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342 drive away from the carcase a tawny lion, greatly hungering; so were the two warriors, the Ajaces, unable to drive away Hector, the son of Priam, from the body. And now indeed would he have dragged it off, and obtained great glory, had not fleet wind-footed Iris come as a messenger to the son of Peleus, running down from Olympus, that he should arm himself unknown to Jove and the other gods; for Juno sent her forth; and standing near, she addressed to him winged words:

"Arise, son of Peleus, most terrible of all men; defend Patroclus, for whom a dire contest is maintained before the ships. But they are slaughtering each other, the one party fighting for the slain corse, while the other, the Trojans, rush on, that they may drag him away to wind-swept Ilium; and above all, illustrious Hector desires to seize him, for his mind prompts him to fix his head upon stakes, having cut it from the tender neck. But up, nor lie longer; but let reverence touch thy soul, that Patroclus should be a source of delight to Trojan dogs. A disgrace would be to thee, if the dead body should come at all defiled."

But her noble, swift-footed Achilles, then answered: "Which of the gods, O goddess Iris, sent thee as a messenger to me?"

But him fleet, wind-footed Iris, again addressed: "Juno sent me forth, the gorious spouse of Jove, nor does the lofty-throned son of Saturn know it, nor any other of the immortals who inhabit snowy Olympus."

But her swift-footed Achilles answering, addressed: "And how can I go to the slaughter? for they possess my armor. Beside, my dear mother does not permit me to be armed, before that with my eyes I behold her coming, for she hath promised that she will bear me beautiful armor from Vulcan. But I indeed know not of another, whose splendid armor I could put on, except the shield of Ajax, son of Telamon.