he cloak,
another by the tunic; and some of these pitying, shall present him with
a very small cup; and he shall moisten his lips, but not wet his palate.
Him also some one, enjoying both [parents],[718] shall push away from
the banquet, striking him with his hands, and reviling him with
reproaches: 'A murrain on thee! even thy father feasts not with us.'
Then shall the boy Astyanax return weeping to his widowed mother,--he
who formerly, indeed, upon the knees of his own father, ate marrow
alone, and the rich fat of sheep; but when sleep came upon him, and he
ceased childishly crying, used to sleep on couches in the arms of a
nurse, in a soft bed, full as to his heart with delicacies. But now,
indeed, Astyanax,[719] whom the Trojans call by surname (because thou
alone didst defend their gates and lofty walls for them), shall suffer
many things, missing his dear father. But now shall the crawling worms
devour thee, naked, at the curved ships, far away from thy parents,
after the dogs shall have satiated themselves: but thy robes, fine and
graceful, woven by the hands of women, lie in thy palaces. Truly all
these will I consume with burning fire, being of no use to thee, for
thou wilt not lie on them; but let them be a glory [to thee] before the
Trojans and the Trojan dames."

Thus she spoke, weeping, and the females also mourned.

[Footnote 718: [Greek: Amphithales pais o amphoterothen thallon,
egoun o ampho oi goneis peritisi].]

[Footnote 719: Playing on the signification of the name,--"king
of the city." This piece of twaddle has not been omitted by Plato
in his ridiculous Cratylus.]

BOOK THE TWENTY-THIRD.

ARGUMENT.

Achilles, admonished in a dream by the ghost of his friend, celebrates
the funeral of Patroclus.

Thus they indeed were mourning through the city; but the Greeks, as soon
as they reached the ships and the Hellespont, were separated each to his
own ship. But Achilles did not permit the Myrmidons to be dispersed, but
he spoke amongst his warlike companions [thus]:

"Ye swift-horsed Myrmidons, comrades dear to me, let us not yet loose
the solid-hoofed steeds from under our chariots, but with the very
horses and chariots, going near, let us bewail Patroclus; for this is
the honour of the dead. But when we have indulged[720] sad lamentation,
unyoking our steeds, we will all sup here."

Thus he spoke; but they mourned i