| |
| .. WITH 1 these words Hermes sped away for lofty Olympus; | |
| And Priam all fearlessly from off his chariot alighted, | |
| Ordering Idæus to remain in the entry to keep watch | |
| Over the beasts: th’ old king meanwhile strode doughtily onwards, | |
| Where Achiles was then most wont to be, and sitting indoors | 5 |
| 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 till he well was among them, | 10 |
| Clasp’t his knees and seiz’d 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 flee-eth abroad and seeketh asylum | |
| With some lord; and they that see him are fill’d with amazement, | 15 |
| Ev’n so now Achiles was amazed as he saw Priam enter, | |
| And the men all wer amazed, and look’d upon each other in turn. | |
| But Priam, as Hermes had bade, bow’d down to beseech him. | |
| ‘O God-like Achiles, thy father call to remembrance; | |
| How he is halting as I, i’ the dark’ning doorway of old age, | 20 |
| And desolately liveth, while all they that dwell about him | |
| Vex him, nor hath he one from their violence to defend him: | |
| But yet an’ heareth he aught of thee, thy well-being in life, | |
| Then he rejoiceth an’ all his days are glad with a good hope | |
| Soon to behold thee again, his son safe home fro’ the warfare. | 25 |
| 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 arrived 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 | 30 |
| Truly the greater part hath Arês in grim battle unstrung: | |
| But hé, 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. | 35 |
| O God-like Achiles, have fear o’ the gods, pity him too, | |
| Thy sire also remember, having yet more pity on mé, | |
| Who now stoop me beneath what dread deed mortal ever dared, | |
| Raising the hand that slew his son, pitiably to kiss it.’ | |
| Then did Achilles yearn for thought of his ancient father, | 40 |
| And from th’ old king’s seizure his own hand gently disengaged. | |
| And each brooded apart; Priam o’er victorious Hector | |
| Groan’d, low fal’n 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. | 45 |
| But when Achilles now had soothed his soul in affection, | |
| And all his bosom had disburden’d of passion extreme, | |
| Swiftly from off his seat he arose, and old Priam upraised, | |
| In pity and reverence for his age and silvery blanch’d head; | |
| And making full answer address’d him in airy-wingèd words. | 50 |
| ‘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 | 55 |
| Now put away our griefs, sore tho’ we be plagued with affliction. | |
| Truly there is no gain in distressful lamentation, | |
| Since the eternal gods hav assign’d to us unhappy mortals | |
| Hardship enough, while théy enjoy bliss idly without end. | |
| Two jars, say they, await God’s hand at th’ entry of his courts, | 60 |
| Stored ready with free gifts, of good things one, one of evil. | |
| If mingling from both heav’ns-thunderer equally dispense, | |
| Then will a man’s fortune be chequer’d with both sorrow and joy; | |
| But t’whom Zeus giveth only of ill, that man is an outcast; | |
| Hunger houndeth him on disconsolate over the brave earth, | 65 |
| Unrespected alike whether of mortals or immortals. | |
| So my sire Peleus was dower’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. | 70 |
| 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 unkindly, nor ev’n he | |
| Comforts the’ old man at home, since exiled far from him I bide | |
| Here at Troy, thy sons’ destruction compassing, and thine. | 75 |
| Thou, sir, too we hav heard enjoy’dst good fortune aforetime, | |
| From Makar in rocky 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, | 80 |
| Thy city was compass’d 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 till thou taste further affliction.’… | |
