ating and drinking, he had just ceased from
food, and the table still remained); but great Priam, entering, escaped
his notice, and, standing near, he clasped the knees of Achilles with
his hands, and kissed his dreadful man-slaughtering hands, which had
slain many sons to him. And as when a dread sense of guilt has seized a
man, who, having killed a man in his own country, comes to another
people, to [the abode of] some wealthy man,[792] and stupor possesses
the spectators; so Achilles wondered, seeing godlike Priam; and the
others also wondered, and looked at one another. And Priam,
supplicating, spoke [this] speech:

[Footnote 792: Probably for the purpose of purification,
although, as has been before observed, Homer does not mention
this. Compare my note on AEsch. Eum. p. 187, n. 5, and p. 187, n.
1, ed. Bonn.]

"Remember thy own father, O Achilles, like unto the gods, of equal age
with me, upon the sad threshold of old age. And perhaps indeed his
neighbours around are perplexing him, nor is there any one to ward off
war and destruction. Yet he indeed, hearing of thee being alive, both
rejoices in his mind, and every day expects to see his dear son returned
from Troy. But I [am] every way unhappy, for I begat the bravest sons in
wide Troy, of whom I say that none are left. Fifty there were to me,
when the sons of the Greeks arrived; nineteen indeed from one womb, but
the others women bore to me in my palaces. And of the greater number
fierce Mars indeed has relaxed the knees under them; but Hector, who was
my favourite,[793] and defended the city and ourselves, thou hast lately
slain, fighting for his country; on account of whom I now come to the
ships of the Greeks, and bring countless ransoms, in order to redeem him
from thee. But revere the gods, O Achilles, and have pity on myself,
remembering thy father; for I am even more miserable, for I have endured
what no other earthly mortal [has], to put to my mouth the hand of a
man, the slayer of my son."

Thus he spoke; but in him he excited the desire of mourning for his
father; and taking him by the hand, he gently pushed the old man from
him. But they indeed, calling to mind, the one[794] wept copiously [for]
man-slaughtering Hector, rolling [on the ground] before the feet of
Achilles; but Achilles bewailed his father, and again in turn Patroclus;
and their lamentation was aroused throughout the house. But when noble
Achilles had satiated himself wit