THE ILIAD: BOOK 24. PRIAM AND ACHILLES by HOMER

WITH these words Hermes sped away for lofty Olympos:
And Priam all fearlessly from off his chariot alighted,
Ordering Idaeus to remain i' the entry to keep watch
Over the beasts: th' old king meanwhile strode doughtily onward,
Where Achilles was then most wont to be, and sitting indoors
Found he him; all his men sat apart; for his only attendance
His squire Automedon and Alkimos in battle upgrown
Mov'd busilie to 'an fro serving, for late he had eaten,
And the supper-table disfurnish'd yet stood anigh him.
And Priam entering unperceiv'd til he well was among them,
Clasp'd his knees and seized his hands all humbly to kiss them,
Those dread murderous hands which his sons so many had slain.
As when a man whom spite of fate hath curs'd in his own land
For homicide, that he fleeeth abroad and seeketh asylum
With some lord, and they that see him are fill'd with amazement,
Ev'n so now Achilles was amaz'd as he saw Priam enter,
And the men all wer' amaz'd, and lookt upon each other in turn.
But Priam (as Hermes had bade) bow'd down to beseech him.
'O God-like Achilles, thy father call to remembrance,
How he is halting as I, i' the dark'ning doorway of old age,
And desolately liveth, while all they that dwell about him
Vex him, nor hath he one from their violence to defend him:
Yet but an heareth he aught of thee, thy wellbeing in life,
Then he rejoiceth an' all his days are glad with a good hope
Soon to behold thee again, his son safe home from the warfare.
But most hapless am I, for I had sons numerous and brave
In wide Troy; where be they now? scarce is one o' them left.
They were fifty the day ye arriv'd hither out of Achaia,
Nineteen royally born princes from one mother only,
While the others women of my house had borne me; of all these
Truly the greater part hath Ares in grim battle unstrung.
But he, who was alone the city's lov'd guardian and stay,
Few days since thou slew'st him alas! his country defending,
Hector, for whose sake am I-come to the ships of Achaia
His body dear to redeem, offering thee a ransom abundant.
O God-like Achilles, have fear o' the gods, pity him too,
Thy sire also remember, having yet more pity on me,
Who now stoop me beneath what dread deed mortal ever dar'd,
Raising the hand that slew his son pitiably to kiss it.'
Then did Achilles yearn for thought of his ancient father,
And from th' old king's seizure his own hand gently disengag'd.
And each brooded apart; Priam o'er victorious Hector
Groan'd, low faln to the ground unnerved at feet of Achilles,
Who sat mourning awhile his sire, then turn'd to bewailing
Patroclus; while loudly the house with their sobbing outrang.
But when Achilles now had sooth'd his soul in affection,
And all his bosom had disburden'd of passion extreme,
Swiftly from off his seat he arose, and old Priam uprais'd,
In pity and reverence for his age and silvery-blancht head,
And making full answer addrest him in airywinged words.
'Unhappy man! what mighty sorrows must thy spirit endure!
Nay, how durst thou come thus alone to the ships of Achaia,
Into the sight of him who thy sons so many and good
Spoil'd and sent to the grave? Verilie thy heart is of iron.
But come, sit thee beside me upon my couch; let us alwise
Now put away our griefs, sore tho' we be plagued with affliction.
Truly there is no gain in distressful lamentation,
Since the eternal gods have assign'd to us unhappy mortals
Hardship enough, while they enjoy bliss idly without end.
Two jars, say-they, await God's hand at th' entry of his court,
Stor'd ready with free gifts, of good things one, one of evil.
If mingling from both heav'n's thunderer equaly dispense,
Then will a man's fortune be chequer'd with both sorrow and joy;
But to' whom Zeus giveth only of evil that man is outcast,
Hunger houndeth him on disconsolate over the brave earth,
Unrespected alike whether of mortals or immortals.
So my sire Peleus was dow'r'd with favour abounding,
And, from birth and cradle honour'd, all men living outshone
In wealth and happiness, king o'er his Myrmidon armies:
And tho' he was but a man, Zeus made him a fair goddess espouse.
But yet an' ev'n to him was an ill thrown in, that he hath not
Sons born into his house to retain its empery, -- one son
Only he gat, one doom'd to a fate untimely, nor evn he
Comforts th' old man at home, since exiled far from him I bide
Here in Troy, thy sons' destruction compassing and thine.
Thou too, sir, we have heard enjoy'd'st good fortune aforetime;
From Mytilene in Lesbos away to the boundary eastward
Of Phrygia's highlands, and north to the briny Hellespont,
Thou, sir, didst all men for wealth and progeny excel:
But when once th' high gods let loose this mischief anigh thee,
The city was compast with nought but fierce battle and blood.
Bear up, allow thy temper awhile some respite of anguish:
Thou wilt not benefit thy dear son vainly bewailing,
Nor restore him alive ere thou taste further affliction.'
Him then in answer addrest god-like Priam, Ilyon's old king.
'Bid me not, O heav'n born, to be seated, while ever Hector
Lyeth i' the camp dishonour'd, nay rather quickly with all speed
Fetch him here to my eyes; and this great ransom apportion'd
Unto his worth accept: may it serve thy good pleasure, and thou
Safely return to thy home and sire, since now thou allow'st me
Still to renew my days i' the light o' the sun to behold it.'
Then glancing full dourly bespake him swift-foot Achilles.
'O sir, vex me no more: myself I am already minded
Now to restore him. Awhile Zeus sent one here to command me,
My mother, -- and the wizard who hometh in Ocean is her sire.
Yea, an' I-know, Priam, also of thee, -- think not to deceive me --
That 'twas a god who brought-thee hither to the ships of Achaia,
Since no mortal alive would dare, nay not one in his prime,
Here to' intrude, neither c he pass our senteries unseen,
Nor the resistant bars of my doors easily undo.
Spare then again to provoke my soul o'erstrain'd in affliction,
Lest, old king, I do-thee a wrong in thine enemy's camp,
Lest I in anger offend mine own honour and sin against God.'

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