The Iliad of Homer Part 55

"These things shall be to thee, O aged Priam, as thou desirest; for I will prevent the fight as long a time as thou desirest."

Thus having spoken, he grasped the right hand of the old man near the wrist, lest he should fear in his mind. They indeed, the herald and Priam, slept there in the porch of the house, having prudent counsels in their mind; while Achilles slept in the interior of the well-built tent; and beside him lay fair-cheeked Briseis.

The other G.o.ds indeed and chariot-fighting men slept all night, subdued by gentle slumber; but sleep seized not Mercury, the author of good, revolving in his mind how he should convey away king Priam from the ships, having escaped the notice of the sacred gate-keeper. Accordingly he stood over his head, and addressed him:

"O aged man, certainly evil is not at all a care to thee, that thou sleepest thus amongst hostile men, after Achilles has suffered thee. Now indeed thou hast ransomed thy beloved son, and hast given much; but the sons left behind by thee would give three times as many ransoms for thee alive, if Agamemnon, the son of Atreus, should know of thy being here, and all the Greeks should know of it."

Thus he spoke; but the old man feared, and awoke the herald. Then for them Mercury yoked the horses and mules, and quickly drove them himself through the camp, nor did any one perceive. But when they reached the course of the fair-flowing river, eddying Xanthus, which immortal Jove begat, then indeed Mercury went away to lofty Olympus; and saffron-robed Morn was diffused over the whole earth. They indeed drove the horses towards the city with wailing and lamentation, and the mules bore the body; nor did any other of the men and well-girdled women previously perceive it; but Ca.s.sandra, like unto golden Venus, ascending Pergamus, discovered her dear father standing in the driving-seat, and the city-summoning herald. She beheld him also upon the mules, lying on the litter; then indeed she shrieked, and cried aloud throughout the whole city:

"O Trojans and Trojan women, going forth, behold Hector, if ever ye rejoiced at his returning alive from battle; for he was a great joy to the city, and to the whole people."

Thus she spoke; nor was there any man left in the city, nor woman; for insupportable grief came upon them all, and they met him near the gates bringing in the body. But his wife and venerable mother first rushing to the well-wheeled chariot, plucked out their hair, touching his head; and the crowd stood around, weeping. And they indeed would have wept the whole day till sunset before the gates, lamenting Hector, had not the old man addressed the people from his chariot:

"Give way to me, to pa.s.s through with the mules; but afterwards shall ye be satiated with weeping, after I shall carry him home." Thus he spoke; but they stood off. and made way for the chariot. But when they had brought him into the ill.u.s.trious palace, they laid him upon perforated beds, and placed singers beside him, leaders of the dirges, who indeed sang a mournful ditty, while the women also uttered responsive groans.

And amongst them white-armed Andromache began the lamentation, holding the head of man-slaughtering Hector between her hands:

"O husband, young in years hast thou died, and hast left me a widow in the palace. And besides, thy son is thus an infant, to whom thou and I, ill-fated, gave birth; nor do I think he will attain to p.u.b.erty; for before that, this city will be overthrown from its summit. Certainly thou, the protector, art dead, who didst defend its very self, and didst protect its venerable wives and infant children; who will soon be carried away in the hollow ships, and I indeed amongst them. But thou, O my son, wilt either accompany me, where thou shalt labour unworthy tasks, toiling for a merciless lord; or some one of the Greeks, enraged, seizing thee by the hand, will hurl thee from a tower, to sad destruction; to whom doubtless Hector has slain a brother, or a father, or even a son; for by the hands of Hector very many Greeks have grasped the immense earth with their teeth. For thy father was not gentle in the sad conflict; wherefore indeed the people lament him throughout the city. But thou hast caused unutterable grief and sorrow to thy parents, O Hector, but chiefly to me are bitter sorrows left. For thou didst not stretch out thy hands to me from the couch when dying; nor speak any prudent word [of solace], which I might for ever remember, shedding tears night and day."

Thus she spoke, bewailing; but the women also lamented; and to them in turn Hecuba began her vehement lamentation:

"O Hector, far of all my sons dearest to my soul, certainly being alive to me, thou wert beloved by the G.o.ds, who truly have had a care of thee, even in the destiny of death. For swift-footed Achilles sold[799] all my other sons, whomsoever he seized, beyond the unfruitful sea, at Samos, Imbrus, and Lemnos without a harbour. But when he had taken away thy life with his long-bladed spear, he often dragged thee round the tomb of his comrade Patroclus, whom thou slewest; but he did not thus raise him up. But now thou liest, to my sorrow, in the palaces, fresh[800] and lately slain like him whom silver-bowed Apollo, attacking, has slain with his mild weapons."

[Footnote 799: See Grote, vol. i. p. 399.]

[Footnote 800: See on ver. 419.]

Thus she spoke, weeping; and aroused a vehement lamentation. But to them Helen then, the third, began her lamentation:

"O Hector, far dearest to my soul of all my brothers-in-law, for G.o.dlike Alexander is my husband, he who brought me to Troy:--would that I had perished first. But now already this is the twentieth year to me from the time when I came from thence, and quitted my native land; yet have I never heard from thee a harsh or reproachful word; but if any other of my brothers-in-law, or sisters-in-law, or well-attired husband's brothers' wives, reproached me in the palaces, or my mother-in-law (for my father-in-law was ever gentle as a father), then thou, admonishing him with words, didst restrain him, both by thy gentleness and thy gentle words. So that, grieved at heart, I bewail at the same time thee and myself, unhappy; for there is not any other in wide Troy kind and friendly to me; but all abhor me."

Thus she spoke, weeping; and again the countless throng groaned. And aged Priam spoke [this] speech amongst the people:

"O Trojans, now bring wood to the city, nor at all fear in your mind a close ambuscade of the Greeks; for Achilles, dismissing me from the dark ships, thus promised me, that he would not commence hostilities, before the twelfth morning should arrive."

Thus he spoke; and they yoked both oxen and mules beneath the waggons; and then a.s.sembled before the city. For nine days indeed they brought together an immense quant.i.ty of wood; but when now the tenth morn, bearing light to mortals, had appeared, then indeed, weeping, they carried out n.o.ble Hector, and placed the body on the lofty pile, and cast in the fire.

But when the mother of dawn, rosy-fingered Morn, appeared, then were the people a.s.sembled round the pile of ill.u.s.trious Hector. But after they were a.s.sembled, and collected together, first indeed they extinguished all the pyre with dark wine, as much as the force of the fire had possessed; but then his brothers and companions collected his white bones, weeping, and the abundant tear streamed down their cheeks. And, taking them, they placed them in a golden urn, covering them with soft purple robes, and forthwith deposited it in a hollow grave; and then strewed it above with numerous great stones. But they built up the tomb in haste, and watches sat around on every side, lest the well-greaved Greeks should make an attack too soon. And having heaped up the tomb, they returned; and then being a.s.sembled together in order, they feasted on a splendid banquet in the palaces of Priam, the Jove-nurtured king.

Thus indeed they performed the funeral of steed-breaking Hector.

END OF THE ILIAD.