It was thy thought, Patroclus, to have laid Our city waste, and to have wafted hence Our wives and daughters to thy native land,1015 Their day of liberty for ever set. Fool! for their sakes the feet of Hector’s steeds Fly into battle, and myself excel, For their sakes, all our bravest of the spear, That I may turn from them that evil hour1020 Necessitous. But thou art vulture’s food, Unhappy youth! all valiant as he is, Achilles hath no succor given to thee, Who when he sent the forth whither himself Would not, thus doubtless gave thee oft in charge:1025 Ah, well beware, Patroclus, glorious Chief! That thou revisit not these ships again, Till first on hero-slaughterer Hector’s breast Thou cleave his bloody corselet. So he spake, And with vain words thee credulous beguiled.1030 To whom Patroclus, mighty Chief, with breath Drawn faintly, and dying, thou didst thus reply. Now, Hector, boast! now glory! for the son Of Saturn and Apollo, me with ease Vanquishing, whom they had themselves disarm’d,1035 Have made the victory thine; else, twenty such As thou, had fallen by my victorious spear. Me Phœbus and my ruthless fate combined To slay; these foremost; but of mortal men Euphorbus, and thy praise is only third.1040 I tell thee also, and within thy heart Repose it deep—thou shalt not long survive; But, even now, fate, and a violent death Attend thee by Achilles’ hands ordain’d To perish, by Æacides the brave.[21]1045 So saying, the shades of death him wrapp’d around. Down into Ades from his limbs dismiss’d, His spirit fled sorrowful, of youth’s prime And vigorous manhood suddenly bereft Then, him though dead, Hector again bespake.1050 Patroclus! these prophetic strains of death At hand, and fate, why hast thou sung to me? May not the son of Thetis azure-hair’d, Achilles, perish first by spear of mine? He said; then pressing with his heel the trunk1055 Supine, and backward thursting it, he drew His glittering weapon from the wound, nor stay’d, But lance in hand, the godlike charioteer Pursued of swift Æacides, on fire To smite Automedon; but him the steeds1060 Immortal, rapid, by the Gods conferr’d (A glorious gift) on Peleus, snatch’d away. BOOK XVII. ARGUMENT OF THE SEVENTEENTH BOOK. Sharp contest ensues around the body of Patroclus. Hector puts on the armor of Achilles. Menelaus, having dispatched Antilochus to Achilles with news of the death of Patroclus, returns to the battle, and, together with Meriones, bears Patroclus off the field, while the Ajaces cover their retreat. BOOK XVII.