ou this: death and fate are close
to thee by the hand of the great Achilles."

And Hector answered, but Patroclus was dead already, "Why dost thou
prophesy death to me? Maybe the great Achilles himself shall fall by my
hand." Then he drew his spear from the wound, and went after Automedon, to
slay him, but the swift horse of Achilles carried him away.

Fierce was the fight about the body of Patroclus, and many heroes fell,
both on this side and on that.

[Illustration: FIERCE WAS THE FIGHT ABOUT THE BODY OF PATROCLUS AND MANY
HEROES FELL]

Meanwhile Antilochus, son of Nestor, ran to Achilles and said, "I bring
ill news; Patroclus lies low. The Greeks fight for his body, but Hector
hath his arms."

Then Achilles took of the dust of the plain in his hand, and poured it on
his head, and lay at his length upon the ground, and tare his hair. And
all the women wailed. And Antilochus sat weeping; but ever he held the
hands of Achilles, lest he should slay himself in his great grief.

Then came his mother, hearing his cry, from where she sat in the depths of
the sea, and laid her hand on him and said,--

"Why weepest thou, my son? Hide not the matter from me, but tell me."

And Achilles answered, "All that Zeus promised thee for me he hath
fulfilled. But what profit have I, for my friend Patroclus is dead, and
Hector has the arms which I gave him to wear. And as for me, I care not to
live, except I can avenge me upon him."

Then said Thetis, "Nay, my son, speak not thus. For when Hector dieth, thy
doom also is near."

And Achilles spake in great wrath: "Would that I might die this hour,
seeing that I could not help my friend, but am a burden on the earth,--I,
who am better in battle than all the Greeks besides. Cursed be the wrath
that sets men to strive the one with the other, even as it set me to
strive with King Agamemnon! But let the past be past. And as for my
fate--let it come when it may, so that I first avenge myself on Hector.
Wherefore, seek not to keep me back from the battle."

Then Thetis said, "Be it so; only thou canst not go without thy arms which
Hector hath. But to-morrow will I go to Vulcan, that he may furnish thee
anew."

But while they talked the men of Troy pressed the Greeks more and more,
and the two heroes, Ajax the Greater and Ajax the Less, could no longer
keep Hector back, but that he should lay hold of the body of Patroclus.
And indeed he would have taken it, but that Zeus sent Iris t