his brave comrades saying； 〃Myrmidons； famed horsemen and my own
trusted friends； not yet； forsooth； let us unyoke； but with horse
and chariot draw near to the body and mourn Patroclus； in due honour
to the dead。 When we have had full comfort of lamentation we will
unyoke our horses and take supper all of us here。〃
On this they all joined in a cry of wailing and Achilles led them in
their lament。 Thrice did they drive their chariots all sorrowing round
the body； and Thetis stirred within them a still deeper yearning。
The sands of the seashore and the men's armour were wet with their
weeping； so great a minister of fear was he whom they had lost。
Chief in all their mourning was the son of Peleus： he laid his
bloodstained hand on the breast of his friend。 〃Fare well；〃 he
cried； 〃Patroclus； even in the house of Hades。 I will now do all
that I erewhile promised you； I will drag Hector hither and let dogs
devour him raw； twelve noble sons of Trojans will I also slay before
your pyre to avenge you。〃
As he spoke he treated the body of noble Hector with contumely；
laying it at full length in the dust beside the bier of Patroclus。 The
others then put off every man his armour； took the horses from their
chariots； and seated themselves in great multitude by the ship of
the fleet descendant of Aeacus； who thereon feasted them with an
abundant funeral banquet。 Many a goodly ox； with many a sheep and
bleating goat did they butcher and cut up； many a tusked boar
moreover； fat and well…fed； did they singe and set to roast in the
flames of Vulcan； and rivulets of blood flowed all round the place
where the body was lying。
Then the princes of the Achaeans took the son of Peleus to
Agamemnon； but hardly could they persuade him to come with them； so
wroth was he for the death of his comrade。 As soon as they reached
Agamemnon's tent they told the serving…men to set a large tripod
over the fire in case they might persuade the son of Peleus 'to wash
the clotted gore from this body； but he denied them sternly； and swore
it with a solemn oath； saying； 〃Nay； by King Jove； first and mightiest
of all gods； it is not meet that water should touch my body； till I
have laid Patroclus on the flames； have built him a barrow； and shaved
my head… for so long as I live no such second sorrow shall ever draw
nigh me。 Now； therefore； let us do all that this sad festival demands；
but at break of day； King Agamemnon； bid your men bring wood； and
provide all else that the dead may duly take into the realm of
darkness； the fire shall thus burn him out of our sight the sooner；
and the people shall turn again to their own labours。〃
Thus did he speak； and they did even as he had said。 They made haste
to prepare the meal； they ate； and every man had his full share so
that all were satisfied。 As soon as they had had had enough to eat and
drink； the others went to their rest each in his own tent； but the son
of Peleus lay grieving among his Myrmidons by the shore of the
sounding sea； in an open place where the waves came surging in one
after another。 Here a very deep slumber took hold upon him and eased
the burden of his sorrows； for his limbs were weary with chasing
Hector round windy Ilius。 Presently the sad spirit of Patroclus drew
near him； like what he had been in stature； voice； and the light of
his beaming eyes； clad； too； as he had been clad in life。 The spirit
hovered over his head and said…
〃You sleep； Achilles； and have forgotten me； you loved me living；
but now that I am dead you think for me no further。 Bury me with all
speed that I may pass the gates of Hades； the ghosts； vain shadows
of men that can labour no more； drive me away from them； they will not
yet suffer me to join those that are beyond the river； and I wander
all desolate by the wide gates of the house of Hades。 Give me now your
hand I pray you； for when you have once given me my dues of fire；
never shall I again come forth out of the house of Hades。 Nevermore
shall we sit apart and take sweet counsel among the living； the
cruel fate which was my birth…right has yawned its wide jaws around
me… nay； you too Achilles； peer of gods； are doomed to die beneath the
wall of the noble Trojans。
〃One prayer more will I make you； if you will grant it； let not my
bones be laid apart from yours； Achilles； but with them； even as we
were brought up together in your own home； what time Menoetius brought
me to you as a child from Opoeis because by a sad spite I had killed
the son of Amphidamas… not of set purpose； but in childish quarrel
over the dice。 The knight Peleus took me into his house； entreated
me kindly； and named me to be your squire； therefore let our bones lie
in but a single urn； the two…handled golden vase given to you by
your mother。〃
And Achilles answered； 〃Why； true heart； are you come hither to
lay these charges upon me？ will of my own self do all as you have
bidden me。 Draw closer to me； let us once more throw our arms around
one another； and find sad comfort in the sharing of our sorrows。〃
He opened his arms towards him as he spoke and would have clasped
him in them； but there was nothing； and the spirit vanished as a
vapour； gibbering and whining into the earth。 Achilles sprang to his
feet； smote his two hands； and made lamentation saying； 〃Of a truth
even in the house of Hades there are ghosts and phantoms that have
no life in them； all night long the sad spirit of Patroclus has
hovered over head making piteous moan； telling me what I am to do
for him； and looking wondrously like himself。〃
Thus did he speak and his words set them all weeping and mourning
about the poor dumb dead； till rosy…fingered morn appeared。 Then
King Agamemnon sent men and mules from all parts of the camp； to bring
wood； and Meriones； squire to Idomeneus； was in charge over them。 They
went out with woodmen's axes and strong ropes in their hands； and
before them went the mules。 Up hill and down dale did they go； by
straight ways and crooked； and when they reached the heights of
many…fountained Ida； they laid their axes to the roots of many a
tall branching oak that came thundering down as they felled it。 They
split the trees and bound them behind the mules； which then wended
their way as they best could through the thick brushwood on to the
plain。 All who had been cutting wood bore logs； for so Meriones squire
to Idomeneus had bidden them； and they threw them down in a line
upon the seashore at the place where Achilles would make a mighty
monument for Patroclus and for himself。
When they had thrown down their great logs of wood over the whole
ground； they stayed all of them where they were； but Achilles
ordered his brave Myrmidons to gird on their armour； and to yoke
each man his horses； they therefore rose； girded on their armour and
mounted each his chariot… they and their charioteers with them。 The
chariots went before； and they that were on foot followed as a cloud
in their tens of thousands after。 In the midst of them his comrades
bore Patroclus and covered him with the locks of their hair which they
cut off and threw upon his body。 Last came Achilles with his head
bowed for sorrow； so noble a comrade was he taking to the house of
Hades。
When they came to the place of which Achilles had told them they
laid the body down and built up the wood。 Achilles then bethought
him of another matter。 He went a space away from the pyre； and cut off
the yellow lock which he had let grow for the river Spercheius。 He
looked all sorrowfully out upon the dark sea； and said； 〃Spercheius；
in vain did my father Peleus vow to you that when I returned home to
my loved native land I should cut off this lock and offer you a holy
hecatomb； fifty she…goats was I to sacrifice to you there at your
springs； where is your grove and your altar fragrant with
burnt…offerings。 Thus did my father vow； but you have not fulfilled
his prayer； now； therefore； that I shall see my home no more； I give
this lock as a keepsake to the hero Patroclus。〃
As he spoke he placed the lock in the hands of his dear comrade； and
all who stood by were filled with yearning and lamentation。 The sun
would have gone down upon their mourning had not Achilles presently
said to Agamemnon； 〃Son of Atreus； for it is to you that the people
will give ear； there is a time to mourn and a time to cease from
mourning； bid the people now leave the pyre and set about getting
their dinners： we； to whom the dead is dearest； will see to what is
wanted here； and let the other princes also stay by me。〃
When King Agamemnon heard this he dismissed the people to their
ships； but those who were about the dead heaped up wood and built a
pyre a hundred feet this way and that； then they laid the dead all
sorrowfully upon the top of it。 They flayed and dressed many fat sheep
and oxen before the pyre； and Achilles took fat from all of them and
wrapped the body therein from head to foot； heaping the flayed
carcases all round it。 Against the bier he leaned two…handled jars
of honey and unguents； four proud horses did he then cast upon the
pyre； groaning the while he did so。 The dead hero had had
house…dogs； two of them did Achilles slay and threw upon th