by Homer
The old man spoke, and tore out the hoary locks with his hands, plucking them from his head; nor did he persuade the mind of Hector. But his mother, then on the other side, wailing, shed tears, laying bare her bosom, whilst with the other hand she laid forth her breast; and shedding tears, addressed to him winged words: "Ο Hector, my son, reverence these things, and pity me myself. If ever I afforded thee the grief-lulling breast, remember these things, O dear son; and being within the wall, repel [this] hostile man; nor stand a foremost adversary to him. Wretched one! for if he shall slay thee, neither shall I mourn thee on the couch, my dear offspring, whom I myself brought forth, nor will thy rich-dowered wife; but far away from us both, the swift dogs will devour thee at the ships of the Greeks."
Thus weeping, they twain addressed their dear son, supplicating him much; nor did they persuade the mind of Hector; but he awaited huge Achilles, coming near. And as a fierce serpent at its den, fed on evil poisons, awaits a man, but direful rage enters it, and it glares horribly, coiling itself around its den; so Hector, possessing inextinguishable courage, retired not, leaning his splendid shield against a projecting tower; but, indignant, he thus addressed his own great-hearted soul:
"Ah me, if indeed I enter the gates and the wall, Polydamas will first cast reproach upon me, he who advised me to lead the Trojans towards the city in this disastrous night, when noble Achilles arose to battle. But I did not obey; certainly it would have been much better. And now, since by my injurious obstinacy I have destroyed the people, I fear the Trojan men, and the long-robed Trojan women, lest some one inferior to me should say, 'Hector, relying on his own strength, has destroyed the people.' Thus will they say; but it would have been far better for me, slaying Achilles in the encounter, to return, or gloriously to be slain by him for the city. But if now I shall lay down my bossed shield and stout helmet, and, resting my spear against the wall, I myself going, shall come before renowned Achilles, and promise that we will give to the Atrides to lead away Helen, and all the numerous possessions along with her, whatever Paris brought to Troy in his hollow barks, and who was the origin of the contention, and at the same time that we will divide others, as many as this city contains, among the Greeks,--but again I should exact an oath from the elders of the Trojans, that they would conceal nothing, but divide all things into two portions, whatever treasure this delightful city contains within it. Yet why does my soul discuss such things? [I dread] lest I, going, should reach him, but he pity me not, nor at all respect me, but slay me, being thus naked, as a woman, after I have put off my armour. Nor, indeed, is it now allowed to converse with him from an oak, or from a rock, as a virgin and a youth; a virgin and youth converse with one another. But it is better to engage him in strife; that as soon as possible we may know to which, indeed, the Olympian [Jove] will give glory."
"Abdiel that sight endured not, where he stood
Among the mightiest, bent on highest deeds,
And thus his own undaunted heart explores."
Thus he pondered, remaining; but near him came Achilles, like unto the helmet-shaking warrior, Mars, brandishing upon his right shoulder the dreadful Pelian ash; but the brass shone around, like unto the splendour either of a blazing fire, or of the rising sun. Then, as tremor seized Hector, he perceived him, nor could he remain there any longer, but he left the gates behind him, and fled affrighted; but the son of Peleus rushed on, trusting to his swift feet. As a falcon in the mountains, the swiftest of birds, easily dashes after a timid pigeon; she, indeed, flies away obliquely; but he, close at hand, shrilly screaming, frequently assails, and his spirit orders him to seize her: thus, eager, he flew right on; but Hector fled in terror under the wall of the Trojans, and moved his fleet limbs. Then they rushed by the prospect-ground and the wind-waving fig-tree, always under the wall along the public way, and reached the two fair-flowing springs, where the two springs of the eddying Scamander rise. The one, indeed, flows with tepid water, and a steam arises from it around, as of burning fire; whilst the other flows forth in the summer time, like unto hail, or cold snow, or ice from water. There, at them, are the wide, handsome stone basins, where the wives and fair daughters of the Trojans used to wash their splendid garments formerly in time of peace, before the sons of the Greeks arrived. In this direction they ran past [the one] flying, but the other pursuing from behind. A brave man, indeed, fled before, but a much braver swiftly pursued him; since they did not seek to obtain a victim or a bull's hide, such as are the rewards of men for speed, but they ran for the life of horse-breaking Hector. And as when prize-winning solid-hoofed steeds ran very swiftly round the course, and a great reward is proposed, either a tripod, or a woman [in honour] of a deceased hero; so they thrice made the circuit of the city of Priam with their swift feet: and all the gods beheld. Then to them the father of men and gods commenced an address:
"Alas! certainly I behold with mine eyes a beloved hero pursued round the wall; and my heart is grieved on account of Hector, who has sacrificed many thighs of oxen to me, upon the tops of many-valed Ida, and at other times again in the highest [places of] the city; but now, indeed, noble Achilles pursues him, on swift feet, around the city of Priam. But come, deliberate, O ye gods, and consider, whether we shall preserve him from death, or shall subdue him now, being brave [at the hands of] Achilles, the son of Peleus."
But him the blue-eyed goddess Minerva then addressed:
"O father, hurler of the white thunder, [collector] of dark clouds, what a word hast thou spoken! Dost thou wish to liberate from sad death a man, being mortal, long ago destined to fate? Do it: but all we, the other gods, will not assent to thee."
Her, then, the cloud-compelling Jupiter, answering, addressed: "Take courage, Tritonia, beloved child: I by no means speak with serious mind, but I wish to be mild to thee. Do as is the inclination, nor delay at all."
Thus speaking, he incited Minerva, already prepared; and, springing forth, she descended down from the heights of Olympus.
But swift Achilles pursued Hector, incessantly pressing upon him. And as when a dog pursues the fawn of a deer in the mountains, having roused it from its lair, through both glens and thickets; and, although panic-stricken, it crouches down beneath a brake; yet tracking it, he runs continually on until he finds it; so Hector eluded not the swift-footed son of Peleus. As often as he would rush against the Dardanian gates, towards under the well-built towers, if perchance they might aid him with missile weapons from above, so often, previously anticipating him, he turned him away towards the plain; whilst he himself always flew on the side of the city. And as in a dream one cannot pursue a fugitive; neither can the one escape the other, nor the other pursue: so the one could not overtake the other in his speed, nor the other escape him. But how, then, could Hector have escaped the fates of death, if Apollo had not, for the very last time, met him, who aroused for him his courage and swift knees? But noble Achilles nodded to the people with his head, nor permitted them to cast their bitter weapons at Hector, lest some one, wounding him, should obtain the glory, and he himself come second. But when for the fourth time they arrived at the fountains, then, indeed, the Sire raised aloft his golden scales, and placed in them the two fates of death, bearing long sleep, this of Achilles, but that of horse-breaking Hector. Holding them by the middle, he poised them, and the fatal day of Hector inclined and sunk to Hades; but Phœbus Apollo left him.
Then the blue-eyed goddess Minerva approached the son of Peleus, and, standing near, addressed to him winged words:
"Now, O illustrious Achilles, dear to Jove, I hope that we two shall bear back great glory to the Greeks at the ships, having slain Hector, although being insatiate of war. Now, certainly, it is no longer possible for him to escape us, not even if far-darting Apollo should toil much, throwing himself at the feet of the ægis-bearing father Jove. But do thou now stand and revive; but I, approaching with thee, will persuade him to engage thee face to face."
Thus spoke Minerva; but he obeyed, and rejoiced in his mind; and s
tood, leaning upon his ashen, brass-pointed spear. But she then left him, and overtook noble Hector, likening herself to Deïphobus, unwearied in her body and voice; and, standing near, she addressed to him winged words: "O brother dear, certainly swift Achilles now greatly presses on thee, pursuing thee with rapid feet round the city of Priam. But come now, let us stand, and, awaiting, repulse him."
But her mighty crest-tossing Hector in turn addressed:
"Deïphobus, surely thou wert ever before by far the dearest to me of my brothers, the sons whom Hecuba and Priam produced. But now I think in my mind that I honour thee still more, since thou hast dared for my sake, when thou dost behold [me] with thine eyes, to come out of the city; while others remain within."
But him the azure-eyed goddess Minerva in turn addressed:
"My brother dear, my father and venerable mother indeed greatly supplicated me, by turn embracing my knees and my companions around, to remain there (so much do all tremble with fear); but my mind within was harassed with sad grief. But now let us forthwith eagerly engage, nor let there any longer be a sparing of our spears, that we may know whether Achilles, having slain us both, shall bear our bloody spoils to the hollow barks, or be subdued by thy spear."
Thus having spoken, Minerva also with deception led on. But when they were near advancing towards each other, him mighty crest-tossing Hector first addressed:
"No longer, O son of Peleus, will I fly thee as before. Thrice have I fled round the great city of Priam, nor ever dared to await thee coming on; but now my mind urges me to stand against thee: certainly I shall slay, or be slain. But come, let us attest the gods; for they will be the best witnesses and observers of agreements. For neither will I cruelly insult thee, if indeed Jove shall give me the victory, and I take away thy life; but after I shall despoil thy beautiful armour, O Achilles, I will give back thy body to the Greeks; and so also do thou."
But him swift-footed Achilles sternly regarding, addressed:
"Talk not to me of covenants, O most cursed Hector. As there are not faithful leagues between lions and men, nor yet have wolves and lambs an according mind, but ever meditate evils against each other; so it is not possible for thee and me to contract a friendship, nor shall there at all be leagues between us,--first shall one, falling, satiate the invincible warrior Mars with his blood. Call to mind all thy valour; now it is very necessary for thee to be both a spearman and a daring warrior. Nor is there any longer any escape for thee, for Pallas Minerva at once subdues thee beneath my spear, and thou shalt now pay for all the accumulated sorrows of my companions, whom thou hast slain, raging with the spear."
He spoke, and brandishing it, sent forth his long-shadowed spear, and illustrious Hector, seeing it opposite, avoided it; for, looking before him, he sunk down, and the brazen spear passed over him, and was fixed in the earth. But Pallas Minerva plucked it out, and gave it back to Achilles, and escaped the notice of Hector, the shepherd of the people. Then Hector addressed the illustrious son of Peleus:
"Thou hast erred, O godlike Achilles, nor art thou yet acquainted with my fate from Jove; certainly thou didst say so, but thou art a prater, and very subtle in words, in order that, dreading thee, I may be forgetful of my strength and courage. But not in my back, whilst flying, shalt thou thrust thy spear, but shalt drive it through my breast, rushing right on, if God grants this to thee. But now in turn avoid my brazen spear! would that thou mightst now receive it all in thy body. Then truly would the war become lighter to the Trojans, thou being slain; for thou art the greatest bane to them."
He spoke, and, brandishing, sent forth his long-shadowed spear, and struck the centre of Pelides' shield, nor missed; but the spear was repelled far away from the shield. But Hector was enraged because his swift weapon had fled in vain from his hand; and stood dejected, for he had not another ashen spear. Then he called upon the white-shielded Deïphobus, greatly shouting, [and] he asked him for a long spear; but he was not near him; and Hector perceived in his mind, and said:
"Alas! without doubt, now the gods have summoned me to death. For I indeed thought the hero Deïphobus was by my side; but he is within the wall, and Minerva has deceived me. But now is evil death near me, nor far away, neither is there escape. Certainly this long since was more agreeable to Jove and to the far-darting son of Jove, who formerly, propitious, preserved me; but now, on the contrary, Fate overtakes me. Nevertheless I will not perish cowardly and ingloriously at least, but having done some great deed to be heard of even by posterity."
Thus having spoken, he drew his sharp sword, which hung below his loins, both huge and strong, and, with collected might, rushed forward, like a lofty-soaring eagle, which swoops to the plain through the gloomy clouds, about to snatch either a tender lamb, or a timid hare; thus Hector rushed forward, brandishing his sharp sword. Achilles also rushed on, and filled his soul with fierce rage. He sheltered his breast in front with his shield, beautiful, curiously wrought and nodded with his shining helmet, four-coned; but the beautiful golden tufts, which Vulcan had diffused in great abundance round the cone, were shaken. As the star Hesperus, which is placed the brightest star in heaven, proceeds amongst other stars in the unseasonable time of night, so it shone from the well-sharpened spear which Achilles, designing mischief to noble Hector, brandished in his right hand, eyeing his fair person, where it would best yield. But the beautiful brazen armour, of which he had despoiled great Patroclus, having slain him, covered the rest of his body so much; yet did there appear [a part] where the collar-bones separate the neck from the shoulders, and where the destruction of life is most speedy. There noble Achilles, eager, drove into him with the spear, and the point went out quite through his tender neck. However the ash, heavy with brass, did not cut away the windpipe, so that, answering in words, he could address him. But he fell in the dust, and noble Achilles vaunted over him:
"Hector, thou didst once suppose, when spoiling Patroclus, that thou be safe, nor dreaded me, being absent. Fool! for I apart, a much braver avenger of him, was left behind at the hollow ships, I who have relaxed thy knees. The dogs, indeed, and birds shall dishonourably tear thee, but the Greeks shall perform his funeral rites."
But him crest-tossing Hector, growing languid, then addressed:
"I supplicate thee by thy soul, thy knees, thy parents, suffer not the dogs to tear me at the ships of the Greeks; but do thou indeed receive brass in abundance, and gold, which my father and venerable mother will give thee; and send my body home, that the Trojans and wives of the Trojans may make me, dead, partaker of a funeral pyre."
"Fairest of stars, last in the train of night,
If better thou belong not to the dawn."
But him swift-footed Achilles, sternly regarding, addressed;
"Dog, supplicate me not by my knees, nor by my parents; for would that my might and mind in any manner urge me myself, tearing thy raw flesh to pieces, to devour it, such things hast thou done to me. So that there is not any one who can drive away the dogs from thy head, not even if they should place ten-fold and twenty-times such ransoms, bringing them hither, and even promise others; not even if Dardanian Priam should wish to compensate for thee with gold: not even thus shall thy venerable mother lament [thee] whom she has borne, having laid thee upon a bier, but dogs and fowl shall entirely tear thee in pieces."
But him crest-tossing Hector, dying, addressed:
"Surely well knowing thee, I foresaw this, nor was I destined to persuade thee; for truly within thee there is an iron soul. Reflect now, lest to thee I be some cause of the wrath of the gods, on that day when Paris and Phœbus Apollo shall kill thee, though being brave, at the Scæan gates."
As he spoke thus, the end of death overshadowed him; and his soul flying from his limbs, descended to Hades, bewailing its destiny, relinquishing vigour and youth. But him, although dead, noble Achilles addressed:
"Die: but I will then receive my fate whensoever Jove may please to accomplish it, and the other immortal gods."
He spoke, an
d plucked the spear from the corpse; and then laid it aside, but he spoiled the bloody armour from his shoulders. But the other sons of the Greeks ran round, who also admired the stature and wondrous form, of Hector; nor did any stand by without inflicting a wound. And thus would some one say, looking to his neighbour: "Oh, strange! surely Hector is now much more gentle to be touched, than when he burned the ships with glowing fire."