[Greek Mythology] Prince of Zeus

Ganymedes came to Priam and appeared beside him.

Standing on the watchtower of the city wall built by the gods, Priam could not help but shed turbid tears as he watched his soldiers retreat in haste under the pursuit of the terrible Achilles.So much so that he didn't notice that the godlike Ganymede had come to him.

Ganymedes reached out and patted Priam on the shoulder, giving him strong strength, and there will be more unbearable things in the future.

Priam saw that the person beside him was Ganymedes who was a god and his family, and immediately wiped his old tears with his hands, and said guiltily: "Troy suffered heavy losses in today's battle, and the blood of the soldiers flowed all over the river. , dyed the land red. Achilles is as ferocious and frightening as a ghost, and no one can stop him."

"Zeus, the king of gods, has joined the war with the chosen camp of the gods, and Apollo, the archer, is on our side. At this time, he is changing into a human form to distract Achilles from chasing and killing him, so as not to return to Troy. The soldiers of the city were slaughtered again," Ganymedes said.

"The disaster in Troy was all because of me. I didn't listen to the prophecy that day and recognized Paris. If I could have..." Priam felt even more painful as he said.

"All of this is destiny." Ganymedes said, "It's not something we can choose."

Priam held Ganymedes' hand and said excitedly, "Fortunately, you still care about Troy. May the king of the gods protect Troy and survive this disaster."

Ganymedes nodded and said, "As long as you firmly believe, this will be true."

Priam regained his confidence and said: "Now that you have come to Troy, this will definitely boost the morale of Troy. Without Achilles, who turned into a fierce god, Troy would not be in such a tragic situation today. .”

Ganymedes stroked the back of Priam's old hand and told him the fate he knew: "Achilles is destined to die at the foot of this wall. He will not be rampant for long, and this is the end of his life. In order to avenge his closest friend Patroclus, he pushed to the wall of fate and went to Hades with his Patroclus."

Below the city, the Trojans fled into the city like a flock of frightened deer. They wiped off their sweat, drank water to quench their thirst, and rested against the solid and indestructible city wall.

But Hector was bound where he was, and evil fate held him at the gate of Scaia outside Troy.

At this time, Achilles realized that the person he was chasing was not an ordinary man but Phoebus Apollo, and he cursed angrily: "Shooting God, you deceived me and led me here from the city wall, or else Many more will die before they escape to Troy. You took my great honor and saved those Trojans so easily!"

Saying this, Achilles galloped toward the city again, as lightly and nimbly as a victorious horse in a race draws his chariot, across the plain, so quickly did Achilles move his legs and arms. At the knees, Priam saw Achilles turn and run back on the tower, he was shining brightly in his bronze suit, like a star rushing back to Troy again.

With a long sigh, Priam couldn't help but raised his hands, beat his forehead, and begged his son Hector who was standing by the city and refused to return: "Hector, son, don't wait there alone. Guy, you want him to beat him to death, because he is far stronger and more brutal than you."

When the queen saw it, she cried bitterly and begged Hector to come back quickly, so as not to waste her life there.

Many of their sons were killed by Achilles.

Hector stood in front of the city gate of Scaea, but he was determined to fight a fierce battle with Achilles.

Ganymedes stood beside Priam, feeling sympathetic but helpless.Only when Achilles slew Hector and knocked down the wall of fate could he be slain by a god and a mortal.

Achilles gallops in his chariot to Hector, the man who killed his beloved Patroclus.Achilles' eyes were fierce, and he couldn't understand his hatred if he wanted to swallow Hector alive.

Hector, who had been thinking and waiting, saw Achilles' sharp sword-like gaze, which was more terrifying than any other ferocious beast he had ever seen.And on Achilles, the bronze armor made by Hephaestus, the god of fire, shone with scorching brilliance like a raging fire.

Hector's heart trembled, he turned and ran hastily, and the swift-footed Achilles jumped off the chariot and quickly chased after him.

Achilles was in hot pursuit, while Hector was running along the walls of Troy.After a full three weeks, the gods watching the battle and the Trojans standing on the tower were all terrified.Hector was almost caught by Achilles several times, like a falcon pounced on a wild pigeon.But he was swiftly escaped by Hector.

Hera, the queen of heaven, was impatient and couldn't stand it anymore, and Athena was entangled by Ares and fought endlessly, so she turned into Hector's brother and came to Hector's side.Use cunning to encourage Hector to fight Achilles head-on.

Hector stopped after hearing his brother's affectionate words, turned to Achilles, and said, "Son of Peleus, I will no longer run away from you, and now my heart tells me to stop and fight with you. But please let me Let us make an oath, under the supervision and protection of the gods: If I win and kill you, I will not insult your body, cruel as you are, Achilles, I will only strip you of your glorious armor , give the body to the Achaeans. Do the same to me."

Achilles gave him a hard look and said: "Hector, the most hateful person, there is no treaty at all. Just as there can be no oath between a lion and a man, there can never be harmony between a wolf and a sheep." Unanimously. The result will be nothing else, my guns will strike you down. You have killed Patroclus to my grief, and now you will settle your debts."

After Achilles finished speaking, he raised his spear and threw it.Hector saw it face to face, and dodged the gun.

Hector also swings and throws his spear, which hits the center of Achilles' god-forged shield.He did not throw in vain, but the spear was bounced off the shield.

Hector then drew out his sharp sword and fought Achilles.Achilles raised the gun in his right hand to conceive disasters for Hector, to see where it is easiest to kill with his vigorous body.

Hector's whole body is closely guarded by the exquisite armor he won by killing Patroclus. Only the throat is exposed next to the collarbone connecting the shoulders and neck, and the soul is most likely to fly away from there.

The sharp-eyed Achilles stabbed Hector in the throat, and the point of the gun went straight through Hector's neck.

Shocked by this scene, the Trojan nobles and generals on the city tower suddenly felt as if their blood had been drained from their bodies, their faces were pale, and their hands and feet were cold.

Ganymedes knew what was going to be more terrible, so he made Hector's mother faint, which may be more kind to her as a mother.

Achilles boasted that he had knocked Hector down, and the dying Hector begged him to let go of his body, but Achilles turned a deaf ear and wanted to bring Hector's body back to Acaio The camp of the Sians held a funeral for Patroclus.

Achilles, contemplating what to do with Hector's body, cut the tendons of Hector's feet from ankle to heel, threaded them into leather belts, tied them to the chariot, and let his head drag the ground behind. .

Achilles jumped on the chariot, raised his brilliant armor, and whipped the two horses to gallop like flying.Hector dragged behind and raised a cloud of dust, black curly hair scattered on both sides, and his handsome head was covered with thick dust.

Hector's head just rolled in the dust.

His father, Priam, was in miserable pain, and the people around him were crying, and the whole city fell into mourning, and there were miserable cries everywhere.

The old king Priam lost his mind and wanted to rush out of the city, but they stopped him with difficulty.

Ganymedes comforted Priam, saying: "You will bring back Hector's body, but now is not the time. Maybe please calm down, this is a couple who saw their son died in battle It seems unreasonable for a father who has suffered such abuse, but please cheer up, you can't go out, Troy still needs you to lead everyone. Please hold on until the dawn of victory comes to this city sheltered by Zeus."

After hearing what Ganymedes said, Priam resisted the urge to rush out of the city, and cried loudly with heartache: "Hector makes me sad, ah, even if he can It would be better if he died in my arms, so that his mother who brought him into the world and I can mourn him and weep as much as we want."

"Although I cannot make this happen, I assure you that no matter how much Achilles abused Hector's body, his body will not be damaged in any way, and when you bring back his body, he will Like a glorious warrior who died peacefully, then we can hold a respectful funeral for him." Ganymedes said.

Saying so, Ganymedes summoned Aphrodite and Apollo.

Ganymede ordered Aphrodite to anoint Hector's body with rose balm day and night, so that when Achilles dragged his body back and forth, his body would not tear apart.Tell Apollo to send down a black cloud over Hector's body, which descends on the plain, covering the whole land where the dead man lies, so that the sun's exposure may not wither his body, limbs, and muscles.

Next, before Achilles held a grand funeral for Patroclus, Ganymedes knew that all he could do was wait quietly.

Ganymedes didn't plan to return to Olympus during this period, maybe he would miss something.Ganymedes stayed in Troy, stayed in the palace, and called the generals to discuss the strategy of countering the Achaeans.After Achilles held the funeral for Patroclus and was shot under the wall of Troy's indestructible city, he personally led the army to defeat the Achaeans in one fell swoop.

When Achilles fell asleep at night—his limbs weary from chasing Hector under Troy—the spirit of Patroclus came to him.

The spirit of Patroclus hovered over the head of Achilles, and spoke to him, telling him to have his body cremated and buried, so that he might cross the threshold of Hades and cross the River Styx.

Patroclus said: "It is impossible for you and me to leave our companions alive and sit together to discuss secret matters. I have been swallowed up by ruthless fate, and I was doomed at birth. Achilles, although you are valiant and mighty as a god, you are destined to die. Doomed to die in the rich city of Troy. I have one more request to you, Achilles: Please don't let our bones be separated, let us be buried together, just as we grew up together in your house. Let me The ashes of the two of you will be put together in the golden amphora your mother gave you."

Achilles replied to Patroclus: "Dear friend, I agree with what you say, and I will obey it all. Now please come to me, let us hug, and get a short break from the painful cry." consolation."

So saying Achilles, he stretched out his hands to his dear friend, but could not embrace him, and the soul of Patroclus wept and went underground like a cloud of smoke.

Achilles jumped up, woke up, and clapped his hands with great grief.

Achilles buried Patroclus with twelve young Trojans, as well as many other valuable funeral objects, fat sheep and horned oxen, big horses and hounds.It's like a rich animal sacrifice.

A grand funeral competition was held for him next.

No matter how Achilles tried to abuse Hector's corpse, Hector's corpse was always protected by the gods.

Finally, Ganymedes asked Apollo to teach Paris how to shoot Achilles in the heel.Because Achilles was immersed in the river Styx by his mother Thetis after he was born, he was invulnerable, except that Thetis grabbed the heels that were not in the river Styx for fear of drowning him.This is Achilles' only weakness.

Achilles, as Patroclus said, their ashes were buried together and lived together forever in the hall of Hades.

When Priam brought back Hector's body, he held a funeral for Hector.

The final battle between the Achaeans and the Trojans has come.