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while you； my child； who will be with me will be put to some
unseemly tasks； working for a cruel master。 Or； may be； some
Achaean will hurl you （O miserable death） from our walls； to
avenge some brother； son； or father whom Hector slew； many of
them have indeed bitten the dust at his hands； for your father's
hand in battle was no light one。 Therefore do the people mourn
him。 You have left； O Hector； sorrow unutterable to your parents；
and my own grief is greatest of all； for you did not stretch
forth your arms and embrace me as you lay dying； nor say to me
any words that might have lived with me in my tears night and day
for evermore。〃
Bitterly did she weep the while； and the women joined in her
lament。 Hecuba in her turn took up the strains of woe。 〃Hector；〃
she cried； 〃dearest to me of all my children。 So long as you were
alive the gods loved you well； and even in death they have not
been utterly unmindful of you； for when Achilles took any other
of my sons； he would sell him beyond the seas； to Samos Imbrus or
rugged Lemnos； and when he had slain you too with his sword； many
a time did he drag you round the sepulchre of his radethough
this could not give him lifeyet here you lie all fresh as dew；
and ely as one whom Apollo has slain with his painless
shafts。〃
Thus did she too speak through her tears with bitter moan； and
then Helen for a third time took up the strain of lamentation。
〃Hector；〃 said she； 〃dearest of all my brothers…in…lawfor I am
wife to Alexandrus who brought me hither to Troywould that I
had died ere he did sotwenty years are e and gone since I
left my home and came from over the sea； but I have never heard
one word of insult or unkindness from you。 When another would
chide with me； as it might be one of your brothers or sisters or
of your brothers' wives； or my mother…in…lawfor Priam was as
kind to me as though he were my own fatheryou would rebuke and
check them with words of gentleness and goodwill。 Therefore my
tears flow both for you and for my unhappy self； for there is no
one else in Troy who is kind to me； but all shrink and shudder as
they go by me。〃
She wept as she spoke and the vast crowd that was gathered round
her joined in her lament。 Then King Priam spoke to them saying；
〃Bring wood； O Trojans； to the city； and fear no cunning ambush
of the Argives； for Achilles when he dismissed me from the ships
gave me his word that they should not attack us until the morning
of the twelfth day。〃
Forthwith they yoked their oxen and mules and gathered together
before the city。 Nine days long did they bring in great heaps of
wood； and on the morning of the tenth day with many tears they
took brave Hector forth； laid his dead body upon the summit of
the pile； and set the fire thereto。 Then when the child of
morning； rosy…fingered dawn； appeared on the eleventh day； the
people again assembled； round the pyre of mighty Hector。 When
they were got together； they first quenched the fire with wine
wherever it was burning； and then his brothers and rades with
many a bitter tear gathered his white bones； wrapped them in soft
robes of purple； and laid them in a golden urn； which they placed
in a grave and covered over with large stones set close together。
Then they built a barrow hurriedly over it keeping guard on every
side lest the Achaeans should attack them before they had
finished。 When they had heaped up the barrow they went back again
into the city； and being well assembled they held high feast in
the house of Priam their king。
Thus； then； did they celebrate the funeral of Hector tamer of
horses。
End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Iliad of Homer；
translated by Samuel Butler