The great Achilles knew not yet the fate Of his Patroclus, for the warriors fought Far from the fleet, beside the wall of Troy. He never thought of him as one whose death Was near, but trusted that, when once he reached The Trojan wall, he would return alive; Nor ever deemed he that without his aid, Or even with it, would Patroclus sack The city. This was what he oft had heard From Thetis, who disclosed to him apart The counsel of Almighty Jupiter. Yet had his mother never once revealed The present evil⁠—that the one whom most He loved of all his friends should perish thus.

Still round the dead they fought with their keen spears, And slew each other. Then of the mailed Greeks Someone would say: “O friends, it were disgrace Should we fall back upon our roomy ships. First let the dark earth swallow us; for this Were better than to let the Trojan knights Drag off the dead in triumph to their town.”