soul　went　out　of　him　and　flew　down　to　the　house　of　Hades；　lamenting
  its　sad　fate　that　it　should　en'　youth　and　strength　no　longer。　But
  Achilles　said；　speaking　to　the　dead　body；　〃Die；　for　my　part　I　will
  accept　my　fate　whensoever　Jove　and　the　other　gods　see　fit　to　send　it。〃
  As　he　spoke　he　drew　his　spear　from　the　body　and　set　it　on　one
  side；　then　he　stripped　the　blood…stained　armour　from　Hector's
  shoulders　while　the　other　Achaeans　came　running　up　to　view　his
  wondrous　strength　and　beauty；　and　no　one　came　near　him　without
  giving　him　a　fresh　wound。　Then　would　one　turn　to　his　neighbour　and
  say；　〃It　is　easier　to　handle　Hector　now　than　when　he　was　flinging　fire
  on　to　our　ships〃　and　as　he　spoke　he　would　thrust　his　spear　into　him
  anew。
  When　Achilles　had　done　spoiling　Hector　of　his　armour；　he　stood　among
  the　Argives　and　said；　〃My　friends；　princes　and　counsellors　of　the
  Argives；　now　that　heaven　has　vouchsafed　us　to　overcome　this　man；　who
  has　done　us　more　hurt　than　all　the　others　together；　consider　whether
  we　should　not　attack　the　city　in　force；　and　discover　in　what　mind
  the　Trojans　may　be。　We　should　thus　learn　whether　they　will　desert
  their　city　now　that　Hector　has　fallen；　or　will　still　hold　out　even
  though　he　is　no　longer　living。　But　why　argue　with　myself　in　this
  way；　while　Patroclus　is　still　lying　at　the　ships　unburied；　and
  unmourned…　he　Whom　I　can　never　forget　so　long　as　I　am　alive　and　my
  strength　fails　not？　Though　men　forget　their　dead　when　once　they　are
  within　the　house　of　Hades；　yet　not　even　there　will　I　forget　the
  comrade　whom　I　have　lost。　Now；　therefore；　Achaean　youths；　let　us　raise
  the　song　of　victory　and　go　back　to　the　ships　taking　this　man　along
  with　us；　for　we　have　achieved　a　mighty　triumph　and　have　slain　noble
  Hector　to　whom　the　Trojans　prayed　throughout　their　city　as　though　he
  were　a　god。〃
  On　this　he　treated　the　body　of　Hector　with　contumely：　he　pierced　the
  sinews　at　the　back　of　both　his　feet　from　heel　to　ancle　and　passed
  thongs　of　ox…hide　through　the　slits　he　had　made：　thus　he　made　the　body
  fast　to　his　chariot；　letting　the　head　trail　upon　the　ground。　Then　when
  he　had　put　the　goodly　armour　on　the　chariot　and　had　himself　mounted；
  he　lashed　his　horses　on　and　they　flew　forward　nothing　loth。　The　dust
  rose　from　Hector　as　he　was　being　dragged　along；　his　dark　hair　flew　all
  abroad；　and　his　head　once　so　comely　was　laid　low　on　earth；　for　Jove
  had　now　delivered　him　into　the　hands　of　his　foes　to　do　him　outrage
  in　his　own　land。
  Thus　was　the　head　of　Hector　being　dishonoured　in　the　dust。　His
  mother　tore　her　hair；　and　flung　her　veil　from　her　with　a　loud　cry　as
  she　looked　upon　her　son。　His　father　made　piteous　moan；　and
  throughout　the　city　the　people　fell　to　weeping　and　wailing。　It　was
  as　though　the　whole　of　frowning　Ilius　was　being　smirched　with　fire。
  Hardly　could　the　people　hold　Priam　back　in　his　hot　haste　to　rush
  without　the　gates　of　the　city。　He　grovelled　in　the　mire　and　besought
  them；　calling　each　one　of　them　by　his　name。　〃Let　be；　my　friends；〃　he
  cried；　〃and　for　all　your　sorrow；　suffer　me　to　go　single…handed　to
  the　ships　of　the　Achaeans。　Let　me　beseech　this　cruel　and　terrible　man；
  if　maybe　he　will　respect　the　feeling　of　his　fellow…men；　and　have
  compassion　on　my　old　age。　His　own　father　is　even　such　another　as
  myself…　Peleus；　who　bred　him　and　reared　him　to…　be　the　bane　of　us
  Trojans；　and　of　myself　more　than　of　all　others。　Many　a　son　of　mine　has
  he　slain　in　the　flower　of　his　youth；　and　yet；　grieve　for　these　as　I
  may；　I　do　so　for　one…　Hector…　more　than　for　them　all；　and　the
  bitterness　of　my　sorrow　will　bring　me　down　to　the　house　of　Hades。
  Would　that　he　had　died　in　my　arms；　for　so　both　his　ill…starred
  mother　who　bore　him；　and　myself；　should　have　had　the　comfort　of
  weeping　and　mourning　over　him。〃
  Thus　did　he　speak　with　many　tears；　and　all　the　people　of　the　city
  joined　in　his　lament。　Hecuba　then　raised　the　cry　of　wailing　among
  the　Trojans。　〃Alas；　my　son；〃　she　cried；　〃what　have　I　left　to　live
  for　now　that　you　are　no　more？　Night　and　day　did　I　glory　in。　you
  throughout　the　city；　for　you　were　a　tower　of　strength　to　all　in
  Troy；　and　both　men　and　women　alike　hailed　you　as　a　god。　So　long　as　you
  lived　you　were　their　pride；　but　now　death　and　destruction　have
  fallen　upon　you。〃
  Hector's　wife　had　as　yet　heard　nothing；　for　no　one　had　come　to
  tell　her　that　her　husband　had　remained　without　the　gates。　She　was　at
  her　loom　in　an　inner　part　of　the　house；　weaving　a　double　purple　web；
  and　embroidering　it　with　many　flowers。　She　told　her　maids　to　set　a
  large　tripod　on　the　fire；　so　as　to　have　a　warm　bath　ready　for　Hector
  when　he　came　out　of　battle；　poor　woman；　she　knew　not　that　he　was　now
  beyond　the　reach　of　baths；　and　that　Minerva　had　laid　him　low　by　the
  hands　of　Achilles。　She　heard　the　cry　coming　as　from　the　wall；　and
  trembled　in　every　limb；　the　shuttle　fell　from　her　hands；　and　again　she
  spoke　to　her　waiting…women。　〃Two　of　you；〃　she　said；　〃come　with　me　that
  I　may　learn　what　it　is　that　has　befallen；　I　heard　the　voice　of　my
  husband's　honoured　mother；　my　own　heart　beats　as　though　it　would
  come　into　my　mouth　and　my　limbs　refuse　to　carry　me；　some　great
  misfortune　for　Priam's　children　must　be　at　hand。　May　I　never　live　to
  hear　it；　but　I　greatly　fear　that　Achilles　has　cut　off　the　retreat　of
  brave　Hector　and　has　chased　him　on　to　the　plain　where　he　was
  singlehanded；　I　fear　he　may　have　put　an　end　to　the　reckless　daring
  which　possessed　my　husband；　who　would　never　remain　with　the　body　of
  his　men；　but　would　dash　on　far　in　front；　foremost　of　them　all　in
  valour。〃
  Her　heart　beat　fast；　and　as　she　spoke　she　flew　from　the　house　like　a
  maniac；　with　her　waiting…women　following　after。　When　she　reached　the
  battlements　and　the　crowd　of　people；　she　stood　looking　out　upon　the
  wall；　and　saw　Hector　being　borne　away　in　front　of　the　city…　the　horses
  dragging　him　without　heed　or　care　over　the　ground　towards　the　ships　of
  the　Achaeans。　Her　eyes　were　then　shrouded　as　with　the　darkness　of
  night　and　she　fell　fainting　backwards。　She　tore　the　tiring　from　her
  head　and　flung　it　from　her；　the　frontlet　and　net　with　its　plaited
  band；　and　the　veil　which　golden　Venus　had　given　her　on　the　day　when
  Hector　took　her　with　him　from　the　house　of　Eetion；　after　having
  given　countless　gifts　of　wooing　for　her　sake。　Her　husband's　sisters
  and　the　wives　of　his　brothers　crowded　round　her　and　supported　her；　for
  she　was　fain　to　die　in　her　distraction；　when　she　again　presently
  breathed　and　came　to　herself；　she　sobbed　and　made　lament　among　the
  Trojans　saying；　'Woe　is　me；　O　Hector；　woe；　indeed；　that　to　share　a
  common　lot　we　were　born；　you　at　Troy　in　the　house　of　Priam；　and　I　at
  Thebes　under　the　wooded　mountain　of　Placus　in　the　house　of　Eetion
  who　brought　me　up　when　I　was　a　child…　ill…starred　sire　of　an
  ill…starred　daughter…　would　that　he　had　never　begotten　me。　You　are　now
  going　into　the　house　of　Hades　under　the　secret　places　of　the　earth；
  and　you　leave　me　a　sorrowing　widow　in　your　house。　The　child；　of　whom
  you　and　I　are　the　unhappy　parents；　is　as　yet　a　mere　infant。　Now　that
  you　are　gone；　O　Hector；　you　can　do　nothing　for　him　nor　he　for　you。
  Even　though　he　escape　the　horrors　of　this　woful　war　with　the　Achaeans；
  yet　shall　his　life　henceforth　be　one　of　labour　and　sorrow；　for
  others　will　seize　his　lands。　The　day　that　robs　a　child　of　his
  parents　severs　him　from　his　own　kind；　his　head　is　bowed；　his　cheeks
  are　wet　with　tears；　and　he　will　go　about　destitute　among　the　friends
  of　his　father；　plucking　one　by　the　cloak　and　another　by　the　shirt。
  Some　one　or　other　of　these　may　so　far　pity　him　as　to　hold　the　cup
  for　a　moment　towards　him　and　let　him　moisten　his　lips；　but　he　must　not
  drink　enough　to　wet　the　roof　of　his　mouth；　then　one　whose　parents
  are　alive　will　drive　him　from　the　table　with　blows　and　angry　words。
  'Out　with　you；'　he　will　say；　'you　have　no　father　here；'　and　the
  child　will　go　crying　back　to　his　widowed　mother…　he；　Astyanax；　who
  erewhile　would　sit　upon　his　father's　knees；　and　have　none　but　the
  daintiest　and　choicest　morsels　set　before　him。　When　he　had　played　till
  he　was　tired　and　went　to　sleep；　he　would　lie　in　a　bed；　in　the　arms
  of　his　nurse；　on　a　soft　couch；　knowing　neither　want　nor　care；
  whereas　now　that　he　has　lost　his　father　his　lot　will　be　full　of
  hardship…　he；　whom　the　Trojans　name　Astyanax；　because　you；　O　Hector；
  were　the　only　defence　of　their　gates　and　battlements。　The　wriggling
  writhing　worms　will　now　eat　you　at　the　ships；　far　from　your　parents；
  when　the　dogs　have　glutted　themselves　upon　you。　You　will　lie　naked；
  although　in　your　house　you　have　fine　and　goodly　raiment　made　by
  hands　of　women。　This　will　I　now　burn；　it　is　of　no　use　to　you；　for
  you　can　never　again　wear　it；　and　thus　you　will　have　respect　shown
  you　by　the　Trojans　both　men　and　women。〃
  In　such　wise　did　she　cry　aloud　amid　her　tears；　and　the　women
  joined　in　her　lament。
  BOOK　XXIII
  THUS　did　they　make　their　moan　throughout　the　city；　while　the
  Achaeans　when　they　reached　the　Hellespont　went　back　every　man　to　his
  own　ship。　But　Achilles　would　not　let　the　Myrmidons　go；　and　spoke　to
  his　brave　comrades　saying；　〃Myrmidons；　famed　horsemen　and　my　own
  trusted　friends；　not　yet；　forsooth；　let　us　unyoke；　but　with