iiliad 1 innocence speaking

Encouraged thus, the blameless man replies:
"Nor vows unpaid, nor slighted sacrifice,
But he, our chief, provoked the raging pest,
Apollo's vengeance for his injured priest.
Nor will the god's awaken'd fury cease,
But plagues shall spread, and funeral fires increase,
Till the great king, without a ransom paid,
To her own Chrysa send the black-eyed maid.54
Perhaps, with added sacrifice and prayer,
The priest may pardon, and the god may spare."

    Here the chorus as the blameless innocent claims that the plagues have nothing to do with anything but the hostages of Chrysa and the insults of the priests of Apollo who came to request her return, without a return of the hostages more plagues and death will ensue.  Only after such a return might the gods pardon the Greeks, prayer and sacrifice can help, it cannot hurt.

from : http://www.gutenberg.org/files/6130/6130-h/6130-h.html#toc5