asure
chamber and took out of his chests twelve beautiful robes; twelve
bright-coloured cloaks; twelve soft coverlets and ten talents of gold;
he took, too, four cauldrons and two tripods and a wonderful goblet that
the men of Thrace had given him when they had come on an embassy to his
city. Then he called upon his sons and he bade them make ready the wagon
and load it with the treasures he had brought out of his
treasure-chamber.'

'When the wagon was loaded and the mules were yoked under it, and when
Priam and his henchman had mounted the seats, Hekabe, the queen, Priam's
wife and the mother of Hector, came with wine and with a golden cup that
they might pour out an offering to the gods before they went on their
journey; that they might know whether the gods indeed favoured it, or
whether Priam himself was not going into danger. King Priam took the cup
from his wife and he poured out wine from it, and looking towards heaven
he prayed, "O Father Zeus, grant that I may find welcome under Achilles'
roof, and send, if thou wilt, a bird of omen, so that seeing it with
mine own eyes I may go on my way trusting that no harm will befall me."'

'He prayed, and straightway a great eagle was seen with wide wings
spread out above the City, and when they saw the eagle, the hearts of
the people were glad for they knew that their King would come back
safely and with the body of Prince Hector who had guarded Troy.'

'Now Priam and his henchman drove across the plain of Troy and came to
the river that flowed across and there they let their mules drink. They
were greatly troubled, for dark night was coming down and they knew not
the way to the hut of Achilles. They were in fear too that some company
of armed men would come upon them and slay them for the sake of the
treasures they had in the wagon.'

'The henchman saw a young man coming towards them. And when he reached
them he spoke to them kindly and offered to guide them through the camp
and to the hut of Achilles. He mounted the wagon and took the reins in
his hands and drove the mules. He brought them to the hut of Achilles
and helped Priam from the wagon and carried the gifts they had brought
within the hut. "Know, King Priam," he said, "that I am not a mortal,
but that I am one sent by Zeus to help and companion thee upon the way.
Go now within the hut and speak to Achilles and ask him, for his
father's sake, to restore to thee the body of Hector, thy son."'

'So he spoke