would say to each other, "Comrades, let the earth yawn and swallow us
rather than let the Trojans carry off the body of Patroklos." And on
their side the Trojans would say, "Friends, rather let us all be slain
together beside this man than let one of us go backward now."'

'Now Nestor's son, Antilochos, who was fighting on the left of the
battlefield, heard of the slaying of Patroklos. His eyes filled with
tears and his voice was choked with grief and he dashed out of the
battle to bring the grievous tidings to the hut of Achilles. "Fallen is
Patroklos," he cried, "and Greeks and Trojans are fighting around his
body. And his body is naked now, for Hector has stripped the armor from
it."'

Then Achilles fainted away and his head lay in the ashes of his hut. He
woke again and moaned terribly. His goddess-mother heard the sound of
his grief as she sat within the depths of the Ocean. She came to him as
he was still moaning terribly. She took his hand and clasped it and
said, "My child, why weep'st thou?" Achilles ceased his moaning and
answered, "Patroklos, my dear friend, has been slain. Now I shall have
no joy in my life save the joy of slaying Hector who slew my friend."'

'Thetis, his goddess-mother, wept when she heard such speech from
Achilles. "Short-lived you will be, my son," she said, "for it is
appointed by the gods that after the death of Hector your death will
come."'

'"Straightway then let me die," said Achilles, "since I let my friend
die without giving him help. O that I had not let my wrath overcome my
spirit! Here I stayed, a useless burthen on the earth, while my comrades
and my own dear friend fought for their country--here I stayed, I who am