205
  Around their father, in the hall, his sons
  Their robes with tears water’d, while them amidst
  The hoary King sat mantled, muffled close,
  And on his venerable head and neck
  Much dust was spread, which, rolling on the earth, 210
  He had shower’d on them with unsparing hands. 
  The palace echoed to his daughters’ cries,
  And to the cries of matrons calling fresh
  Into remembrance many a valiant chief
  Now stretch’d in dust, by Argive hands destroy’d. 215
  The messenger of Jove at Priam’s side
  Standing, with whisper’d accents low his ear
  Saluted, but he trembled at the sound. 
    Courage, Dardanian Priam! fear thou nought;
  To thee no prophetess of ill, I come; 220
  But with kind purpose:  Jove’s ambassadress
  Am I, who though remote, yet entertains
  Much pity, and much tender care for thee. 
  Olympian Jove commands thee to redeem
  The noble Hector, with an offering large 225
  Of gifts that may Achilles’ wrath appease. 
  Alone, thou must; no Trojan of them all
  Hath leave to attend thy journey thither, save
  An ancient herald to direct thy mules
  And thy wheel’d litter, and to bring the dead 230
  Back into Ilium, whom Achilles slew. 
  Let neither fear of death nor other fear
  Trouble thee aught, so safe a guard and sure
  He gives thee; Mercury shall be thy guide
  Even to Achilles’ presence in his tent. 235
  Nor will himself Achilles slay thee there,
  Or even permit thy death, but will forbid
  All violence; for he is not unwise
  Nor heedless, no—­nor wilful to offend,
  But will his suppliant with much grace receive. 240
    So spake the swift ambassadress, and went. 
  Then, calling to his sons, he bade them bring
  His litter forth, and bind the coffer on,
  While to his fragrant chamber he repair’d
  Himself, with cedar lined and lofty-roof’d, 245
  A treasury of wonders into which
  The Queen he summon’d, whom he thus bespake. 
    Hecuba! the ambassadress of Jove
  Hath come, who bids me to the Grecian fleet,
  Bearing such presents thither as may soothe 250
  Achilles, for redemption of my son. 
  But say, what seems this enterprise to thee? 
  Myself am much inclined to it, I feel
  My courage prompting me amain toward
  The fleet, and into the Achaian camp. 255
    Then wept the Queen aloud, and thus replied. 
  Ah! whither is thy wisdom fled, for which
  Both strangers once, and Trojans honor’d thee? 
  How canst thou wish to penetrate alone
  The Grecian fleet, and to appear before 260
  His face, by whom so many valiant sons
  Of thine have fallen?  Thou hast an