τὸν δ' αὖτε προσέειπε διάκτορος ἀργειφόντης
ὦ γέρον: οὔ πω τόν γε κύνες φάγον: οὐδ' οἰωνοί,
ἀλλ' ἔτι κεῖνος κεῖται Ἀχιλλῆος παρὰ νηὶ
αὑτως ἐν κλισίῃσι δυωδεκάτη δέ οἱ ἠὼς:
κειμένῳ: οὐδέ τί οἱ χρὼς σὴπεται: οὐδέ μιν εὐλαὶ
ἔσθουσ' αἵ ῥά τε φῶτας ἀρηϊφάτους κατέδουσιν:
ἦ μέν μιν περὶ σῆμα ἑοῦ ἑτάροιο φίλοιο
ἕλκει ἀκηδέστως ἠὼς ὅτε δῖα φανείη:
οὐδέ μιν αἰσχύνει: θείοιό κεν αὐτὸς ἐπελθὼν.
οἷον ἐερσήεις κεῖται: περὶ δ' αἷμα νένιπται,
οὐδέ ποθι μιαρὸς: σὺν δ' ἕλκεα πάντα μέμϋκεν.
ὅσσ' ἐτύπη: πολέες γὰρ ἐν αὐτῷ χαλκὸν ἔλασσαν:
ὥς τοι κήδονται μάκαρες θεοὶ υἷος ἐῆος
καὶ νέκυός περ ἐόντος: ἐπί σφι φίλος περὶ κῆρι:
Then again the messenger Argeiphontes spake to him: "Old sire, not yet have dogs and birds devoured him, but still he lieth there beside the ship of Achilles amid the huts as he was at the first; and this is now the twelfth day that he lieth there, yet his flesh decayeth not at all, neither do worms consume it, such as devour men that be slain in fight. Truly Achilles draggeth him ruthlessly about the barrow of his dear comrade, so oft as sacred Dawn appeareth, howbeit he marreth him not; thou wouldst thyself marvel, wert thou to come and see how dewy-fresh he lieth, and is washen clean of blood, neither hath anywhere pollution; and all the wounds are closed wherewith he was stricken, for many there were that drave the bronze into his flesh. In such wise do the blessed gods care for thy son, a corpse though he be, seeing he was dear unto their hearts."
