"It was I, Achilles, who had the making of you; I loved you with all my heart: for you would eat neither at home nor when you had gone out elsewhere, till I had first set you upon my knees, cut up the dainty morsel that you were to eat, and held the wine-cup to your lips. Many a time have you slobbered your wine in baby helplessness over my shirt; I had infinite trouble with you, but I knew that heaven had granted me no offspring of my own, and I made a son of you, Achilles, that in my hour of need you might protect me. Now, therefore, I say battle with your pride and beat it; cherish not your anger for ever; the excellence [aretê] and might [biê] and honor [timê] of the gods are more than ours, but even gods may be appeased; and if a man has erred he prays the gods, and reconciles them to himself by his piteous cries and by frankincense, with drink-offerings and the savor of burnt sacrifice. For prayers are as daughters to great Zeus; halt, wrinkled, with eyes askance, they follow in the footsteps of Derangement [Atê], who, being fierce and fleet of foot, leaves them far behind him, and ever baneful to humankind outstrips them even to the ends of the world; but nevertheless the prayers come hobbling and healing after. If a man has pity upon these daughters of Zeus when they draw near him, they will bless him and hear him too when he is praying; but if he deny them and will not listen to them, they go to Zeus the son of Kronos and pray that he may presently fall into derangement [atê] - to his ruing bitterly hereafter.
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Therefore, Achilles, give these daughters of Zeus due reverence [timê], just as every other person does whose mind [noos] they change. Were not the son of Atreus offering you gifts and promising others later - if he were still furious and implacable - I am not he that would bid you throw off your anger [mênis] and help the Achaeans, no matter how great their need; but he is giving much now, and more hereafter; he has sent his leading men to urge his suit, and has chosen [krinô] those who of all the Argives are most near-and-dear [philoi] to you; make not then their words and their coming to be of no effect. Your anger has been righteous so far. We have heard in song the glories [klea] of heroes of old time: how they quarreled when they were roused to fury, but still they could be won by gifts, and fair words could soothe them.
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