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Book Twenty-Two
The Trojans, having run away like fawns, are now safe within the walls of Troy, all but Hector who remains outside the gate. Achilles (a-KIL-eez) is still chasing after Apollo (uh-POL-oh) on the plain. But now the god reveals his identity and ask why Achilles is running after him since he can never catch up. Achilles is furious to have been distracted from slaughtering Trojans.
On the ramparts, Trojan king Priam (PRY-am) implores his son Hector to come inside the walls, to protect the Trojans and Priam himself, lest the king be slain by a Greek and his downed body devoured by his own dogs. Hector's mother bares her breast and says, "If ever I gave you this to soothe you, remember it now and pity me. Don't go hand-to-hand against Achilles, for cruel as he is, if he kills you he will feed your body to the dogs and deny your mother the right to mourn over you."
Hector debates within himself. How could he face the Trojans if he were to slip inside the walls? He had refused the advice to do so when Achilles first joined the battle, with the result that so many Trojans had been killed. The shame would be too much. Better to kill or be killed and die in glory. But what if he were to offer to return Helen and all the treasure stolen with her? No, Achilles would cut him down if he went unarmed to make the offer. Better to fight it out and see who Zeus favors.
Then as Achilles approaches, Hector's nerve deserts him and he begins to run, with Achilles in close pursuit. Three times around the city they sprint, as if competing for prizes in a footrace, only the prize is Hector's life. When Hector veers toward the city walls in hopes that archers or slingers will pick off Achilles from above, Achilles heads him off, and Achilles warns off any Greek who might seek to get to Hector first.
Zeus (zyoos), looking down from above, feels love and pity for Hector, who has always honored the great god in his sacrifices. "Shall we not save him from death?" he asks the other Olympians. To which Athena replies that such a subverting of mortal fate would hardly meet with their approval. "Very well, Athena, I retract the suggestion," says Zeus. "You may intervene as you see fit."
As the runners circle the city a fourth time, Zeus holds up his golden scales, with the death of Achilles in one pan and Hector in the other. The scales tip down toward the Underworld and death on the side of Hector. Athena tells Achilles to stop running and catch his breath while she brings Hector to him. Taking the mortal form of Hector's brother Deiphobus (dee-IF-uh-bus), she tells Hector to stop running and they will make a stand together.
Hector is so touched by his brother's bravery and support that he tells Achilles that he will no longer run from him but will stand and fight. "Let us make a pact witnessed by the gods," he says, "that if I am victor I will return your vanquished corpse to the Greeks, and you do likewise."
"Does a wolf make a pact with a lamb?" replies Achilles. "Now you will pay for the deaths of my comrades." So saying he hurls his spear, but Hector dodges it. Athena snatches it up and returns it to Achilles. Hector now counters with his own spear, and the cast hits dead center on Achilles' shield. But the spear bounces off and Hector does not have another to throw. He calls for Deiphobus to lend him one, only to realize that Deiphobus is nowhere in sight.
So that's the way it is, thinks Hector. Athena has deceived me. My death is at hand, but let me go out in a blaze of glory. He draws his sword, while Achilles comes on with his spear. Since Hector is wearing Achilles' own armor he is invulnerable except at the neck, so Achilles stabs him there and the thrust is fatal. His windpipe is not severed, and Hector is able to speak his last words. He implores Achilles to accept a ransom for his corpse and return it to the Trojans.
"No more begging, you dog," replies Achilles. "I would eat you raw for what you have done. Nothing will stop me from despoiling your corpse." With his last breath, Hector foretells Achilles' own death before the gates of Troy. Now the other Greeks crowd around and take turns stabbing at Hector's lifeless form with their spears. Achilles pierces the tendons at Hector's ankles and heels and fastens him to his chariot with oxhide thongs. Climbing aboard and whipping his team to a run, he pulls the body behind, dragging Hector's head through the dust.
Looking on from the battlements, Priam and Hector's mother are beside themselves with grief. But Hector's wife Andromache, at her loom deep within the stronghold, is as yet unaware. She has just ordered the servants to prepare a hot bath for Hector's return, but now she hears the groans and the wailing. Rushing outside to the ramparts, she arrives in time to see Hector's body being dragged to the Greek encampment.
She faints and upon reviving cries out in despair that she and Hector should have been born to the same cruel fate. He is now on his way down to the gloomy underworld house of Hades, leaving behind a grieving widow and son. Even if he survives the war, the orphan will have a miserable life with his lands taken away. If he goes to his father's friends, any who might take pity will at most let him wet his lips from a cup. And some child with living parents will taunt him with, "Get out, your father is not feasting among us." And so he will go crying to his mother, who has no solace to offer.
For now beside the Greek ships the worms will devour the naked corpse of Hector, he whose city holds such a wealth of finely-woven garments. Andromache vows to burn these in a blazing fire in honor of her fallen Hector.







Book Twenty-Two
The Trojans, having run away like fawns, are now safe within the walls of Troy, all but Hector who remains outside the gate. Achilles (a-KIL-eez) is still chasing after Apollo (uh-POL-oh) on the plain. But now the god reveals his identity and ask why Achilles is running after him since he can never catch up. Achilles is furious to have been distracted from slaughtering Trojans.
On the ramparts, Trojan king Priam (PRY-am) implores his son Hector to come inside the walls, to protect the Trojans and Priam himself, lest the king be slain by a Greek and his downed body devoured by his own dogs. Hector's mother bares her breast and says, "If ever I gave you this to soothe you, remember it now and pity me. Don't go hand-to-hand against Achilles, for cruel as he is, if he kills you he will feed your body to the dogs and deny your mother the right to mourn over you."
Hector debates within himself. How could he face the Trojans if he were to slip inside the walls? He had refused the advice to do so when Achilles first joined the battle, with the result that so many Trojans had been killed. The shame would be too much. Better to kill or be killed and die in glory. But what if he were to offer to return Helen and all the treasure stolen with her? No, Achilles would cut him down if he went unarmed to make the offer. Better to fight it out and see who Zeus favors.
Then as Achilles approaches, Hector's nerve deserts him and he begins to run, with Achilles in close pursuit. Three times around the city they sprint, as if competing for prizes in a footrace, only the prize is Hector's life. When Hector veers toward the city walls in hopes that archers or slingers will pick off Achilles from above, Achilles heads him off, and Achilles warns off any Greek who might seek to get to Hector first.
Zeus (zyoos), looking down from above, feels love and pity for Hector, who has always honored the great god in his sacrifices. "Shall we not save him from death?" he asks the other Olympians. To which Athena replies that such a subverting of mortal fate would hardly meet with their approval. "Very well, Athena, I retract the suggestion," says Zeus. "You may intervene as you see fit."
As the runners circle the city a fourth time, Zeus holds up his golden scales, with the death of Achilles in one pan and Hector in the other. The scales tip down toward the Underworld and death on the side of Hector. Athena tells Achilles to stop running and catch his breath while she brings Hector to him. Taking the mortal form of Hector's brother Deiphobus (dee-IF-uh-bus), she tells Hector to stop running and they will make a stand together.
Hector is so touched by his brother's bravery and support that he tells Achilles that he will no longer run from him but will stand and fight. "Let us make a pact witnessed by the gods," he says, "that if I am victor I will return your vanquished corpse to the Greeks, and you do likewise."
"Does a wolf make a pact with a lamb?" replies Achilles. "Now you will pay for the deaths of my comrades." So saying he hurls his spear, but Hector dodges it. Athena snatches it up and returns it to Achilles. Hector now counters with his own spear, and the cast hits dead center on Achilles' shield. But the spear bounces off and Hector does not have another to throw. He calls for Deiphobus to lend him one, only to realize that Deiphobus is nowhere in sight.
So that's the way it is, thinks Hector. Athena has deceived me. My death is at hand, but let me go out in a blaze of glory. He draws his sword, while Achilles comes on with his spear. Since Hector is wearing Achilles' own armor he is invulnerable except at the neck, so Achilles stabs him there and the thrust is fatal. His windpipe is not severed, and Hector is able to speak his last words. He implores Achilles to accept a ransom for his corpse and return it to the Trojans.
"No more begging, you dog," replies Achilles. "I would eat you raw for what you have done. Nothing will stop me from despoiling your corpse." With his last breath, Hector foretells Achilles' own death before the gates of Troy. Now the other Greeks crowd around and take turns stabbing at Hector's lifeless form with their spears. Achilles pierces the tendons at Hector's ankles and heels and fastens him to his chariot with oxhide thongs. Climbing aboard and whipping his team to a run, he pulls the body behind, dragging Hector's head through the dust.
Looking on from the battlements, Priam and Hector's mother are beside themselves with grief. But Hector's wife Andromache, at her loom deep within the stronghold, is as yet unaware. She has just ordered the servants to prepare a hot bath for Hector's return, but now she hears the groans and the wailing. Rushing outside to the ramparts, she arrives in time to see Hector's body being dragged to the Greek encampment.
She faints and upon reviving cries out in despair that she and Hector should have been born to the same cruel fate. He is now on his way down to the gloomy underworld house of Hades, leaving behind a grieving widow and son. Even if he survives the war, the orphan will have a miserable life with his lands taken away. If he goes to his father's friends, any who might take pity will at most let him wet his lips from a cup. And some child with living parents will taunt him with, "Get out, your father is not feasting among us." And so he will go crying to his mother, who has no solace to offer.
For now beside the Greek ships the worms will devour the naked corpse of Hector, he whose city holds such a wealth of finely-woven garments. Andromache vows to burn these in a blazing fire in honor of her fallen Hector.