."--Kennedy.]

[Footnote 714: Supply [Greek: oudei] or [Greek: konie].]

"Desist, my friends, and permit me alone, grieved as I am, going out of
the city, to approach the ships of the Greeks. I will supplicate this
reckless, violent man, if perchance he may respect my time of life, and
have compassion on my old age; for such is his father Peleus to him, he
who begat and nurtured him a destruction to the Trojans; but
particularly to me above all has he caused sorrows. For so many blooming
youths has he slain to me, for all of whom I do not lament so much,
although grieved, as for this one, Hector, keen grief for whom will bear
me down even into Hades.[715] Would that he had died in my hands; for
thus we should have been satisfied, weeping and lamenting, both his
unhappy mother who bore him, and I myself." Thus he spoke, weeping, but
the citizens also groaned. But among the Trojan dames, Hecuba began her
continued lamentation:

[Footnote 715: "Then shall ye bring down my grey hairs with
sorrow to the grave." --Genes, xlii. 38.]

"O my son, why do wretched I live, having suffered grievous things, thou
being dead? Thou who by night and day wast my boast throughout the town,
and an advantage to the Trojan men and women throughout the city, who
received thee as a god. For assuredly thou wast a very great glory to
them when alive now, on the contrary, death and fate possess thee."

Thus she spoke, weeping; but the wife of Hector had not yet learned
anything: no certain messenger going, informed her that her husband had
remained without the gates; but she was weaving a web in a retired part
of her lofty house; double, splendid, and was spreading on it various
painted works.[716] And she had ordered her fair-haired attendants
through the palace, to place a large tripod on the fire, that there
might be a warm bath for Hector, returning from the battle. Foolish! nor
knew she that, far away from baths, azure-eyed Minerva had subdued him
by the hands of Achilles. But she heard the shriek and wailing from the
tower, and her limbs were shaken, and the shuttle fell from her to the
ground; and immediately she addressed her fair-haired attendants:

[Footnote 716: [Greek: Poikilmata] is similarly used in vi. 294.]

"Come hither, let two follow me, that I may see what deeds have been
done. I heard the voice of my venerable mother-in-law, and to myself the
heart within my breast leaps up to my mouth, and the limbs under me