 Book 23 of the Iliad. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. The Iliad, my home, translated by Samuel Butler. Book 23. The funeral of Patroclus and the funeral games. Thus did they make their moan throughout the city, while the Achaeans, when they reached the helispent, went back every man to his own ship. Let the killers would not let the Mimidans go, and spoke to his brave comrades saying, Mimidans, famed horsemen and my own trusted friends. Not yet for sooth 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 Sapa, all of us here. On this they all joined in a cry of wailing, and the killers led them in their lament. Therias did they drive their chariots all sorrowing around the body, and Tethys 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 blood-stained hand on the breast of his friend. Farewell, he cried, Patroclus, even in the house of Hades, I will now do all that I ere while 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 and just beside the beard 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 or the fleet descendant of Iquius, who thereon feasted them with an abundant funeral banquet, many a goodly ox, with many a sheep and bleating goat, the day butchered and cut up, many a tusked boar moreover, fat and well fed, the day singed and set roast in the flames of Vulcan, and rivulets of blood flowed all around the place where the body was lying. Then the princes of the Icaians took the son of Peleus to Agamemnon, but hardly could they persuade him to come with them, so wrought 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 the body. But he denied them sternly, and swore it with his solemn note, saying, Nay, by King Job, first and mightiest of all gods, it is not me that water should touch my body, till I have led 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 enough to eat and drink, the others went to their rest, and each in his own tent. But the son of Peleus lay grieving among his murmurants 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 Elios. Presently the sad spirit of Patroclus drew near him, like what he had been in stature and voice, and the light of his beaming eyes, glad too as he had been glad 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, some 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 the 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 birthright, has yawned its white jaws around me. Nay you too, Achilles, peer of gods, are doomed to die beneath the walls 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 house, what time Minuitius brought me to you as a child from a poise, because by a sad spite I had killed the son of Ampedhamas, not of a set purpose, but in childish quarrel over the dice. The night Bideus took me into his house and treated me kindly, and made me to be your squire. Therefore let our bones lie but in a single iron, 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? I will of my own self do all that you have bitten 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 vapor, gibbering and whining into the earth. Achilles sprang to his feet, smote his two hands, and made lamentations, 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 overhead, 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 moaning about the poor, dumb, dead, till Rosifing Amorn appeared. Then King Agamemnon sent men and mules from all parts of the camp to bring wood, and Mirionis, squared to Edomanius, 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 straightways and crooked, and when they reached the heights of many fountains to Eda, they led their axes to the roots of many at all 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 best they could through the thick brushwood onto the plain. All who had been cutting wood war logs, for so many on his squared to Edomanius had bitten 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 mimidents to gird on their armour and to yoke each man his horses. They therefore rose, girded on their armour, and mounted each his chariot, 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 led the body down and built up the wood. Achilles then befought him of another matter. He went the space away from the pyre and cut off the yellow lock which he had let grow for the river Spirkeius. He looked all sorrowfully out upon the dark sea and said, Spirkeius, in vain did my father Pelius vow to you that when I returned home to my loving native land I should cut off this lock and offer you a holy hecaton. Fifth Digi-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 dead comrade and all who stood by were filled with mourning and lamentation. The sun would have gone down upon their mourning had not Achilles presently said to Agamemnon, son of Atrus, for it is to you that the people will give ear. There is a time to mourn and a time to cease from mourning. Be 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. As 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 led the dead all sorrowfully upon the top of it. They flayed and dressed many fat sheep and oxen before the pyre and the killers took fat from all of them and wrapped the body therein from head to foot heaping the flayed carcasses all around it. Against the beer and anguents four proud horses did he then cast upon the pyre groaning while he did so the dead hero had had house dogs two of them did a killer's sleigh and threw upon the pyre he also put twelve brave sons of noble throjans to the sword and laid them with the rest for he was full of bitterness and fury then he committed all to the resistless and devouring might or the fire he groaned aloud and called on and said comrade by name farewell he cried patroclus even in the house of Hades I'm now doing all that I have promised you twelve brave sons of noble throjans shall the flames to consume along with yourself but dogs not fire shall devour the flesh of hectors and of pyre thus did he vaunt but the dogs came not about the body of hector for Joves daughter Venus kept them off him night and day and anointed him with ambrosial oil of roses that his flesh might not be torn when a killer's was dragging him about Phoebus Apollo moreover sent the dark cloud from heaven to earth which gave shade to the whole place where hector lay that the heat of the sun might not part his body now the pyre about the dead patroclus would not kindle a killer's therefore be taught him of another matter he went apart and prayed to the two winds Boreas and Cephyrus vowing them goodly offerings he made them many drink offerings on the golden cup and besought them to come and help him that the wood might make haste to kindle and dead bodies be consumed fleet iris heard him praying and started off to fetch the winds they were holding high feast in the house of boisterous Cephyrus when Iris came running up to the stone threshold of the house and stood there but as soon as they set eyes on her they all came towards her and each of them called her to him but Iris would not sit down I cannot stay she said I must go back to the streams of Oceanos and the lands of the Ethiopians who are offering hegethomes to the immortals and I would have my share but the Achilles prays that Boreas and Shrill Cephyrus will come to him and he vows them goodly offerings he would have you blow upon the pyre of patroclus for whom all the Achaeans are lamenting with this she left them and the two winds rose with a cry that rent the air and swept the clouds before them they blew on and on until they came to the sea and the waves rose high beneath them but when they reached Troy they fell upon the pyre till the mighty flames roared under the blast that they blew all night long they blow hard and beat upon the fire and all night long did Achilles grasp his double cup drawing wine from a mixing bowl of gold and calling one the spirit of dead patroclus as he poured it upon the ground till the earth was drenched as the father mourns when he is burning the bones of his bridegroom's son whose death has wrung the hearts of his parents even so did Achilles mourn while burning the body of his comrade pacing around the beer with piteous groaning and lamentation at length as the mourning star was beginning to herald the light which saffron mantled dawn was soon to suffuse over the sea the flames fell and the fire began to die the winds then went home beyond the Taraki and sea which roared and boiled as they swept over it the son of Pilius now turned away from the pyre and lay down, overcome with toil till he fell into a sweet slumber presently they who were about the son of Atreus drew near in a body and roused him with the noise and tramp of their coming he sat upright and said son of Atreus and all the other princes of the Achaeans first pour red wine everywhere upon the pyre and quench it let us then gather the bones of Patroclus son of Minotius singling them out with care they are easily found or they lie in the middle of the pyre while all else both men and horses have been thrown in a heap and burned at the outer edge we will lay the bones in a golden urn in two layers of fat against the time when I shall myself go down into the house of Hades as for the Barrow Labour not to raise a great one now but such as is reasonable afterwards let those Achaeans who may be left at the ships when I am gone build it both broad and high thus he spoke and they obeyed the word of the son of Pilius first they poured red wine upon the thick layer of ashes and quenched the fire with many tears they singled out the whiteened bones of their loved comrade and laid them within a golden urn in two layers of fat they then covered the urn with linen cloth and took it inside the tent they marked off the circle where the Barrow should be made a foundation for it about the pyre and forthwith heaped up the earth when they had thus raised the mound they were going away but the killers stayed the people and made them sit in assembly they brought prizes from the ships cauldrons, tripods, horses and mules, noble oxen women with fair girdles and sword iron the first prize he offered was for the chariot race a woman skilled in all useful arts and a three-legged cauldron that had ears for handles and would hold 22 measures this was for the man who came in first for the second there was a six-year-old mare unbroken and enfold to a he-ass the third was to have a goodly cauldron that had never yet been on the fire it was still bright as when it left the maker and would hold four measures the fourth prize was two talons of gold and the fifth a two-handler urn as yet unsoiled by smoke then he stood up and spoke among the archives saying son of atreus and all other acaians these are the prizes that lie waiting the winners at the chariot races at any other time I should carry off the first prize and take it to my own tent you know how far my steeds excel all others but they are immortal Neptune gave them to my father Pileus when his turn gave them to myself but I shall hold aloof I and my steeds that have lost their brave and kind driver who many a time has washed them in clear water and anointed their mains with oil see how they stand weeping here with their mains trailing on the ground in the extremity of their sorrow but do you others set yourselves in order throughout the host whosoever has confidence in his horses and in the strength of his chariot thus spoke the son of Pileus and the drivers of chariots bestowed themselves first among them all Apros Eumelus, king of men son of Admitus a man excellent in horsemanship next to him rose mighty Diomed son of Tideus he yoked the throating horses of Romanias when Apollo bore him out of the fight next to him yellow-haired Menelaus son of Atreus rose and yoked his fleet horses Agamemnon's mare Aethe and his own horse Podargus the mare had been given to Agamemnon by Ickipolus son of Ancesis that he might not have to follow him to Ilius but might stay at home and take his ease for Joe had endowed him with great wealth and he lived in spacious Sikion this mare, all eager for the race did Menelaus put under the yoke fourth in order, Antelokus son to noble Nestor son of Nilius made ready his horses these were bred in Pileus and his father came to him to give him good advice on which, however he stood in but little need Antelokus said Nestor you are young, but Joven nept you and have loved you well and have made you an excellent horseman I need not therefore say much by way of instruction you are skillful at wheeling your horses around the post but the horses themselves are very slow and it is this that will I fear by your chances the other drivers know less than you do but their horses are fleet therefore my dear son see if you cannot hit upon some artifice whereby you may ensure that the price shall not slip through your fingers the woodman does more by skill by skill the pilot guides his storms tossed back over the sea and so by skill one driver can beat another if a man go wide in rounding this way and that whereas a man who knows what he is doing may have worse horses but he will keep them well in hand when he sees the doubling post he knows the precise moment at which to pull the rain and keeps his eye well on the man in front of him I will give you this certain token which cannot escape your notice there is a stump of a dead tree old copine as it may be some six feet above the ground and not yet rotted away by rain it stands at the fork of the road it has two white stones set one on each side and there is a clear course all around it it may have been a monument to someone long since dead or it may have been used as a doubling post in days gone by now however it has been fixed on by Achilles the mark round which the chariot shall turn hug it as close as you can but as you stand in your chariot lean over a little to the left urge on your right hand horse with voice and lash and give him a loose rain but let the left hand horse keep so close in that the nape of your wheel shall almost graze the post but mind the stone or you will wound your horses and break your chariot in pieces which would be a sport for others therefore, my dear son mind well what you are about for if you can be first round the post there is no chance of anyone giving you to go by later not even though you had addressed this horse Aryan behind you a horse which is of divine race or those of Laumidon which are the noblest in the country when Nestor had made an end of counselling his son he sat down in his place and 15 order Marionis got ready his horses they then all mounted their chariots and cast lots Achilles shook the helmet and a lot of Antelokus son of Nestor fell out first next came that of King Eumelus and after his, those of Minelaus and of Marionis the last place fell to the lot of Diamond son of Tideus was the best man of them all they took their places in line Achilles showed them the doubling post around which they were to turn here he stationed his father's follower phoenix as umpire to note the running and report to Uli at the same instant they all of them lashed their horses struck them with the reins and shouted at them with all their might they flew full speed over the plane away from the ships the dust rose from under them as it were a cloud over the wind and their mains were all flying in the wind at one moment the chariots seemed to touch the ground and then again they bounded into the air drivers to direct and their hearts beat fast and furious in their lust of victory each kept calling on his horses and the horses scoured the plane amid the clouds and dust that they raised it was when they were doing the last part of the course on their way back towards the sea that the pace was strained to the utmost and it was seen what each could do the horses of the descendant of Peres now took the lead and close behind them came the Trojan stallions of Diomed they seemed as if about to mount Eumelius' chariot and he could feel their warm breath on his back and his broad shoulders for their heads were close to him as they flew over the course Diomed would have now passed him or there would have been a dead heat but Phoebus Apollo, despite him made him drop his whip tears of anger fell from his eyes as he saw the mares going on faster while his own horses lost ground through his having no whip Minerva saw the trick which Apollo had played the son of Tidius so she brought him his whip and put spirit into his horses moreover, she went after the son of Admitus in rage and broke his yoke for him the mares went one to one side of the course and the other to the other and the pole was broken against the ground Eumelius was thrown from his chariot close to the wheel his elbows, mouth and nostrils were torn and his forehead was bruised above the eyebrows his eyes filled with tears and he could find no utterance but the son of Tidius turned his horses aside and shot far ahead for Minerva put fresh strength into them and covered Diomed himself with glory Minilaus son of Atreus came next behind him but Antilocus called to his father's horses on with you both he cried and do your very utmost I do not bid you try to meet the mares of the son of Tidius for Minerva has put running into them and has covered Diomed with glory but you must overtake the horses of the son of Atreus and not be left behind or Eiteu who so fleet will taunt you why my good fellows are you lagging I tell you and it shall surely be Nesta will keep neither of you but will put both of you to the sword if we win any of the worst prize through your carelessness fly off to them at your utmost speed I will hit on a plan for passing them in a narrow part of the way and it shall not fail me they fear the rebuco their master and for a short space went quicker presently Antilocus saw a narrow place where the road had sunk the ground was broken for the winter rain had gathered and had worn the road so that the whole place was deepened Minilaus was making towards it as to get there first for fear of a foul but Antilocus turned his horses further away and followed him a little on one side the son of Atreus was afraid and shouted out Antilocus you are driving recklessly rain in your horses the road is too narrow here it will be wider soon and you can pass me then if you foul my chariot you may bring both of us to a mischief but Antilocus applied his whip and drove faster as though he had not heard him they went side by side for about as far as a young man can hurl a disc from his shoulder when he is trying his strength and then Minilaus mayors drew behind for he left off driving for fear the horses should foul one another and upset the chariots thus while pressing on in quest of victory they might both come headlong to the ground Minilaus then up braided Antilocus and said there is no greater trickster living than you are go and bad luck go with you the Achaeans say not well that you have understanding and come what may you shall not bear away the price of this worn protest on my part then he called on his horses and said to them keep your pace and slacken not the limbs of the other horses will wear is sooner than yours for they are neither of them young the horses feared the rebuke of their master and went faster so that they were soon nearly up with the others meanwhile the Achaeans from their seats were watching how the horses went as they scoured the plain amidst clouds of their own dust Minilaus captain of the Cretans was first to make out the running for he was not in the thick of the crowd but stood on the most commanding part of the ground the driver was a long way off but Minilaus could hear him shouting and could see the foremost horse quite plainly a chestnut with a round white star like the moon on its forehead he stood up and sat among the Argives my friends princes and counsellors of the Argives can you see the running as well as I can there seems to be another pair in front now and another driver those that let off at the start must have been disabled out on the path I saw them at first making their way around the doubling post but now though I searched the plain of Troy I cannot find them perhaps the reins fell from the driver's hand so that he lost command of his horses at the doubling post and could not turn it I suppose he must have been thrown out there and broken his chariot whilst the smears have left the horse come up and see it for yourselves I cannot make out for certain but the driver seems an Aetolian by descent ruler over the Argives brave diamined the son of Tideus Ajax the son of Oileus took him up rudely and said why should you be in such a hurry to tell us all about it when the smears are still so far out upon the plain you are none of the youngest nor your eyes none of the sharpest but you are always laying down the law you have no right to do so for there are better men here than you are a maleous horses are in the front now as they have always been and he is not a chariot holding the reins the captain recreetance was angry and answered Ajax you are an excellent ruler but you have no judgement and are wanting in much else as well for you have a vile temper I will wager you a tripod or cauldron and the gay memnum son of Attreus shall decide whose horses are first to know to your cost Ajax son of Oileus was for making him an angry answer and there would have been yet further brawling between them had not Achilles risen in his place and said seize your railing Ajax and Idomenius it is not you who would be scandalized if you saw anyone else do the like sit down and keep your eyes on the horses they are speeding towards the winning host and will be here directly you will then both of you know who is first and who come after as he was speaking the son of Tideus came driving in flying his whip lustily from his shoulder and his horses stepping high as they flew over the course the sand and grit rained thick on the driver and the chariot inlaid with golden tin ran close behind his fleet horses there was little trace of wheel marks and defined dust and the horses came flying in at their utmost speed Daimid stayed them in the middle of the crowd and the sweat from their mains and chests fell in streams on the ground fought with his prank from his good the chariot and leaned his whip against his horses yoke Bravestenelus now lost no time but at once brought him on the prize and gave the woman and the ear-handle cauldron to his comrades to take away then he unyoke the horses next after him came in Antilocus of the race of Nileus with the past men allows by a trick by the fleetness of his horses but even so Menileus came in as close behind him as the wheel is to the horse that draws both the chariot and its master the end hairs of a horse tail touched the tire of the wheel and there is never much space between wheel and horse when the chariot is going Menileus was no further than this behind Antilocus though at first he had been a full disc throw behind him he had soon caught him up again for a commandant smear pulling stronger and stronger so that if the course had been longer he would have passed him and they would not even have been a dead heat Edomeneus brave squire Meriones was about the spears cast behind Menileus his horses were slowest of all and he was the worst driver last of them all came the son of Admetus dragging his chariot and driving his horses on in front when Achilles saw him he was sorry and stood up among the Argyles saying the best man is coming in last let us give him a prize for it is reasonable you shall have the second but the first must be out to the son of Tideus thus did he speak and the others all of them applauded his saying and were for doing as he had said but Nestor's son Antilocus stood up and claimed his right from the son of Pileus Achilles said he I shall take it much amiss if you do this thing you would rob me of my prize and the chariot and horses were thrown out and himself too good man that he is he should have prayed duly to the immortals he would not have come in last if he had done so if you are sorry for him and so choose you have much gold in your tents with bronze, sheep, cattle and horses take something from this store if you would have the acayans speak well of you and give him a better prize even than that which you have now offered but I will not give up the mare let me for her let him come on Achilles smiled as he heard this and was pleased with Antilocus who was one of his dearest comrades so he said Antilocus if you would have me find Emilius another prize I would give him the bronze breastplate with a rim of tin running all around it which I took from Esther of Paves it will be worth much money to him he bated comrade Altimidon bring the breastplate from his tent and he did so he then gave it over to Emilius who received it gladly but many Leus got up in a rage furiously angered Antilocus an attendant placed his staff in his hands and bade the archives keep silence the hero then addressed them Antilocus said he what is this from you who have been so far blameless you have made me cut a poor figure and bolt my horses by flinging your own in front of them though yours are much worse than mine are therefore are princes and counsellors of the archives judge between us and show no favour lest one of the acains say Emilius has got the mare through lying and corruption his horses were far inferior to Antilocus but he has greater weight and influence nay I will determine the matter myself and no man will blame me for I shall do what is just come here Antilocus and stand as our customers whip in hand before your chariot and horses let your hand on your steed and swear by earth and circling Neptune that you did not purposely and guilefully get in the way of my horses and Antilocus answered forgive me I am much younger King Minilivus than you are you stand higher than I do and are the better man of the two you know how easily young men are betrayed into indiscretion their tempers are more hasty and they have less judgement make due allowances therefore and bear with me by my own accord give up the mare that I have won and if you claim any further chattel from my own possessions I would rather yield it to you at once than fall from your good graces henceforth and do wrong in the sight of heaven the son of Nestor then took the mare and gave her over to Minilius who was anguished as a beast as when dew falls upon a field of ripening corn and the lands are bristling with the harvest even so oh Minilius was your heart made glad within you he turned to Antilocus and said now Antilocus angry though I have been I can give way to you on my own free will you have never been headstrong nor ill disposed hitherto but this time your youth has gone the better of your judgement be careful how you are out with your betters in future no one else could have brought me around so easily but your good father your brother and yourself have all of you had infinite trouble on my behalf I therefore yield to your entreaty and will give up the mare to you mine though it indeed be the people will thus see that I am neither harsh nor vindicative with this he gave the mare over to Antilocus comrade Neumann and then took the cauldron Merionus were coming forth carried off the two talents of gold and fifth place the two handed urn being unawarded Achilles gave it to Nestor going up to him among the assembled archives and saying take this my good old friend as an heirloom and memorial of the funeral of Patroclus for you shall see him no more among the archives I give you this prize though you cannot win one you can now neither wrestle nor fight and cannot enter for the javelin match nor foot races for the hand of age has been led heavily upon you so saying he gave the urn over to Nestor who receded gladly and answered my son all that you have said is true there is no strength now in my legs and feet nor can I hit out with my hands from either shoulder word that I was still young and strong as when the epeans were burying king Amarincheus in Buprasium and his sons offered prizes in his honor there was then none that could be with me either of the epeans nor the filians themselves nor the italians in boxing I overcame Clytemides son of Enobs and Epeansling Ancheus of Pleuron who had come forward against me Ephiclus was a good runner but I beat him and threw farther with my spear than either Pileus or Polydorus in chariot racing alone did the two sons of Astor surpass me by crowding their horses in front of me for they were angry at the way victory had gone and at the greater part of the prizes remaining in the place in which they had been offered they were twins and the one kept the reins and holding the reins while the other plied the whip such was I then but now I must leave these matters to younger men I must bow before the weight of years but in those days I was eminent among heroes and now so go on with the funeral contests in honor of your comrade gladly do I accept this earn and my heart rejoices that you do not forget me but are ever mindful of my good will towards you and of the respect from me from the Achaians for all which may the grace of heaven be vouched safe to you in great abundance there on the son of Pileus when he had listened to the thanks of Nestor went about among the concourse of the Achaians and presently offered prizes for skill and the painful art of boxing he brought out a strong mule and made it fast in the middle of the crowd a she mule never yet broken but six years old when it is the hardest of all to break them it was for the victor and for the vanquished he offered a double cup then he stood up and said among the archives son of Atreus and all the Achaians I invite our two champion boxers to lay about them lustily and compete for these prizes he to whom Apollo vouched safe is the greater endurance and whom the Achaians and knowledge as victor shall take the mule back with him to his own tent while he that is vanquished shall have the double cup he looked there stood up a champion both grave and of great stature a skillful boxer, a peus son of Panapius he laid his hand on the mule and said let the man who is to have the cup come hither for none but myself will take the mule I am the best boxer of all here present and none can beat me is it not enough that I should fall short of you in actual fighting still no man can be good at everything I tell you plainly and it shall come through if you ask with me I will bruise his body and break it bones therefore let his friends stay here in a body and be at hand to take him away when I have done with him they all held their peace and no man rose save Euryale son of Machisteus was the son of Tal-Aus Machisteus went once to Teebees after the fall of Oedipus to attend his funeral and he beat all the people of Cudmus the son of Tideus was Eurylaus second cheering him on hoping he heartily that he would win first he put a waistband around him and then he gave him some well cut thongs of oxide the two men being now girth went into the middle of the ring and immediately fell to heavily indeed they punished one another and lay about them with their brawny fists one could hear the horrid crashing of their jaws and they sweated from every pore of their skin presently Epeus came on and gave Eurylaus a blow on his jaw as he was looking around Euryaleus could not keep his legs they gave way under him in a moment and he sprang up with a bound as a fish leaps into the air near some shore that is all bestrune with sea rack when Boreus first the top of the waves and then falls back into deep water but noble Epeus caught hold of him and raised him up his comrades also came around him and led him from the ring unsteady in his gate with clots of gore they set him down in a swoon and then went to fetch the double cup the son of Baleus now brought out the prizes for the third contest and showed them to the Argias these were for the painful art of wrestling for the winner there was a great tripod ready for setting upon the fire and the Achaeans valued it among themselves at 12 oxen for the looser he brought out to whom skilled in all manners of arts and they valued her at 4 oxen they rose and set among the Argias stand forward you who will assay this contest fortuit rose great Ajax the son of Tillimon and craft Ulysses full of wiles rose also the two girded themselves and went into the middle of the ring they gripped each other in their strong hands like the rafters which some master builded frames for the roof of a high house to keep the wind out the backbones cracked as they tugged at one another with their mighty arms and sweat rain from them in torrents many a bloody wheel sprang up on their sides and shoulders but they kept on striving with might and main for victory and to win the tripod Ulysses could not throw Ajax nor Ajax him Ulysses was too strong for him but when the Achaeans began to tire watching them Ajax said to Ulysses Ulysses, noble son Ulaertes you should either lift me or I you and Joe settled between us he lifted him from the ground as he spoke but Ulysses did not forget his cunning he hit Ajax in the hollow at the back of his knee so that he could not keep his feet but fell on his back with Ulysses lying upon his chest and all who saw it marbled then Ulysses in turn lifted Ajax and stirred him a little from the ground but could not lift him right off it his knees sank under him and the two fell side by side on the ground and were all begrimed with dust they now sprang towards one another and were for wrestling it a third time but the Achaeans rose and stayed them put not each other further said he to such cruel suffering the victories with both alike take each of you an equal price and let the other Achaeans now compete thus did he speak and they did even as he had said and put on their shirts once again after wiping the dust from off their bodies the son of Pileus then offered prizes at first speed in running a mixing bowl beautifully wrought or pure silver it would hold six measures and far exceeded all others in the whole world for beauty it was the work of cunning artificers in Cedon and had been brought into port by Phoenicians from beyond the sea who had made the present of it to Tours Euneus son of Jason had given it to Patroclus and ransom of Priam's son Lycaon and Achilles now offered it to him who should be the swiftest runner for the second prize he offered a large ox well fattened while for the last there was to be half a talent of gold he then rose and said among the archives stand forward you who will essay this contest for Twit up rose fleet Ajax son of Oileus with cunning Ulysses and Nestor's son Antelocus the fastest runner among all the youth of his time they stood side by side and Achilles showed them the goal the course was set out for them from the starting post and the son of Oileus took the lead at once with Ulysses as close behind him as the shuttle is to a wounds bosom when she throws the woof across the warp and holds it close up to her even so close behind him was Ulysses treading in his footprints before the dust could settle there and Ajax could feel his breath on the back of his head as he runs with Cleon the Achaeans all shouted applause as they saw him straining his utmost and cheered him as he shot past them but when they were now nearing the end of the course Ulysses prayed inwardly to Minerva hear me he cried and help my feet oh goddess thus did he pray and Pallas Minerva heard his prayer she made his hands and his feet feel light and when the runners were at the point of pouncing upon the prize Ajax threw Minerva's spite slipped upon some offal that was lying there from the cattle which Achilles had slaughtered in the honor of Patroclus and his mouth and nostrils were all filled with cow dung Ulysses therefore carried off the mixing bowl for he got before Ajax and came in first but Ajax took the oxen stood with his hand on one of its horns spitting the dung out of his mouth then he said to the Archies alas the goddess has spoiled my running she watches over Ulysses and stands by him as though she were his own mother thus did he speak and they all of them laughed heartily until Ocus carried off the last prize and smiled as he said to the bystanders you all see my friends that now too the gods have shown their respect for seniority Ajax is somewhat older than I am and as for Ulysses he belongs to an earlier generation but he is hailed in spite of his years and no man of the Achaeans can run against him save only Achilles he said this to pay a compliment to the son of Pelius and Achilles answered until Ocus you shall not have praised me to no purpose I shall give you an additional half talent of gold he then gave the half talent to Antelocus who received it gladly then the son of Pelius brought out the spear, helmet and shield that had been borne by Sarpendon and were taken from him by Patroclus he stood up and said among the Archives we bid two champions put on their armor take their keen blades and make trial of one another in the presence of the multitude whichever of them can first wound the flesh of the other cut through his armor and draw blood to him will I give this good literation sword in Ladoot silver which I took from Estheropius but the armor let both hold in partnership and I will give each of them a hearty meal in my own tent Portwith Aparos great Ajax the son of Telemon as also a mighty diamete son of Tideus with the armor each on his own side of the ring they both went into the middle eager to engage and with fire flashing from their eyes the Achaians marveled as they beheld them and when the two were now close up with one another thrice did they spring forward and thrice tried to strike each other in close combat Ajax pierced diametes around shield but did not draw blood for the Kiras beneath the shield perfected him there on the son of Tideus from over his huge shield kept aiming continuously at Ajax's neck at the point of his spear and the Achaians alarmed for his safety bade them leave of fighting and divide the price between them Achilles then gave the great sword to the son of Tideus with its scabbard and a leather belt with which to hang it Achilles next offered a massive iron quite which mighty Aetion had air while being used to hurl until Achilles had slain him with the power of his ships among with other spoils he stood up and said among the archives stand forward you who would essay this contest he who wins it will have a store of iron that will last him five years as they go rolling around and if his fair fields lie far from a town his shepherd or plowman will not have to make a journey to buy iron for he will have a stock of it on his own premises then approached the mighty men with Ajax, Sanotelamon and Noble Apeus they stood up one after the other and the Apeus took the quite whirled it and flung it from him which set all the Achaians laughing after him threw Leontos for the race of Mars Ajax, Sanotelamon threw third and sent the quite beyond any mark that had been made yet but when mighty Polyboetes took the quite he hurled it as though it had been a stockman stick which he sensed flying about among his cattle when he was driving them so far did his throw out-distance those of the others all who saw it roar the applause and his comrades carried the prize for him and set it on board the ship Achilles next offered a price of iron for archery ten double-edged axes and ten with single edges he set up a ship's mast some way off upon the sands and with a fine string tied a pigeon to it by the foot this was what they were to aim at whoever he said can hit the pigeon, shall have all the axes and take them away with him he who hits the string without hitting the bird will have taken a worse aim and shall have the single-edged axes then approached King Teucar and Mariones the stalwart squire of the Domianios rose also they cast lots in the bronze helmet and a lot of Teucar fell first he let fly with his arrow forthwith but he did not promise hecatombs of fistling lambs to King Apollo and missed his bird for Apollo foiled his aim but he hit the string with which the bird was tied near it's foot the arrow cut the string clean through so that it hung down towards the ground while the bird flew up into the sky and the Achaeans shouted applause Mariones, where his arrow ready while Teucar was aiming snatched the bow out of his hand and at once promised that he would sacrifice a hecatomb of fistling lambs to Apollo, lord of the bow then aspiring the pigeon high up under the clouds he hit her in the middle of the wing as she was circling upward the arrow went clean through the wing and fixed itself in the ground at Mariones feet but the bird perched on the ship's mast hanging her head and with all her feathers drooping the life went out of her and she fell heavily from the mast Mariones therefore took all the ten double-edged axes while Teucar wore off the single-edged ones then the Sanapileus brought in a spear and a cauldron that had never been on the fire it was worth an ox and was chased with a pattern of flowers and those that threw the javelins stood up to wit the Sanavatres King of Men Agamemnon and Mariones the All-World Squire of Idemianios but Achilles spoke saying Sanavatres, we know how far you excel all others both in power and in throwing the javelin take the cauldron back with you to your ships but if it so pleases you let us give the spear to Mariones this at least is what I should myself wish King Agamemnon assented so he gave the bronze spear to Mariones and handed the cauldron to Taltubius the Squire and a book 23 recording by Monsbru Helsing Forrest Finland Book 24 of the Iliad this is the LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the Iliad by Homer translated by Samuel Butler Book 24 Priam Ransoms the Body of Hector Hector's Funeral the assembly now broke up and the people went their ways each to his own ship there they made ready their supper and then bethought them of the blessed boon of sleep but Achilles still wept for thinking of his dear comrade and sleep before whom all things bow could take no hold upon him this way and that did he turn as he yearned after the might and manfulness of Petroclus he thought of all they had done together and all they had gone through both on the field of battle and on the waves of the weary sea as he dwelt on these things he wept bitterly and lay now on his side now on his back and with his face downwards till the last he rose and went out as one distraught to wander upon the seashore then when he saw dawn breaking over beach and sea he yoked his horses to his chariot and bound the body of Hector behind it that he might drag it about thrice did he drag it round the tomb of the son of Minotius then went back to his tent leaving the body on the ground full length and with its face downwards for he pitied the man dead though he now was therefore he shielded him with his golden aegis continually that he might take no hurt while Achilles was dragging him thus shamefully did Achilles in his fury dishonor Hector but the blessed gods looked down and pity from heaven and urged Mercury slayer of Argus to steal the body all were of this mind save only Juno Neptune and Jove's gray-eyed daughter insisted in the hate which they ever bore towards Ilias with Priam and his people for they forgave not the wrong done to them by Alexandrus in disdaining the goddesses who came to him while he was in his sheepyards and preferring her who had offered him a wanton to his ruin when therefore the morning of the twelfth day had now come Phoebus Apollo spoke among the immortal saying you gods ought to be ashamed of yourselves you are cruel did not Hector burn you thigh bones of heifers and of unblemished goats and now dare you not rescue even his dead body for his wife to look upon with his mother and child his father Priam and his people who would forthwith commit him to the flames and give him his due funeral rites so then you would all be on the side of Matt Achilles who knows neither right nor Ruth he is like some savage lion that in the pride of his great strength and daring springs upon men's flocks and gorges on them even so has Achilles flung aside all pity and all that conscious which once so greatly bans yet greatly boons him that will heed it man may lose one far dearer than Achilles is lost a son it may be or a brother born from his own mother's womb yet when he has mourned him and wept over him he will let him bide for it takes much sorrow to kill a man whereas Achilles now that he has slain noble Hector drags him behind his chariot round the tomb of his comrade it would be better of him and for him that he should not do so for brave though he be we gods may take it ill that he should vent his fury upon dead clay Juno spoke up in a rage this were well she cried oh lord of the silver bow if you would give like honor to Hector and to Achilles but Hector was mortal and a woman's breast whereas Achilles is the offspring of a goddess whom I myself reared and brought up I married her to Peleus who is above measure dear to the immortals you gods came all of you to her wedding you feasted along with them yourselves and brought your liar, false and fond of low company that you have ever been then said Jove Juno be not so bitter their honor shall not be equal but dwell in Ilius Hector was dearest to the gods as also to myself for his offerings never failed me never was my altar stinted of his dues nor of the drink offerings and savior of sacrifice which we claim of right I shall therefore permit the body of mighty Hector to be stolen and yet this may hardly be without Achilles coming to know it for his mother keeps night and day beside him let some one of you therefore depart my counsel to her namely that Achilles is to accept a ransom for Priam and to give up the body on this Iris fleet is the wind went forth to carry his message down she plunged into the dark sea midway between Samos and Rocky Imbrus the waters hissed as they closed over her and she sank into the bottom as the lead at the end of an oxhorn that is sped to carry death to fishes she found that is sitting in a great cave with the other sea goddess gathered round her there she sat in the mist of them weeping for her noble son who was to fall far from his own land on the rich plains of Troy Iris went up to her and said rise Thetis Jove whose counsels fail not bid you to come to him and Thetis answered why does the mighty God so bid me I am in great grief and shrink from going in and out among the immortals still I will go and the word that he may speak shall not be spoken in vain the goddess took her dark veil then which there can be no row more somber and went forth with fleet Iris leading the way before her the waves of the sea opened them a path and when they reached the shore they flew up into the heavens where they found the all-seeing son of Saturn with the blessed gods that live forever assembled near him Minerva gave a proceed to her and she sat down by the side of her father Jove Juno then placed a fair cup in her hand and spoke to her in words of comfort whereon Thetis drank and gave her back the cup and the sire of the gods and men was the first to speak so goddess said he for all your sorrow and the grief that I know reigns ever in your heart you have come hither to Olympus and I will tell you why I have sent for you this nine days past the immortals have been quarreling about Achilles Waster of cities and the body of Hector the gods would have Mercury Slayer of Argus steal the body but in furtherance of our peace and amity hands forward I shall concede such honor to your son as I will now tell you go then to the host and lay these commands upon him say that the gods are angry with him and that I am myself more angry than them all and that he keeps Hector at the ships and will not give him up he may thus fear me and go at the same time I will send Iris to great Priam to bid him to go to the ships of the Achaeans and ransom his son taking with him such gifts for Achilles as may give him satisfaction silver footed Thetis did as the god had told her and forthwith down she darted from the topmost summits of Olympus she went to her son's tents where she found him grieving bitterly while his trusty comrades around him were busy preparing their morning meal for which they had killed a great woolly sheep his mother sat down beside him and caressed him with her hand saying my son how long will you keep on thus grieving and making moan you are gnawing at your own heart and think neither of food nor of women's embraces and yet these two were well for you have no long time to live and death with the strong hand of fate are already close beside you now therefore heed what I say for I come as a messenger from Jove he says that the gods are angry with you and that himself more angry than them all in that you keep hector at the ships and will not give him up therefore let him go and accept a ransom for his body and Achilles answered so be it if Olympian Jove of his own motion thus commands me let him that brings the ransom bear the body away thus did mother and son talk together at the ships and long discourse with one another while the son of Saturn sent Iris to the strong city of Ilias go said he, fleet Iris from the mansions of Olympus until King Priam in Ilias that he is to go to the ships of the Achaeans and free the body of his dear son he is to take such gifts with him and shall give satisfaction to Achilles and he is to go alone with no other Trojan save only some honored servant who may drive his mules and wagon and bring back the body of whom noble Achilles is slain let him have no thought nor fear of death in his heart for we will send the slayer of Argus to escort him and bring him within the tent of Achilles Achilles will not kill him nor let another do so for he will take heed to his ways and sin not and he will entreat a suppliant with all honorable courtesy on this Iris fleet is the wind sped forth to deliver her message she went to Priam's house sleeping and lamentation therein his sons were seated round their father in the outer courtyard and their raiment was wet with tears the old man sat in the midst of them with his mantle wrapped close around his body and his head and neck all covered with the filth which he had clutched while he lay groveling in the mire his daughters and his sons wives went wailing about the house as they thought of the many and brave men who lay dead, slain by the Argus the messenger of Jove stood by Priam and spoke softly to him but fear fell upon him as she did so take heart, she said Priam, offspring of darkness take heart and fear not I bring no evil tidings but a minded well towards you I come as a messenger from Jove who though he be not near takes thought for you and pities you the Lord of Olympus bid you go and ransom Noble Hector and take with you such gifts as shall give satisfaction to Achilles you are to go alone with no Trojan save only some honored servant who may drive your mules in wagon and bring back to the city the body of him whom Noble Achilles is slain you are to have no thought nor fear of death for Jove will send the slayer of Argus to escort you when he has brought you within Achilles' tent Achilles will not kill you nor let another do so for he will take heed to his ways and sin not and he will entreat a suppliant while honorable courtesy Argus went away when she had thus spoken and Priam told his sons to get a mule wagon ready and to make the body of the wagons fast upon the top of its bed then he went down to his Franklin's storeroom, high vaulted and made of cedar wood where his many treasures were kept and he called Hecuba his wife wife said he a messenger has come to me from Olympus and has told me to go to the ships of the Achaeans to ransom my dear son taking with me such gifts as I'll give satisfaction to Achilles what do you think of this matter for my own part I am greatly moved to pass through the camps of the Achaeans and go to their ships his wife cried aloud as she heard him and said alas what has become of that judgment for which you have ever been famous both among strangers and your own people how can you venture alone to the ships of the Achaeans and look into the face of him who has slain so many of your brave sons you must have iron courage for if the cruel savage sees you and lays hold on you he will know neither respect nor pity let us then weep Hector from afar here in our own house for when I gave him birth the threads of overruling fate were spun for him that dog should eat his flesh far from his parents and the house of that terrible man on whose liver I have feigned thus would I avenge my son who showed no cowardice when Achilles slew him and thought neither a flight nor of avoiding battle as he stood in defense of Trojan men and Trojan women then Priam said I would go do not therefore stay me nor be as a bird of ill omen in my house for you will not move me had it been some mortal man who had sent me some prophet or priest who divides from sacrifice I should have deemed him false no heed but now I have heard the goddess and seen her face to face therefore I will go and her saying shall not be in vain if it be my fate to die at the ship of the Achaeans even so would I have it let Achilles slay me if I may but first have taken my son in my arms and mourned him to my heart's comfort him and so saying he lifted the lids of his chests and took out twelve goodly vestments he also took twelve cloaks of single fold twelve fair mantles and an equal number of shirts he weighed out ten talons of gold and brought moreover two burnished tripods four cauldrons and a very beautiful cup which the Thracians had given him when he had gone to them on an embassy it was very precious but he grudged not even this so eager was he to ransom the body of his son then he chased all the Trojans from the court and rebuked them with words of anger out he cried with a disgrace to me that you are have you no grief in your own homes that you have come to plague me here is it a small thing think you that the son of Saturn has sent this sorrow upon me to lose the bravest of my sons nay you shall prove it in person for now he has gone the Achaeans will have easier work in killing you as for me let me go down within the house of Hades air mine eyes behold the sacking and wasting of the city he drove the men away with his staff and they went forth as the old man sped them then he called to his sons Uprating Hellenus, Paris, Noble Agathon, Pamann, Antiphonus, Palaites, of the loud battle cry Deifibus, Hippithus, and Dius these nine did the old man call near him come to me at once he cried worthless sons who do me shame would that you would all being killed would that be worse rather than Hector miserable man that I am I have had the bravest sons in Altroy Noble Nestor Troilus, the dauntless charioteer and Hector who is a god among men so that one would have thought he was a son of an immortal yet there is not one of them left Mars is slaying them and those of whom I am ashamed are alone left me Liars and light of foot heroes of the dance robbers of lambs why do you not get a wagon ready for me at once and put all these things upon it that I might set upon my way thus did he speak and they feared the rebuke of their father they brought out a strong mule wagon newly made and set the body of the wagon fast on its bed they took the mule yoke from the peg on which it hung a yoke of boxwood with a knob on the top of it and rings for the reins to go through then they brought a yoke band eleven cubits long to bind the yoke to the pole they bound it on the far end of the pole and put the ring over the upright pin making it fast with three turns on the band on either side of the knob and bending the thug on the yoke behind it this done they brought from the store chamber the rich ransom which was to purchase the body of Hector and they set it all orderly on the wagons then they yoke the strong harness mules which the Missians had on a time given as a goodly present to Priam and for Priam himself they yoked horses which the old king had bred and kept for his own use thus heedfully did Priam and his servant see to the yulking of their cars at the palace then Hecuba came to them all sorrowful with a golden goblet of wine in the right hand that they might make a drink offering before they set out she stood in front of the horses and said take this make a drink offering to Father Jove and since you are minded to go to the ships in spite of me they come safely back from the hands of your enemies pray to the son of Saturn Lord of the whirlwind who sits on Ida and looks down over all Troy pray him to send a swift messenger on your right hand the bird of Omen which is the strongest and most dear to him of all birds that you may see it with your own eyes and trust it as you go forth to the ships of the Deneans if all seeing Jove will not send you this messenger however set upon it you may be not have you go to the ships of the Argives and Priam answered wife I will do as you desire me it is well to lift hands in prayer to Jove if so be it he may have mercy upon me with this the old man bade the serving woman pour pure water over his hands and the woman came bearing the water in a bowl he washed his hands and took the cup from his wife then he made the drink offering and prayed standing in the middle of the courtyard and turning his eyes to heaven Father Jove he said that rulest from Ida most glorious and most great grant that I may be received kindly and compassionately in the tents of Achilles and send your swift messenger upon my right hand the bird of Omen which is strongest and most dear to you of all birds that I may see it with my own eyes and trust it as I go forth to the ships of the Deneans so did he pray the lord of council heard his prayer forthwith he sent an eagle the most unerring portent of all birds that fly the dusky hunter that men also call the black eagle his wings were spread abroad on either side as wide as the well-made and well-bolted door of a rich man's chamber he came to them flying over the city upon their right hands and when they saw him they were glad and their hearts took comfort within them the old man made haste to mount his chariot drove out through the inner gateway and under the echoing gatehouse of the outer court before him went the mules drawing the four-wheeled wagon and driven by the wise Adias behind these were the horses which the old man lashed with his whip and drove swiftly through the city while his friends followed after wailing and lamenting for him as though he were on the road to death and soon as they had come down from the city and reached the plane his sons and son-in-laws who had followed him went back to Ilias but Priam and Adias as they showed out upon the plane to not escape the ken of all-seeing Jove who looked down upon the old man and pitied him then he spoke to his son Mercury and said Mercury, for it is you who are the most disposed to escort men on their way and to hear those whom you will hear go and so conduct Priam to the ships of the Achaeans that no other of the Danean shall see him or take note of him till he reach Ilias thus he spoke and Mercury guide and guardian, slayer of Argus did as he was told forthwith he bound on his glittering golden sandals with which he could fly like the wind over land and sea he took the wand with which he seals men's eyes and sleep or wakes them just as he pleases and flew holding it in his hand till he came to Troy into the helispont to look upon he was like a young man of noble birth in the heyday of his youth and beauty with the down just coming upon his face now when Priam and Edaeus had driven past the great tomb of Ilias they stayed their mules and horses that they might drink in the river for the shades of night were falling when therefore Edaeus saw Mercury standing near them he said to Priam take heed to send it of darkness, here is the matter which demands consideration I see a man who I think will presently fall upon us let us fly with our horses or at least embrace his knees and implore him to take compassion upon us when he heard this the old man's heart failed him and he was in great fear he stayed where he was as one dazed and the hare stood on end over his whole body but the bringer of good luck came up to him and took him by the hand saying, wither father are you thus driving your mules and horses in the dead of night when other men are asleep are you one of the fierce Achaeans who are hard by you so cruel and relentless should one of them see you bearing so much treasure through the darkness of the flying night what would not your state be then you are no longer young and he who is with you is too old to protect you from those who would attack you for myself I will do you no harm and I will defend you from anyone else for you remind me of my own father and Priam answered it is indeed as you say my dear son God has held his hand over me in that he has sent such a way of error as yourself to meet me so opportunity you are so comely in me and in figure and your judgment is so excellent that you must come of blessed parents then said the slayer of Argus guide and guardian sir all that you have said is right but tell me and tell me true are you taking this treasure to send it to a foreign people where it may be safe or are you leaving strong Ilias in dismay now that your son has fallen who was the bravest men among you and was never lacking in battle with the Ikeans and Priam said who are you my friend and who are your parents that you may speak so truly about the fate of my unhappy son the slayer of Argus guide and guardian answered him sir you would prove me that you question me about noble Hector many a time I have set eyes upon him in battle when he was driving the Argyves to their ships to the sword we stood still and marveled for Achilles in his anger with the son of Atreus suffered his not to fight I am his squire and came with him in the same ship I am a mermidun and my father's name is Pollector he is a rich man and about as old as you are he has six sons besides myself and I am the seventh when we cast lots it fell upon me to sail hither with Achilles I am now come from the ships on the plane for with daybreak the Achaeans will set battle and array upon the city they chafe it doing nothing and are so eager that their princes cannot hold them back then answered Priam if you are indeed the squire of Achilles son of Pellius tell me now the whole truth is my son still at the ships or has Achilles hewn him limb from limb and given him to his hounds sir replied the slayer of Argus guide and guardian neither hounds nor vultures have yet bothered him he is still just lying at the tents by the ship of Achilles and though it is now 12 days that he is laying there his flesh is neither wasted nor have the worms eaten him although they feed on warriors at daybreak Achilles drags him cruelly around the sepulchre of his dear comrade but it does him no hurt you should come yourself and see how he lies fresh as dew with the blood all washed away and his wounds every one of them closed though many pierced him with their fingers such care of the blessed gods taken of your brave son for he was dear to them beyond all measure the old man was comforted when he heard this and said my son see what a good thing it is to have made do offerings to the immortals for assures that he was born my son never forgot the gods that hold Olympus and now they were quieted to him even in death except therefore at my hands this goodly chalice guard me and with heaven's help guide me till I come to the tent of the son of Pellius then answered the slayer of Argus guiding guardian sir you are tempting me and playing upon my youth but you shall not move me for you are offering me presents without the knowledge of Achilles whom I fear and hold it great guilt to defraud lest some evil presently befall me but as your guide I will go with you even to Argos itself and will guard you so carefully whether by sea or land that no one should attack you through making light of him who was with you the bringer of good luck then sprang upon the chariot and seizing the whip and reins he breathed fresh spirit into the mules and horses when they reached the trench and the wall that was before the ships those who were on guard had just been getting their suppers and the slayer of Argus threw all into a deep sleep then he drew back the bolts to open the gates and took what he had upon his wagon year long they came to the lofty dwelling of the son of Pellius for which the myrmidons had cunt pine in which they had built for their king when they had built it they thatched it with the coarse tussock grass which they had mown out on the plane and all around it they made a large courtyard which was fenced with stakes set close together the gate was barred with a single bolt of pine which it took three men to force into its place and he could draw it back as to open the gate but Achilles could draw it back by himself Mercury opened the gate for the old man and brought in the treasure that he was taking with him for the son of Pellius then he sprang from the chariot onto the ground and said sir it is I immortal mercury that have come with you for my father sent me to escort you I will leave you now and will not enter into the presence of Achilles for I might anger him openly go you within and embrace the knees of the son of Pellius beseech him by his father his lovely mother and his son thus you may move him with these words mercury went back on High Olympus primes sprang from the chariot to the ground and leaving Ideas where he was in charge of the mules and horses the old man went straight into the house where Achilles love of the gods was sitting there he found him with his men seated at a distance from him only two the hero automadan and alchemists of the ways of Mars were busy in attendance about his person before he had but just been done eating and drinking and the table was still there King Priam entered without their seeing him and going right up to Achilles he grasped his knees and kissed the dread murderous hands that had slain so many of his sons and when some cruel spite has befallen a man that he should possess some one in his own country and must fly to a great man's protection in the land of strangers and all marvel who see him even so did Achilles marvel as he beheld Priam the others looked one to another and marveled also but Priam be sought Achilles saying think of your father oh Achilles like unto the gods who is even as I am on the sad threshold of old age it may be that those who dwell near him harass him and there is none to ruin from him yet when he hears of you being still alive he is glad and his days are full of hope that he shall see his dear son come to him from Troy but I wretched man that I am had the bravest and all Troy for my sons and there is not one of them left I had 50 sons when the Achaeans came here 19 of them were from a single womb and the others were born to me by the women of my household the greater part of them has fierce Mars laid low and Hector him who was alone left him who was the guardian of the city and ourselves, him have you lately slain therefore I am now come to the ships of the Achaeans to ransom his body from you with a great ransom fear oh Achilles the wrath of heaven think on your father and have compassion upon me who am the more pitiable for I have steeled myself as no man has ever steeled himself before me and have raised to my lips the hand of him who slew my son thus spoke Priam and the heart of Achilles yearned as he bethought him of his father he took the old man's hand and moved him gently away the two wept bitterly Priam as he lay at Achilles feet weeping for Hector and Achilles now for his father and now for Patroclus till the house was filled with their lamentation but when Achilles was now sated with grief and had unburdened the bitterness of his sorrow he left his seat and raised the old man in the hand in pity for his white hair and beard then he said unhappy man you have indeed been greatly daring how could you venture to come alone to the ships of the Achaeans and enter the presence of him who has slain so many of your brave sons you must have iron courage sit now upon this seat and for all our grief we shall hide our sorrows in our hearts for weeping will not avail us the immortals know no care they have been for manners full of sorrows on the floor of Job's palace they stand two urns the one filled with evil gifts the other with good ones he for whom Job, the Lord of Thunder mixes the gifts he sends will now meet with good and now with evil fortune but he to whom Job sends none but evil gifts will be pointed at with a finger of scorn and the hand of famine will pursue him to the ends of the earth and he will go up and down the face of the earth respected neither by gods nor men even so did it befall Pelius the gods endowed him with all good things from his birth upwards for he reigned over the myrmidens excelling all men in prosperity and wealth and mortal though he was they gave him a goddess for his bride but even on him too did heaven send misfortune for there was no race of royal children born to him in his house save one son who is doomed to die all untimely nor may I take care of him for he is growing old for I must stay here at Troy to be the bane of you and your children and you too O Priam I have heard that you were a four-time happy they say that in wealth and plentitude of offspring you surpassed all that is in Lesbos, the realm of Mechar to the northward Phrygia that is more inland and those that dwell upon the great Helispont but from the day when the dwellers in heaven sent this evil upon you war and slaughter have been about your city bear up against it and let there be some intervals in your sorrow mourn as you may for your brave son you will take nothing by it you cannot raise him from the dead ere you do so yet another sorrow should befall you and Priam answered O king bid me not be seated while Hector is still lying uncared for in your tents but accept the great ransom which I have brought you and give him to me at once that I may look upon him may you prosper with the ransom of your safety seeing that you have suffered me to live and to look upon the light of the sun Achilles looked at him sternly and said vex me sir no longer I am myself minded to give up the body of Hector my mother daughter of the old man of the sea came to me from Jove to bid me deliver it to you moreover I know well O Priam and you cannot hide it that some god has brought you to the ships of the Achaeans for else no man strong and in his prime would dare for our host he can neither pass our guard unseen nor draw the bolt of my gates thus easily therefore provoked me no further lest I sin against the word of Jove and suffer you not suppliant though you are within my tents the old man feared him and obeyed then the son of Pellius sprang like a lion through the door of his house not alone but with him when his two squires Ottoman and Alchemist who were closer to him than any others were as now that Patroclus was no more these unyoke the horses and mules and bade Priam's Herald and attendant be seated within the house they lifted the ransom for Hector's body from the wagon but they left two mantles and a goodly shirt that Achilles might wrap the body in them when he gave it to them to be taken home then he called to his servants and ordered them to wash the body in anointing but he first took it to a place where Priam would not see it lest if he did out in the bitterness of his grief and enrage Achilles who might kill him in sin against the word of Jove when the servants had washed the body and anointed it and had wrapped it in the fair shirt and mantle Achilles himself lifted it onto the buyer and he and his men then laid it on the wagon he cried aloud as he did so and called on the name of his dear comrade be not angry with me Patroclus he said if you hear even in the house of Hades I have given Hector to his father for the ransom it has been no unworthy one and I shall share it equitably with you Achilles then went back into the tent and took his place on the richly inlaid seat from which he had risen by the wall which was at right angles to the one against Priam was sitting Sir he said your son is now laid upon his buyer and has ransomed according to desire you shall look upon him when you take him away at daybreak for the present let us offer even lovely Naomi had to think about eating though her 12 children six daughters and six lusty sons had all been slain in her house Apollo killed the sons with arrows from his silver bow to punish Naomi and Diana slew the daughters because Naomi had vaulted herself against Leto she said leto had born two children only whereas she had born many whereupon the two killed the many nine days did they lie for the son of Saturn turned the people into stone but on the tenth day the gods in heaven themselves buried them and Naomi then took food being worn out with weeping they say that somewhere along the rocks on the mountain pastures of syphilis where the nymphs live that haunt the river Achalos there they say she lives in stone and still nurses the sorrow sent upon her by the hand of heaven therefore noble sir let us too now take food you can weep for your dear son hereafter as you are bearing him back to Ilias and many a tear where he cost you with this Achilles sprang from his seat and killed a sheep of silvery whiteness which his followers skinned and made ready all in due order they cut the meat carefully up into smaller pieces spitted them and drew them off again when they were well roasted Ottoman brought bread and fair baskets and served it round the table while Achilles dealt out the meat and they laid their hands on the good things before them as soon as they had had enough to eat and drink Priam descendant of dartiness marveled at the strength and beauty of Achilles for he was a god to see and Achilles marveled at Priam as he listened to him and looked upon his noble presence when they had gazed their fill Priam spoke first and now oh king he said take me to my couch that we may lay down and enjoy the blessed boon of sleep never once in my eyes been closed from the day your hands took the life of my son I have groveled without ceasing in the mire of my stable yard making moan and brooding over my countless sorrows now moreover I have eaten bread and drunk wine hitherto I have tasted nothing as he spoke Achilles taught his men and women servants to set beds in the room that were in the gate house and to make with good red rugs and spread coverlets on the top of them with woollen cloaks for Priam so the maids went out carrying a torch and got the two breads ready and all haste then Achilles said laughingly to Priam dear sir you shall lie outside lest some counselor of those who in due course keep coming to advise with me should see you here in the darkness of the flying night and tell it to Agamemnon this might cause delay in the delivery of the body and now tell me and tell me true for how many days would you celebrate the funeral rites of the noble Hector tell me that I may hold aloof from war and restrain the host and Priam answered since then you suffer me to bury my noble son with all due rites do thus Achilles and I shall be grateful you know how we are pent up within our city it is far for us to fetch wood from the mountains and the people live in fear nine days therefore will we mourn Hector in my house on the tenth day we will bury him and there shall be a public feast in his honor on the eleventh day we will build a mound over his ashes on the twelfth if there need be we will fight and Achilles answered all king Priam shall be as you have said I will stay our fighting for as long time as you have named and as he spoke he lay his hands on the old man's right wrist and token that he should have no fear thus then did Priam and his attendants sleep there in the forecourt full of thought while Achilles lie in the inner room of the house with fair brisous by his side and now both gods and mortals were fast to sleep through the live long night but upon Mercury alone the bringer of good luck sleep could take no hold for he was thinking all the time how to get king Priam away from the ships without his being seen by the strong force of sentinels he hovered therefore over Priam's head and said sir now that Achilles has spared your life you seem to have no fear about sleeping in the thick of your foes you have paid a great ransom and you have received the body of your son were you still alive in a prisoner the sons whom you have left at home would have to give three times as much to free you and so it would be if Agnemenon and the other Achilles were to know of you being here when he heard this the old man was afraid and roused his servant Mercury then yoked their horses and mules and drove them quickly through the hosts and perceived them when they came to the ford of Etting's Anthus begotten of immortal Jove Mercury went back to the High Olympus and Don in robe of saffron began to break all over the land Priam and Idias then drove on towards the city lamenting a making moan and the mules drew the body of Hector no one, neither man nor woman saw them Tocacandra, Pheras Golden Venus standing on Pergamus caught sight of her dear father and his chariot and his servant that was the city's heralds with him then she saw him that was lying upon the buyer drawn by the mules and with a loud cry she went about the city saying come hither Trojans, man and woman and look upon Hector if ever you were joist to see him coming from battle when he was alive look now on him that was the glory of our city and all of our people at this there was not a man left in the city so great a sorrow had possessed them hard by the gates they met Priam as he was bringing in the body Hector's wife and his mother were the first to mourn him they flew towards the wagon and laid their hands upon his head while the crowd stood weeping round them they would have stayed before the gates weeping and lamenting the live long day to the going down of the sun had not Priam spoke to them from the chariot and said make way for the mules to pass you take in the body home you shall have your fill of weeping at this the people stood asunder and made away for the wagon when they had borne the body within the house they laid it upon a bed and seated minstrels round it to lead the dirge whereon the women joined in the sad music of their lament foremost among them all Andromache led their wailing as she clasped the head of mighty Hector and her embrace husband she cried you have died young and leave me in the house of widow he of whom we are the ill-starred parents is still a mere child and I fear that he may not reach manhood he or he can do so our city will be raised and overthrown for you who watched over it are no more you who were a savior the guardian of our wives and children our women will be carried away captives to the ships and I among them while you my child who will be with me will be put to some unseemly tasks working for a cruel master or maybe some Achaean will hurl you or miserable death from our walls to avenge some brother or son or father whom Hector slew many of them have indeed bitten the dust in his hands for your father's hand in battle was no light one therefore do the people mourn him you have left O Hector sorrow unutterable to your parents and my own grief is greatest of all for you do not stretch forth your arms and embrace me as you lie dying nor say to me any words that might have lived with me in my tears night and day for evermore bitterly did she weep the while and the women joined in her lament Hecuba in her turn took up the strains of woe Hector she cried dearest to me of all my children so long as you were alive the gods loved you well and even in death they have not been utterly unmindful of you for when Achilles took other of my sons he would sell them beyond the seas to Samos, Imbros to rugged Lemnos and when he had slain you too with his sword many a time did he drag you around the sepulchre of his comrade though this could not give him life yet here you lie all fresh as dew and comely is one whom Apollo has slain with his painless shafts thus did she to speak through her tears in bitter moan and then Helen for a third time took up the strains of lamentation Hector said she dearest of all my brothers in law for I am the wife who brought me hither to Troy would that I have died ere that he did so twenty years are coming gone since I left my home and come over the seas but I have never heard one word of insult or unkindness from you one another would chide me as it might be one of your brothers or sisters or of your brother's wives or my mother in law for Priam was as kind to me as though he were my own father you would rebuke them and check them with words and gentleness and good will therefore my tears flow both for you and for my unhappy self for there was no one else in Troy who was kind to me but all shrink and shudder as they go by me she wept as she spoke and the vast crowd that was gathered round her joined in her lament then King Priam spoke to them saying bring wood otrogens to the city and fear no cunning ambush of the archives for Achilles when he dismissed me from the ships gave me his word that they should not attack us until the morning of the twelfth day forthwith they yoked their oxen and mules and gathered together before the city nine days long did they bring in great heaps of wood and on the morning of the tenth day with many tears they took brave Hector forth laid his dead body upon the summit of the pile and set the fire there too then when the child of morning rosy finger dawn appeared on the eleventh day the people then assembled round the pyre when they were got together they first quenched the fire with wine wherever it was burning and then his brothers and his comrades with many a bitter tear gathered his white bones and wrapped them in soft robes of purple and laid them in a golden urn which they placed in a grave and covered with large stones set close together they then built a barrel hurriedly over it keeping guard on every side lest the Achaean should attack them before they had finished when they had heaped up the barrel they went back into the city and being well assembled they held nigh a feast in the house of Priam their king thus then did they celebrate the funeral of Hector, tamer of horses end of book 24 and end of the Iliad by Homer