The Iliad of Homer

by Homer

Zeus strained tight above Patroklos that day. But the brilliant Achilleus did not yet know at all that Patroklos had fallen. Since now the men were fighting far away from the fast ships under the Trojan wall, and Achilleus had no expectation 405 that Patroklos was dead, but thought he was alive and close under the gates, and would come back. He had not thought that Patroklos would storm the city without himself, nor with himself either; for often he had word from his mother, not known to mortals; she was ever telling him what was the will of great Zeus; but this time 410 his mother did not tell Achilleus of all the evil that had been done, nor how his dearest companion had perished.

Tall Priam came in unseen by the other men and stood close beside him and caught the knees of Achilleus in his arms, and kissed the hands that were dangerous and manslaughtering and had killed so many 480 of his sons. As when dense disaster closes on one who has murdered a man in his own land, and he comes to the country of others, to a man of substance, and wonder seizes on those who behold him, so Achilleus wondered as he looked on Priam, a godlike man, and the rest of them wondered also, and looked at each other.