Baptists, and have been reluctantly compelled to reply there is no history of the English Baptists in print. The works of Crosby, Ivimey and Evans, good as far as they go, have long been out of print. The collecting of materials for this Story was commenced years ago at the suggestion of my friend and colleague upon the London School Board, Dr. Angus. The information grew to such proportions that I had to choose between a detailed history in three or four volumes and a popular story. I hope that this recital of the deeds of the noble dead will not only supply a demand, but create a desire for ampler information. Great care has been taken to secure accuracy in every detail, but this is intended to be a story rather than a detailed history. No one is more conscious of its omissions than I am. Some ancient legends which have done much to justify the dictum that history is fable agreed upon have been excluded. I am indebted to Dr. Dixon, of the MSS. Department of the British Museum, Mr. Atkinson, of the Public Records Office, Rev. J.B. Myers, and Mr. G.E. Evans for their ready assistance. If young Baptists, by meditating upon the portraits of their ancestors, catch something of their splendid heroism and deathless faith and are made stronger to wage the old war against unrighteousness, I shall have my reward. --

The Iliad is one of the oldest works of Western literature, dating back to classical antiquity. Homer’s epic poem belongs in a collection called the Epic Cycle, which includes the Odyssey. It was originally written in ancient Greek and utilized a dactylic hexameter rhyme scheme. Although this rhyme scheme sounds beautiful in its native language, in modern English it can sound awkward and, as Eric McMillan humorously describes it, resembles “pumpkins rolling on a barn floor.” William Cullen Bryant avoided this problem by converting his translation into blank verse. This epic poem begins with the Achaean army sacking the city of Chryse and capturing two maidens as prizes of war. One of the maidens, Chryseis, is given to Agamemnon, the leader of the Achaeans, and the other maiden, Briseis, was given to the army’s best warrior, Achilles. Chryseis’ father, the city’s priest, prays to the god Apollo and asks for a plague on the Achaean army. To stop this plague, Agamemnon returns Chryseis to her father, but then orders Achilles to give him Briseis as compensation. Achilles refuses. This book is part of the Standard Ebooks project, which produces free public domain ebooks.