The Iliad by Homer (pdf to ebook reader .TXT) 📖

only Juno,
Neptune, and Jove's grey-eyed daughter, who persisted in the hate which
they had ever borne towards Ilius with Priam and his people; for they
forgave not the wrong done them by Alexandrus in disdaining the
goddesses who came to him when he was in his sheepyards, and preferring
her who had offered him a wanton to his ruin.

When, therefore, the morning of the twelfth day had now come, Phoebus
Apollo spoke among the immortals 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 forthwith commit
him to the flames, and give him his due funeral rites? So, then, you
would all be on the side of mad Achilles, who knows neither right nor
ruth? He is like some savage lion that in the pride of his great
strength and daring springs upon men's flocks and gorges on them. Even
so has Achilles flung aside all pity, and all that conscience which at
once so greatly banes yet greatly boons him that will heed it. A man
may lose one far dearer than Achilles has lost--a son, it may be, or a
brother born from his own mother's womb; yet when he has mourned him
and wept over him he will let him bide, for it takes much sorrow to
kill a man; whereas Achilles, now that he has slain noble Hector, drags
him behind his chariot round the tomb of his comrade. It were 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, "O lord of the
silver bow, if you would give like honour to Hector and to Achilles;
but Hector was mortal 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 Peleus, who is above measure dear to the immortals; you
gods came all of you to her wedding; you feasted along with them
yourself and brought your lyre--false, and fond of low company, that
you have ever been."

Then said Jove, "Juno, be not so bitter. Their honour shall not be
equal, but of all that dwell in Ilius, Hector was dearest to the gods,
as also to myself, for his offerings never failed me. Never was my
altar stinted of its dues, nor of the drink-offerings and savour of
sacrifice which we claim of right. I shall therefore permit the body of
mighty Hector to be stolen; and yet this may hardly be without Achilles
coming to know it, for his mother keeps night and day beside him. Let
some one of you, therefore, send Thetis to me, and I will impart my
counsel to her, namely that Achilles is to accept a ransom from Priam,
and give up the body."

On this Iris fleet as the wind went forth to carry his message. Down
she plunged into the dark sea midway between Samos and rocky Imbrus;
the waters hissed as they closed over her, and she sank into the bottom
as the lead at the end of an ox-horn, 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 midst of them
weeping for her noble son who was to fall far from his own land, on the
rich plains of Troy. Iris went up to her and said, "Rise Thetis; Jove,
whose counsels fail not, bids you 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, than which there can be no robe more
sombre, 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 for ever assembled near him.
Minerva gave up her seat to her, and she sat down by the side of father
Jove. Juno then placed a fair golden 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 gods and men was the first to speak.

"So, goddess," said he, "for all your sorrow, and the grief that I well
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 quarrelling 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 henceforward, I will
concede such honour 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, in 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 go to the ships of the Achaeans, and ransom his son, taking
with him such gifts for Achilles as may give him satisfaction."

Silver-footed Thetis did as the god had told her, and forthwith down
she darted from the topmost summits of Olympus. She went to her son's
tents where she found him grieving bitterly, while his trusty comrades
round him were busy preparing their morning meal, for which they had
killed a great woolly sheep. His mother sat down beside him and
caressed him with her hand saying, "My son, how long will you keep on
thus grieving and making moan? You are gnawing at your own heart, and
think neither of food nor of woman's embraces; and yet these too were
well, for you have no long time to live, and death with the strong hand
of fate are already close beside you. Now, therefore, heed what I say,
for I come as a messenger from Jove; he says that the gods are angry
with you, and himself more angry than them all, in that you keep Hector
at the ships and will not give him up. Therefore let him go, and accept
a ransom for his body."

And Achilles answered, "So be it. If Olympian Jove of his own motion
thus commands me, let him that brings the ransom bear the body away."

Thus did mother and son talk together at the ships in long discourse
with one another. Meanwhile the son of Saturn sent Iris to the strong
city of Ilius. "Go," said he, "fleet Iris, from the mansions of
Olympus, and tell King Priam in Ilius, 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 as shall give satisfaction to Achilles, and he is to go
alone, with no other Trojan, save only some honoured servant who may
drive his mules and waggon, and bring back the body of him whom noble
Achilles has slain. Let him have no thought nor fear of death in his
heart, for we will send the slayer of Argus to escort him, and bring
him within the tent of Achilles. Achilles will not kill him nor let
another do so, for he will take heed to his ways and sin not, and he
will entreat a suppliant with all honourable courtesy."

On this Iris, fleet as the wind, sped forth to deliver her message. She
went to Priam's house, and found weeping and lamentation therein. His
sons were seated round their father in the outer courtyard, and their
raiment was wet with tears: the old man sat in the midst of them with
his mantle wrapped close about his body, and his head and neck all
covered with the filth which he had clutched as he lay grovelling in
the mire. His daughters and his sons' wives went wailing about the
house, as they thought of the many and brave men who lay dead, slain by
the Argives. 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 Dardanus, take heart and fear not. I bring no evil
tidings, but am minded well towards you. I come as a messenger from
Jove, who though he be not near, takes thought for you and pities you.
The lord of Olympus bids 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 honoured servant who may drive
your mules and waggon, and bring back to the city the body of him whom
noble Achilles has slain. You are to have no thought, nor fear of
death, for Jove will send the slayer of Argus to escort you. When he
has brought you within Achilles' tent, Achilles will not kill you nor
let another do so, for he will take heed to his ways and sin not, and
he will entreat a suppliant with all honourable courtesy."

Iris went her way when she had thus spoken, and Priam told his sons to
get a mule-waggon ready, and to make the body of the waggon fast upon
the top of its bed. Then he went down into his fragrant store-room,
high-vaulted, and made of cedar-wood, where his many treasures were
kept, and he called Hecuba his wife. "Wife," said he, "a messenger has
come to me from Olympus, and has told me to go to the ships of the
Achaeans to ransom my dear son, taking with me such gifts as shall give
satisfaction to Achilles. What think you 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 judgement for which you have been ever famous both among
strangers and your own people? How can you venture alone to the ships
of the Achaeans, and look into the face of him who has slain so many of
your brave sons? You must have iron courage, for if the cruel savage
sees you and lays hold on you, he will know neither respect nor pity.
Let us then weep Hector from afar here in our own house, for when I
gave him birth the threads of overruling fate were spun for him that
dogs should eat his flesh far from his parents, in the house of that
terrible man on whose liver I would fain fasten and devour it. Thus
would I avenge my son, who showed no cowardice when Achilles slew him,
and thought neither of flight nor of avoiding battle as he stood in
defence of Trojan men and Trojan women."

Then Priam said, "I would go, do not therefore stay me nor be as a bird
of ill omen in my house, for you will not move