The Iliad (Trans. Caroline Alexander)

by Homer

  as he grows old, since very far from my fatherland

  I sit at Troy, afflicting you and your children.

  And you, old man, we have heard, were blessed in time before;

  as much as Lesbos, seat of Makar, contains out there within its boundaries,

  and Phrygia inland and the boundless Hellespont,

  all these, they say, old man, you surpassed in sons and wealth.

  But since the gods of heaven have brought this misery to you,

  there is forever fighting and the killing of men about your city.

  Bear up, nor mourn incessantly in your heart;

  for you will accomplish nothing in grieving for your son,550

  nor will you raise him from the dead; before that happens you will suffer yet another evil.”

  Then old Priam, like a god, answered him:

  “Do not have me sit upon a chair, god-cherished one, while Hector

  lies in your shelters unburied, but quick as you can

  release him, so that I may see him with my eyes, and you accept the many gifts

  of ransom, which we bring for you. And have enjoyment of them, and may

  you return to your fatherland, since from the first you spared me.”557

  Then looking at him from under his brows swift-footed Achilles spoke:559

  “Provoke me no further, old man; for I myself am minded560

  to release Hector to you; from Zeus my mother came to me as messenger,

  she who bore me, daughter of the old man of the sea.

  I recognize, Priam, in my mind, and it does not escape me,

  that some one of the gods led you to the Achaeans’ swift ships;

  for no mortal man, not even a young man in his prime, would dare

  to come to our camp; nor could he have slipped by the watch guards, nor could he

  easily force back the bolts of our doors.

  Therefore do not now stir my heart further in its sorrows,

  lest, old man, I do not spare even yourself within my shelter,

  suppliant though you be, but transgress the commands of Zeus.”570

  Thus he spoke; and the old man was afraid and obeyed his word.

  And the son of Peleus like a lion sprang out the door of his shelter,

  and not alone; with him followed his two henchmen,

  the warrior Automedon and Alkimos, whom beyond all other companions

  Achilles honored after Patroclus died.

  They released the horses and mules from under their yokes,

  and led in the herald, crier to the old man,

  and they seated him upon a bench; and from the strong-wheeled wagon

  they lifted the boundless ransom for the body of Hector.

  But they left two fine-spun robes and a tunic,580

  so Achilles could wrap the body and give it to be carried home.

  And summoning his maids, Achilles ordered them to wash the body and anoint it,

  after taking it to a place apart, so that Priam should not see his son,

  for fear the old man might not keep his anger hidden in his anguished heart

  on seeing his son, and might stir Achilles’ own heart to violence

  and he kill Priam, and transgress the commands of Zeus.

  And when then the maids had washed and anointed the body with oil,

  they put around it the beautiful robe and tunic,

  and Achilles himself lifted it and placed it upon a bier,

  then his companions with him lifted this onto the polished wagon.590

  And Achilles groaned, and called his dear companion’s name:

  “Do not, Patroclus, be angered with me, if you should learn,

  though you be in the house of Hades, that I released shining Hector

  to his father, since the ransom he gave me was not unworthy.

  And I in turn will give you a portion of it, as much as is fitting.”

  He spoke, and godlike Achilles went back into his shelter,

  and took his seat on the richly wrought chair, from which he had risen,

  against the far wall, and spoke his word to Priam:

  “Your son has been released to you, old man, as you bade,

  and lies upon a bier; and with the dawn’s appearance,600

  you will see yourself when you take him. But now let us not forget our supper.

  For even Niobe of the lovely hair did not forget her food,

  she whose twelve children were destroyed in her halls,

  six daughters, and six sons in the prime of manhood.

  The sons Apollo slew with his silver bow

  in his anger with Niobe, and Artemis who showers arrows slew the daughters,

  because Niobe equalled herself to Leto of the lovely cheeks—

  for she would boast that Leto bore two children, while she herself had borne many.

  So two only though they were, they destroyed the many.

  And for nine days they lay in their own blood, nor was there anyone610

  to give them burial; for the son of Cronus had turned the people into stone.

  Then on the tenth day the heavenly gods gave them burial,

  and Niobe bethought herself of food, when she was worn out with weeping.

  And now among the rocks somewhere, in the lonely mountains

  of Sipylos, where they say are the sleeping places of the immortal

  nymphs who race beside the river Achelous,

  there, stone though she is, she broods upon the cares sent her from the gods.

  But come, and let us two, illustrious old sir, take thought

  of food. For you may weep for your dear son again

  when you have brought him into Ilion; he will be the cause of many tears.”620

  He spoke, and springing to his feet swift Achilles, with a cut to the throat,

  slaughtered a shining white sheep; his companions flayed it and with skill prepared it properly.

  They sliced the flesh skillfully and pierced it on spits

  and roasted it with care, and then drew off all the pieces.

  Automedon took bread to distribute around the table

  in fine baskets; but Achilles distributed the meat;

  and they reached out their hands to the good things set ready before them.

  And when they had put away desire for eating and drinking,

  then did Priam son of Dardanos look in wonder at Achilles,

  how massive he was, what kind of man; for he was like the gods to look upon;630

  and Achilles looked in wonder at Dardanian Priam,

  gazing on his noble face and listening to his words.

  But when they had their fill of looking upon each other,

  then old Priam the godlike addressed Achilles first:

  “Let me go to bed now quickly, god-cherished one, so that

  we may have solace when we lie down beneath sweet sleep.

  For not yet have my eyes closed beneath my lids,

  from the time my son lost his life at your hands,

  but always I groaned in lament and brooded on my sorrows without measure,

  wallowing in dung in the enclosure of my court.640

  But now I have tasted food and let gleaming wine

  down my throat; before I had tasted nothing.”

  He spoke; and Achilles ordered the companions and servant women

  to set out a bed under cover of the porch and to throw upon it

  splendid crimson blankets to lie upon, and to spread rugs over them,

  and to place woolen cloaks on top of all to cover them.

  And the maids went from the hall bearing torches in their hands,

  and working in haste soon spread two beds.

  Then bantering, Achilles of the swift feet addressed Priam:

  “Sleep outside, old friend, for fear one of the Achaean650

  leaders come suddenly upon us here, who forever

  devise their counsels beside me, as is right and proper.

  If
one of them were to see you through the swift black night,

  he would at once make it known to Agamemnon, shepherd of the people,

  and there would be delay in the surrender of the body.

  But come and tell me this and relate it exactly;

  how many days do you desire to give funeral rites to shining Hector—

  for so long I will wait and hold back the army.”

  Then old Priam the godlike answered him:

  “If then you are willing for me to accomplish Hector’s funeral,660

  by doing as follows, Achilles, you would give me a kindness.

  For you know how we are penned within the city, and it is a long way

  to bring wood from the mountains; for the Trojans are greatly afraid;

  nine days we would mourn him in our halls,

  and on the tenth we would bury him and the people would feast,

  and on the eleventh day we would make a tomb for him:

  and on the twelfth we shall go to war, if indeed we must.”

  Then in turn swift-footed godlike Achilles addressed him:

  “These things, old Priam, will be as you ask;

  I will suspend the war for such time, as you command.”670

  And so speaking he took hold of the old man’s right hand

  by the wrist, lest he have any fear in his heart.

  Then they lay down to sleep there in the forecourt of the shelter,

  the herald and Priam, a flurry of thoughts in their minds.

  But Achilles slept in the inner recess of his well-built shelter,

  and Briseïs of the lovely cheeks lay at his side.

  So the other gods as well as chariot-fighting men

  slept through the night, overcome by soft slumber,

  but sleep did not lay hold of Hermes the runner

  as he turned over in his heart how he might send king Priam680

  from the ships unnoticed by the hallowed watchers of the gate.

  And he stood above Priam’s head and addressed him with his words:

  “Old man, surely you have no thought of any evil, seeing how you sleep

  in the midst of enemy men, since Achilles spared you.

  And now you have won release of your beloved son, and gave many things for him;

  but your sons who were left behind would give yet three times

  as much ransom for you alive, should Agamemnon

  the son of Atreus recognize you, and all the Achaeans.”

  So he spoke; and the old man was afraid, and woke up his herald.

  Then Hermes yoked the mules and horses for them,690

  and himself drove swiftly through the camp; nor did anyone see.

  But when they reached the crossing of the fair-flowing stream,692

  then Hermes departed for high Olympus;694

  and Dawn robed in saffron spread over all the earth;

  the men with lamentation and groaning drove the horses on

  to the city, and the mules carried the corpse. No man

  saw them at first, nor any fair-belted woman,

  but then Cassandra, like to golden Aphrodite,

  having gone up to the height of Pergamos, saw her beloved father700

  standing in the chariot and the herald and city crier;

  and then she saw Hector lying upon the bier drawn by the mules.

  She wailed her grief aloud, then cried out to the whole city:

  “Look upon Hector, men and women of Troy! Come,

  if ever before you used to rejoice when he returned alive from battle,

  since he was the great joy of the city and all its people.”

  So she spoke; nor did any man remain there in the city

  nor any woman; uncontrollable grief seized all;

  close by the gates they met Priam as he brought Hector’s body;

  at the front his beloved wife and lady mother ripped their hair in grief710

  for him, lunging at the strong-wheeled wagon,

  to touch his head; and the throng surrounded him weeping.

  And for the whole day long until the sun’s going down they would have

  mourned Hector, pouring their tears before the gates,

  had not the old man spoken among them from the chariot:

  “Make way for me to pass with the mules; later

  you can sate yourselves with weeping, when I have brought him home.”

  So he spoke; and they stood aside and made way for the wagon.

  And when they had brought him into the illustrious house, then

  they laid him upon a fretted bed, and set beside it singers,720

  leaders of the dirges, who sang their mournful dirge song,

  and the women keened in response.

  And white-armed Andromache led the lament among them,

  holding in her arms the head of horse-breaking Hector:

  “My husband, you were lost from life while young, and are leaving me a widow

  in your halls; and the child is still just a baby,

  whom we bore, you and I, ill-fated both, nor do I think

  he will reach young manhood; before that this city

  will be wholly ravaged; for you its watchman have perished, who used to guard it,

  who protected its devoted wives and tender children.730

  They soon will be carried away in the hollow ships,

  and I with them; and you then, my child, either you will follow with me,

  and there do work unworthy of you

  toiling for a harsh master—or some Achaean man

  seizing you by the arm will hurl you from the ramparts, unhappy death,

  in his anger, one whose brother, perhaps, Hector slew,

  or his father or even his son, since so many of the Achaeans

  gripped the broad earth in their teeth at Hector’s hands.

  For your father was no gentle man in sad battle;

  therefore the people mourn him through the city,740

  and cursed is the grief and lamentation you have laid upon your parents,

  Hector. And to me beyond all others will be left painful sorrow;

  for you did not reach out your hands to me from your bed as you were dying,

  nor did you speak some close word to me, which I might always

  remember through the nights and days as I shed my tears.”

  So she spoke, crying, and the women in response mourned.

  And Hecuba led them next in the passionate lament:

  “Hector, far the dearest to my heart of all my sons,

  while you were alive you were dear to the gods,

  who now care for you even in your fated lot of death.750

  Other sons of mine Achilles of the swift feet would sell,

  whomever he captured, beyond the murmuring salt sea,

  into Samothrace, into Imbros and sea-spattered Lemnos;

  but he plucked your soul from you with his tapered bronze spear,

  and dragged you again and again around the tomb of his companion

  Patroclus, whom you slew—nor did he raise him from the dead so doing—

  yet now you lie as fresh as dew, unsullied in my halls,

  like one whom Apollo of the silver bow

  approaches and kills with his gentle arrows.”

  So she spoke weeping, and stirred unceasing wailing.760

  Then third among the women, Helen led the lament:

  “Hector, far dearest to my heart of all my husband’s brothers;

  too true, my husband is Alexandros of godlike beauty,

  who led me to Troy; would that I had died before;

  for this is now the twentieth year for me

  since I set out from there and forsook my fatherland,

  but never yet did I hear a harsh or abusive word from you,

  but if someone else would revile me in these halls,

  one of my husband’s brothers, or his sisters, or one of my fine-robed sisters-in-law,

  or my husband’s mother—but my h
usband’s father was like a kind father

  always—770

  you with soothing words would restrain them

  with your gentle nature and kind speech.

  Therefore I weep, grieving at heart, for you and for me, ill-fated, together;

  for no longer is there anyone else in broad Troy

  to be kind or friend to me, but all shudder at me.”

  So she spoke crying, and in response all the great multitude moaned.

  Then old Priam spoke his word among the people:

  “Men of Troy, now fetch timber to the city. Have no fear in your heart

  of cunning ambush by the Argives; for Achilles,

  as he sent me from the black ships, gave orders thus,780

  that he would do no harm before the twelfth dawn comes.”

  So he spoke; and the men yoked the oxen and mules to the wagons,

  and soon they were gathered before the city.

  For nine days they brought an immense pile of timber;

  and when at length the tenth dawn showed, bringing light to mortals,

  then, shedding tears, they carried forth bold Hector.

  On the very top of the pyre they placed his body, and on it flung the fire.

  And when Dawn born of the morning showed forth her fingers of rosy light,

  then around the pyre of illustrious Hector the people gathered;789

  first they extinguished the burning pyre with dark-gleaming wine791

  entirely, all that retained the fire’s strength; and then

  his brothers and his comrades picked out his white bones

  as they wept, and the swelling tears fell from their cheeks.

  And taking the bones they placed them in a golden box,

  after covering them round with soft purple cloth;

  swiftly they placed these in a hollowed grave, and covered it

  from above with great stones set close together.

  Lightly they heaped up the burial mound—lookouts were set all round,

  lest the strong-greaved Achaeans should attack before—800

  and when they had piled up the mound they started back. Then

  having come together they duly gave a glorious feast

  in the house of Priam, king nurtured by Zeus.

  Thus they tended the funeral of Hector, breaker of horses.

  NOTES

  The pagination of this electronic edition does not match the edition from which it was made. To locate a specific passage, please use the search feature on your e-book reader

  1.39 God of Plague: In the Greek, Chryses invokes Apollo as Smintheus. According to ancient commentary, smínthos was the word for “mouse” in Mysian, a language of the region east of the Troad. Modern scholars have suggested that Apollo Smintheus may have origins in an east-central European mouse-god of the second millennium B.C. There is much evidence that the Greeks of antiquity associated mice with pestilence.