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breath Hector prayed him to take gold from Priam； and give back his body
to be burned in Troy。 But Achilles said； 〃Hound！ would that I could
bring myself to carve and eat thy raw flesh； but dogs shall devour it； even
if thy father offered me thy weight in gold。〃 With his last words Hector
prophesied and said； 〃Remember me in the day when Paris shall slay thee
in the Scaean gate。〃 Then his brave soul went to the land of the Dead；
which the Greeks called Hades。 To that land Ulysses sailed while he was
still a living man； as the story tells later。
Then Achilles did a dreadful deed； he slit the feet of dead Hector from
heel to ankle； and thrust thongs through； and bound him by the thongs to
his chariot and trailed the body in the dust。 All the women of Troy who
were on the walls raised a shriek； and Hector's wife； Andromache； heard
the sound。 She had been in an inner room of her house； weaving a purple
web； and embroidering flowers on it； and she was calling her bower
maidens to make ready a bath for Hector when he should come back tired
from battle。 But when she heard the cry from the wall she trembled； and
the shuttle with which she was weaving fell from her hands。 〃Surely I
heard the cry of my husband's mother；〃 she said； and she bade two of her
maidens come with her to see why the people lamented。
She ran swiftly； and reached the battlements； and thence she saw her
dear husband's body being whirled through the dust towards the ships；
behind the chariot of Achilles。 Then night came over her eyes and she
fainted。 But when she returned to herself she cried out that now none
would defend her little boy； and other children would push him away from
feasts； saying； 〃Out with you； no father of thine is at our table；〃 and his
father； Hector； would lie naked at the ships； unclad； unburned； unlamented。
To be unburned and unburied was thought the greatest of misfortunes；
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because the dead man unburned could not go into the House of Hades；
God of the Dead； but must always wander； alone and comfortless； in the
dark borderland between the dead and the living。
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THE CRUELTY OF ACHILLES；
AND THE RANSOMING OF
HECTOR
When Achilles was asleep that night the ghost of Patroclus came；
saying； 〃Why dost thou not burn and bury me？ for the other shadows of
dead men suffer me not to come near them； and lonely I wander along the
dark dwelling of Hades。〃 Then Achilles awoke； and he sent men to cut
down trees； and make a huge pile of fagots and logs。 On this they laid
Patroclus； covered with white linen； and then they slew many cattle； and
Achilles cut the throats of twelve Trojan prisoners of war； meaning to burn
them with Patroclus to do him honour。 This was a deed of shame； for
Achilles was mad with sorrow and anger for the death of his friend。
Then they drenched with wine the great pile of wood； which was thirty
yards long and broad； and set fire to it； and the fire blazed all through the
night and died down in the morning。 They put the white bones of
Patroclus in a golden casket； and laid it in the hut of Achilles； who said
that； when he died； they must burn his body； and mix the ashes with the
ashes of his friend； and build over it a chamber of stone； and cover the
chamber with a great hill of earth； and set a pillar of stone above it。 This
is one of the hills on the plain of Troy； but the pillar has fallen from the
tomb； long ago。
Then； as the custom was； Achilles held gameschariot races； foot
races； boxing； wrestling； and archeryin honour of Patroclus。 Ulysses won
the prize for the foot race； and for the wrestling； so now his wound must
have been healed。
But Achilles still kept trailing Hector's dead body each day round the
hill that had been raised for the tomb of Patroclus； till the Gods in heaven
were angry； and bade Thetis tell her son that he must give back the dead
body to Priam； and take ransom for it； and they sent a messenger to Priam
to bid him redeem the body of his son。 It was terrible for Priam to have
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to go and humble himself before Achilles； whose hands had been red with
the blood of his sons； but he did not disobey the Gods。 He opened his
chests； and took out twenty…four beautiful embroidered changes of raiment；
and he weighed out ten heavy bars； or talents； of gold； and chose a
beautiful golden cup； and he called nine of his sons； Paris； and Helenus；
and Deiphobus； and the rest； saying； 〃Go； ye bad sons； my shame； would
that Hector lived and all of you were dead！〃 for sorrow made him angry；
〃go； and get ready for me a wain； and lay on it these treasures。〃 So they
harnessed mules to the wain； and placed in it the treasures； and； after
praying； Priam drove through the night to the hut of Achilles。 In he went；
when no man looked for him； and kneeled to Achilles； and kissed his
terrible death… dealing hands。 〃Have pity on me； and fear the Gods； and
give me back my dead son；〃 he said； 〃and remember thine own father。
Have pity on me； who have endured to do what no man born has ever done
before； to kiss the hands that slew my sons。〃
Then Achilles remembered his own father； far away； who now was old
and weak： and he wept； and Priam wept with him； and then Achilles
raised Priam from his knees and spoke kindly to him； admiring how
beautiful he still was in his old age； and Priam himself wondered at the
beauty of Achilles。 And Achilles thought how Priam had long been rich
and happy； like his own father； Peleus； and now old age and weakness and
sorrow were laid upon both of them； for Achilles knew that his own day of
death was at hand； even at the doors。 So Achilles bade the women make
ready the body of Hector for burial； and they clothed him in a white
mantle that Priam had brought； and laid him in the wain； and supper was
made ready； and Priam and Achilles ate and drank together； and the
women spread a bed for Priam； who would not stay long； but stole away
back to Troy while Achilles was asleep。
All the women came out to meet him； and to lament for Hector。 They
carried the body into the house of Andromache and laid it on a bed； and
the women gathered around； and each in turn sang her song over the great
dead warrior。 His mother bewailed him； and his wife； and Helen of the
fair hands； clad in dark mourning raiment； lifted up her white arms； and
said： 〃Hector； of all my brethren in Troy thou wert the dearest； since
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Paris brought me hither。 Would that ere that day I had died！ For this is
now the twentieth year since I came； and in all these twenty years never
heard I a word from thee that was bitter and unkind； others might upbraid
me； thy sisters or thy mother； for thy father was good to me as if he had
been my own； but then thou wouldst restrain them that spoke evil by the
courtesy of thy heart and thy gentle words。 Ah！ woe for thee； and woe
for me； whom all men shudder at； for there is now none in wide Troyland
to be my friend like thee； my brother and my friend！〃
So Helen lamented； but now was done all that men might do； a great
pile of wood was raised； and Hector was burned； and his ashes were
placed in a golden urn； in a dark chamber of stone； within a hollow hill。
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HOW ULYSSES STOLE THE
LUCK OF TROY
After Hector was buried； the siege went on slowly； as it had done
during the first nine years of the war。 The Greeks did