That counsel pleased the rest, but neither pleased
Juno, nor Neptune, nor the blue-eyed maid.
They still, as at the first, held fast their hate
Of sacred Troy, detested Priam still,
And still his people, mindful of the crime 35
Of Paris, who when to his rural hut
They came, those Goddesses affronting, praise
And admiration gave to her alone
Who with vile lusts his preference repaid.
But when the twelfth ensuing morn arose, 40
Apollo, then, the immortals thus address’d.
Ye Gods, your dealings now injurious seem
And cruel. Was not Hector wont to burn
Thighs of fat goats and bullocks at your shrines?
Whom now, though dead, ye cannot yet endure 45
To rescue, that Andromache once more
Might view him, his own mother, his own son,
His father and the people, who would soon
Yield him his just demand, a funeral fire.
But, oh ye Gods! your pleasure is alone 50
To please Achilles, that pernicious chief,
Who neither right regards, nor owns a mind
That can relent, but as the lion, urged
By his own dauntless heart and savage force,
Invades without remorse the rights of man, 55
That he may banquet on his herds and flocks,
So Peleus’ son all pity from his breast
Hath driven, and shame, man’s blessing or his curse.
591 For whosoever hath a loss sustain’d
Still dearer, whether of his brother born 60
From the same womb, or even of his son,
When he hath once bewail’d him, weeps no more,
For fate itself gives man a patient mind.
Yet Peleus’ son, not so contented, slays
Illustrious Hector first, then drags his corse 65
In cruel triumph at his chariot-wheels
Around Patroclus’ tomb; but neither well
He acts, nor honorably to himself,
Who may, perchance, brave though he be, incur
Our anger, while to gratify revenge 70
He pours dishonor thus on senseless clay.
To whom, incensed, Juno white-arm’d replied.
And be it so; stand fast this word of thine,
God of the silver bow! if ye account
Only such honor to Achilles due 75
As Hector claims; but Hector was by birth
Mere man, and suckled at a woman’s breast.
Not such Achilles; him a Goddess bore,
Whom I myself nourish’d, and on my lap
Fondled, and in due time to Peleus gave 80
In marriage, to a chief beloved in heaven
Peculiarly; ye were yourselves, ye Gods!
Partakers of the nuptial feast, and thou
Wast present also with thine harp in hand,
Thou comrade of the vile! thou faithless ever! 85
Then answer thus cloud-gatherer Jove return’d.
Juno, forbear. Indulge not always wrath
Against the Gods. They shall not share alike,
And in the same proportion our regards.
Yet even Hector was the man in Troy 90
Most favor’d by the Gods, and him no less
I also loved, for punctual were his gifts
To us; mine altar never miss’d from him
Libation, or the steam of sacrifice,
The meed allotted to us from of old. 95
But steal him not, since by Achilles’ eye
592 Unseen ye cannot, who both day and night
Watches him, as a mother tends her son.
But call ye Thetis hither, I would give
The Goddess counsel, that, at Priam’s hands 100
Accepting gifts, Achilles loose the dead.
He ceased. Then Iris tempest-wing’d arose.
Samos between, and Imbrus rock-begirt,
She plunged into the gloomy flood; loud groan’d
The briny pool, while sudden down she rush’d, 105
As sinks the bull’s horn with its leaden weight,
Death bearing to the raveners of the deep.
Within her vaulted cave Thetis she found
By every nymph of Ocean round about
Encompass’d; she, amid them all, the fate 110
Wept of her noble son ordain’d to death
At fertile Troy, from Phthia far remote.
Then, Iris, drawing near, her thus address’d.
Arise, O Thetis! Jove, the author dread
Of everlasting counsels, calls for thee. 115
To whom the Goddess of the silver feet.
Why calls the mighty Thunderer me? I fear,
Oppress’d with countless sorrows as I am,
To mingle with the Gods. Yet I obey —
No word of his can prove an empty sound. 120
So saying, the Goddess took her sable veil
(Eye ne’er beheld a darker) and began
Her progress, by the storm-wing’d Iris led.
On either hand the billows open’d wide
A pass before them; they, ascending soon 125
The shore, updarted swift into the skies.
They found loud-voiced Saturnian Jove around
Environ’d by the ever-blessed Gods
Convened in full assembly; she beside
593 Her Father Jove (Pallas retiring) sat. 130
Then, Juno, with consolatory speech,
Presented to her hand a golden cup,
Of which she drank, then gave it back again,
And thus the sire of Gods and men began.
Goddess of ocean, Thetis! thou hast sought 135
Olympus, bearing in thy bosom grief
Never to be assuaged, as well I know.
Yet shalt thou learn, afflicted as thou art,
Why I have summon’d thee. Nine days the Gods,
Concerning Hector’s body and thy own 140
Brave city-spoiler son, have held dispute,
And some have urged ofttimes the Argicide
Keen-sighted Mercury, to steal the dead.
But I forbade it for Achilles’ sake,
Whom I exalt, the better to insure 145
Thy reverence and thy friendship evermore.
Haste, therefore, seek thy son, and tell him thus,
The Gods resent it, say (but most of all
Myself am angry) that he still detains
Amid his fleet, through fury of revenge, 150
Unransom’d Hector; so shall he, at length,
Through fear of me, perchance, release the slain.
Myself to generous Priam will, the while,
Send Iris, who shall bid him to the fleet
Of Greece, such ransom bearing as may soothe 155
Achilles, for redemption of his son.
So spake the God, nor Thetis not complied.
Descending swift from the Olympian heights
She reach’d Achilles’ tent. Him there she found
Groaning disconsolate, while others ran 160
To and fro, occupied around a sheep
New-slaughter’d, large, and of exuberant fleece.
She, sitting close beside him, softly strok’d
His cheek, and thus, affectionate, began.
How long, my son! sorrowing and mourning here, 165
Wilt thou consume thy soul, nor give one thought
Either to food or love? Yet love is good,
594 And woman grief’s best cure; for length of days
Is not thy doom, but, even now, thy death
And ruthless destiny are on the wing. 170
Mark me, — I come a lieger sent from Jove.
The Gods, he saith, resent it, but himself
More deeply than the rest, that thou detain’st
Amid thy fleet, through fury of revenge,
Unransom’d Hect
or. Be advised, accept 175
Ransom, and to his friends resign the dead.
To whom Achilles, swiftest of the swift.
Come then the ransomer, and take him hence;
If Jove himself command it, — be it so.
So they, among the ships, conferring sat 180
On various themes, the Goddess and her son;
Meantime Saturnian Jove commanded down
His swift ambassadress to sacred Troy.
Hence, rapid Iris! leave the Olympian heights.
And, finding noble Priam, bid him haste 185
Into Achaia’s fleet, bearing such gifts
As may assuage Achilles, and prevail
To liberate the body of his son.
Alone, he must; no Trojan of them all
May company the senior thither, save 190
An ancient herald to direct his mules
And his wheel’d litter, and to bring the dead
Back into Ilium, whom Achilles slew.
Let neither fear of death nor other fear
Trouble him aught, so safe a guard and sure 195
We give him; Mercury shall be his guide
Into Achilles’ presence in his tent.
Nor will himself Achilles slay him there,
Or even permit his death, but will forbid
All violence; for he is not unwise 200
Nor heedless, no — nor wilful to offend,
But will his suppliant with much grace receive.
595 He ceased; then Iris tempest-wing’d arose,
Jove’s messenger, and, at the gates arrived
Of Priam, wo and wailing found within. 205
Around their father, in the hall, his sons
Their robes with tears water’d, while them amidst
The hoary King sat mantled, muffled close,
And on his venerable head and neck
Much dust was spread, which, rolling on the earth, 210
He had shower’d on them with unsparing hands.
The palace echoed to his daughters’ cries,
And to the cries of matrons calling fresh
Into remembrance many a valiant chief
Now stretch’d in dust, by Argive hands destroy’d. 215
The messenger of Jove at Priam’s side
Standing, with whisper’d accents low his ear
Saluted, but he trembled at the sound.
Courage, Dardanian Priam! fear thou nought;
To thee no prophetess of ill, I come; 220
But with kind purpose: Jove’s ambassadress
Am I, who though remote, yet entertains
Much pity, and much tender care for thee.
Olympian Jove commands thee to redeem
The noble Hector, with an offering large 225
Of gifts that may Achilles’ wrath appease.
Alone, thou must; no Trojan of them all
Hath leave to attend thy journey thither, save
An ancient herald to direct thy mules
And thy wheel’d litter, and to bring the dead 230
Back into Ilium, whom Achilles slew.
Let neither fear of death nor other fear
Trouble thee aught, so safe a guard and sure
He gives thee; Mercury shall be thy guide
Even to Achilles’ presence in his tent. 235
Nor will himself Achilles slay thee there,
Or even permit thy death, but will forbid
All violence; for he is not unwise
Nor heedless, no — nor wilful to offend,
But will his suppliant with much grace receive. 240
596 So spake the swift ambassadress, and went.
Then, calling to his sons, he bade them bring
His litter forth, and bind the coffer on,
While to his fragrant chamber he repair’d
Himself, with cedar lined and lofty-roof’d, 245
A treasury of wonders into which
The Queen he summon’d, whom he thus bespake.
Hecuba! the ambassadress of Jove
Hath come, who bids me to the Grecian fleet,
Bearing such presents thither as may soothe 250
Achilles, for redemption of my son.
But say, what seems this enterprise to thee?
Myself am much inclined to it, I feel
My courage prompting me amain toward
The fleet, and into the Achaian camp. 255
Then wept the Queen aloud, and thus replied.
Ah! whither is thy wisdom fled, for which
Both strangers once, and Trojans honor’d thee?
How canst thou wish to penetrate alone
The Grecian fleet, and to appear before 260
His face, by whom so many valiant sons
Of thine have fallen? Thou hast an iron heart!
For should that savage man and faithless once
Seize and discover thee, no pity expect
Or reverence at his hands. Come — let us weep 265
Together, here sequester’d; for the thread
Spun for him by his destiny severe
When he was born, ordain’d our son remote
From us his parents to be food for hounds
In that chief’s tent. Oh! clinging to his side, 270
How I could tear him with my teeth! His deeds,
Disgraceful to my son, then should not want
Retaliation; for he slew not him
Skulking, but standing boldly for the wives,
The daughters fair, and citizens of Troy, 275
Guiltless of flight, and of the wish to fly.
597 Whom godlike Priam answer’d, ancient King.
Impede me not who willing am to go,
Nor be, thyself, a bird of ominous note
To terrify me under my own roof, 280
For thou shalt not prevail. Had mortal man
Enjoin’d me this attempt, prophet, or priest,
Or soothsayer, I had pronounced him false
And fear’d it but the more. But, since I saw
The Goddess with these eyes, and heard, myself, 285
The voice divine, I go; that word shall stand;
And, if my doom be in the fleet of Greece
To perish, be it so; Achilles’ arm
Shall give me speedy death, and I shall die
Folding my son, and satisfied with tears. 290
So saying, he open’d wide the elegant lids
Of numerous chests, whence mantles twelve he took
Of texture beautiful; twelve single cloaks;
As many carpets, with as many robes,
To which he added vests, an equal store. 295
He also took ten talents forth of gold,
All weigh’d, two splendid tripods, caldrons four,
And after these a cup of matchless worth
Given to him when ambassador in Thrace;
A noble gift, which yet the hoary King 300
Spared not, such fervor of desire he felt
To loose his son. Then from his portico,
With angry taunts he drove the gather’d crowds.
Away! away! ye dregs of earth, away!
Ye shame of human kind! Have ye no griefs 305
At home, that ye come hither troubling me?
Deem ye it little that Saturnian Jove
Afflicts me thus, and of my very best,
Best boy deprives me? Ah! ye shall be taught
Yourselves that loss, far easier to be slain 310
By the Achaians now, since he is dead.
But I, ere yet the city I behold
Taken and pillaged, with these aged eyes,
Shall find safe hiding in the shades below.
598 He said, and chased them with his staff; they left 315
In haste the doors, by the old King expell’d.
Then, chiding them aloud, his sons he call’d,
Helenus, Paris, noble Agathon,
Pammon, Antiphonus, and bold in fight
Polites, Di
os of illustrious fame, 320
Hippothoüs and Deiphobus — all nine
He call’d, thus issuing, angry, his commands.
Quick! quick! ye slothful in your father’s cause,
Ye worthless brood! would that in Hector’s stead
Ye all had perish’d in the fleet of Greece! 325
Oh altogether wretched! in all Troy
No man had sons to boast valiant as mine,
And I have lost them all. Mestor is gone
The godlike, Troilus the steed-renown’d,
And Hector, who with other men compared 330
Seem’d a Divinity, whom none had deem’d
From mortal man derived, but from a God.
These Mars hath taken, and hath left me none
But scandals of my house, void of all truth,
Dancers, exact step-measurers, a band 335
Of public robbers, thieves of kids and lambs.
Will ye not bring my litter to the gate
This moment, and with all this package quick
Charge it, that we may hence without delay?
He said, and by his chiding awed, his sons 340
Drew forth the royal litter, neat, new-built,
And following swift the draught, on which they bound
The coffer; next, they lower’d from the wall
The sculptured boxen yoke with its two rings;
And with the yoke its furniture, in length 345
Nine cubits; this to the extremest end
Adjusting of the pole, they cast the ring
Over the ring-bolt; then, thrice through the yoke
They drew the brace on both sides, made it fast
599 With even knots, and tuck’d the dangling ends. 350
Producing, next, the glorious ransom-price
Of Hector’s body, on the litter’s floor
They heap’d it all, then yoked the sturdy mules,
A gift illustrious by the Mysians erst
Conferr’d on Priam; to the chariot, last, 355
They led forth Priam’s steeds, which the old King
(In person serving them) with freshest corn
Constant supplied; meantime, himself within
The palace, and his herald, were employ’d
Girding themselves, to go; wise each and good. 360
And now came mournful Hecuba, with wine
Delicious charged, which in a golden cup
She brought, that not without libation due
First made, they might depart. Before the steeds
Her steps she stay’d, and Priam thus address’d. 365
William Cowper- Collected Poetical Works Page 142
