Iliad by Homer - Join iZDOT

Homer’s Iliad
BOOK XIX
Now when Dawn in robe of saffron was hasting from the streams of
Oceanus, to bring light to mortals and immortals, Thetis reached
the ships with the armour that the god had given her. She found her
son fallen about the body of Patroclus and weeping bitterly. Many
also of his followers were weeping round him, but when the
goddess came among them she clasped his hand in her own,
saying, “My son, grieve as we may we must let this man lie, for it is
by heaven’s will that he has fallen; now, therefore, accept from
Vulcan this rich and goodly armour, which no man has ever yet
borne upon his shoulders.”
As she spoke she set the armour before Achilles, and it rang out
bravely as she did so. The Myrmidons were struck with awe, and
none dared look full at it, for they were afraid; but Achilles was
roused to still greater fury, and his eyes gleamed with a fierce light,
for he was glad when he handled the splendid present which the
god had made him. Then, as soon as he had satisfied himself with
looking at it, he said to his mother, “Mother, the god has given me
armour, meet handiwork for an immortal and such as no living
could have fashioned; I will now arm, but I much fear that flies will
settle upon the son of Menoetius and breed worms about his
wounds, so that his body, now he is dead, will be disfigured and
the flesh will rot.”
Silver-footed Thetis answered, “My son, be not disquieted about
this matter. I will find means to protect him from the swarms of
noisome flies that prey on the bodies of men who have been killed
377