So purposed he, of all Gods mightiest. But now between the city and Hellespont Were Greeks and Trojans burning men and steeds In battle slain, while paused the murderous strife. For Priam sent his herald Menoetes forth To Agamemnon and the Achaean chiefs, Asking a truce wherein to burn the dead; And they, of reverence for the slain, gave ear; For wrath pursueth not the dead. And when They had lain their slain on those close-thronging pyres, Then did the Argives to their tents return, And unto Priam's gold-abounding halls The Trojans, for Eurypylus sorrowing sore: For even as Priam's sons they honoured him. Therefore apart from all the other slain, Before the Gate Dardanian--where the streams Of eddying Xanthus down from Ida flow Fed by the rains of heavens--they buried him. Aweless Achilles' son the while went forth To his sire's huge tomb. Outpouring tears, he kissed The tall memorial pillar of the dead, And groaning clasped it round, and thus he cried: "Hail, father! Though beneath the earth thou lie In Hades' halls, I shall forget thee not. Oh to have met thee living mid the host! Then of each other had our souls had joy, Then of her wealth had we spoiled Ilium. But now, thou hast not seen thy child, nor I Seen thee, who yearned to look on thee in life. Yet, though thou be afar amidst the dead, Thy spear, thy son, have made thy foes to quail; And Danaans with exceeding joy behold One like to thee in stature, fame and deeds." He spake, and wiped the hot tears from his face; And to his father's ships passed swiftly thence: With him went Myrmidon warriors two and ten, And white-haired Phoenix followed on with these Woefully sighing for the glorious dead. Night rose o'er earth, the stars flashed out in heaven; So these brake bread, and slept till woke the Dawn. Then the Greeks donned their armour: flashed afar Its splendour up to the very firmament. Forth of their gates in one great throng they poured, Like snowflakes thick and fast, which drift adown Heavily from the clouds in winter's cold; So streamed they forth before the wall, and rose Their dread shout: groaned the deep earth 'neath their tramp.