them from his head; nor did he persuade the mind of Hector. But his
mother, then on the other side, wailing, shed tears, laying bare her
bosom, whilst with the other hand she laid forth her breast; and
shedding tears, addressed to him winged words: "O Hector, my son,
reverence these things, and pity me myself. If ever I afforded thee the
grief-lulling breast, remember these things, O dear son; and being
within the wall, repel [this] hostile man; nor stand a foremost
adversary to him. Wretched one! for if he shall slay thee, neither shall
I mourn thee on the couch, my dear offspring, whom I myself brought
forth, nor will thy rich-dowered wife; but far away from us both, the
swift dogs will devour thee at the ships of the Greeks."

Thus weeping, they twain addressed their dear son, supplicating him
much; nor did they persuade the mind of Hector; but he awaited huge
Achilles, coming near. And as a fierce serpent at its den, fed on evil
poisons, awaits[700] a man, but direful rage enters it, and it glares
horribly, coiling itself around its den; so Hector, possessing
inextinguishable courage, retired not, leaning his splendid shield
against a projecting tower; but, indignant, he thus addressed his own
great-hearted soul:[701]

"Ah me, if indeed I enter the gates and the wall, Polydamas will first
cast reproach upon me,[702] he who advised me to lead the Trojans
towards the city in this disastrous night, when noble Achilles arose to
battle. But I did not obey; certainly it would have been much better.
And now, since by my injurious obstinacy I have destroyed the people, I
fear the Trojan men, and the long-robed Trojan women, lest some one
inferior to me should say, 'Hector, relying on his own strength, has
destroyed the people.' Thus will they say; but it would have been far
better for me, slaying Achilles in the encounter,[703] to return, or
gloriously to be slain by him for the city. But if now I shall lay down
my bossed shield and stout helmet, and, resting my spear against the
wall, I myself going, shall come before renowned Achilles, and promise
that we will give to the Atrides to lead away Helen, and all the
numerous possessions along with her, whatever Paris brought to Troy in
his hollow barks, and who was the origin of the contention, and at the
same time that we will divide others, as many as this city contains,
among the Greeks,--but again I should exact an oath from the elders of
the Trojans,[704] that they would