Achilles and the Myrmidons do honours to the body of Patroclus. After the funeral feast he retires to the sea shore, where, falling asleep, the ghost of his friend appears to him, and demands the rites of burial: the next morning the soldiers are sent with mules and waggons to fetch wood for the pyre. The funeral procession, and the offering their hair to the dead. Achilles sacrifices several animals, and lastly, twelve Trojan captives, at the pile; then sets fire to it. He pays libations to the winds, which, at the instance of Iris, rise, and raise the flame. When the pile has burned all night, they gather the bones, place them in an urn of gold, and raise the tomb. Achilles
institutes the funeral games: the chariot race, the fight of the cæstus, the wrestling, the foot-race, the single combat, the discus, the shooting with arrows, the darting the javelin: the various descriptions of which, and the various success of the several antagonists, make the greatest part of the book.".
In this book ends the thirtieth day: the night following, the ghost of Patroclus appears to Achilles: the one-and-thirtieth day is employed in felling the timber for the pile; the two-and -thirtieth in burning it; and the three-and-thirtieth in the games. The scene is generally on the sea-shore.
Thus humbled In the dust, the pensive train
Through the sad city mourned her hero slain.
The body soiled with dust, and black with gore,
Lies on broad Hellespont's resounding shore:
The Grecians seek their ships, and clear the strand,
All, but the martial Myrmidonian band:
These yet assembled great Achilles holds,
And the stern purpose of his mind unfolds: "Not yet, my brave companions of the war,
Release your smoking coursers from the car;
But with his chariot each in order led,
Perform due honours to Patroclus dead;
Ere yet from rest or food we seek relief,
Some rites remain, to glut our rage of grief." The troops obeyed; and thrice in order led,
Achilles first, their coursers round the dead,
And thrice their sorrows and laments renew;
Tears bathe their arms, and tears the sands bedew.
