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226—261. Greeks, I am willing; for Achilles will forthwith slay me, embracing my son in my arms, after I have taken away the desire of weeping."

He spoke; and opened the beautiful lids of the chests, and took out thence twelve beautiful mantles, twelve single cloaks, as many tapestried rugs, and, in addition to these, as many tunics; and having weighed it, he took out ten whole talents of gold. He took out beside two glittering tripods, and four goblets, and a very beautiful cup, which the Thracian men had given him when going on an embassy, a mighty possession. Nor now did the old man spare even this in his palaces; for he greatly wished in his mind to ransom his dear son. And he drove away all the Trojans from his porch, chiding them with reproachful words:

"Depart, wretched, reproachful [creatures]; is there not indeed grief to you at home, that ye should come fretting me? Or do ye esteem it of little consequence that Jove, the son of Saturn, has sent sorrows upon me, that I should have lost my bravest son? But ye too shall perceive it, for ye will be much more easy for the Greeks to destroy now, he being dead; but I will descend even to the abode of Hades, before I behold with mine eyes the city sacked and plundered."

He spoke; and chased away the men with his staff; but they went out, the old man driving [them]. He indeed rebuked his own sons, reviling Helenus, Paris, and godlike Agathon, Pammon, Antiphonus, and Polites, brave in the din of battle, Deïphobus, Hippothous, and renowned Dius. To these nine the old man, reproaching, gave orders:

"Haste for me, O slothful children, disgraceful; would that you had all been slain at the swift ships, instead of Hector. Ah me! the most unhappy of all, since I have begotten the bravest sons in wide Troy; but none of whom I think is left: godlike Mestor, and Troïlus, who fought from his chariot, and Hector, who was a god among men, for he did not appear to be the son of a mortal man, but of a god. These indeed has Mars destroyed to me; but all these disgraces remain, liars, dancers, most skilled in the choirs, and