On the dawn of the twelfth day Thetis rose again from her cavern into
mid-air, and was borne by the breezes unto Olympus. She found the lord
of heaven sitting apart on the topmost peak of the mountain, and
kneeling before him she preferred her request. When Zeus heard what
she desired he fell into a muse, and answered not a word; but Thetis
remained kneeling at his feet, and, clinging to him with both hands,
repeated her prayer. Being urged thus with importunity, at last the
sire opened his mouth, and answered in heavy tones: "Thou wilt put
enmity between me and Hera, my wife; already she upbraids me for
showing favour to the Trojans, and thou askest me to take sides openly
with them against the Greeks. But go to, what care I for the wrath of
Hera? Nevertheless, get thee gone speedily, lest she find us together.
Howbeit, thou shalt have thy wish; behold, I swear it, and confirm it
with my nod, and whatsoever I have thus confirmed cannot be annulled or
unfulfilled."
Thereupon the monarch of the sky bowed his immortal head, with all its
dark and waving locks, and shook the mountain to its base.
Having thus attained her purpose, Thetis departed, and as soon as she
was gone Zeus joined the assembly of the gods in the high palace of
Olympus. All the gods rose from their seats to pay him homage as he
entered and took his place on the royal throne. But the sharp eyes of
Hera had spied out his conference with Thetis, and forthwith she
assailed her indulgent lord in mocking tones: "What plot hast thou been
hatching now, thou god of craft? I know that thou art keeping some
mischief from me, thy lawful wife."
"Daughter of Cronos," answered Zeus, avoiding her piercing glance,
"thou canst not expect that I should share all my counsels with thee.
Whatever it is meet for thee to know thou shall learn; but I have some
secrets which are not for thy ear."
"Thou must keep thy secrets more carefully," said Hera, with a bitter
smile, "if thou wouldst deceive me. Listen, ye gods, while I tell you
this fine secret! Zeus has promised Thetis that the Greeks shall
suffer defeat, to avenge the insult put upon her son."
"And if such be my will, who shall say me nay?" replied Zeus, with a
stern look. "I warn thee not to thwart my purpose, or all the gods who
sit here shall not save thee from chastisement."
Then fear fell upon Hera, and she sat biting her lips, venturing no
reply. And all the gods sat silent, glancing anxiously at one another,
when they heard the angry tones of the Olympian sire.
At last Hephæstus, the lame god of fire, came to his mother's relief.
Rising from his seat, he took a goblet of nectar from the hands of
Hebe, who was serving drink to the gods, and went hobbling to the place
where Hera sat. "Mother mine," said, he, as he offered her the cup, "I
counsel thee to give way, and not provoke our father to anger. Shall
we, the sons and daughters of heaven, brawl over our cups for the sake
of miserable mortals? Let Zeus have his way--for what can we do
against him? Hast thou forgotten how he served me when I presumed to
stand between thee and his ire?--how he caught me by the foot, and
flung me forth from the open portals of Olympus, as a boy slings a
stone? From morn till eve I fell, and at the setting of the sun I
struck on Lemnos, the Ægæan isle."
Hera smiled at her ungainly son; and when she had drunk of the nectar
he took the cup, and went limping round the circle of the gods,
offering them to drink. And all the immortals laughed loud and long,
to see the huge, hairy god engaged in the office of the lovely Hebe.
Then music and song came to crown the banquet, as Apollo led the choir
of the Muses on his golden harp.