Patroklos did as his comrade bade him ; he set the chopping-block in front of the fire , and on it he laid the loin of a sheep , the loin also of a goat , and the chine of a fat hog . Automedon held the meat while Achilles chopped it ; he then sliced the pieces and put them on spits while the son of Menoitios made the fire burn high . When the flame had died down , he spread the embers , laid the spits on top of them , lifting them up and setting them upon the spit-racks ; and he sprinkled them with salt . When the meat was roasted , he set it on platters , and handed bread round the table in fair baskets , while Achilles dealt them their portions . Then Achilles took his seat facing Odysseus against the opposite wall , and bade his comrade Patroklos offer sacrifice to the gods ; so he cast the offerings into the fire , and they laid their hands upon the good things that were before them . As soon as they had had enough to eat and drink , Ajax made a sign to Phoenix , and when he saw this , Odysseus filled his cup with wine and pledged Achilles .

ὣς φάτο , Πάτροκλος δὲ φίλῳ ἐπεπείθεθʼ ἑταίρῳ .
αὐτὰρ ὅ γε κρεῖον μέγα κάββαλεν ἐν πυρὸς αὐγῇ ,
ἐν δʼ ἄρα νῶτον ἔθηκʼ ὄϊος καὶ πίονος αἰγός ,
ἐν δὲ συὸς σιάλοιο ῥάχιν τεθαλυῖαν ἀλοιφῇ .
τῷ δʼ ἔχεν Αὐτομέδων , τάμνεν δʼ ἄρα δῖος Ἀχιλλεύς .
καὶ τὰ μὲν εὖ μίστυλλε καὶ ἀμφʼ ὀβελοῖσιν ἔπειρε ,
πῦρ δὲ Μενοιτιάδης δαῖεν μέγα ἰσόθεος φώς .
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κατὰ πῦρ ἐκάη καὶ φλὸξ ἐμαράνθη ,
ἀνθρακιὴν στορέσας ὀβελοὺς ἐφύπερθε τάνυσσε ,
πάσσε δʼ ἁλὸς θείοιο κρατευτάων ἐπαείρας .
αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ὤπτησε καὶ εἰν ἐλεοῖσιν ἔχευε ,
Πάτροκλος μὲν σῖτον ἑλὼν ἐπένειμε τραπέζῃ
καλοῖς ἐν κανέοισιν , ἀτὰρ κρέα νεῖμεν Ἀχιλλεύς .
αὐτὸς δʼ ἀντίον ἷζεν Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο
τοίχου τοῦ ἑτέροιο , θεοῖσι δὲ θῦσαι ἀνώγει
Πάτροκλον ὃν ἑταῖρον · ὃ δʼ ἐν πυρὶ βάλλε θυηλάς .
οἳ δʼ ἐπʼ ὀνείαθʼ ἑτοῖμα προκείμενα χεῖρας ἴαλλον .
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πόσιος καὶ ἐδητύος ἐξ ἔρον ἕντο ,
νεῦσʼ Αἴας Φοίνικι · νόησε δὲ δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς ,
πλησάμενος δʼ οἴνοιο δέπας δείδεκτʼ Ἀχιλῆα ·

So he spake , and Patroclus gave ear to his dear comrade . He cast down a great fleshing-block in the light of the fire and laid thereon a sheep ' s back and a fat goat ' s , and the chine of a great hog withal , rich with fat . And Automedon held them for him , while goodly Achilles carved . Then he sliced the meat with care and spitted it upon spits , and the son of Menoetius , a godlike man , made the fire blaze high . But when the fire had burned down and the flame was abated , he scattered the embers and laid thereover the spits , and sprinkled the morsels with holy salt when he had set them upon the fire-dogs . But when he had roasted the meat and laid it on platters , Patroclus took bread and dealt it forth on the table in fair baskets , while Achilles dealt the meat . Himself he sate him down over against godlike Odysseus , by the other wall , and bade Patroclus , his comrade , offer sacrifice to the gods ; and Patroclus cast burnt-offering into the fire . So they put forth their hands to the good cheer lying ready before them . But when they had put from them the desire of food and drink , Aias nodded to Phoenix ; and goodly Odysseus was ware thereof , and filling a cup with wine he pledged Achilles :