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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 wele 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
Achaeans might all of them be pent up at their ships； and rue it
bitterly in that you were no longer with them。〃
Achilles groaned and answered； 〃Mother； Olympian Jove has indeed
vouchsafed me the fulfilment of my prayer； but what boots it to
me； seeing that my dear rade Patroclus has fallenhe whom I
valued more than all others； and loved as dearly as my own life？
I have lost him； aye； and Hector when he had killed him stripped
the wondrous armour； so glorious to behold； which the gods gave
to Peleus when they laid you in the couch of a mortal man。 Would
that you were still dwelling among the immortal sea…nymphs； and
that Peleus had taken to himself some mortal bride。 For now you
shall have grief infinite by reason of the death of that son whom
you can never wele homenay； I will not live nor go about
among mankind unless Hector fall by my spear； and thus pay me for
having slain Patroclus son of Menoetius。〃
Thetis wept and answered； 〃Then； my son； is your end near at
handfor your own death awaits you full soon after that of
Hector。〃
Then said Achilles in his great grief； 〃I would die here and now；
in that I could not save my rade。 He has fallen far from home；
and in his hour of need my hand was not there to help him。 What
is there for me？ Return to my own land I shall not； and I have
brought no saving neither to Patroclus nor to my other rades
of whom so many have been slain by mighty Hector； I stay here by
my ships a bootless burden upon the earth； I； who in fight have
no peer among the Achaeans； though in council there are better
than I。 Therefore； perish strife both from among gods and men；
and anger； wherein even a righteous man will harden his
heartwhich rises up in the soul of a man like smoke； and the
taste thereof is sweeter than drops of honey。 Even so has
Agamemnon angered me。 And yetso be it； for it is over； I will
force my soul into subjection as I needs must； I will go； I will
pursue Hector who has slain him whom I loved so dearly； and will
then abide my doom when it may please Jove and the other gods to
send it。 Even Hercules； the best beloved of Joveeven he could
not escape the hand of death； but fate and Juno's fierce anger
laid him low； as I too shall lie when I am dead if a like doom
awaits me。 Till then I will win fame； and will bid Trojan and
Dardanian women wring tears from their tender cheeks with both
their hands in the grievousness of their great sorrow； thus shall
they know that he who has held aloof so long will hold aloof no
longer。 Hold me not back； therefore； in the love you bear me； for
you shall not move me。〃
Then silver…footed Thetis answered； 〃My son； what you have said
is true。 It is well to save your rades from destruction； but
your armour is in the hands of the Trojans； Hector bears it in
triumph upon his own shoulders。 Full well I know that his vaunt
shall not be lasting； for his end is close at hand； go not；
however； into the press of battle till you see me return hither；
to…morrow at break of day I shall be here； and will bring you
goodly armour from King Vulcan。〃
On this she left her brave son； and as she turned away she said
to the sea…nymphs her sisters； 〃Dive into the bosom of the sea
and go to the house of the old sea…god my father。 Tell him
everything； as for me； I will go to the cunning workman Vulcan on
high Olympus； and ask him to provide my son with a suit of
splendid armour。〃
When she had so said； they dived forthwith beneath the waves；
while silver…footed Thetis went her way that she might bring the
armour for her son。
Thus； then； did her feet bear the goddess to Olympus； and
meanwhile the Achaeans were flying with loud cries before
murderous Hector till they reached the ships and the Hellespont；
and they could not draw the body of Mars's servant Patroclus out
of reach of the weapons that were showered upon him； for Hector
son of Priam with his host and horsemen had again caught up to
him like the flame of a fiery furnace； thrice did brave Hector
seize him by the feet； striving with might and main to draw him
away and calling loudly on the Trojans； and thrice did the two
Ajaxes； clothed in valour as with a garment； beat him from off
the body； but all undaunted he would now charge into the thick of
the fight； and now again he would stand still and cry aloud； but
he would give no ground。 As upland shepherds that cannot chase
some famished lion from a carcase； even so could not the two
Ajaxes scare Hector son of Priam from the body of Patroclus。
And now he would even have dragged it off and have won
imperishable glory； had not Iris fleet as the wind； winged her
way as messenger from Olympus to the son of Peleus and bidden him
arm。 She came secretly without the knowledge of Jove and of the
other gods； for Juno sent her； and when she had got close to him
she said； 〃Up； son of Peleus； mightiest of all mankind； rescue
Patroclus about whom this fearful fight is now raging by the
ships。 Men are killing one another； the Danaans in defence of the
dead body； while the Trojans are trying to hale it away； and take
it to windy Ilius： Hector is the most furious of them all； he is
for cutting the head from the body and fixing it on the stakes of
the wall。 Up； then； and bide here no longer； shrink from the
thought that Patroclus may bee meat for the dogs of Troy。
Shame on you； should his body suffer any kind of outrage。〃
And Achilles said； 〃Iris； which of the gods was it that sent you
to me？〃
Iris answered； 〃It was Juno the royal spouse of Jove； but the son
of Saturn does not know of my ing； nor yet does any other of
the immortals who dwell on the snowy summits of Olympus。〃
Then fleet Achilles answered her saying； 〃How can I go up into
the battle？ They have my armour。 My mother forbade me to arm till
I should see her e； for she promised to bring me goodly armour
from Vulcan； I know no man whose arms I can put on； save only the
shield of Ajax son of Telamon； and he surely must be fighting in
the front rank and wielding his spear about the body of dead
Patroclus。〃
Iris said； 〃We know that your armour has been taken； but go as
you are； go to the deep trench and show yourself before the
Trojans； that they may fear you and cease fighting。 Thus will the
fainting sons of the Achaeans gain some brief breathing…time；
which in battle may hardly be。〃
Iris left him when she had so spoken。 But Achilles dear to Jove
arose； and Minerva flung her tasselled aegis round his strong
shoulders； she crowned his head with a halo of golden cloud from
which she kindled a