Achilles (Mythological character) -- Juvenile literature; Trojan War -- Juvenile literature
So they ate and drank; and when they had had enough, the others lay
down to sleep, each in his own tent, but Achilles lay groaning
heavily amidst the Myrmidons in an open place by the sea.
The next day they made a great pile of wood, and laid the dead man
thereon. Nine dogs had the Prince, and Achilles slew two of them on
the pile, and four horses he slew, and also the twelve youths of Troy
whom he had taken at the river. Then he set fire to the pile,
saying: "Hear, Patroclus; twelve of the sons of Troy doth the fire
devour with thee; but Hector will I give to the dogs."
And when the burning was well-nigh ended, Achilles spake, saying:
"Quench ye the fire that yet remains with wine, and gather the bones
of Patroclus together where they lie apart in the midst of the pile,
and put them in an urn of gold against the day of my death. And make
over them a tomb not over large; but when I am dead also, then shall
ye that are left make it higher, as is meet."
And when all these things were ended, Achilles, willing to do all
honour to the dead man, would have games, wherein the chiefs should
contend one with the other. So, having called the people together,
he brought forth out of his ships many things that should be for
prizes,--caldrons, kettles of bronze, and horses and mules, and fair
women-slaves, and iron.
First, he would have a contest of chariots and horses, for which he
set forth prizes: for the first, a woman-slave, skilled in all the
works of the loom, and with her a kettle of bronze; and for the
second, a mare of six years old; and for the third, a kettle of
bronze, fair and new; and for the fourth, two talents of gold; and
for the fifth, a double cup. Then he stood up in the midst, and
spake: "Ye men of Greece, behold these prizes, which I have set in
the midst for a race of chariots. Now know ye that if we were doing
honour to another than Patroclus, I myself should carry the first
prize to my tent, for there are not in the camp horses such as mine;
and, indeed, they are not of mortal breed, but Poseidon gave them to
Peleus, my father. But from this race I stand apart, and they also;
for he that drave them is dead, whom they loved; therefore they stand
grieving sore, and their manes droop to the ground." Then stood up
five chiefs; first of all, Eumelus, and next to him Diomed, having
horses of Troy, which he took from Æneas; and third, Menelaus,
driving his horse Whitefoot, and a mare, Flash-of-Fire. Fourth came
Antilochus, son of Nestor, and after him Meriones.
Eu-me'-lus.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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