of Peleus led the abundant lamentation, laying his man-slaughtering hands upon the breast of his companion:
"Hail! O Patroclus, even in the dwellings of Hades; for now shall I accomplish all those things which formerly I promised, that having dragged Hector hither, I would give him to the dogs to be devoured raw; and that before thy pile I would cut the necks of twelve illustrious sons of the Trojans, enraged on account of thee slain."
He spoke, and meditated unworthy deeds against noble Hector, having stretched him prone in the dust before the bier of Menœtiades; but they each stripped off his brazen, glittering armor, and unyoked their high-sounding steeds. They sat also in crowds at the ship of swift-footed Æacides; but he afforded to them an agreeable funeral feast.[1] Many white bulls[2] were stretched around by the ax, having their throats cut, and many sheep and bleating goats. Many white-tusked swine also, abounding in fat, were extended for roasting in the flame of Vulcan; and on every side around the dead body flowed abundant blood. But the chiefs of the Greeks led the king, the swift-footed son of Peleus, to noble Agamemnon, hardly persuading him enraged at heart on account of his companion. But when advancing they reached the tent of Agamemnon, he straightway ordered the clear-voiced heralds to place a large tripod on the fire, if he could persuade the son of Peleus to wash away the bloody gore. But he sternly refused, and besides swore an oath:[3]
"No, by Jove, who is both the supreme and the best of gods, it is not lawful that ablution should come near my head, before I place Patroclus on the pile, and have thrown up a mound, and shorn my hair; for not to such a degree will sor-
- ↑ Τάφος· τὸ γινόμενον περίδειπνον ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν κατοιχομένων τιμῇ.—Hesych.
- ↑ On these funeral sacrifices, see Comm, on Æn. xi. l. c.; and Lomeier de Lustrationibus, § xxxi.
- ↑ Buttm. Lexil. p. 436, after insisting strongly on the personification of Ὅρκος, observes on this passage: "I see no reason why we should not suppose that in the poet's mind Jupiter was put in opposition to ὅρκον, exactly in the same sense as ὅρκος is actually found in opposition to Ζεύς in Pindar. Pyth. iv. 297. Κάρτερος ὅρκος ἄμμι μάρτυς ἔστω Ζεύς ὁ γενέθλιος ἀμφοτέροις. Further, the expressions μέγας ὅρκος, κάρτερος ὅρκος suit much better the idea of the witness or pledge of the oath, than they do the oath itself."
