Part 17

So the two great enemies were united for the time by the common bond of human sorrow. Then Achilles rose, and, taking the old man by the hand, led him to a seat, and placing himself by his side said to him: "O marked by sorrow's seal before all the children of men, what a heart must thou have, to meet me face to face, who have given to death so many of thy valiant sons! But thou knowest that it is the common lot: only the gods know neither care nor grief, but mortal life is encompassed with ills. Two caskets there are which stand by the throne of Zeus, one filled with good gifts, and the other with evil gifts. And for the more part Zeus mingles the gifts, and tempers much evil with a little good; but now and then some wretch receives naught but evil, and wanders from land to land as misery's thrall, branded by the malice of fate. To Peleus, my father, good things were given at first--wealth, power, and prosperity, and a goddess for his bride. But now he is receiving his portion of ill. And thou too, Priam, wast in old times renowned for the number of thy blessings, and men called thee great king, happy father, and envied thine abundance. But in thy latter years thou hast seen naught but wars and fightings, losses and deaths. So shifts the tide, so turns the scale, now up, now down, and naught that we can do will avail to raise or diminish by one tittle the sum of our fate."

Up to this point Priam had prospered in his mission beyond his hopes. But now he obtained a glimpse of the fearful passions which were smouldering in the breast of Achilles, and ready at any moment to leap up in devouring flames. Being invited by Achilles to stay and rest awhile before resuming his journey, he would have refused, alleging that he could not rest until he had the body of Hector safe in his keeping. But that fierce and imperious nature brooked not the slightest hint of opposition. "Provoke me no further, old man," said the terrible chieftain, with a dark glance at his guest. "Hector's body thou shalt have--but there must be no unseemly haste. My heart is exceeding sore; touch not thou the galled spot, lest I should do thee mischief, and break the ordinances of heaven."

Then, leaving Priam where he sat, Achilles went out with Automedon and another of his squires, and, bidding Idæus attend his master, they unyoked the mules, and brought in the ransom. "Now, haste thee, Automedon," said Achilles, in a low tone, "go with the handmaids to the place where Hector's body lies, and when they have washed and anointed it return with it hither. Be silent, and be wary; for if Priam sees what ye are doing--if he catches sight of Hector's body, where now it lies--I fear that he will break out into anger against me, and becoming outrageous provoke me to slay him."

Having carried out their orders with all due caution, they brought the body, wrapped in fine linen, and Achilles with his own hands placed it in the mule car. But he groaned in spirit when he thought of his promise to Patroclus, and cried aloud, invoking his ghost: "Take it not amiss, my Patroclus, when the news reaches thee in the house of the dead, that I have restored the body of thy slayer. His father hath paid me no mean ransom, whereof thou shalt have thy share."

The laws of hospitality required that Priam should not leave Achilles' roof without breaking bread. Accordingly, on his return to the house, Achilles urged his guest to take some food. "Remember," he said, "that Niobe herself, so constant in her sorrow that even now, though turned to a stone, she weeps and weeps for ever--even she tasted food when the first anguish of her grief was passed. Thou knowest her sad story--how she boasted that she had borne twelve fair children, six stalwart sons and six lovely daughters--and taunted Leto that she had only borne two. But those two were Apollo and Artemis, a god and a goddess, and they slew all the children of Niobe, to avenge the insult to their mother. Apollo slew the sons with his silver bow, and Artemis, the archer-goddess, slew the daughters. For nine days they lay in their blood, with none to give them burial; but on the tenth day the gods buried them with their own hands. And if she, that stricken mother, could sit down to meat, so do thou also, Priam; after that, thou shall take some sleep, and at dawn I will send thee back in safety to Troy."

The meal was prepared, and they sat down face to face at the same table, joined as host and guest, after all that had passed between them. But Priam's eyes were exceeding heavy, for he had hardly closed them in slumber since the awful day when he saw Hector stricken to death before his sight; and after tasting a morsel he begged Achilles to show him the place where he was to rest.

IV

Priam's bed was laid under the portico which ran round the outside of the dwelling, for fear lest any chance visitor to Achilles should see him if he lay within. Overcome by weariness, he soon fell into a deep sleep. But in the dead of night he was roused by the voice of Hermes, whose watchful eye had never left him, and who now came to warn him of the perils by which he was surrounded. What if Agamemnon should hear that the King of Troy was lying asleep in the midst of the Grecian camp! All the wealth of Troy would hardly suffice to ransom such a prisoner.

Priam rose in haste, now fully alive to his danger, and found the horses ready harnessed, and Idæus waiting with the mule car. The same powerful hand which had brought them to the dwelling of Achilles now smoothed the way for their return, and day was just breaking as they crossed the ford of the river.

The first to observe their coming was Cassandra, a daughter of Priam, who was watching from the highest tower of the citadel; and the report soon spread throughout the city that Priam was returning, bringing with him the body of Hector. Then not a man nor a woman was left in the city, but all with one accord streamed out through the gates to meet the strange procession. There was seen Hecuba, the mother of the slain, leaning on the shoulder of Andromache, his faithful wife; and following them at a distance, with downcast eyes, avoiding the looks of hate which were cast at her, went the fatal Helen. During all the years that she had lived as an unwelcome guest in the house of Priam, Hector had never reminded her by a look or a word of the miseries which she had brought on his country. He was all gentleness, all goodness, even to her, who had sinned so grievously against him and his people; and when hard words were aimed at her by any of his kinsfolk his patience and charity had ever been her shield.

By the authority of Achilles a truce of eleven days was granted to the Trojans to celebrate the obsequies of Hector. For nine days he lay in the chamber prepared for him in the palace, and all the city was given up to mourning. On the tenth day they buried him, and on the eleventh they raised his monument.

And so, after long delay, that knightly spirit passed into its rest.

PRONOUNCING LIST OF NAMES

Abydos (abī'dos) Abas (ă'-bas) Achilles (akil'les) Æneas (eenee'as) Æacides (eeă'cidees) Ægæ (ee'gee) Æthe (ee'thee) Agamemnon (agamem'non Agenor (agee'nor) Ajax (a'jax) Alœus (alō'yūs) Alcathous (alcă'thō-ŭs) Alcimedon (alkĭ'mĭdon) Anchises (ankī'sees) Antenor (antee'nor) Antiphus (an'tĭfŭs) Antea (antee'ă) Andromache (andrō'măkee) Antilochus (antil'ōkŭs) Antimachus (anti'măkŭs) Aphrodite (ăfrōdī'tee) Ares (ā'rees) Artemis (ar'tĕmĭs) Asclepius (asklee'pĭŭs) Astyanax (asti'ănax) Asius (ā'sius) Ascalaphus (ascăl'ăfŭs) Asteropæus (asterōpee'ŭs) Athene (athee'nee) Atreus (ā'trūs) Ate (ā'tee) Aulis (au'lis) Automedon (autō'mĕdon) Axius (ax'ĭŭs)

Balius (băl'ĭŭs) Bathycles (băthĭ-clees) Bœotia (beeō'tĭă) Bellerophon (bellĕ'rōfōn) Boreas (bōr'ĕās)

Calchas (cal'kas) Castor (cas'tōr) Cebriones (kĕb'rĭōnees) Charops (kā'rops) Chiron (kī'ron) Chrysa (krī'să) Chryseis (krī'see'is) Chryses (krī'sees) Chimæra (kĭmee'ră) Clytæmnestra (clīteemnes'tră) Cœranus (kee'rănŭs) Cronos (crōn'ōs)

Dares (dă'rees) Deiphobus (deeĭf'ōbŭs) Democoon (deemōk'ōōn) Diomede (dī'ōmeed) Dione (dio'nee) Dolon (dōl'ōn) Dodona (dōdō'nă)

Eëtion (ee-ĕt'ĭōn) Epeus (ĕpee'ŭs) Eris (ĕ'ris) Euchenor (ūkee'nōr) Eumelus (ūmee'lŭs) Euphorbus (ūfor'bus) Euryalus (urī'ălŭs) Eurybates (ūrĭ'bătees) Eurydamas (ūrĭ'dămas) Eurypylus (ūrĭ'pĭlŭs) Eurynome (ūrĭ'nōmee)

Ganymede (gănĭmeed) Gargarus (gar'gă'rŭs) Glaucus (glau'cus)

Hades (Hā'dees) Harpalion (harpăl'ĭōn) Hecuba (hĕc'ŭbă) Hebe (heebee) Helenus (hēl'ēnūs) Hephæstus (heefees'tūs) Hera (hee'rā) Hermes (her'mees) Heracles (her'āclees) Hippolochus (hippōl'ō-kus)

Idæus (īdee'ŭs) Idomeneus (īdōm'enyŭs) Ilios (ī'lĭōs) Iphidamas (īfĭ'dămās) Iris (ī'ris) Ithaca (ĭ'thăcă)

Laertes (lāĕr'tees) Laodice (laō'dĭkee) Laodocus (lāō'dōkŭs) Laogonus (lāō'gōntĭs) Lemnos (lem'nos) Leucus (loo'kŭs) Locris (lō'cris) Lycaon (līcā'ōn)

Machaon (măkā'ōn) Menœtius (mĕnee'tĭŭs) Menelaus (mĕnĕlā'ŭs) Menestheus (mĕnĕs'thyŭs) Meriones (mee'rĭŭnees) Mycenæ (mīsee'nee) Myrine (mĭrī'nee)

Neoptolemus (nĕ-ōptōl'ĕmŭs) Nereus (nee'rūs) Nestor (nes'tōr) Nireus (nī'rūs)

Oceanus (ōsee'ănŭs) Odysseus (odis'syŭs) Œneus (ee'nyŭs) Oileus (ōī'lyŭs) Othryoneus (ōth'rĭōnyŭs)

Pæan (pee'an) Pandarus (pan'dărŭs) Paphlagonia (păflăgōnĭa) Patroclus (pătrō'clŭs) Pedasus (pee'dăsŭs) Pelops (pĕl'ops) Peneleos (peenĕl'ĕōs) Phænops (fee'nops) Phegeus (fee'gyūs) Phereclus (fĕrĕ'clŭs) Philoctetes (fĭloctee'tees) Phocis (fō'kis) Phthia (fthī'ă) Podalirius (pōdălī'rĭŭs) Podargus (pōdar'gŭs) Podes (pō'dees) Polydeuces (pōlĭdyū'kees) Polydamas (pōlĭ'dămas) Polyctor (pōlic'tor) Polydorus (pōlĭdōr'ŭs) Polyidus (pōlĭī'dŭs) Poseidon (pŭsī'dōn) Priam (prī'am) Protesilaus (prōtĕsĭlā'ŭs) Prœtus (pree'tŭs) Pylos (pī'los) Pyræchmes (pĭreek'mees)

Samothrace (sămōthrā'kee) Sarpedon (sarpee'dōn) Scamander (scăman'dĕr) Scamandrius (scăman'drĭus) Scyros (skī'ros) Sicyon (sĭk'ĭōn) Simoeis (sĭm'ōeis) Simœisius (sĭmōei'sĭŭs) Sisyphus (sĭ'sĭfŭs) Solymi (sōl'ĭmĭ) Socus (sō'cŭs) Spercheus (sperkee'ŭs) Stentor (sten'tōr) Sthenelus (sthĕn'ĕlŭs)

Talthybius (talthĭb'ĭŭs) Telamon (tĕl'ămōn) Telemachus (tēlĕ'măkŭs) Tethys (tee'thĭs) Teucer (tyū'ser) Thetis (thē'tĭs) Thersites (thersī'tees) Tiryns (tī'rins) Tydeus (tī'dyūs)

Zephyrus (zĕf'ĭrŭs) Zeus (zyŭs)