ds him spear in hand and thrice did he waste his blow upon the air when he rushed forward for the fourth time as though he were a god he shouted aloud saying hound this time too you have a skig death but of a truth it came exceedingly near you feebus apollo to whom it seems you pray before you go into battle has again saved you but if i too have any friends among the gods i will surely make an end of you when i come across you at some other time now however i will pursue and overtake other trojans on this he struck dry up to the spear about the middle of his neck and he fell headlong at his feet there he let him lie and stayed to malkus son of filior a man both brave and of great stature by hitting on the knee with the spear then he smote him with his sword and killed him after this he sprang on leogonus and dardanus son of bias and threw them from their chariot the one with a blow from a thrown spear while the other he cut down in hand to hand fight there was also tross the son of alastor he came up to achilles and clasped his knees in the hope that he would spare him and not kill him but let him go because they were both of the same age fool he might have known that he should not prevail with him for the man was in no mood for pity or forbearance but was in grim earnest therefore when tross laid hold of his knees and sought a hearing for his prayers achilles drove his sword into his liver and the liver came rolling out while his bosom was all covered with the black blood that welled from the wound thus did death close his eyes as he lay lifeless achilles then went up to maleus and struck him on the ear with a spear and the bronze spearhead came right out through the other ear he also struck ecocluse son of agonore on the head with a sword which became warm with the blood while death and stern fate closed the eyes of ecocluse next in order the bronze point of his spear wounded dukeleon in the forearm where the sinews of the elbow are united where on he awaited achilles onset with his arm hanging down and death staring him in the face achilles cut his head off with a blow from his sword and flung a helmet in all away from him and the marrow came oozing out of his backbone as he lay he then went in pursuit of rigmus noble son of paris who had come from fertile thrace and struck him through the middle with a spear which fixed itself in his belly so that he fell headlong from his chariot he also spear deriithus squire to rigmus in the back as he was turning with horses in flight and thrust him from his chariot while the horses were struck with panic as a fire raging in some mountain glen after long drought and the dense forest is in a blaze while the wind carries great tongues of fire in every direction even so furiously did achilles rage wielding his spear as though he were a god and giving chase to those whom he would slay till the dark earth ran with blood or as one who yolks broad brat oxen that they may tread barley in a threshing floor and it is soon bruised small under the feet of the lowing cattle even so do the horses of achilles trample on the shields in the bodies of the slain the axle underneath and the railing that ran round the car were bespattered with clots of blood thrown up by the horses hooves and from the tires of the wheels but the son of paleus pressed on to win still further glory and his hands were bedravelled with gore end of book 20 recording by entropy visit me at myspace.com forward slash side door book 21 of the iliad this is a libra vox recording all libra vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libra vox.org recording by leon meyer the iliad by homer translated by samuel butler book 21 the fight between achilles and the rivers commander the gods fight among themselves achilles drives the trojans within their gates now when they came to the ford of the full flowing rivers anthus be gotten of immortal jove achilles cut their forces in two one half he chased over the plain towards the city by the same way that the achilles had taken when flying panic stricken on the proceeding day with hector and full triumph this way did they fly pal mel and juno sent down a thick mist in front of them to stay them the other half were hemmed in by the deep silver eddying stream and fell into it with a great uproar the waters resounded and the banks rang again as they swim hither and thither with loud cries amid the whirling eddies as locusts flying to a river before the blast of a grass fire the flame comes on and on till it lasted over takes them and they huddle into the water even so was the eddying stream of xanthus filled with the uproar of men and horses all struggling in confusion before achilles forthwith the hero left his spear upon the bank leaning it against a tamarisk bush and plunged into the river like a god armed with his sword only fell was his purpose as he hewed the trojans down on every side their dying groans rose hideous as the sword smote them and the river ran red with blood as when fish fly scared before a huge dolphin and fill every nook and corner of some fair haven for he is sure to eat all he can catch even so did the trojans cower under the banks of the mighty river and when achilles arms grew weary with killing them he drew twelve youths alive out of the water to sacrifice in revenge for patroclus son of munitius he drew them out like dazed fawns found their hands behind them with the girdles of their own shirts and gave them over to his men to take back to the ships then he sprang into the river thirsting for still further blood there he found like kaon son of prime seed of darkness as he was escaping out of the water he it was whom he had once taken prisoner when he was in his father's vineyard having set upon him by night as he was cutting young shoots from a wild fig tree to make the wicker sides of a chariot achilles then caught him to his sorrow unawares and sent him by sea to lemnos where the son of jason bought him but a guest friend ietian of embrace freed him with a great sum and sent him to orizby whence he had escaped and returned to his father's house he had spent eleven days happily with his friends after he'd come from lemnos but on the twelfth heaven again delivered him into the hands of achilles who was to send him to the house of hades sorely against his will he was unarmed when achilles caught side of him and had neither helmet nor shield nor yet had he any spear for he had thrown all his armor from him onto the bank and was sweating with his struggles to get out of the river so that his strength was now failing him then achilles said to himself in his surprise what marvel do i see here if this man can come back alive after having been sold over into lemnos i shall have the trojans also whom i have slain rising from the world below could not even the waters of the gray sea imprison him as they do many another whether he will or not this time let him taste my spear that i may know for certain whether mother earth who can keep even a strong man down will be able to hold him or whether thence too he will return thus did he pause and ponder but like kaon came up to him dazed and trying hard to embrace his knees for he would feign live not die achilles thrusted him with his spear meaning to kill him but like kaon ran crouching up to him and caught his knees whereby the spear passed over his back and stuck in the ground hungering though it was for blood with one hand he caught achilles knees as he besought him and with the other he clutched the spear and would not let it go then he said achilles have mercy upon me and spare me for i am your suppliant it was in your tents that i first broke bread on the day when you took me prisoner in the vineyard after which you sold me away to lemnos far from my father and my friends and i brought you the price of a hundred oxen i have paid three times as much to gain my freedom it is but twelve days that i have come to ileus after much suffering and now cruel fate has again thrown me into your hands surely father jove must hate me that he has given me over to you a second time short of life indeed did my mother leothoey bear me daughter of aged altis of altis who reigns over the warlike lelegy and holds steep peticis on the riversat neus i am married his daughter along with many other women and two sons were born of her both of whom you will have slain your spear slew noble polydorus as he was fighting in the front ranks and now evil will hear befall me for i fear that i shall not escape you since heaven has delivered me over to you furthermore i say and lay my saying dear heart spare me for i am not of the same womb as hector who slew your brave and noble comrade with such words did the princely son of priam beseech achilles but achilles answered him sternly idiot said he talked not to me of ransom until patroclus fell i preferred to give the trojans quarter and sold beyond the sea many of those whom i had taken alive but now not a man shall live of those whom heaven delivers into my hands before the city of ileus and of all trojans that shall fare hardest with the sons of priam therefore my friend you too shall die why should you whine in this way patroclus fell and he was a better man than you are i too see you not how i am great and goodly i am son to a noble father and have a goddess for my mother but the hands of doom and death overshadow me all as surely the day will come either at dawn or dark or at the noon tide when one shall take my life also in battle either with his spear or with an arrow sped from his bow thus did he speak and like kaon's heart sank within him he lost his hold of the spear and held out both hands before him but achilles drew his keen blade and struck him by the collarbone on his neck he plunged his two-edged sword into him to the very hilt whereon he lay at full length on the ground with the dark blood welling from him till the earth was soaked then achilles caught him by the foot and flung him into the river to go downstream vaunting over him the while and saying lie there among the fishes who will lick the blood from your wound and gloat over it your mother shall not lay on you any beer to mourn you but the eddies of skamander shall bear you into the broad bosom of the sea there shall the fishes feed on the fat of like kaon as they dart under the dark ripple of the waters so perish all of you till we reach the citadel of strong ileus you in flight and i following after to destroy you the river with its broad silver stream shall serve you in no stead for all the bulls you offered him and all the horses that you flung living into his waters nonetheless miserably shall you perish till there is not a man of you but is paid in full for the death of patroclus and the havoc he wrought among the achaeans whom you have slain while i held aloof from battle so spoke achilles but the river grew more and more angry and pondered within himself how he should stay the hand of achilles and save the trojans from disaster meanwhile the son of pelius spear in hand sprang upon esteropeus son of pelican to kill him he was son to the broad river axius and parabia eldest daughter of acus eminus for the river had lain with her esteropeus stood up out of the water to face him with a spear in either hand and xanthus filled him with courage being angry for the death of the youths whom achilles was slaying ruthlessly within his waters when they were close up with one another achilles was the first to speak who and whence are you said he who dared to face me woe to the parents whose son stands up against me and the son of pelican answered great son of pelius why should you ask me my lineage i am from the fertile land of far peonia captain of the peonians and it is now 11 days that i am at alias i am with the blood of the river axius of axius that is fairest of all rivers that run he begot the famed warrior pelican whose son men call me let us now fight achilles thus did he defy him and achilles raised his spear of pelian ash esteropeus failed with both his spears for he could use both hands alike with the one spear he struck achilles shield but did not pierce it for the layer of gold gift of the god stayed the point with the other spear he grazed the elbow of achilles right arm drawing dark blood but the spear itself went by him and fixed itself in the ground foiled of its bloody banquet then achilles feigned to kill him hurled his spear at esteropeus but failed to hit him and struck the steep bank of the river driving the spear half its length into the earth the son of pelius then drew his sword and springed furiously upon him esteropeus vainly tried to draw achilles spear out of the bank by main force thrice did he tug at it trying with all his might to draw it out and thrice he had to leave off trying the fourth time he tried to bend and break it but ere he could do so achilles smote him with his sword and killed him he struck him in the belly near the navel so that all his bowels came gushing out onto the ground and the darkness of death came over him as he lay gasping then achilles set his foot on his chest and spoiled him of his armor vaunting over him and saying lie there be gotten of a river though you be it is hard for you to strive with the offspring of saturn son you declare yourself sprung from the blood of a broad river but i am of the seed of mighty jove my father is pelius son of yacus ruler of the mini mermidans and the kiosk was the son of jove therefore as jove is mightier than any river that flows into the sea so are his children stronger than those of any river whatsoever moreover you have a great river hard by if he can be of any use to you but there is no fighting against jove the son of saturn with whom not even king acalois can compare nor the mighty stream of deep flowing oceanus from whom all rivers and seas with all springs and deep wells proceed even though oceanus fears the lightnings of great jove and his thunder that comes crashing out of heaven with this he drew his bronze spear out of the bank and now that he had killed asteropias he let him lie where he was on the sand with a dark river flowing over him and the eels and fishes busy nibbling and gnawing the fat that was about his kidneys then he went in chase of the peonians who were flying along the bank of the river in panic when they saw their leader slain by the hands of the son of pilius therein he slew through silica's midan as typhilus moniesus thoracius enius and ophelestes and would have slain yet others had not the river in anger taken human form and spoken to him from out the deep water saying achilles if you excel all in strength so do you also in wickedness for the gods are ever with you to protect you if then the son of saturn has vouchsafed it to you to destroy all the trojans at any rate drive them out of my stream and do your grim work on land my fair waters are now filled with corpses nor can i find any channel by which i may pour myself into the sea for i am choked with dead and yet you go on mercilessly slain i am in despair therefore oh captain of your host trouble me no further achilles answered so be it's commander jove descended but i will never cease dealing out death among the trojans till i have pinned them up in their city and made trial of hector face to face that i may learn whether he is to vanquish me or i him as he spoke he set upon the trojans with a fury like that of the gods but the river said to apollo surely son of jove lord of the silver bow you are not obeying the commands of jove who charged you straightly that you should stand by the trojans and defend them till twilight fades and darkness is over the earth meanwhile achilles sprang from the bank into midstream where on the river raised a high wave and attacked him he swelled his stream into a torrent and swept away the many dead whom achilles had slain and left within his waters these he cast out onto the land bellowing like a bull the while but the living he saved alive hiding them in his mighty eddies the great and terrible wave gathered about achilles falling upon him and beating on a shield so that he could not keep his feet he caught hold of a great elm tree but it came up by the roots and tore away the bank damning the stream with its thick branches and bridging it all across whereby achilles struggled out of the stream and fled full speed over the plane for he was afraid but the mighty god ceased not in his pursuit and sprang upon him with a dark crested wave to stay his hands and save the trojans from destruction the son of pelius darted away a spear's throw from him swift is the swoop of a black hunter eagle which is the strongest and flitest of all birds even so did he spring forward and the armor rang loudly about his breast he fled on in front but the river with a loud roar came tearing after as one who would water his garden leads the stream from some fountain over his plants and all his ground spade in hand he clears away the dams to free the channels and the little stones run rolling round and round with the water as it goes merrily down the bank faster than the man can follow even so did the river keep catching up with achilles albeit he was a fleet runner for the gods are stronger than men as often as he would strive to stand his ground and see whether or not all the gods in heaven were in league against him so often would the mighty wave come beating down upon his shoulders and he would have to keep flying on and on in great dismay for the angry flood was tiring him out as it flowed past him and ate the ground from under his feet then the son of pilius lifted up his voice to heaven saying father jove is there none of the gods who will take pity upon me and save me from the river i do not care what may happen to me afterwards i blame none of the other dwellers on olympus so severely as i do my dear mother who's beguiled and tricked me she told me i was to fall into the walls of troi by the flying arrows of apollo would that hector the best man among the trojans might there slay me then should i fall a hero by the hand of a hero whereas now it seems that i shall come to a most pitiable end trapping this river as though i were some swine herds boy who gets carried down a torrent while trying to cross it during a storm as soon as he had spoken thus neptune and manurba came up to him in the likeness of two men and took him by the hand to reassure him neptune spoke first son of pilius said he be not so exceeding fearful we are two gods come with joe's sanction to assist you i and palis manurba it is not your fate to perish in this river he will abate presently as you will see moreover we strongly advise you if you will be guided by us not to stay your hand from fighting till you've pent the trojan host within the famed walls of ileus as many of them as may escape then kill hector and go back to the ships for we will vouchsafed you a triumph over him when they had so sad they went back to the other immortals but achilles drove onward over the plane encouraged by the charge the gods had laid upon him all was now covered with the flood of waters and much goodly armor of the use that had been slain was rifting about as also many corpses but he forced his way against the stream speeding right onwards nor could the broad water stay him for manurba had endowed him with great strength nevertheless commander did not slacken in his pursuit but was still more furious with the son of pelius he lifted his waters into a high crest and cried aloud to simoas saying dear brother let the two of us unite to save this man or he will sack the mighty city of king prim and the trojans will not hold out against him help me at once fill your streams with water from their sources rouse all your torrents to a fury raise your wave on high and let snags and stones come thundering down you that we may make an end of the savage creature who is now lording it as though he were a god nothing shall serve him longer not strength nor cuddliness nor his fine armor which forsooth shall soon be lying low in the deep waters covered over with mud i will wrap him in sand and pour tons of shingle around him so that the acian shall not know how to gather his bones for the silt in which i shall have hidden him and when they celebrate his funeral they need build no barrow on this he upraised his tumultuous flood high against achilles seething as it was with foam and blood and the bodies of the dead the dark waters of the river stood upright and would have overwhelmed the son of pelius but you know trembling lest achilles should be swept away in the mighty torrent lifted her voice on high and called out to vulcan her son crookfoot she cried my child be up and doing for i deem it is with you that xanthus is feigned to fight help us at once kindle a fierce fire i will then bring up the west in the white south wind in a mighty hurricane from the sea i shall bear the flames against the heads and armor of the trojans and consume them while you go along the banks of xanthus burning his trees and wrapping him round with fire let him not turn you back neither by fair words nor foul and slacken not till i shout and tell you then you may stay your flames on this vulcan kindle the fierce fire which broke out first upon the plane and burned the many dead whom achilles had killed and whose bodies were lying about in great numbers by this means the plane was dried and the flood stayed as the north wind blowing on an orchard that has been sought in with autumn rain soon dries it and the heart of the owner is glad even so the whole plane was dried and the dead bodies were consumed then he turned tongues of fire onto the river he burned the alms the willows and the tamarisks the lotus also with the rushes and marshy herbage that grew abundantly by the banks of the river the eels and fishes that go darting about everywhere in the water these two were sorely harassed by the flames that cunning vulcan had kindled and the river himself was scalded so that he spoke saying vulcan there is no god that can hold his own against you i cannot fight you when you flare out your flames in this way strive with me no longer let achilles drive the trojans out of the city immediately what have i to do with quarreling and helping people he was boiling as he spoke and all his waters were seething as a cauldron upon a large fire boils when it is melting the lard of some fatted hog and the lard keeps bubbling up all over when the dry faggots blaze under it even so were the goodly waters of xanthus heated with the fire till they were boiling he could flow no longer but stayed his stream so afflicted was he by the blasts of fire which cunning vulcan had raised then he prayed to juno and besaught her saying juno why should your son vex my stream with such a special fury i am not so much to blame as all the others are who have been helping the trojans i will leave off since you so desire it and let son leave off also furthermore i swear never again will i do anything to save the trojans from destruction not even when all trojans burning in the flames which the achaeans will kindle as soon as juno heard this she said to her son vulcan son vulcan hold now your flames we ought not to use such violence against a god for the sake of mortals when she had thus spoken vulcan quenched his flames and the river went back once more into his own fair bed xanthus was now beaten so these two left off fighting for juno stayed them though she was still angry but a furious quarrel broke out among the other gods for they were of divided councils they fell on one another with a mighty uproar earth groaned and the spacious firmament rang out as with a blare of trumpets jove heard as he was sitting on olympus and laughed for joy when he saw the gods coming to blows among themselves they were not long about beginning and marr's piercer of shields opened the battle sword in hand he sprang it once upon manurba and reviled her why vixen said he have you again set the gods by the ears in the pride and haughtiness of your heart have you forgotten how you said diamide son of titius on to wound me and you yourself took visible spear and drove it into me to the heart of my fair body you shall now suffer for what you then did to me as he spoke he struck her on the terrible tassled aegis so terrible that not even can jove's lightning pierce it here did murderous marr's strike her with his great spear she drew back and with her strong hand seized a stone that was lying on the plane great and rugged and black which men of old had set for the boundary of a field with this she struck marr's on the neck and brought him down nine roots did he cover in his fall and his hair was all soiled in the dust while his armor rang rattling round him but manurba laughed and vaunted over him saying idiot have you not learned how far stronger i am than you but you must still match yourself against me thus do your mother's curses now roost upon you for she is angry and would do you mischief because you've deserted the akeans and are helping the trojans she then turned her two piercing eyes elsewhere where on jove's daughter venus took marr's by the hand and led him away groaning all the time for it was only with great difficulty that he had come to himself again when queen juno saw her she said to manurba look daughter of eget sparing jove unwearable that vixen venus is again taking marr's through the crowd out of the battle go after her at once thus she spoke manurba sped after venus with a will and made it her striking her on the bosom with her strong hand so that she fell fainting to the ground and there they both lay stretched at full length then manurba vaunted over her saying may all you who helped the trojans against the archives prove just as redoubtable and stalwart as venus did when she came across me while she was helping marr's had this been so we should long since have ended the war by sacking the strong city of ilias juno smiled as she listened meanwhile king neptune turned to apollo saying febus why should we keep each other at arm's length it is not well now that the others have begun fighting it will be disgraceful to us if we return to jove's bronze floored mansion on olympus without having fought each other therefore come on you are the younger of the two and i ought not to attack you for i am older and have had more experience idiot you have no sense and forget how we too alone of all the gods fared hardly round about ilias when we came from joe's house and worked for leomiden a whole year at a stated wage and he gave us his orders i built the trojans the wall about their city so wide and fair that it might be impregnable while you febus heard a cattle for him in the dales of many valley dita when however the glad hours brought round the time of payment mighty leomiden robbed us of all our hire and sent us off with nothing but abuse he threatened to bind us hand and foot and sell us over into some distant island he tried more over to cut the ears off of both of us so we went away in a rage furious about the payment he had promised us and yet withheld in spite of all this you are now showing favor to his people and will not join us encompassing the other ruin of the proud trojans with their wives and children and king apollo answered lord of the earthquake you would have no respect for me if i were to fight you about a pack of miserable mortals who come out like leaves in summer and eat the fruit of the field and presently fall lifeless to the ground let us stay this fighting at once and let them settle it among themselves he turned away as he spoke for he would lay no hand on the brother of his own father but his sister the huntress diana patroness of wild beasts was very angry with him and said so you would fly far darter and hand victory over to naptoon with a cheap vaunt to boot baby why keep your bow thus idle never let me again hear you bragging in my father's house as you have often done in the presence of the immortals that you would stand up and fight with naptoon apollo made no answer but joe's august queen was angry and upgraded her bitterly old vixen she cried how dare you cross me thus for all your bow you'll find it hard to hold your own against me joe made you as a lion among women and lets you kill them whenever you choose you will find it better to chase wild beasts and deer upon the mountains than to fight those who are stronger than you are if you would try war do so and find out by pitting yourself against me how far stronger i am than you are she caught both diana's wrist with her left hand as she spoke and with her right she took the bow from her shoulders and laughed as she beat her with it about the ears while diana wriggled and writhed under her blows her swift arrows were shed upon the ground and she fled weeping from under juno's hand as a dove that flies before a falcon to the cleft of some hollow rock when it is her good fortune to escape even so did she fly weeping away leaving her bow and arrows behind her then the slayer of argus guide and guardian said to leto leto i shall not fight you it is ill to come to blows of any of joe's wives therefore boast as you will among the immortals that you worsted me in a fair fight leto then gathered up diana's bow and arrows that had fallen about amid the whirling dust and when she had got them she made all haste after her daughter diana had now reached joe's bronze floored mansion on olympus and sat herself down with many tears on the knees of her father while her ambrosial raiment was quivering all about her the son of saturn drew her towards him and laughing pleasantly the while began to question her saying which of the heavenly beings my dear child has been treating you in this cruel manner as though you had been misconducting yourself in the face of everybody and the fair crown goddess of the chase answered it was your wife juno father who has been beating me it is always her doing when there is any quarreling among the immortals dust they converse and meanwhile febus apollo entered the strong city of ilias for he was uneasy lest the wall should not hold out and the danians should take the city then and there before its hour had come but the rest of the ever-living gods went back some angry and some triumphant to olympus where they took their seats beside joe lord of the storm cloud while achilles still kept on dealing out death alike on the trojans and on their horses as when smoke from some burning city ascends to heaven when the anger of the gods has kindled it there is then toil for all in sorrow for not a few even so did achilles bring toil and sorrow on the trojans old king primes stood on a high tower of the wall looking down on huge achilles as the trojans fled panic stricken before him and there is none to help them presently he came down from off the tower and with many a groan went along the wall to give orders to the brave warders of the gate keep the gates said he wide open till the people come flying into the city her achilles is hard by and is driving them and route before them i see we are in great peril as soon as our people are inside and in safety close the strong gates dry fear lest that terrible man should come bounding inside along with the others as he spoke they drew back the bolts and opened the gates and when these were opened there was a haven of refuge for the trojans apollo then came full speed out of the city to meet them and protect them right for the city in the high wall parched with thirst and grimy of dust still they fled on with achilles wielding his spear furiously behind them for he was as one possessed and was thirsting after glory then had the sons of the achians taken the lofty gates of troi if apollo had not spurred on a genor valiant the noble son to entinor he put courage into his heart and stood by his side to guard him leaning against the beach tree and shrouded in thick darkness when a genor saw achilles he stood still and his heart was clouded with care alas said he to himself in his dismay if i fly before mighty achilles and go where all the others are being driven and route he will nonetheless catch me and kill me for a coward how would it be if i were to let achilles drive the others before him and then fly from the wall to the plane that is behind ileus till i reach the spurs of ida and can hide in the underwood that is there on i could then wash the sweat from off me in the river and in the evening return to ileus but why commune with myself in this way like enough he would see me as i am hurrying from the city over the plane and would speed after me till he had caught me i should stand no chance against him for he is mightiest of all mankind what then if i go out and meet him in front of the city his flesh too i take it can be pierced by pointed bronze life is the same in one and all and men say that he is but mortal despite the triumph that joe's son of saturn vouchsafes him so saying he stood on his guard and awaited achilles for he was now feigned to fight him as a leopardist that bounds from out of thick covert to attack a hunter she knows no fear and is not dismayed by the bang of the hounds even though the man be too quick for her and wound her either with thrust or spear still though the spear is pierced her she'll not give in till she's either caught him in a grip or been killed outright even so did noble aginor son of antinor refused to fly till he had made trial of achilles and took aim at him with a spear holding his round shield before him and crying with a loud voice of a truth said he noble achilles you deem that you shall this day sack the city of the proud trojans fool there will be trouble enough yet before it for there is many a brave man of us still inside who will stand in front of our dear parents with our wives and children to defend ileus here therefore huge and mighty warrior though you be here shall you die as he spoke his strong hand hurled the javelin from him and the spear struck achilles on the leg beneath the knee the grieve of the newly wrought tin rang loudly but the spear recoiled from the body of whom it had struck and did not pierce it for the god's gift stayed it achilles in his turn attacked noble aginor but apollo would not vouchsafed him glory for he snatched aginor away and hid him in a thick mist sending him out of the battle unmolested then he craftily drew the son of pelius away from going after the host for he put on the semblance of a aginor and stood in front of achilles who ran towards him to give him chase and pursued him over the corn lands of the plain turning him towards the deep waters of the river's commander apollo ran but a little way before him and beguiled achilles by making him think all the time that he was on the point of overtaking him meanwhile the rabble of routed trojans was thankful to crowd within the city till their numbers thronged it no longer did they dare wait for one another outside the city walls to learn who had escaped and who were fallen in flight but all those whose feet and needs could still carry them horde pel mel into the town end of book 21 book 22 of the illid this is a liver box recording all liver box recordings are in the public domain or more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the Iliad by Homer translated by Samuel Butler book 22 the death of Hector thus the trojans in the city scared like thorns wiped the sweat from off them and drank to quench their thirst leaning against the goodly battlements while the akeans with their shields laid upon their shoulders drew close up to the walls but stern fate made Hector stay where he was before Ilias and the say in gates then Phoebus apollo spoke to the son of pelius saying why son of pelius do you who are a but man give chase to me who am immortal have you not yet found out that it is a god whom you pursue so furiously you did not harass the trojans whom you had routed and now they are within the walls while you have been decoyed hither away from them me you cannot kill for death can take no hold upon me Achilles was greatly angered and said you have balked me far darter most malicious of all gods and have drawn me away from the wall where many another man would have bitten the dust there he got with an Ilias you have robbed me of great glory and have saved the trojans at no risk to yourself for you have nothing to fear but I would indeed have my revenge if it were in my power to do so on this with felon tent he made towards the city and as the winning horse in a chariot race strains every nerve when he is flying over the plane even so fast and furiously to the limbs of Achilles bear him onwards king premium was the first to know him as he scoured the plane all radiant as the star which men called Orion's hound and whose beam blaze forth in time of harvest more brilliantly than those of any other that shines by night brightest of them although he be he yet bodes ill for mortals for he brings fire and fever in his train even so did Achilles armor gleam on his breast as he sped onwards premium raised a cry and beat his head with his hands as he lifted them up and shouted out to his dear son imploring him to return but Hector still stayed before the gates for his heart was set upon doing battle with Achilles the old man reached out his arm towards him and beat him for pity's sake come within the walls Hector he cried my son stay not to face this man alone and unsupported or you will meet death at the hands of the son of Pilius for he is mightier than you monster that he is would indeed that the gods loved him no better than I do for so dogs and vultures would soon devour him as he lay stretched on earth and a load of grief would be left it from my heart for many a brave son has he rep from me either by killing them or selling them away in the islands that are beyond the sea even now I miss two sons from among the Trojans who have thronged within the city like Chaon and Polydorus whom Lothia purless among women bore me should they be still alive in the hands of the Achaeans we will ransom them with gold and bronze of which we have store for the old man at least indulged his daughter richly but if they are already dead and in the house of Hades sorrow will it be to us too who were their parents albeit the grief of others will be more short lived unless you too perish at the hands of Achilles come then my son within the city to be the guardians of Trojan men and Trojan women or you will both lose your own life and afford a mighty triumph to the son of Pilius have pity also on your unhappy father while life yet remains to him on me whom the son of Saturn will destroy by a terrible doom on the threshold of old age after I have seen my son slain and my daughters held away as captives my bridal chambers pillaged little children dashed to earth amid the rage of battle and my son's wives dragged away by the cruel hands of the Achaeans in the end fierce hounds will tear me in pieces at my own gates after someone has beaten the life out of my body with sword or spear hounds that I myself reared and fed up my own table to guard my gates but who will yet lap my blood and then lie all distraught at my doors when a young man falls by the sword in battle he may lie where he is and there is nothing unseemly let what will be seen all is honorable and death but when an old man is slain there is nothing in this world more pitiable than that dog should defile his gray hair and beard and all that men hide for shame the old man tore his gray hair as he spoke but he moved not the heart of Hector his mother hurried by wept and moaned aloud as she barred her bosom and pointed to the breast which had suckled him Hector she cried weeping bitterly in the while Hector my son spurred not this breast but have pity upon me too if I have ever given you comfort for my own bosom think on it now dear son and come within the world to protect us from this man stand not without to meet him should the wretch kill you neither I nor your richly dowered wife shall ever weep dear offshoot of myself over the bed on which you lie for dogs will devour you at the ships of the Achaeans thus did the two with many tears employ their son but they moved not the heart of Hector and he stood his ground awaiting huge Achilles as he drew nearer towards him as serpent in its den upon the mountains full fed with deadly poison waits for the approach of man he is filled with fury and his eyes glare terribly as he goes writhing around his den even so Hector leaned his shield against the tower that jetted out from the wall and stood where he was undaunted alas said he to himself in the heaviness of his heart if I go within the gates polydamus will be the first to he approach upon me for it was he that urged me to lead the Trojans back to the city on that awful night when Achilles came forth against us I would not listen but it would have been indeed better if I had done so now that my folly has destroyed the host I dare not look Trojan men and Trojan women in the face lest the worst man should say Hector has ruined us by his self confidence surely it would be better for me to return after having fought Achilles and slain him or to die gloriously here before the city what again if I were to lay down my shield and helmet lean my spear against the wall and go straight up to noble Achilles what if I were to promise to give up Helen who was the fountainhead of all this war and all the treasure that Alexander's bought with him in his ships to Troy I and to let the Acans divide the half of everything that the city contains among themselves I might make the Trojans by the mouth of their princes take a solemn oath that they would hide nothing but would divide into two shares all that is within the city but why argue with myself in this way were I to go up to him he would show me no kind of mercy he would kill me then and there as easily as though I were a woman when I had off my armor there is no parlaying with him from some rocker oak tree his young men and maidens prattle with one another better fight him at once and learn to which of us jove will vouchsave victory thus did he stand in ponder but Achilles came up to him as it were Mars himself plume lord of battle from his right shoulder he brandished his temporal spear of pillion ash and the bronze gleamed around him like flashing fire or the rays of the rising sun fear fell upon Hector as he beheld him and he dared not stay longer where he was but fled in dismay from before the gates while Achilles started after him at his utmost speed as a mountain falcon swift as his all birds swooped down upon some cowering dove the dove flies before him at the falcon with a shrill scream follows close after resolved to have her even so did Achilles make strength for Hector with all his might while Hector fled under the Trojan wall as fast as his limbs could take him on they flew along the wagon road that ran hard by under the wall past the lookout station and past the weather beaten wild fig tree so they came to two fair springs which feed the river skimander one of these two springs is warm and steam rises from it is smoked from a burning fire but the other even in summer is as cold as hallowed snow and the ice that forms on the water here hard by the springs are the goodly washing Charles a stone we're in the time of peace before the coming the Achaeans the wives and fair daughters of the Trojans used to wash their clothes past these did they fly the one in front and the other giving chase behind him good was the man that fled but better far was he that followed after and swiftly indeed did they run for the prize was no mere beast for sacrifice or bullocks hide as it might be for a common foot race but they ran for the life of Hector as horses in a chariot rates speed round the turning points when they were running from some great prize a tripod or woman at the games in honor of some dead hero so did these two run full speed three times around the city of Priam all the gods watched them and the sire of gods and men was the first to speak alas said he my eyes behold a man who is dear to me being pursued around the walls of Troy my heart is full of pity for Hector who has burned the thigh bones of many a heifer in my honor one while on the crest of many valedita and again on the citadel of Troy and now I see a noble Achilles in full pursuit of him around the city of Priam what say you consider among yourselves and decide whether we shall now save him or let him fall valiant though he may be before Achilles son of Pilius then Minerva said father wielder of the lightning lord of cloud and storm what mean you would you pluck this mortal whose doom has long been decreed out of the jaws of death do as you will but we other shall not be of a mind with you and joe answered my child tried o born take heart I did not speak in full earnest and I will let you have your way do without let or hindrance as you were minded thus to the urge Minerva who was already eager and down she darted from the top most summit of Olympus Achilles was still in full pursuit of Hector as a howling chasing a fawn when he started from its covert on the mountains and hunts through glade and thicket the fawn may try to elude him by crouching under cover of a bush but he will sent her out and follow her up until he gets her even so there was no escape for Hector from the fleet son of Pilius whenever he made set to get near the Dardanian gates and under the walls that his people might help him by showering down weapons from above Achilles would gain on him and head him back towards the plane keeping himself always on the city side as a man in a dream who fails to lay hands upon another whom he is pursuing the one cannot escape nor the other overtake even so neither could Achilles come up with Hector nor Hector break away from Achilles nevertheless he might even yet have escaped death had not the time come when Apollo who thus far had sustained his strength the nerve his running was now no longer to stay by him Achilles made signs to the Achaean host and shook his head to show that no man was to aim a darted Hector lest another might win the glory of having hid him and he might come in second then at last as they were nearing the fountains for the fourth time the father of all balanced his golden scales in place to doom in each of them one for Achilles and the other for Hector as he held the scales by the middle the doom of Hector fell down deep into the house of Hades and that's Phoebus Apollo left him thereon Minerva went close up to the son of Peleus and said noble Achilles favorite of the heaven we too shall surely take back to the ships of triumph the Achaeans by slaying Hector for all his lust to battle he would Apollo may as he lied groveling before his father ages bearing Jove Hector cannot escape us longer stay here and take breath while I go up to him and persuade him to make a stand and fight you thus spoke Minerva Achilles obeyed her gladly and stood still leaning on his brawn pointed ash and spear while Minerva left him and went after Hector in the form in with the voice of the aphobos she came close up to him and said dear brother I see your heart pressed by Achilles who is chasing you at full speed round the city of Priam let us await his onset and stand on our defense and Hector answered the aphobos you have always been dearest to me of all my brothers children of Hecuba and Priam but henceforth I shall rate you more highly in as much as you have ventured outside the wall for my sake when all others remain inside then Minerva said dear brother my father and mother went down on their knees and implored me as did all my comrades to remain inside so great a fear has fallen upon them all but I was in agony of grief when I beheld you now therefore let us too make a stand and fight and let there be no keeping our spears in reserve that we may learn whether Achilles shall kill us and bear off our spoils to the ships or whether he shall fall before you thus did Minerva and vagal him by her cunning and when the two were now close to one another great Hector was the first to speak I will no longer fly you son of Pilius said he as I have been doing hithera to three times have I fled around the mighty city of Priam without daring to withstand you but now let me either slay or be slain for I am in the mind to face you let us then give pledges to one another by our gods who are the fittest witnesses and guardians of all covenants let it be agreed between us that if Joe Vouch sates me the longer stay and I take your life I am not to treat your dead body in any unseemly fashion but when I have stripped you of your armor I am to give your body to the Achaeans and do you likewise Achilles glared at him and answered full prep not to me about covenants there can be no covenants between men and lions wolves and lambs can never be of one mind but hate each other out and out and through therefore there can be no understanding between you and me nor may there be any covenants between us till one or other shall fall glutton grim Mars with his life's blood put forth all your strength you have need now to prove yourself indeed a bold soldier and man of war you have no more chance and palace maneuver will forthiest vanquish you by my spear you shall now pay me in full for the grief you have caused me on account of my comrades who you have killed in battle he poised his spear as he spoke and hurled it Hector saw it coming and avoided it he watched it and crouched down so that flew over his head and stuck in the ground beyond but Nerva then snatched it up and gave it back to Achilles without Hector seeing her Hector thereon said to the son of Pelius you've missed your aim Achilles spear of the gods and Joe has not revealed to you the hour of my doom though you made sure that he had done so you were a false tongue liar when you deemed that I should forget my value and quell before you you shall not drive spear into the back of a runaway drive it should heaven so grant you the power drive it into me as I make straight towards you and now for your own part avoid my spear if you can would that you would receive the whole of it into your body if you were once dead the Trojans would find the war an easier matter for it is you who have harmed them most he poised his spear as he spoke and hurled it his aim were true for he hit the middle of Achilles shield but the spear rebounded from it and did not pierce it Hector was angry when he saw that the weapon had sped from his hand in vain and stood there in dismay for he had no second spear with a loud cry he called Diaphobus and asked him for one but there was no man then he saw the truth and said to himself last the gods have lured me on to my destruction I deemed that the hero Diaphobus was by my side but he is within the wall and Minerva hasn't veggled me death is now indeed exceedingly near at hand and there is no way out of it for so job and his son Apollo the far garter I've willed it though heretofore they have been ever ready to protect me my doom has come upon me let me not then die and gloriously without a struggle but let me first do some great thing that shall be told among men hereafter as he spoke he drew the keen blade that hung so great and strong by his side and gathering himself together he sprang on Achilles like a soaring eagle which swoops down from the clouds onto some lammer timid hair even so did Hector brandis his sword and spring upon Achilles Achilles mad with rage started towards him with his wondrous shield before his breast and his gleaming helmet made with four layers of metal knotting fiercely forward the thick tresses of gold with which Vulcan had crested the helmet flouted round it and as the evening star that shines brighter than all others through the stillness of the night even such was the gleam of the spear which Achilles poised in his right hand fraught with the death of noble Hector he eyed his fair flesh over and over to see where he could best wounded but it was all protected by the goodly armor of which Hector had spoiled patroclus after he had slain him save only the throat where the collarbones divide the neck from the shoulders and this is a most deadly place here then did Achilles strike him as he was coming towards him and the point of his spear went right through the fleshy part of the neck but it did not sever the windpipe so that he could still speak Hector fell headlong and Achilles vaunted over him saying Hector you deemed that you should come off skateless when you were spoiling patroclus and wrecked not of myself who was not with him fool that you were for I his comrade mightier far than he was still left behind at the ships and now I have laid you low the Achaean shall give him all due funeral rites while dogs and vultures shall work the will upon yourself then Hector said as the life ebbed out of him I pray you by your life and knees and by your parents let not dogs devour me at the ships of the Achaeans but accept the rich treasure of golden bronze which my father and mother will offer you and send my body home that the Trojans and their wives may give me my dues of fire when I'm dead Achilles glared at him and answered dog talk not to me neither of knees nor parents would that I could be assured being able to cut your flesh into pieces and eat it raw for the ill you have done me as I am that nothing shall save you from the dogs it shall not be though they bring 10 or 20 fold ransom and weigh it out for me on the spot with promise of yet more hereafter though Priam's son of Darnedanna should bid them off for me your weight in gold even so your mother shall never lay you out and make lament over the sun she bore but dogs and vultures shall eat you utterly up Hector with his dying breath then said I know you what you are and was sure that I should not move you for your heart is hard as iron look to it that I bring not heaven's anger upon you at the day when Paris and Phoebus Apollo valiant though you be shall slay you at the saiyan gates when he had thus said the shrouds of death unfolded him whereupon his soul went out of him and flew down to the house of eighties lamenting its sad fate that it should enjoy youth and strength no longer but Achilles said speaking to the dead body die for my part I will accept my fate whensoever Joven the other gods he fit descended as he spoke he drew a spear from the body and set it on one side then he stripped the bloodstained armor from Hector's shoulders while the other canes came running up the view as wondrous strength and beauty and no one came near him without giving him a fresh wound then would one turn on his neighbor and say it is easier to handle Hector now than when he was flinging fire onto our ships and as he spoke he would thrust his spear into him anew when Achilles had done spoiling Hector of his armor he stood among the argives instead my friends princes and counselors of the argives now that heaven has out saved us to overcome this man who has done us more hurt than all others together consider whether we should not attack the city in force and discover in what mind the children's may be we should thus learn whether they will desert their city now that Hector has fallen or will hold out even though he is no longer living but why argue with myself in this way while patroclus is still lying at the ships unburied and unmoored he whom I can never forget so long as I am alive and my strength falls not though men forget they're dead when once they are within the house of Hades yet not even there will I forget the comrade whom I've lost now therefore canutes let us raise the song of victory and go back to the ships taking this man along with us for we have achieved a mighty triumph and have slain noble Hector to whom Trojans prayed throughout their city as though he were a god on this he treated the body of Hector with contumely he pierced the sinews at the back of both his feet from heel to ankle and passed the thongs of oxide through the slits he had made thus he made the body fast to the chariot letting the head trail upon the ground then when he had put the goodly armor on the chariot and had mounted himself he lashed his horses and they flew forward nothing lost the dust rose from Hector as he was being dragged along his dark hair flew all abroad and his head once so comely was laid low on earth for joeva now delivered him into the hands of his foes to do him outrage in his own land thus was the head of Hector being dishonored in the dust his mother tore her hair and flung her veil from her with a loud cry she looked upon her son his father made piteous moan and throughout the city the people fell to weeping and wailing was as though to hold a frowning ileus was being smirked with fire hardly could the people hold priam back in his hot haste to rush without the gates of the city he groveled in the mire and besought them calling each one of them by his name let be my friends he cried and for all your sorrow suffered me to go single-handed to the ships of the achaeans let me beseech this cruel and terrible man if maybe he will respect the feeling of his fellow men and have compassion on my old age his own father is even such another as myself ileus who bred him and reared him to be the bane of astrogyns and of myself more than all others many a son of mine has he slain in the flower of his youth and yet grieve for these as i may i do so for one Hector more than for them all and the bitterness of my sorrow will bring me down to the house of eighties would that he had died in my arms for both his ill-starred mother who bore him and myself should have had the comfort of weeping and mourning over him thus did he speak with many tears and all the people of the city joined as his lament heck you have then raised the cry of welling among the children's alas my son she cried what have i left to live for now that you know more night and day did i glory in you throughout the city for you are a tower of strength all in Troy and both men and women alike held you as a god so long as you lived you were their pride but now death and destruction have fallen upon you Hector's wife had as yet heard nothing for no one had come to tell her that her husband had remained without the gates she was at her loom in an inner part of the house weaving a double purple web and importing it with many flowers she told her maids to set a large tripod on the fire so as to have a warm bath ready for Hector when he came out of battle poor woman she knew not that he was now beyond the reach of baths and that Minerva had him laid low by the hand of Achilles she heard the cry coming as from the wall and trembled in every limb the shuttle fell from her hands and again she spoke to her welling woman two of you she said come with me then i may learn what it has been fallen i heard the voice of my husband's honored mother my own heart beats as though it would come into my mouth and my limbs refuse to carry me some great misfortune for Priam's children must be at hand may i never live to hear it but i greatly feel that Achilles has cut off the retreat of brave Hector and has chased him on to the plane where he was single-handed i fear he may have put an end to this reckless staring which possessed my husband who would never remain with the body of his men but would dash on far in front for most of them all in valor her heart beat fast and as she spoke she flew from the house like a maniac with her waiting women following after when she reached the battlements in the crowd of people she stood looking out upon the wall and saw Hector being born away in front of the city the horse is dragging him without heat or care over the ground towards the ships of the Achaeans her eyes were then shrouded as with the darkness of night and she fell fainting backwards she tore the retiring from her head and flung it from her the front line to net with a plated band in the veil which golden venus had given her on the day when Hector took her with him from the house of Edion after having given countless gifts of wooing for her sake her husband's sister and the wives of his brothers crowded round her and supported her for she was feigned to die in her distraction when she again presently breathed and came to herself she sobbed and made lament among the Trojan saying whoa is me oh Hector whoa indeed that the share a common lot we were born you had trod the house of premium and I had thieves under wooded mountains of black as in the house of Edion who brought me up when I was a child ill-starred sire of an ill-starred daughter would that he had never begotten me you are now going into the house of Hades under a secret place of the earth and you leave me a soaring widow in your house the child of which you and I are the unhappy parents is yet a mere infant now that you are gone oh Hector you can do nothing for him nor eat for you even though he escaped the horrors of this woeful war with the Achaeans yet sell his life henceforth be one of labor and sorrow for others will seize his lands the day that robbed a child of his parents severed him from his own kind his head is bowed his cheeks are wet with tears and he will go about destitute among the friends of his fathers plucking one by the cloak and another by the shirt someone or another these may be so far pity him as to hold the cup for a moment towards him and let him moisten his lips but he must not drink enough to wet the roof of his mouth then one whose parents are alive will drive him from the table who's blows and angry words out with you he will say you have no father here and the child will go crying back to his widowed mother he asked the onyx who earwhile would sit upon his father's knees and have none but the daintiest and choicest morsel set before him when he had played till he was tired and went to sleep he would lie in the bed in the arms of his nurse on a soft couch knowing neither want nor care whereas now that he has lost his father his lot will be full of hardship he whom the Trojans named Asteanix because you oh Hector were their only defense of their gates and their battlements the wiggling writhing worms will now eat you at the ships far from your parents when the dogs have glutted themselves upon you you will lie naked although in your house you have fine and goodly raiment made by the hands of women this while I now burn it is of no use to you for you can never again wear it and thus you will have respect shown you by the Trojans both men and women in such wise that you cry loud and make her tears and the women joined in her lament end of book 22 recording by ML Cohen www.mojo move 411.com Cleveland Ohio December 31st 2007 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.com the Iliad by Homer translated by Samuel Butler book 23 the funeral of Patroclus and the funeral games thus did they make them own throughout the city while the Achaeans when they reached the helispent went back every man to his own ship that the killers would not let them Mimidon's girl and spoke to his brave comrades saying Mimidon's famed horsemen and my own trusted friends not yet for sooth let us unyoke but with horse and chariot drawn near to the body and mourn Patroclus in due honor 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 the killers led them in their lament thrice did they drive their chariots all sorrowing around the body and Tethys stirred within them a still deeper journey the sands of the seashore and the men's armor were wet with their weeping so great a minister of fear as he whom they had lost chief in all their mourning was the son of Perraeus he laid his bloodstained hand on the breast of his friend farewell 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 well of noble sons of Trojans where 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 armor took the horses from their chariots and seated themselves in great multitude by the ship or the fleet descendant of Icus who thereon feasted them with an abundant funeral banquet many a goodly ox with many a sheep and bleeding goat the day butchered and cut up many a tuskered boar moreover fat and well fed did they singe and set roast in the flames of Vulcan and the rivulets of blood flowed all around the place where the body was lying then the princes of the Achaeans took the son of Perraeus 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 Perraeus to wash the clotted gore from the body but he denied them sternly and swore it to the solemn note saying nay by King Joe 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 the break of day King Agamemnon did 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 the people should 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 enough to eat and drink the others went to their rest and each in his own tent but the son of Perraeus lay grieving among his membranes by the shore of the sounding sea in an open place where the waves came surging in one after another he a very deep slumber too cold upon him and eased the burden of his sorrows for his limbs were wary with chasing hector around windy leaves presently the sad spirit of Patroclus junior hem like what he had been in stature 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 a killers and have forgotten me you loved me in living but now that I'm 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 labor 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 white 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 never more 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 may you too achilles fear 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 Amphidhamas not of a set purpose but in childish quarrel over the dice the night biddeus took me in those house and treated me kindly and named me to be your squire therefore let our bones lie but in a single iron the two handled the golden vase given to you by your mother and achilles answered white through heart are you come here there to lay these charges upon me I will of my own self do all that 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 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 pity or small 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 they were stiffing the mourn appeal then king Agamemnon sent men and mules from all parts of the camp to bring wood and marionis squired to eat the minions was in charge over them they went out with woodmen's axes and strong ropes in their hands and before them went the mules uphill and down dale did they go by straight ways and crooked and when they reached the heights of many fountains to eat them they led their access to the roots of many at all branching oak that came thundering down as they felt 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 plane all who had been cutting wood or logs for so many on a squad to eat the minions 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 membranes to gird on their armor and they yoke each man his horses they therefore rose girded on their armor 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 wore 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 seven-year-old comrade was he taking to the house of Hades when he came to the place of which Achilles had told them they led the body down and built up the wood Achilles then thought him of another matter he went to 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 invaded my father Pilius vowed to you that when I return home to my beloved native land I should cut off this lock and offer you a holy hecaton. Fifty-she-goes was I to sacrifice to you there at your springs. Where is your grove and your altar fragrant with burnt offerings? That's did my father vow. But you have not fulfilled his prayer and how 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 the earning and lamentation. The sun would have gone down upon the morning and not Achilles presently said to Agarion and them son of Achilles for it is to you that the people will give ear there's 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 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 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 wrapped the body therein from head to foot heeding the flayed carcasses all around against the bear he leaned two handed jars of honey 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 trojans 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 of the fire he groaned aloud and called on his dead comrade by name farewell he cried aproclus even in the house of Hades i'm now doing all that i have promised you twelve brave sons of noble trojans shall the flames consume along with yourself but dogs not fire shall devour the flesh of hectors and a premium that's did he want 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 through ebus apollo moreover sent the dark cloud from heaven to earth which gave shade to the whole place where hector lay that the heat of 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 went apart and prayed to the two winds bereus and syphirus 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 syphirus 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 oceans and the lands of the api opens who are offering hecatons to the immortals and i would have my share but the killing sprays the boreas and shrill syphirus will come to him and he vows them goodly offerings he would have you blow upon the pyre of patroclus for whom all the acaians are lamenting but 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 droid they fell upon the pyre till the mighty flames are roared under the blast that they blew all night long did 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 earlier it was drenched as a father mourns when he's burning the bones of his bright groom'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 morning star was beginning to herald the light which saffron-metal dawn was soon to suffuse over the sea the flames fell and the fire began to die the winds then went home beyond the trachean sea which roared and boiled as they swept over it the son of believers 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 fire and quenched it that thus then gathered the bones of patroclus son of maynotius 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 labor not to raise a great one now but such as is reasonable afterwards that those achaeans who may be left at the ships when i'm 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 beloved 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 but 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 prices from the ships cauldrons, tripod, horses and mules, noble oxen, women with fair girdles with fourth iron the first price 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 in fold who he asked 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 price was two talents of gold and the fifth to handle urn as yet unsoiled by smoke then he stood up and spoke among the archives saying son of a truce and all of the rackeins these are the prices that lie waiting the winners at the chariot races at any other time i should carry off the first price 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 the luth 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 approached Eumelius king of men son of Admetus a man excellent in horsemanship next to him rose mighty the Omid son of Tideus he yoked the trotin horses which he had taken from Aeneas 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 Ancesus that he might not have to follow him to Eileus but might stay at home and take his ease for Joe had endowed him with great wealth and he lived in spacious Sicium this mare all eager for the race did many leus put under the yoke forth in order Antelocus son to noble Nestor son of Nileus 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 Adelocus said Nestor you're young but Joe and Neptune 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 my or 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 than by brute force by skill the pilot guides his storms tossed the bar over the sea and so by skill one driver can beat another if a man go wide and rounding this way in that whereas a man who knows what he's 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 he keeps his eye well on the man in front of him I will give you this certain token which cannot escape your notice there's a stump of a dead tree all copine as it may be some six feet above the ground and not yet rotted away by the rain it stands at the fork of the road it has two white stones set one on each side and there's 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 as the more ground 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 rein but let the left hand horse keep so close in that enable your wheel to 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 with confusion for yourself therefore my dear son mind well what you are about for if you can be first around the post there's 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 counseling his son he sat down in his place and 15 order Mirionis got ready his horses they then all mounted their chariots and cast lots Achilles shook the helmet and the lot of anti-locus son of Nestor fell out first next came that of king Eumelus and after his those of Mirionis the last place fell to the lot of diamonds 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 some way off upon plane 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 cloud over all wind and their mains were all flying in the wind at one moment the chariot seemed to touch the ground and then again they bounded into the air drivers direct and the hearts beat fast and furious in the lust of victory each kept calling on his horses and the horses cowered the plane amid the clouds of dust that they raced 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 Péris now took the lead and close behind them came the Trojan stallions of diamond they seemed as if about to mount Eumelus chariot and he could feel their warm breath on his back and his broad shoulders or their heads were close to him as they flew over the course diamond would have now passed him or there would have been a dead heat but Thebes Apollo despite him made him drop his whip tears of anger fell from his eyes as he saw the mares going on faster than ever while his own horses lost ground through his having no whip Minnava saw the trick which Apollo had played the son of Tidus 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 Eumelus was thrown from his chariot close to the wheel his elbows mouth and nostrils were all torn and his forehead was bruised above the eyebrows his eyes filled with tears and he could find no utterance but the son of Tidus turned his horses aside and shot far ahead for Minnava put fresh strength into them and covered Dymid himself with glory Minnava's son and utterance came next behind him but Antelokas called to his father's horses on with you both he cried and do your very utmost I do not bid you try to beat the steeds of the son of Tidus for Minnava has put running into them and has covered Dymid with glory but you must overtake the horses of the son of Aptreus and not be left behind or Eiteu who is so fleetful 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 a fair better buco than master and for a short space went quicker presently Antelokas saw a narrow place where the road had sunk the ground was broken for the winter's rain had gathered and had warned the road so that the whole place was deepened Minnavaus was making towards it as to get there first for fear of a foul but Antelokas turned his horses out of the way and followed him a little on one side the son of Aptreus was afraid and shouted out Antelokas 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 Antelokas 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's trying his strength and then Minnavaus 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 and victory they might both come headlong to the ground Minnavaus then up braided Antelokas and said there's no greater tricks for living than you are go and bad luck go with you the Acheans say not well that you have understanding and come what may you shall not bear away the price without sworn protest on my part then he called on his horses and said to them keep your face and slacken not the limbs of the other horses will wear it sooner than yours or they are neither of them young the horses feared a rebuke of their master and went faster so that they were soon nearly up with the others meanwhile the Acheans from their seats were watching how the horses went as they scoured the plain amidst clouds of their own dust Idomenius' 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 Idomenius 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 archives my friends princes and counselors of the archives 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 course and gone off wildly in a panic come up and see it for yourselves I cannot make out for certain but the driver seems an Aetolian by descent ruler over the archives brave daimid the son of Tideus Ajax the son of Oileus took him up rudely and said Idomenius why should you be in such a hurry to tell us all about it when the mares are still so far out upon the plain you are none of the youngest nor your eyes none of the sharpest but you're always laying down the law you have no right to do so but there are better men here than you are and maleous horses are in the front now as they've always been and he's on the chariot holding the reins the captain recreatance was angry and answered Ajax you're an excellent railer but you have no judgment and are wanting it much else as well for you have a vile temper I will wager you a tripod or cauldron and the game eminent son of Aetolius shall decide whose horses are first you will then 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 cease your railing Ajax and Idomian use 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 post and will be here directly you will then both of you know whose horses are 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 in the fine 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 forthwith his prank from his good the chariot leaned his whip against this horse's yoke braves the Nelus now lost no time but at once brought him on the price and gave the woman and the ear handle cauldron to his comrades to take away then he unyoked the horses next after him came in until acus of the race of Nelus who had passed Menelaus by a trick and not by the fleet as resources but even so Menelaus 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 Menelaus was no further than this behind until acus though at first he had been a full disc throw behind him he had soon caught him up again far again eminence mere he kept pulling stronger and stronger so that if the course had been longer he would have passed him and they would not even have been at that heat Edomineus brave squire marionus was about the spears cast behind Menelaus his horses were slowest of all and he was the worst driver last of them all came the son of Adimetus dragging his chariot and driving his horses on in front when i clearly saw him he was sorry and stood up among the aji's saying the best man is coming in last let us give him a price but it is reasonable he shall have the second but the first must be out to the son of T. Deus thus did he speak and the others all of them applauded his saying and wait for doing as he had said but Nestor's son until acus stood up and claimed his right from the son of Peres Achilles said he i shall take it much amiss if you do this thing you would rob me of my price because you think Emelius chariot and horses were thrown out and himself too good man that is you 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 but bronze sheet cattle and horses take something from this store if you would have the aka and speak well of you and give him a better price even than that which you have now offered but i will not give up the mare and he that will fight me for her let him come on Achilles smiled as he heard this and was pleased with until acus who was one of his dearest comrades so he said until acus if you would have me find Emelius another price i would give him the bronze breastplate with the rim of tin running all around it which i took from aester of apes it will be worth much money to him he bated comrade autumidun bring the breastplate from his tent and he did so achilles then gave it over to emelius who received it gladly but many leus got up in a rage furiously angered until acus an attendant placed his staff in his hands and bade the archives keep silence the hero then addressed them until acus said he what is this from you who have been so far blameless you have made me cut a pole figure and bolt my horses by linking your own in front of them though yours are much worse than mine are therefore our princes and counselors of the archives judge between us and show no failure just one of the acanes say menelius has got the mare through lying and corruption the sources were far inferior to until acus 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 until acus and stand as our customers whip in hand before your chariot and horses let your hand on your steeds and swear by earth and circling Neptune that you did not purposely and dialfully get in the way of my horses and until acus answered forgive me i'm much younger in many lives 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 judgment make new allowances therefore and bear with me i will in 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 and fall from your good graces henceforth and do wrong in the sight of heaven the son of nester then took the mare and gave her over to Minileus who was anguished as a beast as one do falls upon a field of ripening corn and the lands are bristling with the harvest even so old Minileus was your heart to make glad within you he turned to until acus and said now until acus angry though i have been i can give way to you on my own free will you have never been headstrong nor ill disposed to hitherto but this time your youth has gone the better of your judgment be careful how you're out with your betters in future no one else could have brought to 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 and people will thus see another harsh non vindicatory with this he gave the mare over to until acus comrade Neumann and then took the cauldron marionus were coming forth carried off the two talents of gold and fifth place the two handed urn being unawarded Achilles gave it to nester going up to him among the assembled archives and saying take this my good old friend as an heirloom and memorial or the funeral of patroclus for you shall see him no more among the archives i'll 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 nester who received it gradually and answered my son all that you have said is true there's 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 amarin chev's in buprasio and his sons offered prizes in his honor there was the none that could be with me either of the apeans nor the filians themselves nor the itoleans in boxing i overcame collight to me this son of enups and in wrestling and chaos of pluron would come forward against me if iclus was a good runner but i beat him and threw father with my spear and either pilius or polydolus in chariot racing alone did the two sons of astor surpass me by crowning their horses in front of me or they were angry at the way victor 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 on holding the reins and holding the reins while the other applied 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 sir bow on with the funeral contests in honor of your comrade gladly do i accept the learn and my heart rejoices that you do not forget me but are ever mindful of my goodwill towards you and of the respect due to me from the apeans for all which may the grace of heaven be most safe to you in great abundance there on the son of pilius when he had listened to the tanks of nester went about among the concourse of the apeans and presently offered prizes for skill in 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 this was for the victor and for the vanquish to offer the double cup many stood up and said among the archives son of a truce and all of the apeans i invite our two champion boxers to lay about them lustily and compete with these prizes he to whom at hollow vouchsafe is the greater endurance and whom the acaeans and knowledge is victor shall take the mule back with him to his own tent while he that is vanquished shall have the double cup as he spoke there stood up a champion both grave and of great stature a skillful boxer a peice and a puny peice he laid his hand on the mule and said let the man who is to have the cup come hither or 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 any man will box with me i will bruise his body and break his bones therefore let his friends stay here in a body and be at hand to take him away when i'm done with him they all held a peace and no man rose save euryale son of maki steus was the son of talaus maki steus went once to tb's after the fall of edepus to attend his funeral and he beat all the people of cuddams the son of the deus was eurylaus second cheering him on and hoping he hard to lead that he would win first he put the waistband around him and then he gave him some well-cut tongues of oxhide the two men being now girthed went into the middle of the ring and immediately fell to heavily indeed did they punish one another and lay about them with their brony 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 eurylaus 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 his strewn with sea rack when brave 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 and stood in his gate his head hanging on one side and spitting great plots of gore they set him down in a swoo and then went to fetch the Delocca the son of epeus now brought out the prizes for the third contest and showed them to the archives these were for the painful art of restling for the winner there was a great tripod ready for setting up on the fire and the echeans valued it among themselves at twelve oxen for the looser he brought out one skilled in all of men's wards and they valued her at four oxen the rose who set him on the archives stand forward you will assay this contest fortuit rose great ajax the son of tiliman and craft Ulysses full of wilds 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 built the frames for the roof of high house to keep the wind out the backbones cracked as they dug 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 echeans began to tire of watching them ajax said to Ulysses Ulysses you should either lift me or i you and let joe settle it between us he lifted him from the ground as he spoke but Ulysses did not forget his cunning he hit ajax and 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 marveled the new 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 begrined with dust they now sprang towards one another and were for wrestling at the third time but the curious rose and stayed in them could not each other further said he such cruel suffering the victories with both alike take each of you an equal price and let the other canes now complete as 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 Pilius then offered prices for speed and running a mixing bowl beautifully wrought of 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 Cidon and had been brought into port by Phoenicians from beyond the sea who had made a present of it to us. Euneus son of Jason had given it to Patroclus in ransom of Priam's son Vikaun and Achilles now offered it as a prize in honor of his comrade to him who should be the swiftest runner for the second price 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 fortuit uproads feed ajax son of Oileus with cunning Ulysses and Nestos son Antelocus the fastest runner among all the youth of his time they stood side by side and Achilles showed them the gold 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 where she throws the wool across the wall and holds it close up to her even so close behind him was Ulysses threading in his footprints before the dust could settle there and Ajax could feel his breath on the back of his head as he runs swiftly on the acayans 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 that's did he pray and palace Minerva heard his prayer she made his hands and his feet feel light when the runners were at the point of pouncing upon the price Ajax through Minerva's spite slipped upon some offal that was lying there from the cattle which Achilles had slaughtered in the honor of Batocles 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 ox and stood with his hand on one of his swords spitting the dung out of his mouth then he said to the Archives alas the goddess has spoiled my running she watches over Ulysses and stands by him as though she were his own mother and thus did he speak and they all of them laughed heartily until August carried off the last price and smiled as he said to the bystanders he all seen my friends that now two 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 Antelokus you shall not have praised me to no purpose I should give you an additional half talent of gold it then gave the half talent to Antelokus who received it gladly then the son of Pelius brought out the spear helmet and shield that had been worn by Sarpinum and were taken from him by Patroclus he stood up and sat among the Achaeans we bid two champions put on their armor take their king 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 iteration resolved in labored silver which I took from esteropius but the armor let both hold in partnership and I will give each of them a hearty meave in my own tent fortuit apros great Ajax the son of Telemon has also a mighty diamond son of Tideus when they had put on their armor each on his outside of the ring they both went into the middle eager to engage and with fire flashing from their eyes the Achaeans 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 diamonds around shield but did not draw blood for the curas beneath the shield protected him there on the son of Tideus from over his huge shield kept aiming continuously at Ajax neck at the point of his spear and the Achaeans alarms for his safety made 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 leatheren belt with which to hang it Achilles next offered a massive iron quite which mighty Aetion had air while being used to her until Achilles had slain him and carried it off in his ships among with other spoils he stood up and said among the archives step forward you who 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 holy poetus and leontos with Ajax son of Tilemon and noble apeus they stood up one after the other and the apeus took the quote welded and flung it from him which set all the Achaeans laughing after him threw leontos for the race of Mars Ajax son of Tilemon threw third and sent the quote beyond any mark that had been made yet but when mighty holy poetus took the quote he hurled it as though it had been a stockman's stick which he sensed flying about among his cattle when he's driving them so far did his throw out distance to those of the others all who saw it roar the claws and his comrades carried the price for him and set it on board the ship Achilles next offered a price of iron for archery 10 double-edged axes and 10 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 and hit the pigeon shall have all the axes and take them away with him he who eats the string without hitting the bird will have taken the worst aim and shall have a single edge at the axes then approached King Teukar in marioness the stalwart squire of the dominion was also they cast lots in the bronze helmet and a lot of Teukar 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 its 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 acayans shouted applause marioness where his arrow ready while Teukar 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 of marioness feet but the bird perched on the ship's mast hanging her head and with all her feathers stooping the life went out of her and she fell heavily from the mast marioness therefore took all the ten double-edged axes while Teukar wore off the single-edged ones to his ships then the son of Thileus 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 javelin stood up to wit the son of Athreus king of men agamemnon and marioness stalwart squire of edamanius but Achilles spoke saying son of Athreus 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 marioness this at least is what i should do myself wish king agamemnon assented so he gave the bronze spear to marioness and handed the goodly cauldron to Thileus his squire and a book 23 recording by Monsbrew Helsingfors 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 for 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 now 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 around 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 but Apollo would not suffer it to be disfigured for he pitied the man dead though he now was therefore he shielded him with his golden eages continually that he might take no hurt while Achilles was dragging him thus shamefully did Achilles and 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 who persisted in the hate which they ever bore towards Ilius with Priam and his people for they forgave not the wrong done to them by Alexandrus and disdaining the goddesses who came to him while he was in his sheep yards 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 and hard-hearted 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 forth with 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 gorgeous on them even so as Achilles flung aside all pity and all that conscious which once so greatly veins 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 around 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 moral and suckled at a woman's breast whereas Achilles is the offspring of a goddess whom I myself reared and brought up I married her to Pellius 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 of all that dwell in Ilias 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's send one of you therefore send Thetis to me and I will impart 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 Samus 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 Thetis sitting in a great cave with the other sea goddesses 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 failed 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 let the body 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 foot to Thetis did as the god had told her and forthwith down she darted from the top most 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 a 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 joe 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 joe 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 meanwhile 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 the supplement with all honorable courtesy on this Iris fleet is the wind sped forth to deliver her message she went to Priam's house and found weeping and lamentation therein his sons were seated around their father in the outer courtyard and their raiment was wet with tears the old man sat in the mist 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 son's 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'd 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 honor servant who may drive your mules and 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 supplement with all 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 fragment storeroom high vaulted and made of cedarwood 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 shall 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 we picked her from afar here in our own house for when I gave him birth the threads of overruling fate respond 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 fasted and devour it 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 Iloman 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 and given him 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 12 goodly vestments he also took 12 cloaks of single fold 12 rugs 12 fair mantles and an equal number of shirts he weighed out 10 talons of gold and brought more over 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 shame and 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 set the sorrow upon me to lose the bravest of my sons nay you shall prove it in person for now he is gone the Achaeans will have easier work in killing you as for me let me go down within the house of Hades air my eyes behold the sacking and wasting of the city he drove them and away with his staff and they went forth as the old man sped them then he called to his sons upgrading Hellenus Paris Noble Agathon Pamon Antiphonus Halites of the loud battle cry the Iphibus 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 at the ships rather than Hector miserable man that I am I have had the bravest sons and I'll Troy 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 slain them and those of whom I am ashamed are alone left me liars and light of foot heroes of the dance robbers of lambs and kids from your own people 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 11 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 but for Priam himself they yoked horses which the old king had bred and kept for his own use thus heedfully did Priam and a servant see to the yoking of their cars at the palace then Hecobo 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 pray that you may 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 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 denayans if all seeing jove will not send you this messenger however set upon it you may be I will not have you go to the ships of the archives and Priam answered wife I will do as you desire me it is well to lift hands and 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 ball 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 rule is 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 and I may see it with my own eyes and trust it as I go forth to the ships of the denayans so did he pray in jove 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 rich man's chamber he came to them flying over the city upon the 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 and 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 all his friends followed after wailing and lamenting for him as though he were on the road to death as 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 ileus but priam and adias as they showed out upon the plane did not escape the kin 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 danaeans shall see him or take note of him till he reached the son of peleus 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 trey 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 adias had driven past the great tomb of ileus they stayed their mules and horses that they might drink in the river for the shades of night were falli