and departed and King Priam went within the hut. There
great Achilles was sitting and King Priam went to him and knelt before
him and clasped the hands of the man who had slain his son. And Achilles
wondered when he saw him there, for he did not know how one could have
come to his hut and entered it without being seen. He knew then that it
was one of the gods who had guided this man. Priam spoke to him and
said, "Bethink thee, Achilles upon thine own father. He is now of an age
with me, and perhaps even now, in thy far-away country, there are those
who make him suffer pain and misery. But however great the pain and
misery he may suffer he is happy compared to me, for he knows that thou,
his son, art still alive. But I no longer have him who was the best of
my sons. Now for thy father's sake have I come to thee, Achilles, to ask
for the body of Hector, my son. I am more pitiable than thy father or
than any man, for I have come through dangers to take in my hands the
hands that slew my son."'

[Illustration]

'Achilles remembered his father and felt sorrow for the old man who
knelt before him. He took King Priam by the hand and raised him up and
seated him on the bench beside him. And he wept, remembering old Peleus,
his father.'

'He called his handmaids and he bade them take the body of Hector and
wash it and wrap it in two of the robes that Priam had brought. When
they had done all this he took up the body of Hector and laid it himself
upon the wagon.'

'Then he came and said to King Priam, "Thy son is laid upon a bier, and
at the break of day thou mayst bring him back to the City. But now eat
and rest here for this night."'

'King Priam ate, and he looked at Achilles and he saw how great and how
goodly he was. And Achilles looked at Priam and he saw how noble and how
kingly he looked. And this was the first time that Achilles and Priam
the King of Troy really saw each other.'

'When they gazed on each other King Priam said, "When thou goest to lie
down, lord Achilles, permit me to lie down also. Not once have my
eyelids closed in sleep since my son Hector lost his life. And now I
have tasted bread and meat and wine for the first time since, and I
could sleep."'

'Achilles ordered that a bed be made in the portico for King Priam and
his henchman, but before they went Achilles said: "Tell me, King, and
tell me truly, for how many days dost thou desire to make a funeral for
Hector? For so many days space I will