Then, dying, warlike Hector thus replied.
Full well I knew before, how suit of mine
Should speed preferr’d to thee. Thy heart is steel.
But oh, while yet thou livest, think, lest the Gods
Requite thee on that day, when pierced thyself415
By Paris and Apollo, thou shalt fall,
Brave as thou art, before the Scæan gate.
He ceased, and death involved him dark around.
His spirit, from his limbs dismiss’d, the house
Of Ades sought, mourning in her descent420
Youth’s prime and vigor lost, disastrous doom!
But him though dead, Achilles thus bespake.
Die thou. My death shall find me at what hour
Jove gives commandment, and the Gods above.
He spake, and from the dead drawing away425
His brazen spear, placed it apart, then stripp’d
His arms gore-stain’d. Meantime the other sons
Of the Achaians, gathering fast around,
The bulk admired, and the proportion just
Of Hector; neither stood a Grecian there430
Who pierced him not, and thus the soldier spake.
Ye Gods! how far more patient of the touch
Is Hector now, than when he fired the fleet!
Thus would they speak, then give him each a stab.
And now, the body stripp’d, their noble Chief435
The swift Achilles standing in the midst,
The Grecians in wing’d accents thus address’d.
Friends, Chiefs and Senators of Argos’ host!
Since, by the will of heaven, this man is slain
Who harm’d us more than all our foes beside,440
Essay we next the city, so to learn
The Trojan purpose, whether (Hector slain)
They will forsake the citadel, or still
Defend it, even though of him deprived.
But wherefore speak I thus? still undeplored,445
Unburied in my fleet Patroclus lies;
Him never, while alive myself, I mix
With living men and move, will I forget.
In Ades, haply, they forget the dead,
Yet will not I Patroclus, even there.450
Now chanting pæans, ye Achaian youths!
Return we to the fleet with this our prize;
We have achieved great glory,[14] we have slain
Illustrious Hector, him whom Ilium praised
In all her gates, and as a God revered.455
He said; then purposing dishonor foul
To noble Hector, both his feet he bored
From heel to ancle, and, inserting thongs,
Them tied behind his chariot, but his head
Left unsustain’d to trail along the ground.460
Ascending next, the armor at his side
He placed, then lash’d the steeds; they willing flew
Thick dust around the body dragg’d arose,
His sable locks all swept the plain, and all
His head, so graceful once, now track’d the dust,465
For Jove had given it into hostile hands
That they might shame it in his native soil.[15]
Thus, whelm’d in dust, it went. The mother Queen
Her son beholding, pluck’d her hair away,
Cast far aside her lucid veil, and fill’d470
With shrieks the air. His father wept aloud,
And, all around, long, long complaints were heard
And lamentations in the streets of Troy,
Not fewer or less piercing, than if flames
Had wrapt all Ilium to her topmost towers.475
His people scarce detain’d the ancient King
Grief-stung, and resolute to issue forth
Through the Dardanian gates; to all he kneel’d
In turn, then roll’d himself in dust, and each
By name solicited to give him way.480
Stand off, my fellow mourners! I would pass
The gates, would seek, alone, the Grecian fleet.
I go to supplicate the bloody man,
Yon ravager; he may respect, perchance,
My years, may feel some pity of my age;485
For, such as I am, his own father is,
Peleus, who rear’d him for a curse to Troy,
But chiefly rear’d him to myself a curse,
So numerous have my sons in prime of youth
Fall’n by his hand, all whom I less deplore490
(Though mourning all) than one; my agonies
For Hector soon shall send me to the shades.
Oh had he but within these arms expired,
The hapless Queen who bore him, and myself
Had wept him, then, till sorrow could no more!495
So spake he weeping, and the citizens
All sigh’d around; next, Hecuba began
Amid the women, thus, her sad complaint.