e ships, and fair women of Troy and
Dardanus, whom we have taken with spear and strength of arm when we
sacked men's goodly cities, shall weep over you both night and day."

Then Achilles told his men to set a large tripod upon the fire that
they might wash the clotted gore from off Patroclus. Thereon they set a
tripod full of bath water on to a clear fire: they threw sticks on to
it to make it blaze, and the water became hot as the flame played about
the belly of the tripod. When the water in the cauldron was boiling
they washed the body, anointed it with oil, and closed its wounds with
ointment that had been kept nine years. Then they laid it on a bier and
covered it with a linen cloth from head to foot, and over this they
laid a fair white robe. Thus all night long did the Myrmidons gather
round Achilles to mourn Patroclus.

Then Jove said to Juno his sister-wife, "So, Queen Juno, you have
gained your end, and have roused fleet Achilles. One would think that
the Achaeans were of your own flesh and blood."

And Juno answered, "Dread son of Saturn, why should you say this thing?
May not a man though he be only mortal and knows less than we do, do
what he can for another person? And shall not I--foremost of all
goddesses both by descent and as wife to you who reign in
heaven--devise evil for the Trojans if I am angry with them?"

Thus did they converse. Meanwhile Thetis came to the house of Vulcan,
imperishable, star-bespangled, fairest of the abodes in heaven, a house
of bronze wrought by the lame god's own hands. She found him busy with
his bellows, sweating and hard at work, for he was making twenty
tripods that were to stand by the wall of his house, and he set wheels
of gold under them all that they might go of their own selves to the
assemblies of the gods, and come back again--marvels indeed to see.
They were finished all but the ears of cunning workmanship which yet
remained to be fixed to them: these he was now fixing, and he was
hammering at the rivets. While he was thus at work silver-footed Thetis
came to the house. Charis, of graceful head-dress, wife to the
far-famed lame god, came towards her as soon as she saw her, and took
her hand in her own, saying, "Why have you come to our house, Thetis,
honoured and ever welcome--for you do not visit us often? Come inside
and let me set refreshment before you."

The goddess led the way as she spoke, and bade Thetis sit on a richly
decorated seat inlaid with si