How can you think of going down to the ships, alone,
and face the glance of the man who killed your sons,
so many fine brave boys? You have a heart of iron!
If he gets you in his clutches, sets his eyes on you –
that savage, treacherous man – he’ll show no mercy,
no respect for your rights!
– Homer
The Iliad, Book 24, lines 241-246. Hecuba tries to convince Priam not to go down to the Achaean ships to ask Achilles for their son Hector’s body back. She believes that Achilles is a savage without compassion and will kill her husband, having already killed his sons.