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Rh been slain or have fled into the city walls. Hector's aged father and mother, Priam and Hecuba, are standing on a tower by the Scaean gate, looking on.

, with quick steps, the fleet Achilles pressed

On Hector's flight. As when a hound has roused

A fawn from its retreat among the hills,

And chases it through glen and forest ground,

And to close thickets, where it skulks in fear

Until he overtakes it. Hector thus

Sought vainly to elude the fleet pursuit

Of Peleus' son. As often as he thought,

By springing toward the gates of Troy, to gain

Aid from the weapons of his friends who stood

On the tall towers, so often was the Greek

Before him, forcing him to turn away.

When the twain had come

For the fourth time beside Scamander's springs,

The All-Father raised the golden balance high,

And, placing in the scales two lots which bring

Death's long dark sleep,—one lot for Peleus' son,

And one for knightly Hector,—by the midst

He poised the balance. Hector's fate sank down

To Hades, and Apollo left the field.

The blue-eyed goddess Pallas then approached

The son of Peleus with these winged words:

"Renowned Achilles, dear to Jupiter!

Now may we, as I hope, at last return

To the Achaian army and the fleet

With glory, Hector slain, the terrible

In war. Escape he cannot, even though

The archer-god Apollo fling himself