The death of Patroklos is viewed here retrospectively as a great pēma ‘pain’, I.17.099, that is sure to kulindesthai ‘roll’ down from the heights like some boulder and destroy anyone daring to attack a warrior who is being protected by a god. On the metaphor of such a pēma ‘pain’ as a boulder that ‘rolls’ down from the heights, see the comment on I.11.347. In the present context, I.17.098–101, the pēma ‘pain’ has descended upon Patroklos, who has dared to attack Hector while that warrior was being protected by Apollo. This pēma ‘pain’ for Patroklos prefigures what will happen to Achilles himself beyond the Iliad when he dares to attack Paris while that warrior is in turn being protected by Apollo.