BOOK THE THIRD.

Shows how her consorts twain met in single combat for Helen.

THUS, as the two great hosts, by the leaders, were marshall'd in order,
On, with a clang and shout, swept Troy's array :-as the wild-fowla.
Such is the clang of cranes, high aloft, in the centre of heaven;
Fleeing the winter's storm, and pitiless blast of the rain-cloud;
Moving in ranks, high aloft, crying loud o'er the stream of the ocean;
To the Pygmæan raceb bearing slaughter and heavy destruction;
Bearing, from distant climates, the fierce contention of battle.
Onward, in silence deep, moved the battle-breathing Achaians;
Each man sternly resolved to sustain his friends in the combat.

10

As when the Southern wind rolls mist o'er the peaks of a mountain; Hateful indeed to the swain, by the thief better loved than the midnight; Dense gloom deepens around, and a man can but see for a stone's-throw ;So, 'mid the feet of the hosts, rose the dust in a smothering whirlwind; Onward as still they press'd;-and the battle-field narrow'd between them.

Then, as the foremost ranks drew near and more near to the onset,
Right in the van of Troy, 'mid the skirmishers, came Alesander" :

The aptness of the simile will be recognised by those who have watched the flight of long lines of wild fowl in severe weather.

It seems doubtful who are here alluded to. Probably some tribe of African monkeys. Homer was evidently a mountaineer-a member probably of some primeval Alpine Club. The simile supposes the reader to be upon the high pastures of a mountain; not down in the fields, as in Pope's translation.

Called indiscriminately, Alexander or Paris- the former has been softened into Alesander when required by the metre.

Fair in form as a God;-with a panther's hide on his shoulder; Bended bow, and sword;-and thus, with two glittering jav❜lins Brandish'd, he dared to the fight all the bravest and best of Achaia:Dared them to meet him alone, face to face, in the mortal encounter.

But when the eager eye of the Arès-loved Menelaus

Fell on him, thus pressing on in the van, striding proudly to battle,
E'en with the joy of a lion that bounds on the neck of the quarry,
-Some great mountain-goat, or antler'd stag of the forest-
Eager with hunger, and tears it to earth, and devours the carcass,
Spite of the baying hounds and the threatening shouts of the hunters ;-
So, at the sight of his foe, of the godlike chief, Alesander,
Bounded the heart of Atrides-expecting to slay the offender.
Fierce, as a lion, he leap'd to the earth in his arms from his war-car,

20

30

Him, 'mid the foremost ranks, when the godlike chief, Alesander,
Saw, pressing forward to fight,-on his heart fell fear and a trembling :
Deep, 'mid the troop of his friends, he retreated, avoiding the death-stroke.
As, in a mountain-glade, when a man, treading nigh to a serpent,
Shrinks, in sudden dread, and his limbs all tremble beneath him,
Backward he starts dismay'd, and a pallor comes over his visage;
So, back again to the throng of the valorous chiefs of the Trojans,
Shrank, from Atrides' face, Paris, beautiful as an Immortal.

Hector remark'd his flight, and bitterly thus he addressed hime.
"Fair in form as thou art,-woman-mad, and seducer of woman,—
Would thou hadst ne'er been born, or died ere arriving at wedlock !
Better, by far, had it been-better far for thyself to have perish'd,
Rather than thus have lived, as a scandal and shame to thy kindred.
Think of the scornful taunts of the fair-tress'd sons of Achaia!
Praising the gallant looks of the champion famed for his beauty;
But for his beauty alone ;-all wanting in prowess and courage.

40

• This speech may be remarked as the first by Hector in the Iliad. In it he at once assumes a position of antagonism towards Paris which is preserved throughout the poem.

50

Pray, was it thus, thus endow'd, that once, roving over the ocean,
Thus, in thy wandering galleys, with suitable comrades to aid thee,
Roving to distant climes, thou hast stolen the spouse of another?
Een from the Apian land-fair spouse of the mighty in battle?
Woe and grief to thy father, thy city, and all who abide there!
Unto thy foemen joy; to thyself but a shame and abasement!—
Dar'st thou not meet in the battle the Arès-loved Menelaus?
Surely 'twere well to have tried what a man thou hast robb'd of his consort!
Little would then have avail'd thee the gifts of the Queen Aphrodite :
Lyre, and well-dress'd hair, and beauty, when roll'd in the red dust.
Shame to the sons of Troy !-too timorous grown; or the people
Had, with a coat of stones, recompensed thee for numberless evils."

Then, in reply to the prince, spake the godlike chief, Alesander.

Hector, thy taunts are deserved ;-not a word goes further than justice.

Thine heart ever is true. As the temper'd axe of the woodman,
Cleaving a solid beam, which he shapes for the frame of a galley;
And from the edge of the axe his arm gains strength, as he wields it;
So, in thy gallant breast, is the mind ever keen and enduring.
Yet, do not urge as crimes, these gifts of the Queen Aphrodite.
Never should man despise any gifts of the Gods unto mortals!
Glorious, free-will gifts! no human device can ensure them.
But if it please thee now that I peril the venture of battle,
Make them in peace sit down,-all the armies of Troy and Achaia!
Then, in the central space, let myself and the stern Menelàus,
Meet, and contend for Helen, and all of the plunder'd possessions.
Whichever quells his foe, and proves to be stronger in battle,

His be the lady to hold; and the wealth, let him take and enjoy it.
While all the rest of the armies, in peace and in treaties united,
Ye, of Troy, repossess her fertile plains; and the Argives
Visit their steeds once more, and the beautiful dames of Achaia."

Thus did he speak; and the heart of Hector leap'd as he heard him. Soon, in the central space, did he check the advance of the Trojans ;

60

70

Grasping his weapon athwart :-and the van fell back at the signal.
Still, at the warrior's head did the fair-tress'd sons of Achaia
Level with eager aim the flights of the stones and the arrows.
But, with a voice heard afar, spake the king of men, Agamemnon.

"Argives, back from the fight! stay your weapons, ye youths of Achaia! He, of the glancing helm, would address us; the warrior Hector."

80

Thus spake the King;-and they paused from the fight, and suspended the

onset.

Then, all silence around-spake Hector to both of the armies.

"Hear me, ye sons of Troy, and ye well-mail'de ranks of Achaia !
Hear Alexander's words—his words who was cause of the contest!
How he proposes, that all,-both Troy's brave sons and Achaia's,—
Lay, on the fertile earth, their glittering armor beside them;
While, in the midst, himself, and the Arès-loved Menelaus,
Fight, all alone, for Helen, and all of the plunder'd possessions.
Whichever quells his foe, and proves to be stronger in battle,
His be the lady to hold, and the treasures to take and enjoy them!
While all the rest of the hosts live in peace and in faithful alliance.”

Thus did the Trojan speak-deep silence fell on his hearers;

Till in reply, spake out the redoubtable chief, Menelaus.

90

"Hear me! I too must speak !-Grieve ye all, as ye may, for the contest,
No grief equals mine!—But I trust that a term has arrivèd,
Parting Troy and Achaia.-Already enough have ye suffer'd;
Suffer'd in feud of mine, and for Paris, the cause of the contest.
Which of the twain he be, whom death and fate are expecting,

100

In which position it could be clearly seen that he was not about to use it offensively. The expression "well-greaved" may, if preferred, be substituted here and elsewhere as a more literal rendering. But probably the special reference to the greaves is only intended to denote the completeness of the panoply.

His be the doom!-and the rest of ye all part in speed and in safety !
Therefore, do ye of Troy bring hither a white and a black lamb;
Due to the Earth and Sun :-for Zeus, we furnish another.

And let himself be here, even Priam, to witness the treaties;

(All his sons we esteem overweeningh, and ill to be trusted)

So, that the truce, sworn to Zeus, may escape from the risk of transgression.

Like to themselves, will the minds of the young be for wavering ever :
But the man stricken in years, calls the past to the aid of the future;
Takes in one view the twain; and arrives at a loyal decision."

Thus did he speak and joy seized on all both of Troy and Achaia ;
Deeming a term arrived unto war and the woes that attend it.
Backward they drew their steeds, into line; and abandon'd the war-cars;
Put off their heavy armor, and laid it on earth close beside them,
Near to each other and small was the space that divided the armies.

Hector, without delay, two heralds sent to the city,

Both to procure two lambs, and to summon the King to the treaties.
And to the fleet was Talthybius sent by the King Agamemnon;
E'en to the hollow ships, for a third lamb fit for a victim;

110

Even a lamb for Zeus :-and he went as the monarch commanded.

120

Then to the white-arm'd Helen, from high, came the messenger Iris';
Came in the form of her sister-in-law; whom the son of Antenor
Own'd as his wife; the brave son of Antenor, the prince Helikàon :
Fair, above all of her sisters; Laòdice, daughter of Priam.

There, in the palace, she found the princess; and her work was before

her:

Double-textured, in purple :-and many a battle she wrought there,

Fought by the sons of Troy, and Achaians gleaming in armor,

Even Hector himself sometimes justifies the first part of this accusation; see his address to Polydamas in Il. xii.

Semble, from Zeus.