So the illustrious son of Priam begged for life but only heard a merciless voice in answer: "Now not a single Trojan flees his death, not one the gods hand over to me before your gates, none of all the Trojans, sons of Priam least of all!"

So the illustrious son of Priam begged for life
but only heard a merciless voice in answer: "Fool,
don’t talk to me of ransom. No more speeches.
Before Patroclus met his day of destiny, true,
it warmed my heart a bit to spare some Trojans:
droves I took alive and auctioned off as slaves.
But now not a single Trojan flees his death,
not one the gods hand over to me before your gates,
none of all the Trojans, sons of Priam least of all!"

– Homer

The Iliad, Book 21, lines 110-118. Lycaon, half brother to Hector and son of Priam, pleads with Achilles for his life. But an unforgiving Achilles is full of rage and hatred for the Trojans over the death of his friend Patroclus at the hands of Hector that he has no intention of sparing any son of Priam.

Homer Quotes