car. But when they reached the lofty tent of Achilles, which the Mymidons had reared for their king, lopping fir timbers; and they roofed it over with a thatched roof, mowing it from the mead, and made a great fence around with thick-set stakes, for their king: one bar only of fir held the door, which, indeed, three Greeks used to fasten, and three used to open the great fastening of the gates; but Achilles even alone used to shoot it. Then, indeed, profitable Mercury opened it for the old man, and led in the splendid presents to swift-footed Achilles; then he descended to the ground, from the chariot, and said:
"O old man, I indeed come, an immortal god, Mercury, to thee; for to thee my father sent me as companion. Yet shall I return indeed, nor be present before the eyes of Achilles; for it would indeed be invidious for an immortal god so openly to aid mortals. But do thou, entering, clasp the knees of the son of Peleus, and supplicate him by his father, and fair-haired mother, and his son; that thou mayest affect his mind."
Thus, indeed, having spoken, Mercury went to lofty Olympus; and Priam leaped from his chariot to the ground, and left Idæus there; but he remained, guarding the steeds and mules; while the old man went straight into the tent, where Achilles, dear to Jove, was sitting. Himself he found within; but his companions sat apart; but two alone, the hero Automedon, and Alcimus, a branch of Mars, standing near, were ministering to him (for, eating and drinking, he had just ceased from food, and the table still remained); but great Priam, entering, escaped his notice, and, standing near, he clasped the knees of Achilles with his hands, and kissed his dreadful man-slaughtering hands, which had slain many sons to him. And as when a dread sense of guilt has seized a man, who, having killed a man in his own country, comes to another people, to [the abode of] some wealthy man,[1] and stupor possesses the spectators; so Achilles wondered, seeing godlike Priam; and the others also wondered, and looked at one another. And Priam, supplicating, spoke, [this] speech:
"Remember thy own father, O Achilles, like unto the gods,
- ↑ Probably for the purpose of purification, although, as has been before observed, Homer does not mention this. Compare my note on Æsch. Eum. p. 187, n. 5, and p. 187, n. 1.
