The gods sat beside Zeus on a golden floor while Hebe poured nectar. Looking down at Troy, Zeus mocked Hera: two goddesses, Hera and Athena, helped Menelaus, yet sat apart watching, while Aphrodite had saved Paris. Menelaus had victory; should they renew war or make friendship, leaving Priam’s city standing and Helen returned?
Athena muttered in silence, scowling at her father in furious passion, but Hera’s anger could not be held. She asked how Zeus could make her labor empty after all she had endured gathering an evil army against Priam’s sons. Zeus answered sharply: what great harm had Priam and his children done her, that she raged so hotly to sack the city of Ilios? Would nothing do but she must go within their walls and eat Priam raw, with his sons and all the Trojans, before her anger healed? Do as you wish, he said — but when he wanted to destroy a city dear to her, she must not stand in his way. He gave way now with an unwilling heart.
Of all cities under sun and starry heaven, sacred Ilios had been dearest to him, with Priam and the people of Priam of the good ash spear, whose altar never lacked his equal portion of wine and burnt fat. Hera named her three dearest cities — Argos, Sparta, and broad-streeted Mycenae — and gave Zeus leave to destroy them whenever he was displeased; she would not defend them or even care. Even if she tried to stay him she could not, for he was far stronger. Yet her labor must not be unfinished. She was a god too, eldest daughter of crooked-counseling Cronus, honored both as eldest and as his wife. Let them yield to each other, and the other gods would follow. She urged him to send Athena down to make the Trojans first break the oaths and fall on the Achaeans.
Hera named her three dearest cities — Argos, Sparta, and broad-streeted Mycenae — and gave Zeus leave to destroy them when he hated them. But her labor must not be unfinished. She urged him to send Athena down to make the Trojans violate the oaths first.
Zeus commanded Athena, and she shot from Olympus like a bright star sent as a sign to sailors or armies, sparks flying from it. Trojans and Achaeans wondered whether war or friendship was coming.