s: me till he had caught me--I should stand no chance against him,


s: for he is mightiest of all mankind. What, then, if I go out and


s: meet him in front of the city? His flesh too, I take it, can be


s: pierced by pointed bronze. Life is the same in one and all, and


s: men say that he is but mortal despite the triumph that Jove son


s: So saying he stood on his guard and awaited Achilles, for he was


s: now fain to fight him. As a leopardess that bounds from out a


s: thick covert to attack a hunter--she knows no fear and is not


s: dismayed by the baying of the hounds; even though the man be too


s: quick for her and wound her either with thrust or spear, still,


s: though the spear has pierced her she will not give in till she


s: has either caught him in her grip or been killed outright--even


s: so did noble Agenor son of Antenor refuse to fly till he had made


s: his round shield before him and crying with a loud voice. "Of a


s: truth," said he, "noble Achilles, you deem that you shall this


s: day sack the city of the proud Trojans. Fool, there will be


s: trouble enough yet before it, for there is many a brave man of us


s: mighty warrior though you be, here shall you die."


s: As he spoke his strong hand hurled his javelin from him, and the


s: spear struck Achilles on the leg beneath the knee; the greave of


s: newly wrought tin rang loudly, but the spear recoiled from the


s: body of him whom it had struck, and did not pierce it, for the


s: gods gift stayed it. Achilles in his turn attacked noble Agenor,


s: but Apollo would not vouchsafe him glory, for he snatched Agenor


s: away and hid him in a thick mist, sending him out of the battle


s: unmolested Then he craftily drew the son of Peleus away from


s: going after the host, for he put on the semblance of Agenor and


s: stood in front of Achilles, who ran towards him to give him chase


s: towards the deep waters of the river Scamander. Apollo ran but a


s: little way before him and beguiled Achilles by making him think


s: all the time that he was on the point of overtaking him.


s: Meanwhile the rabble of routed Trojans was thankful to crowd


s: within the city till their numbers thronged it; no longer did


s: they dare wait for one another outside the city walls, to learn


s: who had escaped and who were fallen in fight, but all whose feet


s: and knees could still carry them poured pell-mell into the town.


s: THUS the Trojans in the city, scared like fawns, wiped the sweat


s: from off them and drank to quench their thirst, leaning against


s: the goodly battlements, while the Achaeans with their shields


s: laid upon their shoulders drew close up to the walls. But stern


s: fate bade Hector stay where he was before Ilius and the Scaean


s: gates. Then Phoebus Apollo spoke to the son of Peleus saying,


s: "Why, son of Peleus, do you, who are but man, give chase to me


s: who am immortal? Have you not yet found out that it is a god whom


s: had routed, and now they are within their walls, while you have


s: been decoyed hither away from them. Me you cannot kill, for death


s: Achilles was greatly angered and said, "You have baulked me,


s: Far-Darter, most malicious of all gods, and have drawn me away


s: from the wall, where many another man would have bitten the dust


s: ere he got within Ilius; you have robbed me of great glory and


s: have saved the Trojans at no risk to yourself, for you have


s: nothing to fear, but I would indeed have my revenge if it were in


s: On this, with fell intent he made towards the city, and as the


s: winning horse in a chariot race strains every nerve when he is


s: flying over the plain, even so fast and furiously did the limbs


s: of Achilles bear him onwards. King Priam was first to note him as


s: Orion's Hound, and whose beams blaze forth in time of harvest


s: more brilliantly than those of any other that shines by night;


s: brightest of them all though he be, he yet bodes ill for mortals,


s: armour gleam on his breast as he sped onwards. Priam raised a cry


s: stayed before the gates, for his heart was set upon doing battle


s: with Achilles. The old man reached out his arms towards him and


s: bade him for pity's sake come within the walls. "Hector," he


s: cried, "my son, stay not to face this man alone and unsupported,


s: or you will meet death at the hands of the son of Peleus, for he


s: is mightier than you. Monster that he is; would indeed that the


s: gods loved him no better than I do, for so, dogs and vultures


s: would soon devour him as he lay stretched on earth, and a load of


s: reft from me, either by killing them or selling them away in the


s: islands that are beyond the sea: even now I miss two sons from


s: among the Trojans who have thronged within the city, Lycaon and


s: Polydorus, whom Laothoe peeress among women bore me. Should they


s: be still alive and in the hands of the Achaeans, we will ransom


s: them with gold and bronze, of which we have store, for the old


s: man Altes endowed his daughter richly; but if they are already


s: dead and in the house of Hades, sorrow will it be to us two who


s: were their parents; albeit the grief of others will be more


s: short-lived unless you too perish at the hands of Achilles. Come,


s: and Trojan women, or you will both lose your own life and afford


s: a mighty triumph to the son of Peleus. Have pity also on your


s: unhappy father while life yet remains to him--on me, whom the son


s: as captives, my bridal chambers pillaged, little children dashed


s: to earth amid the rage of battle, and my sons' wives dragged away


s: life out of my body with sword or spear-hounds that I myself


s: reared and fed at my own table to guard my gates, but who will


s: yet lap my blood and then lie all distraught at my doors. When a


s: young man falls by the sword in battle, he may lie where he is


s: and there is nothing unseemly; let what will be seen, all is


s: honourable in death, but when an old man is slain there is


s: nothing in this world more pitiable than that dogs should defile


s: his grey hair and beard and all that men hide for shame."


s: The old man tore his grey hair as he spoke, but he moved not the


s: heart of Hector. His mother hard by wept and moaned aloud as she


s: bared her bosom and pointed to the breast which had suckled him.


s: "Hector," she cried, weeping bitterly the while, "Hector, my son,


s: given you comfort from my own bosom, think on it now, dear son,


s: and come within the wall to protect us from this man; stand not


s: without to meet him. Should the wretch kill you, neither I nor


s: your richly dowered wife shall ever weep, dear offshoot of


s: myself, over the bed on which you lie, for dogs will devour you


s: Thus did the two with many tears implore their son, but they


s: moved not the heart of Hector, and he stood his ground awaiting


s: huge Achilles as he drew nearer towards him. As serpent in its


s: den upon the mountains, full fed with deadly poisons, waits for


s: the approach of man--he is filled with fury and his eyes glare


s: terribly as he goes writhing round his den--even so Hector leaned


s: "Alas," said he to himself in the heaviness of his heart, "if I


s: go within the gates, Polydamas will be the first to heap reproach


s: the city on that awful night when Achilles again came forth


s: against us. I would not listen, but it would have been indeed


s: better if I had done so. Now that my folly has destroyed the


s: host, I dare not look Trojan men and Trojan women in the face,


s: lest a worse man should say, 'Hector has ruined us by his


s: self-confidence.' Surely it would be better for me to return


s: after having fought Achilles and slain him, or to die gloriously


s: here before the city. What, again, if I were to lay down my


s: shield and helmet, lean my spear against the wall and go straight


s: that Alexandrus brought with him in his ships to Troy, aye, and


s: to let the Achaeans divide the half of everything that the city


s: contains among themselves? I might make the Trojans, by the


s: mouths of their princes, take a solemn oath that they would hide


s: nothing, but would divide into two shares all that is within the


s: city--but why argue with myself in this way? Were I to go up to


s: him he would show me no kind of mercy; he would kill me then and


s: there as easily as though I were a woman, when I had off my


s: armour. There is no parleying with him from some rock or oak


s: tree as young men and maidens prattle with one another. Better


s: fight him at once, and learn to which of us Jove will vouchsafe


s: Thus did he stand and ponder, but Achilles came up to him as it


s: were Mars himself, plumed lord of battle. From his right shoulder


s: gleamed around him like flashing fire or the rays of the rising


s: sun. Fear fell upon Hector as he beheld him, and he dared not


s: stay longer where he was but fled in dismay from before the


s: gates, while Achilles darted after him at his utmost speed. As a


s: mountain falcon, swiftest of all birds, swoops down upon some


s: cowering dove--the dove flies before him but the falcon with a


s: shrill scream follows close after, resolved to have her--even so


s: did Achilles make straight for Hector with all his might, while


s: Hector fled under the Trojan wall as fast as his limbs could take


s: On they flew along the waggon-road that ran hard by under the


s: wall, past the lookout station, and past the weather-beaten wild


s: fig-tree, till they came to two fair springs which feed the river


s: as cold as hail or snow, or the ice that forms on water. Here,


s: hard by the springs, are the goodly washing-troughs of stone,


s: where in the time of peace before the coming of the Achaeans the


s: wives and fair daughters of the Trojans used to wash their


s: clothes. Past these did they fly, the one in front and the other


s: giving chase behind him: good was the man that fled, but better


s: far was he that followed after, and swiftly indeed did they run,


s: for the prize was no mere beast for sacrifice or bullock's hide,


s: as it might be for a common foot-race, but they ran for the life


s: of Hector. As horses in a chariot race speed round the


s: turning-posts when they are running for some great prize--a


s: tripod or woman--at the games in honour of some dead hero, so did


s: "Alas," said he, "my eyes behold a man who is dear to me being


s: pursued round the walls of Troy; my heart is full of pity for


s: Hector, who has burned the thigh-bones of many a heifer in my


s: honour, one while on the crests of many-valleyed Ida, and again


s: on the citadel of Troy; and now I see noble Achilles in full


s: pursuit of him round the city of Priam. What say you? Consider


s: among yourselves and decide whether we shall now save him or let


s: him fall, valiant though he be, before Achilles, son of Peleus."


s: Then Minerva said, "Father, wielder of the lightning, lord of


s: cloud and storm, what mean you? Would you pluck this mortal whose


s: will, but we others shall not be of a mind with you."


s: And Jove answered, "My child, Trito-born, take heart. I did not


s: speak in full earnest, and I will let you have your way. Do


s: without let or hindrance as you are minded."


s: Thus did he urge Minerva who was already eager, and down she


s: darted from the topmost summits of Olympus.


s: Achilles was still in full pursuit of Hector, as a hound chasing


s: a fawn which he has started from its covert on the mountains, and


s: follow her up until he gets her--even so there was no escape for


s: Hector from the fleet son of Peleus. Whenever he made a set to


s: get near the Dardanian gates and under the walls, that his people


s: would gain on him and head him back towards the plain, keeping


s: himself always on the city side. As a man in a dream who fails to


s: with Hector, nor Hector break away from Achilles; nevertheless he


s: Apollo, who thus far had sustained his strength and nerved his


s: running, was now no longer to stay by him. Achilles made signs to


s: aim a dart at Hector, lest another might win the glory of having


s: hit him and he might himself come in second. Then, at last, as


s: they were nearing the fountains for the fourth time, the father


s: of all balanced his golden scales and placed a doom in each of


s: them, one for Achilles and the other for Hector. As he held the


s: scales by the middle, the doom of Hector fell down deep into the


s: house of Hades--and then Phoebus Apollo left him. Thereon Minerva


s: favoured of heaven, we two shall surely take back to the ships a


s: triumph for the Achaeans by slaying Hector, for all his lust of


s: battle. Do what Apollo may as he lies grovelling before his


s: father, aegis-bearing Jove, Hector cannot escape us longer. Stay


s: here and take breath, while I go up to him and persuade him to


s: Thus spoke Minerva. Achilles obeyed her gladly, and stood still,


s: leaning on his bronze-pointed ashen spear, while Minerva left him


s: Deiphobus. She came close up to him and said, "Dear brother, I


s: see you are hard pressed by Achilles who is chasing you at full


s: speed round the city of Priam, let us await his onset and stand


s: And Hector answered, "Deiphobus, you have always been dearest to


s: me of all my brothers, children of Hecuba and Priam, but


s: henceforth I shall rate you yet more highly, inasmuch as you have


s: Then Minerva said, "Dear brother, my father and mother went down


s: on their knees and implored me, as did all my comrades, to remain


s: reserve, that we may learn whether Achilles shall kill us and


s: bear off our spoils to the ships, or whether he shall fall before


s: Thus did Minerva inveigle him by her cunning, and when the two


s: were now close to one another great Hector was first to speak. "I


s: doing hitherto. Three times have I fled round the mighty city of


s: Priam, without daring to withstand you, but now, let me either


s: slay or be slain, for I am in the mind to face you. Let us, then,


s: witnesses and guardians of all covenants; let it be agreed


s: between us that if Jove vouchsafes me the longer stay and I take


s: your life, I am not to treat your dead body in any unseemly


s: fashion, but when I have stripped you of your armour, I am to


s: give up your body to the Achaeans. And do you likewise."


s: Achilles glared at him and answered, "Fool, prate not to me about


s: wolves and lambs can never be of one mind, but hate each other


s: out and out an through. Therefore there can be no understanding


s: between you and me, nor may there be any covenants between us,


s: till one or other shall fall and glut grim Mars with his life's


s: blood. Put forth all your strength; you have need now to prove


s: yourself indeed a bold soldier and man of war. You have no more


s: chance, and Pallas Minerva will forthwith vanquish you by my


s: spear: you shall now pay me in full for the grief you have caused


s: He poised his spear as he spoke and hurled it. Hector saw it


s: coming and avoided it; he watched it and crouched down so that it


s: snatched it up and gave it back to Achilles without Hector's


s: seeing her; Hector thereon said to the son of Peleus, "You have


s: missed your aim, Achilles, peer of the gods, and Jove has not yet


s: grant you power, drive it into me as I make straight towards you;


s: you might receive the whole of it into your body; if you were


s: once dead the Trojans would find the war an easier matter, for it


s: He poised his spear as he spoke and hurled it. His aim was true


s: for he hit the middle of Achilles' shield, but the spear


s: rebounded from it, and did not pierce it. Hector was angry when


s: he saw that the weapon had sped from his hand in vain, and stood


s: there in dismay for he had no second spear. With a loud cry he


s: called Deiphobus and asked him for one, but there was no man;


s: then he saw the truth and said to himself, "Alas! the gods have


s: lured me on to my destruction. I deemed that the hero Deiphobus


s: was by my side, but he is within the wall, and Minerva has


s: inveigled me; death is now indeed exceedingly near at hand and


s: there is no way out of it--for so Jove and his son Apollo the


s: far-darter have willed it, though heretofore they have been ever


s: ready to protect me. My doom has come upon me; let me not then


s: die ingloriously and without a struggle, but let me first do some


s: As he spoke he drew the keen blade that hung so great and strong


s: by his side, and gathering himself together be sprang on Achilles


s: spring upon Achilles. Achilles mad with rage darted towards him,


s: with his wondrous shield before his breast, and his gleaming


s: helmet, made with four layers of metal, nodding fiercely forward.


s: helmet floated round it, and as the evening star that shines


s: brighter than all others through the stillness of night, even


s: such was the gleam of the spear which Achilles poised in his


s: right hand, fraught with the death of noble Hector. He eyed his


s: fair flesh over and over to see where he could best wound it, but


s: spoiled Patroclus after he had slain him, save only the throat


s: where the collar-bones divide the neck from the shoulders, and


s: this is a most deadly place: here then did Achilles strike him as


s: right through the fleshy part of the neck, but it did not sever


s: his windpipe so that he could still speak. Hector fell headlong,


s: and Achilles vaunted over him saying, "Hector, you deemed that


s: you should come off scatheless when you were spoiling Patroclus,


s: and recked not of myself who was not with him. Fool that you


s: were: for I, his comrade, mightier far than he, was still left


s: behind him at the ships, and now I have laid you low. The


s: Achaeans shall give him all due funeral rites, while dogs and


s: vultures shall work their will upon yourself."


s: Then Hector said, as the life ebbed out of him, "I pray you by


s: your life and knees, and by your parents, let not dogs devour me


s: at the ships of the Achaeans, but accept the rich treasure of


s: gold and bronze which my father and mother will offer you, and


s: send my body home, that the Trojans and their wives may give me


s: Achilles glared at him and answered, "Dog, talk not to me neither


s: have done me, as I am that nothing shall save you from the


s: dogs--it shall not be, though they bring ten or twenty-fold


s: ransom and weigh it out for me on the spot, with promise of yet


s: more hereafter. Though Priam son of Dardanus should bid them


s: offer me your weight in gold, even so your mother shall never lay


s: Hector with his dying breath then said, "I know you what you are,


s: as iron; look to it that I bring not heaven's anger upon you on


s: the day when Paris and Phoebus Apollo, valiant though you be,


s: When he had thus said the shrouds of death enfolded him, whereon


s: his soul went out of him and flew down to the house of Hades,


s: lamenting its sad fate that it should enjoy youth and strength no


s: my part I will accept my fate whensoever Jove and the other gods


s: As he spoke he drew his spear from the body and set it on one


s: side; then he stripped the blood-stained armour from Hector's


s: shoulders while the other Achaeans came running up to view his


s: wondrous strength and beauty; and no one came near him without


s: giving him a fresh wound. Then would one turn to his neighbour


s: and say, "It is easier to handle Hector now than when he was


s: flinging fire on to our ships" and as he spoke he would thrust


s: When Achilles had done spoiling Hector of his armour, he stood


s: among the Argives and said, "My friends, princes and counsellors


s: of the Argives, now that heaven has vouchsafed us to overcome


s: this man, who has done us more hurt than all the others together,


s: discover in what mind the Trojans may be. We should thus learn


s: whether they will desert their city now that Hector has fallen,


s: or will still hold out even though he is no longer living. But


s: why argue with myself in this way, while Patroclus is still lying


s: so long as I am alive and my strength fails not? Though men


s: forget their dead when once they are within the house of Hades,


s: yet not even there will I forget the comrade whom I have lost.


s: Now, therefore, Achaean youths, let us raise the song of victory


s: and go back to the ships taking this man along with us; for we


s: have achieved a mighty triumph and have slain noble Hector to


s: whom the Trojans prayed throughout their city as though he were a


s: On this he treated the body of Hector with contumely: he pierced


s: the sinews at the back of both his feet from heel to ancle and


s: passed thongs of ox-hide through the slits he had made: thus he


s: made the body fast to his chariot, letting the head trail upon


s: the ground. Then when he had put the goodly armour on the chariot


s: forward nothing loth. The dust rose from Hector as he was being


s: dragged along, his dark hair flew all abroad, and his head once


s: so comely was laid low on earth, for Jove had now delivered him


s: into the hands of his foes to do him outrage in his own land.


s: Thus was the head of Hector being dishonoured in the dust. His


s: mother tore her hair, and flung her veil from her with a loud cry


s: throughout the city the people fell to weeping and wailing. It


s: was as though the whole of frowning Ilius was being smirched with


s: besought them, calling each one of them by his name. "Let be, my


s: friends," he cried, "and for all your sorrow, suffer me to go


s: single-handed to the ships of the Achaeans. Let me beseech this


s: cruel and terrible man, if maybe he will respect the feeling of


s: his fellow-men, and have compassion on my old age. His own father


s: him to be the bane of us Trojans, and of myself more than of all


s: others. Many a son of mine has he slain in the flower of his


s: youth, and yet, grieve for these as I may, I do so for one--


s: Hector--more than for them all, and the bitterness of my sorrow


s: will bring me down to the house of Hades. Would that he had died


s: in my arms, for so both his ill-starred mother who bore him, and


s: myself, should have had the comfort of weeping and mourning over


s: Thus did he speak with many tears, and all the people of the city


s: throughout the city, for you were a tower of strength to all in


s: Troy, and both men and women alike hailed you as a god. So long


s: as you lived you were their pride, but now death and destruction


s: Hector's wife had as yet heard nothing, for no one had come to


s: tell her that her husband had remained without the gates. She was


s: purple web, and embroidering it with many flowers. She told her


s: maids to set a large tripod on the fire, so as to have a warm


s: bath ready for Hector when he came out of battle; poor woman, she


s: Minerva had laid him low by the hands of Achilles. She heard the


s: cry coming as from the wall, and trembled in every limb; the


s: shuttle fell from her hands, and again she spoke to her


s: waiting-women. "Two of you," she said, "come with me that I may


s: learn what it is that has befallen; I heard the voice of my


s: husband's honoured mother; my own heart beats as though it would


s: come into my mouth and my limbs refuse to carry me; some great


s: misfortune for Priam's children must be at hand. May I never live


s: retreat of brave Hector and has chased him on to the plain where


s: he was singlehanded; I fear he may have put an end to the


s: reckless daring which possessed my husband, who would never


s: remain with the body of his men, but would dash on far in front,


s: Her heart beat fast, and as she spoke she flew from the house


s: like a maniac, with her waiting-women following after. When she


s: reached the battlements and the crowd of people, she stood


s: looking out upon the wall, and saw Hector being borne away in


s: front of the city--the horses dragging him without heed or care


s: over the ground towards the ships of the Achaeans. Her eyes were


s: then shrouded as with the darkness of night and she fell fainting


s: her, the frontlet and net with its plaited band, and the veil


s: which golden Venus had given her on the day when Hector took her


s: with him from the house of Eetion, after having given countless


s: gifts of wooing for her sake. Her husband's sisters and the wives


s: fain to die in her distraction; when she again presently breathed


s: Thebes under the wooded mountain of Placus in the house of Eetion


s: ill-starred daughter--would that he had never begotten me. You


s: are now going into the house of Hades under the secret places of


s: the earth, and you leave me a sorrowing widow in your house. The


s: child, of whom you and I are the unhappy parents, is as yet a


s: mere infant. Now that you are gone, O Hector, you can do nothing


s: for him nor he for you. Even though he escape the horrors of this


s: one of labour and sorrow, for others will seize his lands. The


s: day that robs a child of his parents severs him from his own


s: kind; his head is bowed, his cheeks are wet with tears, and he


s: will go about destitute among the friends of his father, plucking


s: these may so far pity him as to hold the cup for a moment towards


s: drive him from the table with blows and angry words. 'Out with


s: you,' he will say, 'you have no father here,' and the child will


s: go crying back to his widowed mother--he, Astyanax, who erewhile


s: would sit upon his father's knees, and have none but the


s: daintiest and choicest morsels set before him. When he had played


s: the arms of his nurse, on a soft couch, knowing neither want nor


s: care, whereas now that he has lost his father his lot will be


s: full of hardship--he, whom the Trojans name Astyanax, because


s: you, O Hector, were the only defence of their gates and


s: battlements. The wriggling writhing worms will now eat you at the


s: themselves upon you. You will lie naked, although in your house


s: you have fine and goodly raiment made by hands of women. This


s: will I now burn; it is of no use to you, for you can never again


s: wear it, and thus you will have respect shown you by the Trojans


s: In such wise did she cry aloud amid her tears, and the women


s: The funeral of Patroclus, and the funeral games.


s: Thus did they make their moan throughout the city, while the


s: Achaeans when they reached the Hellespont went back every man to


s: his own ship. But Achilles would not let the Myrmidons go, and


s: spoke to his brave comrades saying, "Myrmidons, famed horsemen


s: and my own trusted friends, not yet, forsooth, let us unyoke, but


s: lamentation we will unyoke our horses and take supper all of us


s: On this they all joined in a cry of wailing and Achilles led them


s: sorrowing round the body, and Thetis stirred within them a still


s: deeper yearning. The sands of the seashore and the men's armour


s: were wet with their weeping, so great a minister of fear was he


s: whom they had lost. Chief in all their mourning was the son of


s: Peleus: he laid his bloodstained hand on the breast of his


s: friend. "Fare well," he cried, "Patroclus, even in the house of


s: Hades. I will now do all that I erewhile promised you; I will


s: drag Hector hither and let dogs devour him raw; twelve noble sons


s: As he spoke he treated the body of noble Hector with contumely,


s: laying it at full length in the dust beside the bier of


s: Patroclus. The others then put off every man his armour, took the


s: multitude by the ship of the fleet descendant of Aeacus, who


s: thereon feasted them with an abundant funeral banquet. Many a


s: goodly ox, with many a sheep and bleating goat did they butcher


s: and cut up; many a tusked boar moreover, fat and well-fed, did


s: they singe and set to roast in the flames of Vulcan; and rivulets


s: Then the princes of the Achaeans took the son of Peleus to


s: Agamemnon, but hardly could they persuade him to come with them,


s: so wroth was he for the death of his comrade. As soon as they


s: reached Agamemnon's tent they told the serving-men to set a large


s: Peleus to wash the clotted gore from this body, but he denied


s: them sternly, and swore it with a solemn oath, saying, "Nay, by


s: King Jove, first and mightiest of all gods, it is not meet that


s: water should touch my body, till I have laid Patroclus on the


s: flames, have built him a barrow, and shaved my head--for so long


s: as I live no such second sorrow shall ever draw nigh me. Now,


s: therefore, let us do all that this sad festival demands, but at


s: break of day, King Agamemnon, bid your men bring wood, and


s: provide all else that the dead may duly take into the realm of


s: darkness; the fire shall thus burn him out of our sight the


s: sooner, and the people shall turn again to their own labours."


s: Thus did he speak, and they did even as he had said. They made


s: haste to prepare the meal, they ate, and every man had his full


s: share so that all were satisfied. As soon as they had had enough


s: to eat and drink, the others went to their rest each in his own


s: tent, but the son of Peleus lay grieving among his Myrmidons by


s: the shore of the sounding sea, in an open place where the waves


s: came surging in one after another. Here a very deep slumber took


s: hold upon him and eased the burden of his sorrows, for his limbs


s: were weary with chasing Hector round windy Ilius. Presently the


s: sad spirit of Patroclus drew near him, like what he had been in


s: stature, voice, and the light of his beaming eyes, clad, too, as


s: he had been clad in life. The spirit hovered over his head and


s: "You sleep, Achilles, and have forgotten me; you loved me living,


s: all speed that I may pass the gates of Hades; the ghosts, vain


s: shadows of men that can labour no more, drive me away from them;


s: they will not yet suffer me to join those that are beyond the


s: river, and I wander all desolate by the wide gates of the house


s: of Hades. Give me now your hand I pray you, for when you have


s: once given me my dues of fire, never shall I again come forth out


s: sweet counsel among the living; the cruel fate which was my


s: birth-right has yawned its wide jaws around me--nay, you too


s: Achilles, peer of gods, are doomed to die beneath the wall of the


s: "One prayer more will I make you, if you will grant it; let not


s: my bones be laid apart from yours, Achilles, but with them; even


s: as we were brought up together in your own home, what time


s: Menoetius brought me to you as a child from Opoeis because by a


s: sad spite I had killed the son of Amphidamas--not of set purpose,


s: into his house, entreated me kindly, and named me to be your


s: squire; therefore let our bones lie in but a single urn, the


s: two-handled golden vase given to you by your mother."


s: And Achilles answered, "Why, true heart, are you come hither to


s: lay these charges upon me? will of my own self do all as you have


s: around one another, and find sad comfort in the sharing of our


s: He opened his arms towards him as he spoke and would have clasped


s: vapour, gibbering and whining into the earth. Achilles sprang to


s: his feet, smote his two hands, and made lamentation saying, "Of a


s: that have no life in them; all night long the sad spirit of


s: Patroclus has hovered over head making piteous moan, telling me


s: what I am to do for him, and looking wondrously like himself."


s: Thus did he speak and his words set them all weeping and mourning


s: King Agamemnon sent men and mules from all parts of the camp, to


s: bring wood, and Meriones, squire to Idomeneus, was in charge over


s: they go, by straight ways and crooked, and when they reached the


s: heights of many-fountained Ida, they laid their axes to the roots


s: felled it. They split the trees and bound them behind the mules,


s: which then wended their way as they best could through the thick


s: brushwood on to the plain. All who had been cutting wood bore


s: logs, for so Meriones squire to Idomeneus had bidden them, and


s: they threw them down in a line upon the seashore at the place


s: where Achilles would make a mighty monument for Patroclus and for


s: When they had thrown down their great logs of wood over the whole


s: ordered his brave Myrmidons to gird on their armour, and to yoke


s: each man his horses; they therefore rose, girded on their armour


s: and mounted each his chariot--they and their charioteers with


s: them. The chariots went before, and they that were on foot


s: followed as a cloud in their tens of thousands after. In the


s: midst of them his comrades bore Patroclus and covered him with


s: the locks of their hair which they cut off and threw upon his


s: body. Last came Achilles with his head bowed for sorrow, so noble


s: When they came to the place of which Achilles had told them they


s: laid the body down and built up the wood. Achilles then bethought


s: cut off the yellow lock which he had let grow for the river


s: Spercheius. He looked all sorrowfully out upon the dark sea, and


s: said, "Spercheius, in vain did my father Peleus vow to you that


s: when I returned home to my loved native land I should cut off


s: this lock and offer you a holy hecatomb; fifty she-goats was I to


s: your altar fragrant with burnt-offerings. Thus did my father vow,


s: shall see my home no more, I give this lock as a keepsake to the


s: As he spoke he placed the lock in the hands of his dear comrade,


s: and all who stood by were filled with yearning and lamentation.


s: The sun would have gone down upon their mourning had not Achilles


s: that the people will give ear, there is a time to mourn and a


s: time to cease from mourning; bid the people now leave the pyre


s: and set about getting their dinners: we, to whom the dead is


s: dearest, will see to what is wanted here, and let the other


s: When King Agamemnon heard this he dismissed the people to their


s: ships, but those who were about the dead heaped up wood and built


s: all sorrowfully upon the top of it. They flayed and dressed many


s: fat sheep and oxen before the pyre, and Achilles took fat from


s: all of them and wrapped the body therein from head to foot,


s: heaping the flayed carcases all round it. Against the bier he


s: leaned two-handled jars of honey and unguents; four proud horses


s: did he then cast upon the pyre, groaning the while he did so. The


s: threw upon the pyre; he also put twelve brave sons of noble


s: Trojans to the sword and laid them with the rest, for he was full


s: and devouring might of the fire; he groaned aloud and called on


s: his dead comrade by name. "Fare well," he cried, "Patroclus, even


s: you. Twelve brave sons of noble Trojans shall the flames consume


s: along with yourself, but dogs, not fire, shall devour the flesh


s: Thus did he vaunt, but the dogs came not about the body of


s: Hector, for Jove's daughter Venus kept them off him night and


s: day, and anointed him with ambrosial oil of roses that his flesh


s: might not be torn when Achilles was dragging him about. Phoebus


s: Apollo moreover sent a dark cloud from heaven to earth, which


s: gave shade to the whole place where Hector lay, that the heat of


s: Now the pyre about dead Patroclus would not kindle. Achilles


s: therefore bethought him of another matter; he went apart and


s: prayed to the two winds Boreas and Zephyrus vowing them goodly


s: offerings. He made them many drink-offerings from the golden cup


s: and besought them to come and help him that the wood might make


s: haste to kindle and the dead bodies be consumed. Fleet Iris heard


s: running up to the stone threshold of the house and stood there,


s: but as soon as they set eyes on her they all came towards her and


s: cannot stay," she said, "I must go back to the streams of Oceanus


s: immortals, and I would have my share; but Achilles prays that


s: Boreas and shrill Zephyrus will come to him, and he vows them


s: goodly offerings; he would have you blow upon the pyre of


s: Patroclus for whom all the Achaeans are lamenting."


s: With this she left them, and the two winds rose with a cry that


s: rent the air and swept the clouds before them. They blew on and


s: on until they came to the sea, and the waves rose high beneath


s: them, but when they reached Troy they fell upon the pyre till the


s: long did they blow hard and beat upon the fire, and all night


s: long did Achilles grasp his double cup, drawing wine from a


s: mixing-bowl of gold, and calling upon the spirit of dead


s: Patroclus as he poured it upon the ground until the earth was


s: drenched. As a father mourns when he is burning the bones of his


s: bridegroom son whose death has wrung the hearts of his parents,


s: even so did Achilles mourn while burning the body of his comrade,


s: At length as the Morning Star was beginning to herald the light


s: which saffron-mantled Dawn was soon to suffuse over the sea, the


s: flames fell and the fire began to die. The winds then went home


s: beyond the Thracian sea, which roared and boiled as they swept


s: over it. The son of Peleus now turned away from the pyre and lay


s: down, overcome with toil, till he fell into a sweet slumber.


s: Presently they who were about the son of Atreus drew near in a


s: body, and roused him with the noise and tramp of their coming. He


s: the Achaeans, first pour red wine everywhere upon the fire and


s: quench it; let us then gather the bones of Patroclus son of


s: Menoetius, singling them out with care; they are easily found,


s: for they lie in the middle of the pyre, while all else, both men


s: and horses, has been thrown in a heap and burned at the outer


s: edge. We will lay the bones in a golden urn, in two layers of


s: fat, against the time when I shall myself go down into the house


s: of Hades. As for the barrow, labour not to raise a great one now,


s: Thus he spoke and they obeyed the word of the son of Peleus.


s: First they poured red wine upon the thick layer of ashes and


s: quenched the fire. With many tears they singled out the whitened


s: bones of their loved comrade and laid them within a golden urn in


s: and took it inside the tent. They marked off the circle where the


s: forthwith heaped up the earth. When they had thus raised a mound


s: they were going away, but Achilles stayed the people and made


s: The first prize he offered was for the chariot races--a woman


s: skilled in all useful arts, and a three-legged cauldron that had


s: ears for handles, and would hold twenty-two measures. This was


s: for the man who came in first. For the second there was a


s: six-year old mare, unbroken, and in foal to a he-ass; the third


s: was to have a goodly cauldron that had never yet been on the


s: fire; it was still bright as when it left the maker, and would


s: hold four measures. The fourth prize was two talents of gold, and


s: stood up and spoke among the Argives saying--


s: "Son of Atreus, and all other Achaeans, these are the prizes that


s: know how far my steeds excel all others--for they are immortal;


s: Neptune gave them to my father Peleus, who in his turn gave them


s: to myself; but I shall hold aloof, I and my steeds that have lost


s: clear water and anointed their manes with oil. See how they stand


s: extremity of their sorrow. But do you others set yourselves in


s: order throughout the host, whosoever has confidence in his horses


s: Thus spoke the son of Peleus and the drivers of chariots


s: bestirred themselves. First among them all uprose Eumelus, king


s: of men, son of Admetus, a man excellent in horsemanship. Next to


s: him rose mighty Diomed son of Tydeus; he yoked the Trojan horses


s: which he had taken from Aeneas, when Apollo bore him out of the


s: fight. Next to him, yellow-haired Menelaus son of Atreus rose and


s: of Anchises, that he might not have to follow him to Ilius, but


s: might stay at home and take his ease; for Jove had endowed him


s: with great wealth and he lived in spacious Sicyon. This mare, all


s: Fourth in order Antilochus, son to noble Nestor son of Neleus,


s: made ready his horses. These were bred in Pylos, and his father


s: came up to him to give him good advice of which, however, he


s: stood in but little need. "Antilochus," said Nestor, "you are


s: young, but Jove and Neptune have loved you well, and have made


s: you an excellent horseman. I need not therefore say much by way


s: of instruction. You are skilful at wheeling your horses round the


s: that will, I fear, mar your chances. The other drivers know less


s: than you do, but their horses are fleeter; therefore, my dear


s: son, see if you cannot hit upon some artifice whereby you may


s: insure that the prize shall not slip through your fingers. The


s: woodman does more by skill than by brute force; by skill the


s: pilot guides his storm-tossed barque over the sea, and so by


s: skill one driver can beat another. If a man go wide in rounding


s: this way and that, whereas a man who knows what he is doing may


s: have worse horses, but he will keep them well in hand when he


s: sees the doubling-post; he knows the precise moment at which to


s: pull the rein, and keeps his eye well on the man in front of him.


s: notice. There is a stump of a dead tree--oak or pine as it may


s: be--some six feet above the ground, and not yet rotted away by


s: rain; it stands at the fork of the road; it has two white stones


s: set one on each side, and there is a clear course all round it.


s: It may have been a monument to some one long since dead, or it


s: may have been used as a doubling-post in days gone by; now,


s: however, it has been fixed on by Achilles as the mark round which


s: stand in your chariot lean over a little to the left; urge on


s: your right-hand horse with voice and lash, and give him a loose


s: rein, but let the left-hand horse keep so close in, that the nave


s: which would be sport for others but confusion for yourself.


s: Therefore, my dear son, mind well what you are about, for if you


s: can be first to round the post there is no chance of any one


s: giving you the go-by later, not even though you had Adrestus's


s: horse Arion behind you--a horse which is of divine race--or those


s: When Nestor had made an end of counselling his son he sat down in


s: They then all mounted their chariots and cast lots. Achilles


s: shook the helmet, and the lot of Antilochus son of Nestor fell


s: out first; next came that of King Eumelus, and after his, those


s: of Menelaus son of Atreus and of Meriones. The last place fell to


s: all. They took their places in line; Achilles showed them the


s: doubling-post round which they were to turn, some way off upon


s: the plain; here he stationed his father's follower Phoenix as


s: umpire, to note the running, and report truly.


s: At the same instant they all of them lashed their horses, struck


s: them with the reins, and shouted at them with all their might.


s: They flew full speed over the plain away from the ships, the dust


s: manes were all flying in the wind. At one moment the chariots


s: seemed to touch the ground, and then again they bounded into the


s: air; the drivers stood erect, and their hearts beat fast and


s: furious in their lust of victory. Each kept calling on his


s: horses, and the horses scoured the plain amid the clouds of dust


s: It was when they were doing the last part of the course on their


s: way back towards the sea that their pace was strained to the


s: utmost and it was seen what each could do. The horses of the


s: descendant of Pheres now took the lead, and close behind them


s: came the Trojan stallions of Diomed. They seemed as if about to


s: mount Eumelus's chariot, and he could feel their warm breath on


s: his back and on his broad shoulders, for their heads were close


s: to him as they flew over the course. Diomed would have now passed


s: spite him made him drop his whip. Tears of anger fell from his


s: eyes as he saw the mares going on faster than ever, while his own


s: trick which Apollo had played the son of Tydeus, so she brought


s: him his whip and put spirit into his horses; moreover she went


s: after the son of Admetus in a rage and broke his yoke for him;


s: the mares went one to one side of the course, and the other to


s: the other, and the pole was broken against the ground. Eumelus


s: was thrown from his chariot close to the wheel; his elbows,


s: mouth, and nostrils were all torn, and his forehead was bruised


s: above his eyebrows; his eyes filled with tears and he could find


s: no utterance. But the son of Tydeus turned his horses aside and


s: shot far ahead, for Minerva put fresh strength into them and


s: Menelaus son of Atreus came next behind him, but Antilochus


s: called to his father's horses. "On with you both," he cried, "and


s: the son of Tydeus, for Minerva has put running into them, and has


s: the son of Atreus and not be left behind, or Aethe who is so


s: fleet will taunt you. Why, my good fellows, are you lagging? I


s: tell you, and it shall surely be--Nestor will keep neither of


s: you, but will put both of you to the sword, if we win any the


s: worse a prize through your carelessness. Fly after them at your


s: utmost speed; I will hit on a plan for passing them in a narrow


s: part of the way, and it shall not fail me."


s: They feared the rebuke of their master, and for a short space


s: went quicker. Presently Antilochus saw a narrow place where the


s: road had sunk. The ground was broken, for the winter's rain had


s: gathered and had worn the road so that the whole place was


s: deepened. Menelaus was making towards it so as to get there


s: first, for fear of a foul, but Antilochus turned his horses out


s: of the way, and followed him a little on one side. The son of


s: Atreus was afraid and shouted out, "Antilochus, you are driving


s: recklessly; rein in your horses; the road is too narrow here, it


s: will be wider soon, and you can pass me then; if you foul my


s: chariot you may bring both of us to a mischief."


s: But Antilochus plied his whip, and drove faster, as though he had


s: strength, and then Menelaus's mares drew behind, for he left off


s: driving for fear the horses should foul one another and upset the


s: Antilochus and said, "There is no greater trickster living than


s: you are; go, and bad luck go with you; the Achaeans say not well


s: that you have understanding, and come what may you shall not bear


s: Then he called on his horses and said to them, "Keep your pace,


s: and slacken not; the limbs of the other horses will weary sooner


s: than yours, for they are neither of them young."


s: The horses feared the rebuke of their master, and went faster, so


s: Meanwhile the Achaeans from their seats were watching how the


s: horses went, as they scoured the plain amid clouds of their own


s: dust. Idomeneus captain of the Cretans was first to make out the


s: running, for he was not in the thick of the crowd, but stood on


s: the most commanding part of the ground. The driver was a long way


s: foremost horse quite plainly--a chestnut with a round white star,


s: Argives, "My friends, princes and counsellors of the Argives, can


s: pair in front now, and another driver; those that led off at the


s: start must have been disabled out on the plain. I saw them at


s: first making their way round the doubling-post, but now, though I


s: fell from the driver's hand so that he lost command of his horses


s: have been thrown out there, and broken his chariot, while his


s: mares have left the course and gone off wildly in a panic. Come


s: up and see for yourselves, I cannot make out for certain, but the


s: Ajax the son of Oileus took him up rudely and said, "Idomeneus,


s: why should you be in such a hurry to tell us all about it, when


s: the mares are still so far out upon the plain? You are none of


s: the youngest, nor your eyes none of the sharpest, but you are


s: always laying down the law. You have no right to do so, for there


s: now, as they always have been, and he is on the chariot holding


s: The captain of the Cretans was angry, and answered, "Ajax you are


s: in much else as well, for you have a vile temper. I will wager


s: you a tripod or cauldron, and Agamemnon son of Atreus shall


s: decide whose horses are first. You will then know to your cost."


s: Ajax son of Oileus was for making him an angry answer, and there


s: would have been yet further brawling between them, had not


s: Achilles risen in his place and said, "Cease your railing, Ajax


s: and Idomeneus; is it not you would be scandalised if you saw any


s: one else do the like: sit down and keep your eyes on the horses;


s: they are speeding towards the winning-post and will be here


s: directly. You will then both of you know whose horses are first,


s: As he was speaking, the son of Tydeus came driving in, plying his


s: they flew over the course. The sand and grit rained thick on the


s: driver, and the chariot inlaid with gold and tin ran close behind


s: fine dust, and the horses came flying in at their utmost speed.


s: Diomed stayed them in the middle of the crowd, and the sweat from


s: Forthwith he sprang from his goodly chariot, and leaned his whip


s: against his horses' yoke; brave Sthenelus now lost no time, but


s: at once brought on the prize, and gave the woman and the


s: ear-handled cauldron to his comrades to take away. Then he


s: Next after him came in Antilochus of the race of Neleus, who had


s: passed Menelaus by a trick and not by the fleetness of his


s: horses; but even so Menelaus came in as close behind him as the


s: wheel is to the horse that draws both the chariot and its master.


s: there is never much space between wheel and horse when the


s: chariot is going; Menelaus was no further than this behind


s: Antilochus, though at first he had been a full disc's throw


s: behind him. He had soon caught him up again, for Agamemnon's mare


s: had been longer he would have passed him, and there would not


s: even have been a dead heat. Idomeneus's brave squire Meriones was


s: all, and he was the worst driver. Last of them all came the son


s: of Admetus, dragging his chariot and driving his horses on in


s: front. When Achilles saw him he was sorry, and stood up among the


s: a prize for it is reasonable. He shall have the second, but the


s: Thus did he speak and the others all of them applauded his


s: saying, and were for doing as he had said, but Nestor's son


s: Antilochus stood up and claimed his rights from the son of


s: Peleus. "Achilles," said he, "I shall take it much amiss if you


s: do this thing; you would rob me of my prize, because you think


s: Eumelus's chariot and horses were thrown out, and himself too,


s: good man that he is. He should have prayed duly to the immortals;


s: sorry for him and so choose, you have much gold in your tents,


s: with bronze, sheep, cattle and horses. Take something from this


s: store if you would have the Achaeans speak well of you, and give


s: him a better prize even than that which you have now offered; but


s: Achilles smiled as he heard this, and was pleased with


s: Antilochus, who was one of his dearest comrades. So he said--


s: "Antilochus, if you would have me find Eumelus another prize, I


s: will give him the bronze breastplate with a rim of tin running


s: all round it which I took from Asteropaeus. It will be worth much


s: He bade his comrade Automedon bring the breastplate from his


s: tent, and he did so. Achilles then gave it over to Eumelus, who


s: But Menelaus got up in a rage, furiously angry with Antilochus.


s: An attendant placed his staff in his hands and bade the Argives


s: keep silence: the hero then addressed them. "Antilochus," said


s: he, "what is this from you who have been so far blameless? You


s: have made me cut a poor figure and baulked my horses by flinging


s: your own in front of them, though yours are much worse than mine


s: are; therefore, O princes and counsellors of the Argives, judge


s: between us and show no favour, lest one of the Achaeans say,


s: 'Menelaus has got the mare through lying and corruption; his


s: horses were far inferior to Antilochus's, but he has greater


s: weight and influence.' Nay, I will determine the matter myself,


s: and no man will blame me, for I shall do what is just. Come here,


s: earth-encircling Neptune that you did not purposely and


s: guilefully get in the way of my horses."


s: And Antilochus answered, "Forgive me; I am much younger, King


s: Menelaus, than you are; you stand higher than I do and are the


s: better man of the two; you know how easily young men are betrayed


s: less judgement; make due allowances therefore, and bear with me;


s: I will of my own accord give up the mare that I have won, and if


s: you claim any further chattel from my own possessions, I would


s: rather yield it to you, at once, than fall from your good graces


s: henceforth, and do wrong in the sight of heaven."


s: The son of Nestor then took the mare and gave her over to


s: Menelaus, whose anger was thus appeased; as when dew falls upon a


s: harvest--even so, O Menelaus, was your heart made glad within


s: you. He turned to Antilochus and said, "Now, Antilochus, angry


s: though I have been, I can give way to you of my own free will;


s: you have never been headstrong nor ill-disposed hitherto, but


s: this time your youth has got the better of your judgement; be


s: careful how you outwit your betters in future; no one else could


s: have brought me round so easily, but your good father, your


s: brother, and yourself have all of you had infinite trouble on my


s: behalf; I therefore yield to your entreaty, and will give up the


s: mare to you, mine though it indeed be; the people will thus see


s: that I am neither harsh nor vindictive."


s: With this he gave the mare over to Antilochus's comrade Noemon,


s: and then took the cauldron. Meriones, who had come in fourth,


s: carried off the two talents of gold, and the fifth prize, the


s: two-handled urn, being unawarded, Achilles gave it to Nestor,


s: going up to him among the assembled Argives and saying, "Take


s: this, my good old friend, as an heirloom and memorial of the


s: funeral of Patroclus--for you shall see him no more among the


s: Argives. I give you this prize though you cannot win one; you can


s: javelin-match nor foot-races, for the hand of age has been laid


s: So saying he gave the urn over to Nestor, who received it gladly


s: and answered, "My son, all that you have said is true; there is


s: no strength now in my legs and feet, nor can I hit out with my


s: hands from either shoulder. Would that I were still young and


s: strong as when the Epeans were burying King Amarynceus in


s: Buprasium, and his sons offered prizes in his honour. There was


s: then none that could vie with me neither of the Epeans nor the


s: Pylians themselves nor the Aetolians. In boxing I overcame


s: Clytomedes son of Enops, and in wrestling, Ancaeus of Pleuron who


s: beat him, and threw farther with my spear than either Phyleus or


s: Polydorus. In chariot-racing alone did the two sons of Actor


s: surpass me by crowding their horses in front of me, for they were


s: They were twins, and the one kept on holding the reins, and


s: holding the reins, while the other plied the whip. Such was I


s: then, but now I must leave these matters to younger men; I must


s: bow before the weight of years, but in those days I was eminent


s: among heroes. And now, sir, go on with the funeral contests in


s: honour of your comrade: gladly do I accept this urn, and my heart


s: goodwill towards you, and of the respect due to me from the


s: Achaeans. For all which may the grace of heaven be vouchsafed you


s: Thereon the son of Peleus, when he had listened to all the thanks


s: presently offered prizes for skill in the painful art of boxing.


s: He brought out a strong mule, and made it fast in the middle of


s: the crowd--a she-mule never yet broken, but six years old--when


s: it is hardest of all to break them: this was for the victor, and


s: for the vanquished he offered a double cup. Then he stood up and


s: said among the Argives, "Son of Atreus, and all other Achaeans, I


s: compete for these prizes. He to whom Apollo vouchsafes the


s: greater endurance, and whom the Achaeans acknowledge as victor,


s: shall take the mule back with him to his own tent, while he that


s: is vanquished shall have the double cup."


s: As he spoke there stood up a champion both brave and great


s: stature, a skilful boxer, Epeus, son of Panopeus. He laid his


s: hand on the mule and said, "Let the man who is to have the cup


s: come hither, for none but myself will take the mule. I am the


s: best boxer of all here present, and none can beat me. Is it not


s: enough that I should fall short of you in actual fighting? Still,


s: shall come true; if any man will box with me I will bruise his


s: body and break his bones; therefore let his friends stay here in


s: a body and be at hand to take him away when I have done with


s: They all held their peace, and no man rose save Euryalus son of


s: Mecisteus, who was son of Talaus. Mecisteus went once to Thebes


s: after the fall of Oedipus, to attend his funeral, and he beat all


s: cheering him on and hoping heartily that he would win. First he


s: put a waistband round him and then he gave him some well-cut


s: thongs of ox-hide; the two men being now girt went into the


s: middle of the ring, and immediately fell to; heavily indeed did


s: they punish one another and lay about them with their brawny


s: fists. One could hear the horrid crashing of their jaws, and they


s: and gave Euryalus a blow on the jaw as he was looking round;


s: Euryalus could not keep his legs; they gave way under him in a


s: moment and he sprang up with a bound, as a fish leaps into the


s: air near some shore that is all bestrewn with sea-wrack, when


s: Boreas furs the top of the waves, and then falls back into deep


s: water. But noble Epeus caught hold of him and raised him up; his


s: comrades also came round him and led him from the ring, unsteady


s: in his gait, his head hanging on one side, and spitting great


s: clots of gore. They set him down in a swoon and then went to


s: The son of Peleus now brought out the prizes for the third


s: contest and showed them to the Argives. These were for the


s: painful art of wrestling. For the winner there was a great tripod


s: skilled in all manner of arts, and they valued her at four oxen.


s: He rose and said among the Argives, "Stand forward, you who will


s: Forthwith uprose great Ajax the son of Telamon, and crafty


s: Ulysses, full of wiles, rose also. The two girded themselves and


s: went into the middle of the ring. They gripped each other in


s: their strong hands like the rafters which some master-builder


s: frames for the roof of a high house to keep the wind out. Their


s: backbones cracked as they tugged at one another with their mighty


s: sprang up on their sides and shoulders, but they kept on striving


s: could not throw Ajax, nor Ajax him; Ulysses was too strong for


s: him; but when the Achaeans began to tire of watching them, Ajax


s: said to Ulysses, "Ulysses, noble son of Laertes, you shall either


s: He lifted him from the ground as he spoke, but Ulysses did not


s: forget his cunning. He hit Ajax in the hollow at back of his


s: knee, so that he could not keep his feet, but fell on his back


s: with Ulysses lying upon his chest, and all who saw it marvelled.


s: Then Ulysses in turn lifted Ajax and stirred him a little from


s: the ground but could not lift him right off it, his knee sank


s: under him, and the two fell side by side on the ground and were


s: all begrimed with dust. They now sprang towards one another and


s: were for wrestling yet a third time, but Achilles rose and stayed


s: suffering; the victory is with both alike, take each of you an


s: equal prize, and let the other Achaeans now compete."


s: Thus did he speak and they did even as he had said, and put on


s: their shirts again after wiping the dust from off their bodies.


s: The son of Peleus then offered prizes for speed in running--a


s: mixing-bowl beautifully wrought, of pure silver. It would hold


s: six measures, and far exceeded all others in the whole world for


s: beauty; it was the work of cunning artificers in Sidon, and had


s: been brought into port by Phoenicians from beyond the sea, who


s: had made a present of it to Thoas. Eueneus son of Jason had given


s: be the swiftest runner. For the second prize he offered a large


s: ox, well fattened, while for the last there was to be half a


s: talent of gold. He then rose and said among the Argives, "Stand


s: forward, you who will essay this contest."


s: Forthwith uprose fleet Ajax son of Oileus, with cunning Ulysses,


s: and Nestor's son Antilochus, the fastest runner among all the


s: youth of his time. They stood side by side and Achilles showed


s: them the goal. The course was set out for them from the


s: starting-post, and the son of Oileus took the lead at once, with


s: Ulysses as close behind him as the shuttle is to a woman's bosom


s: when she throws the woof across the warp and holds it close up to


s: footprints before the dust could settle there, and Ajax could


s: feel his breath on the back of his head as he ran swiftly on. The


s: utmost, and cheered him as he shot past them; but when they were


s: now nearing the end of the course Ulysses prayed inwardly to


s: Minerva. "Hear me," he cried, "and help my feet, O goddess." Thus


s: hands and his feet feel light, and when the runners were at the


s: point of pouncing upon the prize, Ajax, through Minerva's spite


s: slipped upon some offal that was lying there from the cattle


s: which Achilles had slaughtered in honour of Patroclus, and his


s: mouth and nostrils were all filled with cow dung. Ulysses


s: therefore carried off the mixing-bowl, for he got before Ajax and


s: one of its horns, spitting the dung out of his mouth. Then he


s: said to the Argives, "Alas, the goddess has spoiled my running;


s: she watches over Ulysses and stands by him as though she were his


s: Antilochus carried off the last prize and smiled as he said to


s: the bystanders, "You all see, my friends, that now too the gods


s: have shown their respect for seniority. Ajax is somewhat older


s: than I am, and as for Ulysses, he belongs to an earlier


s: generation, but he is hale in spite of his years, and no man of


s: the Achaeans can run against him save only Achilles."


s: He said this to pay a compliment to the son of Peleus, and


s: Achilles answered, "Antilochus, you shall not have praised me to


s: no purpose; I shall give you an additional half talent of gold."


s: He then gave the half talent to Antilochus, who received it


s: Then the son of Peleus brought out the spear, helmet and shield


s: that had been borne by Sarpedon, and were taken from him by


s: Patroclus. He stood up and said among the Argives, "We bid two


s: champions put on their armour, take their keen blades, and make


s: trial of one another in the presence of the multitude; whichever


s: of them can first wound the flesh of the other, cut through his


s: armour, and draw blood, to him will I give this goodly Thracian


s: sword inlaid with silver, which I took from Asteropaeus, but the


s: armour let both hold in partnership, and I will give each of them


s: Forthwith uprose great Ajax the son of Telamon, as also mighty


s: Diomed son of Tydeus. When they had put on their armour each on


s: his own side of the ring, they both went into the middle eager to


s: marvelled as they beheld them, and when the two were now close up


s: to strike each other in close combat. Ajax pierced Diomed's round


s: shield protected him; thereon the son of Tydeus from over his


s: huge shield kept aiming continually at Ajax's neck with the point


s: leave off fighting and divide the prize between them. Achilles


s: then gave the great sword to the son of Tydeus, with its


s: scabbard, and the leathern belt with which to hang it.


s: Achilles next offered the massive iron quoit which mighty Eetion


s: had erewhile been used to hurl, until Achilles had slain him and


s: carried it off in his ships along with other spoils. He stood up


s: and said among the Argives, "Stand forward, you who would essay


s: this contest. He who wins it will have a store of iron that will


s: last him five years as they go rolling round, and if his fair


s: fields lie far from a town his shepherd or ploughman will not


s: have to make a journey to buy iron, for he will have a stock of


s: Then uprose the two mighty men Polypoetes and Leonteus, with Ajax


s: which set all the Achaeans laughing. After him threw Leonteus of


s: the race of Mars. Ajax son of Telamon threw third, and sent the


s: quoit beyond any mark that had been made yet, but when mighty


s: Polypoetes took the quoit he hurled it as though it had been a


s: stockman's stick which he sends flying about among his cattle


s: when he is driving them, so far did his throw out-distance those


s: of the others. All who saw it roared applause, and his comrades


s: carried the prize for him and set it on board his ship.


s: Achilles next offered a prize of iron for archery--ten


s: double-edged axes and ten with single edges: he set up a ship's


s: mast, some way off upon the sands, and with a fine string tied a


s: pigeon to it by the foot; this was what they were to aim at.


s: "Whoever," he said, "can hit the pigeon shall have all the axes


s: and take them away with him; he who hits the string without


s: hitting the bird will have taken a worse aim and shall have the


s: Then uprose King Teucer, and Meriones the stalwart squire of


s: Idomeneus rose also, They cast lots in a bronze helmet and the


s: lot of Teucer fell first. He let fly with his arrow forthwith,


s: but he did not promise hecatombs of firstling lambs to King


s: Apollo, and missed his bird, for Apollo foiled his aim; but he


s: hit the string with which the bird was tied, near its foot; the


s: arrow cut the string clean through so that it hung down towards


s: the ground, while the bird flew up into the sky, and the Achaeans


s: was aiming, snatched the bow out of his hand, and at once


s: promised that he would sacrifice a hecatomb of firstling lambs to


s: upwards; the arrow went clean through the wing and fixed itself


s: in the ground at Meriones' feet, but the bird perched on the


s: ship's mast hanging her head and with all her feathers drooping;


s: the life went out of her, and she fell heavily from the mast.


s: Meriones, therefore, took all ten double-edged axes, while Teucer


s: Then the son of Peleus brought in a spear and a cauldron that had


s: stalwart squire of Idomeneus. But Achilles spoke saying, "Son of


s: Atreus, we know how far you excel all others both in power and in


s: ships, but if it so please you, let us give the spear to


s: Meriones; this at least is what I should myself wish."


s: King Agamemnon assented. So he gave the bronze spear to Meriones,


s: Priam ransoms the body of Hector--Hector's funeral.


s: THE assembly now broke up and the people went their ways each to


s: his own ship. There they made ready their supper, and then


s: bethought them of the blessed boon of sleep; but Achilles still


s: wept for thinking of his dear comrade, and sleep, before whom all


s: he thought of all they had done together, and all they had gone


s: through both on the field of battle and on the waves of the weary


s: his side, now on his back, and now face downwards, till at last


s: he rose and went out as one distraught to wander upon the


s: seashore. Then, when he saw dawn breaking over beach and sea, he


s: yoked his horses to his chariot, and bound the body of Hector


s: behind it that he might drag it about. Thrice did he drag it


s: round the tomb of the son of Menoetius, and then went back into


s: his tent, leaving the body on the ground full length and with its


s: for he pitied the man, dead though he now was; therefore he


s: shielded him with his golden aegis continually, that he might


s: take no hurt while Achilles was dragging him.


s: Thus shamefully did Achilles in his fury dishonour Hector; but


s: the blessed gods looked down in pity from heaven, and urged


s: Mercury, slayer of Argus, to steal the body. All were of this


s: mind save only Juno, Neptune, and Jove's grey-eyed daughter, who


s: persisted in the hate which they had ever borne towards Ilius


s: with Priam and his people; for they forgave not the wrong done


s: them by Alexandrus in disdaining the goddesses who came to him


s: when he was in his sheepyards, and preferring her who had offered


s: When, therefore, the morning of the twelfth day had now come,


s: Phoebus Apollo spoke among the immortals saying, "You gods ought


s: to be ashamed of yourselves; you are cruel and hard-hearted. Did


s: not Hector burn you thigh-bones of heifers and of unblemished


s: goats? And now dare you not rescue even his dead body, for his


s: wife to look upon, with his mother and child, his father Priam,


s: and his people, who would forthwith commit him to the flames, and


s: like some savage lion that in the pride of his great strength and


s: Achilles flung aside all pity, and all that conscience which at


s: once so greatly banes yet greatly boons him that will heed it.


s: man may lose one far dearer than Achilles has lost--a son, it may


s: much sorrow to kill a man; whereas Achilles, now that he has


s: slain noble Hector, drags him behind his chariot round the tomb


s: of his comrade. It were better of him, and for him, that he


s: should not do so, for brave though he be we gods may take it ill


s: that he should vent his fury upon dead clay."


s: Juno spoke up in a rage. "This were well," she cried, "O lord of


s: the silver bow, if you would give like honour to Hector and to


s: Achilles; but Hector was mortal and suckled at a woman's breast,


s: whereas Achilles is the offspring of a goddess whom I myself


s: reared and brought up. I married her to Peleus, who is above


s: measure dear to the immortals; you gods came all of you to her


s: wedding; you feasted along with them yourself and brought your


s: lyre--false, and fond of low company, that you have ever been."


s: Then said Jove, "Juno, be not so bitter. Their honour shall not


s: be equal, but of all that dwell in Ilius, Hector was dearest to


s: the gods, as also to myself, for his offerings never failed me.


s: Never was my altar stinted of its dues, nor of the


s: drink-offerings and savour of sacrifice which we claim of right.


s: I shall therefore permit the body of mighty Hector to be stolen;


s: and yet this may hardly be without Achilles coming to know it,


s: for his mother keeps night and day beside him. Let some one of


s: you, therefore, send Thetis to me, and I will impart my counsel


s: to her, namely that Achilles is to accept a ransom from Priam,


s: On this Iris fleet as the wind went forth to carry his message.


s: Down she plunged into the dark sea midway between Samos and rocky


s: into the bottom as the lead at the end of an ox-horn, that is


s: sped to carry death to fishes. She found Thetis sitting in a


s: great cave with the other sea-goddesses gathered round her; there


s: bids you come to him." And Thetis answered, "Why does the mighty


s: god so bid me? I am in great grief, and shrink from going in and


s: out among the immortals. Still, I will go, and the word that he


s: The goddess took her dark veil, than which there can be no robe


s: more sombre, and went forth with fleet Iris leading the way


s: before her. The waves of the sea opened them a path, and when


s: they reached the shore they flew up into the heavens, where they


s: found the all-seeing son of Saturn with the blessed gods that


s: live for ever assembled near him. Minerva gave up her seat to


s: her, and she sat down by the side of father Jove. Juno then


s: placed a fair golden cup in her hand, and spoke to her in words


s: of comfort, whereon Thetis drank and gave her back the cup; and


s: the sire of gods and men was the first to speak.


s: "So, goddess," said he, "for all your sorrow, and the grief that


s: I well know reigns ever in your heart, you have come hither to


s: Olympus, and I will tell you why I have sent for you. This nine


s: days past the immortals have been quarrelling about Achilles


s: waster of cities and the body of Hector. The gods would have


s: Mercury slayer of Argus steal the body, but in furtherance of our


s: son as I will now tell you. Go, then, to the host and lay these


s: commands upon him; say that the gods are angry with him, and that


s: the ships and will not give him up. He may thus fear me and let


s: the body go. At the same time I will send Iris to great Priam to


s: bid him go to the ships of the Achaeans, and ransom his son,


s: taking with him such gifts for Achilles as may give him


s: Silver-footed Thetis did as the god had told her, and forthwith


s: down she darted from the topmost summits of Olympus. She went to


s: her son's tents where she found him grieving bitterly, while his


s: trusty comrades round him were busy preparing their morning meal,


s: down beside him and caressed him with her hand saying, "My son,


s: how long will you keep on thus grieving and making moan? You are


s: gnawing at your own heart, and think neither of food nor of


s: woman's embraces; and yet these too were well, for you have no


s: long time to live, and death with the strong hand of fate are


s: already close beside you. Now, therefore, heed what I say, for I


s: come as a messenger from Jove; he says that the gods are angry


s: with you, and himself more angry than them all, in that you keep


s: Hector at the ships and will not give him up. Therefore let him


s: And Achilles answered, "So be it. If Olympian Jove of his own


s: motion thus commands me, let him that brings the ransom bear the


s: Thus did mother and son talk together at the ships in long


s: discourse with one another. Meanwhile the son of Saturn sent Iris


s: go to the ships of the Achaeans and free the body of his dear


s: son. He is to take such gifts with him as shall give satisfaction


s: only some honoured servant who may drive his mules and waggon,


s: and bring back the body of him whom noble Achilles has slain. Let


s: send the slayer of Argus to escort him, and bring him within the


s: tent of Achilles. Achilles will not kill him nor let another do


s: so, for he will take heed to his ways and sin not, and he will


s: entreat a suppliant with all honourable courtesy."


s: On this Iris, fleet as the wind, sped forth to deliver her


s: message. She went to Priam's house, and found weeping and


s: lamentation therein. His sons were seated round their father in


s: the outer courtyard, and their raiment was wet with tears: the


s: old man sat in the midst of them with his mantle wrapped close


s: about his body, and his head and neck all covered with the filth


s: which he had clutched as he lay grovelling in the mire. His


s: daughters and his sons' wives went wailing about the house, as


s: they thought of the many and brave men who lay dead, slain by the


s: said, "Priam offspring of Dardanus, take heart and fear not. I


s: bring no evil tidings, but am minded well towards you. I come as


s: a messenger from Jove, who though he be not near, takes thought


s: for you and pities you. The lord of Olympus bids you go and


s: ransom noble Hector, and take with you such gifts as shall give


s: satisfaction to Achilles. You are to go alone, with no Trojan,


s: save only some honoured servant who may drive your mules and


s: waggon, and bring back to the city the body of him whom noble


s: Achilles has slain. You are to have no thought, nor fear of


s: death, for Jove will send the slayer of Argus to escort you. When


s: you nor let another do so, for he will take heed to his ways and


s: sin not, and he will entreat a suppliant with all honourable


s: Iris went her way when she had thus spoken, and Priam told his


s: sons to get a mule-waggon ready, and to make the body of the


s: waggon fast upon the top of its bed. Then he went down into his


s: fragrant store-room, high-vaulted, and made of cedar-wood, where


s: his many treasures were kept, and he called Hecuba his wife.


s: "Wife," said he, "a messenger has come to me from Olympus, and


s: has told me to go to the ships of the Achaeans to ransom my dear


s: son, taking with me such gifts as shall give satisfaction to


s: Achilles. What think you of this matter? for my own part I am


s: greatly moved to pass through the camps of the Achaeans and go to


s: His wife cried aloud as she heard him, and said, "Alas, what has


s: become of that judgement for which you have been ever famous both


s: slain so many of your brave sons? You must have iron courage, for


s: neither respect nor pity. Let us then weep Hector from afar here


s: in our own house, for when I gave him birth the threads of


s: overruling fate were spun for him that dogs should eat his flesh


s: far from his parents, in the house of that terrible man on whose


s: liver I would fain fasten and devour it. Thus would I avenge my


s: son, who showed no cowardice when Achilles slew him, and thought


s: neither of flight nor of avoiding battle as he stood in defence


s: Then Priam said, "I would go, do not therefore stay me nor be as


s: a bird of ill omen in my house, for you will not move me. Had it


s: been some mortal man who had sent me some prophet or priest who


s: divines from sacrifice--I should have deemed him false and have


s: given him no heed; but now I have heard the goddess and seen her


s: face to face, therefore I will go and her saying shall not be in


s: vain. If it be my fate to die at the ships of the Achaeans even


s: so would I have it; let Achilles slay me, if I may but first have


s: So saying he lifted the lids of his chests, and took out twelve


s: goodly vestments. He took also twelve cloaks of single fold,


s: twelve rugs, twelve fair mantles, and an equal number of shirts.


s: He weighed out ten talents of gold, and brought moreover two


s: burnished tripods, four cauldrons, and a very beautiful cup which


s: embassy; it was very precious, but he grudged not even this, so


s: eager was he to ransom the body of his son. Then he chased all


s: the Trojans from the court and rebuked them with words of anger.


s: "Out," he cried, "shame and disgrace to me that you are. Have you


s: Is it a small thing, think you, that the son of Saturn has sent


s: this sorrow upon me, to lose the bravest of my sons? Nay, you


s: shall prove it in person, for now he is gone the Achaeans will


s: have easier work in killing you. As for me, let me go down within


s: He drove the men away with his staff, and they went forth as the


s: old man sped them. Then he called to his sons, upbraiding


s: Helenus, Paris, noble Agathon, Pammon, Antiphonus, Polites of the


s: the old man call near him. "Come to me at once," he cried,


s: "worthless sons who do me shame; would that you had all been


s: killed at the ships rather than Hector. Miserable man that I am,


s: I have had the bravest sons in all Troy--noble Nestor, Troilus


s: the dauntless charioteer, and Hector who was a god among men, so


s: that one would have thought he was son to an immortal--yet there


s: is not one of them left. Mars has slain them and those of whom I


s: am ashamed are alone left me. Liars, and light of foot, heroes of


s: things upon it that I may set out on my way?"


s: Thus did he speak, and they feared the rebuke of their father.


s: They brought out a strong mule-waggon, newly made, and set the


s: body of the waggon fast on its bed. They took the mule-yoke from


s: the peg on which it hung, a yoke of boxwood with a knob on the


s: top of it and rings for the reins to go through. Then they


s: brought a yoke-band eleven cubits long, to bind the yoke to the


s: pole; they bound it on at the far end of the pole, and put the


s: ring over the upright pin making it fast with three turns of the


s: band on either side the knob, and bending the thong of the yoke


s: beneath it. This done, they brought from the store-chamber the


s: rich ransom that was to purchase the body of Hector, and they set


s: harness-mules which the Mysians had on a time given as a goodly


s: present to Priam; but for Priam himself they yoked horses which


s: the old king had bred, and kept for own use.


s: Thus heedfully did Priam and his servant see to the yolking of


s: their cars at the palace. Then Hecuba came to them all sorrowful,


s: make a drink-offering before they set out. She stood in front of


s: the horses and said, "Take this, make a drink-offering to father


s: Jove, and since you are minded to go to the ships in spite of me,


s: enemies. Pray to the son of Saturn lord of the whirlwind, who


s: sits on Ida and looks down over all Troy, pray him to send his


s: swift messenger on your right hand, the bird of omen which is


s: strongest and most dear to him of all birds, that you may see it


s: with your own eyes and trust it as you go forth to the ships of


s: the Danaans. If all-seeing Jove will not send you this messenger,


s: And Priam answered, "Wife, I will do as you desire me; it is well


s: With this the old man bade the serving-woman pour pure water over


s: washed his hands and took the cup from his wife; then he made the


s: courtyard and turning his eyes to heaven. "Father Jove," he said,


s: Achilles; and send your swift messenger upon my right hand, the


s: bird of omen which is strongest and most dear to you of all


s: birds, that I may see it with my own eyes and trust it as I go


s: So did he pray, and Jove the lord of counsel heard his prayer.


s: Forthwith he sent an eagle, the most unerring portent of all


s: birds that fly, the dusky hunter that men also call the Black


s: Eagle. His wings were spread abroad on either side as wide as the


s: to them flying over the city upon their right hands, and when


s: they saw him they were glad and their hearts took comfort within


s: them. The old man made haste to mount his chariot, and drove out


s: through the inner gateway and under the echoing gatehouse of the


s: outer court. Before him went the mules drawing the four-wheeled


s: waggon, and driven by wise Idaeus; behind these were the horses,


s: which the old man lashed with his whip and drove swiftly through


s: the city, while his friends followed after, wailing and lamenting


s: had come down from the city and had reached the plain, his sons


s: and sons-in-law who had followed him went back to Ilius.


s: But Priam and Idaeus as they showed out upon the plain did not


s: escape the ken of all-seeing Jove, who looked down upon the old


s: man and pitied him; then he spoke to his son Mercury and said,


s: "Mercury, for it is you who are the most disposed to escort men


s: on their way, and to hear those whom you will hear, go, and so


s: conduct Priam to the ships of the Achaeans that no other of the


s: Danaans shall see him nor take note of him until he reach the son


s: Thus he spoke and Mercury, guide and guardian, slayer of Argus,


s: did as he was told. Forthwith he bound on his glittering golden


s: sandals with which he could fly like the wind over land and sea;


s: he took the wand with which he seals men's eyes in sleep, or


s: wakes them just as he pleases, and flew holding it in his hand


s: till he came to Troy and to the Hellespont. To look at, he was


s: like a young man of noble birth in the hey-day of his youth and


s: beauty with the down just coming upon his face.


s: Now when Priam and Idaeus had driven past the great tomb of


s: Ilius, they stayed their mules and horses that they might drink


s: in the river, for the shades of night were falling, when,


s: therefore, Idaeus saw Mercury standing near them he said to


s: Priam, "Take heed, descendant of Dardanus; here is matter which


s: demands consideration. I see a man who I think will presently


s: fall upon us; let us fly with our horses, or at least embrace his


s: When he heard this the old man's heart failed him, and he was in


s: great fear; he stayed where he was as one dazed, and the hair


s: stood on end over his whole body; but the bringer of good luck


s: came up to him and took him by the hand, saying, "Whither,


s: father, are you thus driving your mules and horses in the dead of


s: some one of them see you bearing so much treasure through the


s: darkness of the flying night, what would not your state then be?


s: You are no longer young, and he who is with you is too old to


s: protect you from those who would attack you. For myself, I will


s: do you no harm, and I will defend you from any one else, for you


s: And Priam answered, "It is indeed as you say, my dear son;


s: nevertheless some god has held his hand over me, in that he has


s: sent such a wayfarer as yourself to meet me so opportunely; you


s: are so comely in mien and figure, and your judgement is so


s: excellent that you must come of blessed parents."


s: Then said the slayer of Argus, guide and guardian, "Sir, all that


s: taking this rich treasure to send it to a foreign people where it


s: that your son has fallen who was the bravest man among you and


s: was never lacking in battle with the Achaeans?"


s: And Priam said, "Who are you, my friend, and who are your


s: parents, that you speak so truly about the fate of my unhappy


s: The slayer of Argus, guide and guardian, answered him, "Sir, you


s: would prove me, that you question me about noble Hector. Many a


s: time have I set eyes upon him in battle when he was driving the


s: Argives to their ships and putting them to the sword. We stood


s: still and marvelled, for Achilles in his anger with the son of


s: Atreus suffered us not to fight. I am his squire, and came with


s: him in the same ship. I am a Myrmidon, and my father's name is


s: Polyctor: he is a rich man and about as old as you are; he has


s: six sons besides myself, and I am the seventh. We cast lots, and


s: it fell upon me to sail hither with Achilles. I am now come from


s: the ships on to the plain, for with daybreak the Achaeans will


s: set battle in array about the city. They chafe at doing nothing,


s: and are so eager that their princes cannot hold them back."


s: Then answered Priam, "If you are indeed the squire of Achilles


s: son of Peleus, tell me now the whole truth. Is my son still at


s: the ships, or has Achilles hewn him limb from limb, and given him


s: "Sir," replied the slayer of Argus, guide and guardian, "neither


s: hounds nor vultures have yet devoured him; he is still just lying


s: Achilles drags him cruelly round the sepulchre of his dear


s: comrade, but it does him no hurt. You should come yourself and


s: see how he lies fresh as dew, with the blood all washed away, and


s: their spears. Such care have the blessed gods taken of your brave


s: The old man was comforted as he heard him and said, "My son, see


s: what a good thing it is to have made due offerings to the


s: immortals; for as sure as that he was born my son never forgot


s: the gods that hold Olympus, and now they requite it to him even


s: in death. Accept therefore at my hands this goodly chalice; guard


s: Then answered the slayer of Argus, guide and guardian, "Sir, you


s: are tempting me and playing upon my youth, but you shall not move


s: Achilles whom I fear and hold it great guilt to defraud, lest


s: some evil presently befall me; but as your guide I would go with


s: you even to Argos itself, and would guard you so carefully


s: whether by sea or land, that no one should attack you through


s: The bringer of good luck then sprang on to the chariot, and


s: seizing the whip and reins he breathed fresh spirit into the


s: mules and horses. When they reached the trench and the wall that


s: was before the ships, those who were on guard had just been


s: getting their suppers, and the slayer of Argus threw them all


s: into a deep sleep. Then he drew back the bolts to open the gates,


s: Ere long they came to the lofty dwelling of the son of Peleus for


s: their king; when they had built it they thatched it with coarse


s: tussock-grass which they had mown out on the plain, and all round


s: close together. The gate was barred with a single bolt of pine


s: which it took three men to force into its place, and three to


s: draw back so as to open the gate, but Achilles could draw it by


s: himself. Mercury opened the gate for the old man, and brought in


s: the treasure that he was taking with him for the son of Peleus.


s: Then he sprang from the chariot on to the ground and said, "Sir,


s: it is I, immortal Mercury, that am come with you, for my father


s: sent me to escort you. I will now leave you, and will not enter


s: into the presence of Achilles, for it might anger him that a god


s: should befriend mortal men thus openly. Go you within, and


s: embrace the knees of the son of Peleus: beseech him by his


s: father, his lovely mother, and his son; thus you may move him."


s: With these words Mercury went back to high Olympus. Priam sprang


s: from his chariot to the ground, leaving Idaeus where he was, in


s: charge of the mules and horses. The old man went straight into


s: the house where Achilles, loved of the gods, was sitting. There


s: he found him with his men seated at a distance from him: only


s: two, the hero Automedon, and Alcimus of the race of Mars, were


s: busy in attendance about his person, for he had but just done


s: eating and drinking, and the table was still there. King Priam


s: entered without their seeing him, and going right up to Achilles


s: he clasped his knees and kissed the dread murderous hands that


s: As when some cruel spite has befallen a man that he should have


s: killed some one in his own country, and must fly to a great man's


s: even so did Achilles marvel as he beheld Priam. The others looked


s: saying, "Think of your father, O Achilles like unto the gods, who


s: that those who dwell near him harass him, and there is none to


s: keep war and ruin from him. Yet when he hears of you being still


s: alive, he is glad, and his days are full of hope that he shall


s: see his dear son come home to him from Troy; but I, wretched man


s: that I am, had the bravest in all Troy for my sons, and there is


s: not one of them left. I had fifty sons when the Achaeans came


s: here; nineteen of them were from a single womb, and the others


s: were borne to me by the women of my household. The greater part


s: of them has fierce Mars laid low, and Hector, him who was alone


s: left, him who was the guardian of the city and ourselves, him


s: have you lately slain; therefore I am now come to the ships of


s: the Achaeans to ransom his body from you with a great ransom.


s: Fear, O Achilles, the wrath of heaven; think on your own father


s: and have compassion upon me, who am the more pitiable, for I have


s: and have raised to my lips the hand of him who slew my son."


s: Thus spoke Priam, and the heart of Achilles yearned as he


s: bethought him of his father. He took the old man's hand and moved


s: Achilles' feet, weeping for Hector, and Achilles now for his


s: father and now for Patroclus, till the house was filled with


s: their lamentation. But when Achilles was now sated with grief and


s: and raised the old man by the hand, in pity for his white hair


s: and beard; then he said, "Unhappy man, you have indeed been


s: greatly daring; how could you venture to come alone to the ships


s: of the Achaeans, and enter the presence of him who has slain so


s: many of your brave sons? You must have iron courage: sit now upon


s: hearts, for weeping will not avail us. The immortals know no


s: care, yet the lot they spin for man is full of sorrow; on the


s: floor of Jove's palace there stand two urns, the one filled with


s: evil gifts, and the other with good ones. He for whom Jove the


s: lord of thunder mixes the gifts he sends, will meet now with good


s: evil gifts will be pointed at by the finger of scorn, the hand of


s: up and down the face of the earth, respected neither by gods nor


s: men. Even so did it befall Peleus; the gods endowed him with all


s: good things from his birth upwards, for he reigned over the


s: Myrmidons excelling all men in prosperity and wealth, and mortal


s: though he was they gave him a goddess for his bride. But even on


s: him too did heaven send misfortune, for there is no race of royal


s: die all untimely; nor may I take care of him now that he is


s: growing old, for I must stay here at Troy to be the bane of you


s: and your children. And you too, O Priam, I have heard that you


s: were aforetime happy. They say that in wealth and plenitude of


s: dwell upon the great Hellespont; but from the day when the


s: dwellers in heaven sent this evil upon you, war and slaughter


s: have been about your city continually. Bear up against it, and


s: let there be some intervals in your sorrow. Mourn as you may for


s: your brave son, you will take nothing by it. You cannot raise him


s: And Priam answered, "O king, bid me not be seated, while Hector


s: is still lying uncared for in your tents, but accept the great


s: ransom which I have brought you, and give him to me at once that


s: I may look upon him. May you prosper with the ransom and reach


s: your own land in safety, seeing that you have suffered me to live


s: Achilles looked at him sternly and said, "Vex me, sir, no longer;


s: daughter of the old man of the sea, came to me from Jove to bid


s: me deliver it to you. Moreover I know well, O Priam, and you


s: cannot hide it, that some god has brought you to the ships of the


s: dare to come to our host; he could neither pass our guard unseen,


s: no further, lest I sin against the word of Jove, and suffer you


s: not, suppliant though you are, within my tents."


s: The old man feared him and obeyed. Then the son of Peleus sprang


s: like a lion through the door of his house, not alone, but with


s: him went his two squires Automedon and Alcimus who were closer to


s: more. These unyoked the horses and mules, and bade Priam's herald


s: for Hector's body from the waggon, but they left two mantles and


s: a goodly shirt, that Achilles might wrap the body in them when he


s: ordered them to wash the body and anoint it, but he first took it


s: should break out in the bitterness of his grief, and enrage


s: Achilles, who might then kill him and sin against the word of


s: Jove. When the servants had washed the body and anointed it, and


s: had wrapped it in a fair shirt and mantle, Achilles himself


s: lifted it on to a bier, and he and his men then laid it on the


s: waggon. He cried aloud as he did so and called on the name of his


s: father for a ransom. It has been no unworthy one, and I will


s: Achilles then went back into the tent and took his place on the


s: richly inlaid seat from which he had risen, by the wall that was


s: at right angles to the one against which Priam was sitting.


s: "Sir," he said, "your son is now laid upon his bier and is


s: ransomed according to desire; you shall look upon him when you


s: him away at daybreak; for the present let us prepare our supper.


s: Even lovely Niobe had to think about eating, though her twelve


s: children--six daughters and six lusty sons--had been all slain in


s: bow, to punish Niobe, and Diana slew the daughters, because Niobe


s: children only, whereas she had herself borne many--whereon the


s: two killed the many. Nine days did they lie weltering, and there


s: was none to bury them, for the son of Saturn turned the people


s: into stone; but on the tenth day the gods in heaven themselves


s: buried them, and Niobe then took food, being worn out with


s: weeping. They say that somewhere among the rocks on the mountain


s: pastures of Sipylus, where the nymphs live that haunt the river


s: Achelous, there, they say, she lives in stone and still nurses


s: the sorrows sent upon her by the hand of heaven. Therefore, noble


s: hereafter as you are bearing him back to Ilius--and many a tear


s: With this Achilles sprang from his seat and killed a sheep of


s: silvery whiteness, which his followers skinned and made ready all


s: roasted. Automedon brought bread in fair baskets and served it


s: round the table, while Achilles dealt out the meat, and they laid


s: they had had enough to eat and drink, Priam, descendant of


s: Dardanus, marvelled at the strength and beauty of Achilles for he


s: listened to him and looked upon his noble presence. When they had


s: "take me to my couch that we may lie down and enjoy the blessed


s: boon of sleep. Never once have my eyes been closed from the day


s: your hands took the life of my son; I have grovelled without


s: ceasing in the mire of my stable-yard, making moan and brooding


s: over my countless sorrows. Now, moreover, I have eaten bread and


s: drunk wine; hitherto I have tasted nothing."


s: As he spoke Achilles told his men and the women-servants to set


s: beds in the room that was in the gatehouse, and make them with


s: good red rugs, and spread coverlets on the top of them with


s: woollen cloaks for Priam and Idaeus to wear. So the maids went


s: out carrying a torch and got the two beds ready in all haste.


s: Then Achilles said laughingly to Priam, "Dear sir, you shall lie


s: outside, lest some counsellor of those who in due course keep


s: coming to advise with me should see you here in the darkness of


s: the flying night, and tell it to Agamemnon. This might cause


s: delay in the delivery of the body. And now tell me and tell me


s: true, for how many days would you celebrate the funeral rites of


s: noble Hector? Tell me, that I may hold aloof from war and


s: And Priam answered, "Since, then, you suffer me to bury my noble