayer. He came down furious from the summits of Olympus, with his bow and his quiver upon his shoulder, and the arrows rattled on his back with the rage that trembled within him. He sat himself down away from the ships with a face as dark as night, and his silver bow rang death as he shot his arrow in the midst of them. First he smote their mules and their hounds, but presently he aimed his shafts at the people themselves, and all day long the pyres of the dead were burning. For nine whole days he shot his arrows among the people, but upon the tenth day Achilles called them in assembly- moved thereto by Juno, who saw the Achaeans in their death-throes and had compassion upon them. Then, when they were got together, he rose and spoke among them. "Son of Atreus," said he, "I deem that we should now turn roving home if we would escape destruction, for we are being cut down by war and pestilence at once. Let us ask some priest or prophet, or some reader of dreams (for dreams, too, are of Jove) who can tell us why Phoebus Apollo is so angry, and say whether it is for some vow that we have broken, or hecatomb that we have not offered, and whether he will accept the savour of lambs and goats without blemish, so as to take away the plague from us." With these words he sat down, and Calchas son of Thestor, wisest of augurs, who knew things past present and to come, rose to speak. He it was who had guided the Achaeans with their fleet to Ilius, through the prophesyings with which Phoebus Apollo had inspired him. With all sincerity and goodwill he addressed them thus:- "Achilles, loved of heaven, you bid me tell you about the anger of King Apollo, I will therefore do so; but consider first and swear that you will stand by me heartily in word and deed, for I know that I shall offend one who rules the Argives with might, to whom all the Achaeans are in subjection. A plain man cannot stand against the anger of a king, who if he swallow his displeasure now, will yet nurse revenge till he has wreaked it. Consider, therefore, whether or no you will protect me." And Achilles answered, "Fear not, but speak as it is borne in upon you from heaven, for by Apollo, Calchas, to whom you pray, and whose oracles you reveal to us, not a Danaan at our ships shall lay his hand upon you, while I yet live to look upon the face of the earth- no, not though you name Agamemnon himself, who is by far the foremost of the Achaeans." Thereon the seer spoke boldly. "The god," he said, "is angry neither about vow nor hecatomb, but for his priest's sake, whom Agamemnon has dishonoured, in that he would not free his daughter nor take a ransom for her; therefore has he sent these evils upon us, and will yet send others. He will not deliver the Danaans from this pestilence till Agamemnon has restored the girl without fee or ransom to her father, and has sent a holy hecatomb to Chryse. Thus we may perhaps appease him." With these words he sat down, and Agamemnon rose in anger. His heart was black with rage, and his eyes flashed fire as he scowled on Calchas and said, "Seer of evil, you never yet prophesied smooth things concerning me, but have ever loved to foretell that which was evil. You have brought me neither comfort nor performance; and now you come seeing among Danaans, and saying that Apollo has plagued us because I would not take a ransom for this girl, the daughter of Chryses. I have set my heart on keeping her in my own house, for I love her better even than my own wife Clytemnestra, whose peer she is alike in form and feature, in understanding and accomplishments. Still I will give her up if I must, for I would have the people live, not die; but you must find me a prize instead, or I alone among the Argives shall be without one. This is not well; for you behold, all of you, that my prize is to go elsewhither." And Achilles answered, "Most noble son of Atreus, covetous beyond all mankind, how shall the Achaeans find you another prize? We have no common store from which to take one. Those we took from the cities have been awarded; we cannot disallow the awards that have been made already. Give this girl, therefore, to the god, and if ever Jove grants us to sack the city of Troy we will requite you three and fourfold." Then Agamemnon said, "Achilles, valiant though you be, you shall not thus outwit me. You shall not overreach and you shall not persuade me. Are you to keep your own prize, while I sit tamely under my loss and give up the girl at your bidding? Let the Achaeans find me a prize in fair exchange to my liking, or I will come and take your own, or that of Ajax or of Ulysses; and he to whomsoever I may come shall rue my coming. But of this we will take thought hereafter; for the present, let us draw a ship into the sea, and find a crew for her expressly; let us put a hecatomb on board, and let us send Chryseis also; further, let some chief man among us be in command, either Ajax, or Idomeneus, or yourself, son of Peleus, mighty warrior that you are, that we may offer sacrifice and appease the the anger of the god." Achilles scowled at him and answered, "You are steeped in insolence and lust of gain. With what heart can any of the Achaeans do your bidding, either on foray or in open fighting? I came not warring here for any ill the Trojans had done me. I have no quarrel with them. They have not raided my cattle nor my horses, nor cut down my harvests on the rich plains of Phthia; for between me and them there is a great space, both mountain and sounding sea. We have followed you, Sir Insolence! for your pleasure, not ours- to gain satisfaction from the Trojans for your shameless self and for Menelaus. You forget this, and threaten to rob me of the prize for which I have toiled, and which the sons of the Achaeans have given me. Never when the Achaeans sack any rich city of the Trojans do I receive so good a prize as you do, though it is my hands that do the better part of the fighting. When the sharing comes, your share is far the largest, and I, forsooth, must go back to my ships, take what I can get and be thankful, when my labour of fighting is done. Now, therefore, I shall go back to Phthia; it will be much better for me to return home with my ships, for I will not stay here dishonoured to gather gold and substance for you." And Agamemnon answered, "Fly if you will, I shall make you no prayers to stay you. I have others here who will do me honour, and above all Jove, the lord of counsel. There is no king here so hateful to me as you are, for you are ever quarrelsome and ill affected. What though you be brave? Was it not heaven that made you so? Go home, then, with your ships and comrades to lord it over the Myrmidons. I care neither for you nor for your anger; and thus will I do: since Phoebus Apollo is taking Chryseis from me, I shall send her with my ship and my followers, but I shall come to your tent and take your own prize Briseis, that you may learn how much stronger I am than you are, and that another may fear to set himself up as equal or comparable with me." The son of Peleus was furious, and his heart within his shaggy breast was divided whether to draw his sword, push the others aside, and kill the son of Atreus, or to restrain himself and check his anger. While he was thus in two minds, and was drawing his mighty sword from its scabbard, Minerva came down from heaven (for Juno had sent her in the love she bore to them both), and seized the son of Peleus by his yellow hair, visible to him alone, for of the others no man could see her. Achilles turned in amaze, and by the fire that flashed from her eyes at once knew that she was Minerva. "Why are you here," said he, "daughter of aegis-bearing Jove? To see the pride of Agamemnon, son of Atreus? Let me tell you- and it shall surely be- he shall pay for this insolence with his life." And Minerva said, "I come from heaven, if you will hear me, to bid you stay your anger. Juno has sent me, who cares for both of you alike. Cease, then, this brawling, and do not draw your sword; rail at him if you will, and your railing will not be vain, for I tell you- and it shall surely be- that you shall hereafter receive gifts three times as splendid by reason of this present insult. Hold, therefore, and obey." "Goddess," answered Achilles, "however angry a man may be, he must do as you two command him. This will be best, for the gods ever hear the prayers of him who has obeyed them." He stayed his hand on the silver hilt of his sword, and thrust it back into the scabbard as Minerva bade him. Then she went back to Olympus among the other gods, and to the house of aegis-bearing Jove. But the son of Peleus again began railing at the son of Atreus, for he was still in a rage. "Wine-bibber," he cried, "with the face of a dog and the heart of a hind, you never dare to go out with the host in fight, nor yet with our chosen men in ambuscade. You shun this as you do death itself. You had rather go round and rob his prizes from any man who contradicts you. You devour your people, for you are king over a feeble folk; otherwise, son of Atreus, henceforward you would insult no man. Therefore I say, and swear it with a great oath- nay, by this my sceptre which shalt sprout neither leaf nor shoot, nor bud anew from the day on which it left its parent stem upon the mountains- for the axe stripped it of leaf and bark, and now the sons of the Achaeans bear it as judges and guardians of the decrees of heaven- so surely and solemnly do I swear that hereafter they shall look fondly for Achilles and shall not find him. In the day of your distress, when your men fall dying by the murderous hand of Hector, you shall not know how to help them, and shall rend your heart with rage for the hour when you offered insult to the bravest of the Achaeans." With this the son of Peleus dashed his gold-bestudded sceptre on the ground and took his seat, while the son of Atreus was beginning fiercely from his place upon the other side. Then uprose smooth-tongued Nestor, the facile speaker of the Pylians, and the words fell from his lips sweeter than honey. Two generations of men born and bred in Pylos had passed away under his rule, and he was now reigning over the third. With all sincerity and goodwill, therefore, he addressed them thus:- "Of a truth," he said, "a great sorrow has befallen the Achaean land. Surely Priam with his sons would rejoice, and the Trojans be glad at heart if they could hear this quarrel between you two, who are so excellent in fight and counsel. I am older than either of you; therefore be guided by me. Moreover I have been the familiar friend of men even greater than you are, and they did not disregard my counsels. Never again can I behold such men as Pirithous and Dryas shepherd of his people, or as Caeneus, Exadius, godlike Polyphemus, and Theseus son of Aegeus, peer of the immortals. These were the mightiest men ever born upon this earth: mightiest were they, and when they fought the fiercest tribes of mountain savages they utterly overthrew them. I came from distant Pylos, and went about among them, for they would have me come, and I fought as it was in me to do. Not a man now living could withstand them, but they heard my words, and were persuaded by them. So be it also with yourselves, for this is the more excellent way. Therefore, Agamemnon, though you be strong, take not this girl away, for the sons of the Achaeans have already given her to Achilles; and you, Achilles, strive not further with the king, for no man who by the grace of Jove wields a sceptre has like honour with Agamemnon. You are strong, and have a goddess for your mother; but Agamemnon is stronger than you, for he has more people under him. Son of Atreus, check your anger, I implore you; end this quarrel with Achilles, who in the day of battle is a tower of strength to the Achaeans." And Agamemnon answered, "Sir, all that you have said is true, but this fellow must needs become our lord and master: he must be lord of all, king of all, and captain of all, and this shall hardly be. Granted that the gods have made him a great warrior, have they also given him the right to speak with railing?" Achilles interrupted him. "I should be a mean coward," he cried, "were I to give in to you in all things. Order other people about, not me, for I shall obey no longer. Furthermore I say- and lay my saying to your heart- I shall fight neither you nor any man about this girl, for those that take were those also that gave. But of all else that is at my ship you shall carry away nothing by force. Try, that others may see; if you do, my spear shall be reddened with your blood." When they had quarrelled thus angrily, they rose, and broke up the assembly at the ships of the Achaeans. The son of Peleus went back to his tents and ships with the son of Menoetius and his company, while Agamemnon drew a vessel into the water and chose a crew of twenty oarsmen. He escorted Chryseis on board and sent moreover a hecatomb for the god. And Ulysses went as captain. These, then, went on board and sailed their ways over the sea. But the son of Atreus bade the people purify themselves; so they purified themselves and cast their filth into the sea. Then they offered hecatombs of bulls and goats without blemish on the sea-shore, and the smoke with the savour of their sacrifice rose curling up towards heaven. Thus did they busy themselves throughout the host. But Agamemnon did not forget the threat that he had made Achilles, and called his trusty messengers and squires Talthybius and Eurybates. "Go," said he, "to the tent of Achilles, son of Peleus; take Briseis by the hand and bring her hither; if he will not give her I shall come with others and take her- which will press him harder." He charged them straightly further and dismissed them, whereon they went their way sorrowfully by the seaside, till they came to the tents and ships of the Myrmidons. They found Achilles sitting by his tent and his ships, and ill-pleased he was when he beheld them. They stood fearfully and reverently before him, and never a word did they speak, but he knew them and said, "Welcome, heralds, messengers of gods and men; draw near; my quarrel is not with you but with Agamemnon who has sent you for the girl Briseis. Therefore, Patroclus, bring her and give her to them, but let them be witnesses by the blessed gods, by mortal men, and by the fierceness of Agamemnon's anger, that if ever again there be need of me to save the people from ruin, they shall seek and they shall not find. Agamemnon is mad with rage and knows not how to look before and after that the Achaeans may fight by their ships in safety." Patroclus did as his dear comrade had bidden him. He brought Briseis from the tent and gave her over to the heralds, who took her with them to the ships of the Achaeans- and the woman was loth to go. Then Achilles went all alone by the side of the hoar sea, weeping and looking out upon the boundless waste of waters. He raised his hands in prayer to his immortal mother, "Mother," he cried, "you bore me doomed to live but for a little season; surely Jove, who thunders from Olympus, might have made that little glorious. It is not so. Agamemnon, son of Atreus, has done me dishonour, and has robbed me of my prize by force." As he spoke he wept aloud, and his mother heard him where she was sitting in the depths of the sea hard by the old man her father. Forthwith she rose as it were a grey mist out of the waves, sat down before him as he stood weeping, caressed him with her hand, and said, "My son, why are you weeping? What is it that grieves you? Keep it not from me, but tell me, that we may know it together." Achilles drew a deep sigh and said, "You know it; why tell you what you know well already? We went to Thebe the strong city of Eetion, sacked it, and brought hither the spoil. The sons of the Achaeans shared it duly among themselves, and chose lovely Chryseis as the meed of Agamemnon; but Chryses, priest of Apollo, came to the ships of the Achaeans to free his daughter, and brought with him a great ransom: moreover he bore in his hand the sceptre 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. "On this the rest of the Achaeans with one voice were for respecting the priest and taking the ransom that he offered; but not so Agamemnon, who spoke fiercely to him and sent him roughly away. So he went back in anger, and Apollo, who loved him dearly, heard his prayer. Then the god sent a deadly dart upon the Argives, and the people died thick on one another, for the arrows went everywhither among the wide host of the Achaeans. At last a seer in the fulness of his knowledge declared to us the oracles of Apollo, and I was myself first to say that we should appease him. Whereon the son of Atreus rose in anger, and threatened that which he has since done. The Achaeans are now taking the girl in a ship to Chryse, and sending gifts of sacrifice to the god; but the heralds have just taken from my tent the daughter of Briseus, whom the Achaeans had awarded to myself. "Help your brave son, therefore, if you are able. Go to Olympus, and if you have ever done him service in word or deed, implore the aid of Jove. Ofttimes in my father's house have I heard you glory in that you alone of the immortals saved the son of Saturn from ruin, when the others, with Juno, Neptune, and Pallas Minerva would have put him in bonds. It was you, goddess, who delivered him by calling to Olympus the hundred-handed monster whom gods call Briareus, but men Aegaeon, for he is stronger even than his father; when therefore he took his seat all-glorious beside the son of Saturn, the other gods were afraid, and did not bind him. Go, then, to him, remind him of all this, clasp his knees, and bid him give succour to the Trojans. Let the Achaeans be hemmed in at the sterns of their ships, and perish on the sea-shore, that they may reap what joy they may of their king, and that Agamemnon may rue his blindness in offering insult to the foremost of the Achaeans." Thetis wept and answered, "My son, woe is me that I should have borne or suckled you. Would indeed that you had lived your span free from all sorrow at your ships, for it is all too brief; alas, that you should be at once short of life and long of sorrow above your peers: woe, therefore, was the hour in which I bore you; nevertheless I will go to the snowy heights of Olympus, and tell this tale to Jove, if he will hear our prayer: meanwhile stay where you are with your ships, nurse your anger against the Achaeans, and hold aloof from fight. For Jove went yesterday to Oceanus, to a feast among the Ethiopians, and the other gods went with him. He will return to Olympus twelve days hence; I will then go to his mansion paved with bronze and will beseech him; nor do I doubt that I shall be able to persuade him." On this she left him, still furious at the loss of her that had been taken from him. Meanwhile Ulysses reached Chryse with the hecatomb. When they had come inside the harbour they furled the sails and laid them in the ship's hold; they slackened the forestays, lowered the mast into its place, and rowed the ship to the place where they would have her lie; there they cast out their mooring-stones and made fast the hawsers. They then got out upon the sea-shore and landed the hecatomb for Apollo; Chryseis also left the ship, and Ulysses led her to the altar to deliver her into the hands of her father. "Chryses," said he, "King Agamemnon has sent me to bring you back your child, and to offer sacrifice to Apollo on behalf of the Danaans, that we may propitiate the god, who has now brought sorrow upon the Argives." So saying he gave the girl over to her father, who received her gladly, and they ranged the holy hecatomb all orderly round the altar of the god. They washed their hands and took up the barley-meal to sprinkle over the victims, while Chryses lifted up his hands and prayed aloud on their behalf. "Hear me," he cried, "O god of the silver bow, that protectest Chryse and holy Cilla, and rulest Tenedos with thy might. Even as thou didst hear me aforetime when I prayed, and didst press hardly upon the Achaeans, so hear me yet again, and stay this fearful pestilence from the Danaans." Thus did he pray, and Apollo heard his prayer. When they had done praying and sprinkling the barley-meal, they drew back the heads of the victims and killed and flayed them. They cut out the thigh-bones, wrapped them round in two layers of fat, set some pieces of raw meat on the top of them, and then Chryses laid them on the wood fire and poured wine over them, while the young men stood near him with five-pronged spits in their hands. When the thigh-bones were burned and they had tasted the inward meats, they cut the rest up small, put the pieces upon the spits, roasted them till they were done, and drew them off: then, when they had finished their work and the feast was ready, they ate it, and every man had his full share, so that all were satisfied. As soon as they had had enough to eat and drink, pages filled the mixing-bowl with wine and water and handed it round, after giving every man his drink-offering. Thus all day long the young men worshipped the god with song, hymning him and chaunting the joyous paean, and the god took pleasure in their voices; but when the sun went down, and it came on dark, they laid themselves down to sleep by the stern cables of the ship, and when the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn, appeared they again set sail for the host of the Achaeans. Apollo sent them a fair wind, so they raised their mast and hoisted their white sails aloft. As the sail bellied with the wind the ship flew through the deep blue water, and the foam hissed against her bows as she sped onward. When they reached the wide-stretching host of the Achaeans, they drew the vessel ashore, high and dry upon the sands, set her strong props beneath her, and went their ways to their own tents and ships. But Achilles abode at his ships and nursed his anger. He went not to the honourable assembly, and sallied not forth to fight, but gnawed at his own heart, pining for battle and the war-cry. Now after twelve days the immortal gods came back in a body to Olympus, and Jove led the way. Thetis was not unmindful of the charge her son had laid upon her, so she rose from under the sea and went through great heaven with early morning to Olympus, where she found the mighty son of Saturn sitting all alone upon its topmost ridges. She sat herself down before him, and with her left hand seized his knees, while with her right she caught him under the chin, and besought him, saying- "Father Jove, if I ever did you service in word or deed among the immortals, hear my prayer, and do honour to my son, whose life is to be cut short so early. King Agamemnon has dishonoured him by taking his prize and keeping her. Honour him then yourself, Olympian lord of counsel, and grant victory to the Trojans, till the Achaeans give my son his due and load him with riches in requital." Jove sat for a while silent, and without a word, but Thetis still kept firm hold of his knees, and besought him a second time. "Incline your head," said she, "and promise me surely, or else deny me- for you have nothing to fear- that I may learn how greatly you disdain me." At this Jove was much troubled and answered, "I shall have trouble if you set me quarrelling with Juno, for she will provoke me with her taunting speeches; even now she is always railing at me before the other gods and accusing me of giving aid to the Trojans. Go back now, lest she should find out. I will consider the matter, and will bring it about as wish. See, I incline my head that you believe me. This is the most solemn that I can give to any god. I never recall my word, or deceive, or fail to do what I say, when I have nodded my head." As he spoke the son of Saturn bowed his dark brows, and the ambrosial locks swayed on his immortal head, till vast Olympus reeled. When the pair had thus laid their plans, they parted- Jove to his house, while the goddess quitted the splendour of Olympus, and plunged into the depths of the sea. The gods rose from their seats, before the coming of their sire. Not one of them dared to remain sitting, but all stood up as he came among them. There, then, he took his seat. But Juno, when she saw him, knew that he and the old merman's daughter, silver-footed Thetis, had been hatching mischief, so she at once began to upbraid him. "Trickster," she cried, "which of the gods have you been taking into your counsels now? You are always settling matters in secret behind my back, and have never yet told me, if you could help it, one word of your intentions." "Juno," replied the sire of gods and men, "you must not expect to be informed of all my counsels. You are my wife, but you would find it hard to understand them. When it is proper for you to hear, there is no one, god or man, who will be told sooner, but when I mean to keep a matter to myself, you must not pry nor ask questions." "Dread son of Saturn," answered Juno, "what are you talking about? I? Pry and ask questions? Never. I let you have your own way in everything. Still, I have a strong misgiving that the old merman's daughter Thetis has been talking you over, for she was with you and had hold of your knees this self-same morning. I believe, therefore, that you have been promising her to give glory to Achilles, and to kill much people at the ships of the Achaeans." "Wife," said Jove, "I can do nothing but you suspect me and find it out. You will take nothing by it, for I shall only dislike you the more, and it will go harder with you. Granted that it is as you say; I mean to have it so; sit down and hold your tongue as I bid you for if I once begin to lay my hands about you, though all heaven were on your side it would profit you nothing." On this Juno was frightened, so she curbed her stubborn will and sat down in silence. But the heavenly beings were disquieted throughout the house of Jove, till the cunning workman Vulcan began to try and pacify his mother Juno. "It will be intolerable," said he, "if you two fall to wrangling and setting heaven in an uproar about a pack of mortals. If such ill counsels are to prevail, we shall have no pleasure at our banquet. Let me then advise my mother- and she must herself know that it will be better- to make friends with my dear father Jove, lest he again scold her and disturb our feast. If the Olympian Thunderer wants to hurl us all from our seats, he can do so, for he is far the strongest, so give him fair words, and he will then soon be in a good humour with us." As he spoke, he took a double cup of nectar, and placed it in his mother's hand. "Cheer up, my dear mother," said he, "and make the best of it. I love you dearly, and should be very sorry to see you get a thrashing; however grieved I might be, I could not help for there is no standing against Jove. Once before when I was trying to help you, he caught me by the foot and flung me from the heavenly threshold. All day long from morn till eve, was I falling, till at sunset I came to ground in the island of Lemnos, and there I lay, with very little life left in me, till the Sintians came and tended me." Juno smiled at this, and as she smiled she took the cup from her son's hands. Then Vulcan drew sweet nectar from the mixing-bowl, and served it round among the gods, going from left to right; and the blessed gods laughed out a loud applause as they saw him ing bustling about the heavenly mansion. Thus through the livelong day to the going down of the sun they feasted, and every one had his full share, so that all were satisfied. Apollo struck his lyre, and the Muses lifted up their sweet voices, calling and answering one another. But when the sun's glorious light had faded, they went home to bed, each in his own abode, which lame Vulcan with his consummate skill had fashioned for them. So Jove, the Olympian Lord of Thunder, hied him to the bed in which he always slept; and when he had got on to it he went to sleep, with Juno of the golden throne by his side. Now the other gods and the armed warriors on the plain slept soundly, but Jove was wakeful, for he was thinking how to do honour to Achilles, and destroyed much people at the ships of the Achaeans. In the end he deemed it would be best to send a lying dream to King Agamemnon; so he called one to him and said to it, "Lying Dream, go to the ships of the Achaeans, into the tent of Agamemnon, and say to him word to word as I now bid you. Tell him to get the Achaeans instantly under arms, for he shall take Troy. There are no longer divided counsels among the gods; Juno has brought them to her own mind, and woe betides the Trojans." The dream went when it had heard its message, and soon reached the ships of the Achaeans. It sought Agamemnon son of Atreus and found him in his tent, wrapped in a profound slumber. It hovered over his head in the likeness of Nestor, son of Neleus, whom Agamemnon honoured above all his councillors, and said:- "You are sleeping, son of Atreus; one who has the welfare of his host and so much other care upon his shoulders should dock his sleep. Hear me at once, for I come as a messenger from Jove, who, though he be not near, yet takes thought for you and pities you. He bids you get the Achaeans instantly under arms, for you shall take Troy. There are no longer divided counsels among the gods; Juno has brought them over to her own mind, and woe betides the Trojans at the hands of Jove. Remember this, and when you wake see that it does not escape you." The dream then left him, and he thought of things that were, surely not to be accomplished. He thought that on that same day he was to take the city of Priam, but he little knew what was in the mind of Jove, who had many another hard-fought fight in store alike for Danaans and Trojans. Then presently he woke, with the divine message still ringing in his ears; so he sat upright, and put on his soft shirt so fair and new, and over this his heavy cloak. He bound his sandals on to his comely feet, and slung his silver-studded sword about his shoulders; then he took the imperishable staff of his father, and sallied forth to the ships of the Achaeans. The goddess Dawn now wended her way to vast Olympus that she might herald day to Jove and to the other immortals, and Agamemnon sent the criers round to call the people in assembly; so they called them and the people gathered thereon. But first he summoned a meeting of the elders at the ship of Nestor king of Pylos, and when they were assembled he laid a cunning counsel before them. "My friends," said he, "I have had a dream from heaven in the dead of night, and its face and figure resembled none but Nestor's. It hovered over my head and said, 'You are sleeping, son of Atreus; one who has the welfare of his host and so much other care upon his shoulders should dock his sleep. Hear me at once, for I am a messenger from Jove, who, though he be not near, yet takes thought for you and pities you. He bids you get the Achaeans instantly under arms, for you shall take Troy. There are no longer divided counsels among the gods; Juno has brought them over to her own mind, and woe betides the Trojans at the hands of Jove. Remember this.' The dream then vanished and I awoke. Let us now, therefore, arm the sons of the Achaeans. But it will be well that I should first sound them, and to this end I will tell them to fly with their ships; but do you others go about among the host and prevent their doing so." He then sat down, and Nestor the prince of Pylos with all sincerity and goodwill addressed them thus: "My friends," said he, "princes and councillors of the Argives, if any other man of the Achaeans had told us of this dream we should have declared it false, and would have had nothing to do with it. But he who has seen it is the foremost man among us; we must therefore set about getting the people under arms." With this he led the way from the assembly, and the other sceptred kings rose with him in obedience to the word of Agamemnon; but the people pressed forward to hear. They swarmed like bees that sally from some hollow cave and flit in countless throng among the spring flowers, bunched in knots and clusters; even so did the mighty multitude pour from ships and tents to the assembly, and range themselves upon the wide-watered shore, while among them ran Wildfire Rumour, messenger of Jove, urging them ever to the fore. Thus they gathered in a pell-mell of mad confusion, and the earth groaned under the tramp of men as the people sought their places. Nine heralds went crying about among them to stay their tumult and bid them listen to the kings, till at last they were got into their several places and ceased their clamour. Then King Agamemnon rose, holding his sceptre. This was the work of Vulcan, who gave it to Jove the son of Saturn. Jove gave it to Mercury, slayer of Argus, guide and guardian. King Mercury gave it to Pelops, the mighty charioteer, and Pelops to Atreus, shepherd of his people. Atreus, when he died, left it to Thyestes, rich in flocks, and Thyestes in his turn left it to be borne by Agamemnon, that he might be lord of all Argos and of the isles. Leaning, then, on his sceptre, he addressed the Argives. "My friends," he said, "heroes, servants of Mars, the hand of heaven has been laid heavily upon me. Cruel Jove gave me his solemn promise that I should sack the city of Priam before returning, but he has played me false, and is now bidding me go ingloriously back to Argos with the loss of much people. Such is the will of Jove, who has laid many a proud city in the dust, as he will yet lay others, for his power is above all. It will be a sorry tale hereafter that an Achaean host, at once so great and valiant, battled in vain against men fewer in number than themselves; but as yet the end is not in sight. Think that the Achaeans and Trojans have sworn to a solemn covenant, and that they have each been numbered- the Trojans by the roll of their householders, and we by companies of ten; think further that each of our companies desired to have a Trojan householder to pour out their wine; we are so greatly more in number that full many a company would have to go without its cup-bearer. But they have in the town allies from other places, and it is these that hinder me from being able to sack the rich city of Ilius. Nine of Jove years are gone; the timbers of our ships have rotted; their tackling is sound no longer. Our wives and little ones at home look anxiously for our coming, but the work that we came hither to do has not been done. Now, therefore, let us all do as I say: let us sail back to our own land, for we shall not take Troy." With these words he moved the hearts of the multitude, so many of them as knew not the cunning counsel of Agamemnon. They surged to and fro like the waves of the Icarian Sea, when the east and south winds break from heaven's clouds to lash them; or as when the west wind sweeps over a field of corn and the ears bow beneath the blast, even so were they swayed as they flew with loud cries towards the ships, and the dust from under their feet rose heavenward. They cheered each other on to draw the ships into the sea; they cleared the channels in front of them; they began taking away the stays from underneath them, and the welkin rang with their glad cries, so eager were they to return. Then surely the Argives would have returned after a fashion that was not fated. But Juno said to Minerva, "Alas, daughter of aegis-bearing Jove, unweariable, shall the Argives fly home to their own land over the broad sea, and leave Priam and the Trojans the glory of still keeping Helen, for whose sake so many of the Achaeans have died at Troy, far from their homes? Go about at once among the host, and speak fairly to them, man by man, that they draw not their ships into the sea." Minerva was not slack to do her bidding. Down she darted from the topmost summits of Olympus, and in a moment she was at the ships of the Achaeans. There she found Ulysses, peer of Jove in counsel, standing alone. He had not as yet laid a hand upon his ship, for he was grieved and sorry; so she went close up to him and said, "Ulysses, noble son of Laertes, are you going to fling yourselves into your ships and be off home to your own land in this way? Will you leave Priam and the Trojans the glory of still keeping Helen, for whose sake so many of the Achaeans have died at Troy, far from their homes? Go about at once among the host, and speak fairly to them, man by man, that they draw not their ships into the sea." Ulysses knew the voice as that of the goddess: he flung his cloak from him and set off to run. His servant Eurybates, a man of Ithaca, who waited on him, took charge of the cloak, whereon Ulysses went straight up to Agamemnon and received from him his ancestral, imperishable staff. With this he went about among the ships of the Achaeans. Whenever he met a king or chieftain, he stood by him and spoke him fairly. "Sir," said he, "this flight is cowardly and unworthy. Stand to your post, and bid your people also keep their places. You do not yet know the full mind of Agamemnon; he was sounding us, and ere long will visit the Achaeans with his displeasure. We were not all of us at the council to hear what he then said; see to it lest he be angry and do us a mischief; for the pride of kings is great, and the hand of Jove is with them." But when he came across any common man who was making a noise, he struck him with his staff and rebuked him, saying, "Sirrah, hold your peace, and listen to better men than yourself. You are a coward and no soldier; you are nobody either in fight or council; we cannot all be kings; it is not well that there should be many masters; one man must be supreme- one king to whom the son of scheming Saturn has given the sceptre of sovereignty over you all." Thus masterfully did he go about among the host, and the people hurried back to the council from their tents and ships with a sound as the thunder of surf when it comes crashing down upon the shore, and all the sea is in an uproar. The rest now took their seats and kept to their own several places, but Thersites still went on wagging his unbridled tongue- a man of many words, and those unseemly; a monger of sedition, a railer against all who were in authority, who cared not what he said, so that he might set the Achaeans in a laugh. He was the ugliest man of all those that came before Troy- bandy-legged, lame of one foot, with his two shoulders rounded and hunched over his chest. His head ran up to a point, but there was little hair on the top of it. Achilles and Ulysses hated him worst of all, for it was with them that he was most wont to wrangle; now, however, with a shrill squeaky voice he began heaping his abuse on Agamemnon. The Achaeans were angry and disgusted, yet none the less he kept on brawling and bawling at the son of Atreus. "Agamemnon," he cried, "what ails you now, and what more do you want? Your tents are filled with bronze and with fair women, for whenever we take a town we give you the pick of them. Would you have yet more gold, which some Trojan is to give you as a ransom for his son, when I or another Achaean has taken him prisoner? or is it some young girl to hide and lie with? It is not well that you, the ruler of the Achaeans, should bring them into such misery. Weakling cowards, women rather than men, let us sail home, and leave this fellow here at Troy to stew in his own meeds of honour, and discover whether we were of any service to him or no. Achilles is a much better man than he is, and see how he has treated him- robbing him of his prize and keeping it himself. Achilles takes it meekly and shows no fight; if he did, son of Atreus, you would never again insult him." Thus railed Thersites, but Ulysses at once went up to him and rebuked him sternly. "Check your glib tongue, Thersites," said be, "and babble not a word further. Chide not with princes when you have none to back you. There is no viler creature come before Troy with the sons of Atreus. Drop this chatter about kings, and neither revile them nor keep harping about going home. We do not yet know how things are going to be, nor whether the Achaeans are to return with good success or evil. How dare you gibe at Agamemnon because the Danaans have awarded him so many prizes? I tell you, therefore- and it shall surely be- that if I again catch you talking such nonsense, I will either forfeit my own head and be no more called father of Telemachus, or I will take you, strip you stark naked, and whip you out of the assembly till you go blubbering back to the ships." On this he beat him with his staff about the back and shoulders till he dropped and fell a-weeping. The golden sceptre raised a bloody weal on his back, so he sat down frightened and in pain, looking foolish as he wiped the tears from his eyes. The people were sorry for him, yet they laughed heartily, and one would turn to his neighbour saying, "Ulysses has done many a good thing ere now in fight and council, but he never did the Argives a better turn than when he stopped this fellow's mouth from prating further. He will give the kings no more of his insolence." Thus said the people. Then Ulysses rose, sceptre in hand, and Minerva in the likeness of a herald bade the people be still, that those who were far off might hear him and consider his council. He therefore with all sincerity and goodwill addressed them thus:- "King Agamemnon, the Achaeans are for making you a by-word among all mankind. They forget the promise they made you when they set out from Argos, that you should not return till you had sacked the town of Troy, and, like children or widowed women, they murmur and would set off homeward. True it is that they have had toil enough to be disheartened. A man chafes at having to stay away from his wife even for a single month, when he is on shipboard, at the mercy of wind and sea, but it is now nine long years that we have been kept here; I cannot, therefore, blame the Achaeans if they turn restive; still we shall be shamed if we go home empty after so long a stay- therefore, my friends, be patient yet a little longer that we may learn whether the prophesyings of Calchas were false or true. "All who have not since perished must remember as though it were yesterday or the day before, how the ships of the Achaeans were detained in Aulis when we were on our way hither to make war on Priam and the Trojans. We were ranged round about a fountain offering hecatombs to the gods upon their holy altars, and there was a fine plane-tree from beneath which there welled a stream of pure water. Then we saw a prodigy; for Jove sent a fearful serpent out of the ground, with blood-red stains upon its back, and it darted from under the altar on to the plane-tree. Now there was a brood of young sparrows, quite small, upon the topmost bough, peeping out from under the leaves, eight in all, and their mother that hatched them made nine. The serpent ate the poor cheeping things, while the old bird flew about lamenting her little ones; but the serpent threw his coils about her and caught her by the wing as she was screaming. Then, when he had eaten both the sparrow and her young, the god who had sent him made him become a sign; for the son of scheming Saturn turned him into stone, and we stood there wondering at that which had come to pass. Seeing, then, that such a fearful portent had broken in upon our hecatombs, Calchas forthwith declared to us the oracles of heaven. 'Why, Achaeans,' said he, 'are you thus speechless? Jove has sent us this sign, long in coming, and long ere it be fulfilled, though its fame shall last for ever. As the serpent ate the eight fledglings and the sparrow that hatched them, which makes nine, so shall we fight nine years at Troy, but in the tenth shall take the town.' This was what he said, and now it is all coming true. Stay here, therefore, all of you, till we take the city of Priam." On this the Argives raised a shout, till the ships rang again with the uproar. Nestor, knight of Gerene, then addressed them. "Shame on you," he cried, "to stay talking here like children, when you should fight like men. Where are our covenants now, and where the oaths that we have taken? Shall our counsels be flung into the fire, with our drink-offerings and the right hands of fellowship wherein we have put our trust? We waste our time in words, and for all our talking here shall be no further forward. Stand, therefore, son of Atreus, by your own steadfast purpose; lead the Argives on to battle, and leave this handful of men to rot, who scheme, and scheme in vain, to get back to Argos ere they have learned whether Jove be true or a liar. For the mighty son of Saturn surely promised that we should succeed, when we Argives set sail to bring death and destruction upon the Trojans. He showed us favourable signs by flashing his lightning on our right hands; therefore let none make haste to go till he has first lain with the wife of some Trojan, and avenged the toil and sorrow that he has suffered for the sake of Helen. Nevertheless, if any man is in such haste to be at home again, let him lay his hand to his ship that he may meet his doom in the sight of all. But, O king, consider and give ear to my counsel, for the word that I say may not be neglected lightly. Divide your men, Agamemnon, into their several tribes and clans, that clans and tribes may stand by and help one another. If you do this, and if the Achaeans obey you, you will find out who, both chiefs and peoples, are brave, and who are cowards; for they will vie against the other. Thus you shall also learn whether it is through the counsel of heaven or the cowardice of man that you shall fail to take the town." And Agamemnon answered, "Nestor, you have again outdone the sons of the Achaeans in counsel. Would, by Father Jove, Minerva, and Apollo, that I had among them ten more such councillors, for the city of King Priam would then soon fall beneath our hands, and we should sack it. But the son of Saturn afflicts me with bootless wranglings and strife. Achilles and I are quarrelling about this girl, in which matter I was the first to offend; if we can be of one mind again, the Trojans will not stave off destruction for a day. Now, therefore, get your morning meal, that our hosts join in fight. Whet well your spears; see well to the ordering of your shields; give good feeds to your horses, and look your chariots carefully over, that we may do battle the livelong day; for we shall have no rest, not for a moment, till night falls to part us. The bands that bear your shields shall be wet with the sweat upon your shoulders, your hands shall weary upon your spears, your horses shall steam in front of your chariots, and if I see any man shirking the fight, or trying to keep out of it at the ships, there shall be no help for him, but he shall be a prey to dogs and vultures." Thus he spoke, and the Achaeans roared applause. As when the waves run high before the blast of the south wind and break on some lofty headland, dashing against it and buffeting it without ceasing, as the storms from every quarter drive them, even so did the Achaeans rise and hurry in all directions to their ships. There they lighted their fires at their tents and got dinner, offering sacrifice every man to one or other of the gods, and praying each one of them that he might live to come out of the fight. Agamemnon, king of men, sacrificed a fat five-year-old bull to the mighty son of Saturn, and invited the princes and elders of his host. First he asked Nestor and King Idomeneus, then the two Ajaxes and the son of Tydeus, and sixthly Ulysses, peer of gods in counsel; but Menelaus came of his own accord, for he knew how busy his brother then was. They stood round the bull with the barley-meal in their hands, and Agamemnon prayed, saying, "Jove, most glorious, supreme, that dwellest in heaven, and ridest upon the storm-cloud, grant that the sun may not go down, nor the night fall, till the palace of Priam is laid low, and its gates are consumed with fire. Grant that my sword may pierce the shirt of Hector about his heart, and that full many of his comrades may bite the dust as they fall dying round him." Thus he prayed, but the son of Saturn would not fulfil his prayer. He accepted the sacrifice, yet none the less increased their toil continually. When they had done praying and sprinkling the barley-meal upon the victim, they drew back its head, killed it, and then flayed it. They cut out the thigh-bones, wrapped them round in two layers of fat, and set pieces of raw meat on the top of them. These they burned upon the split logs of firewood, but they spitted the inward meats, and held them in the flames to cook. When the thigh-bones were burned, and they had tasted the inward meats, they cut the rest up small, put the pieces upon spits, roasted them till they were done, and drew them off; then, when they had finished their work and the feast was ready, they ate it, and every man had his full share, so that all were satisfied. As soon as they had had enough to eat and drink, Nestor, knight of Gerene, began to speak. "King Agamemnon," said he, "let us not stay talking here, nor be slack in the work that heaven has put into our hands. Let the heralds summon the people to gather at their several ships; we will then go about among the host, that we may begin fighting at once." Thus did he speak, and Agamemnon heeded his words. He at once sent the criers round to call the people in assembly. So they called them, and the people gathered thereon. The chiefs about the son of Atreus chose their men and marshalled them, while Minerva went among them holding her priceless aegis that knows neither age nor death. From it there waved a hundred tassels of pure gold, all deftly woven, and each one of them worth a hundred oxen. With this she darted furiously everywhere among the hosts of the Achaeans, urging them forward, and putting courage into the heart of each, so that he might fight and do battle without ceasing. Thus war became sweeter in their eyes even than returning home in their ships. As when some great forest fire is raging upon a mountain top and its light is seen afar, even so as they marched the gleam of their armour flashed up into the firmament of heaven. They were like great flocks of geese, or cranes, or swans on the plain about the waters of Cayster, that wing their way hither and thither, glorying in the pride of flight, and crying as they settle till the fen is alive with their screaming. Even thus did their tribes pour from ships and tents on to the plain of the Scamander, and the ground rang as brass under the feet of men and horses. They stood as thick upon the flower-bespangled field as leaves that bloom in summer. As countless swarms of flies buzz around a herdsman's homestead in the time of spring when the pails are drenched with milk, even so did the Achaeans swarm on to the plain to charge the Trojans and destroy them. The chiefs disposed their men this way and that before the fight began, drafting them out as easily as goatherds draft their flocks when they have got mixed while feeding; and among them went King Agamemnon, with a head and face like Jove the lord of thunder, a waist like Mars, and a chest like that of Neptune. As some great bull that lords it over the herds upon the plain, even so did Jove make the son of Atreus stand peerless among the multitude of heroes. And now, O Muses, dwellers in the mansions of Olympus, tell me- for you are goddesses and are in all places so that you see all things, while we know nothing but by report- who were the chiefs and princes of the Danaans? As for the common soldiers, they were so that I could not name every single one of them though I had ten tongues, and though my voice failed not and my heart were of bronze within me, unless you, O Olympian Muses, daughters of aegis-bearing Jove, were to recount them to me. Nevertheless, I will tell the captains of the ships and all the fleet together. Peneleos, Leitus, Arcesilaus, Prothoenor, and Clonius were captains of the Boeotians. These were they that dwelt in Hyria and rocky Aulis, and who held Schoenus, Scolus, and the highlands of Eteonus, with Thespeia, Graia, and the fair city of Mycalessus. They also held Harma, Eilesium, and Erythrae; and they had Eleon, Hyle, and Peteon; Ocalea and the strong fortress of Medeon; Copae, Eutresis, and Thisbe the haunt of doves; Coronea, and the pastures of Haliartus; Plataea and Glisas; the fortress of Thebes the less; holy Onchestus with its famous grove of Neptune; Arne rich in vineyards; Midea, sacred Nisa, and Anthedon upon the sea. From these there came fifty ships, and in each there were a hundred and twenty young men of the Boeotians. Ascalaphus and Ialmenus, sons of Mars, led the people that dwelt in Aspledon and Orchomenus the realm of Minyas. Astyoche a noble maiden bore them in the house of Actor son of Azeus; for she had gone with Mars secretly into an upper chamber, and he had lain with her. With these there came thirty ships. The Phoceans were led by Schedius and Epistrophus, sons of mighty Iphitus the son of Naubolus. These were they that held Cyparissus, rocky Pytho, holy Crisa, Daulis, and Panopeus; they also that dwelt in Anemorea and Hyampolis, and about the waters of the river Cephissus, and Lilaea by the springs of the Cephissus; with their chieftains came forty ships, and they marshalled the forces of the Phoceans, which were stationed next to the Boeotians, on their left. Ajax, the fleet son of Oileus, commanded the Locrians. He was not so great, nor nearly so great, as Ajax the son of Telamon. He was a little man, and his breastplate was made of linen, but in use of the spear he excelled all the Hellenes and the Achaeans. These dwelt in Cynus, Opous, Calliarus, Bessa, Scarphe, fair Augeae, Tarphe, and Thronium about the river Boagrius. With him there came forty ships of the Locrians who dwell beyond Euboea. The fierce Abantes held Euboea with its cities, Chalcis, Eretria, Histiaea rich in vines, Cerinthus upon the sea, and the rock-perched town of Dium; with them were also the men of Carystus and Styra; Elephenor of the race of Mars was in command of these; he was son of Chalcodon, and chief over all the Abantes. With him they came, fleet of foot and wearing their hair long behind, brave warriors, who would ever strive to tear open the corslets of their foes with their long ashen spears. Of these there came fifty ships. And they that held the strong city of Athens, the people of great Erechtheus, who was born of the soil itself, but Jove's daughter, Minerva, fostered him, and established him at Athens in her own rich sanctuary. There, year by year, the Athenian youths worship him with sacrifices of bulls and rams. These were commanded by Menestheus, son of Peteos. No man living could equal him in the marshalling of chariots and foot soldiers. Nestor could alone rival him, for he was older. With him there came fifty ships. Ajax brought twelve ships from Salamis, and stationed them alongside those of the Athenians. The men of Argos, again, and those who held the walls of Tiryns, with Hermione, and Asine upon the gulf; Troezene, Eionae, and the vineyard lands of Epidaurus; the Achaean youths, moreover, who came from Aegina and Mases; these were led by Diomed of the loud battle-cry, and Sthenelus son of famed Capaneus. With them in command was Euryalus, son of king Mecisteus, son of Talaus; but Diomed was chief over them all. With these there came eighty ships. Those who held the strong city of Mycenae, rich Corinth and Cleonae; Orneae, Araethyrea, and Licyon, where Adrastus reigned of old; Hyperesia, high Gonoessa, and Pellene; Aegium and all the coast-land round about Helice; these sent a hundred ships under the command of King Agamemnon, son of Atreus. His force was far both finest and most numerous, and in their midst was the king himself, all glorious in his armour of gleaming bronze- foremost among the heroes, for he was the greatest king, and had most men under him. And those that dwelt in Lacedaemon, lying low among the hills, Pharis, Sparta, with Messe the haunt of doves; Bryseae, Augeae, Amyclae, and Helos upon the sea; Laas, moreover, and Oetylus; these were led by Menelaus of the loud battle-cry, brother to Agamemnon, and of them there were sixty ships, drawn up apart from the others. Among them went Menelaus himself, strong in zeal, urging his men to fight; for he longed to avenge the toil and sorrow that he had suffered for the sake of Helen. The men of Pylos and Arene, and Thryum where is the ford of the river Alpheus; strong Aipy, Cyparisseis, and Amphigenea; Pteleum, Helos, and Dorium, where the Muses met Thamyris, and stilled his minstrelsy for ever. He was returning from Oechalia, where Eurytus lived and reigned, and boasted that he would surpass even the Muses, daughters of aegis-bearing Jove, if they should sing against him; whereon they were angry, and maimed him. They robbed him of his divine power of song, and thenceforth he could strike the lyre no more. These were commanded by Nestor, knight of Gerene, and with him there came ninety ships. And those that held Arcadia, under the high mountain of Cyllene, near the tomb of Aepytus, where the people fight hand to hand; the men of Pheneus also, and Orchomenus rich in flocks; of Rhipae, Stratie, and bleak Enispe; of Tegea and fair Mantinea; of Stymphelus and Parrhasia; of these King Agapenor son of Ancaeus was commander, and they had sixty ships. Many Arcadians, good soldiers, came in each one of them, but Agamemnon found them the ships in which to cross the sea, for they were not a people that occupied their business upon the waters. The men, moreover, of Buprasium and of Elis, so much of it as is enclosed between Hyrmine, Myrsinus upon the sea-shore, the rock Olene and Alesium. These had four leaders, and each of them had ten ships, with many Epeans on board. Their captains were Amphimachus and Thalpius- the one, son of Cteatus, and the other, of Eurytus- both of the race of Actor. The two others were Diores, son of Amarynces, and Polyxenus, son of King Agasthenes, son of Augeas. And those of Dulichium with the sacred Echinean islands, who dwelt beyond the sea off Elis; these were led by Meges, peer of Mars, and the son of valiant Phyleus, dear to Jove, who quarrelled with his father, and went to settle in Dulichium. With him there came forty ships. Ulysses led the brave Cephallenians, who held Ithaca, Neritum with its forests, Crocylea, rugged Aegilips, Samos and Zacynthus, with the mainland also that was over against the islands. These were led by Ulysses, peer of Jove in counsel, and with him there came twelve ships. Thoas, son of Andraemon, commanded the Aetolians, who dwelt in Pleuron, Olenus, Pylene, Chalcis by the sea, and rocky Calydon, for the great king Oeneus had now no sons living, and was himself dead, as was also golden-haired Meleager, who had been set over the Aetolians to be their king. And with Thoas there came forty ships. The famous spearsman Idomeneus led the Cretans, who held Cnossus, and the well-walled city of Gortys; Lyctus also, Miletus and Lycastus that lies upon the chalk; the populous towns of Phaestus and Rhytium, with the other peoples that dwelt in the hundred cities of Crete. All these were led by Idomeneus, and by Meriones, peer of murderous Mars. And with these there came eighty ships. Tlepolemus, son of Hercules, a man both brave and large of stature, brought nine ships of lordly warriors from Rhodes. These dwelt in Rhodes which is divided among the three cities of Lindus, Ielysus, and Cameirus, that lies upon the chalk. These were commanded by Tlepolemus, son of Hercules by Astyochea, whom he had carried off from Ephyra, on the river Selleis, after sacking many cities of valiant warriors. When Tlepolemus grew up, he killed his father's uncle Licymnius, who had been a famous warrior in his time, but was then grown old. On this he built himself a fleet, gathered a great following, and fled beyond the sea, for he was menaced by the other sons and grandsons of Hercules. After a voyage. during which he suffered great hardship, he came to Rhodes, where the people divided into three communities, according to their tribes, and were dearly loved by Jove, the lord, of gods and men; wherefore the son of Saturn showered down great riches upon them. And Nireus brought three ships from Syme- Nireus, who was the handsomest man that came up under Ilius of all the Danaans after the son of Peleus- but he was a man of no substance, and had but a small following. And those that held Nisyrus, Crapathus, and Casus, with Cos, the city of Eurypylus,