extraction.iliad_pope.hector_fate_lament_death
---
record_id: extraction.iliad_pope.hector_fate_lament_death
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/iliad-pope.md
passage_locator:
label: BOOK XXII, The Death of Hector
start: Jove lifts the golden balances, that show
end: I follow theeHe said, and strippd the slain.
translation: The Iliad of Homer, translated by Alexander Pope
notes: Hector's final combat with Achilles after divine weighing, Minerva's deception,
and Apollo's withdrawal.
canonical_text:
summary: Jove weighs Hector's fate, Apollo leaves him, Minerva deceives him in the
shape of Deiphobus, Hector chooses to die greatly rather than flee, Achilles kills
him, and Hector prophesies Achilles' death before his spirit departs.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Jove weighs the fates of Achilles and Hector, and Hector's scale sinks toward
death.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Apollo leaves Hector, and Minerva encourages Achilles and deceives Hector
in Deiphobus' likeness.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: obs:3
text: Hector asks for an oath that the victor will return the body, but Achilles
refuses.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:4
text: Hector realizes he has been deceived, accepts fate, and resolves to die in
a mighty deed.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:5
text: Achilles kills Hector and threatens to deny him funeral treatment.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: obs:6
text: Hector predicts that Apollo and Paris will avenge him before his spirit departs.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Hector
description: Trojan champion whose fate is weighed, who is deceived by Minerva,
and who dies by Achilles' spear.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:8
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Achilles
description: Greek champion who pursues Hector, refuses a burial pact, kills him,
and strips the body.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Jove
description: The god who weighs the fates and gives way to Hector's destined death.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Minerva / Pallas
description: Goddess who aids Achilles and deceives Hector by appearing as Deiphobus.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Apollo / Phbus
description: Former divine helper who leaves Hector when his fate sinks.
role_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:8
roles:
- id: role:1
label: doomed warrior
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Hector's fate sinks in Jove's balance, and he later says death and black
fate approach.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:5
- id: role:2
label: avenging warrior
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Achilles kills Hector as vengeance for Patroclus and refuses a burial pact.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: role:3
label: fate-weigher
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Jove lifts the golden balances and weighs the heroes' destinies.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:4
label: death prophet
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Hector's dying speech predicts Achilles' future death by Apollo and Paris.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: role:5
label: deceptive divine helper
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Minerva appears in Deiphobus' shape and gives Achilles' spear back unseen.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: golden balances
literal_form: Jove's scales of mortal destinies
associated_figures:
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:2
label: false brother
literal_form: Minerva in the shape of Deiphobus
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
- id: sym:3
label: unreturned corpse
literal_form: Hector's body threatened with dogs and vultures
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Fate weighed and divine aid withdrawn
summary: Jove weighs Hector's fate, Apollo leaves him, and Minerva moves to secure
Achilles' victory.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Deception and final stand
summary: Minerva's false Deiphobus persuades Hector to stand; after discovering
the deception, Hector welcomes fate and attacks.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: scene:3
label: Death and prophecy
summary: Achilles kills Hector, refuses funeral mercy, and hears Hector's final
prophecy of Achilles' death before stripping the body.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: fate_lament
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Hector's death is framed by divine weighing, lost divine aid, acceptance
of fate, and the grief implied by contested burial.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:5
- ev:7
- ev:8
confidence: high
cautions: No exact fate_lament taxonomy family exists; label follows the requested
motif vocabulary.
- id: motif:2
label: death_in_battle
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Hector dies in direct single combat with Achilles after choosing to stand
rather than flee.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
confidence: high
cautions: Local descriptive motif, not a finalized taxonomy entry.
- id: motif:3
label: divine_intervention
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Jove, Apollo, and Minerva shape the outcome through weighing, withdrawal,
deception, and aid to Achilles.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
confidence: high
cautions: The intervention supports a heroic battle scene rather than replacing
human combat.
- id: motif:4
label: warrior_honor_and_burial
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Hector seeks an oath protecting the defeated body, while Achilles refuses
and threatens dishonor.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:7
confidence: medium
cautions: The record notes honor logic within Pope's translation and does not settle
Homeric ritual practice.
comparison_claims:
- id: claim:1
claim: This passage is a strong candidate for comparing heroic death scenes where
fate, divine intervention, battlefield honor, threatened corpse dishonor, and
dying prophecy converge.
claim_level: same_function
target: pattern atlas fate, lament, warrior honor, and death-in-battle records
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: low
limitations: Corpus-internal comparison only; this does not assert equivalence with
afterlife judgment, martyrdom, or other heroic traditions.
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: quote
locator: BOOK XXII
quote_or_summary: Jove lifts the golden balances, that show The fates of mortal
men.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/iliad-pope.md
rights_note: Public-domain source text.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: BOOK XXII
quote_or_summary: After Hector's fate sinks, Apollo leaves him and Minerva flies
to Achilles.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/iliad-pope.md
rights_note: Public-domain source text.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: BOOK XXII
quote_or_summary: Minerva appears as Deiphobus beside Hector and later restores
Achilles' spear unseen.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/iliad-pope.md
rights_note: Public-domain source text.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: BOOK XXII
quote_or_summary: Hector asks for mutual oaths that the victor will not dishonor
the corpse, and Achilles refuses any pact.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/iliad-pope.md
rights_note: Public-domain source text.
- id: ev:5
type: quote
locator: BOOK XXII
quote_or_summary: Death and black fate approach! tis I must bleed.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/iliad-pope.md
rights_note: Public-domain source text.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: BOOK XXII
quote_or_summary: Achilles finds the opening at Hector's neck and drives in the
spear; Hector falls but can still speak.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/iliad-pope.md
rights_note: Public-domain source text.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: BOOK XXII
quote_or_summary: Hector begs for burial rites, while Achilles says dogs and vultures
will have the body.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/iliad-pope.md
rights_note: Public-domain source text.
- id: ev:8
type: quote
locator: BOOK XXII
quote_or_summary: Phbus and Paris shall avenge my fate.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/iliad-pope.md
rights_note: Public-domain source text.
confidence:
extraction: medium
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: low
notes: Passage-level extraction from Pope's public-domain translation; needs Greek
epic review.
reviewer_status:
status: draft
notes: Draft extraction for cross-cultural motif indexing.
extracted_by: Codex
extracted_at: '2026-04-27'
notes: Created under Worker B scope for The Iliad (Pope).