Complete Works of Homer

by Homer

  Hippothous and Pylaeus, Lethus' sons,

  The son of Teutamus, Pelasgian chief.

  The Thracians, by fast-flowing Hellespont

  Encompass'd, Acamas and Peirous brave;

  The spear-skill'd Cicones Euphemus led,

  Son of Troezenus, Ceus' highborn son.

  From distant Amydon Pyraecmes brought

  The Paeon archers from broad Axius' banks;

  Axius, the brightest stream on earth that flows.

  The hairy strength of great Pylaemenes

  The Paphlagonians led from Eneti

  (Whence first appear'd the stubborn race of mules),

  Who in Cytorus and in Sesamum,

  And round Parthenius' waters had their home;

  Who dwelt in Cromne, and AEgialus,

  And on the lofty Erythinian rock.

  By Hodius and Epistrophus were brought

  From distant Alybe, the wealthy source

  Of silver ore, the Alizonian bands.

  Chromis the Mysians led, and Ennomus;

  A skilful augur, but his augury

  From gloomy death to save him nought avail'd;

  Slain by the son of Peleus, in the stream,

  Where many another Trojan felt his arm.

  From far Ascania's lake, with Phorcys join'd,

  The godlike presence of Ascanius brought

  The Phrygians, dauntless in the standing fight.

  From Lydia came Pylaemenes' two sons,

  Born of the lake Gygeian; Antiphus,

  And Mesthles; these Maeonia's forces led,

  Who dwelt around the foot of Tmolus' hill.

  In charge of Nastes came the Carian troops,

  Of barbarous speech; who in Miletus dwelt,

  And in the dense entangled forest shade

  Of Phthira's hill, and on the lofty ridge

  Of Mycale, and by Maeander's stream;

  These came with Nastes and Amphimacus;

  Amphimacus and Nastes, Nomion's sons;

  With childish folly to the war he came,

  Laden with store of gold; yet nought avail'd

  His gold to save him from the doom of death;

  Slain by the son of Peleus in the stream;

  And all his wealth Achilles bore away.

  Sarpedon last, and valiant Glaucus led

  The Lycian bands, from distant Lycia's shore,

  Beside the banks of Xanthus' eddying stream.

  ARGUMENT.

  THE DUEL OF MENELAUS AND PARIS.

  The armies being ready to engage, a single combat is agreed upon, between Menelaus and Paris (by the intervention of Hector) for the determination of the war. Iris is sent to call Helen to behold the fight. She leads her to the walls of Troy, where Priam sat with his counsellors, observing the Grecian leaders on the plain below, to whom Helen gives an account of the chief of them. The kings on either part take the solemn oath for the conditions of the combat. The duel ensues, wherein Paris being overcome, is snatched away in a cloud by Venus, and transported to his apartment. She then calls Helen from the walls, and brings the lovers together. Agamemnon, on the part of the Grecians, demands the restoration of Helen, and the performance of the articles.

  The three-and-twentieth day still continues throughout this book. The scene is sometimes in the field before Troy, and sometimes in Troy itself.

  BOOK III.

  WHEN by their sev'ral chiefs the troops were rang'd,

  With noise and clamour, as a flight of birds,

  The men of Troy advanc'd; as when the cranes,

  Flying the wintry storms, send forth on high

  Their dissonant clamours, while o'er the ocean stream

  They steer their course, and on their pinions bear

  Battle and death to the Pygmaean race.

  On th' other side the Greeks in silence mov'd,

  Breathing firm courage, bent on mutual aid.

  As when the south wind o'er the mountain tops

  Spreads a thick veil of mist, the shepherd's bane,

  And friendly to the nightly thief alone,

  That a stone's throw the range of vision bounds;

  So rose the dust-cloud, as in serried ranks

  With rapid step they mov'd across the plain.

  But when th' opposing forces near were met,

  A panther's skin across his shoulders flung,

  Arm'd with his bow and sword, in front of all

  Advanc'd the godlike Paris; in his hand

  He pois'd two brass-tipp'd jav'lins, and defied

  To mortal combat all the chiefs of Greece.

  Him when the warlike Menelaus saw

  With haughty strides advancing from the crowd;

  As when a lion, hunger-pinch'd, espies

  Some mighty beast of chase, or antler'd stag,

  Or mountain goat, and with exulting spring

  Strikes down his prey, and on the carcase feeds,

  Unscar'd by baying hounds and eager youths:

  So Menelaus saw with fierce delight

  The godlike Paris; for he deem'd that now

  His vengeance was at hand; and from his car,

  Arm'd as he was, he leap'd upon the plain.

  But when the godlike Paris saw him spring

  Defiant from the ranks, with quailing heart,

  Back to his comrades' shelt'ring crowd he sprang,

  In fear of death; as when some trav'ller spies,

  Coil'd in his path upon the mountain side,

  A deadly snake, back he recoils in haste,

  His limbs all trembling, and his cheek all pale;

  So back recoil'd, in fear of Atreus' son,

  The godlike Paris 'mid the Trojan host.

  To whom in stern rebuke thus Hector spoke:

  "Thou wretched Paris, though in form so fair,

  Thou slave of woman, manhood's counterfeit!

  Would thou hadst ne'er been born, or died at least

  Unwedded; so 'twere better far for all,

  Than thus to live a scandal and reproach.

  Well may the long-hair'd Greeks triumphant boast,

  Who think thee, from thine outward show, a chief

  Among our warriors; but thou hast in truth

  Nor strength of mind, nor courage in the fight.

  How was't that such as thou could e'er induce

  A noble band, in ocean-going ships

  To cross the main, with men of other lands

  Mixing in amity, and bearing thence

  A woman, fair of face, by marriage ties

  Bound to a race of warriors; to thy sire,

  Thy state, thy people, cause of endless grief,

  Of triumph to thy foes, contempt to thee!

  Durst thou the warlike Menelaus meet,

  Thou to thy cost shouldst learn the might of him

  Whose bride thou didst not fear to bear away:

  Then shouldst thou find of small avail thy lyre,

  Or Venus' gifts of beauty and of grace,

  Or, trampled in the dust, thy flowing hair.

  But too forbearing are the men of Troy;

  Else for the ills that thou hast wrought the state,

  Ere now thy body had in stone been cas'd."

  To whom the godlike Paris thus replied:

  "Hector, I needs must own thy censure just,

  Nor without cause; thy dauntless courage knows

  Nor pause nor weariness; but as an axe,

  That in a strong man's hand, who fashions out

  Some naval timber, with unbated edge

  Cleaves the firm wood, and aids the striker's force;

  Ev'n so unwearied is thy warlike soul.

  Yet blame not me for golden Venus' gifts:

  The gifts of Heav'n are not to be despis'd,

  Which Heav'n may give, but man could not command.

  But if thou wilt that I should dare the fight,

  Bid that the Trojans and the Grecians all

  Be seated on the ground; and in the midst

>   The warlike Menelaus and myself

  Stand front to front, for Helen and the spoils

  Of war to combat; and whoe'er shall prove

  The better man in conflict, let him bear

  The woman and the spoils in triumph home;

  While ye, the rest, in peace and friendship sworn,

  Shall still possess the fertile plains of Troy;

  And to their native Argos they return,

  For noble steeds and lovely women fam'd."

  He said, and Hector joy'd to hear his words:

  Forth in the midst he stepp'd, and with his spear

  Grasp'd by the middle, stay'd the Trojan ranks.

  At him the long-haired Grecians bent their bows,

  Prompt to assail with arrows and with stones;

  But loud the monarch Agamemnon's voice

  Was heard; "Hold, Argives, hold! ye sons of Greece,

  Shoot not! for Hector of the glancing helm

  Hath, as it seems, some message to impart."

  He said; they held their hands, and silent stood

  Expectant, till to both thus Hector spoke:

  "Hear now, ye Trojans, and ye well-greav'd Greeks,

  The words of Paris, cause of all this war.

  He asks through me that all the host of Troy

  And Grecian warriors shall upon the ground

  Lay down their glitt'ring arms; while in the midst

  The warlike Menelaus and himself

  Stand front to front, for Helen and the spoils

  Of war to combat; and whoe'er shall prove

  The better man in conflict, let him bear

  The woman and the spoils in triumph home,

  While we, the rest, firm peace and friendship swear."

  Thus Hector spoke; the rest in silence heard;

  But Menelaus, bold in fight, replied:

  "Hear now my answer; in this quarrel I

  May claim the chiefest share; and now I hope

  Trojans and Greeks may see the final close

  Of all the labours ye so long have borne

  T' avenge my wrong, at Paris' hand sustain'd.

  And of us two whiche'er is doom'd to death,

  So let him die! the rest, depart in peace.

  Bring then two lambs, one white, the other black,

  For Tellus and for Sol; we on our part

  Will bring another, for Saturnian Jove:

  And let the majesty of Priam too

  Appear, himself to consecrate our oaths,

  (For reckless are his sons, and void of faith,)

  That none Jove's oath may dare to violate.

  For young men's spirits are too quickly stirr'd;

  But in the councils check'd by rev'rend age,

  Alike are weigh'd the future and the past,

  And for all int'rests due provision made."

  He said, and Greeks and Trojans gladly heard,

  In hopes of respite from the weary war.

  They rang'd the cars in ranks; and they themselves

  Descending doff'd their arms, and laid them down

  Close each by each, with narrow space between.

  Two heralds to the city Hector sent

  To bring the lambs, and aged Priam call;

  While Agamemnon to the hollow ships,

  Their lamb to bring, in haste Talthybius sent:

  He heard, and straight the monarch's voice obey'd.

  Meantime to white-arm'd Helen Iris sped,

  The heav'nly messenger: in form she seem'd

  Her husband's sister, whom Antenor's son,

  The valiant Helicaon had to wife,

  Laodice, of Priam's daughters all

  Loveliest of face: she in her chamber found

  Her whom she sought: a mighty web she wove,

  Of double woof and brilliant hues; whereon

  Was interwoven many a toilsome strife

  Of Trojan warriors and of brass-clad Greeks,

  For her encounter'd at the hand of Mars.

  Beside her Iris stood, and thus she spoke:

  "Come, sister dear, and see the glorious deeds

  Of Trojan warriors and of brass-clad Greeks.

  They who erewhile, impatient for the fight,

  Roll'd o'er the plain the woful tide of war,

  Now silent sit, the storm of battle hush'd,

  Reclining on their shields, their lances bright

  Beside them reared; while Paris in the midst

  And warlike Menelaus, stand prepar'd

  With the long spear for thee to fight; thyself

  The prize of conquest and the victor's wife."

  Thus as she spoke, in Helen's breast arose

  Fond recollection of her former Lord,

  Her home, and parents; o'er her head she threw

  A snowy veil; and shedding tender tears

  She issu'd forth, not unaccompanied;

  For with her went fair AEthra, Pittheus' child,

  And stag-ey'd Clymene, her maidens twain.

  They quickly at the Scaean gate arriv'd.

  Attending there on aged Priam, sat,

  The Elders of the city; Panthous,

  And Lampus, and Thymaetes; Clytius,

  Bold Icetaon, and Ucalegon,

  With sage Antenor, wise in council both:

  All these were gather'd at the Scaean gate;

  By age exempt from war, but in discourse

  Abundant, as the cricket, that on high

  From topmost boughs of forest tree sends forth

  His delicate music; so on Ilium's tow'rs

  Sat the sage chiefs and councillors of Troy.

  Helen they saw, as to the tow'r she came;

  And "'tis no marvel," one to other said,

  "The valiant Trojans and the well-greav'd Greeks

  For beauty such as this should long endure

  The toils of war; for goddess-like she seems;

  And yet, despite her beauty, let her go,

  Nor bring on us and on our sons a curse."

  Thus they; but aged Priam Helen call'd:

  "Come here, my child, and sitting by my side,

  From whence thou canst discern thy former Lord,

  His kindred, and thy friends (not thee I blame,

  But to the Gods I owe this woful war),

  Tell me the name of yonder mighty chief

  Among the Greeks a warrior brave and strong:

  Others in height surpass him; but my eyes

  A form so noble never yet beheld,

  Nor so august; he moves, a King indeed!"

  To whom in answer, Helen, heav'nly fair:

  "With rev'rence, dearest father, and with shame

  I look on thee: oh would that I had died

  That day when hither with thy son I came,

  And left my husband, friends, and darling child,

  And all the lov'd companions of my youth:

  That I died not, with grief I pine away.

  But to thy question; I will tell thee true;

  Yon chief is Agamemnon, Atreus' son,

  Wide-reigning, mighty monarch, ruler good,

  And valiant warrior; in my husband's name,

  Lost as I am, I call'd him brother once."

  She spoke: th' old man admiring gaz'd, and cried,

  "Oh bless'd Atrides, child of happy fate,

  Favour'd of Heav'n! how many noble Greeks

  Obey thy rule! In vine-clad Phrygia once

  I saw the hosts of Phrygian warriors wheel

  Their rapid steeds; and with them, all the bands

  Of Otreus, and of Mygdon, godlike King,

  Who lay encamp'd beside Sangarius' stream:

  I too with them was number'd, in the day

  When met them in the field the Amazons,

  The woman-warriors; but their forces all

  Reach'd not the number of the keen-ey'd Greeks."

  Ulysses next the old man saw, and ask'd,

  "Tell me again, dear child, who this may be,


  In stature less than Atreus' royal son,

  But broader-shoulder'd, and of ampler chest.

  His arms are laid upon the fertile plain,

  But he himself is moving through the ranks,

  Inspecting, like a full-fleec'd ram, that moves

  Majestic through a flock of snow-white ewes."

  To whom Jove's offspring, Helen, thus replied:

  "The wise Ulysses that, Laertes' son:

  Though bred in rugged Ithaca, yet vers'd

  In ev'ry stratagem, and deep device."

  "O woman," then the sage Antenor said,

  "Of these thy words I can the truth avouch;

  For hither when on thine account to treat,

  Brave Menelaus and Ulysses came,

  I lodg'd them in my house, and lov'd them both,

  And studied well the form and mind of each.

  As they with Trojans mix'd in social guise,

  When both were standing, o'er his comrade high

  With broad-set shoulders Menelaus stood;

  Seated, Ulysses was the nobler form:

  Then, in the great Assembly, when to all

  Their public speech and argument they fram'd,

  In fluent language Menelaus spoke,

  In words though few, yet clear; though young in years,

  No wordy babbler, wasteful of his speech:

  But when the skill'd Ulysses rose to speak,

  With down-cast visage would he stand, his eyes

  Bent on the ground; the staff he bore, nor back

  He wav'd, nor forward, but like one untaught,

  He held it motionless; who only saw

  Would say that he was mad, or void of sense;

  But when his chest its deep-ton'd voice sent forth,

  With words that fell like flakes of wintry snow,

  No mortal with Ulysses could compare:

  Then little reck'd we of his outward show."

  At sight of Ajax next th' old man enquir'd;

  "Who is yon other warrior, brave and strong,

  Tow'ring o'er all with head and shoulders broad?"

  To whom, in answer, Helen, heav'nly fair:

  "Gigantic Ajax that, the prop of Greece;

  And by his side Idomeneus of Crete

  Stands godlike, circled round by Cretan chiefs.

  The warlike Menelaus welcom'd him

  Oft in our palace, when from Crete he came.

  Now all the other keen-ey'd Greeks I see,

  Whom once I knew, and now could call by name;

  But two I miss, two captains of the host,

  My own two brethren, and my mother's sons,

  Castor and Pollux; Castor, charioteer

  Unrivalled, Pollux, matchless pugilist.

  In Lacedaemon have they stay'd behind?

  Or can it be, in ocean-going ships

  That they have come indeed, but shun to join