he Olympian king hath accomplished
for me; but what pleasure is there in them to me, since Patroclus, my
dear companion, is dead, whom I honoured beyond all my companions,
equally with my own head? Him have I lost; and Hector, having slain him,
has stripped off his mighty armour, a wonder to be seen, beautiful;
which the other gods gave to Peleus, splendid gifts, on that day when
they laid thee in the bed of a mortal man. Would that thou hadst dwelt
there among the immortal marine inhabitants, and that Peleus had wedded
a mortal spouse. But now [thou hast been wedded, to the end] that
immeasurable grief may be upon thy mind for thy son slain, whom thou
shalt not again receive, having returned home. Since even my mind urges
me not to live nor have intercourse with men, unless Hector first lose
his life, smitten by my spear, and pay the penalty for the
slaughter[575] of Patroclus, the son of Menoetius."

But him Thetis in turn addressed, pouring forth tears: "Short-lived thou
wilt be, O my son, as thou sayest, for fate is ready for thee
immediately after Hector." Then, heavily sighing, swift-footed Achilles
addressed her: "May I die then immediately, since it was not destined
that I should aid my companion now slain; but he indeed hath perished
far away from his native land, and longed for me to be an averter of his
doom. But now[576]--since I shall not return to my dear father-land, nor
have been a preservation[577] to Patroclus, or to my other companions,
who have been subdued in great numbers by noble Hector; but sit beside
the ships, an useless weight on the earth, being such as is none of the
brazen-mailed Achaeans in war, though in council there are others
superior; would that therefore contention might be extinguished from
gods and men; and anger, which is wont to impel even the very wisest to
be harsh; and which, much sweeter than distilling honey, like smoke,
rises in the breasts of men; so now did Agamemnon, king of men, enrage
me: but although greatly grieved, let us leave these things to pass by
as done, subduing, from necessity, our own spirit within our bosoms: but
now will I go, that I may find Hector, the destroyer of my dear friend,
and I will accept death whensoever Jove and the other immortal gods
shall please to accomplish it. For not even the might of Hercules
escaped death, who was very dear to king Jove, the son of Saturn; but
fate subdued him, and the grievous wrath of Juno. So also shall I lie,
wh