Iris to Priam · divine
The Iliad 24.171–187
The Olympian biddeth thee ransom goodly Hector, and bear gifts to Achilles which shall make glad his heart; alone do thou go, neither let any man beside of the Trojans go with thee. A herald may attend thee, an elder man, to guide the mules and the light-running waggon, and to carry back to the city the dead, even him that Achilles slew. Let not death be in thy thoughts, neither any fear; such a guide shall go with thee, even Argeiphontes, who shall lead thee, until in his heading he bring thee nigh to Achilles. And when he shall have led thee into the hut, neither shall Achilles himself slay thee nor suffer any other to slay; for not without wisdom is he, neither without purpose, nor yet hardened in sin; nay, with all kindliness will he spare a suppliant man.
θάρσει Δαρδανίδη Πρίαμε φρεσί, μὴ δέ τι τάρβει·
οὐ μὲν γάρ τοι ἐγὼ κακὸν ὀσσομένη τόδʼ ἱκάνω
ἀλλʼ ἀγαθὰ φρονέουσα· Διὸς δέ τοι ἄγγελός εἰμι,
ὅς σευ ἄνευθεν ἐὼν μέγα κήδεται ἠδʼ ἐλεαίρει.
λύσασθαί σʼ ἐκέλευσεν Ὀλύμπιος Ἕκτορα δῖον,
δῶρα δʼ Ἀχιλλῆϊ φερέμεν τά κε θυμὸν ἰήνῃ
οἶον, μὴ δέ τις ἄλλος ἅμα Τρώων ἴτω ἀνήρ.
κῆρύξ τίς τοι ἕποιτο γεραίτερος, ὅς κʼ ἰθύνοι
ἡμιόνους καὶ ἄμαξαν ἐΰτροχον, ἠδὲ καὶ αὖτις
νεκρὸν ἄγοι προτὶ ἄστυ, τὸν ἔκτανε δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς.
μὴ δέ τί τοι θάνατος μελέτω φρεσὶ μηδέ τι τάρβος·
τοῖος γάρ τοι πομπὸς ἅμʼ ἕψεται ἀργεϊφόντης,
ὅς σʼ ἄξει εἷός κεν ἄγων Ἀχιλῆϊ πελάσσῃ.
αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν ἀγάγῃσιν ἔσω κλισίην Ἀχιλῆος,
οὔτʼ αὐτὸς κτενέει ἀπό τʼ ἄλλους πάντας ἐρύξει·
οὔτε γάρ ἔστʼ ἄφρων οὔτʼ ἄσκοπος οὔτʼ ἀλιτήμων,
ἀλλὰ μάλʼ ἐνδυκέως ἱκέτεω πεφιδήσεται ἀνδρός.