Excerpt from The Iliad
Homer
Book XXII: "The Death of Hektor" |
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NARRATOR: Deeply troubled [Hektor] spoke to his own great-hearted spirit:
HEKTOR "Ah me! If I go now inside the wall and the gateway,
Poulydamas 1 will be first to put a reproach upon me,
Since he tried to make me lead the Trojans inside the city
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1. Poulydamas:
Fighter and seer who frequently opposed his
brother Hektor's reckless strategy.
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on that accursed night when brilliant Achilleus rose up,
And I would not obey him, but that would have been far better
Now, since by my own recklessness I have ruined my people,
I feel shame before the Trojans and the Trojan women with trailing
robes, that someone who is less of a man than I will say of me:
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'Hektor believed in his own strength and ruined his people.'
Thus they will speak; and as for me, it would be much better
at that time, to go against Achilleus, and slay him, and come back,
or else be killed by him in glory in front of the city.
Or if again I set down my shield massive in the middle
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and my ponderous helm, and lean my spear up against the rampart
and go out, as I am to meet Achilleus the blameless
and promise to give back Helen, and with all her possessions,
all those things that once in the hollow ships Alexandros
brought back to Troy and these were the beginnings of the quarrel;
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to give these to Atreus' sons to take away, and for the Achaians
also to divide up all that is hidden within the city,
and take an oath thereafter for the Trojans in conclave 2
not to hide anything away, but distribute all of it,
as much as the lovely citadel keeps guarded within it;
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2. Conclave:
Private or secret meeting.
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yet still, why does the heart within me debate on these things?
I might go up to him, and he take no pity upon me
nor respect my position, but kill me naked so, as if I were
a woman, once I stripped my armor from me. There is no
way any more from a tree or a rock to talk to him gently
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whispering like a young man and a young girl, in the way
a young man and a young maiden whisper together.
Better to bring on the fight with him as soon as it may be.
We shall see to which one the Olympian grants the glory."
NARRATOR: So he pondered, waiting, but Achilleus was closing upon him
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in the likeness of the lord of battles, the helm-shining warrior,
and shaking from above his shoulder the dangerous Pelian 3
ash spear, while the bronze that closed about him was shining
like the flare of blazing fire or the sun in its rising.
And the shivers took hold of Hektor when he saw him, and he could no
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3. Pelian:
Belonging to Peleus, Achilleus' father.
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longer stand his ground there, but left the gates behind, and fled, frightened,
and Peleus' son went after him in the confidence of his quick feet.
As when a hawk in the mountains who moves lightest of things flying
makes his effortless swoop for a trembling dove, but she slips away
from beneath and flies and he shrill screaming close after her
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plunges for her again and again, heart furious to take her;
so Achilleus went straight for him in fury, but Hektor
fled away under the Trojan wall and moved his knees rapidly.
They raced along by the watching point and the windy fig tree
always away from under the wall and along the wagon-way
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and came to the two sweet-running well springs. There there are double
springs of water that jet up, the springs of whirling Skamandros.
One of these runs hot water and the steam on all sides
of it rises as if from a fire that was burning inside it.
But the other in the summer-time runs water that is like hail
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or chill snow or ice that forms from water. Beside these
in this place, and close to them, are the washing-hollows
of stone, and magnificent, where the wives of the Trojans and their lovely
daughters washed the clothes to shining, in the old days
when there was peace, before the coming of the sons of the Achaians.
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They ran beside these, one escaping, the other after him
it was a great man who fled, but far better he who pursued him
rapidly, since here was no festal 4 beast, no ox-hide
they strove for, for these are prizes that are given men for their running.
No, they ran for the life of Hektor, breaker of horses.
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4. festal:
Of a joyous celebration.
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As when about the turnposts racing single-footed horses
run at full speed, when a great prize is laid up for their winning,
a tripod or a woman, in games for a man's funeral,
so these two swept whirling about the city of Priam
in the speed of their feet, while all the gods were looking upon them.
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First to speak among them was the father of gods and mortals;
ZEUS: "Ah me, this a man beloved whom now my eyes watch
being chased around the wall; my heart is mourning for Hektor
who has burned in my honor many thigh pieces of oxen
on the peaks of Ida 5 with all her folds, or again on the uttermost
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5. Ida:
Mountain near the site of Troy.
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part of the citadel, but now the brilliant Achilleus
drives him in speed of his feet around the city of Priam.
Come then, you immortals, take thought and take counsel, whether
to rescue this man or whether to make him, for all his valor,
go down under the hands of Achilleus, the son of Peleus."
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NARRATOR: Then in answer the goddess gray-eyed Athene spoke to him:
ATHENE: "Father of the shining bolt, dark misted, what is this you said?
Do you wish to bring back a man who is mortal, one long since
doomed by his destiny, from ill-sounding death and release him?
Do it, then; but not all the rest of us gods shall approve you."
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NARRATOR: Then Zeus the gatherer of the clouds spoke to her in answer:
ZEUS: "Tritogeneia, 6 dear daughter, do not lose heart; for I say this
not in outright anger, and my meaning toward you is kindly.
Act as your purpose would have you do, and hold back no longer."
NARRATOR: So he spoke, and stirred Athene, who was eager before this,
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6. Tritogeneia:
Another name for Athene, who was born near Lake Tritonis in a part of Africa.
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and she went in a flash of speed down the pinnacles of Olympos.
But swift Achilleus kept unremittingly after Hektor,
chasing him, as a dog in the mountains who has flushed from his covert 7
a deer's fawn follows him through the folding ways and the valleys,
and though the fawn crouched down under a bush and be hidden
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7. covert:
A hiding place.
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he keeps running and noses him out until he comes on him;
so Hektor could not lose himself from swift-footed Peleion.
If ever he made a dash right on for the gates of Dardanos
to get quickly under the strong-built bastion, endeavoring
that they from above with missiles thrown might somehow defend him,
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each time Achilleus would get in front and force him to turn back
into the plain, and himself kept his flying course next the city.
As in a dream a man is not able to follow one who runs
from him, nor can the runner escape, nor the other person pursue him,
so he could not run him down in his speed, nor the other get clear.
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How then could Hektor have escaped the death spirits, had not
Apollo, for this last and uttermost time, stood by him
close, and driven strength into him, and made his knees light?
But brilliant Achilleus kept shaking his head at his own people
and would not let them throw their bitter projectiles 8 at Hektor
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8. projectiles:
Objects designed to be thrown forward.
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for fear the thrower might win the glory, and himself come second.
But when for the fourth time they had come around to the well springs
then the father balanced his golden scales, and in them
he set two fateful portions of death, which lays men prostrate; 9
one for Achilleus, and one for Hektor, breaker of horses,
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9. prostrate:
Flat; face downward; completely overcome.
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and balanced it by the middle; and Hektor's death-day was heavier
and dragged downward toward death, and Phoibos Apollo forsook 10 him.
But the goddess gray-eyed Athene came now to Peleion
and stood close beside him and addressed him in winged words:
ATHENE: "Beloved of Zeus, shining Achilleus, I am hopeful now that you and I
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10. forsook:
Abandoned.
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will take back great glory to the ships of the Achaians, after
we have killed Hektor, for all his slakeless 11 fury for battle.
Now there is no way for him to get clear away from us,
not though Apollo who strikes from afar should be willing to undergo
much, and wallow 12 before our father Zeus of the aegis.
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11. slakeless:
Unable to be satisfied or lessened.
12. wallow:
Move heavily and clumsily.
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Stand you here then and get your wind again, while I go
to this man and persuade him to stand up to you in combat."
NARRATOR: So spoke Athene, and he was glad at heart, and obeyed her,
and stopped, and stood leaning on his bronze-barbed ash spear.
Meanwhile Athene left him there, and caught up with brilliant Hektor,
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and likened herself in form and weariless voice to Deïphobos. 13
She came now and stood close to him and addressed him in winged words:
ATHENE: "Dear brother, indeed swift-footed Achilleus is using you roughly
and chasing you on swift feet around the city of Priam.
Come on, then; let us stand fast against him and beat him back from us.".
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13. Deïphobos:
Son of Priam; powerful Trojan fighter.
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NARRATOR: Then tall Hektor of the shining helm answered her:
HEKTOR: "Deïphobos, before now you were dearest to me by far of my brothers,
of all those who were sons of Priam and Hekabe, and now
I am minded all the more within my heart to honor you,
you who dared for my sake, when your eyes saw me, to come forth
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from the fortifications, while the others stand fast inside them."
NARRATOR: Then in turn the goddess gray-eyed Athene answered him:
ATHENE: "My brother, it is true our father and the lady our mother, taking
my knees in turn, and my companions about me, entreated
that I stay within, such was the terror upon all of them.
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But the heart within me was worn away by hard sorrow for you.
But now let us go straight on the fight hard, let there be no sparing
of our spears, so that we can find out whether Achilleus
will kill us both and carry our bloody war spoils back
to the hollow ships, or will himself go down under your spear."
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NARRATOR: So Athene spoke and led him beguilementilment.
Now as the two in their advance were come close together,
first of the two to speak was tall helm-glittering Hektor:
HEKTOR: "Son of Peleus, I will no longer run from you, as before this
I fled three times around the great city of Priam, and dared not
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stand to your onfall. But now my spirit in turn has driven me
to stand and face you. I must take you now, or I must be taken.
Come then, shall we swear before the gods? For these are the highest
who shall be witnesses and watch over our agreements.
Brutal as you are I will not defile you, if Zeus grants
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to me that I can wear you out, and take the life from you.
But after I have stripped your glorious armor, Achilleus,
I will give your corpse back to the Achaians. Do you do likewise?"
NARRATOR: Then looking darkly at him swift-footed Achilleus answered:
ACHILLEUS: "Hektor, argue me no agreements. I cannot forgive you.
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As there are no trustworthy oaths between men and lions,
nor wolves and lambs have spirit that can be brought to agreement
but forever these hold feelings of hate for each other,
so there can be no love between you and me, nor shall there be
oaths between us, but one or the other must fall before then
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to glut with his blood Ares the god who fights under the shield's guard.
Remember every valor of yours, for now the need comes
hardest upon you to be a spearman and a bold warrior.
There shall be no more escape for you, but Pallas Athene
will kill you soon by my spear. You will pay in a lump for all these
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sorrows of my companions you killed in your spear's fury."
NARRATOR: So he spoke, and balanced the spear far shadowed, and threw it;
but glorious Hektor kept his eyes on him, and avoided it,
for he dropped, watchful, to his knee, and the bronze spear flew over his shoulder
and stuck in the ground, but Pallas Athene snatched it, and gave it
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back to Achilleus, unseen by Hektor shepherd of the people.
But now Hektor spoke out to the blameless son of Peleus:
HEKTOR: "You missed; and it was not, o Achilleus like the immortals,
from Zeus that you knew my destiny; but you thought so; or rather
you are someone clever in speech and spoke to swindle me,
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to make me afraid of you and forget my valor and war strength.
You will not stick your spear in my back as I run away from you
but drive it into my chest as I storm straight in against you;
if the god gives you that; and now look out for my brazen
spear. I wish it might be taken full length in your body.
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And indeed the war would be a lighter thing for the Trojans
if you were dead, seeing that you are their greatest affliction."
NARRATOR: So he spoke, and balanced the spear far shadowed, and threw it,
and struck the middle of Peleïdes' shield, nor missed it,
but the spear was driven far back from the shield, and Hektor was angered
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because his swift weapon had been loosened from his hand in a vain 14 cast.
He stood discouraged, and had no other ash spear; but lifting
his voice he called aloud on Deïphobos of the pale shield,
and asked him for a long spear, but Deïphobos was not near him.
And Hektor knew the truth inside his heart, and spoke aloud:
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14. vain:
Ineffective; fruitless; unprofitable.
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HEKTOR: "No use. Here at last the gods have summoned me deathward.
I thought Deïphobos the hero was here close beside me,
but he is behind the wall and it was Athene cheating me,
and no evil death is close to me, and no longer far away,
and there is no way out. So it must long since have been pleasing
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to Zeus, and Zeus' son who strikes from afar, this way; though before this
they defended me gladly. But now my death is upon me.
Let me at least not die without a struggle, inglorious,
but do some big things first, that men to come shall know of it."
NARRATOR: So he spoke, and pulling out the sharp sword that was slung
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at the hollow of his side, huge and heavy, and gathering
himself together, he made his swoop, like a high-flown eagle
who launches himself out of the murk of the clouds on the flat land
to catch away a tender lamb or a shivering hare; so
Hektor made his swoop, swinging his sharp sword, and Achilleus
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charged, the heart within him loaded with savage fury.
In front of his chest the beautiful elaborate great shield
covered him, and with the glittering helm with four horns
he nodded; the lovely golden fringes were shaken about it
which Hephaistos had driven close along the horn of the helmet.
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And as a star moves among stars in the night's darkening,
Hesper, who is the fairest star who stands in the sky, such
was the shining from the pointed spear Achilleus was shaking
in his right hand with evil intention toward brilliant Hektor.
He was eyeing Hektor's splendid body, to see where it might best
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give way, but all the rest of the skin was held in the armor,
brazen and splendid, he stripped when he cut down the strength of Patroklos;
yet showed where the collar-bones hold the neck from shoulders,
the throat, where death of the soul comes most swiftly; in this place
brilliant Achilleus drove the spear as he came on in fury,
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and clean through the soft part of the neck the spearpoint was driven.
Yet the ash spear heavy with bronze did not sever the windpipe,
so that Hektor could still make exchange of words spoken.
But he dropped in the dust, and Achilleus vaunted above him:
ACHILLEUS: "Hektor, surely you thought as you killed Patroklos you would be
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safe, and since I was far away you thought nothing of me,
o fool, for an avenger was left, far greater than he was,
behind him and away by the hollow ships. And it was I;
and I have broken your strength; on you the dogs and the vultures
shall feed and foully rip you; the Achaians will bury Patroklos."
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NARRATOR: In his weakness Hektor of the shining helm spoke to him:
HEKTOR: "I entreat you, by your life, by your knees, by your parents,
do not let the dogs feed on me by the ships of the Achaians,
but take yourself the bronze and gold that are there in abundance,
those gifts that my father and the lady my mother will give you,
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and give my body to be taken home again, so that the Trojans
and the wives of the Trojans may give me in death my rite of burning." 15
NARRATOR: But looking darkly at him swift-footed Achilleus answered:
ACHILLEUS: "No more entreating of me, you dog, by knees or parents.
I wish only that my spirit and fury would drive me
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15. rite of burning:
Proper funeral ritual of burning the dead body.
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to hack your meat away and eat it raw for the things that
you have done to me. So there is no one who can hold the dogs off
from your head, not if they bring here and set before me ten times
and twenty times the ransom, and promise more in addition,
not if Priam son of Dardanos should offer to weigh out
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your bulk in gold; not even so shall the lady your mother
who herself bore you lay you on the death-bed and mourn you:
no, but the dogs and the birds will have you for their feasting."
NARRATOR: Then, dying, Hektor of the shining helmet spoke to him:
HEKTOR: "I know you well as I look upon you, I know that I could not
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persuade you, since indeed in your breast is a heart of iron.
Be careful now; for I might be made into the gods' curse
upon you, on that day when Phoibos Apollo
destroy you in the Skaian gates, for all your valor."
NARRATOR: He spoke, and as he spoke the end of death closed in upon him,
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and the soul fluttering free of the limbs went down into Death's house
mourning her destiny, leaving youth and manhood behind her.
Now though he was a dead man brilliant Achilleus spoke to him:
ACHILLEUS: "Die: and I will take my own death at whatever time
Zeus and the rest of the immortals choose to accomplish it."
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NARRATOR: He spoke, and pulled the brazen spear from the body, and laid it
on one side, and stripped away from the shoulders the bloody
armor. And the other sons of the Achaians came running about him,
and gazed upon the stature and on the imposing beauty
of Hektor; and none stood beside him who did not stab him;
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and thus they would speak one to another, each looking at his neighbor:
"See now, Hektor is much softer to handle than he was
when he set the ships ablaze with the burning firebrand."
So as they stood beside him they would speak, and stab him.
But now, when he had despoiled 16 the body, swift-footed brilliant
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16. despoiled:
Deprived of value and honor.
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Achilleus stood among the Achaians and addressed them in winged words:
ACHILLEUS: "Friends, who are leaders of the Argives and keep their counsel:
since the gods have granted me the killing of this man
who has done us much damage, such as not all the others together
have done, come, let us go in armor about the city
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to see if we can find out what purpose is in the Trojans,
whether they will abandon their high city, now that this man
has fallen, or are minded to stay, though Hektor lives no longer.
Yet still, why does the heart within me debate on these things?
There is a dead man who lies by the ships, unwept, unburied:
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Patroklos: and I will not forget him, never so long as
I remain among the living and my knees have their spring beneath me.
And though the dead forget the dead in the house of Hades,
even there I shall still remember my beloved companion.
But now, you young men of the Achaians, let us go back, singing
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A victory song, to our hollow ships; and take this with us.
We have won ourselves enormous fame; we have killed the great Hektor
Whom the Trojans glorified as if he were a god in their city."
NARRATOR: He spoke, and now thought of shameful treatment for glorious Hektor.
In both of his feet at the back he made holes by the tendons
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in the space between ankle and heel, and drew thongs of ox-hide through them,
and fastened them to the chariot so as to let the head drag,
and mounted the chariot, and lifted the glorious armor inside it,
then whipped the horses to a run, and they winged their way unreluctant.
A cloud of dust rose where Hektor was dragged, his dark hair was falling
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about him, and all that head that was once so handsome was tumbled
in the dust; since by this time Zeus had given him over
to his enemies, to be defiled in the land of his fathers.
So all his head was dragged in the dust; and now his mother
tore out her hair, and threw the shining veil far from her
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and raised a great wail as she looked upon her son; and his father
beloved groaned pitifully, and all his people about him
were taken with wailing and lamentation all through the city.
It was most like what would have happened, if all lowering
Ilion had been burning top to bottom in fire.
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His people could scarcely keep the old man in his impatience
from storming out of the Dardanian gates; he implored them
all, and wallowed in the muck before calling on each man
and naming him by his name:
PRIAM: "Give way, dear friends,
and let me alone though you care for me, leave me to go out
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from the city and make my way to the ships of the Achaians.
I must be suppliant to this man, who is harsh and violent,
and he might have respect for my age and take pity upon it
since I am old, and his father is also old , as I am,
Peleus, who begot and reared him to be an affliction
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on the Trojans. He has given us most sorrow, beyond all others,
such is the number of my flowering sons he has cut down.
But for all of these I mourn not so much, in spite of my sorrow,
As for one, Hektor, and the sharp grief for him will carry me downward
into Death's house. I wish he had died in my arms, for that way
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we two, I myself and his mother who bore him unhappy,
might so have glutted 17 ourselves with weeping for him and mourning."
NARRATOR: So he spoke, in tears, and beside him mourned the citizens.
But for the women of Troy Hekabe led out the thronging
chant of sorrow:
HEKABE: "Child, I am wretched. What shall my life be
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17. glutted:
Filled; sated. |
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in my sorrows, now you are dead, who by day and in the night
were my glory in the town, and to all of the Trojans
and the women of Troy a blessing throughout the city. They adored you
as if you were a god, since in truth you were their high honor
while you lived. Now death and fate have closed in upon you."
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NARRATOR: So she spoke in tears but the wife of Hektor had not yet
heard: for no sure messenger had come to her and told her
how her husband had held his ground there outside the gates;
but she was weaving a web in the inner room of the high house,
a red folding robe, and inworking 18 elaborate figures.
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18. inworking:
Sewing into fabric. |
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She called out through the house to her lovely-haired handmaidens
to set a great cauldron over the fire, so that there would be
hot water for Hektor's bath as he came back out of the fighting;
poor innocent, nor knew how, far from waters for bathing,
Pallas Athene had cut him down at the hands of Achilleus.
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She heard from the great bastion the noise of mourning and sorrow.
Her limbs spun, and the shuttle dropped from her hand to the ground.
Then she called aloud to her lovely-haired handmaidens:
ANDROMACHE: "Come here.
Two of you come with me, so I can see what has happened.
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I heard the voice of Hektor's honored mother; within me
my own heart rising beats in my mouth, my limbs under me
are frozen. Surely some evil is near for the children of Priam.
May what I say come never close to my ear; yet dreadfully
I fear that great Achilleus might have cut off bold Hektor
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alone, away from the city, and be driving him into the flat land,
might put an end to that bitter pride of courage, that always
was on him, since he would never stay back where the men were in numbers
but break far out in front, and give way in his fury to no man."
NARRATOR: So she spoke, and ran out of the house like a raving woman
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with pulsing heart, and her two handmaidens went along with her.
But when she came to the bastion and where the men were gathered
she stopped, staring, on the wall; and she saw him
being dragged in front of the city, and the running horses
dragged him at random toward the hollow ships of the Achaians.
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The darkness of night misted over the eyes of Andromache.
She fell backward, and gasped the life breath from her, and far off
threw from her head the shining gear that ordered her headdress,
the diadem 19 and the cap, and the holding-band woven together,
and the circlet, 20 which Aphrodite the golden once had given her
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19. diadem:
A decorated cloth headband worn as a crown.
20. circlet:
A ring or circular band worn on the head.
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on that day when Hektor of the shining helmet led her forth
from the house of Eëtion, and gave numberless gifts to win her.
And about her stood thronging her husband's sisters and the wives of his brothers
and these, in her despair for death, held her up among them.
But she, when she breathed again and the life was gathered back into her,
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lifted her voice among the women of Troy in mourning:
ANDROMACHE: "Hektor, I grieve for you. You and I were born to a single
destiny, you in Troy in the house of Priam and I
in Thebe, underneath the timbered 21 mountain of Plakos
in the house of Eëtion, who cared for me when I was little,
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21. timbered:
Covered with trees.
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ill-fated he, I ill-starred. I wish he had never begotten me.
Now you go down to the house of Death in the secret places
of the earth, and left me here behind in the sorrow of mourning,
a widow in your house, and the boy is only a baby
who was born to you and me, the unfortunate. You cannot help him,
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Hektor, anymore, since you are dead. Nor can he help you.
Though he escape the attack of the Achaians with all its sorrows,
yet all his days for your sake there will be hard work for him
and sorrows, for others will take his lands away from him. The day
of bereavement leaves a child with no agemates to befriend him.
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He bows his head before every man, his cheeks are bewept, 22 he
goes, needy, a boy among his father's companions,
and tugs at this man by the mantle, that man by the tunic,
and they pity him, and one gives him a tiny drink from a goblet,
enough to moisten his lips, not enough to moisten his palate.
|
22. bewept:
Wet with tears.
|
| 400 |
But one whose parents are living beats him out of the banquet
hitting him with his fists and in words also abuses him:
'Get out, you! Your father is not dining among us.'
And the boy goes away in tears to his widowed mother,
Astyanax, who in days before on the knees of his father
|
|
| 405 |
would eat only the marrow or the flesh of sheep that was fattest.
And when sleep would come upon him and he was done with his playing,
he would go to sleep in a bed, in the arms of his nurse, in a soft
bed, with his heart given all its fill of luxury.
Now, with his dear father gone, he has much to suffer:
|
|
| 410 |
he, whom the Trojans have cAstyanaxynanax, lord of the city,
since it was you alone who defended the gates and the long walls.
But now, beside the curving ships, far away from your parents,
the writhing worms will feed, when the dogs have had enough of you,
on your naked corpse, though in your house there is clothing laid up
|
|
| 415 |
that is fine-textured and pleasant, wrought by the hands of women.
But all of these I will burn up in the fire's blazing,
no use to you, since you will never be laid away in them;
but in your honor, from the men of Troy and the Trojan women."
NARRATOR: So she spoke, in tears; and the women joined in her mourning
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