Page:Iliad Buckley.djvu/467

374—411. But hitherto some one of the gods has protected me with his hand, who has sent such a favorable conductor to meet me, so beautiful art thou in form and appearance. And thou art also prudent in mind, and of blessed parents." But him again the messenger, the slayer of Argus, addressed: "O old man, thou hast certainly spoken all these things with propriety. But come, tell me this, and relate it truly, whither now dost thou send so many and such valuable treasures among foreigners? Whether that these, at least, may remain safe to thee? Or do ye all, now fearing, desert sacred Ilium? For so brave a hero was he, who died, thy son; he was not in aught inferior to the Greeks in battle."

But him, Priam, the godlike old man, then answered:

"But who art thou, O best one, and of what parents art thou, who speakest so honorably to me of the death of my luckless son?"

But him again the messenger, the slayer of Argus, addressed:

"Thou triest me, old man, and inquirest concerning noble Hector; whom I, indeed, have very often beheld with mine eyes in the glorious fight, when, routing the Greeks, he slew them at their ships destroying [them] with his sharp spear; but we, standing, marveled; for Achilles, enraged with the son of Atreus, did not permit us to fight. But I am his attendant, and the same weil-made vessel brought us. I am [one] of the Myrmidons; Polyctor is my father, who, indeed, is rich, but now old as thou. To him there are six sons, but I am his seventh; with whom casting lots, the lot occurred to me to follow [Achilles] hither. And I came to the plain from the ships, for at dawn the rolling-eyed Greeks will raise a fight around the city. For they are indignant sitting quiet, nor can the chiefs of the Greeks restrain them, longing for war."

But him then Priam, the godlike old man, answered:

"If indeed thou art one of the servants of Achilles, the son of Peleus, come now, tell all the truth to me, whether is my son still at the ships, or has Achilles, tearing him limb from limb, cast him to the dogs?"

But him the messenger, the slayer of Argus, again addressed:

"O old man, neither have the dogs yet devoured him, nor