ad
gazed their fill Priam spoke first. "And now, O king," he said, "take
me to my couch that we may lie down and enjoy the blessed boon of
sleep. Never once have my eyes been closed from the day your hands took
the life of my son; I have grovelled without ceasing in the mire of my
stable-yard, making moan and brooding over my countless sorrows. Now,
moreover, I have eaten bread and drunk wine; hitherto I have tasted
nothing."

As he spoke Achilles told his men and the women-servants to set beds in
the room that was in the gatehouse, and make them with good red rugs,
and spread coverlets on the top of them with woollen cloaks for Priam
and Idaeus to wear. So the maids went out carrying a torch and got the
two beds ready in all haste. Then Achilles said laughingly to Priam,
"Dear sir, you shall lie outside, lest some counsellor of those who in
due course keep coming to advise with me should see you here in the
darkness of the flying night, and tell it to Agamemnon. This might
cause delay in the delivery of the body. And now tell me and tell me
true, for how many days would you celebrate the funeral rites of noble
Hector? Tell me, that I may hold aloof from war and restrain the host."

And Priam answered, "Since, then, you suffer me to bury my noble son
with all due rites, do thus, Achilles, and I shall be grateful. You
know how we are pent up within our city; it is far for us to fetch wood
from the mountain, and the people live in fear. Nine days, therefore,
will we mourn Hector in my house; on the tenth day we will bury him and
there shall be a public feast in his honour; on the eleventh we will
build a mound over his ashes, and on the twelfth, if there be need, we
will fight."

And Achilles answered, "All, King Priam, shall be as you have said. I
will stay our fighting for as long a time as you have named."

As he spoke he laid his hand on the old man's right wrist, in token
that he should have no fear; thus then did Priam and his attendant
sleep there in the forecourt, full of thought, while Achilles lay in an
inner room of the house, with fair Briseis by his side.

And now both gods and mortals were fast asleep through the livelong
night, but upon Mercury alone, the bringer of good luck, sleep could
take no hold for he was thinking all the time how to get King Priam
away from the ships without his being seen by the strong force of
sentinels. He hovered therefore over Priam's head and said, "Sir, now
that Achille