The Junior Classics, Volume 3: Tales from Greece and Rome
General
The Junior Classics, Volume 3: Tales from Greece and Rome
Children's literature; Mythology, Classical -- Juvenile literature
And all the while the battle raged about the dead Patroclus. At last Ajax
said to Menelaus (now these two had borne themselves more bravely in the
fight than all others), “See if thou canst find Antilochus, Nestor’s son,
that he may carry the tidings to Achilles, how that Patroclus is dead.”
So Menelaus went and found Antilochus on the left of the battle, and
said to him, “I have ill news for thee. Thou seest that the men of Troy
have the victory to-day. And also Patroclus lies dead. Run, therefore,
to Achilles, and tell him, if haply he may save the body; but as for the
arms, Hector has them already.”
Sore dismayed was Antilochus to hear such tidings, and his eyes were
filled with tears and his voice was choked. Yet did he give heed to the
words of Menelaus, and ran to tell Achilles of what had chanced.
Antilochus came near to Achilles, who, indeed, seeing that the Greeks
fled and the men of Troy pursued, was already sore afraid. And he said,
weeping as he spake, “I bring ill news—Patroclus lies low. The Greeks
fight for his body, but Hector has his arms.”
Then Achilles took of the dust of the plain in his hands, and poured it
on his head, and lay at his length upon the ground, and tore his hair.
And all the women wailed. And Antilochus sat weeping; but ever he held
the hands of Achilles, lest he should slay himself in his great grief.
Then came his mother, hearing his cry, from where she sat in the depths
of the sea, and laid her hand on him and said, “Why weepest thou, my son?
Hide not the matter from me, but tell me.”
And Achilles answered, “All that Jupiter promised thee for me he hath
fulfilled. But what profit have I, for lo! my friend Patroclus is dead,
and Hector has the arms which I gave him to wear. And as for me, I care
not to live, except I can avenge me upon him.”
THE DEATH OF HECTOR
By Alfred J. Church
Priam stood on a tower of the wall and saw the people flying before the
attacks of Achilles, so he hastened down to the gates and said to the
keepers, “Keep the wicket-gates open, that the people may enter in.”
So the keepers held the gates open, and the people hastened in, wearied
with toil and thirst and covered with dust, and Achilles followed close
upon them. At that hour the Greeks would have taken the city of Troy, but
that Apollo saved it by putting courage into the heart of Antenor’s son
Agenor, and by standing by him that he should not be slain.
Agenor stood thinking within himself—“Shall I flee with these others?
Achilles will take me and slay me, and I shall die as a coward dies. What
if I stand to meet him before the gates? He, too, is a mortal man and
his flesh may be pierced by the spear.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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