us at the crooked ships; and round thee
Trojan [dames] and deep-bosomed Dardanians shall weep and shed tears
night and day; whom we ourselves have toiled to get by our valour and
the long spear, laying waste the rich cities of articulate-speaking
men."

Thus having spoken, noble Achilles ordered his companions to surround a
large tripod with fire, that as soon as possible they might wash away
the bloody gore from Patroclus. They then placed a bathing tripod on the
blazing fire, and poured water into it, and taking fagots, lighted them
under it. The fire indeed encircled the belly of the tripod, and the
water was warmed. But when the water boiled in the sonorous brass, then
they both washed him, and anointed him with rich oil. And they filled up
his wounds with ointment nine years old; and laying him upon a bed, they
covered him with fine linen from head to foot; and over all, with a
white mantle.[589] All night then the Myrmidons, lamenting Patroclus,
wept around swift-footed Achilles. But Jove addressed Juno, his sister
and wife:

"And at length thou hast accomplished thy object, O large-eyed,
venerable Juno, having aroused swift-fooled Achilles. Surely the
waving-crested Greeks are born from thy very self."

[Footnote 589: Cf. Virg. AEn. vi. 218, sqq.; xi. 36, sqq. I shall
defer discussing the heroic funeral-rites till the twenty-third
book.]

But him large-eyed, venerable Juno then answered:

"Most imperious son of Saturn, what a word hast thou spoken? Surely now
any man who is mortal, and knows not so many designs, might accomplish
this against a man. How therefore ought not I, who boast myself to be
chief of the goddesses, both from birth and also because I am called thy
wife (and thou rulest over all the immortals), being enraged with the
Trojans, to [be able to] design evils against them."

Thus indeed they conversed with one another. But silver-footed Thetis
reached the abode of Vulcan, incorruptible, starry, remarkable amongst
the immortals, brazen, which the lame-footed himself had constructed.
Him she found sweating, exerting himself at the bellows, earnestly
working; for he was making full twenty tripods to stand around the wall
of his well-built palace. Under the base of each he placed golden
wheels, that of their own accord they might enter the heavenly council,
and again return home--a wonder to be seen. So much finish had they, but
he had not yet added the well-made handles, which he was