Stories from the Iliad, by Jeanie Lang—A Project Gutenberg eBook (2024)

The Project Gutenberg eBook of Stories from the Iliad: Or, the siege of Troy, by Jeanie Lang

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States andmost other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictionswhatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the termsof the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or onlineat www.gutenberg.org. If youare not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of thecountry where you are located before using this eBook.

Title: Stories from the Iliad: Or, the siege of Troy

Told to the Children Series

Author: Jeanie Lang

Illustrator: W. Heath Robinson

Release Date: May 19, 2022 [eBook #68127]

Language: English

Produced by: D A Alexander and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from images made available by the HathiTrust Digital Library.) Thank you to the librarians at Brigham Young University for providing high quality scans of the cover.

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STORIES FROM THE ILIAD: OR, THE SIEGE OF TROY ***

NOTE

Into the sleeping heart of Helen there came remembrance (page33)

ABOUT THIS BOOK

For two Greek boys have I made this littlebook, which tells them in English some ofthe stories that they soon will read for themselvesin the tongue of their forefathers.

But the stories are not only for boyswhose fatherland lies near the sunny seathrough which ships, red-prowed and black,fared in the long-ago days.

Of such great deeds, by such brave men,do they tell, that they must make the heartsof all English boys, and of boys of everynation under the sun, grow big within them.

And when, in the gallant-sounding musicof the Greek tongue in which the tales firstwere told, these boys read the story of theSiege of Troy, they must surely long to fightas fought the Greeks in days of old, and longto be heroes such as those who fought andwho died without fear for the land thatthey loved.

JEANIE LANG.

CONTENTS

LIST OF PICTURES

In the deep forest that clothes Mount Ida,not far from the strong city of Troy, Paris,son of King Priam, watched his father’sflocks by night.

Suddenly through the dim woods he sawa light, as if the golden sun and silver moonshone both together.

And, lo! in the radiance of this light therestood before him the three fairest of thegoddesses—queenly Hera, wise Athene, andlovely Aphrodite.

Like music stealing through the treescame the soft voice of Hera:

‘Of all mortal men art thou the mostbeautiful, Paris, and to thee do we comefor judgment. Tell us which of us is thefairest of all, and to that one whom thou sodeemest, give this golden apple.’

[Pg 2]

So spake Hera, and placed in the hand ofParis an apple of purest gold.

Again she spake: ‘If to me, Hera, queenof goddesses, and wife of mighty Zeus, kingof all the gods, thou dost grant the prizeof loveliness, Power immeasurable shall bethine. King shalt thou be of the landswhere the grey dawn rises, and king evento where the red sun goes down. A hundredpeoples shall call thee lord.’

She was silent, and the voice of Athene,fair and pure as a silver moonbeam, brokethe stillness of the starless night.

‘To me award the prize,’ she said, ‘andwise as the gods shalt thou be. With meas thy friend and guide, all things willbe possible to thee.’

Last of all, standing in a rosy light, as ofthe dawning sunlight in the spring, spokeAphrodite.

‘What are Power and Wisdom, fair Paris?’she pled. ‘Wisdom and Power bring nojoy at last. I will give thee Love, and forthy wife thou shalt have the fairest womanin all the world.’

[Pg 3]

And Paris, the melody of her voice still inhis ears, as he gazed spellbound on her faceof wondrous beauty, handed to Aphroditethe golden prize.

So was it that the wrath of the gods cameupon Paris, son of Priam. For Hera andAthene, filled with rage, vowed to be revengedupon Paris and all his race, andmade all the gods pledge themselves to aidthem in their vengeance.

Across far seas sailed Paris, with Aphroditeas his guide, to Sparta, where Menelauswas king.

A brave king was Menelaus, and happilyhe lived in his kingdom with Helen, hisqueen, fairest of all women. One child theyhad, a little maid, Hermione.

When to Sparta there came Paris, witheyes blue as the sea, and hair that gleamedlike gold on his purple robe, gallant andbrave, and more beautiful than any mortalman, glad was the welcome that he hadfrom Menelaus.

And when Paris gazed on Helen’s face,he knew that in all the world there was[Pg 4]no woman half so fair as the wife ofMenelaus.

Then did Aphrodite cast her magic uponHelen.

No longer did she love her husband, nordid she remember little Hermione, her owndear child.

When Paris spoke to her words of love,and begged her to flee with him, and to behis wife, she knew only that she loved Parismore than all else. Gladly she went withhim, and in his red-prowed ship togetherthey sailed across the green waves to Troyland,where Mount Ida showed her snowycrown high above the forests.

An angry man was Menelaus when hefound that Paris had stolen from him thefair wife who was to him as his own heart.

To his elder brother Agamemnon, overlordof all the Greeks, he went and told hisgrievous tale.

And from far and wide did the Greek hostsgather, until a hundred thousand men andeleven hundred fourscore and six shipswere ready to cross the seas to Troyland.

Many were the heroes who sailed away from Greece (page 5)

[Pg 5]

Many were the heroes who sailed awayfrom Greece to punish Paris and his kin,and to bring back fair Helen to her ownland.

Few there were who came home, for tenlong years of woe and of spilling of bloodcame to the men of Greece and of Troy fromthe fatal beauty of Helen the queen.

Before the walls of Troy the Greeks settheir camp, and day by day and night bynight did they besiege it.

One day would the Greeks win the fight,and the next day the Trojans would bevictors in the battle.

And so passed nine long years away.To the city of Chryse one day went part ofthe Greek host, sacked it, and brought backto their camp rich spoils and many prisoners.

Among the prisoners was a beautifulmaiden, Chryseïs, daughter of the old priestof the Temple of Apollo. Her did Agamemnonchoose as his part of the spoil, to be hisslave.

From Chryse, seeking his daughter, camethe old priest. With him he brought a rich[Pg 7]ransom to buy the freedom of Chryseïs, andin his hands he bore a golden staff wrappedround with the garland worn by Apollo, toshow that the god whose priest he was, waswith him in craving a boon from Agamemnon,overlord of the Greeks.

‘Take this ransom, I pray you, and set yemy dear child free,’ pled Chryses, ‘and thegods will grant you to lay waste the city ofTroy, and to fare happily homeward.’

Then the Greeks gladly agreed thatChryseïs should go home with her father,and that the goodly ransom should be theirs.But Agamemnon, in great wrath, drove theold man away.

‘Let me not find thee, old man, lingeringhere beside the ships, lest the golden staffand garland of the god help thee naught!’he cried. ‘Your daughter shall grow old asmy slave, and never more return to thy land.Get ye gone!’

Silently along the shore of the soundingsea walked Chryses the priest.

Alone he knelt down and prayed to Apollo,his god.

[Pg 8]

‘Hear me, god of the silver bow!’ hecried. ‘If I have built thee a temple thatis fair in thine eyes, and have offered untothee there the flesh of bulls and goats, hearme! Let the Greeks be paid by thine arrowsfor my tears!’

High up amongst the peaks of OlympusApollo heard the prayer of his priest, andgreat anger filled his heart.

As dark night falls upon the earth, so didthe god come to where Agamemnon and hisarmies lay. A little apart from the ships hesat down, and drew back with a dreadfulclang the string of his silver bow.

Mules and dogs fell at first before hisarrows of death. Then he smote men.

For nine days did the Greeks fall dead atthe will of the avenging god. For ninedays did the black smoke from the funeralpyres of the Greek warriors roll out tosea.

On the tenth day Achilles, son of amortal warrior and a goddess, fleetest offoot and bravest of all Greek heroes, calledan assembly of the Greeks.

Achilles, fleetest of foot, and bravest of all Greek heroes (page 8)

[Pg 9]

‘War and pestilence ravage us,’ he said.‘Surely it is time to inquire of a priest orsoothsayer why it is that Apollo is sowroth.’

Then Chalcas, wisest of soothsayers,arose and spoke.

‘These woes have come upon us,’ saidhe, ‘for the wrong that Agamemnon hathdone to Chryses, priest of Apollo. With hisarrows of pestilence Apollo will not ceaseto slay until we have given the bright-eyedChryseïs back to her father, unbought andunransomed, and have taken a hundredbeasts and offered them up at Chryse as asacrifice to the angry god.’

So spake Chalcas, and sate him down.

There uprose then from his seat the greatAgamemnon, black anger in his heart, andwith eyes flashing fire.

‘Ill prophet art thou indeed, Chalcas!’he cried. ‘Naught but evil hast thou everforetold to me! I would not take a goodlyransom for Chryseïs, because I love her evenmore than I love my own wedded wife. Yetwill I give her back, rather than that my[Pg 10]people should perish. But another prizemust I have! Why should I alone, of allthe Greeks, have my prize taken from me?It is not seemly that it should be so.’

‘Nay, nay! most noble Agamemnon,’ saidAchilles. ‘Too greedy art thou for gain.We have no common store of treasure withwhich to repay thee for that thou hast lost.What spoil we got from the cities we havetaken hath already been divided. Nay, giveback Chryseïs to her father, and when nextwe sack a city, thine shall be the richestspoil of all.’

‘Dost seek to cheat me, Achilles?’ answeredthe angry Agamemnon. ‘Wouldstthou rob me of my prize and give me naughtinstead? If thou wilt not give me the rewardmy honour seeks, then will I seize it for myself—beit thine, or that of Odysseus, or thespoil of any other; wroth will be he to whomsoeverI come. But of this hereafter. Nowlet us launch a black ship on the sea, andin it embark Chryseïs of the fair cheeks,and with her send an offering of beasts,that Apollo the Far-Darter may have hissacrifice.’

[Pg 11]

Then Achilles, with black brows, looked atAgamemnon.

‘Shameless art thou!’ he cried, ‘shamelessand crafty. For thy sake and that ofMenelaus thy brother left I my home andfared across the seas to fight in Troyland.And now thou, dog-face! dost threaten tosteal from me the spoil that I have won formyself by weary toil and by hard fighting.Home will I go, for I have no mind to fightfor one who is greedy for riches and wealth,and cares not if I am dishonoured.’

‘Flee, then, if thou wilt,’ answered Agamemnon.‘Others I have as brave as thee,and ready to do me honour. Most hatefulart thou to me, Achilles. Ever thou loveststrife and wars and fightings. I care notfor thee and thy wrath; and this I tell thee:to thy hut I myself will go and take fromthee Briseis, fairest of all thy slaves, thatthou may’st know that I, Agamemnon, amthy lord and ruler.’

Mad with anger was Achilles at thesewords. His hand gripped his sword, andhe would have slain Agamemnon, had notthe goddess Athene stayed his hand.

[Pg 12]

‘Why art thou come hither?’ angrilyasked Achilles, as he looked round andbeheld the goddess at his side. ‘Art thoucome to see the insolence of Agamemnon?Yea, I tell thee, through pride shall he losehis life.’

Gently then did Athene speak to him.

‘To stay thine anger I came from farOlympus,’ said she. ‘Goodly gifts shallcome to thee hereafter, Achilles. Onlystay thine hand and listen to me.’

Then said Achilles:

‘Goddess, a man must needs listen tothee and do thy bidding, for the man whoobeys the immortal gods will also be heardof them.’

Therewith did he grip his sword by itssilver hilt and thrust it back into its sheath;yet again he spoke in wrath to Agamemnon.

‘Thou with face of a dog and heart of adeer,’ he said, ‘never hast thou fought asmen should fight for the spoil! Rather dostthou seize the booty for which thy men haverisked their lives. Surely these thy warriorsare weaklings, else this should have been[Pg 13]thy last wrong. But this I swear by mysceptre which was once a tree, but nevermore shall put forth leaf or twig; as surelyas that sceptre shall never again be green,so surely shall the Greeks one day long forAchilles when they fall in heaps dying beforethe manslaying Hector. Then shalt thoutear thy heart for anger, for that thou didstnot honour the bravest of thy warriors.’

So spake Achilles, and dashed on earthhis sceptre, studded with golden nails, whilenear him sat Agamemnon, in furious anger.

With gentle words then spoke Nestor, anold warrior of a hundred years and more,longing to make peace.

But of peace Agamemnon and Achilleswould have none.

‘Ye may take back my slave, the fairBriseis,’ said Achilles. ‘The Greeks gaveher to me; let the Greeks take her fromme again. Yet that moment that thou dostdare to lay hand on aught else of mine, thydark blood shall gush about my spear.’

Then was the assembly at an end, and ona fleet ship Chryseïs of the fair cheeks was[Pg 14]placed, and with her were sent a hundredbeasts for a sacrifice to Apollo. With themwent Odysseus and a goodly company, andthey sailed across the sea to Chryse, tobring back to Chryses the priest his fairdaughter, and to offer a worthy sacrifice tothe angry god.

Then did Agamemnon call his heralds tohim.

‘Go ye to the tent of Achilles,’ said he,‘and bring me Briseis, his fair slave.’

Unwillingly they walked along the beachto where the tent of Achilles was pitched.By it he sat, and well, and with a heavyheart, he knew when he saw them whattheir errand was.

‘Welcome, ye heralds,’ he said. ‘Ye arenot guilty in my sight. Guilty only isAgamemnon who sent you to rob me of thefair Briseis. Lead her away, yet be witnessesthat when Agamemnon hath soreneed of me to save his host from shamefulwreck, no help from me shall he have.’

Unwillingly Briseis was led away, andAchilles watched her go.

[Pg 15]

Then sitting alone on the beach of thegrey sea, Achilles wept.

With eager gaze his eyes swept across thewaste of water, and holding out his hands insupplication he cried to his mother, Thetisthe silver-footed, daughter of the King ofthe Sea.

Like a mist Thetis rose from the depthsof the green sea-waves, and came to hersorrowing son.

Gently she stroked his hand, and spoke tohim soothing words.

‘Why dost thou weep, my child?’ shesaid. ‘Tell me all the sorrow that is in thyheart.’

To his goddess-mother Achilles told thetale of the grievous dishonour that Agamemnonhad done to him, and for rage andfor grief Thetis wept with her son.

‘Short is to be thy life, my son,’ she said.‘Would that I had never borne thee, ratherthan that it should also be full of grief.’

Then did she leave him, but at dawn nextday she rose from the sea and mounted up toOlympus.

[Pg 16]

‘Father Zeus,’ she said to the king of thegods, ‘if ever I have given thee aid amidgods or men, fulfil now my desire. Dohonour to my son, whose life on earth is tobe so short. Grant victory to the Trojanswhile Achilles does not draw his sword.Grant that at last the Greeks may do honourto him to whom Agamemnon hath broughtsuch bitter shame.’

Then did Zeus bow his head and granther prayer.

And Thetis the silver-footed darted likea diving bird down from Olympus, andcleft the green waves as she went backto her father in his kingdom under the sea.

That night both gods and men slept long;only Zeus, king of the gods, lay wakeful,pondering in his heart how best he might dohonour to Achilles. ‘I shall send a Dreamto beguile Agamemnon,’ at length he resolved.

Then did he call to a Dream, for by Dreamsthe gods sent their messages to mortal men.

‘Go now, thou evil Dream,’ said Zeus, ‘goto where Agamemnon sleeps in his tent nearto his fleet ships, and tell him every word asI shall tell it thee. Bid him call to arms withspeed his warriors, for now he shall take thestrong city of Troy.’

To the tent of Agamemnon sped the Dream.Taking the form of the old warrior who hadstriven to make peace between Agamemnonand Achilles, the Dream stooped over the[Pg 18]sleeping warrior, and thus to him itspoke:

‘Sleepest thou, Agamemnon? Ill fits itfor the overlord of so mighty a host to sleepall through the night. From Zeus I come,and to thee he sends this message: Call toarms with speed thy warriors, Agamemnon,for now shalt thou take the strong city ofTroy.’

Off then sped the Dream, winging its waylike a strip of grey mist aloft to MountOlympus.

Then Agamemnon awoke from sleep, andthe voice of the Dream still rang in his ears.

Speedily he arose from his bed, donned hisfair tunic, cast around him his great cloak,and bound his sandals on his feet. Thenover his shoulder he cast his silver-studdedsword, and with the sceptre of his house,token of his overlordship, in his hand, hewent down to where the Greek ships lay,and called a council together.

To his lords he told what had befallen himas they slept.

‘Call to arms!’ had been the message[Pg 19]from Zeus. ‘Call to arms! for victory shallbe thine.’

Then said the old warrior in whose likenessthe Dream had come:

‘My friends, had any other told us thisdream we might deem it false; but to ouroverlord the Dream hath come. Let us thencall our men to arms.’

So did all the lords follow his counsel, andquickly did the Greeks obey their summons.Like bees that pour from out their nests insome hollow rock, and fly to where the springflowers grow most sweet, even so did thewarriors pour forth from their ships and theirhuts by the sea. Loudly they shouted asthey came, till all the earth echoed. Nineheralds sought to quiet them, but it waslong before they would cease their noise,and sit silent to listen to the voice ofa*gamemnon their lord.

Then did Agamemnon prove his people.‘Ill hath Zeus dealt with us, my friends,’ hesaid. ‘To us he promised ere we sailedhither that victory should be ours. But nineyears have passed away, and our ships’[Pg 20]timbers have rotted, and the rigging isworn. In our halls our wives and childrenstill sit awaiting us, yet are we no nearervictory than we were on the day that wecame hither. Come then, let us flee withour ships to our dear native land, for nevershall Troy be ours.’

So spake Agamemnon, and stirred thehearts of all that had not heard his secretcouncil.

As the high sea-waves are swayed by thewinds that rush upon them from the east andfrom the south, even so the Greek host wasswayed. And even as the west wind sweepsover a cornfield and all the ears bow downbefore the blast, so were the warriors stirred.

Shouting, they hastened down to theirships. And the dust rose up in clouds fromunder their hurrying feet.

Quickly did they prepare their ships, andgladly did they make them ready to sailhomeward across the bright salt sea.

Then would the Greeks have returned,even though fate willed it not. But Heraspoke to Athene.

[Pg 21]

‘Shall we indeed allow the Greeks thus toflee homeward?’ she cried. ‘Shame it willbe to us if Helen is left in Troy, and Parisgoes unpunished. Haste, then, and with thygentle words hold back the men from settingforth in their ships for their own homeland.’

Down from the peaks of Olympus dartedthe bright-eyed Athene, down to wherethe dark ships were being dragged to thelaunching ways.

By his ship stood Odysseus of the manydevices, and heavy of heart was he.

As one who speaks aloud the thoughts ofanother, so then to Odysseus spake the fairgoddess who was ever his guide.

‘Will ye indeed fling yourselves uponyour ships and flee homeward to your ownland?’ she said. ‘Will brave Odysseus leaveHelen, for whose sake so many Greeks havedied, to be the boast of the men of Troy?Hasten, then, and suffer not the Greeks todrag their ships down to the sea.’

At the sound of the voice of Athene, Odysseuscast away his mantle and ran to meetAgamemnon. From him he received the[Pg 22]sceptre of overlordship, and bearing it hewent among the ships.

Whenever he saw a chief, he would say tohim with gentle words:

‘Good sir, it fits thee ill to be a coward.Stay, now, for thou knowest not what is thewill of Agamemnon. He is only makingtrial of thee. Hold back then thy people,and anger him not.’

But when Odysseus met a common manhasting to the ships, with his sceptre hesmote him, saying:

‘Sit still, sir, and listen to the words of thybetters. No warrior art thou, but a weakling.One king only hath Zeus given to us.Hearken then to the will of Agamemnon!’

Thus did Odysseus rule the people, drivingthem back from the ships to where satAgamemnon.

And the noise they made in returning wasas the noise of mighty waves of the sea, whenthey crash upon the beach and drive theirroaring echoes far abroad.

Silence came upon them as they sate themselvesdown before Agamemnon and their[Pg 23]lords. Upon all but one did silence fall.Thersites, bandy-legged, round-shouldered,lame of one foot, with ugly head coveredwith scanty stubble, most ill-favoured of allmen in the host, would not hold his peace.

Shrilly he poured his upbraidings uponAgamemnon.

‘What lackest thou now?’ he cried.‘Surely thy huts are full of the spoils wehave brought to thee each time we havetaken a town. What more dost thou want?Soft fools, women, not men, are ye Greeks,else would ye return home now with the ships,and leave this fellow here in Troyland gorginghimself on the spoils for which he himselfhath never fought. To brave Achilles hath hedone dishonour, a far better man than he!’

Straight to the side of Thersites came thegoodly Odysseus.

‘Hold thy peace,’ he sternly said. ‘PlainlyI tell thee that if ever again I find thee ravingas thou hast raved now, I myself willstrip off thy mantle and tunic, with shamefulblows beat thee out of the assembly, andsend thee back weeping to the ships.’

[Pg 24]

So spake Odysseus, and with his sceptresmote Thersites on his back and shoulders.And Thersites bowed down, and big tearsfell from his eyes, and a bloody weal fromthe golden sceptre stood up from his back.Amazed he sat down, and in pain and amazementhe wiped away a tear. The others,though they were sorry, laughed at hisbewilderment.

‘Many are the good deeds of Odysseus,’said they, ‘but never did he do a better deedthan when he stopped the tongue of thisprating railer.’

Then spake Odysseus, sceptre in hand.

‘Surely it is the wish of the Greeks tomake thee the most despised of all kings,great Agamemnon,’ he said, ‘for like youngchildren or mourning women do they wailthat they must go home. Nine years havewe stayed in this land, and small wonder isit that we long for our homes again. Yetshameful would it be to wait so long and toreturn with empty hands. Be of good heart,my friends, and wait a little, for surely Troyshall be ours. Do ye forget, on the day that[Pg 25]we set sail for Troyland, the mighty portentthat we saw? As we offered sacrificesto the gods beneath a fair plane-tree whenceflowed clear water, a snake, blood-red on theback and dreadful to look upon, glided frombeneath the altar and darted to the tree. Onthe tree’s topmost bough was a sparrow’snest, and in it eight tender nestlings, overwhich the mother-bird spread her wings.Pitifully did the little ones cheep as thesnake swallowed them all, and pitifully criedthe mother as she fluttered over her nestlings.But of her, too, did the snake lay hold, coilinghimself round her and crushing her lifeout. Then did the god who sent this signshow us that a sign from the gods in truthit was, for he turned the snake into stone.And Chalcas, our soothsayer, told us thenthe meaning of the sign. “Nine years,” saidhe—for nine birds did the snake slay—“shallye fight in Troyland, but in the tenthyear the city shall fall before you.” So then,let us abide here, until we have taken thegreat city!’

When Odysseus had ceased to speak, the[Pg 26]Greeks shouted aloud, until the ships echoedthe praises of the goodly Odysseus.

Then said Agamemnon:

‘Go now, all of you, and eat, that ye maybe ready for battle. Let each man sharpenwell his spear and see to his shield, andsee to it that the horses are well fed andthe chariots prepared. And whomsoever Isee minded to stay far away from thefight, beside the ships here by the sea, forhim shall there be no hope hereafter, buthe shall be food for dogs and for birds ofprey.’

And when Agamemnon had spoken, theshouts of the Greeks were as the thunder ofmighty breakers on a reef when the windsblow high.

Quickly then they scattered, and kindledfires, and made their evening meal, andoffered sacrifices to the gods, praying forescape from death in the coming battle.

To Zeus did Agamemnon offer his sacrifice,and to the mighty god he prayed:

‘Great Zeus, god of the storm-cloud, letnot the sun set nor the darkness fall until[Pg 27]I have laid low the palaces of Troy andburned down its walls with fire.’

So he prayed, but as yet Zeus heeded nothis prayer. Then did the Greeks gatherthemselves together to battle, and amongstthem went the bright-eyed Athene, urgingon each one, and rousing in each man’sheart the joy of strength and of battle.

As the red and golden blaze of a fire thatdevours a mighty forest is seen from afar,so was seen from afar the dazzling gleam oftheir bronze armour as they marched.

Like wild geese and cranes and swans thatin long-drawn strings fly tirelessly onward,so poured they forth, while the earth echoedterribly under the tread of men and horses.

As flies that swarm in the spring when theherdsmen’s milk-pails are full, so did theGreeks throng to battle, unnumbered as theleaves and the flowers upon which they trodin the flowery plain by the banks of the riverScamander.

To meet the great Greek host came the menof Troy. With loud shouting and clamourthey came, noisy as the flocks of cranes thatfly to far-off seas before the coming of winterand sudden rain.

But in silence marched the Greeks,shoulder to shoulder, their hearts full ofcourage.

Like the mist that rolls from the crest ofthe mountains until no man can see in frontof him further than the cast of a stone, sodid the dust rise in clouds under the treadof the warriors’ feet as they marched acrossthe plain.

Front to front did the two armies stand atlast, and from the Trojan ranks strode forth[Pg 29]Paris the godlike, he who robbed Menelausof her who was to him most dear.

From the shoulders of Paris swung apanther’s skin. He bore a curved bow andsword, and, brandishing two bronze-headedspears, he challenged all the chieftains ofthe Greek host to fight him, man to man, inmortal fight.

As a hungry lion rejoices to see a great-hornedstag coming to be his prey, even sodid Menelaus rejoice when he saw Paris, thegolden-haired and blue-eyed, stride proudlyforth.

Straightway, in his armour, did Menelausleap from his chariot to the ground.

But when Paris saw him to whom hehad done so sore a wrong, his heart wassmitten.

As a man who, in a mountain glen,suddenly sees a deadly snake and shrinksaway from it with shaking limbs, even sodid Paris shrink back amongst his comrades.

Scornfully did Hector his brother beholdhim.

‘Fair in face thou art!’ said Hector, ‘but[Pg 30]shamed I am by thee! I ween these long-hairedGreeks make sport of us because wehave for champion one whose face and formare beautiful, but in whose heart is neitherstrength nor courage. Art thou a coward?and yet thou daredst to sail across the seaand steal from her husband the fair womanwho hath brought us so much harm. Thoushalt see what sort of warrior is he whoselovely wife thou hast taken. Thy harp andthy golden locks and fair face, and all thegraces given to thee by Aphrodite, shallcount for little when thou liest in the dust!Cowards must we Trojans be, else thouhadst been stoned to death ere this, for allthe evil thou hast wrought.’

Then answered Paris:

‘No word hast thou said that I do notdeserve, brave Hector. Yet scorn not thegifts of golden Aphrodite, for by his owndesire can no man win the love and beautythat the goddess gives. But let me nowdo battle with Menelaus. Make the Trojansand the men of Greece sit down, whileMenelaus and I fight for Helen. Let him[Pg 31]who is conqueror have her and all that ishers for his own, and let the others take anoath of friendship so that the Greeks maydepart in peace to their own land, and inpeace the Trojans dwell in Troy.’

Greatly did Hector rejoice at his brother’sword. His spear grasped by the middle,he went through the Trojan ranks and bidthe warriors hold back.

But as he went, the Greeks shot arrowsat brave Hector and cast stones.

‘Hold! hold! ye Greeks,’ called Agamemnon.‘Hector of the glancing helm hathsomewhat to say to us.’

In silence, then, the two armies stood,while Hector told them the words of Parishis brother.

When they had heard him, Menelaus spoke.

‘Many ills have ye endured,’ he said, ‘formy sake and because of the sins of Paris.Yet now, I think, the end of this long warhath come. Let us fight, then, and deathand fate shall decide which of us shall die.Let us offer sacrifice now to Zeus, andcall hither Priam, King of Troy. I fear for[Pg 32]the faith of his sons, Paris and Hector, butPriam is an old man and will not breakfaith.’

Then were the Greeks and the Trojansglad. They came down from their chariots,and took off their arms, and laid them onthe ground, while heralds went to tell Priamand to fetch lambs and a ram for the sacrifice.

While they went, Hera sent to Troy Iris,her messenger, in the guise of the fairestdaughter of Priam.

To the hall where Helen sat came lovelyIris. And there she found Helen, fairest ofwomen, her white arms swiftly moving backand forward as she wove a great purpleweb of double wool, and wrought thereonpictures of many battles of the Greeks andthe men of Troy.

‘Come hither, dear lady,’ said Iris, ‘andsee a wondrous thing. For they that sofiercely fought with each other, now sit insilence. The battle is stayed; they leanupon their shields, and their tall spears arethrust in the earth by their sides. But forthee are Menelaus and Paris now going to[Pg 33]fight, and thou shalt be the wife of theconqueror.’

So spake lovely Iris, and into the sleepingheart of Helen there came remembrance,and a hungry longing for her old home, andfor Menelaus, and her father and mother,and for little Hermione, her child.

The tears rolled down her cheeks, butquickly she hid her face with a veil of fairlinen, and hastened out, with her two handmaidens,to the place where the two armieslay.

At the Skaian gates sat Priam and otherold warriors.

As Helen, in her fair white robes, drewnear, the old men marvelled at her loveliness.

‘Small wonder is it,’ said they, ‘thatTrojans and Greeks should suffer hardshipsand lay down their lives for one so beautiful.Yet well would it be for her to sail awayupon the Greek ships rather than stay hereto bring trouble upon us now, and upon ourchildren hereafter.’

Then Priam called to Helen:

[Pg 34]

‘Come hither, dear child, and sit besideme, that thou may’st see the man who oncewas thy husband, and thy kinsmen, and thyfriends. No blame do I give to thee for allour woes, but only to the gods who havechosen thee to be the cause of all this bloodshed.’

Then did Priam ask her the names of themighty heroes who stood by their spearsin the Grecian ranks, and Helen, makinganswer to him, said:

‘Dear father of Paris, my lord, would thatI had died ere I left my own land and mylittle child, and all those that I loved, andfollowed thy son hither. Agamemnon, agoodly king and a mighty spearsman, is theGreek warrior whose name thou dost ask.Brother of him who was my husband ishe. Ah! shameless me, who did leave mineown.’

Of Odysseus also, and of many anotherwarrior of great stature and brave looks, didPriam make inquiry. And Helen told himall she knew, while tears of longing stood inher eyes.

[Pg 35]

‘My two brethren, Castor, tamer of horses,and Polydeuces, the skilful boxer, I do notsee,’ she said; ‘mayhap they have not crossedthe sea.’ For she knew not that her twobrothers lay dead in her own beautiful land.

Then was the sacrifice to Zeus offered,and the vows made between Agamemnonand Priam, King of Troy.

When the sacrifice and vows were accomplished,Priam in haste mounted his chariotand drove away.

‘Verily will I return to windy Ilios,’ saidthe old man, ‘for I cannot bear to watchthe fight between Menelaus and my owndear son. But only Zeus and the godsknow which one of them is to fall.’

Then Hector and Odysseus marked out aspace for the fight, and into a bronze helmetHector placed two pebbles and shook themin the helmet, looking behind him. Andthe pebble of Paris leapt out the first, sothat to him fell the lot to cast first his spearof bronze.

Then did Paris arm himself. Greaves ofbeauteous fashioning he placed upon his[Pg 36]legs, and fastened them with silver ankle-clasps.Over his shoulders he put his silver-studdedsword of bronze and his great shield.On his head he placed a helmet with noddingcrest of horse-hair, and in his hand hegrasped his strong spear. In like mannerdid Menelaus arm himself.

One moment did they stand face to face,wrath and hatred in their hearts, their spearsgripped firm in their hands.

Then did Paris hurl his spear and smitethe shield of Menelaus. But the shield wasstrong and the spear could not pierce it.

His hand lifted up for the cast, Menelauslooked upwards and called to Zeus.

‘Grant me revenge, great Zeus!’ he cried.‘On him that hath done me grievous wrong,grant me vengeance, so that all men hereaftermay shudder to wrong one who hathtreated him as his honoured guest.’

Then hurled he his mighty spear. Throughthe bright shield it went, and through theshining breastplate, tearing the tunic ofParis on his thigh. But Paris swervedaside, and so escaped death.

[Pg 37]

Then Menelaus drew his silver-studdedsword and drove it crashing down upon thehelmet of Paris. But in four pieces was thesword shattered, and fell from the hand ofMenelaus.

‘Surely art thou the most cruel of all thegods, Zeus!’ angrily he cried. ‘My spearis cast in vain, and my sword shattered, andmy vengeance is still to come!’

So saying, he leapt upon Paris. By thecrest on his helmet he seized him, and,swinging him round, he dragged him towardsthe Greek host. The embroidered strap beneaththe helmet of Paris strangled him, andso he would have shamefully died, had notAphrodite marked his plight. Swiftly didshe burst the leather strap, and the helmetwas left empty in the grasp of Menelaus.

Casting the empty helmet, with a swing,to his comrades, Menelaus sprang back,ready, with another spear, to slay his enemy.

But Aphrodite snatched Paris up, and inthick mist she hid him, and bore him awayto his own home. Like a wild beast Menelausstrode through the host, searching[Pg 38]for him. But no Trojan would have hiddenhim, for with a bitter hatred did the men ofTroy hate Paris, most beautiful of mortalmen.

Then said Agamemnon:

‘Hearken to me, ye Trojans. Now hathMenelaus gained the victory. Give us backHelen, and all that is hers, and pay me therecompense that ye owe me for all the evildays that are gone.’

So spake he, and glad were the shouts ofthe Greeks as they heard the words of theirking.

While Menelaus made search for Paris,Hera and Athene plotted together, wrathfullyplanning how best to bring harm uponParis and the men of Troy.

No wish had they that the grievous warshould be ended, and Paris, whom theyhated, allowed to go unpunished.

Like a shooting-star that flashes throughthe sky, even so did Athene haste down tothe earth from Olympus.

In the guise of a man she sought Pandarus,a gallant warrior and a mighty archer.

‘Hearken to me, wise Pandarus,’ said thegoddess. ‘Shoot now a swift arrow at Menelaus,that thou may’st slay him. So shaltthou win fame and glory before all theTrojans, and gain from Paris kingly gifts.’

[Pg 40]

And to her words foolish Pandarus lentwilling ears.

He unsheathed his polished bow, madefrom the horn of a wild ibex that he himselfhad shot in the mountains. Sixteen palmslong were its horns, and these a skilledworkman had polished well and joined cunninglytogether, and tipped with gold. Welldid Pandarus string his bow, and from hisquiver he chose an arrow, sharp and new.Then did he pull back the bowstring to hisbreast until the great bow was bent into around. The horn twanged and the bowstringsang, and the keen arrow sped fiercely on itsway. Straight to the heart of Menelauswould it have sped, but Athene made itglance aside, so that it smote against thegolden buckles of the belt of his breastplate.Yet even then did it graze his flesh, and theblack blood gushed forth from the wound.

When Agamemnon saw the blood flowing,sorely grieved was he.

But Menelaus said:

‘Be of good courage. The wound is notdeep, for my glistering belt in front and my[Pg 41]kirtle of mail beneath stayed the deadlyarrow.’

Then did they send for a skilled physician.And he, when he was come, drew forth thearrow, and sucked the blood and spreadhealing drugs upon the wound.

While the physician tended Menelaus,throughout the Greek host went Agamemnon.

‘To arms!’ he said to his men. ‘The menof Troy have broken the oath of peace thatthey took, and for us it is to punish them.No helper of liars is Zeus, and so shall theyfall before us and their flesh be given to thevultures for their food!’

All those of his men that he found preparingeagerly for the battle, he praised. Butto those that he found shrinking from battlehe gave angry words, whether they werecommon soldiers or great chiefs.

To Diomedes he came at last.

‘Dost thou hold back from battle, Diomedes?’he cried. ‘Such was not thyfather’s way. Ever in battle was he thefirst. But his son is not a fighter such as[Pg 42]he, though in speech he may be moreskilled.’

No answer did Diomedes make, for hereverenced Agamemnon the king.

But a comrade who stood by him cried outin anger at the injustice of his words.

‘Falsely dost thou speak, Agamemnon!’he said. ‘Better men than our fathers arewe! Did we not, with fewer men andagainst a stronger wall, take the great cityof Thebes which they strove to take invain!’

But brave Diomedes sternly rebuked him.‘Be silent, brother,’ he said, ‘for right andjust it is that Agamemnon should urge hiswarriors on to the fight. His will be theglory if we overcome the men of Troy andtake their city, and his will be the greatsorrow if by the Trojans we Greeks are laidlow. Come! let us to arms!’

From his chariot Diomedes leapt to theground, and his armour clanged as hemoved.

And as the great sea-billows raise theirheads before the driving of the gale, and[Pg 43]crash themselves in fury against the shore,casting afar their briny spray and foam, evenas mightily did the Greeks move onward tobattle. Horse after horse, and man afterman, went as the waves of the sea.

But like bleating sheep were the Trojansas they awaited the coming of theirfoes.

And amongst the men of Troy foughtMars, god of war, and for the Greeks foughtAthene, and with her were Terror and Rout,and Strife that never wearies.

So did the armies meet. Like wolves theyfought. Man lashed at man; with blood theearth grew red, and the clamour of theirfighting was as the noise of the meeting ofthe mountain streams when they rush infurious spate into the valleys in the winterfloods.

Like trees that the woodmen cut and sendcrashing to the ground, so fell first one hero,then another. First fell a man of Troy, thena Greek. On that day many a Trojan andmany a Greek side by side in the dust laydead.

[Pg 44]

Now was it that to Diomedes Athenecame and gave fresh strength and courage.From his helmet she made a light to shine,burning brightly as a star in summer.

Amongst the Trojans were two brothers,rich and noble, and well-skilled warriors.

One of them from their chariot cast hisspear at Diomedes, who was on foot, butmissed his aim. And Diomedes then casthis spear and smote his enemy in the breast,so that from his chariot he fell dead on theground, while his brother fled, lest he, too,should be slain. He left his beautiful chariotbehind, and Diomedes drove away the horsesand gave them to his men to keep for him.

And Athene, watching the fray, took thegod Mars by the hand and led him aside.

‘Let us leave the Greeks and Trojans tofight,’ said she, ‘and let Zeus give the victoryto whom he will.’

Then did Mars sit him down by the riverScamander, and again Greeks and Trojansfought without aid from the gods.

Like heroes they fought. Like heroesthey slew and died. But none fought as did[Pg 45]Diomedes. Like a winter torrent in full flooddid he charge across the plain, driving allbefore him.

But when Pandarus the archer saw himcoming against him in triumph, he bent hisbow and drove an arrow in haste to meethim. And in one moment the corslet ofDiomedes was dabbled with blood.

Then loudly shouted Pandarus:

‘Bestir you, brave Trojans! The bestman of the Greeks is wounded, and soonshall he die from the arrow that I spedagainst him!’

So boasted Pandarus, but Diomedes leaptdown from his chariot, and to his charioteerhe spoke:

‘Haste thee, and draw from my shoulderthis bitter arrow.’

Speedily the charioteer drew the arrowforth, and from the wound the blood spurtedupward.

Then cried Diomedes:

‘Hear me, Athene! If ever thou didststand by my father in heat of battle, standnow by me. Bring me within a spear’s thrust[Pg 46]of this man who hath wounded me, and grantthat I may slay him.’

So he prayed, and Athene heard him.

‘Be of good courage, Diomedes,’ she said.‘Thy prayer is granted. But if thou shouldstmeet any of the gods in battle, smite none ofthem save golden Aphrodite.’

Then did Diomedes turn back to the battle,and threefold courage came upon him, so thathe fought as fights an angry lion.

Ten warriors, brave and gallant, fellbefore him, and the horses of these hetook and gave to his men to drive to theships.

Then said Aeneas, captain of the Trojanhost, son of a mortal warrior and of the goddessAphrodite:

‘Where are thy bows and arrows, Pandarus?Canst thou not slay this man whomakes havoc of the host?’

‘Methinks this man is Diomedes,’ answeredPandarus. ‘Already have I smitten him, butwithout avail. Surely he is no man, but awrathful god. Behind me in my own dearland left I eleven fair chariots, each with its[Pg 47]yoke of horses, for I feared that my goodhorses might not find fodder in the camp.So now have I no chariot but only my bow,and now is my bow of no help to me, forMenelaus and Diomedes have I smitten, yetthey have not died.’

Then said Aeneas:

‘Talk not thus, but mount in my chariotand take the reins and whip, and I myselfwill stand upon the car and fight withDiomedes.’

‘Nay,’ said Pandarus, ‘take thou thyselfthe reins. Should thy horses be driven byone they know not, and hear a strange voicefrom him who drives them, mad might theygo with fear. So drive thine own horses,Aeneas, and with my spear will I go againstDiomedes.’

In the chariot then mounted Aeneas andPandarus, and swiftly galloped the horsesagainst Diomedes. His charioteer saw themcoming and to Diomedes he said:

‘Pandarus and Aeneas come against us,Diomedes—mighty warriors both. Let ushaste back to our chariot.’

[Pg 48]

‘Speak not of flight!’ answered Diomedes.‘It is not in my blood to skulk or cowerdown. As for these, both shall not escapeme. But if Athene grant that I slay themboth, then stay my chariot where it is, bindingthe reins to the chariot rim, and leapupon the horses of Aeneas and drive themforth into the host of the Greeks. For trulythere are no better horses under the sunthan these horses of Aeneas.’

When Pandarus and Aeneas drew near,fiercely Pandarus hurled his bronze-shodspear. Through the shield of Diomedes itpassed, and reached his breastplate.

‘Thou art hit in the loin!’ cried Pandarus;‘now, methinks, thou soon shalt die.’

But Diomedes, unafraid, replied:

‘Nay! thou hast missed and not hit.’

With that he hurled his spear. Throughthe nose and teeth and tongue of Pandarusit passed, and from the chariot he fell, hisgleaming armour clanging on the ground.And it was from a dead man that the horsesswerved aside.

Then Aeneas leapt from his chariot and[Pg 49]stood astride the lifeless body, like a lion atbay, fearful lest the Greeks should take fromhim the body of his friend.

In his hand Diomedes seized a mightystone, and with it smote Aeneas on the thigh,crushing the bone, and tearing the skin.On his knees fell the great Aeneas, and soonmust he have perished, but Aphrodite sawthe peril of her son and wound her whitearms about him, and would have borne himsafely away. But Diomedes, leaping in hischariot, pursued her, and with his spear hewounded her sorely on the wrist. With agreat cry Aphrodite let fall her son, butanother of the gods was near and bore himaway in the covering of a cloud.

‘Away with thee, Aphrodite!’ called Diomedes.‘It is surely enough for thee tobeguile feeble women and to keep awayfrom battle!’

Then upon Aeneas he leapt, not knowingthat it was a god whose arms held him.Three times did he seek fiercely to slayAeneas, and three times did the god beathim back.

[Pg 50]

‘Thou warrest with the gods! Have acare, Diomedes!’ shouted the god in aterrible voice, and Diomedes for a littleshrank back.

Then truly did the gods come to waragainst Greeks and Trojans, for Mars andAthene and Hera in fury fought amongst thehosts.

‘Shame on ye! men of Greece,’ criedAthene. ‘While noble Achilles went forthto war, the Trojans dared scarcely pass withouttheir gates, but now they bring theirfighting close to the ships on the beach!’So she roused the Greeks to further fury.

To Diomedes then she went. Him she foundbeside his chariot, wiping away the bloodfrom the wound dealt him by Pandarus.

‘An unworthy son of thy brave father artthou, Diomedes,’ she said. ‘Alone wouldthy father fight; but though I stand by thyside to guard thee, either weariness or fearhath taken hold on thee.’

‘I have no fear, neither am I weary,’answered Diomedes, ‘but thou hast told meto smite none of the gods save Aphrodite,[Pg 51]and now see I the god Mars leading themen of Troy. So have I stayed my hand andcalled back my men from the battle.’

Then answered bright-eyed Athene:

‘Diomedes, joy of mine heart, fear notMars nor any other of the gods, for I am thyhelper. Go now, guide thy chariot againstMars and smite him hand to hand. Thisday did he promise me to fight for the Greeks,and now he fights against them.’

So saying, she made the charioteer ofDiomedes give her his place, and herself,with whip and reins, did she guide the fieryhorses.

And Mars, seeing the chariot of Diomedesdraw near, leaving many dead behind him,eagerly came to meet it. With furious thrustdid he drive his spear at Diomedes, butAthene seized it in her hand and turned itaside. Then did Diomedes thrust at Marswith his spear of bronze, and it Atheneguided so that it pierced the thigh of thegod of war. Loud as nine thousand or tenthousand warriors cry in battle, did Marsbellow with rage and pain, and like a thunder-cloud[Pg 52]he swept upwards through the sky toOlympus.

And still the fight went on, and sorrowcame to many from the slaying of that day.

Mars, like a thunder-cloud, swept upwards through the sky to Olympus
(page 52)

From where the battle still raged wentHector, son of Priam. At the oak tree bythe gates of Troy there came running tomeet him wives and daughters of those whofought. For eagerly did they long for tidingsof many a warrior who now lay dead on thefield.

When he reached the beautiful, many-pillaredpalace of his father, his mother cameto meet him.

His hand she took in hers, and gentlyspoke she to him.

‘Art thou wearied that thou hast left thebattle, Hector, my son?’ she said. ‘Let mebring thee wine that thou may’st be refreshedand yet gain strength.’

‘Bring me no wine, dear mother,’ said[Pg 54]Hector, ‘lest it take from me the strengthand courage that I have. Rather go thouto the temple of Athene and offer hersacrifices, beseeching that she will havemercy on Troy and on the wives of theTrojans and their little children. So mayshe hold back Diomedes the destroyer. Igo to Paris—would that he were dead!’

And the mother of Hector straightway,with other old women, the mothers of heroes,offered sacrifices and prayers to Athene.But Athene paid no heed.

To the palace of Paris, his mighty bronzespear in his hand, then strode Hector.

Paris, the golden-haired, sat in a roomwith Helen, idly handling his shining shieldand breastplate and curved bow.

In bitter scorn spoke Hector to hisbrother.

‘Our people die in battle for thy sake!’he cried, ‘while here thou sittest idle. Upthen, ere the enemies that thou hast madefor us burn our city to the ground!’

And Paris answered:

‘Justly dost thou chide me, Hector. Even[Pg 55]now hath Helen urged me to play the manand go back to battle. Only let me put onmy armour, and soon will I overtake thee.’

Never a word did Hector answer him.

But to Hector did Helen then speak.

‘Brother Hector,’ she said, ‘unworthy amI to be sister of thine. Would that I haddied on the day I was born, or would thatthe gods who have brought me this evil hadgiven me for a husband one who was shamedby reproach and who feared dishonour.Rest thee here, my brother, who hastsuffered so much for the sake of wretchedme and for the sin of Paris. Well I knowthat for us cometh punishment of whichmen will sing in the far-off years that areyet to come.’

‘Of thy love, ask me not to stay, Helen,’answered Hector. ‘For to help the men ofTroy is my whole heart set, and they arenow in want of me. But rouse this fellow,and make him hasten after me. I go nowto see my dear wife and my babe, forI know not whether I shall return to themagain.’

[Pg 56]

In his own house Hector found not hisfair wife Andromache, nor their little babe.

‘Whither went thy mistress?’ he askedin eagerness of the serving-women.

‘Truly, my lord,’ answered one, ‘tidingscame to us that the Trojans were sorelypressed and that with the Greeks was thevictory. So then did Andromache, like onefrenzied, hasten with her child and his nurseto the walls that she might see somewhatof what befell. There, on the tower, shestands now, weeping and wailing.’

Back through the streets by which he hadcome then hastened Hector. And as hedrew near the gates, Andromache, who hadspied him from afar, ran to meet him.

As, hand clasped in hand, Andromacheand Hector stood, Hector looked silentlyat the beautiful babe in his nurse’s arms, andsmiled.

Astyanax, ‘The City King,’ those of Troycalled the child, because it was Hector hisfather who saved the city.

Then said Andromache:

‘Dear lord, thy courage will bring thee[Pg 57]death. Hast thou no pity for this babenor for thy wife, who so soon shall be thywidow? Better would it be for me to dieif to thee death should come. For if I losethee, then sorrow must for evermore bemine. No father nor mother have I, and onone day were my seven brothers slain.Father and mother and brother art thou tome, Hector, and my dear loved husband aswell. Have pity now, and stay with thywife and thy little child.’

‘All these things know I well, my wife,’answered Hector, ‘but black shame wouldbe mine were I to shrink like a coward frombattle. Ever it hath been mine to bewhere the fight was fiercest, and to winglory for my father’s name, and for my own.But soon will that glory be gone, for myheart doth tell me that Troy must fall. Yetfor the sorrows of the Trojans, and of myown father and mother and brethren, andof the many heroes that must perish, grieveI less bitterly than for the anguish that mustcome upon thee on that day when thou nolonger hast a husband to fight for thee and[Pg 58]a Greek leads thee away a prisoner. Maythe earth be heaped up high above me ereI hear thy crying, Andromache!’

So spake Hector, and stretched out hisarms to take his boy.

But from his father’s bronze helmet withits fiercely nodding plume of horse-hair thebabe shrank back in terror and hid his facein his nurse’s breast. Then did the littleCity King’s father and his sweet motherlaugh aloud, and on the ground Hector laidhis helmet, and taking his little son in hisarms he kissed him and gently dandled him.And as he did so, thus Hector prayed to Zeusand all the gods:

‘O Zeus and all ye gods, grant that myson may be a brave warrior and a greatking in Troyland. Let men say of himwhen he returns from battle, “Far greater ishe than his father,” and may he gladden hismother’s heart.’

Then did Hector lay his babe in Andromache’sarms, and she held him to her bosom,smiling through her tears.

Full of love and pity and tenderness was[Pg 59]the heart of Hector, and gently he caressedher and said:

‘Dear one, I pray thee be not of over-sorrowfulheart. No man shall slay me erethe time appointed for my death hath come.Go home and busy thyself with loom anddistaff and see to the work of thy maidens.But war is for us men, and of all those whodwell in Troyland, most of all for me.’

So spake Hector, and on his head again heplaced his crested helmet. And his wife wenthome, many times looking back to watch himshe loved going forth to battle, with her eyeshalf blinded by her tears.

Not far behind Hector followed Paris, hisarmour glittering like the sun, and with alaugh on the face that was more full of beautythan that of any other man on earth. Like anoble charger that has broken its bonds andgallops exultingly across the plain, so didParis stride onward.

‘I fear I have delayed thee,’ he said to hisbrother when he overtook him.

‘No man can speak lightly of thy courage,’answered Hector, ‘only thou hast brought[Pg 60]shame on thyself by holding back from battle.But now let us go forward, and may the godsgive the Greeks into our hands.’

So went Hector and Paris together intobattle, and many a Greek fell before them onthat day.

From Olympus did Athene mark with angryheart how Greek after Greek fell dead beforethe spears of Hector and of Paris.

Then did she plot with Apollo, her brother,how best she might discomfit these men ofTroy.

And into the heart of Hector did they putthe wish to make the Trojans and the Greekscease from battle, while he challenged thebravest Greek of the host to meet him, manto man, in deadly combat.

Then did Hector and Agamemnon makethe fighting cease, and with gladness didHector call upon the Greeks to send forththeir bravest champion that he might fightwith him, hand to hand.

‘If I be slain,’ said Hector, ‘then let the[Pg 62]victor despoil me of my armour, but giveback my body to my home. And if I slayhim who fights with me, then shall his armourbe mine. But his body the Greeks shall have,that they may build for him a tomb in theirown land, near the sea, so that in the days tocome men may look at it as they sail past intheir ships and say, “This is the tomb of aman that died in days of old, a championwhom Hector slew.”’

Silent stood the Greeks before him. Forthey feared to meet him hand to hand, andwere ashamed to show their fear.

Then up sprang Menelaus, and with scornof the others he donned his armour.

‘Shame on ye all!’ he cried. ‘I myselfwill fight with Hector, and the gods will slaythat man whom they will to die.’

But Agamemnon would not have it thathis brother should fight.

‘This is madness, Menelaus,’ he said.‘Draw back, though it pains thee, for evenAchilles did dread to meet this man in battle,and how much more mighty is Achilles thanthou.’

[Pg 63]

Then rose up nine chiefs of the Greeks, allready to fight with Hector, and lots were castto see which of these, the most valiant of thehost, should meet with the champion of themen of Troy.

To Ajax the giant-like did the lot fall, andglad was the heart of the hero that so itshould be.

In his shining bronze armour did Ajaxarray him, and as he strode forward with asmile on his stern face and his long spearbrandished in his hand, he looked as looksMars the terrible when he goes forth tobattle.

The Trojans trembled at the sight, and theheart of Hector beat faster, as the giant, withhis great bronze shield, came towards himwith mighty strides.

‘Achilles, the lion-hearted, sitteth by hisships, yet shalt thou be shown, Hector, thatthe Greeks have other warriors in theirranks,’ cried Ajax. ‘But thou shalt beginthe battle.’

‘Am I a woman or a feeble boy who knowsnaught of fighting, Ajax?’ answered Hector.[Pg 64]‘Well do I know the rules of the greatgame of war. But I have no mind to smitethee by cunning. Openly shall I smite thee,if I smite at all.’

Thereat he hurled at Ajax his bronze-shodspear. But on his mighty shield of sevenfoldhide, bronze-covered, Ajax caught theblow, and only six folds of the shield werepierced.

Then did Ajax the giant hurt his spear,and it passed through Hector’s bright shieldand his corslet, and rent the doublet on histhigh. But Hector swerved aside and soescaped death. Then did each grip a freshspear, and, like angry lions, did they rush eachat the other. Again did Hector smite theshield of Ajax with his spear, but the spearpoint was bent back and unpierced was theshield. And Ajax, with a mighty drive, senthis spear through the shield of Hector, andthe point pierced his neck, so that the darkblood gushed forth. But even then Hectorceased not to fight. From the ground heseized up a great jagged stone and hurledit against the shield of Ajax, until the bronze[Pg 65]rang again. A stone, greater by far, didAjax then hurl, and the shield of Hectorwas crushed inwards, and Hector was bornebackwards, and fell, and had been slain, hadnot Apollo, with invisible hands, raised himup. Their swords they drew then, and wouldhave fought on, had not heralds rushed betweenthem and with their staves held themapart.

‘Fight no more, dear sons,’ said the heraldof Troy. ‘Well do we see that ye both arebrave warriors, and well-beloved of Zeus.But night falleth, and bids you cease thecombat.’

Said Ajax:

‘For Hector it is to speak, for he challengedthe bravest of the Greeks to battle. As hewills, so shall I do.’

‘The gods have given thee stature andmight and wisdom, Ajax,’ said Hector, ‘andsurely there is no greater fighter among theGreeks than thou. Night falleth, so let uscease from battle, and hereafter will we fightagain, and the gods shall grant one of usthe victory. But now let us exchange gifts,[Pg 66]that Greeks and Trojans may say, “In fiercestrife did Ajax and Hector meet, but infriendship they parted.”’

So spoke Hector, and gave to Ajax hissilver-studded sword, with scabbard andsword-belt; and to him did Ajax give his beltbright with purple.

So parted the two heroes, and greatly didthe men of Troy and of Greece rejoice at thesafe return of their champions.

With feasting did the Greeks do honour toAjax, and when the feast was ended, Nestor,the oldest and the most wise of the warriors,gave counsel that at daybreak on the morrowthey should gather the bodies of their deadand burn them on a great pyre.

But while the Greek chiefs in peace tookcouncil together, they of Troy with fierceand angry words disputed at a gate of theircity.

Said one:

‘How can we hope to prosper in the fightwhen our oath is broken? Let us then giveback to the Greeks fair Helen and all herwealth.’

But Paris, in wrath, made reply:

[Pg 68]

‘Mad indeed thou art if thou dost thinkI will do as thou sayest! The wealth ofHelen will I return with a willing heart, andto it add more wealth of mine own. ButHelen my wife will I give back never!’

At dawn on the morrow did the Trojanheralds come to the camp of Agamemnonand gave to him the message.

‘Thus saith Priam of Troy and all hisnobles, The wealth that Helen brought withher to Troy will Paris return, and morebesides of his own, but the beautiful wifeof Menelaus he saith he will not give. Butgrant to us a truce until we have buried ourdead, and then again will we fight until thegods grant us victory.’

Then said Diomedes:

‘Let us take none of the treasures ofHelen nor of Paris, neither Helen herselffor well we know that the days of Troyare already numbered.’

In applause of the words of Diomedes theGreek host shouted, and Agamemnon saidto the heralds:

‘Thou hearest the answer of the Greeks.[Pg 69]Yet we grant ye the truce, that ye may buryyour dead.’

The sun was rising from the sea andchasing grey darkness from the fields ofTroyland when on the morrow Greeks andTrojans met in peace, and tenderly, and withhot tears falling, carried away the bodies ofthe fallen and buried them in mighty pyres.

A deep ditch and a high wall did theGreeks also make for themselves. And atnightfall they feasted, and when some shipsfrom Lemnos came to the harbour, wellladen with wine, they bought a goodlysupply. Some of them paid the men ofLemnos with bronze, and some with iron,some with hides and kine, and some withprisoners.

All night long they feasted, and in Troyalso did the Trojans feast. But in Olympusdid Zeus angrily plan the overthrow of themen who seemed to fear him not, and thenoise of his thunderings filled the feasterswith dread of what was to come.

On the next day, when golden dawn wasspreading over the earth, Zeus held a council[Pg 70]of the gods, and with a fearful doom did hethreaten the god or goddess who should dareto aid either Greek or Trojan.

‘We bow to thy will, great father Zeus,’Athene made answer. ‘Yet let us, I praythee, give counsel to the Greeks that theymay not all perish before the mightiness ofthine anger.’

‘So be it,’ answered Zeus, smiling uponher, for dear to the king of the gods wasAthene, his beautiful daughter.

Then did Zeus, in his armour of gold,mount upon his car. His fleet-footed horses,bronze-shod, had flowing tails of gold, andthem he lashed with his golden whip so thatlike lightning they flashed across space, betweenearth and the starry heavens. Highup on Mount Ida did he rein them in, and inthick mist upon the mountain-top he sat himdown and watched the Greeks and Trojans,as though they were his playthings, fightingfar below on the plain.

Early that day did the two hosts meet, andsoon was the morning air filled with the criesof pain and of rage, of defeat, and of victory,[Pg 71]and the fair earth was streaming with theblood of men, dead and dying.

When midday came, Zeus stretched outfrom his throne on the mountain his goldenscales, and in them laid two weights of death,one for the Greeks and the other for the menof Troy. And the scale of the Greeks sankdown low, and as it sank, Zeus sent down ablazing lightning flash so that the two armiessaw the great god and his scales, and fearseized upon the Greeks.

The mightiest Greek no longer kept hiscourage. Only Nestor, oldest of the warriors,still had a dauntless heart. With an arrowfrom his bow had Paris slain one of thehorses in Nestor’s chariot, but from hischariot did the old man leap down and withhis sword fiercely hewed at the traces. Butas he still hewed, through the throng Hectorfuriously drove his chariot. Then had Nestorindeed perished, but that Diomedes markedwhat would befall.

With a great shout did he call to Odysseus:

‘Whither fleest thou, like a coward, Odysseus?[Pg 72]Stand thy ground till we have savedthe old man from his mighty foe!’

So spake he, but Odysseus heard him not,and hastened onward.

Alone then did Diomedes take his stand bythe side of Nestor.

‘Younger warriors than myself beset theehard!’ said Diomedes. ‘Thou art feeble, thycharioteer is a weakling, and thy horsesslow. Quickly mount my car, and see whatare the paces of my horses that I took fromAeneas. Straight against Hector shall weguide them, that he may know the powerof the spear of Diomedes.’

On the chariot of Diomedes did old Nestorthen mount; in his hands he took the reins,and he lashed the horses. In furious gallopthey came to meet Hector, and Diomedeshurled his spear. But the spear passedHector, and in the breast of his brave charioteerwas it buried, so that he fell to theground and there he died.

Upon the men of Troy might defeat thenhave come, but in his hands Zeus took athunderbolt, and right in front of the horses[Pg 73]of Diomedes it burst in awful flames, makingthe horses in desperate panic rear backwards.

‘Zeus himself fighteth against thee, Diomedes!’cried Nestor. ‘Let us flee, for noman is so great in might that he can fightagainst the will of Zeus.’

‘Thou speakest truth, old man,’ said Diomedes,‘yet sore grief it is to my heart tothink that some day the boast of Hectormay be, “To his ships fled Diomedes, drivenbefore me.” May the earth swallow me upon that day!’

‘Hector may call thee coward,’ said Nestor,‘yet no son of Troy will believe him, nor anyof the widows of these men whom thou hastslain.’

Then did Nestor wheel the horses andflee, while thick the spears and darts fromthe Trojan host followed him.

And above the din of battle rose the voiceof Hector:

‘Behold the hero of the Greeks! Herono longer art thou! Begone, feeble girl!poor puppet!’

[Pg 74]

Furiously did Diomedes listen to his taunts,and fain would he have turned back andtried to slay him. But three times did Zeussend peals of his thunder rolling down fromthe mountain-top, and to the Trojans was ita sign of victory, and fear did it send into thehearts of the Greeks.

Then did Hector call on his men tobe of good courage, for with them foughtZeus, the Thunderer. And to his horses hecalled:

‘On, now, Bayard, and Whitefoot, andFlame of Fire, and Brilliant! Forget nothow Andromache hath cared for and tendedyou! Make haste that we may seize fromold Nestor his shield of gold, and stripDiomedes of his gorgeous breastplate!’

Onward, then, dashed his chariot, whilethe Trojans followed him, driving the Greeksin headlong flight before them. Soon hadthe Greek ships been burned and the longwar ended, had not Hera put it into the heartof Agamemnon to arouse the Greeks andforce them on to battle.

‘Shame on you, ye Greeks!’ he cried.[Pg 75]‘What hath come of all your boasting?’Then did he pray to Zeus that even now hewould grant the victory to the Greeks.

And his prayer was heard by Zeus, whosent a portent in answer. For there came,winging through the sky, an eagle with ayoung fawn in its talons. By the altar ofZeus did the eagle drop the fawn, and theGreeks took the sign to mean the favour ofZeus, and afresh they went to battle.

Then did gallant warrior slay warrior asbrave as himself, and hero fall beforehero.

Teucer, a mighty archer, sheltering underthe great shield of Ajax, sent one arrowspeeding after another, and each arrowbrought death. But against Hector in vaindid he drive his shafts, slaying, each time hedrew his bow, one standing near the manwhose life he longed to take.

One arrow smote the charioteer of Hectorin the breast, and from the chariot did hefall dead. Full of rage and grief was Hector,and from the car he leapt, with terrible shout,and, with a jagged stone in his hand, rushed[Pg 76]at Teucer. Even at that moment had Teucerpulled his bowstring to let an arrow fly, buton the collar bone Hector smote him. Hisbowstring snapped, his arm grew numb, thebow fell from his hand, and on his knees hesank. But swiftly did Ajax stand astridehim, and with his shield he sheltered himuntil two of his comrades bore him, groaningin grievous pain, to the ships.

Once again did Zeus put courage in themen of Troy so that they drove the Greeksin rout before them.

Then did Hera and Athene mark theirplight, and pity them, and would have comedown from Olympus to their aid, had notZeus sent stern warning to them of the doomthat should be theirs were they to go againsthis bidding.

‘On the morrow,’ said he, ‘more evil thingsshall thine eyes behold, for Hector will notcease to slay until that day when fleet-footedAchilles be roused to come and fight for theGreeks where Patroclus the brave lies dead.Such is the doom of heaven.’

Then did black night fall, and while the[Pg 77]Trojans chafed at the darkness, the Greeksrejoiced that rest had come to them atlength.

Leaning on his bronze-pointed spear,Hector spoke to the Trojans.

‘Hearken to me!’ he said. ‘This day Ithought to destroy the Greeks and all theirhosts and return to our own windy Troy, butNight hath come too soon. To Night, then,must we yield, so let us take food, and givefodder to our horses. All night long let usburn fires lest in the darkness the Greeksstrive to make for the sea. And let theheralds proclaim that boys and old menmust guard the battlements of Troy, andeach woman burn a great fire in her houselest the Greeks send an ambush to enter thecity while we men are here. At dawn willwe fight by the ships, and we shall seewhether Diomedes will drive me back fromthe shore to the walls of Troy, or if with myspear I shall lay him low.’

So spake Hector, and the Trojans shoutedaloud.

They unyoked their horses, and gave them[Pg 78]fodder, and from the city they brought foodfor the fires.

All night they sat by the battlefield, highhopes in their hearts, and their watch-firesburning. As when the moon shines clearon a windless night, and all the crags andglens and mountain-tops stand sharply out,and wide and boundless is the sky, and allthe stars are seen; even so many were thelights of the watch-fires that gleamed in theplain before Troy. A thousand fires didburn there, and in the red glow of eachblazing fire sat fifty men. Beside thechariots stood the horses champing barleyand spelt, waiting for the coming of dawn.

While the Trojans sat by their watch-fires,sorely troubled were the hearts of the Greeksand of Agamemnon their overlord.

Hurriedly did Agamemnon send his heraldsto call an assembly, bidding each man separatelyand with no loud shouting.

Sorrowfully did they sit them down; andwhen Agamemnon rose up to speak, thebitter tears ran down his face as flows thewan water of a mountain stream down thedark gulleys where the sunbeams neverplay.

‘My friends,’ he said, ‘leaders and captainsof the Greeks, hard of heart is Zeus, andill hath he dealt with me. Victory did hepromise, but shame hath he brought. Nothing[Pg 80]now is left for us but to flee with ourships to our own land, for never shall Troybe ours.’

So spake he, and long did the Greekwarriors sit in silent grief.

Then spoke Diomedes:

‘A coward hast thou called me, Agamemnon;whether I am a coward the Greeks,young and old, know well. To thee hath Zeusgiven power above all other men, but courage,which is the highest power of all, hath hekept from thee. Thinkest thou that weGreeks are cowards and weaklings such asthou? If it is thy will to flee, flee then! Thyships wait for thee by the sea. But as forus, here will we stay till Troy lies in ruinsbefore us. And if it even be the will ofevery Greek here to flee with thee, here stillwill I and my friend Sthenelus abide andfight until Troy is ours. The gods sent ush*ther! To us will the gods give thevictory!’

Then spoke old Nestor:

‘Mighty in battle art thou, Diomedes, andwell hast thou spoken. But thou art yet[Pg 81]young—full well mightest thou be myyoungest son. So let all who hear, yea, evenAgamemnon, hearken to my words and notgainsay me, who am so old a man. For withoutclan, without laws, without a home mustbe he who loveth strife. Hasten then, andlet us all take food, and see that the sentinelsbe watchful along the deep trenchwithout the wall. For to us this nightcometh victory or death.’

Then did Agamemnon speedily have afeast prepared, and when the feast wasended, Nestor again uprose and spoke.

‘King over all nations hath Zeus madethee, great Agamemnon,’ he said. ‘Thereforeis it thy part to listen to all the counselthat is given to thee that may aid thee togovern thy folk. Right heartily did I try toprevent thee from taking fair Briseis fromthe tent of Achilles on that day when thoudidst anger the bravest of all warriors. Letus now try if we may not persuade him bygifts of friendship and with kindly words tocome back and fight for Greece once again.’

Then answered Agamemnon:

[Pg 82]

‘Yea, truly, a fool was I in that I gave wayto my wrath. But gladly will I now makeamends to Achilles, the beloved of Zeus.Rich and goodly gifts will I send to him;priceless gifts of gold, horses of wondrousspeed, and seven fair slaves skilled in needle-work.Fair Briseis, also, shall again be his,and if he will come to our aid and Troy isours, the richest of all the spoils shall be thespoils of Achilles. One of my daughtersshall he have for his wife, and lands and citiesand a people to rule as king shall be my giftto him.’

Speedily then did they choose messengersto go with the gifts to Achilles.

And the messengers were Phœnix, awarrior dear to Zeus, and giant Ajax, andOdysseus of the many Devices. Two heraldswent with them that they might tell Achillesof the noble Greeks who came to seek forhis aid.

Along the shore of the sounding sea theywent, making prayer to Zeus that he wouldgrant them success in what they sought.

When they came to the ships and huts of[Pg 83]Achilles they found him sitting with a lyre inhis hand. Of beautiful workmanship it was,with a silver cross-bar upon it, and as thehands of Achilles drew from it wondrousmelody, he sang of the glorious deeds of theheroes of old.

Beside him sat Patroclus, listening silentlyto the song of the friend that he loved.

Then did Odysseus step forward, andAchilles, amazed, sprang to his feet, his lyrein his hand, and Patroclus also arose.

‘Welcome ye are,’ said Achilles; ‘truly yeare friends that are come. Even in myanger are ye the dearest of all the Greeksto me.’

Then he led them forward and made themsit on seats covered with lordly purple.

To Patroclus he said:

‘Bring forth the biggest bowl and the finestof my wines, for I have no dearer friendsthan those who are here with me now.’

So did Achilles have a rich feast of preciouswines and of dainties of all sorts made readyfor those who brought him the message ofa*gamemnon the king.

[Pg 84]

And when the feast was ended, Odysseusdid tell him of the dire woes of the Greeksand of the royal gifts of Agamemnon, and ofthe pleadings of the Greeks and of theiroverlord, that their hero, Achilles, wouldcome and fight for them once again.

Then did Achilles make answer:

‘Hateful to me as are the gates of death,O great Odysseus, is the man who hidethin his heart one thing and sayeth another.So will I speak to thee as seemeth me best.Hard have I laboured, fiercely have I foughtfor Agamemnon, yet what is my gain after itall? Hateful to me are the gifts of Agamemnon.Wealth and power can be mine withoutaid from him, yet know I well, for mymother, Thetis the silver-footed, hath toldme, that death swiftly draweth nigh. Letthe Greeks seek help elsewhere, for fierceis my anger, and no help shall ye gainfrom me.’

Then said Ajax:

‘Let us go hence, Odysseus. Our embassyis vain. Yet evil though the news wecarry with speed must we bear it back to[Pg 85]the Greek host. Merciless art thou,Achilles! Anger hath made thee set atnaught thy comrades’ love and the love ofthine own dear land.’

And to Ajax did Achilles make answer:

‘Take ye, then, my message, brave Ajax!Tell Agamemnon that until the day that themen of Troy come even to my ships and myhuts and smirch them with fire, no fingerwill I raise for Greece. But on that day,then, surely, will the power of the Trojansbe stayed.’

Then did Odysseus and Ajax and theothers return in sorrow to the host of theGreeks, and gave to them the message ofAchilles.

In silence did the warriors listen.

Then said Diomedes:

‘Achilles, then, must bide his time. Whenhis heart is aroused again within him, hewill fight. But let us now take meat anddrink and sleep, and when rosy-fingeredDawn doth come, strength shall be ours forthe battle, and with courage shall we fightfor the cause of Agamemnon our king!’

Sound was the sleep of the Greek chiefs thatnight, but Agamemnon the king slept not.From his enemies’ camp came the sound ofpipe and flute and laughter of men, as theTrojans feasted and made merry in the redlight of their camp-fires. As he looked seawardsat the ships of the sleeping Greeks,his heart was heavy within him and hegroaned aloud.

On his feet he bound his sandals, over hisshoulders did he throw his great mantle of atawny lion’s skin, and, grasping his spear, hewent forth into the night to take counsel ofwise Nestor.

Neither to Menelaus came there sleep, forhis heart was full of fear lest harm shouldcome to the Greeks who had crossed thewide seas to fight for his sake in Troyland.

Agamemnon heard the sound of pipe and flute and laughter of men as
the Trojans feasted and made merry (page 86)

[Pg 87]

On his head he placed his bronze helmet,across his broad shoulders he threw aleopard skin, and, spear in hand, went toseek his brother.

Down by the ships he found him, puttinghis armour on.

‘Why dost thou arm thyself, dear brother?’he asked. ‘Wilt thou send forth one of ourcomrades to spy on the Trojans? I fear meno man of ours is of courage enough to goalone in the night and do so brave a deed.’

Then did Agamemnon bid his brother goand awake the lords of his host and call acouncil together, while he himself went torouse Nestor, the oldest of all the warriors.

And as they passed through the host theyfound the sentinels sitting wide awake withtheir arms, like dogs that watch by alonely sheepfold amongst the hills andlisten to the cries of the savage wild beaststhat come towards them through the woods.

Gladly did old Nestor see them.

‘Even so keep watch, dear children,’ hesaid, ‘lest we allow our enemies to triumphover us.’

[Pg 88]

Out in the open field, beyond the deeptrench which they had dug, the chiefs of theGreeks sat themselves down in council.

To them, then, spake Nestor.

‘O friends,’ said he, ‘is there among youa man with heart so fearless that all alonehe will go into the camp of the Trojans thisnight and there learn what are their plansfor battle? If such an one there be, and hereturn to us scathless, great will be hisfame among all men, and great the rewardsthat he wins.’

Then said Diomedes of the loud war-cry:

‘With willing heart will go, Nestor: yetif another man will come with me, morecomfort and courage will be ours.’

Many there were who asked with eagernessto be that one who should go withDiomedes. But Agamemnon spoke.

‘Diomedes, joy of mine heart, verily shaltthou choose thine own comrade,’ he said.

And Diomedes made answer:

‘If indeed I may choose, then shall Ichoose Odysseus, for with him as comrade[Pg 89]we might pass through raging flames andyet return in safety.’

‘Praise me not overmuch, Diomedes,’ saidOdysseus, ‘but let us be going. The nightwanes, the stars have gone onward, and thedawn is near.’

Then did they don their armour, and setforth, like two lions seeking their prey,treading underfoot the men who lay still anddead in their blood. And through the darknight they heard the shrill cry of a heron,and knew it for an omen sent by the gods, apromise to them of victory.

In the Trojan camp was a council also held.And brave Hector offered great rewards tothe man who would go in the darkness towhere the Greek ships lay and find out howit fared with the men of Agamemnon, andwhat plans were theirs.

And Dolon, the swift-runner and ill-favouredman, but one who owned greatriches of gold and bronze, stood up and said:

‘To the swift-sailing ships will I go as thyspy. But for reward must I have the horsesand bronze chariots of Achilles.’

[Pg 90]

‘No other man of the Trojans shall mountthese horses,’ swore Hector.

Then Dolon took his bow, on his shoulderscast a great wolf-skin, on his head drewhis helmet of ferret-skin, and with his sharpjavelin in his hand, went forth towards theseashore.

In the darkness Odysseus heard hisstealthy footsteps.

‘Lo, here is some man, Diomedes,’ hesaid; ‘I know not whether he be a spy or aplunderer of the dead. But let him pass,and then will we rush on him and take him.’

Turning from the path, they lay downamongst the dead bodies on the plain, stilland silent as those they lay beside.

But when Dolon had gone a little way,they ran after him, and Dolon, when heheard them, stopped, thinking they weremessengers from Hector, coming to bid himreturn. Less than a spear’s-throw from himwere they when he knew them for foemenand fled before them.

But as two fierce hounds pursue a hare ora doe, so did Odysseus and Diomedes hunt[Pg 91]Dolon. They had wellnigh reached thetrench where the sentinels were placedwhen Diomedes called aloud:

‘Halt! or my spear shall pin thee dead tothe ground!’

Thereat he hurled his spear, but not withthe wish to smite Dolon. Over his rightshoulder it flew, burying its sharp point inthe ground in front of him. Green with fear,and with chattering teeth, Dolon stopped,and Odysseus and Diomedes panting, cameup to him, and laid hold of him.

‘Take me alive!’ said Dolon, weeping,‘and a mighty ransom of gold and bronzeand iron shall be yours if ye but spare mylife.’

‘Fear not,’ said Odysseus, ‘but tell ustruly why thou comest thus at dead of nightinto the camp of thine enemies.’

Then did Dolon, the coward, tremblinglytell his tale, and reveal to Odysseus andDiomedes all that Hector had bidden himdo. At their bidding, too, he told them howall the Trojan forces lay, and how best theycould win into the camp.

[Pg 92]

‘At the farthest point from the men ofTroy are encamped the Thracians,’ he said.‘Rhesus is their king, and fit for a god ishis golden armour and his chariot of goldand silver. His, too, are the fairest horsesmine eyes have seen, of great strength andheight, whiter than snow, and swift as thewind.’

Eagerly did Odysseus and Diomedes listen.But when he had ended and begged them totake him a prisoner to the ships, or to lethim go free, grimly did Diomedes look athim.

‘Good is thy news, Dolon,’ he said, ‘yetnevermore shalt thou have a chance of playingthe spy, or of fighting against the menof Greece.’

With that he raised his mighty sword, andere Dolon could beg for mercy he smote himon the neck. Cleanly was his head shornoff, and it rolled in the dust at the feet ofDiomedes. His casque of ferret-skin, andthe grey wolf-skin, and javelin and bow didOdysseus and Diomedes then take from himand held them aloft, an offering to Athene.[Pg 93]They placed them on a tamarisk bush, raisingon it a mark of long reeds and branchesof tamarisk, lest they might miss the placeas they returned again ere dawn.

Across the plain did they hasten then,until they came to the camp of the Thracians.Deep was the sleep of the warriors wholay, each with his arms beside him, and histwo horses standing near at hand. And inthe midst of them lay Rhesus the king, hisgreat white horses tethered to his chariot ofsilver and gold.

‘Lo, here is the man, and here are thehorses of which Dolon gave us tidings,’ saidOdysseus.

And thereupon did the slaying begin.

Like a lion that rends a flock of sheepwithout a shepherd, even so did Diomedesslay the men of Thrace. On this side andon that he slew, till the earth grew red withblood, and terrible was the groaning of thedying men. Twelve men did he slay, andas he slew them, Odysseus dragged themto the side that a way might be left clearfor the white horses of Rhesus. For he[Pg 94]feared that panic might seize them werethey to step in the darkness upon the deadmen.

The thirteenth man was King Rhesushimself. An evil dream made him draw hisbreath hard and quick, but ere he couldawake from sleep the sword of Diomedestook his life away. Then did Odysseus drivethe horses out of the camp, smiting themwith his bow, for he had no whip, and drivingthem onwards.

To Diomedes he whistled, for a sign thathe should cease from slaying and follow himand their lordly spoil. Still did Diomedeslinger, pondering whether he should dragthe chariot with him, or slay yet more ofthe Thracians. And as he pondered, Athenecame to him.

‘Return to the ships, Diomedes,’ shesaid, ‘lest another of the gods arouse theTrojans, and in flight thou art driven beforethem.’

Even then, indeed, was Apollo arousingone of the kinsmen of Rhesus, who withgreat lament saw the dead and dying men[Pg 95]and knew that the horses of the king hadbeen stolen away.

But swiftly did Diomedes and Odysseusspring on the backs of the white horses, andswift as the snowy foam on the crests ofstorm-driven waves did they dash throughthe darkness back to the ships.

When they came to the tamarisk bush,where they had left the bloody spoils ofDolon, Diomedes leapt to the ground, seizedthem and placed them in the hands ofOdysseus, and again mounted, and, lashingthe horses, dashed furiously onward.

The clang of the hoofs of the gallopinghorses struck first upon the ears of oldNestor, and quickly did he and other lordsof the Greeks go to meet Diomedes andOdysseus.

Then did the two heroes rein in theirhorses and lightly spring to the ground, andwith hand-clasping and glad words werethey welcomed by their comrades.

And when he had told the tale of theslaying of the men of Thrace and the takingof the horses of Rhesus, Odysseus, laughing,[Pg 96]drove the white steeds through the trenchand stabled them beside the other horses ofDiomedes.

Then did he and Diomedes plunge into thesea and wash the sweat and dust from offtheir limbs in the cold waves. Glad weretheir hearts when they sat down to sup andpoured forth an offering of honey-sweet wineto Athene; but in the camp of the Trojanswere there shame and lamenting for thedeeds that had been wrought in the thirdwatch of the night.

The night passed, and grey dawn saw amighty fight begin.

Fiercely did the battle wax and wane, andvaliant deeds were done that day.

Mightily fought Agamemnon, but againsthim fought the gods, and when the sunblazed forth at noon, he and many anotherGreek warrior, grievously wounded, wereforced to leave the field.

An arrow, from the bow of Paris, smoteMachaon, skilled physician of the Greeks,and fear seized them lest he who healedtheir wounds might himself perish.

Into his chariot did old Nestor takeMachaon, and right willingly his horsesgalloped back to their stables by the shore.

By the stern of his ship stood Achilles,watching the battle from afar, and his dear[Pg 98]friend and comrade, Patroclus, he sentspeeding to the tent of Nestor for tidingsof the battle and to ask the name of thewounded warrior.

Scornfully spake Nestor:

‘What matters it to Achilles which of thesons of Greece lie wounded? Many chiefsof the Greeks have shed their blood this day,yet Achilles heedeth not. Hast thou forgotten,Patroclus, that day when thy fatherdidst speak to thee of thyself and of Achilles?“Of nobler birth than thou is Achilles,” hesaid, “and in might much greater. Yet heis younger than thou, so see that thou counselhim gently and wisely when there is need,and he will obey thee.” Even now, Patroclus,thou mightest persuade Achilles to go forthto battle. But if he will not go, then let himlend thee his armour so that the men of Troymay flee before thee, thinking that Achillesgoeth forth to war once more.’

So did Nestor rouse the heart of Patroclus,and swiftly Patroclus returned to the ship ofAchilles.

Fiercer and ever more fierce grew the[Pg 99]battle as the hours went by. Up to thewalls that the Greeks had built did theTrojans press their furious way. Up thebattlements, spear in hand, they swarmed,nor heeded the storm of stones that crasheddown upon them from above.

In front of the gates lay a stone so hugethat two strong men could not together havelifted it and placed it on a wagon. Withone hand did mighty Hector, legs wide apart,hurl it against the great double gates. Beforeit, hinges burst, bars smashed, andthe gates crashed backwards. Then in leaptHector, his eyes flashing fire. None but thegods could have withstood him, and on hisheels came the men of Troy. Before themthey swept the Greek host to their ships.

But down by the sea fought Ajax, andround him the Greeks took their stand.Mighty was the wall of living men thatsought to die for their honour and for theirown dear land.

Yet, like a great rock that the fiercefloods of winter tear from a mountain-side,and that crashes through the forests and[Pg 100]thunders down the valleys, destroying asit goes, so did Hector press onward. Behindhim in heaps lay the slain, the moansof the dying mingled with the din of battle,and the dark night of death blinded the eyesof many a mighty chief.

‘Thinkest thou to spoil our ships!’ calledAjax to Hector. ‘To the gods, and not tothe men of Troy do we owe our evil plight.Yet ere long will Troy fall before us, and thouthyself wilt pray to Zeus to make thy steedsfleet as falcons as they bear thee in shamefulplight back to thy city, across the plain.’

To Ajax did Hector make answer:

‘Blundering boaster art thou! Woecometh this day to the Greeks! And thou,Ajax, if thou hast courage to meet myspear, shalt be food for the birds and thedogs.’

In his tent the heart of Agamemnon sankwithin him, and those beside him did hecounsel that they should drag their shipsdown to the sea and swiftly sail away.

‘There is no shame in fleeing from ruin,’said he.

[Pg 101]

But Odysseus and Diomedes replied withangry scorn to the coward words of theiroverlord.

‘Let us go down to the battle, woundedthough we be,’ said Diomedes.

So they set forth, and with them wentAgamemnon, and through the long day didthat mortal fight go on. Now would theTrojans triumph, and again to the men ofGreece would come the victory.

At last, before a huge stone, hurled byAjax, did Hector fall. Like a mighty oaksmitten by lightning he fell, and the Trojansbore him away, the black blood gushing fromhis mouth.

Then pressed the men of Greece the more.Back from the ships they drove the men ofTroy.

But to Hector where he lay a-dying cameApollo, and into his fainting body and hearthe breathed fresh strength and courage.

With strength as the strength of tenHector once again faced the foe, and beforehim the Greeks fell back in dismay.

Patroclus in his tent, tending the wounds[Pg 102]of a friend, marked how the Greeks fell back,and he groaned aloud.

‘To Achilles must I hasten,’ he said.‘Who knows but that the time has comewhen I may arouse him to join in the battle.’

While round the dark ships of Greece thefierce fight raged, Achilles, from afar, listenedunmoved to the din of battle, and watchedwith stony eyes the men of Greece as they felland died on the reddened ground.

To him came Patroclus.

‘Why dost thou weep, Patroclus?’ askedAchilles. ‘Like a fond little maid art thouthat runs by her mother’s side, plucking ather gown, hindering her as she walks, andwith tearful eyes looking up at her until themother lifts her in her arms. Like her,Patroclus, dost thou softly weep.’

Then Patroclus, heavily groaning, madeanswer:

‘Among the ships lie the bravest and bestof the men of Greece, sore wounded or dead.Pitiless art thou, Achilles, pitiless and unforgiving.[Pg 104]Yet if thou dost still hold backfrom the battle, give me, I pray thee, thinearmour, and send me forth in thy stead.Perchance the Trojans may take me for themighty Achilles, and even now the victory beours.’

Then said Achilles, and heavy was his heartwithin him:

‘These Greeks took from me my well-wonprize, Patroclus. Yet let the past be past;no man may keep his anger for ever. I havesaid that until the men of Troy come to burnmy own ships I will hold me back from thebattle. But take you my armour; lead mymen in the fight, and drive from the ships themen of Troy. But to others leave it to chasethem across the plain.’

Even as Achilles spoke, the strength ofmighty Ajax had come to an end, and withfurious rush did the Trojans board the ships.In their hands they bore blazing torches, andup to the sky rushed the fiercely roaringflames.

Then cried Achilles, smiting his thighs:

‘Haste thee, Patroclus! They burn the[Pg 105]ships! Arm thyself speedily, and I will callmy men!’

Corslet and shield and helmet did Patroclusswiftly don, and girded on the silver-studdedsword and took two strong lances in his hand.

In the chariot of Achilles he mounted, andAutomedon, best and bravest of charioteers,took the reins.

Swift as the wild west wind were Bayardand Piebald, the two horses of Achilles, andin the side harness was Pedasus, a horse onlyless swift than they.

Gladly did the men of Achilles meet his callto arms, for fierce as wolves were they.

‘Many times hast thou blamed me,’ criedAchilles, ‘because in my wrath I kept ye backfrom battle. Here for ye now is a mightyfight, such as ye love.’

To battle they went, and while Patroclusled them forth, Achilles in his tent offered upan offering to Zeus.

Like wasps that pour forth from their nestsby the wayside to sting the boys who havestoned them, so now did the Greeks swarmfrom their ships.

[Pg 106]

Before the sword of Patroclus fell a mightywarrior, and when the men of Troy saw theshining armour of Achilles in his own chariottheir hearts sank within them.

Out of the ships were they driven, the firewas quenched, and back to the trench rolledthe tide of battle. In the trench writhedmany a horse and many a man in dyingagonies. But clear across it leaped thehorses of Achilles, and close to the walls ofTroy did Patroclus drive brave Hector beforehim.

His chariot then he turned, and headed offthe fleeing Trojans, driving them down tothe ships. Before the furious rush of hisswift steeds, other horses were borne offtheir feet, other chariots cast in ruins onthe ground, and men crushed to deathunder his wheels. Chief after chief didPatroclus slay. A mighty destroyer was hethat day.

One only of the chiefs of Troy kept hiscourage before the destroyer who wore theshining arms of Achilles.

‘Shame on ye!’ cried Sarpedon to his men,[Pg 107]‘whither do ye flee? I myself will fight thisman who deals death and destruction to theTrojan host.’

From their chariots leaped Sarpedon andPatroclus.

With the first cast of his spear Patroclusmissed Sarpedon, but slew his charioteer.Then did Sarpedon cast, and his spearwhizzed past Patroclus, and smote the goodhorse Pedasus. With a dreadful screamPedasus fell, kicking and struggling, in thedust. This way and that did the other twohorses plunge and rear, until the yokecreaked and the reins became entangled.But the charioteer leaped down, with hissword slashed clear the traces from Pedasus,and the horses righted themselves.

Once again did Sarpedon cast his spear,and the point flew over the left shoulderof Patroclus. But Patroclus missed not.Through the heart of Sarpedon sped thefiercely hurled spear, and like a slim treebefore the axe of the woodcutter he fell,his dying hands clutching at the bloodydust.

[Pg 108]

Furious was the combat then over the bodyof Sarpedon. One brave warrior after anotherdid Patroclus lay dead.

And more terrible still was the fight becausein the ranks of the men of Troy therefought now, in all-devouring wrath, the godApollo.

Nine men, good warriors all, did Patroclusslay; then, waxing bolder, he tried to climbthe very walls of Troy.

Three times did Apollo thrust him back,and when, a fourth time, he attacked, thegod cried aloud to him in anger, warning himnot to dare so much.

Against Patroclus did Hector then drivehis war-horses, but Patroclus, leaping fromhis chariot, hurled at Hector a jagged stone.In the eyes it smote the charioteer of Hector,and the slain man dropped to the ground.

‘How nimble a man is this!’ jeered Patroclus.‘How lightly he diveth! Were thisthe sea, how good an oyster-seeker wouldthis fellow be!’

The point of the spear flew over the left shoulder of Patroclus (page 107)

Then from his chariot leaped Hector andmet Patroclus, and the noise of the battle[Pg 109]was as the noise of a mighty gale in theforest when great trees fall crashing to theground.

When the sun went down, victory waswith the Greeks. Three mighty chargesdid Patroclus make, and each time he slewnine men. But when, a fourth time, hecharged, Apollo met him. In thick mist hemet him, and Patroclus knew not that hefought with a god. With a fierce downstrokefrom behind, Apollo smote his broadshoulders, and from off his head the helmetof Achilles fell with a clang, rattling underthe hoofs of the horses. Before the smitingof the god, Patroclus stood stricken, stupidand amazed. Shattered in his hands wasthe spear of Achilles, and his mighty shieldclanged on the ground.

Ere he could know who was the smiter,a Trojan ally drove a spear between hisshoulders, and Patroclus, sore wounded, fellback.

Marking his dismay, Hector pressed forward,and clean through his body drovehis bronze spear. With a crash Patroclus fell.

[Pg 110]

‘Thou that didst boast that thou wouldstsack my town, here shall vultures devourthee!’ cried Hector.

And in a faint voice Patroclus madeanswer:

‘Not to thee do I owe my doom, greatHector. Twenty such as thou would Ihave fought and conquered, but the godshave slain me. Yet verily I tell thee thatthou thyself hast not long to live. Even nowdoth Death stand beside thee!’

As he spoke, the shadow of Death fellupon Patroclus. No more in his ears roaredthe din of battle; still and silent for ever helay.

Fierce had been the fight before Patroclusdied. More fiercely yet it raged when helay dead.

From his body did Hector take the armsof Achilles, and the dead Patroclus wouldthe Trojans fain have dragged to their city,there to bring shame to him and to all theGreek host.

But for him fought the Greeks, until theearth was wet with blood and the very skiesechoed the clang of battle.

To Achilles came Antilochos, a messengerfleet of foot.

‘Fallen is Patroclus!’ he cried, ‘and aroundhis naked body do they fight, for his armouris held by Hector.’

Then did Achilles moan aloud. On the[Pg 112]ground he lay, and in his hair he pouredblack ashes. And the sound of his terriblelament was heard by his mother, Thetis, thegoddess, as she sat in her palace down underthe depths of the green sea.

Up from under the waves swiftly came sheto Achilles, and tenderly did she listen whilehe poured forth to her the tale of the deathof his dear comrade.

Then said Thetis:

‘Not long, methinks, shall Hector glory inthe armour that was thine, for Death pressethhard upon him. Go not forth to battle, myson, until I return, bearing with me new andfair armour for thee.’

But when Thetis had departed, to Achillesin his sorrow came Iris, fair messenger ofthe gods.

‘Unto windy Ilios will the Trojans dragthe body of Patroclus unless thou comestnow. Thou needst not fight, Achilles, onlyshow thyself to the men of Troy, for sore isthe need of Patroclus thy friend.’

Then, all unarmed, did Achilles go forth,and stood beside the trench. With a mighty[Pg 113]voice he shouted, and at the sound of hisvoice terror fell upon the Trojans. Backwardin flight they went, and from amongthe dead did the Greeks draw the bodyof Patroclus, and hot were the tears thatAchilles shed for the friend whom he hadsent forth to battle.

The making of the arms of Achilles (page 113)

All that night, in the house of the Immortals,resounded the clang of hammer onanvil as Hephaistus, the lame god, fashionednew arms for Achilles.

Bronze and silver and gold he threw in hisfire, and golden handmaidens helped theirmaster to wield the great bellows and tosend on the crucibles blasts that made theruddy flames dance.

No fairer shield was ever borne by manthan that which Hephaistus made for Achilles.For him also he wrought a corslet brighterthan a flame of fire, and a helmet with agolden crest.

And in the morning light did Thetis dartdown from snowy Olympus, bearing in herarms the splendid gift of a god.

Glad was Achilles as he put on the armour,[Pg 114]and terrible was his war-cry as he roused theGreek warriors. No man, however sore hiswounds, held back when the voice of Achillescalled him to the fight once again. Woundedwas Agamemnon, overlord of the Greeks,but forth also came he. And there, whilethe sun rose on many a warrior who wouldfight no more, did Achilles and Agamemnonspeak as friends once again, their long strifeended.

Hungry for war, with Achilles as theirleader, did the Greeks then meet the Trojanson the plain. And as a fierce fire ragesthrough the forest, its flames driven by thewind, so did Achilles in his wrath drivethrough the host of Troy.

Down to the Scamander he drove thefleeing Trojans, and the water reddened withblood, as he smote and spared not.

Merciless was Achilles; pitilessly did heexult as one brave man after another wassent by him to dye red the swift flood of theScamander.

At length, at his lack of mercy, did eventhe river grow wrathful.

[Pg 115]

‘Choked is my stream with dead men!’it cried, ‘and still thou slayest!’

But when Achilles heeded not, in fierceflood the river uprose against him, sweepingthe slain before it, and in furious spateseeking to destroy Achilles. But as itswaves smote against his shield, Achillesgrasped a tall elm, and uprooting it, cast itinto the river to dam the torrent. For themoment only was the angry river stayed.In fear did Achilles flee across the plain, butwith a mighty roar it pursued him, andcaught him.

To the gods then cried Achilles, and tohis aid came Athene, and close to the wallsof Troy again did Achilles chase the Trojanmen.

From the city walls old Priam saw thedreadful things Achilles wrought.

And when, his armour blazing like thebrightest stars of the sky, he drew near,and Hector would have gone to meet him,in grief did Priam cry to his dearly-lovedson:

‘Hector, beloved son, I pray thee go not[Pg 116]alone to meet this man; mightier far thanthou is he.’

But all eager for the fight was Hector.Of all the men of Troy he alone still stoodunafraid. Then did the mother of Hectorbeseech him to hold back from what mustsurely mean death. Yet Hector held notback, but on his shining shield leanedagainst a tower, awaiting the coming of thegreat destroyer.

And at last they met, face to face, spearto spear. As a shooting-star in the darknessso flashed the spear of Achilles as hehurled it home to pierce the neck of Hector.Gods and men had deserted Hector, andalone before the walls of Troy he fell anddied.

Thus ended the fight.

For twelve days did the Greek hostrejoice, and all through the days Hector’sbody lay unburied. For at the heels of swifthorses had the Greeks dragged him to theships, while from the battlements his motherand his wife Andromache watched, wailingin agony, with hearts that broke.

The shadow of death came down upon Hector (page 116)

[Pg 117]

Then at length went old Priam to thecamp of the Greeks. And before Achilles hefell, beseeching him to have mercy and togive him back the body of his son.

So was the heart of Achilles moved, andthe body of Hector ransomed; and withwailing of women did the people of Troywelcome home their hero.

Over him lamented his old mother, for ofall her sons was he to her most dear, andover him wept, with burning tears, his wifeAndromache.

And to his bier came Helen, and withbreaking heart did she sob forth hersorrow.

‘Dearest of my brothers,’ she said, ‘fromthee have I heard neither reproach nor evilword. With kind words and gentle hearthast thou ever stood by me. Lost, lost ismy one true friend. No more in Troylandis any left to pity me.’

On lofty funeral pyre then laid they thedead Hector, and when the flames had consumedhis body his comrades placed hiswhite bones in a golden urn, and over it[Pg 118]with great stones did they raise a mightymound that all might see where he rested.

Yet still was the warfare between Greeksand Trojans not ended.

To Achilles death came in a shaft fromthe bow of Paris. By a poisoned arrowdriven at venture and at dark midnight fromthe bow of an outcast leper was fair Parisslain. While winter snow lay white on Ida,in Helen’s arms did his life ebb away.

Then came there a day when the Greeksburned their camp and sailed homewardacross the grey water.

Behind them they left a mighty horse ofwood, and the men of Troy came and drewit into the city as trophy and sign of victoryover those who had made it. But inside thehorse were hidden many of the bravestwarriors of Greece, and at night, when theTrojans feasted, the Greeks came out oftheir hiding-place and threw open thegates.

And up from the sea came the Greek host,and in fire and in blood fell the city ofTroy.

[Pg 119]

Yet did not Helen perish. Back to hisown kingdom by the sea Menelaus tookher, to reign, in peace, a queen, she whohad brought grief and death to so many,and to the city of Troy unutterable woe.

PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN

*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STORIES FROM THE ILIAD: OR, THE SIEGE OF TROY ***