w in clouds around the fallen man. At last, towards
sunset, the Greeks drew him out of the war, and Patroclus thrice charged
into the thick of the Trojans. But the helmet of Achilles was loosened
in the fight, and fell from the head of Patroclus, and he was wounded
from behind, and Hector, in front, drove his spear clean through his
body. With his last breath Patroclus prophesied: "Death stands near
thee, Hector, at the hands of noble Achilles." But Automedon was driving
back the swift horses, carrying to Achilles the news that his dearest
friend was slain.

After Ulysses was wounded, early in this great battle, he was not able to
fight for several days, and, as the story is about Ulysses, we must tell
quite shortly how Achilles returned to the war to take vengeance for
Patroclus, and how he slew Hector. When Patroclus fell, Hector seized
the armour which the Gods had given to Peleus, and Peleus to his son
Achilles, while Achilles had lent it to Patroclus that he might terrify
the Trojans. Retiring out of reach of spears, Hector took off his own
armour and put on that of Achilles, and Greeks and Trojans fought for the
dead body of Patroclus. Then Zeus, the chief of the Gods, looked down
and said that Hector should never come home out of the battle to his
wife, Andromache. But Hector returned into the fight around the dead
Patroclus, and here all the best men fought, and even Automedon, who had
been driving the chariot of Patroclus. Now when the Trojans seemed to
have the better of the fight, the Greeks sent Antilochus, a son of old
Nestor, to tell Achilles that his friend was slain, and Antilochus ran,
and Aias and his brother protected the Greeks who were trying to carry
the body of Patroclus back to the ships.

Swiftly Antilochus came running to Achilles, saying: "Fallen is
Patroclus, and they are fighting round his naked body, for Hector has his
armour." Then Achilles said never a word, but fell on the floor of his
hut, and threw black ashes on his yellow hair, till Antilochus seized his
hands, fearing that he would cut his own throat with his dagger, for very
sorrow. His mother, Thetis, arose from the sea to comfort him, but he
said that he desired to die if he could not slay Hector, who had slain
his friend. Then Thetis told him that he could not fight without armour,
and now he had none; but she would go to the God of armour-making and
bring from him such a shield and helmet and breastplate as had neve