Hamartia

Rage! Boundless and beautiful, guide my dory
Sing! Those who’re Stygian-bound! Sing, the song of my glory!
Scream your eternal laments and ready yourselves for Hades’ embrace
Your corpses creating a banquet for canine and crow
Oh my thanks to you Calchas for freeing me from my prison on Skyros
The Aegean ocean air fills my lungs as I stand amidst other Achaeans
My Hephaestus -forged armaments clenched, ready like reeds to etch my name in history
My mother tells me, the immortal goddess Thetis,
That two fates will bear me on to the day of death
If I hold out here and I lay siege to Troy, my journey home is gone, but my glory will never die…
But if I voyage back to the fatherland I love, my pride, my repute, my glory dies…
The Moirai have fated my decision decided, a grander trophy: immortality in aristeia
Nine years have passed… and many have fallen beneath my blades
Twelve cities razed by the Achaean army
The Trojan efforts crushed before our coalition
Our victories unabated until routed by hierarchical hubris
Apollo punished us with plagues and maladies
A sacrifice was made, and my confidence betrayed: Chryseis for Briseis
Bastard! The disrespect, the folly, the myopia!
If Agamemnon cannot see, my absence shall be his and others’ misery
Patroclus, my empathic friend, couldn’t bear witness or acquiesce
Donning my linothorax he impersonated me and was met with fatality
Even Olympus heard my howls of rage
In an instant everything was taken from me…
I herded my friend and Mymidon kin to Hades…
Then suddenly, my Mother appeared tearful with new armor and shield in hand
Moirai be damned, I’ll take Hector’s life with my own two hands
My Hephaestus -forged armaments clenched, ready like reeds to etch my name in history
My rage beckons me, deserving Trojan-culprits…
That their blood and pain echo well after their deaths
Fodder discarded and Scamander incensed
I standing before the murderer and exclaim,
I only wish my fury would compel me, to cut away your flesh and eat it raw
For what you’ve done, no one can keep the dogs off of your head…
The battle now over, Hector was slain yet my rage remained
Aghast, Troy watched as I tethered their champion behind my chariot
Triumphantly circling its walls dragging desecrated corpse in tow
The peace of Elysium this man will never know
His cunning father crept his way into our camp
Priam tearfully pleaded for his son’s body’s return
He explained Peleus will one day come to mourn me too…
Crestfallen father, you’re permitted to leave with your son’s remains
Hector and I are both preordained to doom
We men are wretched things…