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448 Thus he spoke; nor did the silver-footed goddess Thetis disobey; but, rushing impetuously, she descended down from the tops of Olympus. Then she came to the tent of her son, and found him within, moaning continually, while around him his dear comrades were busily occupied, and prepared a feast, for a great thick-fleeced sheep had been slaughtered by them in the tent. But his venerable mother sat down very near him, and caressed him with her hand, and spoke, and addressed him:

"O my son, how long, grieving and bewailing, wilt thou afflict thine heart, being not at all mindful of either food or bed? But it is good to be mingled in love with a woman; for thou shalt not live long for me, but Death and stern Fate already stand near thee. But quickly attend to me, for I am a messenger to thee from Jove. He says that the gods are angry with thee, and that he himself above all the immortals is enraged, because with furious mind thou detainest Hector at the hollow ships, nor dost release him. But come, release him, and receive ransoms for the dead body."

But her swift-footed Achilles, answering, addressed:

"Let him approach hither, who may bear the ransoms, and bear away the body if indeed the Olympian himself now commands it with a serious mind." Thus they indeed, the mother and the son, among the assemblage of the ships, spoke many winged words to each other; but the son of Saturn impelled Iris toward sacred Ilium:

"Go quickly, fleet Iris, having left the seat of Olympus, order magnanimous Priam to ransom his dear son to Ilium, going to the ships of the Greeks; and to carry gifts to Achilles, which may appease his mind, alone; nor let another man of the Trojans go with him. Let some aged herald accompany him, who may guide his mules and well-wheeled chariot, and may bear back to the city the dead body which noble Achilles has slain; nor let death at all be a cause of anxiety to his mind, nor at all a terror; such a conductor, the slayer of Argus, will we give to him, who shall lead him, until, directing, he shall place him beside Achilles. But when he shall have conducted him into the tent of Achilles, he will not kill him himself, and he will ward off all others; for he is neither imprudent, nor rash, nor profane; but will very humanely spare a suppliant man."