Over the following months, the kings of Greece assembled their armies and gathered them at the Bay of Aulis. The fleet of ships was a magnificent sight, numbering over 1,000, led by more than 50 kings. Among them were their leader Agamemnon, Menelaus and Odysseus, as well as the wise King Nestor, the brave hero Ajax, and the great archer Philoctetes.
To Aulis, there also came the seer, Calchas, a Trojan offering his help to the Greeks.
"Why did you leave Troy?" demanded Agamemnon.
"I saw, in a dream, the destruction of Troy and all its people," Calchas said.
"And you will not die with your people? You think only of yourself."
"My lord, my fate is not to die with my people. It is wrong that the Trojans are keeping Helen. Paris was the guest of Menelaus when he took Helen. He broke the laws of hospitality, a terrible crime."
Agamemnon nodded.
"So tell me, seer, how can you help us defeat Troy?"
"You must find Achilles. Troy will not fall without him."
Agamemnon called Odysseus and told him what the seer had said.
"But no one knows where he is," said Odysseus. "He disappeared many years ago."
"You are famous for being a clever man, Odysseus. Show me that you deserve this reputation."
There were rumors that Achilles was living on the island of Scyros in the court of King Laomedon and his beautiful daughters, but when Odysseus arrived there, the king denied that Achilles was there.
"Look around the island, if you wish," said the king. "Look through my palace, but you will not find him."
Odysseus searched the palace; he searched the whole island, but he could not find Achilles.
"I'm sure he is here," he said to himself. "But where could he be?"
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