has granted you the prayer you made him； when you lifted up your hands
and besought him that the Achaeans might all of them be pent up at
their ships； and rue it bitterly in that you were no longer with
them。〃
Achilles groaned and answered； 〃Mother； Olympian Jove has indeed
vouchsafed me the fulfilment of my prayer； but what boots it to me；
seeing that my dear comrade Patroclus has fallen… he whom I valued
more than all others； and loved as dearly as my own life？ I have
lost him； aye； and Hector when he had killed him stripped the wondrous
armour； so glorious to behold； which the gods gave to Peleus when they
laid you in the couch of a mortal man。 Would that you were still
dwelling among the immortal sea…nymphs； and that Peleus had taken to
himself some mortal bride。 For now you shall have grief infinite by
reason of the death of that son whom you can never welcome home…
nay； I will not live nor go about among mankind unless Hector fall
by my spear； and thus pay me for having slain Patroclus son of
Menoetius。〃
Thetis wept and answered； 〃Then； my son； is your end near at hand…
for your own death awaits you full soon after that of Hector。〃
Then said Achilles in his great grief； 〃I would die here and now； in
that I could not save my comrade。 He has fallen far from home； and
in his hour of need my hand was not there to help him。 What is there
for me？ Return to my own land I shall not； and I have brought no
saving neither to Patroclus nor to my other comrades of whom so many
have been slain by mighty Hector； I stay here by my ships a bootless
burden upon the earth； I； who in fight have no peer among the
Achaeans； though in council there are better than I。 Therefore； perish
strife both from among gods and men； and anger； wherein even a
righteous man will harden his heart… which rises up in the soul of a
man like smoke； and the taste thereof is sweeter than drops of
honey。 Even so has Agamemnon angered me。 And yet… so be it； for it
is over； I will force my soul into subjection as I needs must； I
will go； I will pursue Hector who has slain him whom I loved so
dearly； and will then abide my doom when it may please Jove and the
other gods to send it。 Even Hercules； the best beloved of Jove… even
he could not escape the hand of death； but fate and Juno's fierce
anger laid him low； as I too shall lie when I am dead if a like doom
awaits me。 Till then I will win fame； and will bid Trojan and
Dardanian women wring tears from their tender cheeks with both their
hands in the grievousness of their great sorrow； thus shall they
know that he who has held aloof so long will hold aloof no longer。
Hold me not back； therefore； in the love you bear me； for you shall
not move me。〃
Then silver…footed Thetis answered； 〃My son； what you have said is
true。 It is well to save your comrades from destruction； but your
armour is in the hands of the Trojans； Hector bears it in triumph upon
his own shoulders。 Full well I know that his vaunt shall not be
lasting； for his end is close at hand； go not； however； into the press
of battle till you see me return hither； to…morrow at break of day I
shall be here； and will bring you goodly armour from King Vulcan。〃
On this she left her brave son； and as she turned away she said to
the sea…nymphs her sisters； 〃Dive into the bosom of the sea and go
to the house of the old sea…god my father。 Tell him everything； as for
me； I will go to the cunning workman Vulcan on high Olympus； and ask
him to provide my son with a suit of splendid armour。〃
When she had so said； they dived forthwith beneath the waves；
while silver…footed Thetis went her way that she might bring the
armour for her son。
Thus； then； did her feet bear the goddess to Olympus； and
meanwhile the Achaeans were flying with loud cries before murderous
Hector till they reached the ships and the Hellespont； and they
could not draw the body of Mars's servant Patroclus out of reach of
the weapons that were showered upon him； for Hector son of Priam
with his host and horsemen had again caught up to him like the flame
of a fiery furnace； thrice did brave Hector seize him by the feet；
striving with might and main to draw him away and calling loudly on
the Trojans； and thrice did the two Ajaxes； clothed in valour as
with a garment； beat him from off the body； but all undaunted he would
now charge into the thick of the fight； and now again he would stand
still and cry aloud； but he would give no ground。 As upland
shepherds that cannot chase some famished lion from a carcase； even so
could not the two Ajaxes scare Hector son of Priam from the body of
Patroclus。
And now he would even have dragged it off and have won
imperishable glory； had not Iris fleet as the wind； winged her way
as messenger from Olympus to the son of Peleus and bidden him arm。 She
came secretly without the knowledge of Jove and of the other gods； for
Juno sent her； and when she had got close to him she said； 〃Up； son of
Peleus； mightiest of all mankind； rescue Patroclus about whom this
fearful fight is now raging by the ships。 Men are killing one another；
the Danaans in defence of the dead body； while the Trojans are
trying to hale it away； and take it to wind Ilius： Hector is the
most furious of them all； he is for cutting the head from the body and
fixing it on the stakes of the wall。 Up； then； and bide here no
longer； shrink from the thought that Patroclus may become meat for the
dogs of Troy。 Shame on you； should his body suffer any kind of
outrage。〃
And Achilles said； 〃Iris； which of the gods was it that sent you
to me？〃
Iris answered； 〃It was Juno the royal spouse of Jove； but the son of
Saturn does not know of my coming； nor yet does any other of the
immortals who dwell on the snowy summits of Olympus。〃
Then fleet Achilles answered her saying； 〃How can I go up into the
battle？ They have my armour。 My mother forbade me to arm till I should
see her come； for she promised to bring me goodly armour from
Vulcan； I know no man whose arms I can put on； save only the shield of
Ajax son of Telamon； and he surely must be fighting in the front
rank and wielding his spear about the body of dead Patroclus。〃
Iris said； 'We know that your armour has been taken； but go as you
are； go to the deep trench and show yourelf before the Trojans； that
they may fear you and cease fighting。 Thus will the fainting sons of
the Achaeans gain some brief breathing…time； which in battle may
hardly be。〃
Iris left him when she had so spoken。 But Achilles dear to Jove
arose； and Minerva flung her tasselled aegis round his strong
shoulders； she crowned his head with a halo of golden cloud from which
she kindled a glow of gleaming fire。 As the smoke that goes up into
heaven from some city that is being beleaguered on an island far out
at sea… all day long do men sally from the city and fight their
hardest； and at the going down of the sun the line of beacon…fires
blazes forth； flaring high for those that dwell near them to behold；
if so be that they may come with their ships and succour them… even so
did the light flare from the head of Achilles； as he stood by the
trench； going beyond the wall… but he aid not join the Achaeans for he
heeded the charge which his mother laid upon him。
There did he stand and shout aloud。 Minerva also raised her voice
from afar； and spread terror unspeakable among the Trojans。 Ringing as
the note of a trumpet that sounds alarm then the foe is at the gates
of a city； even so brazen was the voice of the son of Aeacus； and when
the Trojans heard its clarion tones they were dismayed； the horses
turned back with their chariots for they boded mischief； and their
drivers were awe…struck by the steady flame which the grey…eyed
goddess had kindled above the head of the great son of Peleus。
Thrice did Achilles raise his loud cry as he stood by the trench；
and thrice were the Trojans and their brave allies thrown into
confusion； whereon twelve of their noblest champions fell beneath
the wheels of their chariots and perished by their own spears。 The
Achaeans to their great joy then drew Patroclus out of reach of the
weapons； and laid him on a litter： his comrades stood mourning round
him； and among them fleet Achilles who wept bitterly as he saw his
true comrade lying dead upon his bier。 He had sent him out with horses
and chariots into battle； but his return he was not to welcome。
Then Juno sent the busy sun； loth though he was； into the waters
of Oceanus； so he set； and the Achaeans had rest from the tug and
turmoil of war。
Now the Trojans when they had come out of the fight； unyoked their
horses and gathered in assembly before preparing their supper。 They
kept their feet； nor would any dare to sit down； for fear had fallen
upon them all because Achilles had shown himself after having held
aloof so long from battle。 Polydamas son of Panthous was first to
speak； a man of judgement； who alone among them could look both before
and after。 He was comrade to Hector； and they had been born upon the
same night； with all sincerity and goodwill； therefore； he addressed
them thus：…
〃Look to it well； my friends； I would urge you to go back now to
your city and