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field。〃 The Trojans cheered； and they camped in the plain； while
in the hut of Achilles women washed the dead body of Patroclus； and
Achilles swore that he would slay Hector。
In the dawn came Thetis； bearing to Achilles the new splendid
armour that the God had made for him。 Then Achilles put on that
armour； and roused his men； but Ulysses； who knew all the rules of
honour； would not let him fight till peace had been made； with a
sacrifice and other ceremonies； between him and Agamemnon； and till
Agamemnon had given him all the presents which Achilles had before
refused。 Achilles did not want them； he wanted only to fight； but
Ulysses made him obey； and do what was usual。 Then the gifts were
brought； and Agamemnon stood up； and said that he was sorry for his
insolence； and the men took breakfast； but Achilles would neither
eat nor drink。 He mounted his chariot； but the horse Xanthus bowed
his head till his long mane touched the ground； and； being a fairy
horse； the child of the West Wind； he spoke （or so men said）； and
these were his words： 〃We shall bear thee swiftly and speedily；
but thou shalt be slain in fight； and thy dying day is near at
hand。〃 〃Well I know it；〃 said Achilles； 〃but I will not cease from
fighting till I have given the Trojans their fill of war。〃
So all that day he chased and slew the Trojans。 He drove them into
the river； and； though the river came down in a red flood； he
crossed； and slew them on the plain。 The plain caught fire； the
bushes and long dry grass blazed round him； but he fought his way
through the fire； and drove the Trojans to their walls。 The gates
were thrown open； and the Trojans rushed through like frightened
fawns； and then they climbed to the battlements； and looked down in
safety； while the whole Greek army advanced in line under their
shields。
But Hector stood still； alone； in front of the gate； and old Priam；
who saw Achilles rushing on； shining like a star in his new armour；
called with tears to Hector； 〃Come within the gate！ This man has
slain many of my sons； and if he slays thee whom have I to help me
in my old age？〃 His mother also called to Hector； but he stood
firm； waiting for Achilles。 Now the story says that he was afraid；
and ran thrice in full armour round Troy； with Achilles in pursuit。
But this cannot be true； for no mortal men could run thrice； in
heavy armour； with great shields that clanked against their ankles；
round the town of Troy： moreover Hector was the bravest of men；
and all the Trojan women were looking down at him from the walls。
We cannot believe that he ran away； and the story goes on to tell
that he asked Achilles to make an agreement with him。 The
conqueror in the fight should give back the body of the fallen to
be buried by his friends； but should keep his armour。 But Achilles
said that he could make no agreement with Hector； and threw his
spear； which flew over Hector's shoulder。 Then Hector threw his
spear； but it could not pierce the shield which the God had made
for Achilles。 Hector had no other spear； and Achilles had one； so
Hector cried； 〃Let me not die without honour！〃 and drew his sword；
and rushed at Achilles； who sprang to meet him； but before Hector
could come within a sword…stroke Achilles had sent his spear clean
through the neck of Hector。 He fell in the dust and Achilles said；
〃Dogs and birds shall tear your flesh unburied。〃 With his dying
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； 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。
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