Homer, Iliad, ed. George Chapman, 24.677

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Soft sleep tam'd Gods and men,

All but most-useful Mercury; sleep could not lay one chain

On his quick temples, taking care for getting off again

Engaged Priam undiscern'd of those that did maintain

605

The sacred watch. Above his head he stood with this demand :

"O father, sleep'st thou so secure, still lying in the hand

Of so much ill, and being dismiss'd by great Aeacides?

'Tis true thou hast redeem'd the dead, but for thy life's release,

Should Agamemnon hear thee here, three times the price now paid

610

Thy sons' hands must repay for thee." This said, the king, afraid,

Start from his sleep, Idæus call'd, and, for both, Mercury

The horse and mules, before loos'd, join'd so soft and curiously

That no ear heard, and through the host drave; but when they drew

To gulfy Xanthus' bright-wav'd stream, up to Olympus flew

615

Industrious Mercury. And now the saffron Morning rose,

Spreading her white robe over all the world; when, full of woes,

They scourg'd on with the corse to Troy, from whence no eye had seen,

Before Cassandra, their return. She, like love's golden Queen,

Ascending Pergamus, discern'd her father's person nigh,

620

His herald, and her brother's corse, and then she cast this cry

Round about Troy: "O Troïans, if ever ye did greet

Hector return'd from fight alive, now look ye out and meet

His ransom'd person. Then his worth was all your city's joy,

Iliad. Homer. ed. George Chapman. London. 1887.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Current edition Experimental

English (George Chapman, 1611, ed. Hooper 1857) (OCR draft) (English) (English (George Chapman, 1611, ed. Hooper 1857))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (1)

Ἰλιάς Perseus (Homer. Homeri Opera, Volumes 1-2. Monro, D. B. (David Binning), editor; Allen, Thomas W. (Thomas William), editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1908-1920.) — 24.677 focus

ἄλλοι μέν ῥα θεοί τε καὶ ἀνέρες ἱπποκορυσταὶ

εὗδον παννύχιοι μαλακῷ δεδμημένοι ὕπνῳ·

ἀλλʼ οὐχ Ἑρμείαν ἐριούνιον ὕπνος ἔμαρπτεν

ὁρμαίνοντʼ ἀνὰ θυμὸν ὅπως Πρίαμον βασιλῆα

680

νηῶν ἐκπέμψειε λαθὼν ἱεροὺς πυλαωρούς.

στῆ δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς καί μιν πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν·

ὦ γέρον οὔ νύ τι σοί γε μέλει κακόν, οἷον ἔθʼ εὕδεις

ἀνδράσιν ἐν δηΐοισιν, ἐπεί σʼ εἴασεν Ἀχιλλεύς.

καὶ νῦν μὲν φίλον υἱὸν ἐλύσαο, πολλὰ δʼ ἔδωκας·

685

σεῖο δέ κε ζωοῦ καὶ τρὶς τόσα δοῖεν ἄποινα

παῖδες τοὶ μετόπισθε λελειμμένοι, αἴ κʼ Ἀγαμέμνων

γνώῃ σʼ Ἀτρεΐδης, γνώωσι δὲ πάντες Ἀχαιοί.

ὣς ἔφατʼ, ἔδεισεν δʼ ὃ γέρων, κήρυκα δʼ ἀνίστη.

τοῖσιν δʼ Ἑρμείας ζεῦξʼ ἵππους ἡμιόνους τε,

690

ῥίμφα δʼ ἄρʼ αὐτὸς ἔλαυνε κατὰ στρατόν, οὐδέ τις ἔγνω.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ πόρον ἷξον ἐϋρρεῖος ποταμοῖο

Ξάνθου δινήεντος, ὃν ἀθάνατος τέκετο Ζεύς,

Ἑρμείας μὲν ἔπειτʼ ἀπέβη πρὸς μακρὸν Ὄλυμπον,

Ἠὼς δὲ κροκόπεπλος ἐκίδνατο πᾶσαν ἐπʼ αἶαν,

695

οἳ δʼ εἰς ἄστυ ἔλων οἰμωγῇ τε στοναχῇ τε

ἵππους, ἡμίονοι δὲ νέκυν φέρον. οὐδέ τις ἄλλος

ἔγνω πρόσθʼ ἀνδρῶν καλλιζώνων τε γυναικῶν,

ἀλλʼ ἄρα Κασσάνδρη ἰκέλη χρυσῇ Ἀφροδίτῃ

Πέργαμον εἰσαναβᾶσα φίλον πατέρʼ εἰσενόησεν

700

ἑσταότʼ ἐν δίφρῳ, κήρυκά τε ἀστυβοώτην·

τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ἐφʼ ἡμιόνων ἴδε κείμενον ἐν λεχέεσσι·

κώκυσέν τʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτα γέγωνέ τε πᾶν κατὰ ἄστυ·

ὄψεσθε Τρῶες καὶ Τρῳάδες Ἕκτορʼ ἰόντες,

εἴ ποτε καὶ ζώοντι μάχης ἐκνοστήσαντι

705

χαίρετʼ, ἐπεὶ μέγα χάρμα πόλει τʼ ἦν παντί τε δήμῳ.

Translations (7)

Iliad Perseus (Homer. The Iliad, Volume 1-2. Murray, A. T. (Augustus Taber), translator. London: William Heinmann; New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1924-1925.) — 24.677 focus

Now all the other gods and men, lords of chariots, slumbered the whole night through, overcome of soft sleep; but not upon the helper Hermes might sleep lay hold, 680 as he pondered in mind how he should guide king Priam forth from the ships unmarked of the strong keepers of the gate. He took his stand above his head and spake to him, saying:

Old sire, no thought then hast thou of any evil, that thou still sleepest thus amid foemen, for that Achilles has spared thee. 685 Now verily hast thou ransomed thy son, and a great price thou gavest. But for thine own life must the sons thou hast, they that be left behind, give ransom thrice so great, if so be Agamemnon, Atreus' son, have knowledge of thee, or the host of the Achaeans have knowledge.

So spake he, and the old man was seized with fear, and made the herald to arise. 690 And Hermes yoked for them the horses and mules, and himself lightly drave them through the camp, neither had any man knowledge thereof. But when they were now come to the ford of the fair-flowing river, even eddying Xanthus, that immortal Zeus begat, then Hermes departed to high Olympus, 695 and Dawn, the saffron-robed, was spreading over the face of all the earth. So they with moaning and wailing drave the horses to the city, and the mules bare the dead. Neither was any other ware of them, whether man or fair-girdled woman; but in truth Cassandra, peer of golden Aphrodite, 700 having gone up upon Pergamus, marked her dear father as he stood in the car, and the herald, the city's crier; and she had sight of that other lying on the bier in the waggon drawn of the mules. Thereat she uttered a shrill cry, and called throughout all the town:

Come ye, men and women of Troy, and behold Hector, 705 if ever while yet he lived ye had joy of his coming back from battle; since great joy was he to the city and to all the folk.

Iliad Perseus (Homer. The Iliad of Homer, rendered into English prose for the use of those who cannot read the original. Butler, Samuel, 1835-1902, translator. London: Longmans, Green, and Co, 1898.) — 24.689 focus

689 When he heard this the old man was afraid and roused his servant. Hermes then yoked their horses and mules, and drove them quickly through the host so that no man perceived them. When they came to the ford of eddying Xanthos , begotten of immortal Zeus, Hermes went back to high Olympus , and dawn in robe of saffron began to break over all the land. Priam and Idaios then drove on toward the city lamenting and making moan, and the mules drew the body of Hektor. No one neither man nor woman saw them,

699 till Cassandra, fair as golden Aphrodite standing on Pergamos , caught sight of her dear father in his chariot, and his servant that was the city's herald with him. Then she saw him that was lying upon the bier, drawn by the mules, and with a loud cry she went about the city saying, "Come hither Trojans, men and women, and look on Hektor; if ever you rejoiced to see him coming from battle when he was alive, look now on him that was the glory of our city and all our ."

707 At this there was not man nor woman left in the city, so great a sorrow [ penthos] had possessed them. Hard by the gates they met Priam as he was bringing in the body. Hektor's wife and his mother were the first to mourn him: they flew towards the wagon and laid their hands upon his head, while the crowd stood weeping round them. They would have stayed before the gates, weeping and lamenting the livelong day to the going down of the sun, had not Priam spoken to them from the chariot and said, "Make way for the mules to pass you. Afterwards when I have taken the body home you shall have your fill of weeping."

718 On this the people stood asunder, and made a way for the wagon. When they had borne the body within the house they laid it upon a bed and seated minstrels round it to lead the dirge, whereon the women joined in the sad music of their lament. Foremost among them all Andromache led their wailing as she clasped the head of mighty Hektor in her embrace. "Husband," she cried, "you have died young, and leave me in your house a widow; he of whom we are the ill-starred parents is still a mere child, and I fear he may not reach manhood. Ere he can do so our city will be razed and overthrown, for you who watched over it are no more - you who were its savior, the guardian of our wives and children. Our women will be carried away captives to the ships, and I among them; while you, my child, who will be with me will be put to some unseemly tasks, working for a cruel master. Or, may be,

736 some Achaean will hurl you (O miserable death) from our walls, to avenge some brother, son, or father whom Hektor 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 Hektor, sorrow unutterable to your parents, and my own grief [penthos] 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."

746 Bitterly did she weep the while, and the women joined in her lament. Hecuba in her turn took up the strains of woe. "Hektor," 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 Imbros or rugged Lemnos ; and when he had taken away with his sword your life-breath [ psukhê] as well, many a time did he drag you round the sepulcher [ sêma] of his comrade - though this could not give him life - yet here you lie all fresh as dew, and comely as one whom Apollo has slain with his painless shafts."

760 Thus did she too speak through her tears with bitter moan, and then Helen for a third time took up the strain of lamentation. "Hektor," said she, "dearest of all my brothers-in-law-for I am wife to Alexander who brought me hither to Troy - would that I had died ere he did so - twenty years are come 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-law - for Priam was as kind to me as though he were my own father - you 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."

776 She wept as she spoke and the vast population [ dêmos] 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."

English (Butler, rev. Nagy et al., 2020) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Butler, rev. Nagy et al., 2020)) — 24.677 focus

And now both gods and mortals were fast asleep through the livelong night, but upon Hermes alone, the bringer of good luck, [680] sleep could take no hold for he was thinking all the time how to get King Priam away from the ships without his being seen by the strong force of sentinels. He hovered therefore over Priam’s head and said, “Sir, now that Achilles has spared your life, you seem to have no fear about sleeping in the thick of your foes. [685] You have paid a great ransom, and have received the body of your son; were you still alive and a prisoner the sons whom you have left at home would have to give three times as much to free you; and so it would be if Agamemnon and the other Achaeans were to know of your being here.”

[690] When he heard this the old man was afraid and roused his servant. Hermes then yoked their horses and mules, and drove them quickly through the army so that no man perceived them. When they came to the ford of eddying Xanthos, begotten of immortal Zeus, Hermes went back to high Olympus, [695] and dawn in robe of saffron began to break over all the land. Priam and Idaios then drove on toward the city lamenting and making moan, and the mules drew the body of Hector. No one neither man nor woman saw them, till Kassandra, fair as golden Aphrodite [700] standing on Pergamon, caught sight of her dear father in his chariot, and his servant that was the city’s herald with him. Then she saw him that was lying upon the bier, drawn by the mules, and with a loud cry she went about the city saying, “Come here Trojans, men and women, and look on Hector; [705] if ever you rejoiced to see him coming from battle when he was alive, look now on him that was the glory of our city and all our people.”

English (William Cullen Bryant, 1870) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (William Cullen Bryant, 1870)) — 24.677 focus

And all the other gods and men who fought

In chariots gave themselves to slumber, save

Beneficent Hermes; sleep came not to him,

For still he meditated how to bring

860

King Priam back from the Achaian fleet

Unnoticed by the watchers at the gate.

So at the monarch's head he stood, and spake: —

"O aged king, thou givest little heed

To danger, sleeping thus amid thy foes,

865

Because Achilles spares thee. Thou hast paid

Large ransom for thy well-beloved son,

And yet the sons whom thou hast left in Troy

Would pay three times that ransom for thy life,

Should Agamemnon, son of Atreus, learn -

870

Or any of the Greeks - that thou art here."

He spake: the aged king in fear awaked

The herald. Hermes yoked the steeds and mules,

And drave them quickly through the camp unmarked

By any there. But when they reached the ford

875

Where Xanthus, progeny of Jupiter,

Rolls the smooth eddies of his stream, the god

Departed for the Olympian height, and Morn

In saffron robes o'erspread the Earth with light.

Townward they urged the steeds, and as they went

880

Sorrowed and wailed: the mules conveyed the dead,

And they were seen by none of all the men

And graceful dames of Troy save one alone.

Cassandra, beautiful as Venus, stood

On Pergamus, and from its height discerned

885

Her father, standing on the chariot-seat,

And knew the herald, him whose voice so oft

Summoned the citizens, and knew the dead

Stretched on a litter drawn by mules. She raised

Her voice, and called to all the city thus: -

890

"O Trojan men and women, hasten forth

To look on Hector, if ye e'er rejoiced

To see him coming from the field alive,

The pride of Troy, and all who dwell in her."

English (Alexander Pope, 1720, ed. Watson, 1857) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Alexander Pope, 1720, ed. Watson, 1857)) — 24.677 focus

Now gods and men the gifts of sleep partake;

Industrious Hermes only was awake,

The king's return revolving in his mind,

To pass the ramparts, and the watch to blind.

The power descending hover'd o'er his head,

850

And, ‘Sleep'st thou, father?’ (thus the vision said:)

‘Now dost thou sleep, when Hector is restor'd?

‘Nor fear the Grecian foes, or Grecian lord?

‘Thy presence here should stern Atrides see,

‘Thy still-surviving sons may sue for thee;

855

‘May offer all thy treasures yet contain,

‘To spare thy age; and offer all in vain.’

Wak'd with the word, the trembling sire arose,

And rais'd his friend: the god before him goes:

He joins the mules, directs them with his hand,

860

And moves in silence through the hostile land.

When now to Xanthus' yellow stream they drove,

(Xanthus, immortal progeny of Jove,)

The winged deity forsook their view,

And in a moment to Olympus flew.

865

Now shed Aurora round her saffron ray,

Sprung through the gates of light, and gave the day.

Charg'd with their mournful load to Ilion go

The sage and king, majestically slow.

Cassandra first beholds, from Ilion's spire,

870

The sad procession of her hoary sire;

Then, as the pensive pomp advanc'd more near,

(Her breathless brother stretch'd upon the bier,)

A shower of tears o'erflows her beauteous eyes,

Alarming thus all Ilion with her cries:

875

‘Turn here your steps, and here your eyes employ,

‘Ye wretched daughters, and ye sons of Troy!

‘If e'er ye rush'd in crowds, with vast delight,

‘To hail your hero glorious from the fight;

‘Now meet him dead, and let your sorrows flow!

880

‘Your common triumph, and your common woe.’

English (Thomas Hobbes, 1667, ed. Molesworth 1843) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Hobbes, 1667, ed. Molesworth 1843)) — 24.677 focus

The other Gods and men slept all the night;

645

But sleep approached not to Hermes' eyes,

But thinking lay on Priam, how he might

Conduct him safely from his enemies.

Then up he rose, and went to Priam's head,

And to him said, HOt Priam, sleep you here ?

650

Since you redeem'd have Hector's body dead,

You think you nothing farther have to fear.

Although you for him paid a lusty price,

Yet if alive Atrides find you here,

Your sons and friends shall pay that value thrice.

655

This said, he suddenly awak'd with fear,

And calling to Idaeus made him rise.

Then Hermes to the waggon and the car,

Himself the lab'ring mules and horses ties.

And now into their seats they mounted are,

660

And through the Argive camp then Hermes drove

Unseen, till past Scamander ford they were;

Then Hermes left them and return'd to Jove.

And now the morning was display'd and clear.

Then sighing, on they went to Ilium,

665

But were by neither man nor woman spied,

Till up into the tow'r of Pergamum

Cassandra went, and thence she them discried,

And weeping, to the people cried, and said,

Ye men and women all of Ilium,

670

If ever you at Hector's coming joy'd,

Run to the gates; I see him hither come.

English (William Cowper, 1791, ed. Southey) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (William Cowper, 1791, ed. Southey)) — 24.677 focus

Now all, all night, by gentle sleep subdued,

845

Both Gods and chariot-ruling warriors lay,

But not the benefactor of mankind,

Hermes; him sleep seized not, but deep he mused

How likeliest from amid the Greecian fleet

He might deliver by the guard unseen

850

The King of Ilium; at his head he stood

In vision, and the senior thus bespake.

Ah heedless and secure! hast thou no dread

Of mischief, ancient King, that thus by foes

Thou sleep'st surrounded, lull'd by the consent

855

And sufferance of Achilles? Thou hast given

Much for redemption of thy darling son,

But thrice that sum thy sons who still survive

Must give to Agamemnon and the Greeks

For thy redemption, should they know thee here.

860

He ended; at the sound alarm'd upsprang

The King, and roused his herald. Hermes yoked

Himself both mules and steeds, and through the camp

Drove them incontinent, by all unseen.

Soon as the windings of the stream they reach'd,

865

Deep-eddied Xanthus, progeny of Jove,

Mercury the Olympian summit sought,

And saffron-vested morn o'erspread the earth.

They, loud lamenting, to the city drove

Their steeds; the mules close follow'd with the dead.

870

Nor warrior yet, nor cinctured matron knew

Of all in Ilium aught of their approach,

Cassandra sole except. She, beautiful

As golden Venus, mounted on the height

Of Pergamus, her father first discern'd,

875

Borne on his chariot-seat erect, and knew

The herald heard so oft in echoing Troy;

Him also on his bier outstretch'd she mark'd,

Whom the mules drew. Then, shrieking, through the streets

She ran of Troy, and loud proclaim'd the sight.

880

Ye sons of Ilium and ye daughters, haste,

Haste all to look on Hector, if ye e'er

With joy beheld him, while he yet survived,

From fight returning; for all Ilium erst

In him, and all her citizens rejoiced.

885

New Alexandria Commentaries

Douglas Frame

brief analysis of the importance of ‘returning’ in this scene

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cited as evidence for the well recognized notion that Priam’s ransom of Hector in Iliad XXIV is represented as a journey to the underworld and a consequent “return to life”

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reference to same lines in similar thematic connection in Il. XXIV.328

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reference to location and time (sunset) of Herme’s meeting with Priam, the tomb if Ilus. Indication of Priam’s ransom of Hector as a to the underworld and consequent ‘return to life’ [MRBTP: 'ff']

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quoted and translated; analysis of the role of nóos in the encounter between Priam and Hermes

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quoted and translated; analysis of the role of nóos in the encounter between Priam and Hermes

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quoted and translated; analysis of the role of nóos in the encounter between Priam and Hermes

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quoted and translated; analysis of the role of nóos in the encounter between Priam and Hermes

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brief analysis of the importance of ‘returning’ in this scene, as indicated by Athena’s words to Diomedes, nóstou dḕmnēsat

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analysis of Solon’s familiarity with the Homeric epics and their correspondence in language and theme with Solon fr. 4 West

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reference to the connection between the captured horses of Diomedes and Odysseus and the ‘the rays of the sun’

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Gregory Nagy

The Iliad ends with the funeral of Hector, not of Achilles. And it is Hector, not Achilles, who is lamented at the end. But it is Achilles who makes it all happen, since he has transcended his rage and has shown mercy to an old father. The tears of Priam had made Achilles think of his own old father, of his own ancestors—and of Patroklos, who embodied the glories of the ancestors. Achilles was looking bad at the beginning of Iliad 23 and even at the beginning of Iliad 24, but he looks very good by the time Iliad 24 comes to a close.

draft js image error Mourners lament as Hector’s corpse is laid out in preparation for the funeral that closes Iliad Rhapsody 24. Copperplate etching (1795) by Tommaso Piroli, after a drawing (1793) by John Flaxman. Image via Wikimedia Commons.

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In speaking to Priam, the god Hermes disguises himself as a therapōn of Achilles. It is as if he were the spirit of the dead Patroklos, the other self of Achilles himself.

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See again the comment on I.24.393.

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See the anchor comment at O.07.256.

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Here it is Alkimos who is called ozos Arēos ‘attendant of Ares’. See the anchor comment at I.12.188.

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While Priam mourns for his own son Hector, Achilles alternates in mourning for his own father Priam and for Patroklos as his own other self. By mourning for both his father and for Patroklos, Achilles shows the way—showing how to mourn for ancestors. Do as I do. Relevant is what the “speaking name” (nomen loquens) of Patroklos means: ‘he who has the glory [kleos] of the ancestors [pateres]’. See the comments on I.01.345, I.06.209, I.09.185–191. Such a meaning signals the basic fact that one’s father is one’s most immediate ancestor. The kleos ‘glory’ of Achilles is thus linked, for all time to come, with a poetic glory that originates from the ancestors.

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verses matching these quoted in the Derveni Papyrus and considered by the commentator as Orphic (Obbink 1997:41n4)

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The two heroes Automedon and Alkimos are both marked as therapontes of Achilles, I.24.573, by virtue of this detail: Achilles honored the two of them more than anyone else after the death of Patroklos, I.24.574–575 (tīein ‘honor’ at I.24.575). Here they are acting as the attendants of Achilles, I.24.576–580.

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analysis of petrified characters, here in Niobe’s story, and Aristarchus’ analysis of 611 in the passage as Homeric but 614-617 as non-Homeric

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analysis and comparison of the different traditions about the children of Niobe, here the Iliadic one according to which they all were killed (contra an Argive one, according to which two were saved by Leto), in the context of analyzing Pausanias

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analysis of locating the realm of Tantalos in Pausanias and comparison with the Iliad

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reference to the fact that númphē can mean not only “goddess,” as here, but also “bride.” See Il. XVIII.492

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Leonard Muellner

in a list of passages with eukhesthai + infinitive (aorist)

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analysis of the attestations of eukhesthai + aorist infinitive (and the series to which this verse belongs)

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analysis of the traditionality of the collocation of eukhesthai and spendein

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analysis of the ambiguity in the meaning of eukhesthai in this verse (‘make a wish,’ ‘pledge, promise,’ ‘boast’), discussion of Benveniste’s analysis of the collocations of spendein and eukhesthai

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analysis of the versatility of poetic technique to report prayers (invocation, grant of favor, request of favor)

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analysis of the section I of the classification of the attestations of eukhesthai + dative (consistent inflection but apparently irregular metrical position of eukhesthai)

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in a list of examples of eukhesthai + dative (sacral)

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analysis of the development of the meaning of Latin spendō, in the context of analyzing the development of uoueō/eukhesthai

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example of a transformation of the themes in a prayer, in the context of the analysis of composition by theme in prayers, which can be amplified or minimized according to circumstances

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comment on eukhomenos and epos being traditionally and syntactically bound together, despite the separate existence of epos ēuda# as in this verse

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example of a transformation of the themes in a prayer, in the context of the analysis of composition by theme in prayers, which can be amplified or minimized according to circumstances

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comment on overlap between Hermes and Athena (here, Athena’s wearing Hermes’ sandals), in the context of analyzing her reminding of Hermes in O.13.221ff.

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comparison of Greek formulas for asking a person’s identity with Avestan and Indic parallels, as well as genos eukhesthai einai formulas

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comparison of Greek formulas for asking a person’s identity with Avestan and Indic parallels, as well as genos eukhesthai einai formulas

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analysis of the emotional claim Priam makes on Achilles as effective in turning each of them toward his own pain

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analysis of the emotional claim Priam makes on Achilles as effective in turning each of them toward his own pain

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comment on Priam’s exceptional behavior in kissing the hands of Achilles

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analysis of the emotional claim Priam makes on Achilles as effective in turning each of them toward his own pain

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analysis of Achilles’ extension of the notion of philotēs and seeing their encounter through Priam’s eyes

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analysis of Achilles’ extension of the notion of philotēs and seeing their encounter through Priam’s eyes

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analysis of the delicacy of the situation and the exchange between Achilles and Priam nearly not succeeding

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analysis of the exchange between Achilles and Priam nearly not succeeding and the difference in the perspectives of Achilles and Priam

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analysis of the delicacy of the situation and the exchange between Achilles and Priam nearly not succeeding

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analysis of the delicacy of the situation and the exchange between Achilles and Priam nearly not succeeding

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analysis of the teleology of Achilles’ mēnis and enacting his humanness in Achilles’ partaking of food (here), sleeping with a woman, and sharing in kēdea (Hektor’s funeral)

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Richard Martin

Achilles' words to Priam as the poem ends (24.518-51) are a mixture of reproach, pity, and encouragement: Priam is a "wretch" and foolish, with an "iron heart," to have dared approach the Achaean camp alone. Achilles directs him gently, however, to sit, mourn, and ultimately endure (line 549, anskheo forming a ring-composition with line 518, anskheo). These words are introduced as winged words. The triumph of this conclusion is tonal: enemies can exchange winged words without a killing (Martin 1993:34).

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Memory plays the pivotal role in the final scene of the poem, as Achilles recalls Peleus on seeing Priam, and joins the old man in weeping (24.518-51). The jars of Zeus and Niobe's grief arise in his recollection as transparent myths, nor do we feel (as with Diomedes) that these are stories meant to sway Priam. Memory bonds them, rather—except in one disturbing moment. Priam, hurrying Achilles to bring the corpse of Hektor, mentions the many gifts brought as ransom. If any piece of evidence is needed to confirm that Achilles had heard Agamemnon's offer in Book 9, it is here. For the words of Priam spark a dangerous shift in Achilles' mood precisely because Agamemnon had made the same mistake, as if mere goods could persuade Achilles. Achilles responds in language ironically echoing Agamemnon's original refusal to honor another old man's request (compare 24.560 and 1.32, mēketi m'erethize / mē m'erethize). Unlike Agamemnon, he relents. But this final touch of characterization by discourse style tells an audience that Achilles has full mastery of the genre of recollections, whether of injury or grief (Martin 1993:144-45).

For the broader analysis of Achilles' strategy of rebuking by recollection, see the comment on Iliad 9.646-647.

References

Martin, R. P. 1993. The Language of Heroes: Speech and Performance in the Iliad. Ithaca.

source

Homer Iliad 24.677

ed. George Chapman

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