once　to　tell　Achilles　that　by　far　the　dearest　to　him　of　all　his
  comrades　has　fallen。〃
  Menelaus　heeded　his　words　and　went　his　way　as　a　lion　from　a
  stockyard…　the　lion　is　tired　of　attacking　the　men　and　hounds；　who　keep
  watch　the　whole　night　through　and　will　not　let　him　feast　on　the　fat　of
  their　herd。　In　his　lust　of　meat　he　makes　straight　at　them　but　in　vain；
  for　darts　from　strong　hands　assail　him；　and　burning　brands　which　daunt
  him　for　all　his　hunger；　so　in　the　morning　he　slinks　sulkily　away…　even
  so　did　Menelaus　sorely　against　his　will　leave　Patroclus；　in　great　fear
  lest　the　Achaeans　should　be　driven　back　in　rout　and　let　him　fall
  into　the　hands　of　the　foe。　He　charged　Meriones　and　the　two　Ajaxes
  straitly　saying；　〃Ajaxes　and　Meriones；　leaders　of　the　Argives；　now
  indeed　remember　how　good　Patroclus　was；　he　was　ever　courteous　while
  alive；　bear　it　in　mind　now　that　he　is　dead。〃
  With　this　Menelaus　left　them；　looking　round　him　as　keenly　as　an
  eagle；　whose　sight　they　say　is　keener　than　that　of　any　other　bird…
  however　high　he　may　be　in　the　heavens；　not　a　hare　that　runs　can　escape
  him　by　crouching　under　bush　or　thicket；　for　he　will　swoop　down　upon　it
  and　make　an　end　of　it…　even　so；　O　Menelaus；　did　your　keen　eyes　range
  round　the　mighty　host　of　your　followers　to　see　if　you　could　find　the
  son　of　Nestor　still　alive。　Presently　Menelaus　saw　him　on　the　extreme
  left　of　the　battle　cheering　on　his　men　and　exhorting　them　to　fight
  boldly。　Menelaus　went　up　to　him　and　said；　〃Antilochus；　come　here　and
  listen　to　sad　news；　which　I　would　indeed　were　untrue。　You　must　see
  with　your　own　eyes　that　heaven　is　heaping　calamity　upon　the　Danaans；
  and　giving　victory　to　the　Trojans。　Patroclus　has　fallen；　who　was　the
  bravest　of　the　Achaeans；　and　sorely　will　the　Danaans　miss　him。　Run
  instantly　to　the　ships　and　tell　Achilles；　that　he　may　come　to　rescue
  the　body　and　bear　it　to　the　ships。　As　for　the　armour；　Hector　already
  has　it。〃
  Antilochus　was　struck　with　horror。　For　a　long　time　he　was
  speechless；　his　eyes　filled　with　tears　and　he　could　find　no　utterance；
  but　he　did　as　Menelaus　had　said；　and　set　off　running　as　soon　as　he　had
  given　his　armour　to　a　comrade；　Laodocus；　who　was　wheeling　his　horses
  round；　close　beside　him。
  Thus；　then；　did　he　run　weeping　from　the　field；　to　carry　the　bad　news
  to　Achilles　son　of　Peleus。　Nor　were　you；　O　Menelaus；　minded　to　succour
  his　harassed　comrades；　when　Antilochus　had　left　the　Pylians…　and
  greatly　did　they　miss　him…　but　he　sent　them　noble　Thrasymedes；　and
  himself　went　back　to　Patroclus。　He　came　running　up　to　the　two　Ajaxes
  and　said；　〃I　have　sent　Antilochus　to　the　ships　to　tell　Achilles；　but
  rage　against　Hector　as　he　may；　he　cannot　come；　for　he　cannot　fight
  without　armour。　What　then　will　be　our　best　plan　both　as　regards
  rescuing　the　dead；　and　our　own　escape　from　death　amid　the　battle…cries
  of　the　Trojans？〃
  Ajax　answered；　〃Menelaus；　you　have　said　well：　do　you；　then；　and
  Meriones　stoop　down；　raise　the　body；　and　bear　it　out　of　the　fray；
  while　we　two　behind　you　keep　off　Hector　and　the　Trojans；　one　in
  heart　as　in　name；　and　long　used　to　fighting　side　by　side　with　one
  another。〃
  On　this　Menelaus　and　Meriones　took　the　dead　man　in　their　arms　and
  lifted　him　high　aloft　with　a　great　effort。　The　Trojan　host　raised　a
  hue　and　cry　behind　them　when　they　saw　the　Achaeans　bearing　the　body
  away；　and　flew　after　them　like　hounds　attacking　a　wounded　boar　at
  the　loo　of　a　band　of　young　huntsmen。　For　a　while　the　hounds　fly　at　him
  as　though　they　would　tear　him　in　pieces；　but　now　and　again　he　turns　on
  them　in　a　fury；　scaring　and　scattering　them　in　all　directions…　even　so
  did　the　Trojans　for　a　while　charge　in　a　body；　striking　with　sword
  and　with　spears　pointed　ai　both　the　ends；　but　when　the　two　Ajaxes
  faced　them　and　stood　at　bay；　they　would　turn　pale　and　no　man　dared
  press　on　to　fight　further　about　the　dead。
  In　this　wise　did　the　two　heroes　strain　every　nerve　to　bear　the
  body　to　the　ships　out　of　the　fight。　The　battle　raged　round　them　like
  fierce　flames　that　when　once　kindled　spread　like　wildfire　over　a　city；
  and　the　houses　fall　in　the　glare　of　its　burning…　even　such　was　the
  roar　and　tramp　of　men　and　horses　that　pursued　them　as　they　bore
  Patroclus　from　the　field。　Or　as　mules　that　put　forth　all　their
  strength　to　draw　some　beam　or　great　piece　of　ship's　timber　down　a
  rough　mountain…track；　and　they　pant　and　sweat　as　they；　go　even　so
  did　Menelaus　and　pant　and　sweat　as　they　bore　the　body　of　Patroclus。
  Behind　them　the　two　Ajaxes　held　stoutly　out。　As　some　wooded
  mountain…spur　that　stretches　across　a　plain　will　turn　water　and
  check　the　flow　even　of　a　great　river；　nor　is　there　any　stream　strong
  enough　to　break　through　it…　even　so　did　the　two　Ajaxes　face　the
  Trojans　and　stern　the　tide　of　their　fighting　though　they　kept
  pouring　on　towards　them　and　foremost　among　them　all　was　Aeneas　son
  of　Anchises　with　valiant　Hector。　As　a　flock　of　daws　or　starlings
  fall　to　screaming　and　chattering　when　they　see　a　falcon；　foe　to　i'll
  small　birds；　come　soaring　near　them；　even　so　did　the　Achaean　youth
  raise　a　babel　of　cries　as　they　fled　before　Aeneas　and　Hector；
  unmindful　of　their　former　prowess。　In　the　rout　of　the　Danaans　much
  goodly　armour　fell　round　about　the　trench；　and　of　fighting　there　was
  no　end。
  BOOK　XVIII
  THUS　then　did　they　fight　as　it　were　a　flaming　fire。　Meanwhile　the
  fleet　runner　Antilochus；　who　had　been　sent　as　messenger；　reached
  Achilles；　and　found　him　sitting　by　his　tall　ships　and　boding　that
  which　was　indeed　too　surely　true。　〃Alas；〃　said　he　to　himself　in　the
  heaviness　of　his　heart；　〃why　are　the　Achaeans　again　scouring　the　plain
  and　flocking　towards　the　ships？　Heaven　grant　the　gods　be　not　now
  bringing　that　sorrow　upon　me　of　which　my　mother　Thetis　spoke；　saying
  that　while　I　was　yet　alive　the　bravest　of　the　Myrmidons　should　fall
  before　the　Trojans；　and　see　the　light　of　the　sun　no　longer。　I　fear　the
  brave　son　of　Menoetius　has　fallen　through　his　own　daring　and　yet　I
  bade　him　return　to　the　ships　as　soon　as　he　had　driven　back　those
  that　were　bringing　fire　against　them；　and　not　join　battle　with
  Hector。〃
  As　he　was　thus　pondering；　the　son　of　Nestor　came　up　to　him　and
  told　his　sad　tale；　weeping　bitterly　the　while。　〃Alas；〃　he　cried；
  〃son　of　noble　Peleus；　I　bring　you　bad　tidings；　would　indeed　that
  they　were　untrue。　Patroclus　has　fallen；　and　a　fight　is　raging　about
  his　naked　body…　for　Hector　holds　his　armour。〃
  A　dark　cloud　of　grief　fell　upon　Achilles　as　he　listened。　He　filled
  both　hands　with　dust　from　off　the　ground；　and　poured　it　over　his　head；
  disfiguring　his　comely　face；　and　letting　the　refuse　settle　over　his
  shirt　so　fair　and　new。　He　flung　himself　down　all　huge　and　hugely　at
  full　length；　and　tore　his　hair　with　his　hands。　The　bondswomen　whom
  Achilles　and　Patroclus　had　taken　captive　screamed　aloud　for　grief；
  beating　their　breasts；　and　with　their　limbs　failing　them　for　sorrow。
  Antilochus　bent　over　him　the　while；　weeping　and　holding　both　his　hands
  as　he　lay　groaning　for　he　feared　that　he　might　plunge　a　knife　into　his
  own　throat。　Then　Achilles　gave　a　loud　cry　and　his　mother　heard　him
  as　she　was　sitting　in　the　depths　of　the　sea　by　the　old　man　her　father；
  whereon　she　screamed；　and　all　the　goddesses　daughters　of　Nereus　that
  dwelt　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea；　came　gathering　round　her。　There　were
  Glauce；　Thalia　and　Cymodoce；　Nesaia；　Speo；　thoe　and　dark…eyed　Halie；
  Cymothoe；　Actaea　and　Limnorea；　Melite；　Iaera；　Amphithoe　and　Agave；
  Doto　and　Proto；　Pherusa　and　Dynamene；　Dexamene；　Amphinome　and
  Callianeira；　Doris；　Panope；　and　the　famous　sea…nymph　Galatea；
  Nemertes；　Apseudes　and　Callianassa。　There　were　also　Clymene；　Ianeira
  and　Ianassa；　Maera；　Oreithuia　and　Amatheia　of　the　lovely　locks；　with
  other　Nereids　who　dwell　in　the　depths　of　the　sea。　The　crystal　cave　was
  filled　with　their　multitude　and　they　all　beat　their　breasts　while
  Thetis　led　them　in　their　lament。
  〃Listen；〃　she　cried；　〃sisters；　daughters　of　Nereus；　that　you　may
  hear　the　burden　of　my　sorrows。　Alas；　woe　is　me；　woe　in　that　I　have
  borne　the　most　glorious　of　offspring。　I　bore　him　fair　and　strong；　hero
  among　heroes；　and　he　shot　up　as　a　sapling；　I　tended　him　as　a　plant
  in　a　goodly　garden；　and　sent　him　with　his　ships　to　Ilius　to　fight
  the　Trojans；　but　never　shall　I　welcome　him　back　to　the　house　of
  Peleus。　So　long　as　he　lives　to　look　upon　the　light　of　the　sun　he　is　in
  heaviness；　and　though　I　go　to　him　I　cannot　help　him。　Nevertheless　I
  will　go；　that　I　may　see　my　dear　son　and　learn　what　sorrow　has　befallen
  him　though　he　is　still　holding　aloof　from　battle。〃
  She　left　the　cave　as　she　spoke；　while　the　others　followed　weeping
  after；　and　the　waves　opened　a　path　before　them。　When　they　reached
  the　rich　plain　of　Troy；　they　came　up　out　of　the　sea　in　a　long　line
  on　to　the　sands；　at　the　place　where　the　ships　of　the　Myrmidons　were
  drawn　up　in　close　order　round　the　tents　of　Achilles。　His　mother　went
  up　to　him　as　he　lay　groaning；　she　laid　her　hand　upon　his　head　and
  spoke　piteously；　saying；　〃My　son；　why　are　you　thus　weeping？　What
  sorrow　has　now　befallen　you？　Tell　me；　hide　it　not　from　me。　Surely　Jove
  has　granted　you　the　prayer　you　made　him；　when　you　lifted　up　your　hands
  and　besought　him　that　the　Achae