In the US, it is Memorial Day. This has become the unofficial start to summer, a day of beaches (or pools) and barbecues. But just to give remembrance to the intended purpose of the holiday and to the brave people who made the days of summer, water, and barbecues possible, a quote from Homer’s Iliad (bk 23.69-4), Patroclus’ ghost speaking to Achilles (translation beneath the original)
εὕδεις, αὐτὰρ ἐμεῖο λελασμένος ἔπλευ Ἀχιλλεῦ.
οὐ μέν μευ ζώοντος ἀκήδεις, ἀλλὰ θανόντος:
θάπτέ με ὅττι τάχιστα πύλας Ἀΐδαο περήσω.
τῆλέ με εἴργουσι ψυχαὶ εἴδωλα καμόντων,
οὐδέ μέ πω μίσγεσθαι ὑπὲρ ποταμοῖο ἐῶσιν,
ἀλλ᾽ αὔτως ἀλάλημαι ἀν᾽ εὐρυπυλὲς Ἄϊδος δῶ.
καί μοι δὸς τὴν χεῖρ᾽: ὀλοφύρομαι, οὐ γὰρ ἔτ᾽ αὖτις
νίσομαι ἐξ Ἀΐδαο, ἐπήν με πυρὸς λελάχητε.
οὐ μὲν γὰρ ζωοί γε φίλων ἀπάνευθεν ἑταίρων
βουλὰς ἑζόμενοι βουλεύσομεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐμὲ μὲν κὴρ
ἀμφέχανε στυγερή, ἥ περ λάχε γιγνόμενόν περ:
καὶ δὲ σοὶ αὐτῷ μοῖρα, θεοῖς ἐπιείκελ᾽Ἀχιλλεῦ,
τείχει ὕπο Τρώων εὐηφενέων ἀπολέσθαι.
ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω καὶ ἐφήσομαι αἴ κε πίθηαι:
μὴ ἐμὰ σῶν ἀπάνευθε τιθήμεναι ὀστέ᾽ Ἀχιλλεῦ,
ἀλλ᾽ ὁμοῦ ὡς ἐτράφημεν ἐν ὑμετέροισι δόμοισινYou are sleeping and have forgotten about me, Achilles. While I lived, you had great care for me, but now that I’m dead…! Bury me as quickly as possible so that I may pass the gates of Hades. The spirits of the dead bar my way, shades of men with whom I have fought alongside. They won’t let me join them beyond the river. I wander aimlessly before the broad-gated house of Hades. Give me your hand in promise, I beg you. I will not return from Hades once you have given my body to fire as is due. Never again will we sit apart from our dear comrades in private counsel, as we did when I lived. But grievous death has swallowed me just as it was fated at my birth, and for you, although you are godlike, Achilles, your fate is to die beneath the wall of once-prosperous Troy. One other thing I ask of you and bid it, if you are willing: don’t place my bones apart from yours, Achille, but together just like we were raised together in your home.
Ramblings 