“Now after my death ye pierce my body;
The very hares are bold to insult a dead lion.”
The Troilus and Cressida (act v. sc. 8, l. 21, vol. vi. p. 259) exhibits the big, brutal Achilles exulting over his slain enemy, and giving the infamous order,—
“Come, tie his body to my horse’s tail;
Along the field I will the Trojan trail.”
And afterwards (act v. sc. 10, l. 4, vol. vi. p. 260) the atrocities are recounted to which Hector’s body was exposed,—
“He’s dead, and at the murderer’s horse’s tail
In beastly sort dragg’d through the shameful field.”
The description thus given accords with that of Alciatus, Reusner, and Whitney, in reference to the saying, “We must not struggle with phantoms.” Alciat’s stanzas (Emb. 153) are,—
Cum laruis non luctandum.