Penthesilea in the midst of her dead maidens； on a great pile of
dry wood； and placed their ashes in a golden casket； and buried
them all in the great hill…grave of Laomedon； an ancient King of
Troy； while the Greeks with lamentation buried them whom the Amazon
had slain。
The old men of Troy and the chiefs now held a council； and Priam
said that they must not yet despair； for； if they had lost many of
their bravest warriors； many of the Greeks had also fallen。 Their
best plan was to fight only with arrows from the walls and towers；
till King Memnon came to their rescue with a great army of
Aethiopes。 Now Memnon was the son of the bright Dawn； a beautiful
Goddess who had loved and married a mortal man； Tithonus。 She had
asked Zeus； the chief of the Gods； to make her lover immortal； and
her prayer was granted。 Tithonus could not die； but he began to
grow grey； and then white haired； with a long white beard； and very
weak； till nothing of him seemed to be left but his voice； always
feebly chattering like the grasshoppers on a summer day。
Memnon was the most beautiful of men； except Paris and Achilles；
and his home was in a country that borders on the land of
sunrising。 There he was reared by the lily maidens called
Hesperides； till he came to his full strength； and commanded the
whole army of the Aethiopes。 For their arrival Priam wished to
wait； but Polydamas advised that the Trojans should give back Helen
to the Greeks； with jewels twice as valuable as those which she had
brought from the house of Menelaus。 Then Paris was very angry； and
said that Polydamas was a coward； for it was little to Paris that
Troy should be taken and burned in a month if for a month he could
keep Helen of the fair hands。
At length Memnon came； leading a great army of men who had nothing
white about them but the teeth； so fiercely the sun burned on them
in their own country。 The Trojans had all the more hopes of Memnon
because； on his long journey from the land of sunrising； and the
river Oceanus that girdles the round world； he had been obliged to
cross the country of the Solymi。 Now the Solymi were the fiercest
of men and rose up against Memnon； but he and his army fought them
for a whole day； and defeated them； and drove them to the hills。
When Memnon came； Priam gave him a great cup of gold； full of wine
to the brim； and Memnon drank the wine at one draught。 But he did
not make great boasts of what he could do； like poor Penthesilea；
〃for；〃 said he； 〃whether I am a good man at arms will be known in
battle； where the strength of men is tried。 So now let us turn to
sleep； for to wake and drink wine all through the night is an ill
beginning of war。〃
Then Priam praised his wisdom； and all men betook them to bed； but
the bright Dawn rose unwillingly next day； to throw light on the
battle where her son was to risk his fife。 Then Memnon led out the
dark clouds of his men into the plain； and the Greeks foreboded
evil when they saw so great a new army of fresh and unwearied
warriors； but Achilles； leading them in his shining armour； gave
them courage。 Memnon fell upon the left wing of the Greeks； and on
the men of Nestor； and first he slew Ereuthus； and then attacked
Nestor's young son； Antilochus； who； now that Patroclus had fallen；
was the dearest friend of Achilles。 On him Memnon leaped； like a
lion on a kid； but Antilochus lifted a huge stone from the plain； a
pillar that had been set on the tomb of some great warrior long
ago； and the stone smote full on the helmet of Memnon； who reeled
beneath the stroke。 But Memnon seized his heavy spear； and drove
it through shield and corselet of Antilochus； even into his heart；
and he fell and died beneath his father's eyes。 Then Nestor in
great sorrow and anger strode across the body of Antilochus and
called to his other son； Thrasymedes； 〃Come and drive afar this man
that has slain thy brother； for if fear be in thy heart thou art no
son of mine； nor of the race of Periclymenus； who stood up in
battle even against the strong man Heracles！〃
But Memnon was too strong for Thrasymedes； and drove him off； while
old Nestor himself charged sword in hand； though Memnon bade him
begone； for he was not minded to strike so aged a man； and Nestor
drew back； for he was weak with age。 Then Memnon and his army
charged the Greeks； slaying and stripping the dead。 But Nestor had
mounted his chariot and driven to Achilles； weeping； and imploring
him to come swiftly and save the body of Antilochus； and he sped to
meet Memnon； who lifted a great stone； the landmark of a field； and
drove it against the shield of the son of Peleus。 But Achilles was
not shaken by the blow； he ran forward； and wounded Memnon over the
rim of his shield。 Yet wounded as he was Memnon fought on and
struck his spear through the arm of Achilles； for the Greeks fought
with no sleeves of bronze to protect their arms。
Then Achilles drew his great sword； and flew on Memnon； and with
sword…strokes they lashed at each other on shield and helmet； and
the long horsehair crests of the helmets were shorn off； and flew
down the wind； and their shields rang terribly beneath the sword
strokes。 They thrust at each others' throats between shield and
visor of the helmet； they smote at knee； and thrust at breast； and
the armour rang about their bodies； and the dust from beneath their
feet rose up in a cloud around them； like mist round the falls of a
great river in flood。 So they fought； neither of them yielding a
step； till Achilles made so rapid a thrust that Memnon could not
parry it； and the bronze sword passed clean through his body
beneath the breast…bone； and he fell； and his armour clashed as he
fell。
Then Achilles； wounded as he was and weak from loss of blood； did
not stay to strip the golden armour of Memnon； but shouted his
warcry； and pressed on； for he hoped to enter the gate of Troy with
the fleeing Trojans； and all the Greeks followed after him。 So
they pursued； slaying as they went； and the Scaean gate was choked
with the crowd of men； pursuing and pursued。 In that hour would
the Greeks have entered Troy； and burned the city； and taken the
women captive； but Paris stood on the tower above the gate； and in
his mind was anger for the death of his brother Hector。 He tried
the string of his bow； and found it frayed； for all day he had
showered his arrows on the Greeks； so he chose a new bowstring； and
fitted it； and strung the bow； and chose an arrow from his quiver；
and aimed at the ankle of Achilles； where it was bare beneath the
greave； or leg…guard of metal； that the God had fashioned for him。
Through the ankle flew the arrow； and Achilles wheeled round； weak
as he was； and stumbled； and fell； and the armour that the God had
wrought was defiled with dust and blood。
Then Achilles rose again； and cried： 〃What coward has smitten me
with a secret arrow from afar？ Let him stand forth and meet me
with sword and spear！〃 So speaking he seized the shaft with his
strong hands and tore it out of the wound； and much blood gushed；
and darkness came over his eyes。 Yet he staggered forward；
striking blindly； and smote Orythaon； a dear friend of Hector；
through the helmet； and others he smote； but now his force failed
him； and he leaned on his spear； and cried his warcry； and said；
〃Cowards of Troy； ye shall not all escape my spear； dying as I am。〃
But as he spoke he fell； and all his armour rang around him； yet
the Trojans stood apart and watched； and as hunters watch a dying
lion not daring to go nigh him； so the Trojans stood in fear till
Achilles drew his latest breath。 Then from the wall the Trojan
women raised a great cry of joy over him who had slain the noble
Hector： and thus was fulfilled the prophecy of Hector； that
Achilles should fall in the Scaean gateway； by the hand of Paris。
Then the best of the Trojans rushed forth from the gate to seize
the body of Achilles； and his glorious armour； but the Greeks were
as eager to carry the body to the ships that it might have due
burial。 Round the dead Achilles men fought long and sore； and both
sides were mixed； Greeks and Trojans； so that men dared not shoot
arrows from the walls of Troy lest they should kill their own
friends。 Paris； and Aeneas； and Glaucus； who had been the friend
of Sarpedon； led the Trojans； and Aias and Ulysses led the Greeks；
for we are not told that Agamemnon was fighting in this great
battle of the war。 Now as angry wild bees flock round a man who is
taking their honeycombs； so the Trojans gathered round Aias；
striving to stab him； but he set his great shield in front； and
smote and slew all that came within reach of his spear。 Ulysses；
too； struck down many； and though a spear was thrown and pierced
his leg near the knee he stood firm； protecting the body of
Achilles。 At last Ulysses caught the body of Achilles by the
hands； and heaved it upon his back； and so limped towards the
ships； but Aias and the men of Aias followed； turning round if ever
the Trojans ventured to come near； and charging into the midst of
them。 Thus very slowly they bore the dead Achilles across the
plain； through the bodies of the fallen and the blood； till they
met Nestor in his chariot and placed Achilles therein； and swiftly
Nestor drove to the ships。
There the women； weeping； washed Achilles' comely body； and laid
him on a bier with a great white mantle over him； and all the women
lamented and sang dirges； and the first was Briseis； who loved
Achilles better than her own country； and her father； and her
brothers whom he had slain in war。 The Greek princes； too； stood
round the body； weeping and cutting off their long locks of yellow
hair； a token of grief and an offering to the dead。
Men say that forth from the sea came Thetis of the silver feet； the
mother of Achilles； with her ladies； the deathless maidens of the
waters。 They rose up from their glassy chambers below the sea；
moving on； many and beautiful； like the waves on a summer day； and
their sweet song echoed along the shores； and fear came upon the
Greeks。 Then they would have fled； but Nestor cried： 〃Hold； flee
not； young lords of the Achaeans！ Lo； she that