him；　and　going　right　up　to　Achilles　he　clasped　his　knees　and　kissed
  the　dread　murderous　hands　that　had　slain　so　many　of　his　sons。
  As　when　some　cruel　spite　has　befallen　a　man　that　he　should　have
  killed　some　one　in　his　own　country；　and　must　fly　to　a　great　man's
  protection　in　a　land　of　strangers；　and　all　marvel　who　see　him；　even　so
  did　Achilles　marvel　as　he　beheld　Priam。　The　others　looked　one　to
  another　and　marvelled　also；　but　Priam　besought　Achilles　saying；　〃Think
  of　your　father；　O　Achilles　like　unto　the　gods；　who　is　such　even　as　I
  am；　on　the　sad　threshold　of　old　age。　It　may　be　that　those　who　dwell
  near　him　harass　him；　and　there　is　none　to　keep　war　and　ruin　from
  him。　Yet　when　he　hears　of　you　being　still　alive；　he　is　glad；　and　his
  days　are　full　of　hope　that　he　shall　see　his　dear　son　come　home　to
  him　from　Troy；　but　I；　wretched　man　that　I　am；　had　the　bravest　in　all
  Troy　for　my　sons；　and　there　is　not　one　of　them　left。　I　had　fifty
  sons　when　the　Achaeans　came　here；　nineteen　of　them　were　from　a
  single　womb；　and　the　others　were　borne　to　me　by　the　women　of　my
  household。　The　greater　part　of　them　has　fierce　Mars　laid　low；　and
  Hector；　him　who　was　alone　left；　him　who　was　the　guardian　of　the　city
  and　ourselves；　him　have　you　lately　slain；　therefore　I　am　now　come　to
  the　ships　of　the　Achaeans　to　ransom　his　body　from　you　with　a　great
  ransom。　Fear；　O　Achilles；　the　wrath　of　heaven；　think　on　your　own
  father　and　have　compassion　upon　me；　who　am　the　more　pitiable；　for　I
  have　steeled　myself　as　no　man　yet　has　ever　steeled　himself　before
  me；　and　have　raised　to　my　lips　the　hand　of　him　who　slew　my　son。〃
  Thus　spoke　Priam；　and　the　heart　of　Achilles　yearned　as　he
  bethought　him　of　his　father。　He　took　the　old　man's　hand　and　moved
  him　gently　away。　The　two　wept　bitterly…　Priam；　as　he　lay　at
  Achilles'　feet；　weeping　for　Hector；　and　Achilles　now　for　his　father
  and　now　for　Patroclous；　till　the　house　was　filled　with　their
  lamentation。　But　when　Achilles　was　now　sated　with　grief　and　had
  unburthened　the　bitterness　of　his　sorrow；　he　left　his　seat　and
  raised　the　old　man　by　the　hand；　in　pity　for　his　white　hair　and
  beard；　then　he　said；　〃Unhappy　man；　you　have　indeed　been　greatly
  daring；　how　could　you　venture　to　come　alone　to　the　ships　of　the
  Achaeans；　and　enter　the　presence　of　him　who　has　slain　so　many　of
  your　brave　sons？　You　must　have　iron　courage：　sit　now　upon　this　seat；
  and　for　all　our　grief　we　will　hide　our　sorrows　in　our　hearts；　for
  weeping　will　not　avail　us。　The　immortals　know　no　care；　yet　the　lot
  they　spin　for　man　is　full　of　sorrow；　on　the　floor　of　Jove's　palace
  there　stand　two　urns；　the　one　filled　with　evil　gifts；　and　the　other
  with　good　ones。　He　for　whom　Jove　the　lord　of　thunder　mixes　the　gifts
  he　sends；　will　meet　now　with　good　and　now　with　evil　fortune；　but　he　to
  whom　Jove　sends　none　but　evil　gifts　will　be　pointed　at　by　the　finger
  of　scorn；　the　hand　of　famine　will　pursue　him　to　the　ends　of　the　world；
  and　he　will　go　up　and　down　the　face　of　the　earth；　respected　neither　by
  gods　nor　men。　Even　so　did　it　befall　Peleus；　the　gods　endowed　him
  with　all　good　things　from　his　birth　upwards；　for　he　reigned　over　the
  Myrmidons　excelling　all　men　in　prosperity　and　wealth；　and　mortal
  though　he　was　they　gave　him　a　goddess　for　his　bride。　But　even　on　him
  too　did　heaven　send　misfortune；　for　there　is　no　race　of　royal　children
  born　to　him　in　his　house；　save　one　son　who　is　doomed　to　die　all
  untimely；　nor　may　I　take　care　of　him　now　that　he　is　growing　old；　for　I
  must　stay　here　at　Troy　to　be　the　bane　of　you　and　your　children。　And
  you　too；　O　Priam；　I　have　heard　that　you　were　aforetime　happy。　They　say
  that　in　wealth　and　plenitude　of　offspring　you　surpassed　all　that　is　in
  Lesbos；　the　realm　of　Makar　to　the　northward；　Phrygia　that　is　more
  inland；　and　those　that　dwell　upon　the　great　Hellespont；　but　from　the
  day　when　the　dwellers　in　heaven　sent　this　evil　upon　you；　war　and
  slaughter　have　been　about　your　city　continually。　Bear　up　against　it；
  and　let　there　be　some　intervals　in　your　sorrow。　Mourn　as　you　may　for
  your　brave　son；　you　will　take　nothing　by　it。　You　cannot　raise　him　from
  the　dead；　ere　you　do　so　yet　another　sorrow　shall　befall　you。〃
  And　Priam　answered；　〃O　king；　bid　me　not　be　seated；　while　Hector　is
  still　lying　uncared　for　in　your　tents；　but　accept　the　great　ransom
  which　I　have　brought　you；　and　give　him　to　me　at　once　that　I　may　look
  upon　him。　May　you　prosper　with　the　ransom　and　reach　your　own　land　in
  safety；　seeing　that　you　have　suffered　me　to　live　and　to　look　upon
  the　light　of　the　sun。〃
  Achilles　looked　at　him　sternly　and　said；　〃Vex　me；　sir；　no　longer；
  I　am　of　myself　minded　to　give　up　the　body　of　Hector。　My　mother；
  daughter　of　the　old　man　of　the　sea；　came　to　me　from　Jove　to　bid　me
  deliver　it　to　you。　Moreover　I　know　well；　O　Priam；　and　you　cannot
  hide　it；　that　some　god　has　brought　you　to　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans；
  for　else；　no　man　however　strong　and　in　his　prime　would　dare　to　come　to
  our　host；　he　could　neither　pass　our　guard　unseen；　nor　draw　the　bolt　of
  my　gates　thus　easily；　therefore；　provoke　me　no　further；　lest　I　sin
  against　the　word　of　Jove；　and　suffer　you　not；　suppliant　though　you
  are；　within　my　tents。〃
  The　old　man　feared　him　and　obeyed。　Then　the　son　of　Peleus　sprang
  like　a　lion　through　the　door　of　his　house；　not　alone；　but　with　him
  went　his　two　squires　Automedon　and　Alcimus　who　were　closer　to　him　than
  any　others　of　his　comrades　now　that　Patroclus　was　no　more。　These
  unyoked　the　horses　and　mules；　and　bade　Priam's　herald　and　attendant　be
  seated　within　the　house。　They　lifted　the　ransom　for　Hector's　body　from
  the　waggon。　but　they　left　two　mantles　and　a　goodly　shirt；　that
  Achilles　might　wrap　the　body　in　them　when　he　gave　it　to　be　taken　home。
  Then　he　called　to　his　servants　and　ordered　them　to　wash　the　body　and
  anoint　it；　but　he　first　took　it　to　a　place　where　Priam　should　not
  see　it；　lest　if　he　did　so；　he　should　break　out　in　the　bitterness　of
  his　grief；　and　enrage　Achilles；　who　might　then　kill　him　and　sin
  against　the　word　of　Jove。　When　the　servants　had　washed　the　body　and
  anointed　it；　and　had　wrapped　it　in　a　fair　shirt　and　mantle；　Achilles
  himself　lifted　it　on　to　a　bier；　and　he　and　his　men　then　laid　it　on　the
  waggon。　He　cried　aloud　as　he　did　so　and　called　on　the　name　of　his　dear
  comrade；　〃Be　not　angry　with　me；　Patroclus；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　hear　even
  in　the　house　of　Hades　that　I　have　given　Hector　to　his　father　for　a
  ransom。　It　has　been　no　unworthy　one；　and　I　will　share　it　equitably
  with　you。〃
  Achilles　then　went　back　into　the　tent　and　took　his　place　on　the
  richly　inlaid　seat　from　which　he　had　risen；　by　the　wall　that　was　at
  right　angles　to　the　one　against　which　Priam　was　sitting。　〃Sir；〃　he
  said；　〃your　son　is　now　laid　upon　his　bier　and　is　ransomed　according　to
  desire；　you　shall　look　upon　him　when　you　him　away　at　daybreak；　for　the
  present　let　us　prepare　our　supper。　Even　lovely　Niobe　had　to　think
  about　eating；　though　her　twelve　children…　six　daughters　and　six
  lusty　sons…　had　been　all　slain　in　her　house。　Apollo　killed　the　sons
  with　arrows　from　his　silver　bow；　to　punish　Niobe；　and　Diana　slew　the
  daughters；　because　Niobe　had　vaunted　herself　against　Leto；　she　said
  Leto　had　borne　two　children　only；　whereas　she　had　herself　borne
  many…　whereon　the　two　killed　the　many。　Nine　days　did　they　lie
  weltering；　and　there　was　none　to　bury　them；　for　the　son　of　Saturn
  turned　the　people　into　stone；　but　on　the　tenth　day　the　gods　in
  heaven　themselves　buried　them；　and　Niobe　then　took　food；　being　worn
  out　with　weeping。　They　say　that　somewhere　among　the　rocks　on　the
  mountain　pastures　of　Sipylus；　where　the　nymphs　live　that　haunt　the
  river　Achelous；　there；　they　say；　she　lives　in　stone　and　still　nurses
  the　sorrows　sent　upon　her　by　the　hand　of　heaven。　Therefore；　noble　sir；
  let　us　two　now　take　food；　you　can　weep　for　your　dear　son　hereafter
  as　you　are　bearing　him　back　to　Ilius…　and　many　a　tear　will　he　cost
  you。〃
  With　this　Achilles　sprang　from　his　seat　and　killed　a　sheep　of
  silvery　whiteness；　which　his　followers　skinned　and　made　ready　all　in
  due　order。　They　cut　the　meat　carefully　up　into　smaller　pieces；　spitted
  them；　and　drew　them　off　again　when　they　were　well　roasted。　Automedon
  brought　bread　in　fair　baskets　and　served　it　round　the　table；　while
  Achilles　dealt　out　the　meat；　and　they　laid　their　hands　on　the　good
  things　that　were　before　them。　As　soon　as　they　had　had　enough　to　eat
  and　drink；　Priam；　descendant　of　Dardanus；　marvelled　at　the　strength
  and　beauty　of　Achilles　for　he　was　as　a　god　to　see；　and　Achilles
  marvelled　at　Priam　as　he　listened　to　him　and　looked　upon　his　noble
  presence。　When　they　had　gazed　their　fill　Priam　spoke　first。　〃And
  now；　O　king；〃　he　said；　〃take　me　to　my　couch　that　we　may　lie　down　and
  enjoy　the　blessed　boon　of　sleep。　Never　once　have　my　eyes　been　closed
  from　the　day　your　hands　took　the　life　of　my　son；　I　have　grovelled
  without　ceasing　in　the　mire　of　my　stable…yard；　making　moan　and
  brooding　over　my　countless　sorrows。　Now；　moreover；　I　have　eaten
  bread　and　drunk　wine；　hitherto　I　have　tasted　nothing。〃
  As　he　spoke　Achilles　told　his　men　and　the　women…servants　to　set　beds
  in　the　room　that　was　in　the　gatehouse；　and　make　them　with　good　red
  rugs；　and　spread　coverlets　on　the　top　of　them　with　wool