Explore "The Story of the Iliad" by Alfred John Church on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
Now Patroclus stood by Achilles, weeping bitterly. Then said Achilles: "What ails thee, Patroclus, that thou weepest like a girl-child that runs along by her mother's side, and would be taken up, holding her gown, and looking at her with tearful eyes till she lift her in her arms? Hast thou heard evil news from home? Or art thou weeping for the Greeks, because they perish for their folly?"
Then said Patroclus: "Be not wroth with me, great Achilles, for indeed the Greeks are in grievous straits, and all their bravest are wounded, and still thou cherishest thy wrath. If thou goest not to the battle, fearing some warning from the gods, let me go, and thy Myrmidons with me. And let me put thy armour on me; so shall the Greeks have breathing-space from the war."