The most famous description of Hector's death occurs in
Book 22 of Homer's Iliad. In this book, Achilles, having reconciled
his quarrel with Agamemnon, returns to the fighting and is intent on killing Hector, who
killed Patroclus, who was Achilles' best friend.
Early in
Iliad 22, Priam, watching Achilles close in on Hector, pleads with
his son not to face Achilles alone. After Achilles kills Hector and begins dragging
Hector's body around Troy behind his chariot, Priam "gave a pitiful groan" (22.408; Ian
Johnston's translation), expressed "frantic grief" (22.413; Ian Johnston's translation),
and began rolling about in the dirt and begging people to leave him alone in his
grief.
In Iliad 24, Priam manages, with the help of the
gods, to sneak into the Greek camp, make his way to Achilles' tent, and persuade
Achilles to ransom back to him the body of Hector.
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