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The English Works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury; Now First Collected and Edited by Sir William Molesworth, Bart., (London: Bohn, 1839-45). 11 vols. Vol. 10.

Author: Homer
Translator: Thomas Hobbes
Editor: Sir William Molesworth

Part of: The English Works of Thomas Hobbes, 11 vols.

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LIB. XVIII.

The grief of Achilles, and new armour made for him by Vulcan.

Whilst at the ships the Greeks and Trojans fought,
Antilochus came to Achilles’ tent,
And found him to the Argive ditch gone out,
Presaging in his mind the sad event,
5And saying to himself, Ah me, what’s this?

The battle to the ships is come again;
Pray God it be not as I fear it is,
The Greeks are routed and Patroclus slain.
My mother told me that the best of all
10The Myrmidons by th’ Trojans should be slain.

I bad him not assault the Trojan wall,
Nor fight with Hector, but come back again.
As speaking to himself Achilles stood,
Antilochus unto him weeping came,
15The news, said he, I bring you is not good;

I cannot without tears relate the same.
Slain is Patroclus. On the ground he lies,
And now they fighting are with swords and spears
Who shall his body have, with mighty cries,
20Though naked; for his armour Hector wears.

At this sad news dark were Achilles’ eyes;
And up he takes the dust with both his hands,
And throws it on his head; then down he lies,
His face and coat sullied with dust and sands,
25And tore his hair. And then the lovely prey

Of captive women, that had taken been
By him and by Patroclus before Troy,
Affrighted from Achilles’ tent came in,
And over him they beat they breasts and moan’d.
30On t’ other side Antilochus was fain

To hold his hands, so mightily he groan’d;
Lest otherwise he should himself have slain.
His mother Thetis hearing him complain,
Though sitting in the deepest of the seas,
35Wept out aloud, and presently her train

About her came of the Nereiades.
Glauca, Thaleia, and Cymodoca,
Nesæa, Speio, Thoa, Halia,
And Æmioreia, and Cymothoa,
40Melita Iæra, and Amphithoa,

And Doto, Proto, Actæa, Agava,
Doris, Dexamena, Dynamena,
And Callianeira, and Amphinoma,
Pherusa Apseudes, and fair Panopa,
45Nemertes, and the milk-white Galatæa,

And Clymene there was, and Callianassa,
And Mæra, Orithvia, and glorious Amatheia,
And, not to name them all, fair Janassa
With all the rest, and fill’d the silver cave,
50And beat their breasts, and round her stood dismay’d.

And Thetis then th’ account unto them gave
Of her great grief, and thus unto them said:
Hear me, Nereiades, my sisters dear,
And be acquainted with my misery.
55Ah, wretched Goddess that I was, to bear

The best of all the heroes; and when he
Was quickly grown up to a goodly height,
Send him unto the war at Ilium
Against the Trojans for the Greeks to fight,
60From whence he never should again come home;

But spend his little time of life in woe,
And I can nothing do for his relief.
And now I mean to visit him, and know,
Since he not fights, what cause he hath of grief.
65This said, she with her nymphs went from the cave.

The sea before them her smooth water tore,
And gentle passage to the Goddess gave,
Till they were landed on the Trojan shore,
Where lay Achilles’ ships upon the sand;
70And straight up to Achilles Thetis went,

The nymphs attending on her hand in hand,
And seeing him so grievously lament,
She held him by the head, and to him said,
Why weep you thus, sweet child; what is’t you ail?
75For that which formerly to Jove you prayed

Against th’ ingrateful Greeks, I did prevail.
To th’ ships they have been beaten from the field,
And know in what great need they stand of you,
And have in heaps been by the Trojans kill’d.
80To this Achilles answ’ring said, ’Tis true,

But in my life what pleasure can I find,
Since sweet Patroclus slain is by his foes,
On whom of all men most I set my mind,
And Hector in his arms triumphing goes;
85Those mighty arms, giv’n by the Gods that day

That you were pleas’d a mortal man to wed,
To Peleus. Oh, had you been away,
And he a mortal woman married!
You had not for your son been grieved then,
90That never to you should return again.

Nor do I wish to live with mortal men,
But till I with my spear have Hector slain.
By what you say, said Thetis to her son,
Short-liv’d you are. Your own fate then is nigh.
95I care not, said Achilles, when that’s done

I shall be very well content to die.
For since I never must return again,
And no defence in me Patroclus found,
Nor other good men by the Trojans slain,
100I but a needless weight am to the ground.

Oh that contention lost for ever were,
And choler to the heart of man so sweet,
Which often make the wisest men to err!
In Agamemnon and myself I see’t.
105But since ’tis past, let’s put it out of mind.

For dead he is, and cannot live again.
And now I’ll see if Hector I can find,
That has my dearest friend Patroclus slain,
And then let Jove do what himself thinks good.
110For Hercules could not avoid his fate,

Who most of mortals in his favour stood,
But died by destiny and Juno’s hate;
And so shall I, when my day shall arrive,
Lie still when dead. But now let me gain fame
115Amongst th’ Achæans while I am alive.

And make some Trojan or some Dardan dame
With both her tender hands to tear her cheeks,
And sigh, and with her tears her beauty blot,
And know my hand from that of other Greeks,
120And when I with th’ Achæans am, when not.

And therefore, mother, dearly as you love me,
Endeavour not to make me here abide.
For from my purpose you cannot remove me.
Unto Achilles Thetis then replied,
125Dear child, your purpose I’ll not reprehend,

Patroclus’ body from the foe to save,
Nor that the Argive people you defend.
But now you know your arms the Trojans have,
And Hector weareth them; but shall not long.
130The latest of his days is to him nigh.

But go not you into the bloody throng,
Till here again you have me in your eye.
This said, she turn’d to the Nereiades,
And to them said, Nereiades, dive you
135To Nereus, at the bottom of the seas,

And all you see has happ’ned to him show.
For I up to Olympus must be gone
To Vulcan, if such favour I can gain,
To get a good new armour for my son.
140This said, the nymphs to sea return’d again,

And Thetis to Olympus went her way.
Meanwhile the Greeks before the Trojans fly
With mighty cries, and never stopt till they
Were at the ships, and to the wide sea nigh.
145Nor was Patroclus’ body rescued yet;

For now afresh the Trojans to them came,
Which did another fiercer fight beget,
And Hector fell upon them like a flame.
Thrice laid he hold upon Patroclus’ foot,
150And forc’d he was as oft to let it fall

To kill some others, then again came to’t,
But from the body went not back at all.
No more could Hector driven be away
From the dead body by th’ Ajaxes two,
155Than can a hungry lion from his prey

For anything the herdsmen griev’d can do.
And Hector had Patroclus’ body got,
And gained had thereby a great renown,
But Juno, though the other Gods knew not,
160T’ Achilles in great haste sent Iris down.

T’ Achilles straight she came, and to him said,
Up, terrible Pelides, to the war,
And your beloved friend Patroclus aid;
For at the ships they fighting for him are.
165The Greeks to save his body are in pain,

The Trojans fain would drag him into Troy,
And Hector most of all that has him slain,
And from his shoulders take his head away
And stick it up upon the Trojan wall,
170Leaving his corpse a prey to dog and kite.

Think what reproach will then upon you fall.
Lie then no longer here, but rise and fight.
Achilles then replied. Iris, said he,
Tell me what God or Goddess sent you down.
175Juno, said Iris, sent me; none but she.

To all the rest my coming is unknown.
And then Achilles to her said again,
Since they have got my arms how can I fight?
And Thetis bids me from the war abstain
180Till she return again into my sight,

Who is to Vulcan for new armour gone,
And here’s no other armour for me fit
But Ajax’s; who, I hope, has it on,
And for Patroclus now has use of it.
185We know, said Iris, armour you have none.

But as you are, upon the ditch appear.
The Trojans from the corpse will soon begone,
And leave it to the Greeks for very fear.
This said, the Goddess Iris vanished.
190Achilles rose, and Pallas to him came,

And on him puts her shield, and on his head
A golden cloud, from which arose a flame.
As when an isle invaded is by foes,
The citizens to call their neighbours in
195Make fires, the smoke up to the heaven goes

By day; by night the flame; and far are seen;
Upon Achilles’ head stood such a flame,
And then unto the ditch he went and shouted,
And farther off Athena did the same.
200The Trojans, when they heard it, strait were routed.

As clear as any trumpet in the wars,
They heard Achilles’ voice, and were afraid,
And in disorder turn’d about their cars,
But at his flaming head were most dismay’d.
205Thrice shouted he, thrice they disorder’d were;

And slain were of the Trojans twelve brave men
By their own cars and spears encumber’d there.
In so much haste they turn’d to fly. And then
The Greeks the body laid upon a bed
210And bier, and standing by his side lament.

And tears abundance there Achilles shed,
And that he sent him had did now repent.
The sun by Juno hasten’d quench’d his fire;
The Argives on the place stay quietly;
215The Trojans to without the ditch retire,

And from the cars the weary steeds untie.
Then presently the chiefs to counsel call
Before they sup, and standing on their feet,
This apparition so scar’d them all,
220That none amongst them had a mind to sit.

And first unto them spake Polydamas
Panthoides, Hector’s friend; both born one night.
He better counsellor than Hector was,
But Hector better was than he to fight.
225My friends, be well advised now, said he,

It is not safe here on the plain to stay
Until the morning light again we see,
So near the Argive ships, so far from Troy.
Whilst this man absent was in discontent
230With Agamemnon, and forbore to fight,

The Greeks were easy foes; to th’ ships I went
Myself, and willingly lay out all night;
But if Achilles hither now should come,
We must not only here fight for our lives;
235So proud he is, he’ll go to Ilium,

And for the city fight and for our wives.
Let’s to the city go. ’Tis as I say,
And nothing keeps him from us but the night.
And if he here shall find us when ’tis day,
240Some of us will acknowledge I say right.

And many flying, wish, when ’tis too late,
They were within the walls of Ilium,
Whom dogs and kites shall eat without the gate.
But to my ears may never such news come.
245But if you will be ruled all by me,

Into the market-place of Troy by night
We’ll bring our strength, and, soon as we can see,
Stand arm’d upon the tow’rs prepar’d to fight.
Then let him from the ships come fight at Troy,
250And drive about the walls and do his worst,

And having tir’d his horses go away;
Take it he shall not, dogs shall eat him first.
Then Hector frowning on him, thus replies:
Again, said he, I from you must dissent,
255Since you to shut ourselves in Troy advise.

We have already there too long been pent.
Troy once was counted rich in brass and gold;
But since Jove angry was, all that is gone,
In Phrygia and in Mœonia sold,
360And little left in Ilium to be won;

But since the Greeks are beaten and dismay’d
By th’ hand of Jove, your fear is out of season,
Nor will you by the Trojans be obey’d,
Nor shall you; though the Trojans thought it reason.
265And therefore take my counsel, which is this.

Go now and ev’ry man his supper take
In rank and file there where he placed is;
And set good guards, and keep yourselves awake.
If any Trojan for his goods lament,
270He may the same upon the town bestow

In service of the public to be spent,
Rather than be possessed by the foe;
And armed in the morn go to the fleet,
And sharply charge the Greeks by break of day.
275And if indeed Achilles there we meet,

He were not best oppose us in our way;
For from him I will neither fly nor shrink,
But either honour from him bear away,
Or he from me. Mars common is, I think,
280To them that fight; and slain are they that slay.

This said, the Trojans heard with great applause,
Fools as they were; Pallas had made them mad.
But none of them commend Polydamas,
That given them much better counsel had.
285The Trojans presently to supper went,

The Greeks all night about Patroclus stand;
And there began Achilles to lament.
And on Patroclus’ breast he laid his hand.
As when a lion coming to his den,
290Misses the tender whelps he left behind,

He roars, and furiously goes out again,
And through the vallies hunts, the thief to find;
Such fierce thoughts on Achilles’ heart then lay,
And sighing, to the Myrmidons he spake:
295Oh, what did I to old Menœtius say!

How vain a promise did I to him make;
I said, when we had sack’d the town of Troy,
That I to Opus would bring back his son,
Enriched with his portion of the prey.
300But all we hope from Jove is seldom done.

For both of us have the same destiny,
With our heart’s blood to dye the Trojan plain,
And as he lieth now, so shall I lie,
And never to my parents come again.
305But since, Patroclus, you the first are dead,

Your funeral I will not celebrate,
Till I have brought you Hector’s arms and head,
Whose bloody hand deliver’d your sad fate,
And have twelve of the noble youths of Troy
310Beheaded in revenge. Till then stay here,

Where Trojan captive women, night and day
Bewailing you, shall stand about the bier.
This said, he order gave for water hot,
To cleanse Patroclus’ body from the gore.
315Into a cauldron, said he, water put,

And make a fire, and set the cauldron o’er.
Into a cauldron water then they put,
And made a fire, and set the cauldron o’er.
The flame about it goes; the water’s hot.
320Then washed from the body was the gore,

And then again they laid him on the bed;
From head to foot in linen they him fold,
And on him laid a fair white coverlid,
His wounds first fill’d with unguent nine years old.
325About the body of Patroclus stay’d

Achilles and the Myrmidons, all night
Lamenting him. Then Jove to Juno said,
You have Achilles brought again to fight
Against the Trojans, on the Argives’ side.
330Are they your children, that you love them so?

And Juno then to Jupiter replied:
Harsh Cronides, what words do you let go?
Since mortal men, that know much less than we,
May to a friend do good, and hate a foe,
335Why may not I, that boast myself to be

The wife and sister of great Jove, do so,
And make my foes, the Trojans, feel my hate?
Whilst Jove and Juno were discoursing thus,
The Goddess Thetis come was to the gate
340Of Vulcan’s undecaying famous house

Of shining brass, with brighter stars thick set,
That ’mongst the houses of the heaven shone.
But he was at his work-house in a sweat,
And at his bellows swaying up and down.
345For tripods twenty he had laboured,

With golden wheels, to go and come again
At his command; but had not finished
The ears and chains, which he was making then.
And whilst this bus’ness Vulcan was about,
350Thetis was come, and at the gate did stand.

And Charis, Vulcan’s wife, then going out,
Saw her, and straightway took her by the hand.
Thetis, said she, ’tis strange to see you here;
Much honour’d, and a welcome guest you are,
355Come in, and pleased be t’ accept our cheer.

Then led her in and brought her to a chair,
A dainty chair, with foot-stool join’d thereto,
And then unto her husband’s shop she hied,
For, Thetis, said she, you have work to do.
360And Vulcan, glad, to Charis thus replied:

Is Thetis here, that sav’d me from mishap!
When for my lameness thrown down from the sky,
Thetis was pleas’d to catch me in her lap,
When else I had been in great misery.
365I wrought for her, and for Eurynome,

Nine years, and made them many pretty things,
Within a rock encompass’d by the sea,
As buckles, clasps, fine boxes, beads, and rings,
Which neither mortal nor immortal knew,
370But only Thetis and Eurynome.

And now to Thetis I must pay what’s due,
The ransom of my life, for saving me.
Go you, and entertain her well, while I
My tools take up, and bellows set away.
375This said, the bellows he took and set by,

But in a chest his working tools did lay.
Then with a sponge he wip’d his hands and face,
His brawny neck, and hairy breast, and on
He puts his coat, and with his staff, apace,
380Though halting goes, and waited was upon

By maids of massy gold, endu’d with wit,
And speech, and strength, and learn’d in heav’nly art;
And went to Thetis and did by her sit,
And joyful at her presence was his heart,
385And laid his hand on hers, and to her said,

Thetis, so welcome to me there is none;
Tell me wherein you think I can you aid,
And if it can be done, it shall be done.
And then to Vulcan Thetis answered:
390No Goddess ever was distress’d like me,

Whom Jove made subject to a mortal’s bed,
And Peleus’ wife constrained me to be,
Who lies at home decrepid now and spent,
And when I borne unto him had a son,
395Of all the heroes the most excellent,

And of his breeding care omitted none,
And when he grown was to a goodly height,
He sent was to the war at Ilium,
Against the Trojans for the Greeks to fight;
400From whence he never shall again come home.

Though yet he live, he takes therein no joy,
And I to comfort him no power have,
Since Agamemnon taken has away
Her whom the Greeks for honour to him gave.
405And then my son no longer would him aid;

And by the Trojans beaten were the Greeks;
And Agamemnon then sent gifts, and pray’d,
And by ambassadors his favour seeks.
Then though to th’ fight himself he would not go,
410Yet he his armour to Patroclus gave,

And Myrmidons t’ assist him ’gainst the foe,
And to the Scæan gate the Trojans drave.
And by Patroclus taken had been Troy,
Had he not then been by Apollo slain,
415That unto Hector gave a glorious day,

And th’ armour of my valiant son to gain.
Which makes me now come hither, to request
That you would make new armour for my son,
A shield, a helmet, armour for the breast,
420And for the legs; for those he had are gone.

Then to her answer’d Vulcan, Do not fear.
Oh, that when for him the harsh Fates enquire,
To hide him from them I as able were
As make him arms, for mortals to admire.
425This said, unto his shop he went, and bad

His golden serving statues blow the fire.
For twenty bellowses in all he had
To blow as he should, and his work require.
And then into the fire he threw in tin,
430And brass, and silver fine, and precious gold;

And to the socket puts the anvil in,
And th’ heavy hammer in one hand did hold,
Into his other hand the tongs he takes,
And forges first a mighty shield and strong,
435And many various figures in it makes,

And fastens to the same a silver thong,
And bound the edge about with triple brass.
The shield itself consisted of five plies,
And with great art described in it was
440The surface of the earth, the sea and skies,

The sun, the moon at full, and all the train
Of heaven, Pleiades, and Hyades,
Orion, and the bear, men call the Wain,
That only never dives into the seas,
445But always to Orion has an eye.

And in it were two cities. In the one
Good cheer and weddings, and great melody,
And women at their doors stand looking on
To see the bridegroom as he passed by,
450And lusty youths, that dancing with them go,

To citterns and to pipes, and Hymen cry,
And turn as swift as tops upon the toe.
And full of people was the market-place,
Assembled at the hearing of a cause.
455A man was slain. And this was then the case.

One said that he had satisfied the laws,
The other said that nothing he had paid;
And on this issue they will both be tried,
And have their proofs before the judges laid,
460And clamour great of friends was on each side.

The cryers when they stilled had the cry,
Into the judges’ hands their sceptres gave,
And in the midst, of gold two talents lie,
For him that has the better cause to have.
465Before the other town two armies stood.

The foe resolved was to plunder it;
The town, to save it, offer’d half their good,
The other to accept it thought not fit.
Then up unto the walls the towns-men sent
470Their women, children, and their men grown old,

And all the rest out from the city went,
And Mars and Pallas with them, all in gold,
And taller than the multitude by odds,
Who in respect of them seem’d very low,
475For men are much inferior to the Gods.

Then they before the gate to council go.
The enemies themselves in ambush laid
At th’ watering place upon the river’s brink,
And scouts sent out, which not far from them staid,
480To tell them when the cattle came to drink.

And when they were informed they were nigh,
And shepherds two, that did suspect no harm,
They on the shepherds and the cattle fly.
At which the other army took th’ alarm,
485And rising up from council, with their horse

Pursued, and soon they overtaken were,
And then began the fight. Without remorse
They one another slay with sword and spear.
And there disorder plac’d was and debate;
490And one borne wounded out, another found,

Another dead was dragg’d away by Fate,
With bloody coat and armour on the ground.
So lively seemed to the eye their features,
In fighting and in fetching off their slain,
495One would have thought they had been living creatures,

And that the fight had real been. Again
Describ’d was in the same a spacious ground,
And men at plough; and at each ridge’s end,
At turning of the plough about, they found
500A man that for them did with wine attend.

And then again the plough about they wind,
And lab’ring to the other end go back;
And as they plough, still what they leave behind,
Though golden ’twas, to th’ eye appeared black;
505A wonder ’twas. Besides, in the same shield

Pourtrayed, was a goodly close of wheat,
And many reapers working on the field,
That threw it to the ground in handfuls great;
And boys that follow’d took it from the ground,
510And put it in the hands of binders three,

By whom they made were into sheaves and bound,
Which standing by, their lord was glad to see.
His squires not far off standing were aside;
And at a tree a cow kill’d of the best,
515A supper for the reapers to provide,

And to the women gave it to be dress’d.
And in’t a golden vineyard was pourtray’d:
The grapes that on it hung were black, and all
The vines supported and from drooping staid
520With silver props, that down they could not fall.

A ditch there was about it black, and on
The same a hedge, the colour of it tin,
And path unto it there was only one,
By which the fruit in vintage was brought in.
525And on it boys and girls described were,

After a fiddle play’d on by a boy,
That sing, dance, whistle, and full baskets bear,
Of Bacchus’ gifts, unto the house with joy.
And in it was a herd of bulls and kine,
530Part gold, part tin, and herds-men four of gold,

That to the pasture drave them with dogs nine,
T’ a sedgy river; where two lions bold
Upon the horned herd came from a wood,
And ’mongst the foremost seiz’d upon a bull;
535The dogs went to them near, and barking stood:

Then roars the bull. The lions tear and pull.
And in the same he pasture made for sheep
Within a valley large, with lodges good,
And folds, and cover’d houses them to keep
540In safety from the wild beasts of the wood.

And in it was a dancing place pourtray’d,
Like that which Dædalus had made before
For Ariadne, while in Crete he staid,
And on it dancing youths and maidens store
545Go hand in hand. The girls, some clad in fine

White linen were, and some in coats well spun
Of glossy wool, that with the oil did shine;
And ev’ry one a garland gay had on.
The boys with silver hangers were adorn’d,
550And golden swords, and with their well-taught feet

Sometimes they dancing in a circle turn’d,
Sometimes divided in two ranks they meet.
And round about of people stood a throng,
And in the lovely dance took great delight.
555And in the midst two tumblers sung the song,

And many wond’rous things did in their sight.
With the ocean then he all environed.
The shield now done, he went about the rest,
And made a helmet strong fit for his head,
560And formed was of massy gold the crest,

And breast-plate shining brighter than the fire,
And pieces for his legs of ductile tin.
And when he all had done to his desire,
He from his forge return’d, and brought it in,
565And in the hands of Thetis puts the same;

Which she received from him joyfully.
Then straightway from Olympus down she came,
As swift as at a fowl a hawk can fly.

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LIB. XVIII. - Homer, The English Works, vol. X (Iliad and Odyssey) [1839]

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LIB. XVIII.