{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_43982/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_43982","id":"gutenberg_43982","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/43982","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Mythology, Greek -- Juvenile literature","Mythology, Roman -- Juvenile literature"],"text":"Classics for Children.\n\n\n  STORIES OF THE OLD WORLD.\n\n  BY THE\n\n  REV. ALFRED J. CHURCH, M.A.,\n\n  AUTHOR OF \u201cSTORIES FROM HOMER,\u201d \u201cSTORIES FROM VIRGIL,\u201d \u201cSTORIES\n  FROM LIVY,\u201d ETC.\n\n\n  BOSTON:\n  PUBLISHED BY GINN & COMPANY.\n  1885.\n\n\n\n\n  Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1884, by\n  GINN, HEATH, & CO.,\n  in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.\n\n\n  J. S. CUSHING & CO., PRINTERS, 115 HIGH STREET, BOSTON.\n\n\n\n\nCONTENTS.\n\n\n  THE STORY OF THE ARGO.\n\n                                 PAGE\n  CHAPTER I.                        7\n  CHAPTER II.                      19\n  CHAPTER III.                     30\n\n\n  THE STORY OF THEBES.\n\n  CHAPTER I.                       47\n  CHAPTER II.                      57\n\n\n  THE STORY OF TROY.\n\n  CHAPTER I.                       69\n  CHAPTER II.                      86\n  CHAPTER III.                    109\n  CHAPTER IV.                     128\n  CHAPTER V.                      147\n  CHAPTER VI.                     156\n  CHAPTER VII.                    171\n\n  THE ADVENTURES OF ULYSSES.\n\n  CHAPTER VIII.                   182\n  CHAPTER IX.                     204\n  CHAPTER X.                      210\n  CHAPTER XI.                     220\n  CHAPTER XII.                    229\n  CHAPTER XIII.                   237\n  CHAPTER XIV.                    242\n\n\n  THE ADVENTURES OF \u00c6NEAS.\n\n  CHAPTER I.                      247\n  CHAPTER II.                     265\n  CHAPTER III.                    291\n  CHAPTER IV.                     307\n  CHAPTER V.                      331\n  CHAPTER VI.                     342\n\n\nNOTE.\n\n    In \u201cThe Adventures of \u00c6neas\u201d the names of the gods are of the\n    Latin form. As the story is taken from Virgil, this could not\n    be avoided. The following table sets forth the correspondence\n    of the Greek and Latin names:--\n\n    GREEK.          LATIN.\n\n    Zeus           Jupiter.\n    Her\u00e9           Juno.\n    Aphrodit\u00e9      Venus.\n    Ares           Mars.\n    Hermes         Mercury.\n    Poseidon       Neptune.\n    Artemis        Diana.\n\n\n\n\nTHE\n\nSTORY OF THE ARGO.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER I.\n\n\nThe son of Cretheus, \u00c6son, bequeathed the kingdom of Thessaly to his\nbrother Pelias, to keep for Jason, his son, whom he had sent to be\ntaught by Chiron, the wise Centaur. Now when Jason was returning from\nChiron he came to Anaurus, which is a river of Thessaly, and would\nhave crossed it; but there was an old woman on the river bank, and she\nentreated of Jason that he would carry her over the river, for she\nfeared herself, she said, to cross it. But the old woman was in truth\nthe goddess Her\u00e9, who had taken upon herself the likeness of an old\nwoman to try the young man\u2019s heart. Jason therefore carried her over,\nbut in crossing he lost one of his sandals, for it cleaved to the sand\nthat was in the river; and so he came to the dwelling of King Pelias,\nwhere they were preparing a great sacrifice and feast to Poseidon and\nthe other gods. Now there had come an oracle aforetime to Pelias,\nsaying, \u201cBeware of him who shall come to thee with one sandal only, for\nit is thy doom to die by his means.\u201d Therefore, when Pelias saw Jason\ncome in this plight, he was afraid; also he would fain keep the kingdom\nfor himself. He dared not slay him; but he set him a task from which he\nmight win great renown, hoping that he should never return therefrom;\nand the task was this: to fetch the fleece of gold from the land of the\nColchians.\n\nNow the story of the fleece is this: To Athamas, that was brother to\nCretheus, were born two children of Nephele, his wife, and the names of\nthese two were Phrixus and Helle. But Ino, whom Athamas had taken to\nwife when Nephele was dead, laid a plot against the children to cause\nthem to be put to death, and the plot was this. She persuaded the women\nof the land to parch with fire the seed of the corn that their husbands\nsowed in the earth. And when the seed bare no increase, King Athamas\nsent to inquire of the oracle at Delphi what the cause might be. But\nIno persuaded the messengers that they should bring back this message,\nas though it were the answer of the god, \u201cSacrifice the two children,\nPhrixus and Helle, if ye would be rid of this barrenness.\u201d So Athamas,\nbeing persuaded, brought the children to the altar to sacrifice them;\nbut the gods had pity on them, and sent a winged ram with a fleece of\ngold to carry them away. So the ram carried them away; but Helle fell\nfrom it and was drowned (for which cause the sea in those parts is\ncalled the Sea of Helle to this day), but Phrixus came safe to the land\nof the Colchians. There he sacrificed the ram as a thankoffering to\nZeus, and afterwards married the daughter of the king of that land, and\nthen died. And now Pelias would have Jason fetch the fleece of gold as\nbelonging of right to his own house. To this Jason consented, and he\nsent messengers through the land of Greece to gather the heroes, that\nthey might be his companions in this labor; and the heroes hearkened to\nhis word.\n\nFirst there came Orpheus, the great singer of Thrace, who could cause\nrocks to move from their places, and rivers to stay their course, and\ntrees to follow him, so sweetly he sang; and Polyphemus, who in his\nyouth had fought with the Lapith\u00e6 against the Centaurs, and though his\nlimbs were burdened with many years, he bare a brave heart within him;\nand Admetus of Thessaly, for whom his wife Alcestis was willing to\ndie; and the two sons of \u00c6acus of \u00c6gina, Telamon and Peleus, of whom\nTelamon dwelt in Salamis, and Peleus in Phthia, for they had fled from\n\u00c6gina, having slain Phocus, their brother, unwittingly. But Theseus,\nthe bravest of the sons of Attica, came not, being imprisoned with\nPiritho\u00fcs in the dwellings of the dead. Also there came Tiphys, who was\nthe most skilful of men to foresee when the waves would rise, and the\nwinds blow, and to guide a ship by sun and stars; and Hercules, who\nwas newly come to Argos from Arcadia, whence he had brought alive the\ngreat Erymanthian boar, and put him down in the market-place of Mycen\u00e6;\nand the twin brethren, Castor, the tamer of horses, and Pollux, the\nmighty boxer; and Lynceus, who was keener of sight than all other men,\nso that he could see even the things below the earth. With these came\nalso two brethren, sons of Boreas, Prince of Thrace, whom men call also\nthe North Wind. Wings had these two upon their feet,--a wonder to see,\nblack, shining with scales of gold,--and their hair streamed behind\nthem on either side as they ran. These, and many more heroes whom it\nneeds not name, did Jason gather together.\n\nAs for the ship _Argo_, the goddess Athene devised it, but the hands of\nArgus, the son of Arestor, builded it.\n\nGreat was the wonder among the people to see such a gathering of\nheroes. \u201cSurely,\u201d they said, \u201cthey will burn the house of \u00c6\u00e6tes with\nfire if he withhold from them the fleece.\u201d But the women lifted up\ntheir hands and prayed for a safe return; also they wept one to\nanother, no one more bitterly than Alcimed\u00e9, the mother of Jason,\ncasting her arms about her son, and bewailing the day when Pelias had\nsent him on this errand, seeing that he was her only son, and she would\nbe left desolate and alone. But Jason comforted her, saying that Athene\nwould help him in his quest, and that Apollo had prophesied good things\nfor him; only he bade her abide within the house, lest she should speak\nsome word of ill omen at their departure.\n\nWhen the heroes were gathered together at the ship, Jason stood up\nin the midst, and spake: \u201cMy friends, seeing that all things are now\nready for the voyage, and that there is nothing to hinder us from\nsailing, the wind being favorable, let us choose for our leader him\nwhom we judge to be the best among us, for our going and our returning\nconcerneth us all.\u201d Then the young men cast their eyes on Hercules, and\ncried out with one voice that he should be their leader. But the hero\nstretched forth his right hand from where he sat, and cried, \u201cNot so;\nlet no man seek to give me this honor, for I will not receive it. Let\nhim that hath gathered us be also our leader.\u201d So spake Hercules, and\nthey all were obedient to his word, and chose Jason to be their leader.\nThen said Jason, \u201cFirst let us make a feast and a sacrifice to Apollo.\nBut while the slaves fetch the oxen, let us drag down the ship to the\nsea, and when we have put all her tackling into her, let us cast lots\nfor the benches whereon we shall sit.\u201d Then the heroes undergirded the\nship with ropes, that she might be the stronger against the waves; and\nafterwards, standing on either side, pushed her with all their might;\nbut Tiphys stood in the midst and gave the word, that they might do it\nwith one heart and at one time. Quickly ran the _Argo_ on the slips,\nand the heroes shouted as she ran. Then they fastened the oars in the\nrowlocks, and put a mast in the ship, and sails well woven. After this\nthey divided the heroes among the benches, two heroes to a bench; and\nin the hindmost bench they set Hercules and Anc\u00e6us of Tegea, by choice\nand not by lot, considering the stature of the heroes, for there the\nship was deepest. But for helmsman they chose Tiphys by common consent.\n\nAfter this they built an altar of stones upon the shore. Then Jason\nprayed to Apollo, \u201cO king, bring us again safe to Greece; so will\nwe offer young bullocks on thy altars, both at Delphi and in Delos.\nAnd now let us raise our cable in peace, and give us favorable winds\nand a calm sea.\u201d Then Hercules smote one of the oxen with his fist\nbetween the horns and felled him to the earth; and Anc\u00e6us slew the\nother, smiting him on the neck with an axe. And the young men cut them\nin pieces, and they covered the thighs with fat, and burned them in\nthe fire. But when Idmon, the seer, saw the blue smoke, how it arose\nin circles above the flames, he cried, by the inspiration of Apollo,\n\u201cTruly ye shall come hither again, and bring the fleece of gold with\nyou; but as for me, I must die far from my home in the land of Asia.\nThis, indeed, I knew before, yet am I with you to-day, that I may\nshare the glory of this voyage.\u201d And now the sun was setting, and the\nheroes sat in order on the shore, and drank the wine out of great\ncups, talking with each other as men are wont to talk at the banquet.\nBut Jason sat apart, busy with many thoughts, which, when the hero\nIdas saw, he said, \u201cWhat fearest thou, son of \u00c6son? By this spear I\nswear--and in truth my spear helpeth me more than Zeus--thou shalt\nfail in nought if only Idas be with thee.\u201d And as he spake he raised\nwith both his hands a mighty bowl of wine, and drenched his lips and\nbearded cheeks. Then the heroes murmured against him; but Idmon, the\nseer, spake aloud, \u201cThese are evil words that thou speakest against\nthyself. Hath the wine so wrought with thee that thou revilest the\ngods? Remember the sons of Aloeus, how mighty they were; but when they\nspake against the gods, Apollo slew them with his darts.\u201d Then Idas\nlaughed aloud, and cried, \u201cThinkest thou, then, that the gods will slay\nme as Apollo slew the sons of Aloeus? Only take heed to thyself if thou\nshalt be found to have prophesied falsely concerning me.\u201d But Jason\nstayed them, that they should not strive together any more.\n\nAfter this Orpheus took his harp and sang. He sang how the earth and\nheaven and sky, having had but one form before, were divided from\neach other; and how the stars are fixed in heaven; and of the moon\nand the courses of the sun. Also he sang how the mountains arose, and\nthe rivers flowed; and how of old Chronos reigned in Olympus, ruling\nthe Titan gods, while Zeus was yet a child, dwelling in the caves of\nIda, before the Cyclopes had armed his hand with the thunderbolt. Then\nOrpheus ended his song; but the heroes sat awhile, after that he had\nceased, with their heads bent forwards, so mighty was the spell upon\nthem. After this they burnt the tongues of the beasts with fire, and\npoured wine upon them, and so lay down to sleep.\n\nBut when the morning shone on the top of Pelion, Tiphys first woke\nout of sleep, and roused the heroes, bidding them embark and prepare\nfor rowing. But before they departed came Chiron down from the hills,\nand his wife with him, carrying in her arms the little Achilles, that\nPeleus, his father, might embrace him. And Chiron prayed aloud to the\ngods that the heroes might have a safe return.\n\nThus did the ship _Argo_ depart upon her voyage. The heroes smote the\nsea with their oars in time to the music of Orpheus, and drave her\non her course with a marvellous quickness. The tackling of the ship\nglistened like gold in the sun, and the waves were parted, foaming on\neither side of the prow, and their way was white behind them, plain to\nsee as the path upon a meadow.\n\nSo soon as they were clear of the harbor\u2019s winding ways--and well did\nTiphys guide them, holding the polished tiller in his hands--they\nset up the great mast in its socket, fastening it by ropes on either\nside; and upon the mast they spread out the sail, setting it duly with\npulleys and sheets. Then, with the wind blowing fair behind them, they\nsped forward; and Orpheus sang the while of Artemis; and the fishes\nfollowed, leaping out of the sea about the ship, even as sheep when\nthey are fed to the full follow back the shepherd to the sheepfold as\nhe goes before them, making sweet music on his oaten pipe. Past the\nrocks of Pelion they sped, and Sciathos and Magnessa; and when they\ncame to the tomb of Dolops, they drave their ship to the shore and did\nsacrifice by the tomb. There they abode for two days, for the sea was\nstormy; but on the third day they launched their ship and hoisted the\ngreat sail. Whereupon to this day they call this place \u201cThe Launching\nof the _Argo_.\u201d Then as they sailed they saw the valleys of Ossa and\nOlympus; all night the wind carried them on, and the next day there\nappeared Athos, the great mountain of Thrace; so great is it that its\nshadow falls on Myrina in Lemnos, though it be a half-day\u2019s journey for\na fleet ship.\n\nThen they came to Lemnos. There, but a year before, had been wrought a\ndreadful deed; for the women had slain their husbands, aye, and every\nmale throughout the land, lest the children, being grown to manhood,\nshould avenge their fathers. Only Hypsipyle had spared the old man\nThoas, her father, hiding him in a cave by the sea, that she might\nsend him away alive. And now the women ploughed the fields, and donned\nthe armor of men; nevertheless, they watched ever in fear lest the\nThracians that dwelt on the shore over against them should come upon\nthem. And now, when they saw the _Argo_ and the band of heroes, they\nsallied forth from their city, duly armed, with Hypsipyle their Queen\nfor their leader; for they thought that now indeed the Thracians were\ncome. Speechless they were for fear, for all their brave show of war.\nBut the heroes sent their herald to tell who they were, and whence they\nhad come, and whither they went. For that day, therefore, they abode on\nthe shore. But the Queen called the women to council; and when these\nwere gathered together, she rose in the midst, and said: \u201cLet us give\ngifts to these strangers, food and wine; but let them abide without the\nwalls, for we have done a dreadful deed, and it is not well that they\nshould know it. But if anyone have some better counsel, let her speak.\u201d\nThen Polyxo, that was nurse to the Queen, stood forth. Very old she\nwas; she halted upon her feet, she leant upon her staff; and four young\nmaidens, with long yellow hair, held her up. Yet could she scarce lift\nup her head, so bowed she was with age; nevertheless, age had not tamed\nher tongue. Thus she spake: \u201cIt is well, as saith the Queen, to send\ngifts to these strangers. Yet, bethink you, my daughters, what will ye\ndo in the time to come? How will it fare with you, if these Thracians\ncome, or other enemies? When ye are old, how will ye live? Will the\noxen yoke themselves to the plough, or the harvests come without toil?\nAs for me, though hitherto the Fates have passed me by, I shall surely\ndie this year or the next, and escape from the evil to come. But what\nwill ye do, my daughters? Wherefore my counsel is that ye make these\nmen the partners of all that ye have.\u201d And the whole assembly gave\ntheir consent, and they sent Iphinoe as their herald to the heroes. And\nwhen these had heard the words of the daughter of Lemnos, the thing\npleased them.\n\nThen indeed had they dwelt in Lemnos to the end of their days, but\nHercules called them apart and said: \u201cDid ye come hither, my friends,\nto marry wives? Are there not maidens fair enough whom ye may wed at\nhome? Will ye be content to plough and sow and reap in Lemnos? Think\nyou that some god will put this fleece of gold into your hands while ye\ntarry here?\u201d So did he rebuke them; but they answered him not again,\nnor dared so much as to lift their eyes from the ground. But the next\nday they climbed into their ship, and ranged themselves in order on the\nbenches, and so departed. And after a while, the south wind blowing,\nthey entered the Hellespont, and passing through it, came to the sea\nwhich men call the Propontis, and to a certain city of which Cyzicus\nwas king, and now men call it by his name. Here were they entertained\nwith all hospitality; for the King had been warned that if a ship of\nstrangers should come, he should deal kindly with them, if haply he\nmight so escape his fate. For his fate was this, that he should die by\nthe hands of a stranger. Wherefore he gave them great store of flesh\nand wine. Now the next day some would climb the hill Dindymus, that\nthey might behold the sea on which they should sail; and some rowed the\n_Argo_ to a more convenient haven. But there were in an island hard by\ncertain giants, of monstrous shape. Six hands had each of them,--two\nsuch as other men have, and four strangely growing from their sides.\nThese sallied forth against the heroes, and would have blocked the\nmouth of the haven with rocks, as men block a wild beast in a cavern.\nBut Hercules drew his bow against them, and slew many with arrows. And\nthe heroes, when they saw what had befallen, left their journey and\ncame to the help of their companions, and pursued the giants till they\nhad destroyed them. But Queen Her\u00e9 had reared these giants that they\nmight do some harm to Hercules. After this the heroes set sail, and\nall that day they sped onward on their course; but at nightfall the\nwind blew contrary, and carried them back to the city of Cyzicus. Yet\nthey knew not whither they were come; neither did any of the men of\nCyzicus know the heroes for the darkness. Therefore they joined battle\nas though they had been enemies; and Jason smote King Cyzicus on the\nbreast and slew him. Thus was his doom fulfilled. Many others also\nwere slain; and the men of Cyzicus fled before the heroes, and shut\nthemselves into their city. But when it was morning the heroes knew\nwhat they had done in their ignorance, and lamented. Also they set up a\ngreat tomb for the slain, and circled it thrice, clad in their armor,\nand celebrated funeral games in the meadow hard by. But Clite, that was\nthe wife of Cyzicus, when she knew that her husband was dead, hanged\nherself; and the gods changed her tears into a fountain which is yet\ncalled Clite, after her name.\n\nFor twelve days the heroes tarried in this land, so stormy were the\nwinds; but in the twelfth night a kingfisher flew with a shrill cry\nover the head of Jason as he slept; and Mopsus the seer knew what the\nkingfisher said, and cried, \u201cLet us build an altar to Cybele, the\nmother of the gods, and do sacrifice to her. So shall we have an end of\nthese stormy winds.\u201d\n\nThis therefore they did; and the next morning they departed. Quickly\nthey sped, so that not even the chariot of Poseidon could have\noutstripped them. But towards the evening the wind blew more strongly,\nand the waves arose. Then indeed did Hercules, as he toiled with all\nhis might in rowing, break his oar in the middle. One half he held in\nhis hands and fell therewith, but the other half the sea carried with\nit. But when they were come to the land the people of Mysia entertained\nthem with hospitality. And the next day Hercules went into the woods,\nseeking a pine-tree for an oar. And when he had found one that had but\nfew branches or leaves upon it, but was tall and straight as a poplar,\nhe laid his bow and his arrows and his lion-skin also on the ground,\nand first he smote the pine-tree with his club and loosened it, and\nthen put his hands about the stem, and tare it by the roots from the\nearth, and so went back to the ship bearing it on his shoulders.\n\nBut in the meanwhile the youth Hylas had gone forth with his pitcher to\nfetch water from a spring; for he was page to Hercules, and would have\nall things ready for him against his coming back. Now all the Nymphs of\nthe land, whether they dwelt in the water or on the hills, were wont to\nassemble at this fountain. And one of these saw the youth, how fair he\nwas, for the moon was at her full and shone upon him as he went, and\nshe loved him in her heart. And when the youth dipped his pitcher into\nthe spring to fill it, she threw her arms about his neck and drew him\ndown, and he fell into the fountain, but called aloud on Hercules as he\nfell. Now one of the heroes heard the cry of the youth, and hastened to\nthe place, but found nothing. But as he returned from out of the wood,\nfor he feared lest some wild beast or enemy should assail him, he met\nHercules, and spake, saying, \u201cThese are sad tidings that I bring thee.\nFor Hylas is gone to the spring and hath not returned, and either some\nbeast hath slain him, or robbers have carried him away.\u201d So all that\nnight Hercules wandered through the wood seeking for the youth, even as\na bull which some gad-fly stings rusheth over the fields nor resteth\nanywhere. So Hercules hastened hither and thither, seeking for the\nyouth, and calling him by his name, but found him not.\n\nWhen it was now day, Tiphys, the helmsman, bade them depart, for that\nthe wind favored them. But after a while they found that they had left\nthe best of their company behind them unwittingly; and then arose great\nstrife and contention among them. Then spake Telamon in his wrath:\n\u201cTruly this is well, that we have left our bravest behind us! Thine\nis this counsel, O Jason, that thy glory might not be shadowed by his\nglory in the land of Greece, if so be that the gods shall bring us\nback.\u201d And he would have leapt on Tiphys, the helmsman, only the two\nsons of Boreas held him back; for which deed they suffered afterwards,\nseeing that Hercules slew them both as they returned from the funeral\ngames of Pelias, because they had hindered the heroes from seeking for\nhim. But in the midst of their anger there appeared to them the sea-god\nGlaucus. From the midst of the waves he lifted his shaggy head and\nbreast, and laid hold of the ship, and spake: \u201cWhy do ye seek to take\nHercules to the land of the Colchians against the will of Zeus? For it\nis his doom that he should fulfil his previous toils for Eurystheus,\nand afterwards be numbered with the gods. And as for Polyphemus, it is\nhis fate to build a city in the land of the Mysians. Neither mourn ye\nfor Hylas, seeing that the Nymph of the fountain hath taken him for her\nhusband.\u201d And when the god had so spoken he sank again into the sea,\nand was hidden from their sight. Then said Telamon to Jason, clasping\nhim by the hand, \u201cPardon me, son of \u00c6son, if I have wronged thee, and\nbe not wroth for my hasty words. For indeed a great sorrow drave me to\nspeak, and now let us be friends as before.\u201d To him answered Jason,\n\u201cThy words indeed were harsh when thou saidst that I had betrayed my\nfriend, yet I bear no anger for them. For thy wrath was not for cattle\nor gold, but for a man whom thou lovest. And, indeed, I would have thee\ncontend with me yet again for a like cause, if such should arise.\u201d So\nTelamon and Jason were made friends. And all that day and all that\nnight the wind blew strong; but in the morning there was a calm; yet\nthe heroes plied their oars, and at sunset they drave their ship on to\nthe shore.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER II.\n\n\nNow the land whereunto they were come was the land of the Bebryces,\nwhose King was one Amycus, the son of Poseidon. No man was more\narrogant than he, for he made it a law that no stranger should depart\nfrom the land before he had made trial of him in boxing; and thus had\nhe slain many. And coming down to the ship, when he had inquired of\nthem the cause of their journey, he spake, saying, \u201cHearken to me,\nye wanderers of the sea; no man cometh to the land of the Bebryces\nbut he must stand up against me in a fight of boxers. Choose me out,\ntherefore, the best of your company, and set him to fight with me\nhere; and if not, I will compel you.\u201d But the heroes were very wroth\nwhen they heard these words, and Pollux more than all. Wherefore\nhe stood forth before his fellows, and said, \u201cTalk not to us of\ncompulsion. We will follow this custom of thine. Lo, I will meet thee\nmyself.\u201d Then Amycus glared at him, even as a lion upon the hill glares\nat the man that wounded him at the first, caring not for the others\nthat gird him about. Then Pollux laid aside his mantle, which one of\nthe daughters of Lemnos had given him; and Amycus also stripped off\nhis cloak, and put aside the great shepherd\u2019s crook made of a wild\nolive tree, that he bare. Very diverse were they to behold, for the\nKing was like to Typh\u0153us, or one of the giants, the sons of Earth; but\nPollux was like a star of Heaven, so fair he was. And he tried his\nhands, whether they were supple as of old, or haply were grown stiff\nwith toiling at the oar. But Amycus stood still, looking upon Pollux\nas thirsting for his blood. Then Lycoreus, the King\u2019s companion, threw\ndown at Pollux\u2019s feet two pair of gauntlets covered with blood, and\nstiff, and marvellously hard. And Amycus said, \u201cTake which thou wilt,\nstranger, that thou blame me not hereafter, and fit them to thine\nhands. So haply shalt thou learn that I can fell an ox or wound a man\u2019s\ncheek to bleeding.\u201d But Pollux answered him nothing, but smiled and\ntook the gauntlets that lay nearest. Then came Castor and Talaus, and\nbound the gauntlets upon him, and bade him be of good courage. But\nAretus and Orniptus bound them for King Amycus, and knew not that they\nshould never bind them for him any more. Then the two stood up against\neach other. And Amycus came on as a wave of the sea comes upon a ship;\nwhich yet, by the skilful handling of the pilot, escapes from its\nmight. Then did the King follow hard after Pollux, suffering him not to\nrest; but he, so skilful was he, escaped ever without a wound, for he\nknew wherein lay the strength of the King, and wherein also he failed.\nSo the two strove together, and the sounds of their strokes was as the\nsound of shipwrights that build a ship. And after awhile they rested,\nwiping the sweat from their faces. Then they joined battle again, as\nbulls that fight for the mastery. But at the last Amycus, rising as\none that fells an ox, smote with all his might. But Pollux leapt from\nunder the blow, turning his head aside; yet did the King\u2019s arm graze\nhis shoulder. Then he reached forward with his knee by the knee of the\nKing, and smote him with all his might under the ear; and the giant\nfell to the earth with a groan, and all the heroes set up a shout when\nthey saw it.\n\nBut the Bebryces were wroth to see that their King was slain, and they\nset themselves with their clubs and hunting-spears against Pollux; but\nthe heroes drew their swords and stood by him. Then the battle waxed\nfierce, and many of the Bebryces were slain, and of the heroes certain\nwere wounded; but at the last Anc\u00e6us and the two sons of \u00c6acus and\nJason rushed upon the enemy and scattered them. After this they feasted\non the shore; and the next day they put into their ships so much of the\nspoil of the land as they would, and so departed; and on the morrow\nthey came to the land of Phineus, the son of Agenor. Now Phineus, being\nskilled in divination beyond all other men, revealed to men all that\nZeus prepared to do; for which reason the god smote him with old age\nand with blindness, and also sent the plague of the Harpies upon him,\nwhich, coming down suddenly upon him as he sat at the banquet, snatched\naway the meat from the table. And if they left somewhat, it stank so\nfoully that a man might not touch it.\n\nWhen Phineus heard that the heroes were come, he was glad, and came\nforth to meet them. Very feeble was he with old age and hunger; and\nwhen he saw them he said, \u201cWelcome, ye heroes! Right glad I am to see\nyou, for I know by the inspiration of Apollo that there shall come\nto this land the two sons of Boreas, who shall deliver me from this\nplague that I endure.\u201d And he told them what things he suffered from\nthe Harpies. Then Zetes laid hold of the old man\u2019s hand, and said, \u201cWe\npity thee, son of Agenor, and will help thee if it may be; but first\nthou must swear that we shall not anger the gods thereby; for, as thou\nknowest, these evils have come upon thee because thou hast revealed\ntheir will to men too plainly.\u201d And the old man swore that the thing\nwas pleasing to the gods. Then they prepared a banquet for him, and as\nsoon as the old man had reached his hand to the food, of a sudden the\nHarpies flew down, as lightning cometh out of the clouds, and carried\noff the meat. But the two sons of Boreas followed hard after them, and\nZeus gave them strength; otherwise of a truth they had not caught them,\nfor the winds themselves were not more fleet. And when they had caught\nthem they would have slain them, only Iris, the messenger of Zeus, came\ndown and said, \u201cSlay not the Harpies, that are the hounds of Zeus. I\nwill swear to you that they shall not come any more to the dwelling of\nPhineus, the son of Agenor.\u201d So they stayed from slaying them. After\nthis Phineus and the heroes feasted together, and the King said, \u201cI\nwill expound to you things to come, yet so much only as the gods will\nhave me tell; for they will not that men should know all things, but\nthat they should yet need counsel and help. When ye have departed\nfrom this land ye shall see certain rocks, between the which ye must\nneeds pass. Do ye therefore first send a dove before you, and if she\npass through safely then may ye also follow. And row with all your\nmight, for your hands rather than your prayers shall deliver you. But\nif the dove perish, then do ye go back, for it is not the will of the\ngods that ye should go further. After this ye shall see many places,\nas Helica, and the river of Halys, and the land of the Chalybes, the\nworkers of iron, and at the last shall come to the river of Phasis,\nwhereby ye shall see the town of \u00c6\u00e6tes and the grove of \u00c6a, where the\nfleece of gold hangeth even on the top of a beech tree, and the dragon,\na terrible monster to behold, watcheth it with eyes that turn every\nway.\u201d Then were the heroes much dismayed; but when Jason would have\nquestioned him further, he said, \u201cSeek ye for the help of Aphrodite,\nfor the victory will be of her. And now ask me no more.\u201d And when he\nhad ended his words, the two sons of Boreas came back, panting from\ntheir course, and told what things they had done. And the next morning\nmany were gathered together to hear from him of things to come, among\nwhom was a certain Par\u0153bius, whom the King had delivered from great\ntrouble; for the man\u2019s father had cut down an oak upon the mountains,\nnot heeding the prayers of the Nymph that dwelt therein that he should\nspare it, for which reason the Nymph sent all manner of evil upon him\nand his children after him. Nor did they know the cause till Phineus\nexpounded it to them.\n\nAfter this they departed, and forgot not to take with them a dove,\nwhich Euphemus held bound to his hand by a cord; and Athene helped\nthem on their way. And when they came to the rocks whereof Phineus had\nspoken, Euphemus let fly the dove, and it passed through, yet did the\nrocks, clashing together, touch the last feather of her tail. Then\nTiphys shouted to them that they should row with all their might, for\nthe rocks had parted again; but as they rowed a great terror came upon\nthem, for they saw destruction hanging over them; and a great wave,\nlike to a mountain, rose up against them. And when they saw it they\nturned their heads away, thinking it must overwhelm them; but Tiphys\nturned the helm, and the wave passed under the keel, lifting up the\n_Argo_ to the top of the rocks. Then said Euphemus, \u201cRow ye with all\nyour might.\u201d And the heroes rowed till the stout oars were bent as\nbows. Athene, also, with one hand kept the ship from the rocks, and\nwith the other drave it forward; and the rocks clashed together behind\nit, nor were divided any more; for it was the will of the gods that\nthis should be so when the ship should pass through safely. But the\nheroes breathed again, being delivered from death. And Tiphys cried,\n\u201cFear not, son of \u00c6son, for surely Athene hath delivered us, and now\nall things will be easy to thee, and thou wilt accomplish the command\nof the King.\u201d But Jason spoke, \u201cNay, my friend. Would that I had died\nbefore I took this task in hand, for there are perils by sea and perils\nby land, and I have no rest day or night. For myself I fear not, but\nfor these, my companions, lest I should not take them back in safety.\u201d\nThis he said, for he would try the temper of the heroes; and when they\ncried out that they feared not, he was glad at heart.\n\nSo the heroes passed on their way till they came to the land of the\nMariandyni, of whom one Lycus was king. Here his doom came upon Idmon,\nthe seer, that he should perish; for though he was a prophet, yet his\nprophecy availed him not against fate. Now there chanced to be in the\nmarsh a great boar, that lay wallowing in the mud. Great white tusks\nhad he, and even the Nymphs feared him. And as Idmon walked by the\nriver side, the boar rushed on him of a sudden out of the reeds, and\nsmote him on the thigh with his tusk, making a great wound. The hero\nfell not, indeed, but shouted aloud; and his companions ran thither at\nhis voice. And first Peleus cast his javelin at the beast, but missed\nhis aim; and afterwards Idas smote him, and he gnashed his teeth upon\nthe spear. Then the heroes carried back their companion to the ship,\nbut he died even as they carried him. Then they abode in that place for\nthree days, and on the fourth they made a great funeral for him; and\nLycus and his people came also to do honor to the dead man. But while\nthey mourned for him it befell that Tiphys, the pilot, died also; for\nhe could not endure his great sorrow for his companion. So they buried\nTiphys also; and for each they built a great tomb, to be a memorial to\nthem who should come after.\n\nSore dismayed were the heroes that their helmsman was dead, and they\nsat a long time in silence, and neither ate nor drank. Then Her\u00e9 put\ncourage into the heart of Anc\u00e6us, and he spake to Peleus, saying, \u201cIs\nit well, son of \u00c6acus, to abide here in the land of strangers? Here am\nI that know more of seamanship than of war, and others also as skilful;\nnor should we suffer loss if we set one of them at the helm.\u201d Then\nspake Peleus in the midst of the heroes, \u201cWhy waste we time in sorrow,\nmy friends? There are skilful helmsmen; many are in this company, of\nwhom let us choose us out the best.\u201d But Jason answered, \u201cIf there be\nsuch, why sit they here with the rest lamenting? I fear me much that we\nshall neither see the city of \u00c6\u00e6tes nor yet the land of Greece.\u201d But\nAnc\u00e6us stood forth, saying that he would be their helmsman; so also did\nEuphemus and other two; but the heroes chose Anc\u00e6us.\n\nSo on the morning of the twelfth day they set sail, and a strong\nwest wind blew from behind and carried them quickly over the sea.\nBut when they came to the tomb of Sthenelus they beheld a marvellous\nsight. Now this Sthenelus was companion to Hercules in battling with\nthe Amazons, and had been wounded with an arrow, and so died. And he\nbesought Persephone, that is Queen of the dead, that he might look upon\nthe heroes; and when she consented, he stood upon the top of his tomb\nequipped as one that went forth to battle, with a fair four-crested\nhelmet on his head. Much did the heroes marvel to behold him. But\nMopsus, the seer, bade them tarry and make offerings to the dead.\nWherefore they landed and built an altar, and offered sacrifices, and\nOrpheus also dedicated his harp for a gift. After this they departed,\nand sailed by the river of Parthenius, which is by interpretation the\nVirgin River; so men call it, because Artemis the Virgin, the daughter\nof Latona, is wont to bathe therein when she is weary with hunting.\nAlso they passed the river of Thermodon, and tarried not, for such was\nthe will of Zeus, that they might not join battle with the Amazons\nwho dwelt in these parts, a fierce race and delighting in war. Surely\nnot without much bloodshed and damage to both such battle had been.\nThe next day they came to the land of the Chalybes. These care not to\nplough the land with oxen, or to plant seed or to reap harvests; nor\nhave they flocks or herds; but they dig iron out of the earth, and\nchange it with other men for food. Never doth morning come, but it\nseeth them at their toil, where they labor without ceasing in the midst\nof reek and smoke. But after the Chalybes they came to the Mossyni, a\nstrange folk that are contrary to other men, doing abroad what others\ndo at home, and at home what others do abroad. Their king also sitteth\nall day on his throne, and judgeth his people; nor, indeed, is he to\nbe envied for all his royal state, seeing that if he err at all in\nhis judgment the people shut him in prison till he die of hunger.\nNext they came to the island of Aretias, wherefrom as they sailed in\nthe twilight there came a great bird flying over them, and shooting a\nsharp-pointed feather from its wing. And the feather struck O\u00efleus on\nhis left shoulder and wounded him, so that he dropped the oar from his\nhand. After this came other like birds also; and though the heroes shot\nat them with arrows and slew certain of them, yet could they not drive\nthem away. Then said Amphidamas to his companions: \u201cWe are come to the\nisland of Aretias, and I judge that we shall not prevail over these\nbirds with our arrows. For Hercules prevailed not thus over the birds\nof the Lake Stymphalus, as I saw with my own eyes. Do ye, therefore,\nas I bid you. Put ye on your helmets, and let some of you row with the\noars, and let the rest so order their spears and their shields that\nthey may be a covering to the ship. Shout also with all your might; and\nwhen ye shall be come nigh unto the island, beat upon your shields, and\nmake all the noise that ye may.\u201d And the heroes did so, and covered the\nship, even as a house is covered from the rain by its roof; and they\nshouted and beat upon their shields; nor did they suffer further damage\nfrom the birds.\n\nNow it chanced in these days that the sons of Phrixus sailed from the\nland of King \u00c6\u00e6tes to the city of Orchomenus, that they might get for\nthemselves the possessions of their father. And coming near to this\nsame island of Aretias, a mighty wind from the north brake their ship;\nand the men, being four in number, laid hold of a beam, and so were\ndriven about by the waves, being in great peril of death, till, at the\nlast, they were cast upon the shore of the island. Therefore, when the\n_Argo_ came near, one of them spake to the heroes, saying, \u201cWe entreat\nyou, whosoever ye be, to help us, seeing that the waves have broken our\nship. Give us, I pray you, some clothing and a morsel of food.\u201d Then\nsaid Jason, \u201cTell us who you are, and whence ye are come, and whither\nye go.\u201d Then the man made answer, \u201cDoubtless ye have heard how Phrixus\ncame to the city of King \u00c6\u00e6tes on a ram with the fleece of gold, and\nhow the fleece hangeth to this day on a tree near to the city; how\nthe King gave to this Phrixus his daughter Chalciope in marriage; and\nwe are the children of these two. And our father being newly dead, we\nsailed to Orchomenus that we might get for ourselves the possessions of\nAthamas, our grandfather; for so Phrixus, our father, commanded us.\u201d\n\nThe heroes were right glad of this meeting, and Jason made answer,\n\u201cYe are my kinsmen, for Cretheus and Athamas were brothers, and I am\ngrandson to Cretheus; and I sail with these my comrades to the city of\nKing \u00c6\u00e6tes. But of these things we will talk hereafter. But now we will\ngive you what ye need.\u201d So he gave them clothing, and afterwards they\ndid sacrifice in the Temple of Ares that was hard by, and there feasted\ntogether. And after the feast Jason spake, saying, \u201cIt is manifest that\nZeus hath a care both for you and for us; for us he hath brought safely\nthrough many perils to this place, and you he suffered not to perish in\nthe sea. Ye shall sail hereafter in this ship whithersoever ye will;\nbut now do ye help us in our quest, for we are come from the land of\nGreece seeking the fleece of gold, and we would gladly have you for our\nguides.\u201d\n\nBut the men were sore dismayed to hear these words, knowing what\nmanner of man King \u00c6\u00e6tes was. And he who had spoken at the first made\nanswer, \u201cO my friends, ye shall have such help as we can give you. But\nknow that \u00c6\u00e6tes is fierce and savage beyond all other men, and that\nyour voyage is perilous. Men say that he is of the race of the Sun, and\nhe is mighty in battle as Ares himself. Nor will it be an easy thing to\ncarry away the fleece, for a dragon watcheth it continually, and this\ndragon cannot be slain, and it sleepeth not.\u201d Then many of the heroes,\nwhen they heard these words, grew pale. But Peleus spake out boldly:\n\u201cFear not, my friend; we lack not strength to meet King \u00c6\u00e6tes in\nbattle, if need be, for we are well used to war, and are, for the most\npart, of the race of the gods. Wherefore, if the King yield us not the\nfleece peaceably, I judge that his Colchians shall not help him.\u201d\n\nAfter this the heroes slept. And the next day they departed, and\nsailing with a favorable wind, came near to the further end of the\nEuxine Sea; thence they could see the mountains of Caucasus, whereto\nthe Titan Prometheus is bound. And indeed in the evening they beheld\nthe great vulture which feedeth on his liver flying above their ship;\nand after a while they heard the Titan groaning with the bitterness of\nhis pain, and then again the vulture returning by the same way when\nhis feast was ended. That night, by skilful guidance of the sons of\nPhrixus, they came to the river of Phasis, and straightway they lowered\nthe sails and the yardarms, and afterwards the mast, and so entered the\nriver. And on their left hand was the mountain of Caucasus and the city\nof \u00c6\u00e6tes, and on the right the oak grove wherein the dragon watched\ncontinually the fleece of gold. And Jason poured a libation of wine\nfrom a cup of gold into the river, praying to the gods of the land and\nto the spirits of the dead heroes that they should help them in their\nquest. And when their prayers were ended they fastened the ship with\nanchors under cover of a wood that was hard by, and so slept.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER III.\n\n\nBut while the heroes lay hidden among the reeds of the river, Her\u00e9\nand Athene sought a chamber where they might hold counsel apart from\nthe other gods. And Her\u00e9 first spake, saying, \u201cCome now, daughter of\nZeus, consider by what craft or device we may bring it to pass that the\nheroes may carry back the fleece of gold to the land of Greece.\u201d Then\nAthene made answer, \u201cThat which thou askest, O Her\u00e9, I had already in\nmy thoughts; but though I have weighed many counsels, yet have I not\nfound one that would serve this purpose.\u201d Then said Her\u00e9, \u201cCome, let\nus go to Aphrodite, and when we have found her let us persuade her to\ncommand her son, if only he will hearken to her words, that he smite\nthe daughter of King \u00c6\u00e6tes with an arrow, that she may love Prince\nJason, for she is skilful in magic and drugs.\u201d This counsel pleased\nAthene mightily, and she said, \u201cI know not anything of these matters,\nnor can I say what may work love in a maiden\u2019s heart. Yet thy counsel\npleaseth me; only when we are come to Aphrodite do thou speak for us\nboth.\u201d\n\nSo the two departed, and came to the palace of Aphrodite, which her\nhusband, the halting god, had wrought for her when he first took her\nto wife, and they stood in the porch. Now Heph\u00e6stes was gone to his\nworkshop, and the goddess sat alone over against the door; and she\nwas combing her hair with a comb of gold, and weaving her tresses. But\nwhen she saw the two she rose from her seat, and gave them welcome, and\nspake, saying, \u201cWhat is your errand, that ye are come now after these\nmany years?\u201d\n\nTo her Her\u00e9 made answer, \u201cWe are in trouble, O Queen, for Jason and\nthey that are with him are come to the river of Phasis, seeking the\nfleece of gold; and I fear for him. Yet would I serve him with all my\nstrength, on whatever errand he might go, for he hath always honored\nme with sacrifices; and besides he did me good service at the river\nof Anaurus. For the mountains were white with snow, and the streams\ncame down from the heights, and the river was swollen. And Jason came\nfrom his hunting, and when he saw me he had pity on me, for I had made\nmyself like to an old woman, and he carried me over the river.\u201d\n\nThen said Aphrodite, \u201cIt were ill done of me were I to deny such help\nas these weak hands can give.\u201d\n\nAnd Her\u00e9 spake again, \u201cWe want no help of hands, be they weak or\nstrong. Only bid thy son smite with his arrows the daughter of King\n\u00c6\u00e6tes, for surely if she be willing to help him he will easily carry\naway the fleece of gold, and so come safe to Iolcos.\u201d\n\nBut Aphrodite made answer, \u201cSurely he will hearken to you rather than\nto me. For to you, shameless though he be, he must needs pay some\nreverence; but me he heedeth not at all. I had well-nigh broken in my\nwrath his arrows and his bows.\u201d\n\nAnd when the goddesses laughed, she spake again, saying, \u201cYea, I know\nthat others laugh at my sorrows. But if ye are urgent for this thing, I\nwill persuade him, and I doubt not but that he will hearken to me.\u201d\n\nSo the three went together to the halls of Olympus. And they found\nEros playing at dice with Ganymede, that was the cupbearer of Zeus;\nand he laughed aloud, for he had won at his playing, but the other was\nangry, having lost. And when Aphrodite saw him, she said, \u201cHast thou\ndefrauded him, after thy wont, that thou laughest? But come, do now\nwhat I shall tell thee, and thou shalt have a fair plaything of Zeus\nthat his nurse Adrastea made for him, a ball with two bands of gold\nabout it; and none can see the seams of it; and when thou throwest it\nit will glitter like a star. And the thing is this: that thou make the\nmaiden daughter of King \u00c6\u00e6tes to love Jason; and this thou must do\nwithout delay, or it profiteth nothing.\u201d\n\nThen cried Eros, \u201cGive me the ball straightway.\u201d But she caught him in\nher arms and kissed him, and said, \u201cI will not deceive thee, only do my\nbidding.\u201d Then he took up his bow and passed his quiver on his back,\nand went his way to the land of Colchis.\n\nMeanwhile Jason spoke to the heroes, \u201cHearken now, and I will unfold\nmy counsel. I will go to the hall of \u00c6\u00e6tes, and the sons of Phrixus\nwith me, and two heroes besides; and first I will make trial of him,\nwhether he will yield the fleece of gold willingly, for it would be ill\nto seek to take it by force till we have seen what words can do.\u201d To\nthis the heroes agreed; wherefore Jason departed, taking with him the\nsons of Phrixus, and Telamon and Augeas; and as they went Her\u00e9 threw a\nmist about them till they had passed through the city, but when they\ncame to the palace of the King, then was the mist scattered; and they\nstood in the porch marvelling at the things which they saw, even the\nmighty gates, and the walls set with pillars, and the cornice of brass\nabove them. Round about the threshold grew great vines, and under the\nvines four fountains that ceased not to flow, whereof one was of milk,\nand one of wine, and one of sweet-smelling olive-oil, and of water the\nfourth; and the water was hot in the wintertide, and as cold as ice in\nthe summer. In the midst stood the hall, with chambers on either side,\ntwo chambers being loftier than the rest, in one whereof dwelt the King\nand his wife, and in the other Absyrtus his son, whom the Colchians\nalso called Phaeton, because he excelled all his equals of age. Now\ntwo of the chambers were of the King\u2019s daughters, Chalciope and Medea;\nand it chanced that Medea was now going to the chamber of her sister.\nMeanwhile came Eros unseen through the air, and stood behind a pillar\nin the porch, and bent his bow, fitting to it an arrow, the sharpest\nof all his quiver. And he came lightly into the hall, following close\nupon Jason, and drew his bow with both his hands, and shot the arrow\nat Medea, and smote her under the heart. And when he had so done he\nlaughed, and departed from the palace. Then the servants prepared a\nmeal for the sons of Phrixus and for Jason. And when they had bathed\nthey sat down, and ate, and drank, and were merry.\n\nJason and the sons of Phrixus having eaten well, the King inquired\nof his grandsons, saying, \u201cWhat brings you back? Did some misfortune\novertake you on your journey? Surely it was not of my bidding that ye\nwent; for I knew how perilous was the way, having seen it from the\nchariot of the Sun, my father, when he took Circ\u00e9, my sister, to the\nland of Hesperia. But tell me now what befell you, and who are these\nyour companions?\u201d Then Argus made answer, \u201cOur ship was broken and\nwe scarcely were saved; and as for these men, they gave us food and\nraiment, treating us kindly when they heard thy name and the name of\nPhrixus our father; and they are come for the fleece of gold, for they\nsay that the wrath of Zeus may not be turned away from the land of\nGreece till this be brought back. Never was such ship as theirs, for\nAthene built it; neither can storm break it, and it is swift alike\nwith sails or with oars; and for a crew it hath all the heroes of the\nland of Greece. But their chief thinketh not to take the fleece by\nforce, but will make thee due return, subduing under thee thy enemies,\nthe Sauromat\u00e6. And if thou wouldst hear his name, know that it is\nJason, grandson to King Cretheus, whose brother was Athamas, father to\nPhrixus, and they that are with him are Augeas and Telamon.\u201d\n\nBut the King was very wroth when he heard these words, and cried, \u201cGet\nyou out of my sight! Ye are not come for the fleece, but to spy out the\nland, that ye may possess my kingdom. Surely, had ye not eaten at my\ntable, I had cut out your tongues and lopped your hands.\u201d\n\nThen Telamon was minded to give the King a fierce answer, but Jason\nheld him back, and spake softly, \u201c\u2019Tis not as thou thinkest, O King; we\ndo not desire thy kingdom, but are coming at the bidding of the gods.\nAlso for what we seek we will make thee due recompense, subduing under\nthee the Sauromat\u00e6, or whomsoever thou wilt.\u201d\n\nThen the King doubted awhile whether he should not fall on them\nstraightway with the sword, but afterwards spake again, \u201cIf ye be in\ntruth of the race of the gods, I will give you the fleece, for I grudge\nnothing to brave men. But first I must make trial of your strength.\nThere feed in the plain of Ares two bulls, having hoofs of brass and\nbreathing fire from their nostrils. With these I plough the field of\nAres, four acres and more; and, having ploughed it, I sow it with\nseed--not, indeed, with the seed of corn, but with the teeth of a\nserpent; and when these have sprung up into armed men, I slay the men\nand so finish my harvest. In the morning I yoke the bulls, and in the\nevening I rest from my reaping. And if ye will do this, ye shall have\nthe fleece of gold; but if not, ye shall not have it.\u201d\n\nThen the heroes stood for a while, with their eyes cast upon the\nground, speechless, for they knew not what they should say. But\nafterwards Jason spake, \u201cI will do this thing, even if I die for it.\u201d\nAnd the King answered, \u201cIf ye hold back from the ploughing or the\nreaping it shall be the worse for you.\u201d Then Jason and his companions\ndeparted from the palace; and Medea looked upon Jason, as he went,\nfrom behind her veil, and loved him. And when he was gone she thought\nto herself of his face, and of the garments wherewith he was clothed,\nand of the words which he had spoken. But when the heroes were now\nwithout the city, Argus spake to Jason saying, \u201cThere is a maiden,\nthe priestess of Hecate, that is skilled in all manner of witchcraft;\nand, if she be willing to help you, ye need not fear this task. Only I\ndoubt me much whether I shall prevail with her. Nevertheless, if thou\nart willing, I will speak with my mother, who is her sister, of the\nmatter.\u201d And Jason said, \u201cSpeak to thy mother, if thou wilt; but, if\nwe must trust in women, there is little hope of our return.\u201d Then they\nwent back to the ship to the rest of the heroes, and told to them the\nwords of the King. And for a while they sat speechless and sad, for\nthe thing seemed greater than they could do. But then rose up Peleus,\nand cried, \u201cIf thou wilt give thyself to this task, son of \u00c6son, it\nis well; but if not, and if there be none other of this company that\nwill adventure upon it, yet will I not shrink from it, for a man can\nbut die.\u201d And Telamon and the sons of Tyndarus, and Meleager the son\nof \u0152neus, said that they would follow him. Then said Argus, \u201cThis can\nye do, my friends, if there be no other way. But hearken to me: abide\nye yet in your ship, for there is a maiden in the palace of the King\nwhom Hecate hath taught to use all the drugs that are in the earth, so\nthat she can quench fire, and stay winds, and turn the stars from their\ncourses. Maybe my mother will persuade her that she help you. If this\ncounsel please you, I will go to her straightway.\u201d\n\nAnd as he spake, the birds gave a favorable sign, for a dove that fled\nfrom a hawk fell into the bosom of Jason; and the hawk fell upon the\nhinder part of the ship. And when Mopsus saw it he prophesied saying,\n\u201cYe must make your supplication to the maiden. Nor do I doubt that she\nwill hearken to you; for did not Phrixus prophesy that our help should\nbe in Aphrodite? And did ye not see how the dove that is her bird hath\nescaped from death?\u201d And all the heroes gave heed to his words; but\nIdas was very wroth, and cried with a terrible voice, \u201cWill ye look at\ndoves and hawks, and turn back from battle? Out on you, that ye think\nto cheat maidens with words, rather than to trust in your spears!\u201d But\nJason said, \u201cWe will send Argus as he hath said. Only we will not lie\nhidden here, as if we were afraid, but will go forth.\u201d So the heroes\nbrought forth the ship.\n\nMeanwhile, King \u00c6\u00e6tes held a council of the Colchians, to whom he said,\n\u201cSo soon as the oxen have killed, as surely they will kill, the man\nwho shall seek to yoke them, then will I burn these fellows with their\nship. For, verily, I had not received Phrixus with hospitality, but\nfor the commands of Zeus; but as for these robbers, they shall not go\nunpunished.\u201d\n\nBut while he yet spake, Argus went to the palace to his mother\nChalciope, and besought her that she should persuade her sister Medea\nto help the heroes. And this the woman had herself thought to do; only\nshe feared the anger of her father. And as they talked, it befell that\nMedea dreamed a dream, for she had fallen asleep for weariness. And in\nher dream she yoked the bulls right easily; but her father would not\nfulfil his promise, saying that he had given this task not to maidens\nbut to men; and hereupon there arose great strife; but she took part\nwith the strangers, and her parents cried shame upon her. After this\nshe awoke, and leapt in great fear from her bed, saying to herself, \u201cI\nfear me much lest this coming of the heroes should be the beginning of\ngreat sorrows. As for this Jason, let him wed a maiden of his own race;\nbut I will keep my unmarried state, and abide in my father\u2019s house;\nyet, if my sister need help for her sons, I will not stand aloof.\u201d Then\nshe made as if she would seek her sister, standing barefoot on the\nthreshold of her chamber, yet went not, for shame. Thrice she essayed\nto go, and thrice she returned, for love drove her on, as shame kept\nher back; but one of her maidens spied her, and told the thing to her\nsister Chalciope. And Chalciope came to her and took her by the hand,\nsaying, \u201cWhy weepest thou, Medea? Dost thou fear the wrath of thy\nfather? As for me, would that I had perished before I saw this day!\u201d\nAnd after long silence Medea made answer, speaking craftily, for love\nso taught her to speak, \u201cMy sister, I am troubled for thy sons, lest\nthy father slay them with these strangers; for, verily, I have seen\nterrible dreams in my sleep.\u201d So she spake, for she would have her\nsister pray to her for help for her sons. And when Chalciope heard\nthese words she cried aloud, \u201cO my sister, I beseech thee by the gods,\nand by thy father and mother, that thou help us in our strait. For,\nverily, if thou help us not, I will haunt thee as a Fury.\u201d Then the two\nlifted up their voices together and wept. But at the last Chalciope\nsaid, \u201cWilt thou not, for my children\u2019s sake, give help to this\nstranger? Verily, my son Argus is come to beg this thing of me, and he\nis even now in my chamber.\u201d When Medea heard these words she was glad\nat heart, and said, \u201cMy sister, I will surely help thy sons, for they\nare as brothers to me, and thou as my mother. Wherefore, so soon as it\nis dark, I will carry to the temple of Hecate such drugs as shall tame\nthese oxen.\u201d Then Chalciope went to her chamber, and told the tidings\nto her son that Medea would help them; but Medea sat alone and lamented\nover herself, because she was minded to betray her father to do service\nto a stranger. Nor did she sleep when night came and all the world was\nat rest, doubting whether she should do this thing or no, and crying,\n\u201cWould that Artemis had slain me with her arrows before this stranger\ncame to the land!\u201d And she rose from her bed, and looked into the chest\nwherein her drugs were stored, some being good and some evil. And now\nshe was minded to take from it some deadly thing that she might end\nherewith her troubles, but there came upon her a great horror at death,\nfor she thought of all the joys that the living possess, but the dead\nlose forever; and also, when she regarded her face in the glass, she\nseemed to herself fairer to look upon than before.\n\nBut in the morning she arose and adorned herself, and put a white veil\nabout her head. Then she bade her maidens--twelve she had of like\nage with herself--to yoke the mules to her chariot, that she might\ngo to the temple of Hecate. And while they yoked them, she took from\nthe chest the medicine that is called the _Medicine of Prometheus_,\nwherewith if a man anoint himself, water shall not hurt him, nor fire\nburn. This cometh, men say, from a certain flower which grew from the\nblood of Prometheus when it dropped from the vulture\u2019s beak, and the\nflower is of the color saffron, having a root like to flesh that is\nnewly cut, but the juice of the root is black. Then she climbed into\nthe chariot, and a maiden stood on either side, but she took the reins\nand the whip, and drove the horses through the city, and the other\nmaidens ran behind, laying their hands on the chariot; and the people\nmade way before them as they went.\n\nAnd when they were come to the temple, Medea said to her maidens,\n\u201cArgus and his brethren have besought me to help this stranger in his\ntask, and I made as if I hearkened to their words. But the thing that I\nam minded to do is this: I will give him some medicine indeed, but it\nshall not be that which he needs, and we will divide his gifts between\nus. And now he cometh to have speech with me; do ye, therefore, depart,\nand leave us alone.\u201d And the counsel pleased the maidens well.\n\nNow when Jason went his way to the temple, Argus and Mopsus, the\nsoothsayer, were with him; and as they went Mopsus heard the speech of\na raven that said, \u201cVerily the prophet is a fool; if he knew what all\nmen know, will a maid speak kind words to a youth if his companions\nbe with us?\u201d And Mopsus laughed when he heard it, and spake to Jason\nsaying, \u201cGo now to the temple of Hecate, and Aphrodite will help thee,\nbut go alone; and I and Argus will abide where we are.\u201d So Jason went\nforward, and Medea saw him as he came, very beautiful and bright to\nbehold, even as the star Sirius, when it riseth from the sea. But when\nshe saw him her eyes were darkened with fear, and her cheeks burned\nwith a blush, and her knees failed under her. But when Jason saw how\nshe was troubled, he spake softly to her: \u201cFear me not, lady, for I am\nnot of those who speak the thing that is false; but listen to my words,\nand give me this medicine that shall strengthen me for my work, as thou\nhast promised to Chalciope, thy sister. Verily thou shalt not miss thy\nreward. For thou shalt be famous in the land of Greece; and all the\nheroes shall tell of thee, and their wives and mothers, who now sit\nlamenting upon the shore for those who are far away. Did not Ariadne\nhelp King Theseus, and the gods loved her for her kindness, making her\na star in the heavens? So shalt thou be loved of the gods, if thou wilt\nsave this famous company of heroes. And, indeed, thou seemest to be\nboth wise and of a kindly heart.\u201d\n\nAnd when the maiden heard these words, she took the medicine from her\nbosom and gave it to Jason, who took it with great gladness of heart.\nThen spake Medea: \u201cHear, now, O Prince, what thou must do, so soon as\nmy father shall give thee the serpent\u2019s teeth to sow. Wait till it be\nmidnight; but have no companion with thee. Then dig a trench that shall\nbe round of form; and build in it a pile of wood, and slay on it a ewe\nsheep, and pour over the sheep a libation of honey to Queen Hecate.\nAfter this, depart from the place, and turn not at any sound, or the\nbarking of dogs. But in the morning thou shalt anoint thyself with the\nmedicine; and it shall give thee the strength of the gods. Anoint also\nthy spear and thy shield. So the spears of the giants shall not harm\nthee, nor the fire that the bulls shall breathe. But remember that\nthis strength endureth for the day only; wherefore slack not thy hand,\nbut finish thy work. And I will tell thee another thing that shall be\nfor thy help. So soon as the giants shall begin to spring up from the\nfurrows wherein thou shalt have sown the teeth, throw secretly among\nthem a great stone; and it shall come to pass that they will fall upon\neach other and perish by their own hands. So wilt thou carry away the\nfleece of gold to the land of Greece, departing when it shall please\nthee to go.\u201d And when she had spoken these words she wept, thinking\nhow he would depart and leave her. Then she spake again: \u201cWhen thou\nart come to thy home, remember, I pray thee, Medea, even as I shall\nremember thee; and tell me whither thou art minded to go.\u201d\n\nThen Jason made answer, \u201cSurely, lady, I shall not cease to think of\nthee if only I return safe to my native country. And if thou wouldst\nfain hear what manner of land it is, know that it is girded about\nwith the hills and feedeth many sheep. The name of him that founded\nthe kingdom is Deucalion, and the name of the city is Iolcos.\u201d And\nMedea said, \u201cI would that where thou shalt be there could come some\ntidings of thee by bird of the air or the like; or that the winds could\ncarry me thither, that I may know for a certainty that thou hast not\nforgotten me.\u201d Then Jason said, \u201cO lady, if thou wilt come to that\nland, surely all shall honor thee, and thou shalt be my wife, neither\nshall anything but death only divide us twain.\u201d And when the maiden\nheard these words she stood divided between fear and love. But Jason\nsaid, \u201cSurely now the sun is setting, and it is time to go back, lest\nsome stranger come upon us.\u201d So Medea went back to the city, and Jason\nto the heroes, to whom he showed the medicine that the maiden had given\nhim. And they all rejoiced, save Idas only, who sat apart in great\nanger.\n\nThe next day Jason sent Telamon and another to fetch from the King the\nserpent\u2019s teeth; and the King gave them gladly, for he thought that if\nJason should yoke the oxen, yet he should not overcome the giants in\nbattle. And when the heroes slept, Jason went alone and did as Medea\nhad commanded him. And when he had finished the sacrifice he departed;\nand Queen Hecate came, and there was a great shaking of the earth and a\nbarking of dogs. But Jason looked not behind him, but departed to the\nheroes.\n\nOn the morrow King \u00c6\u00e6tes armed him for the battle, giving him a\nbreastplate which Ares had given to him, and a helmet of gold with\nfour crests, and a shield of bull\u2019s hide, many folds thick, and a\nspear such as none of the others but Hercules only could have borne.\nAnd Jason anointed them with the medicine; which when he had done, all\nthe heroes made trial of the arms, but did them no damage; and when\nIdas smote with his sword on the butt of the spear, it bounded back as\nfrom an anvil. After this he anointed himself with the medicine, and\nit was as if his strength had been multiplied tenfold. Afterwards he\ntook to himself a helmet and a sword, and so went forth to his labor.\nAnd there lay ready to his hand a brazen yoke of the bulls, and a great\nplough of iron. Then he fixed his spear in the earth, and laid down his\nhelmet, but he himself went on with his shield. But when the bulls saw\nhim, they ran forth from their stalls, and all the heroes trembled to\nbehold them; but Jason stood firm, holding his shield before him. And\nthe bulls drave their horns against the shield, but harmed him not.\nAnd though they breathed fire from their nostrils, for all this the\nmedicine of Medea kept him safe. Then he took hold of the right-hand\nbull by the horns, and dragged it down to the yoke, and, kicking its\nhoof from under it, so brought it to the ground; and in like manner\ndealt with the other. And the King marvelled at his strength. Then the\nheroes helped him with the fastening of the bulls to the plough, for so\nmuch was permitted to him. Then he put his shield upon his shoulders\nand took the serpent\u2019s teeth, a helmet full, and drave the bulls before\nhim, which went with a horrible bellowing; and as he made the furrow he\nthrew the teeth into it. Now when the day was a third part spent he had\nfinished the ploughing; and he loosed the bulls and went back to the\nship, for as yet there had sprung nothing from the furrows. And he took\nof the water of the river in his helmet and drank, and while he drank\nthe giants sprang up from the furrows.\n\nThen Jason remembered the words of Medea, and took from the earth a\ngreat round stone--of such bigness it was that four youths could not\nlift it--and cast it into the midst of the giants. And straightway they\nfell upon each other with great rage, and Jason sat behind his shield\nand watched. But when they had been now fighting among themselves for a\nlong while, and many were wounded and many dead, Jason drew his sword\nand ran among them till he had slain them all. So he finished his work\nthat day; but the King and his people returned, sad at heart, to the\ncity.\n\nAll that night the King sat with his nobles, meditating harm against\nJason and the heroes; for he knew that the thing had been done by\ncraft, and also that his daughter was concerned in the matter. And\nMedea also sat grievously troubled in her chamber, fearing the wrath of\nher father; and ofttime she thought that she had best kill herself with\npoison. But at last Her\u00e9 put it into her heart that she should flee,\ntaking the sons of Phrixus for companions. Then she arose from her bed,\nand took the medicines that she had from their chest, and hid them in\nher bosom.\n\nAnd she kissed her bed and the posts of her chamber doors and the\nwalls. Also she cut off a long lock of her hair, to be a memorial\nof her to her mother. And when she had done this, she cried with a\nlamentable voice, \u201cFarewell, my mother, and thou, Chalciope, my sister!\nWould that this stranger had perished before he came to the land of the\nColchians!\u201d Then she went out from the house, the great gates opening\nbefore her of their own accord, for she had anointed them with a mighty\ndrug; and, being come into the street, she ran very swiftly, holding\nher robe over her head, till she saw the light of the fires where the\nheroes sat feasting all the night in the joy of the victory that Jason\nhad won. Then she came near, and, lifting up her voice, cried to the\nyoungest of the sons of Phrixus, whose name was Phrontis. And Phrontis\nheard her, and knew the voice that it was the voice of Medea, and told\nthe thing to Jason. Then Jason bade the heroes be silent; and they\nlistened. Thrice she cried, and thrice did Phrontis answer her. And the\nheroes loosed the ship and rowed it across the river; but ere ever it\ncame to the other shore, Jason and the sons of Phrixus leapt from the\ndeck on to the land.\n\nAnd when Medea saw the brothers, she ran to them, and caught them by\nthe knees, and cried to them, \u201cSave me now from King \u00c6\u00e6tes! yea, and\nsave yourselves also, for all things are now known to him. Let us\nfly hence in the ship, before he come upon us with a great army. But\nfirst I will give the fleece into your hands, having laid to sleep the\ndragon that guardeth it. But do thou, Prince Jason, do as thou didst\npromise, calling the gods to witness.\u201d And Jason was glad when he saw\nher, and took her by the hand, and lifted her up, and spake kindly to\nher, saying, \u201cDearest of women, now may Zeus and Her\u00e9 his wife, that\nis the goddess of marriage, be my witnesses that I will take thee to\nwife as soon as we shall have returned to the land of Greece.\u201d Then he\nbade the heroes row the ship to the sacred grove, for he was minded\nto take away the fleece that very night, before the King should know\nof the matter. Then the heroes rowed; and the _Argo_ passed quickly\nover the waves till they came to the grove. Then Medea and Jason went\nforth from the ship, and followed the path, seeking for the great bush\nwhereon the fleece was hung. And in no long space they found it; for\nit was like a cloud which the shining of the sun makes bright when he\nriseth in the East. But before the tree there lay a great serpent, with\neyes that slept not night nor day. Horribly did it hiss as they came.\nBut Medea cried aloud to Sleep, that is mightiest among the servants\nof the gods, that he should help her. Also she called to the Queen of\nNight, that their undertaking might prosper in their hands. And now the\ngreat serpent, being wrought upon by her charms, began to unloose his\nfolds; yet his head was lifted up against them, and his dreadful jaws\nwere opened. Therefore Medea took a bough that she had newly cut from a\njuniper tree, and put a mighty medicine upon it, and dropped the drops\nof the medicine into his mouth, singing her charms all the while. Then\nsleep came upon the beast, and he dropped his head upon the ground.\nWhen Jason saw this, he snatched the fleece of gold from the tree, for\nMedea had bidden him do it and delay not; but she stood the while and\nput the medicine on the head of the beast, fearing lest perchance he\nshould awake. After this they both departed from the grove; and Jason\ncarried the fleece with great gladness of heart. A mighty fleece\nit was, hanging down from his shoulders even to his feet. And as he\nwent the day dawned. And when he was come near to the ship the heroes\nmarvelled to behold him, for the fleece was very bright to look upon.\nBut when they would have touched it, Jason hindered them, and covered\nit with a covering which he had prepared for it.\n\nThen Jason said to his companions, \u201cCome now, my friends; we have\naccomplished this thing for the which we came to this land. Let us\nthink, therefore, of our return. As to this maiden, I will take her\nto be my wife in the land of Greece. But do you remember that she has\nsaved all our lives this day. Row, therefore, with all your might,\nthe half of you; and let half hold forth your shields to be a defence\nagainst the spears of our enemies, if they should come upon us. For as\nye shall quit yourselves this day, so shall it be whether or no we see\nagain our native country and our homes.\u201d Then he cut with his sword the\ncable of the ship; bidding the maiden sit by the helmsman Anc\u00e6us. Then\nthe heroes rowed with all their might, and were far away before the\nKing had knowledge of their going.\n\nMany things they suffered in their journey, and many lands they\nvisited, for the gods suffered them not to return by the way by which\nthey went, and some of them perished; but at the last they brought back\nthe ship _Argo_ to the land of Greece, and the Fleece of Gold for which\nPelias had sent them. And when they were returned, Prince Jason took\nMedea to be his wife.\n\n\n\n\nTHE\n\nSTORY OF THEBES.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER I.\n\n\nIt befell in times past that the Gods, being angry with the inhabitants\nof Thebes, sent into their land a very noisome beast which men called\nthe Sphinx. Now this beast had the face and breast of a very fair\nwoman, but the feet and claws of a lion; and it was wont to ask a\nriddle of such as encountered it; and such as answered not aright it\nwould tear and devour. Now when it had laid waste the land many days,\nthere chanced to come to Thebes one \u0152dipus, who had fled from the city\nof Corinth that he might escape the doom which the Gods had spoken\nagainst him. And the men of the place told him of the Sphinx, how she\ncruelly devoured the people, and that he who should deliver them from\nher should have the kingdom. So \u0152dipus, being very bold, and also ready\nof wit, went forth to meet the monster. And when she saw him she spake,\nsaying:--\n\n    \u201cRead me this riddle right, or die:\n    What liveth there beneath the sky,\n    Four-footed creature that doth choose\n    Now three feet and now twain to use.\n    And still more feebly o\u2019er the plain\n    Walketh with three feet than with twain?\u201d\n\nAnd \u0152dipus made reply:--\n\n    \u201c\u2019Tis man, who in life\u2019s early day\n    Four-footed crawleth on his way;\n    When time hath made his strength complete,\n    Upright his form and twain his feet;\n    When age hath bowed him to the ground,\n    A third foot in his staff is found.\u201d\n\nAnd when the Sphinx found that her riddle was answered, she cast\nherself from a high rock and perished. Now for a while \u0152dipus reigned\nin great power and glory; but afterwards his doom came upon him, so\nthat in his madness he put out his own eyes. Then his two sons cast him\ninto prison, and took his kingdom, making agreement between themselves\nthat each should reign for the space of one year. And the elder of the\ntwo, whose name was Eteocles, first had the kingdom; but when his year\nwas come to an end, he would not abide by his promise, but kept that\nwhich he should have given up, and drave out his younger brother from\nthe city. Then the younger, whose name was Polynices, fled to Argos, to\nKing Adrastus. And after a while he married the daughter of the King,\nwho made a covenant with him that he would bring him back with a high\nhand to Thebes, and set him on the throne of his father. Then the King\nsent messengers to certain of the princes of Greece, entreating that\nthey would help in this matter. And of these some would not, but others\nhearkened to his words, so that a great army was gathered together,\nand followed the King and Polynices to make war against Thebes. So\nthey came and pitched their camp over against the city. And after that\nthey had fought against it many days, and yet had prevailed nothing,\nAdrastus held a council of the chiefs, and it was agreed that next day,\nearly in the morning, they should assault the city with all their\nmight. And when the morning was come the chiefs were gathered together,\nbeing seven in number. And first of all they slew a bull, and caught\nthe blood of the beast in the hollow of a shield, into which they\ndipped their hands, and sware a great oath that they would take the\ncity of Thebes or die. And having sworn, they hung upon the chariot of\nAdrastus what should be memorials of them, each for his own father and\nmother, all weeping the while. After this they cast lots for the places\nwhich they should take, for there were seven gates to the city, that\neach chief might assault a gate.\n\nBut their purpose was known to the King, Eteocles, for he had heard the\nwhole matter from Tiresias, the wise seer, who told beforehand all that\nshould come to pass, discovering it from the voice of birds; for, being\nblind he could not judge from their flight, or from the tokens of fire,\nas other soothsayers are wont. Wherefore the King gathered together\nall that could bear arms, even youths not grown, and old men that were\nwaxed feeble with age, and bade them fight for the land, for \u201cshe,\u201d he\nsaid, \u201cgave you birth and reared you, and now asketh that ye help her\nin this her need. And though hitherto we have fared well in this war,\nknow ye for certain, for Tiresias the soothsayer hath said it, that\nthere cometh a great danger this day upon the city. Wherefore haste ye\nto the battlements, and to the towers that are upon the walls, and take\nyour stand in the gates, and be of good courage, and quit you like men.\u201d\n\nAnd as he made an end of speaking there ran in one who declared that\neven now the enemy was about to assault the city. And after him came a\ntroop of maidens of Thebes, crying out that the enemy had come forth\nfrom the camp, and that they heard the tramp of many feet upon the\nearth, and the rattling of shields, and the noise of many spears. And\nthey lifted up their voices to the Gods that they should help the\ncity, to Ares, the God of the Golden Helmet, that he should defend the\nland which in truth was his from old time, and to Father Zeus, and to\nPallas, who was the daughter of Zeus, and to Poseidon, the great ruler\nof the sea, and to Aphrodit\u00e9 the Fair, for that she was the mother\nof their race, and to Apollo, the Wolf-king, that he would be as a\ndevouring wolf to the enemy, and to Artemis, that she should bend her\nbow against them, and to Her\u00e9, the Queen of Heaven, even to all the\ndwellers in Olympus, that they should defend the city, and save it.\n\nBut the King was very wroth when he heard this outcry, and cried,\n\u201cThink ye to make bold the hearts of our men by these lamentations?\nNow may the Gods save me from this race of women; for if they be bold\nno man can endure their insolence, and if they be afraid they vex\nboth their home and their country. Even so now do ye help them that\nare without and trouble your own people. But hearken to this. He that\nheareth not my command, be he man or woman, the people shall stone him.\nSpeak I plainly?\u201d\n\n\u201cBut, O son of \u0152dipus,\u201d the maidens made reply, \u201cwe hear the rolling of\nthe chariot wheels, and the rattling of the axles, and the jingling of\nthe bridle reins.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat then?\u201d said the King, \u201cif the ship labor in the sea, and the\nhelmsman leave the helm and fly to the prow that he may pray before the\nimage, doeth he well?\u201d\n\n\u201cNay, blame us not that we came to beseech the Gods when we heard the\nhailstorm of war rattling on the gates.\u201d\n\n\u201c\u2019Tis well,\u201d cried the King, \u201cyet men say that the Gods leave the city\nthat is at the point to fall. And mark ye this, that safety is the\nchild of obedience. But as for duty, \u2019tis for men to do sacrifice to\nthe Gods, and for women to keep silence and to abide at home.\u201d\n\nBut the maidens made reply, \u201c\u2019Tis the Gods who keep this city, nor do\nthey transgress who reverence them.\u201d\n\n\u201cYea, but let them reverence them in due order. And now hearken to me.\nKeep ye silence. And when I have made my prayer, raise ye a joyful\nshout that shall gladden the hearts of our friends and put away all\nfear from them. And to the Gods that keep this city I vow that if they\ngive us victory in this war I will sacrifice to them sheep and oxen,\nand will hang up in their houses the spoils of the enemy. And now, ye\nmaidens, do ye also make your prayers, but not with vain clamor. And\nI will choose seven men, being myself the seventh, who shall meet the\nseven that come against the gates of our city.\u201d\n\nThen the King departed, and the maidens made their prayer after this\nfashion: \u201cMy heart feareth as a dove feareth the serpent for her young\nones, so cruelly doth the enemy come about this city to destroy it!\nShall ye find elsewhere as fair a land, ye Gods, if ye suffer this to\nbe laid waste, or streams as sweet? Help us then, for indeed it is a\ngrievous thing when men take a city; for the women, old and young, are\ndragged by the hair, and the men are slain with the sword, and there\nis slaughter and burning, while they that plunder cry each man to his\ncomrade, and the fruits of the earth are wasted upon the ground; nor is\nthere any hope but in death.\u201d\n\nAnd as they made an end, the King came back, and at the same time a\nmessenger bringing tidings of the battle, how the seven chiefs had\nranged themselves each against a gate of the city. And the man\u2019s story\nwas this.\n\n\u201cFirst Tydeus, the \u00c6tolian, standeth in great fury at the gate of\nPr\u0153tus. Very wroth is he because the soothsayer, Amphiara\u00fcs, suffereth\nhim not to cross the Ismenus, for that the omens promise not victory.\nA triple crest he hath, and there are bells of bronze under his shield\nwhich ring terribly. And on his shield he hath this device: the heaven\nstudded with stars, and in the midst the mightiest of the stars, the\neye of night, even the moon. Whom, O King, wilt thou set against this\nman?\u201d\n\nThen the King made reply, \u201cI tremble not at any man\u2019s adorning, and a\ndevice woundeth not. And, indeed, as for the night that thou tellest\nto be on his shield, haply it signifieth the night of death that shall\nfall upon his eyes. Over against him will I set the son of Astacus, a\nbrave man and a modest. Also he is of the race of the Dragon\u2019s Teeth,\nand men call him Melanippus.\u201d\n\nAnd the messenger said, \u201cHeaven send him good fortune! At the gate of\nElectra standeth Capaneus, a man of great stature, and his boastings\nare above all measure, for he crieth out that he will destroy this city\nwhether the Gods will or no, and that Zeus with his thunder shall not\nstay him, for that the thunder is but as the sun at noon. And on his\nshield he hath a man bearing a torch, and these words, \u2018I WILL BURN\nTHIS CITY.\u2019 Who now shall stand against this boaster and fear not?\u201d\n\nThen the King said, \u201cHis boastings I heed not. They shall turn to his\nown destruction. For as he sendeth out swelling words against Zeus,\nso shall Zeus send against him the thunder, smiting him, but not of a\ntruth as the sun smiteth. Him shall Polyphantus encounter, a valiant\nman and dear to Queen Artemis.\u201d\n\n\u201cHe that is set against the gate of Ne\u00efs is called Eteoclus by name. He\ndriveth a chariot with four horses, in whose nostrils are pipes making\na whistling noise, after the fashion of barbarians. And on his shield\nhe hath this device: a man mounting a ladder that is set against a\ntower upon a wall, and with it these words, \u2018NOT ARES\u2019 SELF SHALL DRIVE\nME HENCE.\u2019 See that thou set a fit warrior against him.\u201d\n\n\u201cMegarius, son of Creon, of the race of the Dragon, shall fight against\nhim, who will not leave the gate for any whistling noise of horses; for\neither he will die as a brave man dieth for his country, or will take a\ndouble spoil, even this boaster and him also that he beareth upon his\nshield.\u201d\n\n\u201cAt the next gate to this, even the gate of Athen\u00e9, standeth\nHippomedon. A great shield and a terrible he hath, and on it this\ndevice, which no mean workman hath wrought: Typhon breathing out a\ngreat blast of black smoke, and all about it serpents twined together.\nAnd the man also is terrible as his shield, and seemeth to be inspired\nof Ares. Whom wilt thou set against this man, O King?\u201d\n\n\u201cFirst shall Pallas stand against him and drive him from this city,\neven as bird driveth a snake from her young ones. And next I have set\nHyperbius, son of \u0152neus, to encounter him, being inferior neither in\nform nor courage, nor yet in skill of arms, and also dear to Hermes.\nEnemies shall they be, bearing also on their shields gods that are\nenemies, for Hippomedon hath Typhon, but Hyperbius hath Zeus; and even\nas Zeus prevailed over Typhon, so also shall Hyperbius prevail over\nthis man.\u201d\n\n\u201cSo be it, O King. Know also that at the north gate is set Parthenop\u00e6us\nthe Arcadian. Very young is he, and fair also to behold, and his mother\nwas the huntress Atalanta. This man sweareth by his spear, which he\nholdeth to be better than all the gods whatsoever, that he will lay\nwaste this city. And on his shield he beareth a device, the Sphinx,\nwhich holdeth in her claws one of the sons of Cadmus.\u201d\n\n\u201cAgainst this Arcadian will I set Actor, brother to Hyperbius, no\nboaster but a man of deeds, who will not let this hateful monster, the\nSphinx, pass thus into the city; but will rather make it ill content to\nhave come hither, so many and fierce blows shall he deal it.\u201d\n\n\u201cHear now of the sixth among the chiefs, the wise soothsayer,\nAmphiara\u00fcs. Ill pleased is he with these things, for against Tydeus he\nuttereth many reproaches, that he is an evil counsellor to Argos and\nto King Adrastus, stirring up strife and slaughter. And to thy brother\nalso he speaketh in like fashion, saying, \u2018Is this a thing that the\nGods love, and that men shall praise in the days to come, that thou\nbringest a host of strangers to lay waste the city of thy fathers?\nShall this land, if thou subduest it by the spear of the enemy, ever\nmake alliance with thee? As for me I shall fall in this land, for am I\nnot a seer? Be it so. I shall not die without honor!\u2019 No device hath\nthis man on his shield, for he seeketh not to seem, but to be in very\ndeed most excellent. Thou must need send some wise man to stand against\nhim.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is an ill fate that bringeth a just man into company with the\nwicked. And of a truth there is not a worse thing upon the earth than\nill companionship, wherein the sowing is madness and the harvest is\ndeath. For thus a godfearing man being on shipboard with godless\ncompanions perisheth with them; and one that is righteous, if he dwell\nin one city with the wicked, is destroyed with the same destruction.\nSo shall it fare with this Amphiara\u00fcs; for though he be a good man\nand righteous, and that feareth God, yet shall he perish because he\nbeareth these boasters company. And I think that he will not come near\nto the gates, so well knoweth he what shall befall him. Yet have I set\nLasthenes to stand against him, young in years but old in counsel,\nvery keen of eye, and swift of hand to cast his javelin from under his\nshield.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd now, O King, hear how thy brother beareth himself, for he it is\nwho standeth yonder at the seventh gate. For he crieth aloud that he\nwill climb upon the wall and slay thee, even though he die with thee,\nor drive thee forth into banishment, even as thou, he saith, hast\ndriven him. And on his shield there is this device: a woman leading an\narmed man, and while she leadeth him she saith, \u2018I AM JUSTICE, AND I\nWILL BRING BACK THIS MAN TO THE KINGDOM WHICH IS HIS OF RIGHT.\u2019\u201d\n\nBut when the King heard this he brake forth in much fury, \u201cNow will\nthe curse of this house be fulfilled to the uttermost. Yet must I not\nbewail myself, lest there should fall upon us an evil that is yet\ngreater than this. And as for this Polynices, thinketh he that signs\nand devices will give him that which he coveteth? Thinketh he that\nJustice is on his side? Nay, but from the day that he came forth from\nthe womb he hath had no converse with her, neither will she stand by\nhim this day. I will fight against him. Who more fit than I? Bring\nforth my armor that I may make ready.\u201d\n\nAnd though the maidens entreated with many words that he would not do\nthis thing, but leave the place to some other of the chiefs, saying\nthat there was no healing or remedy for a brother\u2019s blood shed in such\nfashion, he would not hearken, but armed himself and went forth to the\nbattle. Thus ever doth the madness of men work out to the full the\ncurses of the Gods.\n\nThen the battle grew fierce about the wall, and the men of Thebes\nprevailed. For when Parthenop\u00e6us the Arcadian fell like a whirlwind\nupon the gate that was over against him, Actor the Theban smote him\non the head with a great stone, and brake his head, so that he fell\ndead upon the ground. And when Capaneus assaulted the city, crying\nthat not even the Gods should stay him, there came upon him the wrath\nwhich he defied; for when he had mounted the ladder and was now about\nto leap upon the battlements, Zeus smote him with the thunderbolt,\nand there was no life left in him, so fierce was the burning heat of\nthe lightning. But the chiefest fight was between the two brothers;\nand this, indeed, the two armies stood apart to see. For the two came\ntogether in an open space before the gates; and first Polynices prayed\nto Her\u00e9, for she was the goddess of the great city of Argos, which\nhad helped him in this enterprise, and Eteocles prayed to Pallas of\nthe Golden Shield, whose temple stood hard by. Then they crouched,\neach covered with his shield, and holding his spear in his hand, if by\nchance his enemy should give occasion to smite him; and if one showed\nso much as an eye above the rim of his shield the other would strike\nat him. But after a while King Eteocles slipped upon a stone that was\nunder his foot, and uncovered his leg, at which straightway Polynices\ntook aim with his spear, piercing the skin. And the men of Argos\nshouted to see it. But so doing he laid his own shoulder bare, and King\nEteocles gave him a wound in the breast; and then the men of Thebes\nshouted for joy. But he brake his spear in striking, and would have\nfared ill but that with a great stone he smote the spear of Polynices,\nand brake this also in the middle. And now were the two equal, for\neach had lost his spear. So they drew their swords and came yet\ncloser together. But Eteocles used a device which he had learnt in the\nland of Thessaly; for he drew his left foot back, as if he would have\nceased from the battle, and then of a sudden moved the right forward;\nand so smiting sideways, drave his sword right through the body of\nPolynices. But when, thinking that he had slain him, he set his weapons\nin the earth, and began to spoil him of his arms, the other, for he\nyet breathed a little, laid his hand upon his sword, and though he had\nscarce strength to smite, yet gave the King a mortal blow, so that the\ntwo lay dead together on the plain. And the men of Thebes lifted up the\nbodies of the dead, and bare them both into the city.\n\nSo was the doom of the house of \u0152dipus accomplished; and yet not all,\nas shall now be told.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER II.\n\n\nWhen the two brothers, the sons of King \u0152dipus, had fallen each by the\nhand of the other, the kingdom fell to Creon their uncle. For not only\nwas he the next of kin to the dead, but also the people held him in\ngreat honor because his son Men\u0153ceus had offered himself with a willing\nheart that he might deliver his city from captivity. Now when Creon\nwas come to the throne, he made a proclamation about the two Princes,\ncommanding that they should bury Eteocles with all honor, seeing that\nhe died as beseemed a good man and a brave, doing battle for his\ncountry, that it should not be delivered into the hands of the enemy;\nbut as for Polynices he bade them leave his body to be devoured by the\nfowls of the air and the beasts of the field, because he had joined\nhimself to the enemy, and would have beaten down the walls of the\ncity, and burned the temples of the Gods with fire, and led the people\ncaptive. Also he commanded that if any man should break this decree he\nshould suffer death by stoning.\n\nNow Antigone, who was sister to the two Princes, heard that the decree\nhad gone forth, and chancing to meet her sister Ismen\u00e9 before the gates\nof the palace, spake to her, saying, \u201cO my sister, hast thou heard this\ndecree that the King hath put forth concerning our brethren that are\ndead?\u201d\n\nThen Ismen\u00e9 made answer, \u201cI have heard nothing, my sister, only that we\nare bereaved of both of our brethren in one day, and that the army of\nthe Argives is departed in this night that is now past. So much I know,\nbut no more.\u201d\n\n\u201cHearken then. King Creon hath made a proclamation that they shall bury\nEteocles with all honor; but that Polynices shall lie unburied, that\nthe birds of the air and the beasts of the field may devour him, and\nthat whosoever shall break this decree shall suffer death by stoning.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut if it be so, my sister, how can we avail to change it?\u201d\n\n\u201cThink whether or no thou wilt share with me the doing of this deed.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat deed? What meanest thou?\u201d\n\n\u201cTo pay due honor to this dead corpse.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat? Wilt thou bury him when the King hath forbidden it?\u201d\n\n\u201cYea, for he is my brother and also thine, though perchance thou\nwouldst not have it so. And I will not play him false.\u201d\n\n\u201cO my sister, wilt thou do this when Creon hath forbidden it?\u201d\n\n\u201cWhy should he stand between me and mine?\u201d\n\n\u201cBut think now what sorrows are come upon our house. For our father\nperished miserably, having first put out his own eyes; and our mother\nhanged herself with her own hands; and our two brothers fell in one\nday, each by the other\u2019s spear; and now we two only are left. And shall\nwe not fall into a worse destruction than any if we transgress these\ncommands of the King. Think, too, that we are women and not men, and\nmust of necessity obey them that are stronger. Wherefore, as for me, I\nwill pray the dead to pardon me, seeing that I am thus constrained; but\nI will obey them that rule.\u201d\n\n\u201cI advise thee not, and if thou thinkest thus I would not have thee for\nhelper. But know that I will bury my brother, nor could I better die\nthan for doing such a deed. For as he loved me, so also do I love him\ngreatly. And shall not I do pleasure to the dead rather than to the\nliving, seeing that I shall abide with the dead forever? But thou, if\nthou wilt, do dishonor to the laws of the Gods.\u201d\n\n\u201cI dishonor them not. Only I cannot set myself against the powers that\nbe.\u201d\n\n\u201cSo be it: but I will bury my brother.\u201d\n\n\u201cO my sister, how I fear for thee!\u201d\n\n\u201cFear for thyself. Thine own lot needeth all thy care.\u201d\n\n\u201cThou wilt at least keep thy counsel, nor tell the thing to any man.\u201d\n\n\u201cNot so: hide it not. I shall scorn thee more if thou proclaim it not\naloud to all.\u201d\n\nSo Antigone departed; and after a while came to the same place King\nCreon, clad in his royal robes, and with his sceptre in his hand,\nand set forth his counsel to the elders who were assembled, how he\nhad dealt with the two Princes according to their deserving, giving\nall honor to him that loved his country, and casting forth the other\nunburied. And he bade them take care that this decree should be kept,\nsaying that he had also appointed certain men to watch the dead body.\n\nBut he had scarcely left speaking when there came one of these same\nwatchers and said, \u201cI have not come hither in haste, O King; nay, I\ndoubted much while I was yet on the way whether I should not turn\nagain. For now I thought, \u2018Fool, why goest thou where thou shalt\nsuffer for it;\u2019 and then again, \u2018Fool, the King will hear the matter\nelsewhere, and then how wilt thou fare?\u2019 But at the last I came as I\nhad purposed, for I know that nothing may happen to me contrary to\nfate.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut say,\u201d said the King, \u201cwhat troubles thee so much?\u201d\n\n\u201cFirst hear my case. I did not the thing, and know not who did it, and\nit were a grievous wrong should I fall into trouble for such a cause.\u201d\n\n\u201cThou makest a long preface excusing thyself, but yet hast, as I judge,\nsomething to tell.\u201d\n\n\u201cFear, my lord, ever causeth delay.\u201d\n\n\u201cWilt thou not speak out thy news and then begone?\u201d\n\n\u201cI will speak it. Know then that some man hath thrown dust upon this\ndead corpse, and done besides such things as are needful.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat sayest thou? Who hath dared to do this deed?\u201d\n\n\u201cThat I know not, for there was no mark as of spade or pickaxe; nor was\nthe earth broken, nor had wagon passed thereon. We were sore dismayed\nwhen the watchman showed the thing to us; for the body we could not\nsee. Buried indeed it was not, but rather covered with dust. Nor was\nthere any sign as of wild beast or of dog that had torn it. Then there\narose a contention among us, each blaming the other, and accusing his\nfellows, and himself denying that he had done the deed or was privy\nto it. And doubtless we had fallen to blows but that one spake a word\nwhich made us all tremble for fear, knowing that it must be as he said.\nFor he said that the thing must be told to thee, and in no wise hidden.\nSo we drew lots, and by evil chance the lot fell upon me. Wherefore\nI am here, not willingly, for no man loveth him that bringeth ill\ntidings.\u201d\n\nThen said the chief of the old men, \u201cConsider, O King, for haply this\nthing is from the Gods.\u201d\n\nBut the King cried, \u201cThinkest thou that the Gods care for such an one\nas this dead man, who would have burnt their temples with fire, and\nlaid waste the land which they love, and set at naught the laws? Not\nso. But there are men in this city who have long time had ill will to\nme, not bowing their necks to my yoke; and they have persuaded these\nfellows with money to do this thing. Surely there never was so evil a\nthing as money, which maketh cities into ruinous heaps, and banisheth\nmen from their houses, and turneth their thoughts from good unto evil.\nBut as for them that have done this deed for hire, of a truth they\nshall not escape, for I say to thee, fellow, if ye bring not here\nbefore my eyes the man that did this thing, I will hang you up alive.\nSo shall ye learn that ill gains bring no profit to a man.\u201d\n\nSo the guard departed; but as he went he said to himself, \u201cNow may the\nGods grant the man be found; but however this may be, thou shalt not\nsee me come again on such errand as this, for even now have I escaped\nbeyond all hope.\u201d Notwithstanding, after a space he came back with one\nof his fellows; and they brought with them the maiden Antigone, with\nher hands bound together. And it chanced that at the same time King\nCreon came forth from the palace. Then the guard set forth the thing\nto him, saying, \u201cWe cleared away the dust from the dead body, and sat\nwatching it. And when it was now noon, and the sun was at his height,\nthere came a whirlwind over the plain, driving a great cloud of dust.\nAnd when this had passed, we looked, and lo! this maiden whom we have\nbrought hither stood by the dead corpse. And when she saw that it lay\nbare as before, she sent up an exceeding bitter cry, even as a bird\nwhose young ones have been taken from the nest. Then she cursed them\nthat had done this deed; and brought dust and sprinkled it upon the\ndead man, and poured water upon him three times. Then we ran and laid\nhold upon her, and accused her that she had done this deed; and she\ndenied it not. But as for me, \u2019tis well to have escaped from death,\nbut it is ill to bring friends into the same. Yet I hold that there is\nnothing dearer to a man than his life.\u201d\n\nThen said the King to Antigone, \u201cTell me in a word, didst thou know my\ndecree?\u201d\n\n\u201cI knew it. Was it not plainly declared?\u201d\n\n\u201cHow daredst thou to transgress the laws?\u201d\n\n\u201cZeus made not such laws, nor Justice that dwelleth with the Gods\nbelow. I judged not that thy decrees had such authority that a man\nshould transgress for them the unwritten sure commandments of the Gods.\nFor these, indeed, are not of to-day or yesterday, but they live for\never, and their beginning no man knoweth. Should I, for fear of thee,\nbe found guilty against them? That I should die I knew. Why not? All\nmen must die. And if I die before my time, what loss? He who liveth\namong many sorrows, even as I have lived, counteth it gain to die. But\nhad I left my own mother\u2019s son unburied, this had been loss indeed.\u201d\n\nThen said the King, \u201cSuch stubborn thoughts have a speedy fall, and\nare shivered even as the iron that hath been made hard in the furnace.\nAnd as for this woman and her sister,--for I judge her sister to have\nhad a part in this matter,--though they were nearer to me than all my\nkindred, yet shall they not escape the doom of death. Wherefore let\nsome one bring the other woman hither.\u201d\n\nAnd while they went to fetch the maiden Ismen\u00e9, Antigone said to the\nKing, \u201cIs it not enough for thee to slay me? What need to say more? For\nthy words please me not nor mine thee. Yet what nobler thing could I\nhave done than to bury my own mother\u2019s son? And so would all men say\nbut fear shutteth their mouths.\u201d\n\n\u201cNay,\u201d said the King, \u201cnone of the children of Cadmus thinketh thus,\nbut thou only. But, hold, was not he that fell in battle with this man\nthy brother also?\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, truly, my brother he was.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd dost thou not dishonor him when thou honorest his enemy?\u201d\n\n\u201cThe dead man would not say it, could he speak.\u201d\n\n\u201cShall then the wicked have like honor with the good?\u201d\n\n\u201cHow knowest thou but that such honor pleaseth the Gods below?\u201d\n\n\u201cI have no love for them I hate, though they be dead.\u201d\n\n\u201cOf hating I know nothing; \u2019tis enough for me to love.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf thou wilt love, go love the dead. But while I live no woman shall\nrule me.\u201d\n\nThen those that had been sent to fetch the maiden Ismen\u00e9 brought her\nforth from the palace. And when the King accused her that she had been\nprivy to the deed, she denied not, but would have shared one lot with\nher sister. But Antigone turned from her, saying, \u201cNot so; thou hast no\npart or lot in the matter. For thou hast chosen life, and I have chosen\ndeath; and even so shall it be.\u201d And when Ismen\u00e9 saw that she prevailed\nnothing with her sister, she turned to the King and said, \u201cWilt thou\nslay the bride of thy son?\u201d\n\n\u201cAye,\u201d said he, \u201cthere are other brides to win!\u201d\n\n\u201cBut none,\u201d she made reply, \u201cthat accord so well with him.\u201d\n\n\u201cI will have no evil wives for my sons,\u201d said the King.\n\nThen cried Antigone, \u201cO H\u00e6mon, whom I love, how thy father wrongeth\nthee!\u201d\n\nThen the King bade the guards lead the two into the palace. But\nscarcely had they gone when there came to the palace the Prince H\u00e6mon,\nthe King\u2019s son, who was betrothed to the maiden Antigone. And when the\nKing saw him, he said, \u201cArt thou content, my son, with thy father\u2019s\njudgment?\u201d\n\nAnd the young man answered, \u201cMy father, I would follow thy counsels in\nall things.\u201d\n\nThen said the King, \u201c\u2019Tis well spoken, my son. This is a thing to\nbe desired, that a man should have obedient children. But if it be\notherwise with a man, he hath gotten great trouble for himself, and\nmaketh sport for them that hate him. And now as to this matter. There\nis nought worse than an evil wife. Wherefore I say, let this damsel\nwed a bridegroom among the dead. For since I have found her, alone of\nall this people, breaking my decree, surely she shall die. Nor shall\nit profit her to claim kinship with me, for he that would rule a city\nmust first deal justly with his own kindred. And as for obedience,\nthis it is that maketh a city to stand both in peace and in war!\u201d\n\nTo this the Prince H\u00e6mon made answer, \u201cWhat thou sayest, my father,\nI do not judge. Yet bethink thee, that I see and hear on thy behalf\nwhat is hidden from thee. For common men cannot abide thy look if they\nsay that which pleaseth thee not. Yet do I hear it in secret. Know\nthen that all the city mourneth for this maiden, saying that she dieth\nwrongfully for a very noble deed, in that she buried her brother. And\n\u2019tis well, my father, not to be wholly set on thy own thoughts, but\nlisten to the counsels of others.\u201d\n\n\u201cNay,\u201d said the King; \u201cshall I be taught by such an one as thou?\u201d\n\n\u201cI pray thee regard my words, if they be well, and not my years.\u201d\n\n\u201cCan it be well to honor them that transgress? And hath not this woman\ntransgressed?\u201d\n\n\u201cThe people of this city judgeth not so.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe people, sayest thou! Is it for them to rule, or for me?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo city is the possession of one man only.\u201d\n\nSo the two answered one the other, and their anger waxed hot. And at\nthe last the King cried, \u201cBring this accursed woman, and slay her\nbefore his eyes.\u201d\n\nAnd the Prince answered, \u201cThat thou shalt never do. And know this also,\nthat thou shalt never see my face again.\u201d\n\nSo he went away in a rage; and the old men would have appeased the\nKing\u2019s wrath, but he would not hearken to them, but said that the two\nmaidens should die. \u201cWilt thou then slay them both?\u201d said the old men.\n\n\u201c\u2019Tis well said,\u201d the King made answer. \u201cHer that meddled not with the\nmatter I harm not.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd how wilt thou deal with the other?\u201d\n\n\u201cThere is a desolate place, and there I will shut her up alive in a\nsepulchre; yet giving her so much of food as shall quit us of guilt\nin the matter, for I would not have the city defiled. There let her\npersuade Death, whom she loveth so much, that he harm her not.\u201d\n\nSo the guards led Antigone away to shut her up alive in the sepulchre.\nBut scarcely had they departed when there came the old prophet\nTiresias, seeking the King. Blind he was, so that a boy led him by the\nhand; but the Gods had given him to see things to come. And when the\nKing saw him he asked, \u201cWhat seekest thou, wisest of men?\u201d\n\nThen the prophet answered, \u201cHearken, O King, and I will tell thee. I\nsat in my seat, after my custom, in the place whither all manner of\nbirds resort. And as I sat I heard a cry of birds that I knew not,\nvery strange and full of wrath. And I knew that they tare and slew\neach other, for I heard the fierce flapping of their wings. And being\nafraid, I made inquiry about the fire, how it burned upon the altars.\nAnd this boy, for as I am a guide to others so he guideth me, told\nme that it shone not at all, but smouldered and was dull, and that\nthe flesh which was burnt upon the altar spluttered in the flame, and\nwasted away into corruption and filthiness. And now I tell thee, O\nKing, that the city is troubled by thy ill counsels. For the dogs and\nthe birds of the air tear the flesh of this dead son of \u0152dipus, whom\nthou sufferest not to have due burial, and carry it to the altars,\npolluting them therewith. Wherefore the Gods receive not from us prayer\nor sacrifice; and the cry of the birds hath an evil sound, for they\nare full of the flesh of a man. Therefore I bid thee be wise in time.\nFor all men may err; but he that keepeth not his folly, but repenteth,\ndoeth well; but stubbornness cometh to great trouble.\u201d\n\nThen the King answered, \u201cOld man, I know the race of prophets full\nwell, how ye sell your art for gold. But, make thy trade as thou wilt,\nthis man shall not have burial; yea, though the eagles of Zeus carry\nhis flesh to their master\u2019s throne in heaven, he shall not have it.\u201d\n\nAnd when the prophet spake again, entreating him, and warning, the\nKing answered him after the same fashion, that he spake not honestly,\nbut had sold his art for money. But at the last the prophet spake in\ngreat wrath, saying, \u201cKnow, O King, that before many days shall pass,\nthou shalt pay a life for a life, even one of thine own children, for\nthem with whom thou hast dealt unrighteously, shutting up the living\nwith the dead, and keeping the dead from them to whom they belong.\nTherefore the Furies lie in wait for thee, and thou shalt see whether\nor no I speak these things for money. For there shall be mourning and\nlamentation in thine own house; and against thy people shall be stirred\nup all the cities, whose sons thou hast made to lie unburied. And now,\nmy child, lead me home, and let this man rage against them that are\nyounger than I.\u201d\n\nSo the prophet departed, and the old men were sore afraid, and said,\n\u201cHe hath spoken terrible things, O King; nor ever since these gray\nhairs were black have we known him say that which was false.\u201d\n\n\u201cEven so,\u201d said the King, \u201cand I am troubled in heart, and yet am loath\nto depart from my purpose.\u201d\n\n\u201cKing Creon,\u201d said the old men, \u201cthou needest good counsel.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat, then, would ye have done?\u201d\n\n\u201cSet free the maiden from the sepulchre, and give this dead man burial.\u201d\n\nThen the King cried to his people that they should bring bars wherewith\nto loosen the doors of the sepulchre, and hasted with them to the\nplace. But coming on their way to the body of Prince Polynices, they\ntook it up, and washed it, and buried that which remained of it, and\nraised over the ashes a great mound of earth. And this being done, they\ndrew near to the place of the sepulchre; and as they approached, the\nKing heard within a very piteous voice, and knew it for the voice of\nhis son. Then he bade his attendants loose the door with all speed; and\nwhen they had loosed it, they beheld within a very piteous sight. For\nthe maiden Antigone had hanged herself by the girdle of linen which\nshe wore, and the young man Prince H\u00e6mon stood with his arms about her\ndead corpse, embracing it. And when the King saw him, he cried to him\nto come forth; but the Prince glared fiercely upon him, and answered\nhim not a word, but drew his two-edged sword. Then the King, thinking\nthat his son was minded in his madness to slay him, leapt back, but\nthe Prince drave the sword into his own heart, and fell forward on the\nearth, still holding the dead maiden in his arms. And when they brought\nthe tidings of these things to Queen Eurydice, that was the wife of\nKing Creon and mother to the Prince, she could not endure the grief,\nbeing thus bereaved of her children, but laid hold of a sword, and slew\nherself therewith.\n\nSo the house of King Creon was left desolate unto him that day, because\nhe despised the ordinances of the Gods.\n\n\n\n\nTHE\n\nSTORY OF TROY.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER I.\n\n\nPrince Paris that was son to Priam, King of Troy, carried away the\nFair Helen, wife of Menela\u00fcs, King of Sparta. Now all the kings and\nprinces of Greece had bound themselves by an oath that they would\navenge Menela\u00fcs on any man that should rob him of his wife. But first\nof all they sent ambassadors to Troy, who should demand the Fair Helen\nof Priam and his people. So the ambassadors came and made their demand;\nand the King himself was willing that she should be given back, and the\nwisest of the princes gave like counsel. But there stood up certain\nevil men, whom Paris had persuaded with his gold, and said, \u201cFear not,\nmen of Troy, to suffer Prince Paris to keep the Fair Helen for his\nwife. For verily these words of the ambassadors, that the Greeks will\ncome with an army and fetch her away, are but idle talk. Think ye that\nthey will indeed journey so far and endure such trouble for the sake of\na woman? Not so. It standeth not to reason. And if indeed they come,\nhow shall they take the city? Were not these walls builded of gods, and\nshall any man that is born of a woman avail to overthrow them?\u201d And the\nmen of Troy gave ear to this counsel, and sent away the ambassadors\nempty, for the Gods would destroy them.\n\nThen King Agamemnon, that was brother to Menela\u00fcs, being the greatest\nlord in the land of Greece, gathered together an army, not without\ngreat pains and trouble, because many of the princes were loath to\ngo. Thus the wise Ulysses feigned that he was mad, and, for proof of\nhis madness, ploughed the sand upon the sea-shore. But when a certain\ncounsellor of the King put his son, being an infant of a few days\nold, before the plough, Ulysses turned away his plough lest he should\nhurt him, and so betrayed himself. Also Thetis, that was mother to\nAchilles, knowing that if her son should go to the land of Troy he\nwould die before his time, put upon him women\u2019s garments and hid him in\nthe palace of the King of Scyros. Then Ulysses disguised himself as a\nmerchant and journeyed to Scyros. And when he was come into the hall of\nthe palace, he opened his wares, goodly robes of purple, and earrings,\nand necklaces, and divers other ornaments, both of jewels and gold. And\nwhen the maidens gathered about him, and chose such things as women\nlove, then of a sudden he opened another bale in which were a hand\nspear, and a sword, and a shield. And when Achilles saw them, he sprang\nforth and laid his hands upon them with great joy. So he also betrayed\nhimself.\n\nThus King Agamemnon at the last gathered his army of the Greeks\ntogether, and sailed to the land of Troy. For nine years and more he\nbesieged the city and pressed it hard, so that they that were within\nscarce dared to go without their walls. And doubtless he had taken it\nwithout more delay, but that there arose a deadly quarrel between him\nand Achilles, who was the bravest and most valiant man of all the host.\nNow the strife chanced in this wise.\n\nThe Greeks, having been away from home now many years, were in great\nwant of things needful. Wherefore it was their custom to leave a part\nof their army to watch the city, and to send a part to spoil such\ntowns in the country round about as they knew to be friendly to the\nmen of Troy, or as they thought to contain good store of provision or\ntreasure. \u201cAre not all these,\u201d they were wont to say, \u201ctowns of the\nbarbarians, and therefore lawful prey to men that are Greeks?\u201d Now\namong the towns with which they dealt in this fashion was Chrysa, which\nwas sacred to Apollo, who had a great temple therein and a priest. The\ntemple and the priest the Greeks, fearing the anger of the god, had\nnot harmed; but they had carried off with other prisoners the priest\u2019s\ndaughter, Chryse\u00efs by name. These and the rest of the spoil they\ndivided among the kings, of whom there were many in the army, ruling\neach his own people. Now King Agamemnon, as being sovereign lord, went\nnot commonly with the army at such times, but rather stayed behind,\nhaving charge of the siege that it should not be neglected. Yet did\nhe always receive, as indeed was fitting, a share of the spoil. This\ntime the Greeks gave him, with other things, the maiden Chryse\u00efs. But\nthere came to the camp next day the priest Chryses, wishing to ransom\nhis daughter. Much gold he brought with him, and he had on his head\nthe priest\u2019s crown, that all men might reverence him the more. He went\nto all the chiefs, making his prayer that they would take the gold and\ngive him back his daughter. And they all spake him fair, and would have\ndone what he wished. Only Agamemnon would not have it so.\n\n\u201cGet thee out, graybeard!\u201d he cried in great wrath. \u201cLet me not find\nthee lingering now by the ships, neither coming hither again, or it\nshall be the worse for thee, for all thy priesthood. And as for thy\ndaughter, I shall carry her away to Argos, when I shall have taken this\ncity of Troy.\u201d\n\nThen the old man went out hastily in great fear and trouble. And he\nwalked in his sorrow by the shore of the sounding sea, and prayed to\nhis god Apollo.\n\n\u201cHear me, God of the silver bow. If I have built thee a temple, and\noffered thee the fat of many bullocks and rams, hear me, and avenge me\non these Greeks!\u201d\n\nAnd Apollo heard him. Wroth he was that men had so dishonored his\npriest, and he came down from the top of Olympus, where he dwelt.\nDreadful was the rattle of his arrows as he went, and his presence was\nas the night coming over the sky. Then he shot the arrows of death,\nfirst on the dogs and the mules, and then on the men; and soon all\nalong the shore rolled the black smoke from the piles of wood on which\nthey burnt the bodies of the dead.\n\nOn the tenth day Achilles, who was the bravest and strongest of all\nthe Greeks, called the people to an assembly. When they were gathered\ntogether he stood up among them and spake to Agamemnon.\n\n\u201cSurely it were better to return home, than that we should all perish\nhere by the plague. But come, let us ask some prophet, or priest, or\ndreamer of dreams, why it is that Apollo is so wroth with us.\u201d\n\nThen stood up Calchas, best of seers, who knew what had been, and what\nwas, and what was to come, and spake.\n\n\u201cAchilles, thou biddest me tell the people why Apollo is wroth with\nthem. Lo! I tell thee, but thou must first swear to stand by me, for I\nknow that what I shall say will anger King Agamemnon, and it goes ill\nwith common men when kings are angry.\u201d\n\n\u201cSpeak out, thou wise man!\u201d cried Achilles; \u201cfor I swear by Apollo that\nwhile I live no one shall lay hands on thee, no, not Agamemnon\u2019s self,\nthough he be sovereign lord of the Greeks.\u201d\n\nThen the prophet took heart and spake. \u201cIt is on behalf of his priest\nthat Apollo is wroth, for he came to ransom his daughter, but Agamemnon\nwould not let the maiden go. Now, then, ye must send her back to Chrysa\nwithout ransom, and with her a hundred beasts for sacrifice, so that\nthe plague may be stayed.\u201d\n\nThen Agamemnon stood up in a fury, his eyes blazing like fire.\n\n\u201cNever,\u201d he cried, \u201chast thou spoken good concerning me, ill prophet\nthat thou art, and now thou tellest me to give up this maiden! I will\ndo it, for I would not that the people should perish. Only take care,\nye Greeks, that there be a share of the spoil for me, for it would ill\nbeseem the lord of all the host that he alone should be without his\nshare.\u201d\n\n\u201cNay, my lord Agamemnon,\u201d cried Achilles, \u201cthou art too eager for gain.\nWe have no treasures out of which we may make up thy loss, for what we\ngot out of the towns we have either sold or divided; nor would it be\nfitting that the people should give back what has been given to them.\nGive up the maiden, then, without conditions, and when we shall have\ntaken this city of Troy, we will repay thee three and four fold.\u201d\n\n\u201cNay, great Achilles,\u201d said Agamemnon, \u201cthou shalt not cheat me thus.\nIf the Greeks will give me such a share as I should have, well and\ngood. But if not, I will take one for myself, whether it be from thee,\nor from Ajax, or from Ulysses; for my share I will have. But of this\nhereafter. Now let us see that this maiden be sent back. Let them get\nready a ship, and put her therein, and with her a hundred victims, and\nlet some chief go with the ship, and see that all things be rightly\ndone.\u201d\n\nThen cried Achilles, and his face was black as a thunder-storm, \u201cSurely\nthou art altogether shameless and greedy, and, in truth, an ill ruler\nof men. No quarrel have I with the Trojans. They never harried oxen\nor sheep of mine. But I have been fighting in thy cause, and that of\nthy brother Menala\u00fcs. Naught carest thou for that. Thou leavest me to\nfight, and sittest in thy tent at ease. But when the spoil is divided,\nthine is always the lion\u2019s share. Small indeed is my part--\u2019a little\nthing, but dear.\u2019 And this, forsooth, thou wilt take away! Now am I\nresolved to go home. Small booty wilt thou get then, methinks!\u201d\n\nAnd King Agamemnon answered, \u201cGo, and thy Myrmidons with thee! I have\nother chieftains as good as thou art, and ready, as thou art not, to\npay me due respect. I hate thee, with thy savage, bloodthirsty ways.\nAnd as for the matter of the spoil, know that I will take thy share,\nthe girl Brise\u00efs, and fetch her myself, if need be, that all may know\nthat I am sovereign lord here in the host of the Greeks.\u201d\n\nThen Achilles was mad with anger, and he thought in his heart, \u201cShall\nI arise and slay this caitiff, or shall I keep down the wrath in my\nbreast?\u201d And as he thought he laid his hand on his sword-hilt, and had\nhalf drawn his sword from the scabbard, when lo! the goddess Athen\u00e9\nstood behind him (for Her\u00e9, who loved both this chieftain and that,\nhad sent her), and caught him by the long locks of his yellow hair.\nBut Achilles marvelled much to feel the mighty grasp, and turned, and\nlooked, and knew the goddess, but no one else in the assembly might see\nher. Then his eyes flashed with fire, and he cried, \u201cArt thou come,\nchild of Zeus, to see the insolence of Agamemnon? Of a truth, I think\nthat he will perish for his folly.\u201d\n\nBut Athen\u00e9 said, \u201cNay, but I am come to stay thy wrath. Use bitter\nwords, if thou wilt, but put up thy sword in its sheath, and strike him\nnot. Of a truth, I tell thee that for this insolence of to-day he will\nbring thee hereafter splendid gifts, threefold and fourfold for all\nthat he may take away.\u201d\n\nThen Achilles answered, \u201cI shall abide by thy command, for it is ever\nbetter for a man to obey the immortal gods.\u201d And as he spake he laid\nhis heavy hand upon the hilt, and thrust back the sword into the\nscabbard, and Athen\u00e9 went her way to Olympus.\n\nThen he turned him to King Agamemnon, and spake again. \u201cDrunkard, with\nthe eyes of a dog and the heart of a deer! never fighting in the front\nof the battle, nor daring to lie in the ambush! \u2019Tis a puny race thou\nrulest, or this had been thy last wrong. And as for me, here is this\nsceptre: once it was the branch of a tree, but a cunning craftsman\nbound it with bronze to be the sign of the lordship which Zeus gives to\nkings; as surely as it shall never again have bark or leaves or shoot,\nso surely shall the Greeks one day miss Achilles, when they fall in\nheaps before the dreadful Hector, and thou shalt eat thy heart to think\nthat thou hast wronged the bravest of thy host.\u201d\n\nAnd as he spake he dashed his sceptre on the ground and sat down. And\non the other side Agamemnon sat in furious anger. Then Nestor rose,\nan old man of a hundred years and more, and counselled peace. Let\nthem listen, he said, to his counsel. Great chiefs in the old days,\nwith whom no man now alive would dare to fight, had listened. Let not\nAgamemnon take away from the bravest of the Greeks the prize of war;\nlet not Achilles, though he was mightier in battle than all other men,\ncontend with Agamemnon, who was sovereign lord of all the hosts of\nGreece. But he spake in vain. For Agamemnon answered,--\n\n\u201cNestor, thou speakest well, and peace is good. But this fellow would\nlord it over all, and he must be taught that there is one here, at\nleast, who is better than he.\u201d\n\nAnd Achilles said, \u201cI were a slave and a coward if I owned thee as my\nlord. Not so: play the master over others, but think not to master me.\nAs for the prize which the Greeks gave me, let them do as they will.\nThey gave it; let them take it away. But if thou darest to touch aught\nthat is mine own, that hour thy life-blood shall redden on my spear.\u201d\n\nThen the assembly was dismissed. Chryse\u00efs was sent to her home with\ndue offerings to the god, the wise Ulysses going with her. And all the\npeople purified themselves, and the plague was stayed.\n\nBut King Agamemnon would not go back from his purpose. So he called to\nhim the heralds, Talthybius and Eurybates, and said,--\n\n\u201cHeralds, go to the tents of Achilles and fetch the maiden Brise\u00efs. But\nif he will not let her go, say that I will come myself with many others\nto fetch her; so will it be the worse for him.\u201d\n\nSorely against their will the heralds went. Along the sea-shore they\nwalked, till they came to where, amidst the Myrmidons, were the tents\nof Achilles. There they found him sitting, but stood silent in awe and\nfear. But Achilles spied them, and cried aloud, \u201cCome near, ye heralds,\nmessengers of gods and men. \u2019Tis no fault of yours that ye are come on\nsuch an errand.\u201d\n\nThen he turned to Patroclus (now Patroclus was his dearest friend) and\nsaid, \u201cBring the maiden from her tent, and let the heralds lead her\naway. But let them be witnesses before gods and men, and before this\nevil-minded king, against the day when he shall have sore need of me to\nsave his host from destruction. Fool that he is, who thinks not of the\npast nor of the future, that his people may be safe!\u201d\n\nThen Patroclus brought forth the maiden from her tent and gave her to\nthe heralds. And they led her away, but it was sorely against her will\nthat she went. But Achilles went apart from his comrades and sat upon\nthe sea-shore, falling into a great passion of tears, and stretching\nout his hands with loud prayer to his mother, who indeed was a goddess\nof the sea, Thetis by name. She heard him where she sat in the depths\nby her father, the old god of the sea, and rose--you would have thought\nit a mist rising--from the waves, and came to where he sat weeping, and\nstroked him with her hand and called him by his name.\n\n\u201cWhat ails thee, my son?\u201d she said.\n\nThen he told her the story of his wrong, and when he had ended he\nsaid,--\n\n\u201cGo, I pray thee, to the top of Olympus, to the palace of Zeus. Often\nhave I heard thee boast how, long ago, thou didst help him when the\nother gods would have bound him, fetching Briareus of the hundred\nhands, who sat by him in his strength, so that the gods feared to touch\nhim. Go now and call these things to his mind, and pray him that he\nhelp the sons of Troy and give them victory in the battle, so that the\nGreeks, as they flee before them, may have joy of this king of theirs,\nwho has done such wrong to the bravest of his host.\u201d\n\nAnd his mother answered him, \u201cSurely thine is an evil lot, my son! Thy\nlife is short, and it should of right be without tears and full of joy;\nbut now it seems to me to be both short and sad. But I will go as thou\nsayest to Olympus, to the palace of Zeus, but not now, for he has gone,\nand the other gods with him, to a twelve days\u2019 feast with the pious\nEthiopians. But when he comes back I will entreat and persuade him. And\ndo thou sit still, nor go forth to battle.\u201d\n\nWhen the twelve days were past Thetis went to the top of Olympus, to\nthe palace of Zeus, and made her prayer to him. He was loath to grant\nit, for he knew it would anger his wife, Her\u00e9 who loved the Greeks and\nhated the sons of Troy. Yet he could not refuse her, but promised that\nit should be as she wished. And to make his word the surer, he nodded\nhis awful head, and with the nod all Olympus was shaken.\n\nThat night Zeus took counsel with himself how he might best work his\nwill. And he called to him a dream, and said, \u201cDream, go to the tent of\nAgamemnon, and tell him to set his army in array against Troy, for that\nthe gods are now of one mind, and the day of doom is come for the city,\nso that he shall take it, and gain eternal glory for himself.\u201d\n\nSo the dream went to the tent of Agamemnon, and it took the shape of\nNestor, the old chief, whom the king honored more than all beside.\n\nThen the false Nestor spake: \u201cSleepest thou, Agamemnon? It is not for\nkings to sleep all through the night, for they must take thought for\nmany, and have many cares. Listen now to the words of Zeus: \u2018Set the\nbattle in array against Troy, for the gods are now of one mind, and\nthe day of doom is come for the city, and thou shall take it, and gain\neternal glory for thyself.\u2019\u201d\n\nAnd Agamemnon believed the dream, and knew not the purpose of Zeus\nin bidding him go forth to battle, how that the Trojans should win\nthe day, and great shame should come to himself, but great honor to\nAchilles, when all the Greeks should pray him to deliver them from\ndeath. So he rose from his bed and donned his tunic, and over it a\ngreat cloak, and fastened the sandals on his feet, and hung from his\nshoulders his mighty silver-studded sword, and took in his right hand\nthe great sceptre of his house, which was the token of his sovereignty\nover all the Greeks. Then he went forth, and first took counsel with\nthe chiefs, and afterwards called the people to the assembly. And after\nthe assembly the shrill-voiced heralds called the host to the battle.\nAs is the flare of a great fire when a wood is burning on a hill-top,\nso was the flash of their arms and their armor as they thronged to the\nfield. And as the countless flocks of wild geese or cranes or swans now\nwheel and now settle in the great Asian fen by the stream of Ca\u00ffster,\nor as the bees swarm in the spring, when the milk-pails are full, so\nthick the Greeks thronged to the battle in the great plain by the banks\nof the Scamander. Many nations were there, and many chiefs. But the\nmost famous among them were these: Agamemnon, King of Mycen\u00e6, and his\nbrother, the yellow-haired Menela\u00fcs, King of Sparta, and husband of the\nbeautiful Helen; Ajax O\u00efleus, or, as men called him, the lesser Ajax,\nKing of the Locri, swiftest of foot among the Greeks after the great\nAchilles; Ajax Telamon, from Salamis; Diomed, son of Tydeus, King of\nArgos, and with him Sthenelus; Nestor, King of Pylos, oldest and wisest\namong the Greeks; Ulysses, King of Ithaca, than whom there was no one\nmore crafty in counsel; Idomeneus, grandson of the great judge Minos,\nKing of Crete, and with him Meriones; Tlepolemus, son of Hercules,\nfrom Rhodes; Eumelus from Pher\u00e6, son of that Alcestis who died for her\nhusband and was brought back from death by Hercules. All these were\nthere that day, and many more; and the bravest and strongest of all was\nAjax, son of Telamon, and the best horses were the horses of Eumelus;\nbut there was none that could compare with Achilles and the horses of\nAchilles, bravest man and swiftest steeds. Only Achilles sat apart, and\nwould not go to the battle.\n\nAnd on the other side the sons of Troy and their allies came forth from\nthe gates of the city and set themselves in array. The most famous of\ntheir chiefs were these: Hector, son of King Priam, bravest and best\nof all; \u00c6neas, son of Anchises and the goddess Aphrodit\u00e9; Pandarus,\nfrom Mount Ida, with the bow which Apollo gave him; Asius, the son\nof Hyrtacus, who came from the broad salt river, the Hellespont;\nPyl\u00e6menes, King of Paphlagonia; and Sarpedon from Lycia, whom men\naffirmed to be the son of Zeus himself, and with him Glaucus.\n\nSo the battle was set in array, and the two hosts stood over against\neach other.\n\nThey were now about to fight, when from the ranks of the Trojans Paris\nrushed forth. He had a panther\u2019s skin over his shoulders, and a bow and\na sword, and in either hand a spear, and he called aloud to the Greeks\nthat they should send forth their bravest to fight with him. But when\nMenela\u00fcs saw him he was glad, for he said that now he should avenge\nhimself on the man who had done him such wrong. So a lion is glad when,\nbeing sorely hungered, he finds a stag or a wild goat; he devours it,\nand will not be driven from it by dogs or hunters. He leapt from his\nchariot and rushed to meet his enemy; but Paris, having done evil, and\nbeing therefore a coward in his heart, was afraid when he saw Menela\u00fcs,\nand fled back into the ranks of his comrades, just as a man steps back\nin haste when unawares in a mountain glen he comes upon a snake. But\nHector saw him and rebuked him. \u201cFair art thou to look upon, Paris,\nbut nothing worth. Surely the Greeks will scorn us if they think that\nthou art our bravest warrior, because thou art of stately presence. But\nthou art a coward; and yet thou daredst to go across the sea and carry\noff the fair Helen. Why dost thou not stand and abide the onset of her\nhusband, and see what manner of man he is? Little, I ween, would thy\nharp and thy long locks and thy fair face avail when thou wert lying in\nthe dust! A craven race are the sons of Troy, or they would have stoned\nthee ere this.\u201d\n\nThen Paris answered, \u201cThou speakest well, Hector, and thy rebuke is\njust. As for thee, thy heart is like iron, ever set on battle; yet are\nbeauty and love also the gifts of the gods, and not to be despised. But\nnow set Menela\u00fcs and me in the midst, and let us fight, man to man, for\nthe fair Helen and for all her possessions. And if he prevail over me,\nlet him take her and them and depart, and the Greeks with him, but ye\nshall dwell in peace; but if I prevail they shall depart without her.\u201d\n\nThen Hector was glad, and going before the Trojan ranks, holding his\nspear by the middle, he kept them back. But the Greeks would have\nthrown spears and stones at him, only Agamemnon cried aloud and said,\n\u201cHold: Hector has somewhat to say to us.\u201d\n\nThen Hector said, \u201cHear, Trojans and Greeks, what Paris saith: Let all\nbesides lay their arms upon the ground, and let Menela\u00fcs and me fight\nfor the fair Helen and all her wealth. And let him that is the better\nkeep her and them, but the rest shall dwell in peace.\u201d\n\nThen Menela\u00fcs said, \u201cThe word pleaseth me well; let us fight together,\nand let us make agreement with oath and sacrifice. And because the sons\nof Priam are men of fraud and violence, let Priam himself come.\u201d\n\nSo they sent a herald to King Priam, but he sat on the wall with the\nold men. And as they talked, the fair Helen came near, and they said,\n\u201cWhat wonder that men should suffer much for such a woman, for indeed\nshe is divinely fair. Yet let her depart in the ships, nor bring a\ncurse on us and our children.\u201d\n\nBut Priam called to her, \u201cCome near, my daughter; tell me about these\nold friends of thine. For \u2019tis not thou, \u2019tis the gods who have brought\nabout all this trouble. But tell me, who is this warrior that I see, so\nfair and strong? There are others even a head taller than he, but none\nof such majesty.\u201d\n\nAnd Helen answered, \u201cAh, my father! would that I had died before I left\nhusband and child to follow thy son. But as for this warrior, he is\nAgamemnon, a good king and brave soldier, and my brother-in-law in the\nold days.\u201d\n\n\u201cHappy Agamemnon,\u201d said Priam, \u201cto rule over so many! Never saw I such\nan army gathered together, not even when I went to help the Phrygians\nwhen they were assembled on the banks of the Sangarus against the\nAmazons. But who is this that I see, not so tall as Agamemnon, but of\nbroader shoulders? His arms lie upon the ground, and he is walking\nthrough the ranks of his men just as some great ram walks through a\nflock of sheep.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis,\u201d said Helen, \u201cis Ulysses of Ithaca, who is better in craft and\ncounsel than all other men.\u201d\n\n\u201c\u2019Tis well spoken, lady,\u201d said Antenor. \u201cWell I remember Ulysses when\nhe came hither on an embassy about thee with the brave Menela\u00fcs. My\nguests they were, and I knew them well. And I remember how, in the\nassembly of the Trojans, when both were standing, Menela\u00fcs was the\ntaller, but when they sat, Ulysses was the more majestic to behold. And\nwhen they rose to speak, Menela\u00fcs said few words, but said them wisely\nand well; and Ulysses--you had thought him a fool, so stiffly he held\nhis sceptre and so downcast were his eyes; but as soon as he began, oh!\nthe mighty voice, and the words thick as the falling snow!\u201d\n\nThen Priam said, \u201cWho is that stalwart hero, so tall and strong,\novertopping all by head and shoulders?\u201d\n\n\u201cThat,\u201d said Helen, \u201cis mighty Ajax, the bulwark of the Greeks. And\nnext to him is Idomeneus. Often has Menela\u00fcs had him as his guest in\nthe old days, when he came from Crete. As for the other chiefs, I see\nand could name them all. But I miss my own dear brothers, Castor, tamer\nof horses, and Pollux, the mighty boxer. Either they came not from\nSparta, or, having come, shun the meeting of men for shame of me.\u201d\n\nSo she spake, and knew not that they were sleeping their last sleep far\naway in their dear fatherland. And when they had ended talking, the\nheralds came and told King Priam how that the armies called for him. So\nhe went, and Antenor with him. And he on the one side, for the Trojans,\nand King Agamemnon for the Greeks, made a covenant with sacrifice that\nParis and Menela\u00fcs should fight together, and that the fair Helen,\nwith all her treasures, should go with him who should prevail. And\nafterwards Hector and Ulysses marked out a space for the fight, and\nHector shook two pebbles in a helmet, looking away as he shook them,\nthat he whose pebble leapt forth the first should be the first to throw\nhis spear. And it so befell that the lot of Paris leapt forth first.\nThen the two warriors armed themselves and came forth into the space,\nand stood over against each other, brandishing their spears, with hate\nin their eyes. Then Paris threw his spear. It struck the shield of\nMenela\u00fcs, but pierced it not, for the spear-point was bent back. Then\nMenela\u00fcs prayed to Zeus, \u201cGrant, father Zeus, that I may avenge myself\non Paris, who has done me this wrong: so shall men in after time fear\nto do wrong to their host.\u201d So speaking, he cast his long-shafted\nspear. It struck the shield of Paris and pierced it through, and passed\nthrough the corselet, and through the tunic, close to the loin; but\nParis shrank aside, and the spear wounded him not. Then Menela\u00fcs drew\nhis silver-studded sword and struck a mighty blow on the top of the\nhelmet of Paris, but the sword broke in four pieces in his hand. Then\nhe cried in his wrath, \u201cO Zeus, most mischief-loving of the gods, my\nspear I cast in vain, and now my sword is broken.\u201d Then he rushed\nforward and seized Paris by the helmet, and dragged him towards the\nhost of the Greeks. And truly he had taken him, but Aphrodit\u00e9 loosed\nthe strap that was beneath the chin, and the helmet came off in his\nhand. And Menela\u00fcs whirled it among the Greeks and charged with another\nspear in his hand. But Aphrodit\u00e9 snatched Paris away, covering him with\na mist, and put him down in his chamber in Troy. Then Menela\u00fcs looked\nfor him everywhere, but no one could tell him where he might be. No son\nof Troy would have hidden him out of kindness, for all hated him as\ndeath.\n\nThen King Agamemnon said, \u201cNow, ye sons of Troy, it is for you to give\nback the fair Helen and her wealth, and to pay me besides so much as\nmay be fitting for all my cost and trouble.\u201d\n\nBut it was not the will of the gods that the sons of Troy should\ndo this thing, but rather that their city should perish. So Athen\u00e9\ntook upon herself the shape of Laodocus, son of Antenor, and went\nto Pandarus, son of Lycaon, where he stood among his men. Then the\nfalse Laodocus said, \u201cPandarus, darest thou aim an arrow at Menela\u00fcs?\nTruly the Trojans would love thee well, and Paris best of all, if\nthey could see Menela\u00fcs slain by an arrow from thy bow. Aim then, but\nfirst pray to Apollo, and vow that thou wilt offer a hundred beasts\nwhen thou returnest to thy city, Zeleia.\u201d Now Pandarus had a bow made\nof the horns of a wild goat which he had slain; sixteen palms long\nthey were, and a cunning workman had made them smooth, and put a tip\nof gold whereon to fasten the bowstring. And Pandarus strung his bow,\nhis comrades hiding him with their shields. Then he took an arrow from\nhis quiver, and laid it on the bow-string, and drew the string to his\nbreast, till the arrow-head touched the bow, and let fly. Right well\naimed was the dart, but it was not the will of heaven that it should\nslay Menela\u00fcs. It struck him, indeed, and passed through the belt and\nthrough the corselet and through the girdle, and pierced the skin.\nThen the red blood rushed out and stained the white skin, even as some\nLycian or Carian woman stains the white ivory with red to adorn the\nwar-horse of a king.\n\nSore dismayed was King Agamemnon to see the blood; sore dismayed also\nwas the brave Menela\u00fcs till he spied the barb of the arrow, and knew\nthat the wound was not deep. But Agamemnon cried,--\n\n\u201cIt was in an evil hour for thee, my brother, that I made a covenant\nwith these false sons of Troy. Right well, indeed, I know that oath\nand sacrifice are not in vain, but will have vengeance at the last.\nTroy shall fall; but woe is me if thou shouldst die, Menela\u00fcs. For\nthe Greeks will straight go back to their fatherland, and the fair\nHelen will be left a boast to the sons of Troy, and I shall have great\nshame when one of them shall say, as he leaps on the tomb of the brave\nMenela\u00fcs, \u2018Surely the great Agamemnon has avenged himself well; for\nhe brought an army hither, but now is gone back to his home, but left\nMenela\u00fcs here.\u2019 May the earth swallow me up before that day!\u201d\n\n\u201cNay,\u201d said Menela\u00fcs, \u201cfear not, for the arrow has but grazed the skin.\u201d\n\nThen King Agamemnon bade fetch the physician. So the herald fetched\nMachaon, the physician. And Machaon came, and drew forth the arrow, and\nwhen he had wiped away the blood he put healing drugs upon the wound,\nwhich Chiron, the wise healer, had given to his father.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER II.\n\n\nBut while this was doing, King Agamemnon went throughout the host,\nand if he saw anyone stirring himself to get ready for the battle he\npraised him and gave him good encouragement; but whomsoever he saw\nhalting and lingering and slothful, him he blamed and rebuked whether\nhe were common man or chief. The last that he came to was Diomed, son\nof Tydeus, with Sthenelus, son of Capaneus, standing by his side. And\nAgamemnon spake, \u201cHow is this, son of Tydeus? Shrinkest thou from the\nbattle? This was not thy father\u2019s wont. I never saw him indeed, but\nI have heard that he was braver than all other men. Once he came to\nMycen\u00e6 with great Polynices to gather allies against Thebes. And the\nmen of Mycen\u00e6 would have sent them, only Zeus showed evil signs from\nheaven and forbade them. Then the Greeks sent Tydeus on an embassy\nto Thebes, where he found many of the sons of Cadmus feasting in the\npalace of Eteocles; but Tydeus was not afraid, though he was but one\namong many. He challenged them to contend with him in sport, and in\neverything he prevailed. But the sons of Cadmus bare it ill, and\nthey laid an ambush for Tydeus as he went back, fifty men with two\nleaders--M\u00e6on and Lycophon. But Tydeus slew them all, leaving only\nM\u00e6on alive, that he might carry back the tidings to Thebes. Such was\nthy father; but his son is worse in battle, but better, it may be, in\nspeech.\u201d\n\nNothing said Diomed, for he reverenced the king; but Sthenelus cried\nout, \u201cWhy speakest thou false, King Agamemnon, knowing the truth? We\nare not worse but better than our fathers. Did not we take Thebes,\nthough we had fewer men than they, who indeed took it not?\u201d But Diomed\nfrowned and said, \u201cBe silent, friend. I blame not King Agamemnon that\nhe rouses the Greeks to battle. Great glory will it be to him if they\ntake the city, and great loss if they be worsted. But it is for us to\nbe valiant.\u201d\n\nSo he passed through all the host. And the Greeks went forward to the\nbattle, as the waves that curl themselves and then dash upon the shore,\nthrowing high the foam. In order they went after their chiefs; you had\nthought them dumb, so silent were they. But the Trojans were like a\nflock of ewes which wait to be milked, and bleat hearing the voice of\ntheir lambs, so confused a cry went out from their army, for there\nwere men of many tongues gathered together. And on either side the gods\nurged them on, but chiefly Athen\u00e9 the Greeks, and Ares the sons of\nTroy. Then, as two streams in flood meet in some chasm, so the armies\ndashed together, shield on shield and spear on spear.\n\nAntilochus, son of Nestor, was the first to slay a man of Troy,\nEchepolus by name, smiting him through the helmet into the forehead.\nLike a tower he fell, and Elphenor the Euban sought to drag him away\nthat he might strip him of his arms. But Agenor smote him with his\nspear as he stooped, so baring his side to a wound. Dreadful was the\nfight around his body. Like wolves the Trojans and the Greeks rushed\nupon each other. And Ajax Telamon slew Simoisius (so they called him,\nbecause he was born on the banks of Simo\u00efs). He fell as a poplar falls,\nand Antiphon, son of King Priam, aimed at Ajax, but, missing him, slew\nLeucus, the valiant comrade of Ulysses. And Ulysses, in great anger,\nstalked through the foremost fighters, brandishing his spear, and the\nsons of Troy gave way, and when he hurled it he slew Democo\u00f6n, a son of\nPriam. Then Hector and the foremost ranks of Troy were borne backward,\ntill Apollo cried from the heights of Pergamos, \u201cOn, Trojans! The flesh\nof these Greeks is not stone or iron, that ye cannot pierce it. Know,\ntoo, that the mighty Achilles does not fight to-day.\u201d But on the other\nside Athen\u00e9 urged on the Greeks to battle. Then Peiros the Thracian\nslew Diores, first striking him to the ground with a huge stone, and\nthen piercing him with his spear; and him in turn Thoas of \u00c6tolia slew,\nbut could not spoil of his arms, so strongly did the men of Thrace\ndefend the body. Then Athen\u00e9 roused Diomed to battle, making a fire\nshine from his helmet, bright as Orion shines in the vintage time.\nFirst there met him two warriors, sons of Dares, priest of Heph\u00e6stus,\nPhegeus and Id\u00e6us, the one fighting on foot and the other from his\nchariot. First Phegeus threw his spear and missed his aim; but Diomed\nmissed not, smiting him through the breast. And Id\u00e6us, when he saw his\nbrother fall, fled, Heph\u00e6stus saving him, lest the old man should be\naltogether bereaved. And each of the chiefs slew a foe; but there was\nnone like Diomed, who raged through the battle so furiously that you\ncould not tell with which host he was, whether with the Greeks or with\nthe sons of Troy. Then Pandarus aimed an arrow at him, and smote him\nin the right shoulder as he was rushing forward, and cried aloud, \u201cOn,\ngreat-hearted sons of Troy, the bravest of the Greeks is wounded! Soon,\nmethinks, will his strength fail him, unless Apollo has deceived me.\u201d\n\nBut Diomed cared not for the arrow. Only he leapt down from the chariot\nand spake to Sthenelus, his charioteer, \u201cCome down and draw this arrow\nfrom my shoulder.\u201d Then Sthenelus drew it, and the blood spirted out\nfrom the wound. And Diomed prayed to Athen\u00e9, \u201cO goddess, if ever thou\nhast helped me, be with me now, and grant me to slay this boaster whose\narrow has wounded me!\u201d So speaking, he rushed into the ranks of the\nTrojans, slaying a man at every stroke. \u00c6neas saw him, and thought how\nhe might stay him in his course. So he passed through the host till he\nfound Pandarus. \u201cPandarus,\u201d he said, \u201cwhere are thy bow and arrows? See\nhow this man deals death through the ranks. Send a shaft at him, first\nmaking thy prayer to Zeus.\u201d\n\nThen Pandarus answered,--\n\n\u201cThis man, methinks, is Diomed. The shield and the helmet and the\nhorses are his. And yet I know not whether he is not a god. Some god,\nat least, stands by him and guards him. But now I sent an arrow at him\nand smote him on the shoulder, right through the corselet, and thought\nthat I had slain him; but lo! I have harmed him not at all. And now\nI know not what to do, for here I have no chariot. Eleven, indeed,\nthere are at home, in the house of my father Lycaon, and the old man\nwas earnest with me that I should bring one of them; but I would not,\nfearing for my horses, lest they should not have provender enough. So\nI came, trusting in my bow, and lo! it has failed me these two times.\nTwo of the chiefs I have hit, Menela\u00fcs and Diomed, and from each have\nseen the red blood flow, yet have I not harmed them. Surely, if ever I\nreturn safe to my home, I will break this useless bow.\u201d\n\n\u201cNay,\u201d said \u00c6neas, \u201ctalk not thus. Climb into my chariot, and see what\nhorses we have in Troy. They will carry us safe to the city, even\nshould Diomed prevail against us. But take the rein and the whip, and I\nwill fight; or, if thou wilt, fight thou, and I will drive.\u201d\n\n\u201cNay,\u201d said Pandarus, \u201clet the horses have the driver whom they know.\nIt might lose us both, should we turn to flee, and they linger or start\naside, missing their master\u2019s voice.\u201d\n\nSo Pandarus mounted the chariot and they drove together against Diomed.\nAnd Sthenelus saw them coming, and said to his comrades--\u201cI see two\nmighty warriors, Lycaon and \u00c6neas. It would be well that we should go\nback to our chariot.\u201d\n\nBut Diomed frowned and said, \u201cTalk not of going back. Thou wilt talk\nin vain to me. As for my chariot, I care not for it. As I am will I\ngo against these men. Both shall not return safe, even if one should\nescape. But do thou stay my chariot where it is, tying the reins to the\nrail; and if I slay these men, mount the chariot of \u00c6neas and drive\ninto the hosts of the Greeks. There are no horses under the sun such as\nthese, for they are of the breed which Zeus himself gave to King Tros.\u201d\n\nMeanwhile Pandarus and \u00c6neas were coming near, and Pandarus cast his\nspear. Right through the shield of Diomed it passed, and reached the\ncorselet, and Pandarus cried,--\n\n\u201cThou art hit in the loin. This, methinks, will lay thee low.\u201d\n\n\u201cNay,\u201d said Diomed, \u201cthou hast missed and not hit at all.\u201d\n\nAnd as he spake he threw his spear. Through nose and teeth and tongue\nit passed, and stood out below the chin. Headlong from the chariot he\nfell, and his armor clashed about him. Straightway \u00c6neas leapt off\nwith spear and shield to guard the body of his friend, and stood as a\nlion stands over a carcase. But Diomed lifted a great stone, such as\ntwo men of our day could scarcely carry, and cast it. It struck \u00c6neas\non the hip, crushing the bone. The hero stooped on his knee, clutching\nthe ground with his hand, and darkness covered his eyes. That hour he\nhad perished, but his mother Aphrodit\u00e9 caught him in her white arms and\nthrew her veil about him. But even so Diomed was loath to let his foe\nescape, and knowing that the goddess was not of those who mingle in the\nbattle, he rushed on her and wounded her on the wrist, and the blood\ngushed out--such blood (they call it _ichor_) as flows in the veins of\nthe immortal gods, who eat not the meat and drink not the drink of men.\nWith a loud shriek she dropped her son, but Apollo caught him up and\ncovered him with a dark mist, lest perchance one of the Greeks should\nspy him and slay him. And still Diomed pursued. Thrice he rushed on,\nand thrice Apollo pushed back his shining shield; but the fourth time\nthe god cried to him,--\n\n\u201cBe wise, son of Tydeus, and give way, nor think to match the gods.\u201d\n\nAnd Diomed gave way, fearing the wrath of the far-shooting bow. But\nApollo carried \u00c6neas out of the battle, and laid him down in his own\ntemple in the citadel of Troy, and there Artemis and Latona healed\nhim of his wound. And all the while the Trojans and the Greeks were\nfighting, as they thought, about his body, for Apollo had made a\nlikeness of the hero and thrown it down in their midst. Then Sarpedon\nthe Lycian spake to Hector with bitter words,--\n\n\u201cWhere are thy boasts, Hector? Thou saidst that thou couldst guard thy\ncity, without thy people or thy allies, thou alone, with thy brothers\nand thy brothers-in-law. But I cannot see even one of them. They go\nand hide themselves, as dogs before a lion. It is we, your allies, who\nmaintain the battle. I have come from far to help thy people,--from\nLycia, where I left wife and child and wealth,--nor do I shrink from\nthe fight, but thou shouldst do thy part.\u201d\n\nAnd the words stung Hector to the heart. He leapt from his chariot and\nwent through the host, urging them to the battle. And on the other side\nthe Greeks strengthened themselves. But Ares brought back \u00c6neas whole\nfrom his wound, and gave him courage and might. Right glad were his\ncomrades to see him, nor did they ask him any question; scant leisure\nwas there for questions that day. Then were done many valiant deeds,\nnor did any bear himself more bravely than \u00c6neas. Two chieftains of\nthe Greeks he slew, Crethon and Orsilochus, who came from the banks of\nAlphe\u00fcs. Sore vexed was Menela\u00fcs to see them fall, and he rushed to\navenge them, Ares urging him on, for he hoped that \u00c6neas would slay\nhim. But Antilochus, Nestor\u2019s son, saw him go, and hasted to his side\nthat he might help him. So they went and slew Pyl\u00e6menes, King of the\nPaphlagonians, and Medon, his charioteer. Then Hector rushed to the\nfront, and Ares was by his side. Diomed saw him, and the god also, for\nhis eyes were opened that day, and he fell back a space and cried,--\n\n\u201cO my friends! here Hector comes; nor he alone, but Ares is with him in\nthe shape of a mortal man. Let us give place, still keeping our faces\nto the foe, for men must not fight with gods.\u201d\n\nThen drew near to each other Sarpedon the Lycian and Tlepolemus, the\nson of Hercules, the one a son and the other a grandson of Zeus. First\nTlepolemus spake,--\n\n\u201cWhat art thou doing here, Sarpedon? Surely \u2019tis a false report that\nthou art a son of Zeus. The sons of Zeus in the old days were better\nmen than thou art, such as my father Hercules, who came to this city\nwhen Laomedon would not give him the horses which he had promised, and\nbrake down the walls and wasted the streets. No help, methinks, wilt\nthou be to the sons of Troy, slain here by my hands.\u201d\n\nBut Sarpedon answered, \u201cHe indeed spoiled Troy, for Laomedon did him\ngrievous wrong. But thou shalt not fare so, but rather meet with thy\ndeath.\u201d\n\nThen they both hurled their spears, aiming truly, both of them. For\nSarpedon smote Tlepolemus in the neck, piercing it through so that he\nfell dead, and Tlepolemus smote Sarpedon in the left thigh, driving the\nspear close to the bone, but slaying him not, his father Zeus warding\noff the doom of death. And his comrades carried him out of the battle,\nsorely burdened with the spear, which no one had thought to take out of\nthe wound. And as he was borne along, Hector passed by, and Sarpedon\nrejoiced to see him, and cried,--\n\n\u201cSon of Priam, suffer me not to become a prey to the Greeks; let me\nat least die in your city, for Lycia I may see no more, nor wife, nor\nchild.\u201d\n\nBut Hector heeded him not, so eager was he for the battle. So his\ncomrades carried him to the great beech-tree and laid him down, and\none of them drew the spear out of his thigh. When it was drawn out he\nfainted, but the cool north wind blew and revived him, and he breathed\nagain.\n\nBut all the while Hector, with Ares at his side, dealt death and\ndestruction through the ranks of the Greeks. Her\u00e9 and Athen\u00e9 saw him\nwhere they sat on the top of Olympus, and were wroth. So they went to\nFather Zeus and prayed that it might be lawful to them to stop him in\nhis fury. And Zeus said, \u201cBe it as you will.\u201d So they yoked the horses\nto the chariot of Her\u00e9 and passed down to earth, the horses flying at\nevery stride over so much space as a man sees who sits upon a cliff\nand looks across the sea to where it meets the sky. They alighted on\nthe spot where the two rivers Simo\u00efs and Scamander join their streams.\nThere they loosed the horses from the yoke, and then sped like doves\nto where the bravest of the Greeks stood round King Diomed. There Her\u00e9\ntook the shape of Stentor with the lungs of bronze, whose voice was as\nthe voice of fifty men, and cried, \u201cShame, men of Greece! When Achilles\nwent to the battle, the men of Troy came not beyond the gates, but now\nthey fight far from the city, even by the ships.\u201d But Athen\u00e9 went\nto Diomed where he stood wiping away the blood from the wound where\nPandarus had struck him with the arrow. And she spake, \u201cSurely the son\nof Tydeus is little like to his sire. Small of stature was he, but a\nkeen fighter. But thou--whether it be weariness or fear that keeps thee\nback I know not--canst scarcely be a true son of Tydeus.\u201d\n\nBut Diomed answered, \u201cNay, great goddess, for I know thee who thou art,\ndaughter of Zeus, it is not weariness or fear that keeps me back. \u2019Tis\nthy own command that I heed. Thou didst bid me fight with none other\nof the immortal gods but only with Aphrodit\u00e9, should she come to the\nbattle. Therefore I give place, for I see Ares lording it through the\nranks of war.\u201d\n\n\u201cHeed not Ares; drive thy chariot at him, and smite him with the spear.\nThis very morning he promised that he would help the Greeks, and now he\nhath changed his purpose.\u201d\n\nAnd as she spake she pushed Sthenelus, who drove the chariot, so that\nhe leapt out upon the ground, and she mounted herself and caught the\nreins and lashed the horses. So the two went together, and they found\nAres where he had just slain Periphas the \u00c6tolian. But Athen\u00e9 had\ndonned the helmet of Hades, which whosoever puts on straightway becomes\ninvisible, for she would not that Ares should see her who she was. The\ngod saw Diomed come near, and left Periphas, and cast his spear over\nthe yoke of the chariot, eager to slay the hero. But Athen\u00e9 caught the\nspear in her hand, and turned it aside, so that it flew vainly through\nthe air. Then Diomed in turn thrust forward his spear, and Athen\u00e9\nleant upon it, so that it pierced the loin of Ares where his girdle\nwas clasped. And Ares shouted with the pain, loud as a host of men,\nthousands nine or ten, shouts when it joins in battle. And the Greeks\nand Trojans trembled as they heard. And Diomed saw the god go up to\nOlympus as a thunder-cloud goes up when the wind of the south blows hot.\n\nBut when Ares had departed the Greeks prevailed again, slaying many of\nthe sons of Troy and of their allies. But at last Helenus, the wise\nseer, spake to Hector and \u00c6neas,--\n\n\u201cCause the army to draw back to the walls, and go through the ranks and\ngive them such strength and courage as ye may. And do thou, Hector,\nwhen thou hast so done, pass into the city, and bid thy mother go with\nthe daughters of Troy, and take the costliest robe that she hath,\nand lay it on the knees of Athen\u00e9 in her temple, vowing therewith to\nsacrifice twelve heifers, if perchance she may have pity upon us, and\nkeep this Diomed from our walls. Surely there is no Greek so strong as\nhe; we did not fear even Achilles\u2019 self so much as we fear this man\nto-day, so dreadful is he and fierce. Go, and we will make such stand\nmeanwhile as we can.\u201d\n\nThen Hector passed through the ranks, bidding them be of good heart,\nand so departed to the city.\n\nBut when he was gone, Glaucus the Lycian and Diomed met in the space\nbetween the two hosts. And Diomed said,--\n\n\u201cWho art thou that meetest me thus? for never have I seen thee before.\nIf thou art a man, know that luckless are the fathers whose sons meet\nmy spear. But if thou art a god, I will not fight with thee. It fares\nill with them that fight with gods.\u201d\n\nThen Glaucus answered, \u201cDiomed, why askest thou of my race? The races\nof men are as the leaves of the forest which the wind blows to the\nearth, and lo! in the spring they shoot forth again. Yet, if thou\nwouldst know it, hearken to my words. There is a city Ephyra in the\nland of Argos, where Sisyphus dwelt, who was the craftiest of men;\nand Sisyphus begat Glaucus, and Glaucus, Bellerophon. Now Bellerophon\nwas the fairest and most valiant of men. And Queen Antea accused him\nfalsely to her husband, King Pr\u0153tus. Whereupon the king sent him to his\nfather-in-law, who was king of Lycia, and gave him a tablet, whereon\nwere written letters of death, so that the king having read them should\ncause him to be slain. So Bellerophon came to Lycia. And for nine days\nthe king feasted him, but on the tenth he asked for the tablet. And\nwhen he had read it, he sought how he might slay him. For first he sent\nhim to subdue the Chim\u00e6ra. Now the Chim\u00e6ra was a marvellous thing,\nhaving the forepart of a lion, and the body of a goat, and the tail of\na snake. And afterwards he sent him against the Solymi, who are the\nfiercest warriors of all that dwell on the earth. And his third labor\nwas that he slew the Amazons. And as he was returning the king set\nan ambush for him, yet harmed him not, for Bellerophon slew all the\nmen that lay in wait for him. Then the king knew him to be a good man\nand of the race of the gods. Wherefore he kept him, and gave him his\ndaughter to wife, and with her the half of his kingdom; and the Lycians\ngave him a fair domain of orchard and plough-land. Now Bellerophon had\nthree children--Laodamia, who bare Sarpedon to Zeus; and Isander, whom\nAres slew in battle against the Solymi; and Hippolochus, my father, who\nsent me hither, bidding me ever bear myself bravely, nor shame the race\nof my fathers.\u201d\n\nThis Diomed was right glad to hear, and cried, \u201cNay, but thou art a\nfriend by inheritance. For in former times \u0152neus, my grandfather,\nfeasted Bellerophon for twenty days, and gave him a belt broidered with\npurple, and Bellerophon gave him a great cup with two mouths, which\nindeed I left behind me when I came hither. And now let us two make\nagreement that we fight not with each other, for there are Trojans\nenough whom I may slay, and there are Greeks enough for thee. And let\nus also exchange our armor, that these men may know us to be friends by\ninheritance.\u201d\n\nSo they leapt down from their chariots and exchanged their armor. And\nZeus took away all wise counsel from the heart of Glaucus, so that he\ngave golden armor for armor of bronze, the worth of a hundred oxen for\nthe worth of nine.\n\nHector came into the city by the Sc\u00e6an gates, and as he went wives and\nmothers crowded about him, asking how it had fared with their husbands\nand sons. But he said nought, save to bid them pray; and indeed there\nwas sore news for many if he had told that which he knew. Then he came\nto the palace of King Priam, and there he saw Hecuba, his mother, and\nwith her Laodic\u00e9, fairest of her daughters. She caught him by the hand\nand said,--\n\n\u201cWhy hast thou come from the battle, my son? Do the Greeks press thee\nhard, and art thou minded to pray to Father Zeus from the citadel? Let\nme bring thee honey-sweet wine, that thou mayest pour out before him,\naye, and that thou mayest drink thyself, and gladden thy heart.\u201d\n\nBut Hector said, \u201cGive me not wine, my mother, lest thou weaken my\nknees and make me forget my courage. Nor must I pour out an offering\nwith Zeus thus, with unwashed hands. But do thou gather the mothers of\nTroy together, and go to the temple of Athen\u00e9, and take a robe, the\none that is the most precious and beautiful in thy stores, and lay it\non the knees of the goddess, and pray her to keep this dreadful Diomed\nfrom the walls of Troy; and forget not to vow therewith twelve heifers\nas a sacrifice. As for me, I will go and seek Paris, if perchance he\nwill come with me to the war. Would that the earth might open and\nswallow him up, for of a truth he is a curse to King Priam and to Troy.\u201d\n\nSo Queen Hecuba and the mothers of Troy did as Hector had bidden them.\nBut when they laid the robe on the knees of the goddess she would not\nhear them.\n\nAnd Hector went to the house of Paris, where it stood on the citadel,\nnear to his own dwelling and the dwelling of Priam. He found him busy\nwith his arms, and the fair Helen sat near him and gave their tasks to\nher maidens.\n\nBut Hector spake: \u201cBe not wroth, my brother. The people perish about\nthe wall, and the war burns hot round the city, and all for thy sake.\nRouse thee, lest it be consumed.\u201d\n\nAnd Paris answered, \u201cBrother, thou hast spoken well. It was not in\nwrath that I sat here. I was vexed at my sore defeat. But now my wife\nhas urged me to join the battle, and truly it is well, for victory\ncomes now to one and now to another. Wait thou, then, till I don my\narms, or if thou wouldst depart, I will overtake thee.\u201d\n\nSo Hector departed and went to his own home, seeking his wife\nAndromach\u00e9, but found her not, for she was on a tower of the wall with\nher child and her child\u2019s nurse, weeping sore for fear. And Hector\nspake to the maids,--\n\n\u201cTell me, whither went the white-armed Andromach\u00e9; to see some\nsister-in-law, or to the temple of Athen\u00e9 with the mothers of Troy?\u201d\n\n\u201cNay,\u201d said an aged woman, keeper of the house. \u201cShe went to one of\nthe towers of the wall, for she had heard that the Greeks were pressing\nour people hard. She hasted like as she were mad, and the nurse carried\nthe child.\u201d\n\nSo Hector ran through the city to the Sc\u00e6an gates, and there Andromach\u00e9\nspied him, and hasted to meet him--Andromach\u00e9, daughter of King E\u00ebtion,\nof Theb\u00e9-under-Placus. And with her was the nurse, bearing the young\nchild on her bosom--Hector\u2019s only child, beautiful, headed as a star.\nHis father called him Scamandrius, after the river, but the sons of\nTroy called him Astyanax, the \u201cCity-King,\u201d because it was his father\nwho saved the city. Silently he smiled when he saw the child, but\nAndromach\u00e9 clasped his hand and wept, and said,--\n\n\u201cO Hector, thy courage will bring thee to death. Thou hast no pity on\nthy wife and child, but sparest not thyself, and all the Greeks will\nrush on thee and slay thee. It were better for me, losing thee, to die;\nfor I have no comfort but thee. My father is dead, for Achilles slew\nhim in Theb\u00e9--slew him but spoiled him not, so much he reverenced him.\nWith his arms he burnt him, and the mountain-nymphs planted poplars\nabout his grave. Seven brethren I had, and lo! they all fell in one day\nby the hand of the great Achilles. And my mother, she is dead, for when\nshe had been ransomed, Artemis smote her with an arrow in her father\u2019s\nhouse. But thou art father to me, and mother and brother and husband\nalso. Have pity, then, and stay here upon the wall, lest thou leave me\na widow and thy child an orphan. And set the people here in array by\nthis fig-tree, where the city is easiest to be taken; for there come\nthe bravest of the Greeks, Ajax the Greater, and Ajax the Less, and\nIdomeneus, and the two sons of Atreus, and the son of Tydeus.\u201d\n\nBut Hector said, \u201cNay, let these things be my care. I would not that\nany son or daughter of Troy should see me skulking from the war. And\nmy own heart loathes the thought, and bids me fight in the front. Well\nI know, indeed, that Priam, and the people of Priam, and holy Troy,\nwill perish. Yet it is not for Troy, or for the people, or even for my\nfather or my mother that I care so much, as for thee in the day when\nsome Greek shall carry thee away captive, and thou shalt ply the loom\nor carry the pitcher in the land of Greece. And some one shall say when\nhe sees thee, \u2018This was Hector\u2019s wife, who was the bravest of the sons\nof Troy.\u2019 May the earth cover me before that day!\u201d\n\nThen Hector stretched out his arms to his child. But the child drew\nback into the bosom of his nurse with a loud cry, fearing the shining\nbronze and the horse-hair plume which nodded awfully from his helmet\ntop. Then father and mother laughed aloud. And Hector took the helmet\nfrom his head and laid it on the ground, and caught his child in his\nhands, and kissed him and dandled him, praying aloud to Father Zeus and\nall the gods.\n\n\u201cGrant, Father Zeus and all ye gods, that this child may be as I am,\ngreat among the sons of Troy; and may they say some day, when they see\nhim carrying home the bloody spoils from the war, \u2018A better man than\nhis father, this,\u2019 and his mother shall be glad at heart.\u201d\n\nThen he gave the child to his mother, and she clasped him to her breast\nand smiled a tearful smile. And her husband had pity on her, and\nstroked her with his hand, and spake,--\n\n\u201cBe not troubled over much. No man shall slay me against the ordering\nof fate; but as for fate, that, I trow, no man may escape, be he coward\nor brave. But go, ply thy tasks, the shuttle and the loom, and give\ntheir tasks to thy maidens, and let men take thought for the battle.\u201d\n\nThen Hector took up his helmet from the ground, and Andromach\u00e9 went\nher way to her home, oft turning back her eyes. And when she was come,\nshe and all her maidens wailed for the living Hector as though he were\ndead, for she thought that she should never see him any more returning\nsafe from the battle.\n\nAnd as Hector went his way, Paris came running, clad in shining arms,\nlike to some proud steed which has been fed high in his stall, and now\nscours the plain with head aloft and mane streaming over his shoulders.\nAnd he spake to Hector,--\n\n\u201cI have kept thee, I fear, when thou wast in haste, nor came at thy\nbidding.\u201d\n\nBut Hector answered, \u201cNo man can blame thy courage, only thou wilfully\nheldest back from the battle. Therefore do the sons of Troy speak shame\nof thee. But now let us go to the war.\u201d\n\nSo they went together out of the gates, and fell upon the hosts of the\nGreeks and slew many chiefs of fame, and Glaucus the Lycian went with\nthem.\n\nNow when Athen\u00e9 saw that the Greeks were perishing by the hand of\nHector and his companions, it grieved her sore. So she came down from\nthe heights of Olympus, if haply she might help them. And Apollo met\nher and said,--\n\n\u201cArt thou come, Athen\u00e9, to help the Greeks whom thou lovest? Well, let\nus stay the battle for this day; hereafter they shall fight till the\ndoom of Troy be accomplished.\u201d\n\nBut Athen\u00e9 answered, \u201cHow shall we stay it?\u201d\n\nAnd Apollo said, \u201cWe will set on Hector to challenge the bravest of\nthe Greeks to fight with him, man to man.\u201d\n\nSo they two put the matter into the mind of Helenus the seer. Then\nHelenus went near to Hector:--\n\n\u201cListen to me, for I am thy brother. Cause the rest of the sons of Troy\nand of the Greeks to sit down, and do thou challenge the bravest of the\nGreeks to fight with thee, man to man. And be sure thou shalt not fall\nin the battle, for the will of the immortal gods is so.\u201d\n\nThen Hector greatly rejoiced, and passed to the front of the army,\nholding his spear by the middle, and kept back the sons of Troy; and\nKing Agamemnon did likewise with his own people. Then Hector spake:--\n\n\u201cHear me, sons of Troy, and ye men of Greece. The covenant that we made\none with another hath been broken, for Zeus would have it so, purposing\nevil to both, till either you shall take our high-walled city, or we\nshall conquer you by your ships. But let one of you who call yourselves\nchampions of the Greeks come forth and fight with me, man to man. And\nlet it be so that if he vanquish me he shall spoil me of my arms but\ngive my body to my people, that they may burn it with fire; and if I\nvanquish him, I will spoil him of his arms but give his body to the\nGreeks, that they may bury him and raise a great mound above him by the\nbroad salt river of Hellespont. And so men of after days shall see it,\nsailing by, and say, \u2018This is the tomb of the bravest of the Greeks,\nwhom Hector slew.\u2019 So shall my name live for ever.\u201d\n\nBut all the Greeks kept silence, fearing to meet him in battle, but\nshamed to hold back. Then at last Menela\u00fcs leapt forward and spake:--\n\n\u201cSurely now ye are women and not men. Foul shame it were should there\nbe no man to stand up against this Hector. Lo! I will fight with him\nmy own self, for the issues of battle are with the immortal gods.\u201d\n\nSo he spake in his rage rashly, courting death, for Hector was much\nstronger than he. Then King Agamemnon answered:--\n\n\u201cNay, but this is folly, my brother. Seek not in thy anger to fight\nwith one that is stronger than thou; for as for this Hector, even\nAchilles was loath to meet him. Sit thou down among thy comrades, and\nthe Greeks will find some champion who shall fight with him.\u201d\n\nAnd Menela\u00fcs hearkened to his brother\u2019s words, and sat down. Then\nNestor rose in the midst and spake:--\n\n\u201cWoe is me to-day for Greece! How would the old Peleus grieve to hear\nsuch a tale! Well I remember how he rejoiced when I told him of the\nhouse and lineage of all the chieftains of the Greeks, and now he would\nhear that they cower before Hector, and are sore afraid when he calls\nthem to the battle. Surely he would pray this day that he might die!\nOh that I were such as I was in the old days, when the men of Pylos\nfought with the Arcadians by the stream of Iardanus! Now the leader of\nthe Arcadians was Ereuthalion, and he wore the arms of Are\u00efthous, whom\nmen called \u2018Are\u00efthous of the club,\u2019 because he fought not with bow or\nspear, but with a club of iron. Him Lycurgus slew, not by might but by\ncraft, taking him in a narrow place where his club of iron availed him\nnot, and smiting him with his spear. He slew him, and took his arms.\nAnd when Lycurgus grew old he gave the arms to Ereuthalion to wear. So\nEreuthalion wore them, and challenged the men of Pylos to fight with\nhim. But they feared him. Only I, who was the youngest of all, stood\nforth, and Athen\u00e9 gave me glory that day, for I slew him, though he was\nthe strongest and tallest among the sons of men. Would that I were\nsuch to-day! Right soon would I meet this mighty Hector.\u201d\n\nThen rose up nine chiefs of fame. First of all, King Agamemnon, lord\nof many nations, and next to him Diomed, son of Tydeus, and Ajax the\nGreater and Ajax the Less, and then Idomeneus and Meriones, who was his\ncompanion in arms, and Eurypylus, and Thoas, son of Andr\u00e6mon, and the\nwise Ulysses.\n\nThen Nestor said, \u201cLet us cast lots who shall do battle with the mighty\nHector.\u201d\n\nSo they threw the lots into the helmet of King Agamemnon, a lot for\neach. And the people prayed, \u201cGrant, ye gods, that the lot of Ajax\nthe Greater may leap forth, or the lot of Diomed, or the lot of King\nAgamemnon.\u201d Then Nestor shook the lots in the helmet, and the one which\nthey most wished leapt forth. For the herald took it through the ranks\nand showed it to the chiefs, but none knew it for his own till he came\nto where Ajax the Greater stood among his comrades. But Ajax had marked\nit with his mark, and put forth his hand for it, and claimed it, right\nglad at heart. On the ground by his feet he threw it, and said,--\n\n\u201cMine is the lot, my friends, and right glad I am, for I think that I\nshall prevail over the mighty Hector. But come, let me don my arms; and\npray ye to Zeus, but silently, lest the Trojans hear, or aloud, if ye\nwill, for no fear have we. Not by force or craft shall any one vanquish\nme, for not such are the men that Salamis breeds.\u201d\n\nSo he armed himself and moved forwards, dreadful as Ares, smiling with\ngrim face. With mighty strides he came, brandishing his long-shafted\nspear. And all the Greeks were glad to behold him, but the knees of the\nTrojans were loosened with fear, and great Hector\u2019s heart beat fast;\nbut he trembled not, nor gave place, seeing that he had himself called\nhim to battle. So Ajax came near, holding before the great shield,\nlike a wall, which Tychius, best of craftsmen, had made for him. Seven\nfolds of bull\u2019s hide it had, and an eighth of bronze. Threateningly he\nspake:--\n\n\u201cNow shalt thou know, Hector, what manner of men there are yet among\nour chiefs, though Achilles the lion-hearted is far away, sitting idly\nin his tent, in great wrath with King Agamemnon. Do thou, then, begin\nthe battle.\u201d\n\n\u201cSpeak not to me, Zeus-descended Ajax,\u201d said Hector, \u201cas though I were\na woman or a child, knowing nothing of war. Well I know all the arts of\nbattle, to ply my shield this way and that, to guide my car through the\ntumult of steeds, and to stand fighting hand to hand. But I would not\nsmite so stout a foe by stealth, but openly, if it so befall.\u201d\n\nAnd as he spake he hurled his long shafted spear, and smote the great\nshield on the rim of the eighth fold, that was of bronze. Through six\nfolds it passed, but in the seventh it was stayed. Then Ajax hurled his\nspear, striking Hector\u2019s shield. Through shield it passed and corselet,\nand cut the tunic close against the loin; but Hector shrank away and\nescaped the doom of death. Then, each with a fresh spear, they rushed\ntogether like lions or wild boars of the wood. First Hector smote the\nmiddle of the shield of Ajax, but pierced it not, for the spear-point\nwas bent back; then Ajax, with a great bound, drove his spear at\nHector\u2019s shield and pierced it, forcing him back, and grazing his neck\nso that the black blood welled out. Yet did not Hector cease from the\ncombat. A great stone and rough he caught up from the ground, and\nhurled it at the boss of the seven-fold shield. Loud rang the bronze,\nbut the shield brake not. Then Ajax took a stone heavier by far, and\nthrew it with all his might. It brake the shield of Hector, and bore\nhim backwards, so that he fell at length with his shield above him. But\nApollo raised him up. Then did both draw their swords; but ere they\ncould join in close battle came the heralds, and held their sceptres\nbetween them, and Id\u00e6us, the herald of Troy, spake:--\n\n\u201cFight no more, my sons; Zeus loves you both, and ye are both mighty\nwarriors. That we all know right well. But now the night bids you\ncease, and it is well to heed its bidding.\u201d\n\nThen said Ajax, \u201cNay, Id\u00e6us, but it is for Hector to speak, for he\ncalled the bravest of the Greeks to battle. And as he wills it, so will\nI.\u201d\n\nAnd Hector said, \u201cO Ajax, the gods have given thee stature and strength\nand skill, nor is there any better warrior among the Greeks. Let us\ncease then from the battle; we may yet meet again, till the gods give\nthe victory to me or thee. And now let us give gifts the one to the\nother, so that Trojans and Greeks may say--Hector and Ajax met in\nfierce fight and parted in friendship.\u201d\n\nSo Hector gave to Ajax a silver-studded sword with the scabbard and the\nsword-belt, and Ajax gave to Hector a buckler splendid with purple.\nSo they parted. Right glad were the sons of Troy when they saw Hector\nreturning safe. Glad also were the Greeks, as they led Ajax rejoicing\nin his victory to King Agamemnon. Whereupon the king called the chiefs\nto banquet together, and bade slay an ox of five years old, and Ajax\nhe honored most of all, giving him the chine. And when the feast was\nended, Nestor said,--\n\n\u201cIt were well that we should cease awhile from war and burn the dead,\nfor many, in truth, are fallen. And we will build a great wall, and\ndig a trench about it, and we will make gates, wide that a chariot may\npass through, so that our ships may be safe, if the sons of Troy should\npress us hard.\u201d\n\nBut the next morning came a herald from Troy to the chiefs, as they sat\nin council by the ship of King Agamemnon, and said,--\n\n\u201cThis is the word of Priam and the men of Troy: Paris will give back\nall the treasures of the fair Helen, and many more besides; but the\nfair Helen herself he will not give. But if this please you not, grant\nus a truce that we may bury our dead.\u201d\n\nThen Diomed spake, \u201cNay, we will not take the fair Helen\u2019s self, for a\nman may know, even though he be a fool, that the doom of Troy is come.\u201d\n\nAnd King Agamemnon said, \u201cHerald, thou hast heard the word of the\nGreeks, but as for the truce, be it as you will.\u201d\n\nSo the next day they burnt their dead, and the Greeks made a wall with\ngates and dug a trench about it. And when it was finished, even at\nsunset, they made ready a meal, and lo! there came ships from Lemnos\nbringing wine, and Greeks bought thereof, some with bronze, and some\nwith iron, and some with shields of ox hide. All night they feasted\nright joyously. The sons of Troy also feasted in their city. But the\ndreadful thunder rolled through the night, for Zeus was counselling\nevil against them.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER III.\n\nTHE WOUNDING OF THE CHIEFS.\n\n\nThe next day the battle was set in array as before. And all the morning\nthe armies fought without advantage to the one or the other; but at\nnoon, at the hour when one who cuts wood upon the hills sits down\nto his meal, the Greeks prevailed and drove back the sons of Troy.\nNor was there one of all the chiefs who fought so bravely as King\nAgamemnon. Many valiant men he slew, and among them the two sons of\nAntimachus. These, indeed, he took alive in their chariot, for they\nhad dropped the reins, and stood helpless before him, crying out that\nhe should spare them and take ransom, for that Antimachus their father\nhad much gold and bronze and iron in his house, and would gladly buy\nthem back alive. Now Antimachus had taken a bribe from Prince Paris,\nand had given counsel to the Trojans that they should not give back\nthe fair Helen. So when King Agamemnon heard them, he said, \u201cNay, but\nif ye be sons of Antimachus, who counselled the men of Troy that they\nshould slay Menela\u00fcs when he came an ambassador to their city, ye\nshall die for your father\u2019s sin.\u201d So he slew them both, and leaving\nthem he still rushed on, driving back the Trojans even to the walls\nof their city. Nor did Hector himself dare to meet him, for Zeus had\nsent him a message saying that he should hold himself back till King\nAgamemnon should chance to be wounded. And indeed this chance happened\npresently, for the king had slain Iphidamas, son to Antenor, and Co\u00f6n,\nhis brother, the eldest born, was very wroth to see it. So standing\nsideways he aimed with his spear, Agamemnon not knowing, and smote\nthe king in the hand near the wrist. Then he seized the body of his\nbrother, and shouted to his comrades that they should help him; but\nAgamemnon dealt him a deadly blow underneath his shield. So he fell;\nand for a while, while the wound was warm, the king fought as before;\nbut when it grew cold and stiff great pain came upon him, and he leapt\ninto his chariot and bade the charioteer drive him to the ships, for\nthat he could fight no more.\n\nThen again the battle went for the Trojans, though Diomed and Ulysses,\nwho fought very valiantly, stayed it awhile, Diomed coming very near to\nslay Hector. But Paris, who was in hiding behind the pillar on the tomb\nof Ilus, drew his bow, and smote him with an arrow through the ankle of\nthe right foot. Loud he boasted of his aim. \u201cOnly,\u201d he said, \u201cI would\nthat I had pierced thee in the loin; then hadst thou troubled the sons\nof Troy no more.\u201d\n\nBut Diomed answered, \u201cSmall good were thy bow to thee, cowardly archer,\nif thou shouldst dare to meet me face to face. And as for this graze on\nmy foot, I care no more than if a woman or child had smitten me. Not\nsuch the wounds I deal; as for those that meet my spear in the battle,\nI trow that they are dearer to the fowls of the air than to women in\nthe chamber.\u201d\n\nThen Ulysses stood before him while he drew the arrow out of his foot.\nGrievous was the smart of the wound, for all his brave words. Wherefore\nhe leapt into his chariot, and bade drive in haste to the ships. So\nUlysses was left alone, and the Trojans came about him as men with dogs\ncome about a wild boar who stands at bay gnashing his white teeth.\nFiercely he stood at bay, and slew five chiefs of fame. But one of\nthem, Socus by name, before he fell, wounded him on the side, scraping\nthe flesh from the ribs. High spurted the blood from the wound, and the\nTrojans shouted to see it. Then Ulysses shouted for help; three times\nhe shouted, and Menela\u00fcs heard him and called to Ajax that it was the\nvoice of Ulysses, and that they should help him. So they went together\nand made head awhile against the Trojans. But soon Paris wounded with\nan arrow another brave chieftain, even the physician Machaon. Then\nAjax himself was affrighted and gave way, but slowly, and sore against\nhis will. Just so a lion is driven off from a herd of oxen by dogs and\nmen. Loath he is to go, so hungry is he, but the spears and the burning\ntorches affright him. So Ajax gave way. Now he would turn and face the\nsons of Troy, and now he would flee, and they sought how to slay him,\nbut harmed him not. Then once more Paris loosed his bow and wounded a\nchief, Eurypylus, striking him on the right thigh. So the battle went\nsorely against the Greeks.\n\nNow Achilles was standing on the stern of his ship, looking at the war,\nand he saw Nestor carrying Machaon in his chariot to the ships. Then he\ncalled to Patroclus, and Patroclus, who was in the tent, came forth;\nbut it was an evil hour for him. Then said Achilles,--\n\n\u201cNow will the Greeks soon come, methinks, praying for help, for their\nneed is sore. But go and see who is this whom Nestor is taking to the\nships. His shoulders are the shoulders of Machaon, but I saw not his\nface, so swift the horses passed me by.\u201d\n\nThen Patroclus ran. And as he stood in the tent door, old Nestor saw\nhim, and went and took him by the hand, and would have had him sit\ndown. But Patroclus would not, saying,--\n\n\u201cStay me not. I came but to see who is this that thou hast brought\nwounded from the battle. And now I see that it is Machaon. Therefore I\nwill return, for thou knowest what manner of man is Achilles, that he\nis hasty and swift to blame.\u201d\n\nThen said Nestor, \u201cBut what cares Achilles for the Greeks? or why does\nhe ask who are wounded? But, O Patroclus, dost thou mind the day when\nI and Ulysses came to the house of Peleus, and how thy father Men\u00e6tius\nwas there, and how we feasted in the hall; and when the feast was\nfinished told our errand, for we were gathering the heroes for the war\nagainst the sons of Troy? Right willing were ye two to come, and many\ncounsels did the old men give you. Then to Achilles Peleus said that he\nshould always be foremost in the host, but to thee thy father Men\u00e6tius\nspake, \u2018Achilles is nobler born than thou, and stronger far; but thou\nart older. Do thou therefore counsel him well, when there is need.\u2019 But\nthis thou forgettest, Patroclus. Hear, then, what I say. It may be that\nAchilles will not go forth to the battle. But let him send thee forth,\nand the Myrmidons with thee, and let him put his arms upon thee, so\nthat the sons of Troy be affrighted, thinking that he is in the battle,\nand we shall have breathing space.\u201d\n\nThen Patroclus turned to run to Achilles, but as he ran he met\nEurypylus, who spake to him,--\n\n\u201cSmall hope is there now for the Greeks, seeing that all their bravest\nchiefs lie wounded at the ships. But do thou help me, for thou knowest\nall the secrets of healing, seeing that the wise Chiron himself taught\nthee.\u201d\n\nThen Patroclus answered, \u201cI am even now on my way to tell these things\nto Achilles, but thee I may not leave in thy trouble.\u201d\n\nSo he took him to his tent, and cut out the arrow from his thigh,\nwashing the wound with water, and putting on it a bitter healing root,\nso that the pain was stayed and the blood stanched.\n\nNow by this time the Trojans were close upon the trench. But the horses\nstood on the brink, fearing to leap it, for it was broad and deep, and\nthe Greeks had put great stakes therein. Thus said Polydamas,--\n\n\u201cSurely, Hector, this is madness that we strive to cross the trench\nin our chariots, for it is broad and deep, and there are great stakes\ntherein. Look, too, at this: even if we should be able to cross it, how\nwill the matter stand? If indeed it be the pleasure of Zeus that the\nGreeks should perish utterly,--it will be well. But if they turn upon\nus and pursue us, driving us back from the ships, then shall we not\nbe able to return. Wherefore let us leave our chariots here upon the\nbrink, and go on foot against the wall.\u201d\n\nSo they went in five companies, of whom Hector led that which was\nbravest and largest, and with him were Polydamas and Cebriones. And\nthe next Paris commanded. And of the third Helenus and De\u00efphobus were\nleaders, and with them was Asius, the son of Hyrtacus, from Arisb\u00ea.\nAnd the fourth followed \u00c6neas, the valiant son of Anchises. But of\nthe allies Sarpedon was the leader, and with him were Glaucus and\nAsterop\u00e6us. And in each company they joined shield to shield, and so\nwent against the Greeks. Nor was there one of them but hearkened to\nthe counsel of Polydamas when he bade them leave their chariots by the\ntrench, save Asius only. But Asius drove his chariot right up to that\ngate which was on the left hand in the wall. Now the gates chanced to\nbe open, for the warders had opened them, if so any of the Greeks that\nfled might save themselves within them. Now the warders were two mighty\nheroes of the race of the Lapith\u00e6, Polyp\u0153tes and Leonteus; and these,\nwhen they saw Asius and his company coming, went without and stood in\nfront of the gates, just as two wild boars stand at bay against a crowd\nof men and dogs. And all the while they that stood on the wall threw\nheavy stones which fell, thick as the snow-flakes fall in the winter,\non the men of Troy, and loud rang the helmets and the shields. And many\nfell wounded to the death, nor could Asius, for all his fury, win his\nway into the walls. But where, at another of the gates, Hector led the\nway, there appeared a strange marvel in the skies, for an eagle was\nbearing in his claws a great snake, which it had taken as a prey. But\nthe snake fought fiercely for its life, and writhed itself about, even\ntill it bit the eagle on the breast. Whereupon the eagle dropped it\ninto the midst of the host, and fled with a loud cry. Then Polydamas,\nthe wise counsellor, came near to Hector, and said,--\n\n\u201cNow it will be well that we should not follow these Greeks to their\nships. For I take that this marvel that we have seen is a sign to us.\nFor as this eagle had caught in his claws a snake, but held it not,\ndropping it before it could bear it to her young, so shall it fare with\nus. For we shall drive the Greeks to their ships, but shall not subdue\nthem, but shall return in disorder by the way that we came, leaving\nfull many of our comrades behind us.\u201d\n\nBut Hector frowned and answered, \u201cNay, but this is ill counsel,\nPolydamas. For if thou sayest this from thy heart, surely the gods\nhave changed thy wisdom into foolishness. Dost thou bid me forget the\ncommand of Zeus the Thunderer, and take heed to birds, how they fly?\nLittle care I whether they go to the east or to the west, to the right\nor to the left. Surely there is but one sign for a brave man, that he\nis fighting for his fatherland. Wherefore take thou heed; for if thou\nholdest back from the war, or holdest back any other, lo! I will smite\nthee with my spear.\u201d\n\nThen he sprang forward, and the men of Troy followed him with a shout.\nAnd Zeus sent down from Ida a great blast of wind which bore the dust\nof the plain straight to the ships, troubling the hearts of the Greeks.\nThen the Trojans sought to drag down the battlements from the wall, and\nto wrench up the posts which had been set to strengthen it. Nor did\nthe Greeks give way, but they joined shield to shield and fought for\nthe wall. And foremost among them were Ajax the Greater and Ajax the\nLess. Just as the snow falls in mid-winter, when the winds are hushed,\nand the mountain-tops are covered, and the plains and the dwellings of\nmen and the very shores of the sea, up to the waves\u2019 edge, so thickly\nfell the stones which the Greeks showered from the wall against the\nmen of Troy, and which these again threw upon the Greeks. But still\nHector and his men availed not to break through the gate. But at the\nlast Zeus stirred up the heart of his own son, Sarpedon. Holding his\nshield before him he went, and he shook in either hand a spear. As\ngoes a lion, when hunger presses him sore, against a stall of oxen or\na sheepfold, and cares not though he find men and dogs keeping watch\nagainst him, so Sarpedon went against the wall. And first he spake to\nstout Glaucus, his comrade,--\n\n\u201cTell me, Glaucus, why is it that men honor us at home with the chief\nrooms at feasts, and with fat portions of flesh and with sweet wine,\nand that we have a great domain of orchard and plough land by the banks\nof Xanthus? Surely it is that we may fight in the front rank. Then\nshall some one who may behold us say, \u2018Of a truth these are honorable\nmen, these princes of Lycia, and not without good right do they eat\nthe fat and drink the sweet, for they fight ever in the front.\u2019 Now,\nindeed, if we might live for ever, nor know old age nor death, neither\nwould I fight among the first, nor would I bid thee arm thyself for the\nbattle. But seeing that there are ten thousand fates above us which no\nman may avoid, let us see whether we shall win glory from another, or\nanother shall take it from us.\u201d\n\nAnd Glaucus listened to his words and charged at his side, and the\ngreat host of the Lycians followed them. Sore dismayed was Menestheus\nthe Athenian when he saw them. All along the wall of the Greeks he\nlooked, spying out for help; and he saw Ajax the Greater and Ajax the\nLess, and with them Teucer, who had just come forth from his tent.\nClose to him they were, but it was of no avail to shout, so loud was\nthe clash and din of arms, of shield and helmets, and the thundering at\nthe gates, for each one of these did the men of Troy assail.\n\nWherefore he called to him Thoas, the herald, and said, \u201cRun, Thoas,\nand call Ajax hither,--both of the name if that may be,--for the end\nis close upon us in this place, so mightily press on the chiefs of the\nLycians, who were ever fiery fighters. But if there is trouble there\nalso, let at the least Ajax the Greater come, and with him Teucer of\nthe bow.\u201d\n\nThen the herald ran, and said as he had been bidden.\n\nAnd Ajax Telamon spake to the son of O\u00efleus: \u201cStand thou here with\nLycomedes and stay the enemy. But I will go thither, and come again\nwhen I have finished my work.\u201d\n\nSo he went, and Teucer his brother went with him, with Pandion\ncarrying his bow. And even as they went the Lycians came up like a\ntempest on the wall. But Ajax slew Epicles, a comrade of Sarpedon,\nsmiting him on the head with a mighty stone, and crushing all the bones\nof his head. And Teucer smote Glaucus on the shoulder and wounded him\nsore. Silently did Glaucus leap down from the wall, for he would not\nthat any of the Greeks should see that he was wounded. But Sarpedon\nsaw that he had departed, and it grieved him. Nevertheless, he ceased\nnot from the battle, but first slew Alcmaon, the son of Mestor, and\nnext caught one of the battlements in his hands and dragged it down. So\nthe wall was laid open, and a way was made for the Trojans to enter.\nThen did both Ajax and Teucer aim at him together. And Teucer smote\nthe strap of the shield, but harmed him not, and Ajax drove his spear\nthrough his shield and stayed him, so that he fell back a space from\nthe battlement, yet would not cease from the fight. Loud he shouted to\nthe Lycians that they should follow him, and they came crowding about\ntheir king. Then fierce and long was the fight, for the Lycians could\nnot break down the wall of the Greeks and make a way to the ships, and\nthe Greeks could not drive away the Lycians from the wall where they\nstood. Just so two men contend for the boundary in some common field.\nSmall is the space, and they stand close together. So close stood the\nLycians and the Greeks, on this side of the battlement, and on that,\nand all the wall was red with blood. But not to Sarpedon and the men of\nLycia, but to Hector, did Zeus give the glory that day. Now, in front\nof the gate there lay a great stone, broad at the base and sharp at the\ntop. Scarce could two men of the strongest, such as are men in these\ndays, move it with levers on to a wagon; but Hector lifted it easily,\neasily as a shepherd carries in one hand the fleece of a sheep. Two\nfolding doors there were in the gates, held by bolts and a key, and at\nthese he hurled the great stone, planting his feet apart, that his aim\nmight be the surer and stronger. With a mighty crash it came against\nthe gates, and the bolts held not against it, and the hinges were\nbroken, so that the folding doors flew back. Then Hector leapt into the\nspace, holding a spear in either hand, and his eyes flashed as fire.\nAnd the men of Troy came after him, some mounting the wall, and some\npouring through the gates.\n\nNow Poseidon was watching the battle from the wooded height of\nSamothrace, whence he could see Ida and Troy and the ships. And he\npitied the Greeks when he saw how they fled before Hector, and purposed\nin his heart to help them. So he left the height of Samothrace, and\ncame with four strides to \u00c6g\u00e6, where his palace was in the depths of\nthe sea. There he harnessed the horses to his chariot and rode, passing\nover the waves, and the great beasts of the sea gambolled about him\nas he went, knowing their king. But when he came to the camp of the\nGreeks, he took upon him the shape of Calchas, the herald, and went\nthrough the host strengthening the heroes for the battle--Ajax the\nGreater, and Ajax the Less, and others also--so that they turned their\nfaces again to the enemy. But not the less did the men of Troy press\non, Hector leading the way.\n\nThen first of all Teucer slew a Trojan, Imbrius by name, wounding him\nunder the ear. He fell as some tall poplar falls which a woodman fells\nwith axe of bronze. Then Teucer rushed to seize his arms, but Hector\ncast his spear. Teucer it struck not, missing him by a little, but\nAmphimachus it smote on the breast so that he fell dead. Then Hector\nseized the dead man\u2019s helmet, seeking to drag the body among the sons\nof Troy. But Ajax stretched forth his great spear against him, and\nstruck the boss of his shield mightily, driving him backwards, so that\nhe loosed hold of the helmet of Amphimachus. And him his comrades bore\nto the rear of the host, and the body of Imbrius also they carried off.\nThen did Idomeneus the Cretan, son of Minos, the wise judge, perform\nmany valiant deeds, going to the left-hand of the battle-line, for he\nsaid,--\n\n\u201cThe Greeks have stay enough where the great Ajax is. No man that eats\nbread is better than he; no, not Achilles\u2019 self, were the two to stand\nman to man, but Achilles indeed is swifter of foot.\u201d\n\nAnd first of all he slew Othryoneus, who had but newly come, hearing\nthe fame of the war. For Cassandra\u2019s sake he had come, that he might\nhave her to wife, vowing that he would drive the Greeks from Troy, and\nPriam had promised him the maiden. But now Idomeneus slew him, and\ncried over him,--\n\n\u201cThis was a great thing that thou didst promise to Priam, for which\nhe was to give thee his daughter. Thou shouldst have come to us, and\nwe would have given thee the fairest of the daughters of Agamemnon,\nbringing her from Argos, if thou wouldst have engaged to help us to\ntake this city of Troy. But come now with me to the ships, that we may\ntreat about this marriage: thou wilt find that we have open hands.\u201d\n\nSo he spake, mocking the dead. Then King Asius charged, coming on\nfoot with his chariot behind him. But ere he could throw his spear,\nIdomeneus smote him that he fell, as falls an oak, or an alder, or a\npine, which men fell upon the hills. And the driver of his chariot\nstood dismayed, nor thought to turn his horses and flee, so that\nAntilochus, the son of Nestor, struck him down, and took the chariot\nand horses for his own. Then De\u00efphobus in great wrath came near to\nIdomeneus, and would have slain him with a spear, but could not, for he\ncovered himself with his shield, and the spear passed over his head.\nYet did it not fly in vain, for it lighted on Hypsenor, striking him on\nthe right side. And as he fell, De\u00efphobus cried aloud,--\n\n\u201cNow is Asius avenged; and though he go down to that strong porter who\nkeeps the gates of hell, yet will he be glad, for I have sent him a\ncompanion.\u201d\n\nBut scarce had he spoken when Idomeneus the Cretan slew another of the\nchiefs of Troy, Alcatho\u00fcs, son-in-law of old Anchises. And having slain\nhim, he cried,--\n\n\u201cSmall reason hast thou to boast, De\u00efphobus, for we have slain three\nfor one. But come thou and meet me in battle, that thou mayest know me\nwho I am, son of Deucalion, who was the son of Minos, who was the son\nof Zeus.\u201d\n\nThen De\u00efphobus thought within himself, should he meet this man alone,\nor should he take some brave comrade with him? And it seemed to him\nbetter that he should take a brave comrade with him. Wherefore he went\nfor \u00c6neas, and found him in the rear of the battle, vexed at heart\nbecause King Priam did not honor him among the princes of Troy. Then\nsaid he,--\n\n\u201cCome hither, \u00c6neas, to fight for Alcatho\u00fcs, who was wont to care for\nthee when thou wast young, and now he lies dead under the spear of\nIdomeneus.\u201d\n\nSo they two went together; and Idomeneus saw them, but yielded not\nfrom his place, only called to his comrades that they should gather\nthemselves together and help him. And on the other side \u00c6neas called\nto De\u00efphobus, and Paris, and Agenor. So they fought about the body of\nAlcatho\u00fcs. Then did \u00c6neas cast his spear at Idomeneus, but struck him\nnot; but Idomeneus slew \u0152noma\u00fcs, only when he would have spoiled him of\nhis arms he could not, for the men of Troy pressed him hard, so that\nperforce he gave way. And as he turned, De\u00efphobus sought to slay him\nwith his spear, but smote in his stead Ascalaphus, son of Ares. But\nwhen he would have spoiled him of his arms, Meriones struck him through\nthe wrist with a spear. Straightway he dropped the helmet which he had\nseized, and Polites, his brother, led him out of the battle. And he\nclimbed into his chariot and went back to the city. But the rest stayed\nnot their hands from fighting, and many valiant heroes fell, both on\nthis side and on that. For on the left the sons of Greece prevailed,\nso fiercely fought Idomeneus the Cretan, and Meriones, his comrade,\nand Antilochus, the son of Nestor, and Menela\u00fcs; but on the right the\nLocrians and the B\u0153otians and the men of Athens could scarce keep\nHector from the ships. Yet here for a while the battle went with them,\nfor the Locrians, who were mighty archers, bent their bows against the\nmen of Troy and dismayed them, so thick flew the arrows, dealing wounds\nand death. Then said Polydamas to Hector,--\n\n\u201cO Hector, thou art ever loath to hear counsel from others. Yet think\nnot that because thou art stronger than other men, therefore Zeus hath\nalso made thee wiser. For truly he gives diverse gifts to diverse\nmen--strength to one and counsel to another. Hear, then, my words. Thou\nseest that the Trojans keep not all together, for some stand aloof,\nwhile some fight, being few against many. Do thou therefore call the\nbravest together. Then shall we see whether we shall burn the ships,\nor, it may be, win our way back without harm to Troy; for indeed I\nforget not that there is a warrior here whom no man may match, nor will\nhe, I trow, always keep aloof from the battle.\u201d\n\nAnd the saying pleased Hector. So he went through the host looking for\nthe chiefs--for De\u00efphobus, and Helenus, and Asius, and Acamas, son of\nAsius, and others, who were the bravest among the Trojans and allies.\nAnd some he found, and some he found not, for they had fallen in the\nbattle, or had gone sorely wounded to the city. But at last he spied\nParis, where he stood strengthening the hearts of his comrades.\n\n\u201cO Paris, fair of face, cheater of the hearts of women, where is\nDe\u00efphobus, and Helenus, and Asius, and Acamas, son of Asius?\u201d\n\nBut Paris answered him, \u201cSome of these are dead, and some are sorely\nwounded. But we who are left fight on. Only do thou lead us against the\nGreeks, nor wilt thou say that we are slow to follow.\u201d\n\nSo Hector went along the front of the battle, leading the men of Troy.\nNor did the Greeks give way when they saw him, but Ajax the Greater\ncried,--\n\n\u201cFriend, come near, nor fear the men of Greece. Thou thinkest in thine\nheart to spoil the ships, but we have hands to keep them, and ere they\nperish Troy itself shall fall before us. Soon, I trow, wilt thou wish\nthat thy horses were swifter than hawks, when they bear thee fleeing\nbefore us across the plain to the city.\u201d\n\nBut Hector answered, \u201cNay, thou braggart Ajax, what words are these?\nI would that I were as surely one of the Immortals as this day shall\nsurely bring woe to the Greeks. And thou, if thou darest to meet my\nspear, shalt be slain among the rest, and feed with thy flesh the\nbeasts of the field and the fowls of the air.\u201d\n\nSo he spake, and from this side and from that there went up a great cry\nof battle.\n\nSo loud was the cry that it roused old Nestor where he sat in his tent,\ntending the wounded Machaon. Whereupon he said, \u201cSit thou here and\ndrink the red wine till the fair Hecamed\u00e9 shall have got ready the bath\nto wash the blood from thy wound, but I will ask how things fare in the\nbattle.\u201d\n\nSo he went forth from the tent, seeking King Agamemnon. And lo! as\nhe went the king met him, and with him were Diomed and Ulysses, who\nalso had been wounded that day. So they held counsel together. And\nAgamemnon--for it troubled him sore that the people were slain--would\nthat they should draw down the ships into the sea, and should flee\nhomewards, as soon as the darkness should cover them, and the Trojans\nshould cease from the battle.\n\nBut Ulysses would have none of such counsel, saying, \u201cNow, surely,\nson of Atreus, thou art not worthy to rule over us, who have been men\nof war from our youth. Wilt thou leave this city, for the taking of\nwhich we have suffered so much? That may not be; let not any one of the\nGreeks hear thee say such words. And what is this, that thou wouldst\nhave us launch our ships now, whilst the hosts are fighting? Surely, so\ndoing, we should perish altogether, for the Greeks would not fight any\nmore, seeing that the ships were being launched, and the men of Troy\nwould slay us altogether.\u201d\n\nThen King Agamemnon said, \u201cThou speakest well.\u201d And he went through\nthe host, bidding the men bear themselves bravely, and all the while\nPoseidon put courage and strength into their hearts. Then Hector cast\nhis spear against Ajax Telamon. The shield kept it not off, for it\npassed beneath, but the two belts, of the shield and of the sword,\nstayed it, so that it wounded not his body. Then Hector in wrath and\nfear went back into the ranks of his comrades; but as he went Ajax took\na great stone--now were there many such which they had as props for the\nships--and smote him above the rim of his shield, on the neck. As an\noak falls, stricken by the thunder of Zeus, so he fell, and the Greeks\nrushed with a great cry to drag him to them, but could not, for all the\nbravest of the sons of Troy held their shields before him--Polydamas,\nand \u00c6neas, and Sarpedon, and Glaucus. Then they carried him to the\nXanthus, and poured water upon him. And after a while he sat up, and\nthen again his spirit left him, for the blow had been very grievous.\nBut when the Greeks saw that Hector had been carried out of the battle,\nthey pressed on the more, slaying the men of Troy, and driving them\nback even out of the camp and across the trench. But when they came\nto their chariots, where they had left them on the other side of the\ntrench, there they stood trembling and pale with fear. But Apollo, at\nthe bidding of Zeus, went to Hector, where he lay, and healed him of\nhis wound, pouring strength and courage into his heart, so that he\nwent back to the battle whole and sound. Then great fear came upon the\nGreeks when they saw him, and Thoas the \u00c6tolian spake, saying,--\n\n\u201cSurely this is a great marvel that I see with mine eyes. For we\nthought that Hector had been slain by the hand of Ajax, son of Telamon,\nand now, behold! he is come back to the battle. Many Greeks have fallen\nbefore him, and many, I trow, will fall, for of a truth some god has\nraised him up and helps him. But come, let all the bravest stand\ntogether. So, mighty though he be, he shall fear to enter our array.\u201d\n\nAnd all the bravest gathered together and stood in the front, but the\nmultitude made for the ships. But Hector came on, and Apollo before\nhim, with his shoulders wrapped in cloud and the \u00e6gis shield in his\nhand. And many of the Greeks fell slain before the sons of Troy, as\nI\u00e4sus of Athens, and Arcesila\u00fcs the B\u0153otian, and Medon, who was brother\nto Ajax the Less, and many more. Thus the battle turned again, and came\nnear to the trench; and now Apollo made it easy for the men of Troy to\npass, so that they left not their chariots, as before, upon the brink,\nbut drave them across.\n\nMeanwhile Patroclus sat in the tent of Eurypylus dressing his wound and\ntalking with him. But when he saw what had chanced, he struck his thigh\nwith his hand and cried,--\n\n\u201cNow must I leave thee, Eurypylus, for I must haste to Achilles, so\ndreadful is now the battle. Perchance I may persuade him that he go\nforth to the fight.\u201d\n\nSo he ran to the tent of Achilles. And now the men of Troy were at the\nships. And Hector and Ajax were fighting for one of them, and Ajax\ncould not drive him back, and Hector could not burn the ship with fire.\nThen sprang forward Caletor with a torch in his hand, and Ajax smote\nhim on the heart with a sword, so that he fell close by the ship. Then\nHector cried,--\n\n\u201cCome now, Trojans and allies, and fight for Caletor, that the Greeks\nspoil him not of his arms.\u201d\n\nSo saying he cast his spear at Ajax. Him he struck not, but Cytherius,\nhis comrade, he slew. Then was Ajax sore dismayed, and spake to Teucer\nhis brother,--\n\n\u201cSee now, Cytherius, our dear comrade, is dead, slain by Hector. But\nwhere are thy arrows and thy bow?\u201d\n\nSo Teucer took his bow and laid an arrow on the string, and smote\nClitus, who was charioteer to Polydamas. And then he aimed an arrow\nat Hector\u2019s self; but ere he could loose it, the bowstring was broken\nin his hands, and the arrow went far astray, for Zeus would not that\nHector should so fall. Then Teucer cried aloud to his brother,--\n\n\u201cSurely some god confounds our counsels, breaking my bowstring, which\nthis very day I tied new upon my bow.\u201d\n\nBut Ajax said, \u201cLet be thy bow, if it please not the gods, but take\nspear and shield and fight with the men of Troy. For though they master\nus to-day, they shall not take our ships for nought.\u201d\n\nSo Teucer armed himself afresh for the battle. But Hector, when he saw\nthe broken bow, cried out,--\n\n\u201cCome on, ye men of Troy, for Zeus is with us. Even now he broke the\nbow of Teucer, the great archer. And they whom Zeus helps prevail, and\nthey whom he favors grow not weak. Come on; for even though a man fall,\nit is well that he fall fighting for his fatherland; and his wife and\nhis children are safe, nor shall his glory cease, if so be that we\ndrive the Greeks in their ships across the sea.\u201d\n\nAnd on the other side Ajax, the son of Telamon, called to the Greeks,\nand bade them quit themselves like men. Then the battle grew yet\nfiercer, for Hector slew Schedius, who led the men of Phocis, and Ajax\nslew Laodamas, son of Antenor, and Polydamas Otus of Cyllene. Then\nMeges thought to slay Polydamas; but his spear went astray, smiting\ndown Cr\u00e6smus; and Dolops, who was grandson to Laomedon, cast his spear\nat Meges, but the corselet stayed the point, though it pierced the\nshield. But Dolops\u2019 self Menela\u00fcs smote through the shoulder, but could\nnot spoil him of his arms, for Hector and his brothers hindered him.\nSo they fought, slaying one another; but Hector still waxed greater\nand greater in the battle, and still the men of Troy came on, and\nstill the Greeks gave way. So they came again, these pushing forward\nand these yielding ground, to the ships. And Hector caught hold of one\nof them, even the ship of Protesila\u00fcs: him indeed it had brought from\nTroy, but it took him not back, for he had fallen, slain by the hand\nof Hector, as he leapt, first of all the Greeks, upon the shore of\nTroy. This Hector caught, and the battle raged like fire about it; for\nthe men of Troy and the Greeks were gathered round, and none fought\nwith arrows or javelins from afar, but man to man, with battle-axe and\nsword and great spears pointed at either end. And many a fair weapon\nlay shattered on the ground, and the earth flowed with blood as with a\nriver. But still Hector held the stem of the ship with his hand, and\ncalled to the men of Troy that they should bring fire, for that Zeus\nhad given them the victory that day. Then even Ajax himself gave way,\nso did the spears of the Trojans press him; for now he stood no longer\nupon the stern deck, but on the rowers\u2019 bench, thrusting thence with\nhis spear at any one who sought to set fire to the ship. And ever he\ncried to the Greeks with a terrible voice,--\n\n\u201cO ye Greeks, now must ye quit yourselves like men. For have ye any\nhelpers behind? or have ye any walls to shelter you? No city is here,\nwith well-built battlements, wherein ye might be safe, while the people\nshould fight for you. For we are here in the plain of Troy, and the sea\nis close behind us, and we are far from our country. Wherefore all our\nhope is in valor, and not in shrinking back from the battle.\u201d\n\nAnd still he thrust with his spear, if any of the men of Troy, at\nHector\u2019s bidding, sought to bring fire against the ship. Full twelve he\nwounded where he stood.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER IV.\n\nTHE DEEDS AND DEATH OF PATROCLUS.\n\n\nPatroclus stood by Achilles, weeping bitterly. Then said Achilles,\n\u201cWhat ails thee, Patroclus, that thou weepest like a girl-child that\nruns along by her mother\u2019s side and would be taken up, holding her\ngown, and looking at her with tearful eyes till she lift her in her\narms? Hast thou heard evil news from Phthia? Men\u0153tius yet lives, they\nsay, and Peleus. Or art thou weeping for the Greeks, because they\nperish for their folly?\u201d\n\nThen said Patroclus, \u201cBe not wroth with me, great Achilles, for indeed\nthe Greeks are in grievous straits, and all their bravest are wounded,\nand still thou cherishest thy wrath. Surely Peleus was not thy father,\nnor Thetis thy mother; but the rocks begat thee, and the sea brought\nthee forth. Or if thou goest not to the battle, fearing some warning\nfrom the gods, yet let me go, and thy Myrmidons with me. And let me put\nthy armor on me; so shall the Greeks have breathing space from the war.\u201d\n\nSo he spake, entreating, nor knew that for his own doom he entreated.\nAnd Achilles made reply,--\n\n\u201cIt is no warning that I heed, that I keep back from the war. But these\nmen took from me my prize, which I won with my own hands. But let the\npast be past. I said that I would not rise up till the battle should\ncome nigh to my own ships. But thou mayest put my armor upon thee,\nand lead my Myrmidons to the fight. For in truth the men of Troy are\ngathered as a dark cloud about the ships, and the Greeks have scarce\nstanding-ground between them and the sea. For they see not the gleam\nof my helmet. And Diomed is not there with his spear; nor do I hear\nthe voice of Agamemnon, but only the voice of Hector, as he calls the\nmen of Troy to battle. Go, therefore, Patroclus, and drive the fire\nfrom the ships. And then come thou back, nor fight any more with the\nTrojans, lest thou take my glory from me. And go not near, in the\ndelight of battle, to the walls of Troy, lest one of the gods meet thee\nto thy hurt; and, of a truth, the keen archer Apollo loves them well.\u201d\n\nBut as they talked the one to the other, Ajax could hold out no longer.\nFor swords and javelins came thick upon him, and clattered on his\nhelmet, and his shoulder was weary with the great shield which he\nheld; and he breathed heavily and hard, and the great drops of sweat\nfell upon the ground. Then at the last Hector came near and smote his\nspear with a great sword, so that the head fell off. Then was Ajax sore\nafraid, and gave way, and the men of Troy set torches to the ship\u2019s\nstem, and a great flame shot up to the sky. And Achilles saw it, and\nsmote his thigh and spake,--\n\n\u201cHaste thee, Patroclus, for I see the fire rising up from the ships.\nPut thou on the armor, and I will call my people to the war.\u201d So\nPatroclus put on the armor--corselet and shield and helmet--and bound\nupon his shoulder the silver-studded sword, and took a mighty spear in\nhis hand. But the great Pelian spear he took not, for that no man but\nAchilles might wield. Then Automedon yoked the horses to the chariot,\nBayard and Piebald, and with them in the side harness, Pedasus; and\nthey two were deathless steeds, but he was mortal.\n\nMeanwhile Achilles had called the Myrmidons to battle. Fifty ships had\nhe brought to Troy, and in each there were fifty men. Five leaders they\nhad, and the bravest of the five was Pisander.\n\nThen Achilles said, \u201cForget not, ye Myrmidons, the bold words that\nye spake against the men of Troy during the days of my wrath, making\ncomplaint that I kept you from the battle against your will. Now,\ntherefore, ye have that which you desired.\u201d\n\nSo the Myrmidons went to the battle in close array, helmet to helmet\nand shield to shield, close as the stones with which a builder builds a\nwall. And in front went Patroclus, and Automedon in the chariot beside\nhim. Then Achilles went to his tent and took a great cup from the chest\nwhich Thetis his mother had given him. Now no man drank of that cup\nbut he only, nor did he pour out of it libations to any of the gods\nbut only to Zeus. This first he cleansed with sulphur, and then with\nwater from the spring. And after this he washed his hand, and stood in\nthe midst of the space before his tent, and poured out of it to Zeus,\nsaying,--\n\n\u201cO Zeus, I send my comrade to this battle; make him strong and bold,\nand give him glory, and bring him home safe to the ships, and my people\nwith him.\u201d\n\nSo he prayed, and Father Zeus heard him, and part he granted and part\ndenied.\n\nBut when Patroclus with the Myrmidons had come to where the battle was\nraging about the ship of Protesila\u00fcs, and when the men of Troy beheld\nhim, they thought that Achilles had forgotten his wrath, and was come\nforth to the war. And first Patroclus slew Pyr\u00e6chmes, who was the chief\nof the P\u00e6onians who live on the banks of the broad Axius. Then the men\nof Troy turned to flee, and many chiefs of fame fell by the spears of\nthe Greeks. So the battle rolled back to the trench, and in the trench\nmany chariots of the Trojans were broken, but the horses of Achilles\nwent across it at a stride, so nimble were they and strong. And the\nheart of Patroclus was set to slay Hector; but he could not overtake\nhim, so swift were his horses. Then did Patroclus turn his chariot, and\nkeep back those that fled, that they should not go to the city, and\nrushed hither and thither, still slaying as he went.\n\nBut Sarpedon, when he saw the Lycians dismayed and scattered, called to\nthem that they should be of good courage, saying that he would himself\nmake trial of this great warrior. So he leapt down from his chariot,\nand Patroclus also leapt down, and they rushed at each other as two\neagles rush together. Then first Patroclus struck down Thrasymelus, who\nwas the comrade of Sarpedon; and Sarpedon, who had a spear in either\nhand, with the one struck the horse Pedasus, which was of mortal breed,\non the right shoulder, and with the other missed his aim, sending it\nover the left shoulder of Patroclus. But Patroclus missed not his aim,\ndriving his spear into Sarpedon\u2019s heart. Then fell the great Lycian\nchief, as an oak, or a poplar, or a pine falls upon the hills before\nthe axe. But he called to Glaucus, his companion, saying,--\n\n\u201cNow must thou show thyself a good warrior, Glaucus. First call the men\nof Lycia to fight for me, and do thou fight thyself, for it would be\nfoul shame to thee, all thy days, if the Greeks should spoil me of my\narms.\u201d\n\nThen he died. But Glaucus was sore troubled, for he could not help\nhim, so grievous was the wound where Teucer had wounded him. Therefore\nhe prayed to Apollo, and Apollo helped him and made him whole. Then\nhe went first to the Lycians, bidding them fight for their king, and\nthen to the chiefs of the Trojans, that they should save the body of\nSarpedon. And to Hector he said,--\n\n\u201cLittle carest thou for thy allies. Lo! Sarpedon is dead, slain by\nPatroclus. Suffer not the Myrmidons to carry him off and do dishonor to\nhis body.\u201d\n\nBut Hector was troubled to hear such news, and so were all the sons\nof Troy, for Sarpedon was the bravest of the allies, and led most\npeople to the battle. So with a great shout they charged and drove the\nGreeks back a space from the body; and then again the Greeks did the\nlike. And so the battle raged, till no one would have known the great\nSarpedon, so covered was he with spears and blood and dust. But at\nlast the Greeks drave back the men of Troy from the body, and stripped\nthe arms, but the body itself they harmed not. For Apollo came down at\nthe bidding of Zeus and carried it out of the midst of the battle, and\nwashed it with water, and anointed it with ambrosia, and wrapped it in\ngarments of the gods. And then he gave it to Sleep and Death, and these\ntwo carried it to Lycia, his fatherland.\n\nThen did Patroclus forget the word which Achilles had spoken to him,\nthat he should not go near to Troy, for he pursued the men of the city\neven to the wall. Thrice he mounted on the angle of the wall, and\nthrice Apollo himself drove him back, pushing his shining shield. But\nthe fourth time the god said, \u201cGo thou back, Patroclus. It is not for\nthee to take the city of Troy; no, nor for Achilles, who is far better\nthan thou art.\u201d\n\nSo Patroclus went back, fearing the wrath of the archer-god. Then\nApollo stirred up the spirit of Hector, that he should go against\nPatroclus. Therefore he went, with his brother Cebriones for driver\nof his chariot. But when they came near, Patroclus cast a great stone\nwhich he had in his hand, and smote Cebriones on the forehead,\ncrushing it in, so that he fell headlong from the chariot. And\nPatroclus mocked him, saying,--\n\n\u201cHow nimble is this man! how lightly he dives! What spoil he would take\nof oysters, diving from a ship, even in a stormy sea! Who would have\nthought that there were such skilful divers in Troy!\u201d\n\nThen again the battle waxed hot about the body of Cebriones, and this\ntoo, at the last, the Greeks drew unto themselves, and spoiled it of\nthe arms. And this being accomplished, Patroclus rushed against the\nmen of Troy. Thrice he rushed, and each time he slew nine chiefs of\nfame. But the fourth time Apollo stood behind him and struck him on\nthe head and shoulders, so that his eyes were darkened. And the helmet\nfell from off his head, so that the horsehair plumes were soiled with\ndust. Never before had it touched the ground, for it was the helmet of\nAchilles. And also the god brake the spear in his hand, and struck the\nshield from his arms, and loosed his corselet. All amazed he stood, and\nthen Euphorbus, son of Pantho\u00fcs, smote him on the back with his spear,\nbut slew him not. Then Patroclus sought to flee to the ranks of his\ncomrades. But Hector saw him, and thrust at him with his spear, smiting\nhim in the groin, so that he fell. And when the Greeks saw him fall,\nthey sent up a terrible cry. Then Hector stood over him and cried,--\n\n\u201cDidst thou think to spoil our city, Patroclus, and to carry away our\nwives and daughters in the ships? But, lo! I have slain thee, and the\nfowls of the air shall eat thy flesh; nor shall the great Achilles help\nthee at all--Achilles, who bade thee, I trow, strip the tunic from my\nbreast, and thou thoughtest in thy folly to do it.\u201d\n\nBut Patroclus answered, \u201cThou boasteth much, Hector. Yet _thou_ didst\nnot slay me, but Apollo, who took from me my arms, for had twenty such\nas thou met me, I had slain them all. And mark thou this: death and\nfate are close to thee by the hand of the great Achilles.\u201d\n\nAnd Hector answered, but Patroclus was dead already,--\n\n\u201cWhy dost thou prophesy death to me? May be the great Achilles himself\nshall fall by my hand.\u201d\n\nThen he drew his spear from the wound, and went after Automedon, to\nslay him, but the swift horses of Achilles carried him away.\n\nFierce was the fight about the body of Patroclus, and many heroes fell,\nboth on this side and on that, and first of them all Euphorbus, who,\nindeed, had wounded him. For as he came near to strip the dead man of\nhis arms, Menela\u00fcs slew him with his spear. He slew him, but took not\nhis arms, for Hector came through the battle; nor did Menela\u00fcs dare to\nabide his coming, but went back into the ranks of his own people. Then\ndid Hector strip off the arms of Patroclus, the arms which the great\nAchilles had given him to wear. Then he laid hold of the body, and\nwould have dragged it into the host of the Trojans, but Ajax Telamon\ncame forth, and put his broad shield before it, as a lion stands before\nits cubs when the hunters meet it in the woods, drawing down over its\neyes its shaggy brows. Then Hector gave place, but Glaucus saw him and\nsaid,--\n\n\u201cNow is this a shame to thee, that thou darest not to stand against\nAjax. How wilt thou and thy countrymen save the city of Troy? For\nsurely no more will thy allies fight for it. Small profit have they\nof thee. Did not Sarpedon fall, and didst thou not leave him to be a\nprey to the dogs? And now, if thou hadst stood firm and carried off\nPatroclus, we might have made exchange, and gained from the Greeks\nSarpedon and his arms. But it may not be, for thou fearest Ajax, and\nfleest before him.\u201d\n\nBut Hector said, \u201cI fear him not, nor any man. Only Zeus gives victory\nnow to one man and now to another. But wait thou here, and see whether\nI be a coward, as thou sayest.\u201d\n\nNow he had sent the armor of Patroclus to the city. But now he ran\nafter those that were carrying it, and overtook them, and put on the\narmor himself (but Zeus saw him doing it, and liked it not), and came\nback to the battle; and all who saw him thought that it had been the\ngreat Achilles himself. Then they all charged together, and fiercer\ngrew the battle and fiercer as the day went on. For the Greeks said\none to another, \u201cNow had the earth better yawn and swallow us up\nalive, than we should let the men of Troy carry off Patroclus to their\ncity\u201d; and the Trojans said, \u201cNow if we must all fall by the body of\nthis man, be it so, but we will not yield.\u201d But the horses of Achilles\nstood apart from the battle, when they knew that Patroclus was dead,\nand wept. Nor could Automedon move them with the lash, nor with gentle\nwords, nor with threats. They would not return to the ships, nor would\nthey go into the battle; but as a pillar stands on the tomb of some\ndead man, so they stood, with their heads drooped to the ground, with\nthe big tears dropping to the earth, and their long manes trailing in\nthe dust.\n\nBut Father Zeus beheld them, and pitied them, and said,--\n\n\u201cIt was not well that we gave you, immortal as ye are, to a mortal man;\nfor of all things that move on earth, mortal man is the fullest of\nsorrow. But Hector shall not possess you. It is enough for him, yea,\nand too much, that he has the arms of Achilles.\u201d\n\nThen did the horses move from their place and obey their charioteer as\nbefore. Nor could Hector take them, though he desired them very much.\nAnd all the while the battle raged about the dead Patroclus. And at\nlast Ajax said to Menela\u00fcs (now these two had borne themselves more\nbravely in the fight than all others),--\n\n\u201cSee if thou canst find Antilochus, Nestor\u2019s son, that he may carry the\ntidings to Achilles, how that Patroclus is dead.\u201d\n\nSo Menela\u00fcs went and found Antilochus on the left of the battle, and\nsaid to him, \u201cI have ill news for thee. Thou seest, I trow, that the\nmen of Troy have the victory to-day. And also Patroclus lies dead. Run,\ntherefore, to Achilles, and tell him, if haply he may save the body;\nbut as for the arms, Hector has them already.\u201d\n\nSore dismayed was Antilochus to hear such tidings, and his eyes were\nfilled with tears and his voice was choked. Yet did he give heed to the\nwords of Menela\u00fcs, and ran to tell Achilles of what had chanced. But\nMenela\u00fcs went back to Ajax, where he had left him by Patroclus, and\nsaid,--\n\n\u201cAntilochus, indeed, bears the tidings to Achilles. Yet I doubt whether\nhe will come, for all his wrath against Hector, seeing that he has no\narmor to cover him. Let us think, then, how we may best carry Patroclus\naway from the men of Troy.\u201d\n\nThen said Ajax, \u201cDo thou and Meriones run forward and raise the body in\nyour arms, and I and the son of O\u00efleus will keep off meanwhile the men\nof Troy.\u201d\n\nSo Menela\u00fcs and Meriones ran forward and lifted up the body. And the\nTrojans ran forward with a great shout when they saw them, as dogs run\nbarking before the hunters when they chase a wild boar; but when the\nbeast turns to bay, lo! they flee this way and that. So did the men\nof Troy flee when Ajax the Greater and Ajax the Less turned to give\nbattle. But still the Greeks gave way, and still the Trojans came on,\nand ever in the front were Hector, the son of Priam, and \u00c6neas, the son\nof Anchises. But in the meantime Antilochus came near to Achilles, who,\nindeed, seeing that the Greeks fled and the men of Troy pursued, was\nalready sore afraid. And he said, weeping as he spake,--\n\n\u201cI bring ill news,--Patroclus lies low. The Greeks fight for his body,\nbut Hector has his arms.\u201d\n\nThen Achilles took of the dust of the plain in his hands, and poured it\non his head, and lay at his length upon the ground, and tare his hair.\nAnd all the women wailed. And Antilochus sat weeping; but ever he held\nthe hands of Achilles, lest he should slay himself in his great grief.\n\nThen came his mother, hearing his cry, from where she sat in the depths\nof the sea, and laid her hand on him and said,--\n\n\u201cWhy weepest thou, my son? Hide not the matter from me, but tell me.\u201d\n\nAnd Achilles answered, \u201cAll that Zeus promised thee for me he hath\nfulfilled. But what profit have I, for lo! my friend Patroclus is dead,\nand Hector has the arms which I gave him to wear. And as for me, I care\nnot to live, except I can avenge me upon him.\u201d\n\nThen said Thetis, \u201cNay, my son, speak not thus. For when Hector dieth,\nthy doom also is near.\u201d\n\nAnd Achilles spake in great wrath: \u201cWould that I might die this\nhour, seeing that I could not help my friend, but am a burden on the\nearth--I, who am better in battle than all the Greeks besides. Cursed\nbe the wrath that sets men to strive the one with the other, even as\nit set me to strive with King Agamemnon! But let the past be past. And\nas for my fate,--let it come when it may, so that I first avenge myself\non Hector. Wherefore seek not to keep me back from the battle.\u201d\n\nThen Thetis said, \u201cBe it so; only thou canst not go without thy arms,\nwhich Hector hath. But to-morrow will I go to Heph\u00e6stus, that he may\nfurnish thee anew.\u201d\n\nBut while they talked the men of Troy pressed the Greeks more and more,\nand the two heroes, Ajax the Greater and Ajax the Less, could no longer\nkeep Hector back, but that he should lay hold of the body of Patroclus.\nAnd indeed he would have taken it, but that Zeus sent Iris to Achilles,\nwho said,--\n\n\u201cRouse thee, son of Peleus, or Patroclus will be a prey for the dogs of\nTroy!\u201d\n\nBut Achilles said, \u201cHow shall I go?--for arms have I none, nor know I\nwhose I might wear. Haply I could shift with the shield of Ajax, son of\nTelamon, but he, I know, is carrying it in the front of the battle.\u201d\n\nThen answered Iris, \u201cGo only to the trench and show thyself; so shall\nthe men of Troy tremble and cease from the battle, and the Greeks shall\nhave breathing space.\u201d\n\nSo he went, and Athen\u00e9 put her \u00e6gis about his mighty shoulders, and a\ngolden halo about his head, making it shine as a flame of fire, even as\nthe watch-fires shine at night from some city that is besieged. Then\nwent he to the trench; with the battle he mingled not, heeding his\nmother\u2019s commands, but he shouted aloud, and his voice was as the sound\nof a trumpet. And when the men of Troy heard, they were stricken with\nfear, and the horses backed with the chariots, and the drivers were\nastonished when they saw the flaming fire above his head which Athen\u00e9\nhad kindled. Thrice across the trench the great Achilles shouted, and\nthrice the men of Troy fell back. And that hour there perished twelve\nchiefs of fame, wounded by their own spears or trampled by their own\nsteeds, so great was the terror among the men of Troy.\n\nRight gladly did the Greeks take Patroclus out of the press. Then they\nlaid him on a bier and carried him to the tent, Achilles walking with\nmany tears by his side.\n\nBut on the other side the men of Troy held an assembly. Standing they\nheld it, for none dared to sit, lest Achilles should be upon them.\n\nThen spake Polydamas: \u201cLet us not wait here for the morning. It was\nwell for us to fight at the ships while Achilles yet kept his wrath\nagainst Agamemnon. But now it is not so. For to-morrow he will come\nagainst us in his anger, and many will fall before him. Wherefore let\nus go back to the city, for high are the walls and strong the gates,\nand he will perish before he pass them.\u201d\n\nThen said Hector, \u201cThis is ill counsel, Polydamas. Shall we shut\nourselves up in the city, where all our goods are wasted already,\nbuying meat for the people? Nay, let us watch to-night, and to-morrow\nwill we fight with the Greeks. And if Achilles be indeed come forth\nfrom his tent, be it so. I will not shun to meet him, for Ares gives\nthe victory now to one man and now to another.\u201d\n\nSo he spake, and all the people applauded, foolish, not knowing what\nthe morrow should bring forth.\n\nMeanwhile in the camp of the Greeks they mourned for Patroclus. And\nAchilles stood among his Myrmidons and said,--\n\n\u201cVain was the promise that I made to Men\u0153tius that I would bring back\nhis son with his portion of the spoils of Troy. But Zeus fulfils not\nthe thoughts of man. For he lies dead, nor shall I return to the house\nof Peleus, my father, for I, too, must die in this land. But thee, O\nPatroclus, I will not bury till I bring hither the head and the arms of\nHector, and twelve men of Troy to slay at thy funeral pile.\u201d\n\nSo they washed the body of Patroclus and anointed it, putting ointment\ninto the wounds, and laid it on a bed, and covered it with a veil from\nthe head to the feet.\n\nThen went Thetis to the palace of Heph\u00e6stus, to pray him that he would\nmake arms for her son. And the lady his wife, whose name was Grace,\nbade her welcome, and said,--\n\n\u201cWhy comest thou, Thetis? for thou art not wont to come hither, though\nthou art dear to us.\u201d\n\nThen she called to her husband that Thetis sought him, and he answered\nfrom his forge where he wrought,--\n\n\u201cDear is Thetis to me, for she saved me in the old time, when my mother\nwould have put me away because that I was lame. Greet her therefore\nfor me; right willingly will I pay her what she deserves at my hands.\u201d\nThen he came from his forge and sat down by the goddess, and asked her,\n\u201cWhat wantest thou?\u201d\n\nThen did Thetis tell him of her son Achilles, and of the wrong that had\nbeen done to him, and of his wrath, and of how Patroclus was dead, and\nthe arms that he had had were lost.\n\nThen said Heph\u00e6stus, \u201cBe of good cheer: I will make what thou askest.\nWould that I could as easily keep from him the doom of death.\u201d\n\nThen Heph\u00e6stus wrought at his forge. And first of all he made a mighty\nshield. On it he wrought the earth, and the sky, and the sea, and the\nsun, and the moon, and all the stars. He wrought also two cities. In\nthe one there was peace, and about the other there was war. For in the\nfirst they led a bride to her home with music and dancing, and the\nwomen stood in the doors to see the show, and in the market-place the\njudges judged about one that had been slain, and one man said that he\nhad paid the price of blood, and the other denied. But about the other\ncity there sat an army besieging it, and the men of the city stood upon\nthe wall, defending it. These had also set an ambush by a river where\nthe herds were wont to drink. And when the herds came down, they rose\nup and took them, and slew the herdsmen. But the army of the besiegers\nheard the cry, and came swiftly on horses, and fought by the bank of\nthe river. Also he wrought one field where many men drove the plough,\nand another where reapers reaped the corn, and boys gathered it in\ntheir arms to bind into sheaves, while the lord stood glad at heart\nbeholding them. Also he wrought a vineyard, wherein was a path, and\nyouths and maidens bearing baskets of grapes, and in the midst a boy\nplayed on a harp of gold and sang a pleasant song. Also he made a herd\nof oxen going from the stables to the pastures, and herdsmen and dogs,\nand in the front two lions had caught a mighty bull and were devouring\nit, while the dogs stood far off and barked. Also he made a sheepfold;\nalso a marvellous dance of men and maidens, and these had coronets\nof gold, and those daggers of gold hanging from belts of silver. And\nround about the shield he wrought the great river of ocean. Besides the\nshield, he also made a corselet brighter than fire, and a great helmet\nwith a crest of gold, and greaves of tin.\n\nBut all the while Achilles sat mourning for Patroclus, and his comrades\nwept about him. And at dawn Thetis brought him the arms and laid them\nbefore him. Loud they rattled on the ground, and all the Myrmidons\ntrembled to hear; but when Achilles saw them his eyes blazed with fire,\nand he rejoiced in his heart. Only he said to his mother that he feared\nlest the body should decay, but she answered,--\n\n\u201cBe not troubled about this, for I will see to it. Make thy peace with\nAgamemnon, and go to the battle.\u201d\n\nThen Achilles went along the shore and called the Greeks to an\nassembly, shouting mightily; and all, even those who were wont to\nabide in the ships, listened to his voice and came. So the assembly\nwas gathered, and Achilles stood up in the midst, saying that he had\nput away his wrath; and King Agamemnon, sitting on his throne (for his\nwound hindered him from standing), said that he repented him of the\nwrong which he had done, only that Zeus had turned his thoughts to\nfolly; but now he would give to Achilles all that Ulysses had promised\non his behalf. And Achilles would have led the Greeks straightway to\nbattle, but the wise Ulysses hindered him, saying that it was not well\nthat he should send them to the fight fasting. Then did Agamemnon send\nto the tents of Achilles all the gifts that he had promised, and with\nthem the maiden Brise\u00efs. But she, when she came and saw Patroclus,\nbeat her breast and her fair neck and face, and wailed aloud, for he\nhad been gentle and good, she said. And all the women wailed with her,\nthinking each of her own sorrows.\n\nThen the chiefs would have Achilles feast with them; but he hearkened\nnot, for he would neither eat nor drink till he had had vengeance for\nthe dead. And he spake, saying,--\n\n\u201cOften, Patroclus, hast thou ordered the feast when we were hastening\nto the war. And now thou liest slain, and for grief for thee I cannot\neat nor drink. For greater sorrow could not have come to me, not though\nPeleus himself were dead, or my young son Neoptolemus. Often did I\nthink that I only should perish here, but that thou shouldst return and\nshow him all that was mine--goods and servants and palace.\u201d\n\nAnd as he wept the old men wept with him, thinking each of what he had\nleft at home.\n\nBut after this the Greeks were gathered to the battle, and Achilles\nshone in the midst with the arms of Heph\u00e6stus upon him, and he flashed\nlike fire. Then he spake to his horses,--\n\n\u201cTake heed, Bayard and Piebald, that you save your driver to-day, nor\nleave him dead on the field, as you left Patroclus.\u201d\n\nThen Her\u00e9 gave to the horse Bayard a voice, so that he spake: \u201cSurely\nwe will save thee, great Achilles; yet, for all that, doom is near to\nthee, nor are we the cause, but the gods and mastering Fate. Nor was it\nof us that Patroclus died, but Apollo slew him, and gave the glory to\nHector. So shalt thou, too, die by the hands of a god and of a mortal\nman.\u201d\n\nAnd Achilles said, \u201cWhat need to tell me of my doom? Right well I know\nit. Yet will I not cease till I have made the Trojans weary of battle.\u201d\n\nThen with a shout he rushed to the battle. And first there met him\n\u00c6neas. Now Achilles cared not to fight with him, but bade him go back\nto his comrades. But \u00c6neas would not, but told him of his race, how\nthat he came from Zeus on his father\u2019s side, and how that his mother\nwas Aphrodit\u00e9, and that he held himself a match for any mortal man.\nThen he cast his spear, which struck the shield of Achilles with so\ndreadful a sound that the hero feared lest it should pierce it through,\nknowing not that the gifts of the gods are not easy for mortal man\nto vanquish. Two folds indeed it pierced that were of bronze, but in\nthe gold it was stayed, and there were yet two of tin within. Then\nAchilles cast his spear. Through the shield of \u00c6neas it passed, and\nthough it wounded him not, yet was he sore dismayed, so near it came.\nThen Achilles drew his sword and rushed on \u00c6neas, and \u00c6neas caught up\na great stone to cast at him. But it was not the will of the gods that\n\u00c6neas should perish, seeing that he and his sons after him should rule\nover the men of Troy in the ages to come. Therefore Poseidon lifted him\nup and bore him over the ranks of men to the left of the battle, but\nfirst he drew the spear out of the shield and laid it at the feet of\nAchilles. Much the hero marvelled to see it, crying,--\n\n\u201cThis is a great wonder that I see with mine eyes. For, lo! the spear\nis before me, but the man whom I sought to slay I see not. Of a truth\n\u00c6neas spake truth, saying that he was dear to the immortal gods.\u201d\n\nThen he rushed into the battle, slaying as he went. And Hector would\nhave met him, but Apollo stood by him and said, \u201cFight not with\nAchilles, lest he slay thee.\u201d Therefore he went back among the men of\nTroy. Many did Achilles slay, and among them Polydorus, son of Priam,\nwho, because he was the youngest and very dear, his father suffered\nnot to go to the battle. Yet he went, in his folly, and being very\nswift of foot, he trusted in his speed, running through the foremost\nof the fighters. But as he ran Achilles smote him and wounded him to\nthe death. But when Hector saw it he could not bear any more to stand\napart. Therefore he rushed at Achilles, and Achilles rejoiced to see\nhim, saying, \u201cThis is the man who slew my comrade.\u201d But they fought not\nthen, for when Hector cast his spear, Athen\u00e9 turned it aside, and when\nAchilles charged, Apollo bore Hector away.\n\nThen Achilles turned to the others, and slew multitudes of them, so\nthat they fled, part across the plain, and part to the river, the\neddying Xanthus. And these leapt into the water as locusts leap into a\nriver when the fire which men light drives them from the fields. And\nall the river was full of horses and men. Then Achilles leapt into the\nstream, leaving his spear on the bank, resting on the tamarisk trees.\nOnly his sword had he, and with this he slew many; and they were as\nfishes which fly from some great dolphin in the sea. In all the bays of\na harbor they hide themselves, for the great beast devours them apace.\nSo did the Trojans hide themselves under the banks of the river. And\nwhen Achilles was weary of slaying he took twelve alive, whom he would\nslay on the tomb of Patroclus. Nor was there but one who dared to stand\nup against him, and this was Asterop\u00e6us, who was the grandson of the\nriver-god Axius, and led the men of P\u00e6onia. And Achilles wondered to\nsee him, and said,--\n\n\u201cWho art thou, that standest against me?\u201d\n\nAnd he said, \u201cI am the grandson of the river-god Axius, fairest of all\nthe streams on the earth, and I lead the men of P\u00e6onia.\u201d\n\nAnd as he spake he cast two spears, one with each hand, for he could\nuse either alike; and the one struck the shield, nor pierced it\nthrough, for the gold stayed it, and the other grazed the right hand\nso that the blood spurted forth. Then did Achilles cast his spear, but\nmissed his aim, and the great spear stood fast in the bank. And thrice\nAsterop\u00e6us strove to draw it forth. Thrice he strove in vain, and the\nfourth time he strove to break the spear. But as he strove Achilles\nsmote him that he died. Yet had he some glory, for that he wounded the\ngreat Achilles.\n\nBut Priam stood on a tower of the wall and saw the people. Sore\ntroubled was he, and he hastened down to the gates and said to the\nkeepers, \u201cKeep the wicket-gates in your hands open, that the people\nmay enter in, for they fly before Achilles.\u201d So the keepers held the\nwicket-gates in their hands, and the people hastened in, wearied\nwith toil and thirst, and covered with dust, and Achilles followed\nclose upon them. And that hour would the Greeks have taken the city\nof Troy, but that Apollo saved it. For he put courage into the heart\nof Antenor\u2019s son Agenor, standing also by him, that he should not be\nslain. Therefore Agenor stood, thinking within himself,--\n\n\u201cShall I now flee with these others? Nay, for not the less will\nAchilles take me and slay me, and I shall die as a coward dies. Or\nshall I flee across the plain to Ida, and hide me in the thickets,\nand come back at nightfall to the city? Yet should he see me he will\novertake me and smite me, so swift of foot is he and strong. But what\nif I stand to meet him before the gates? Well, he, too, is a mortal\nman, and his flesh may be pierced by the spear.\u201d\n\nTherefore he stood till Achilles should come near. And when he came he\ncast his spear, striking the leg below the knee, but the greave turned\noff the spear, so strong was it. But when Achilles would have slain\nhim, lo! Apollo lifted him up and set him within the city. And that the\nmen of Troy might have space to enter, he took upon him Agenor\u2019s shape.\nAnd the false Agenor fled, and Achilles pursued. But meanwhile the men\nof Troy flocked into the city, nor did they stay to ask who was safe\nand who was dead, in such haste and fear did they flee.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER V.\n\nTHE DEATH OF HECTOR.\n\n\nThe Trojans were now safe in the city, refreshing themselves after all\ntheir grievous toil. Only Hector remained outside the walls, standing\nin front of the great Sc\u00e6an gates. But all the while Achilles was\nfiercely pursuing the false Agenor, till at last Apollo turned and\nspake to him,--\n\n\u201cWhy dost thou pursue me, swift-footed Achilles? Hast thou not yet\nfound out that I am a god, and that all thy fury is in vain? And now\nall the sons of Troy are safe in their city, and thou art here, far out\nof the way, seeking to slay me, who cannot die.\u201d\n\nIn great wrath Achilles answered him, \u201cThou hast done me wrong in so\ndrawing me away from the wall, great archer, most mischief-loving of\nall the gods that are. Had it not been for this, many a Trojan more had\nbitten the ground. Thou hast robbed me of great glory, and saved thy\nfavorites. O that I had the power to take vengeance on thee! Thou hadst\npaid dearly for thy cheat!\u201d\n\nThen he turned and rushed towards the city, swift as a racehorse whirls\na chariot across the plain. Old Priam spied him from the walls, with\nhis glittering armor, bright as that brightest of the stars--men call\nit Orion\u2019s dog--which shines at vintage-time, a baleful light, bringing\nthe fevers of autumn to men. And the old man groaned aloud when he saw\nhim, and stretching out his hands, cried to his son Hector, where he\nstood before the gates, eager to do battle with this dread warrior,--\n\n\u201cWait not for this man, dear son, wait not for him, lest thou die\nbeneath his hand, for indeed he is stronger than thou. Wretch that he\nis! I would that the gods bare such love to him as I bear! Right soon\nwould the dogs and vultures eat him. Of many brave sons has he bereaved\nme. Two I miss to-day--Polydorus and Lycaon. May be they are yet alive\nin the host of the Greeks, and I shall buy them back with gold, of\nwhich I have yet great store in my house. And if they are dead, sore\ngrief will it be to me and to the mother who bare them; but little will\ncare the other sons of Troy, so that thou fall not beneath the hand of\nAchilles. Come within the walls, dear child; come to save the sons and\ndaughters of Troy; come in pity for me, thy father, for whom, in my old\nage, an evil fate is in store, to see sons slain with the sword, and\ndaughters carried into captivity, and babes dashed upon the ground. Ay,\nand last of all, the dogs which I have reared in my palace will devour\nme, lapping my blood and tearing my flesh as I lie on the threshold of\nmy home. That a young man should fall in battle and suffer such lot\nas happens to the slain, this is to be borne; but that such dishonor\nshould be done to the white hair and white beard of the old, mortal\neyes can see no fouler sight than this.\u201d\n\nThus old Priam spake, but could not turn the heart of his son. And\nfrom the wall on the other side of the gate his mother called to him,\nweeping sore, and if perchance she might thus move his pity, she bared\nher bosom in his sight, and said,--\n\n\u201cPity me, my son; think of the breast which I gave thee in the old\ndays, and stilled thy cries. Come within the walls; wait not for this\nman, nor stand in battle against him. If he slay thee, nor I, nor thy\nwife, shall pay thee the last honors of the dead, but far away by the\nships of the Greeks the dogs and vultures will devour thee.\u201d\n\nSo father and mother besought their son, but all in vain. He was still\nminded to abide the coming of Achilles. Just as in the mountains a\ngreat snake at its hole abides the coming of a man: fierce glare its\neyes, and it coils its tail about its hole: so Hector waited for\nAchilles; and as he waited he thought thus within himself,--\n\n\u201cWoe is me if I go within the walls! Polydamas will be the first to\nreproach me, for he advised me to bring back the sons of Troy to the\ncity before the night when Achilles roused himself to war. But I would\nnot listen to him. Would that I had! it had been much better for us;\nbut now I have destroyed the people by my folly. I fear the sons and\ndaughters of Troy, what they may say; I fear lest some coward reproach\nme; \u2018Hector trusted in his strength, and lo! he has destroyed the\npeople.\u2019 Better were it for me either to slay Achilles or to fall by\nhis hand with honor here before the walls. Or, stay: shall I put down\nmy shield, and lay aside my helmet, and lean my spear against the wall\nand go to meet the great Achilles, and promise that we will give back\nthe fair Helen, and all the wealth that Paris carried off with her;\nay, and render up all the wealth that there is in the city, that the\nGreeks may divide it among themselves, binding the sons of Troy with\nan oath that they keep nothing back? But this is idle talk: he will\nhave no shame or pity, but will slay me while I stand without arms or\narmor before him. It is not for us to talk as a youth and a maiden talk\ntogether. It is better to meet in arms, and see whether the ruler of\nOlympus will give victory to him or to me.\u201d\n\nThus he thought in his heart; and Achilles came near, brandishing over\nhis right shoulder the great Pelian spear, and the flash of his arms\nwas as the flame of fire or as the rising sun. And Hector trembled\nwhen he saw him, nor dared to abide his coming. Fast he fled from the\ngates, and fast Achilles pursued him, as a hawk, fastest of all the\nbirds of air, pursues a dove upon the mountains. Past the watch-tower\nthey ran, past the wind-blown fig-tree, along the wagon-road which went\nabout the walls, and they came to the fair-flowing fountain where from\ntwo springs rises the stream of eddying Scamander. Hot is one spring,\nand a steam ever goes up from it, as from a burning fire; and cold is\nthe other, cold, even in the summer heats, as hail or snow or ice.\nThere are fair basins of stone where the wives and fair daughters of\nTroy were wont to wash their garments, but that was in the old days of\npeace, or ever the Greeks came to the land. Past the springs they ran,\none flying, the other pursuing: brave was he that fled, braver he that\npursued; it was no sheep for sacrifice or shield of ox-hide for which\nthey ran, but for the life of Hector, the tamer of horses. Thrice they\nran round the city, and all the gods looked on.\n\nAnd Zeus said, \u201cThis is a piteous sight that I behold. My heart is\ngrieved for Hector--Hector, who has ever worshipped me with sacrifice,\nnow on the heights of Ida, and now in the citadel of Troy; and now the\ngreat Achilles is pursuing him round the city of Priam. Come, ye gods,\nlet us take counsel together. Shall we save him from death, or let him\nfall beneath the hand of Achilles?\u201d\n\nThen Athen\u00e9 said, \u201cWhat is this that thou sayest, great sire?--to\nrescue a man whom fate has appointed to die? Do it, if it be thy will;\nbut we, the other gods, approve it not.\u201d\n\nZeus answered her, \u201cMy heart is loath; yet I would do thee pleasure. Be\nit as thou wilt.\u201d\n\nThen Athen\u00e9 came down in haste from the top of Olympus, and still\nHector fled and Achilles pursued, just as a dog pursues a fawn upon the\nhills. And ever Hector made for the gates, or to get shelter beneath\nthe towers, if haply those that stood upon them might defend him with\ntheir spears; and ever Achilles would get before him, and drive him\ntowards the plain. So they ran, one making for the city, and the other\ndriving him to the plain. Just as in a dream, when one seems to fly and\nanother seems to pursue, and the one cannot escape and the other cannot\novertake, so these two ran together. But as for Hector, Apollo even yet\nhelped him, and gave him strength and nimble knees, else could he not\nhave held out against Achilles, who was swiftest of foot among the sons\nof men.\n\nNow Achilles had beckoned to the Greeks that no man should throw his\nspear at Hector, lest, perchance, he should be robbed of his glory. And\nwhen the two came in their running for the fourth time to the springs\nof Scamander, Zeus held out the great balance of doom, and in one scale\nhe put the fate of Achilles, and in the other the fate of Hector; and\nlo! the scale of Hector sank down to the realms of death, and Apollo\nleft him.\n\nThen Athen\u00e9 lighted down from the air close to Achilles and said,\n\u201cThis, great Achilles, is our day of glory, for we shall slay Hector,\nmighty warrior though he be. For it is his doom to die, and not\nApollo\u2019s self shall save him. But stand thou still and take breath, and\nI will give this man heart to meet thee in battle.\u201d\n\nSo Achilles stood, leaning upon his spear. And Athen\u00e9 took the shape of\nDe\u00efphobus, and came near to Hector and said,--\n\n\u201cAchilles presses thee hard, my brother, pursuing thee thus round the\ncity of Priam. Come, let us make a stand and encounter him.\u201d\n\nThen Hector answered him, \u201cDe\u00efphobus, I always loved thee best of all\nmy brothers; but now I love thee yet more, for that thou alone, while\nall others remained within, hast ventured forth to stand by my side.\u201d\n\nBut the false De\u00efphobus said, \u201cMuch did father and mother and all my\ncomrades beseech me to remain. But my heart was sore troubled for thee,\nand I could not stay. But let us stand and fight this man, not stinting\nour spears, and see whether he shall carry our spoil to the ships or we\nshall slay him here.\u201d\n\nThen the two chiefs came near to each other, and Hector with the waving\nplume spake first and said, \u201cThrice, great Achilles, hast thou pursued\nme round the walls of Troy, and I dared not stand up against thee; but\nnow I fear thee no more. Only let us make this covenant between us: if\nZeus give me the victory, I will do no dishonor to thy body; thy arms\nand armor will I take, and give back thy body to the Greeks; and do\nthou promise to do likewise.\u201d\n\nBut Achilles scowled at him and said, \u201cHector, talk not of covenants to\nme. Men and lions make no oaths between each other, neither is there\nany agreement between wolves and sheep. So there shall be no covenant\nbetween me and thee. One of us two shall fall; and now is the time for\nthee to show thyself a warrior, for of a truth Athen\u00e9 will slay thee by\nmy spear, and thou shalt pay the penalty for all my comrades whom thou\nhast slain.\u201d\n\nThen he threw the mighty spear, but Hector saw it coming and avoided\nit, crouching on the ground, so that the mighty spear flew above his\nhead and fixed itself in the earth. But Athen\u00e9 snatched it from the\nground and gave it back to Achilles, Hector not perceiving.\n\nThen Hector spake to Achilles: \u201cThou hast missed thy aim, great\nAchilles. It was no word of Zeus that thou spakest, prophesying my\ndoom, but thou soughtest to cheat me, terrifying me by thy words. Thou\nshalt not drive thy steel into my back, but here into my breast, if the\ngods will it so. But now look out for my spear. Would it might bury\nitself in thy flesh. The battle would be easier for the men of Troy\nwere thou only out of the way.\u201d\n\nAnd as he spake he threw his long-shafted spear. True aim he took,\nfor the spear struck the very middle of Achilles\u2019 shield. It struck,\nbut pierced it not, but bounded far away, for the shield was not of\nmortal make. And Hector stood dismayed, for he had not another spear,\nand when he called to De\u00efphobus that he should give him another, lo!\nDe\u00efphobus was gone. Then Hector knew that his end was come, and he said\nto himself, \u201cNow have the gods called me to my doom. I thought that\nDe\u00efphobus was near; but he is within the walls, and the help which he\npromised me was but a cheat with which Athen\u00e9 cheated me. Zeus and\nApollo are with me no more; but, if I must die, let me at least die in\nsuch a deed as men of after time may hear of.\u201d\n\nSo he spake, and drew the mighty sword that hung by his side; then, as\nan eagle rushes through the clouds to pounce on a leveret or a lamb,\nrushed on the great Achilles. But he dealt never a blow; for Achilles\ncharged to meet him, his shield before his breast, his helmet bent\nforward as he ran, with the long plumes streaming behind, and the gleam\nof his spear-point was as the gleam of the evening star, which is the\nfairest of all the stars in heaven. One moment he thought where he\nshould drive it home, for the armor which Hector had won from Patroclus\nguarded him well; but one spot there was, where by the collar-bone the\nneck joins the shoulder (and nowhere is the stroke of sword or spear\nmore deadly). There he drave in the spear, and the point stood out\nbehind the neck, and Hector fell in the dust.\n\nThen Achilles cried aloud, \u201cHector, thou thoughtest in the day when\nthou didst spoil Patroclus of his arms that thou wouldst be safe from\nvengeance, taking, forsooth, no account of me. And lo! thou art fallen\nbefore me, and now the dogs and vultures shall devour thee, but to him\nall the Greeks shall give due burial.\u201d\n\nBut Hector, growing faint, spake to him, \u201cNay, great Achilles, by thy\nlife, and by thy knees, and by thy parents dear, I pray thee, let not\nthe dogs of the Greeks devour me. Take rather the ransom, gold and\nbronze, that my father and mother shall pay thee, and let the sons and\ndaughters of Troy give me burial rites.\u201d\n\nBut Achilles scowled at him, and cried, \u201cDog, seek not to entreat me!\nI could mince that flesh of thine and devour it raw, such grief hast\nthou wrought me. Surely the dogs shall devour thee, nor shall any man\nhinder. No ransom, though it were ten times told, should buy thee back;\nno, not though Priam should offer thy weight in gold.\u201d\n\nThen Hector, who was now at the point to die, spake to him. \u201cI know\nthee well, what manner of man thou art, that the heart in thy breast is\niron only. Only beware lest some vengeance from the gods come upon thee\nin the day when Paris and Apollo shall slay thee, for all thy valor, by\nthe Sc\u00e6an gates.\u201d\n\nSo speaking, he died. But Achilles said, \u201cDie, hound; but my fate I\nmeet when Zeus and the other gods decree.\u201d\n\nThen he drew his spear out of the corpse and stripped off the arms; and\nall the Greeks came about the dead man, marvelling at his stature and\nbeauty, and no man came but wounded the dead corpse. And one would say\nto another, \u201cSurely this Hector is less dreadful now than in the day\nwhen he would burn our ships with fire.\u201d\n\nThen Achilles devised a ruthless thing in his heart. He pierced the\nankle-bones of Hector, and so bound the body with thongs of ox-hide to\nthe chariot, letting the head drag behind, the head that once was so\nfair, and now was so disfigured in the dust. So he dragged Hector to\nthe ships. And Priam saw him from the walls, and scarce could his sons\nkeep him back, but that he should go forth and beg the body of his dear\nson from him who had slain him. And Hecuba his mother also bewailed\nhim, but Andromach\u00e9 knew not as yet of what had befallen. For she sat\nin her dwelling, wearing a great purple mantle broidered with flowers.\nAnd she bade her maidens make ready a bath for Hector, when he should\ncome back from the battle, nor knew that he should never need it more.\nBut the voice of wailing from the town came to her, and she rose up\nhastily in great fear, and dropped the shuttle from her hand and called\nto her maidens,--\n\n\u201cCome with me, ye maidens, that I may see what has befallen, for I\nheard the voice of Queen Hecuba, and I fear me much that some evil has\ncome to the children of Priam. For it may be that Achilles has run\nbetween Hector and the city, and is pursuing him to the plain, for\nnever will Hector abide with the army, but will fight in the front, so\nbold is he.\u201d\n\nThen she hasted through the city like as she were mad. And when she\ncame to the wall she stood and looked; and lo! the horses of Achilles\nwere dragging Hector to the ships. Then did darkness come on her, and\nshe fell back fainting, and from her fair head dropped the net and the\nwreath and the diadem which golden Aphrodit\u00e9 gave her on the day when\nHector of the waving plume took her from the house of E\u00ebtion to be his\nwife.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VI.\n\n\nAlthough Hector, that was the chief stay of Troy was dead, yet could\nnot King Agamemnon take the city. And when it came to pass that\nAchilles was slain, being smitten by Paris with an arrow (but some\nsay that Apollo slew him), then did he well-nigh despair. But the\nsoothsayers said, \u201cSend, O King, for Philoctetes, and thou shalt have\nthy desire.\u201d\n\nNow Philoctetes had been companion to Hercules in many of his labors,\nand also had been with him when he died upon Mount \u00c6ta. For which cause\nHercules gave him the bow and the arrows which he bare, having received\nthem at the first from Apollo. A very mighty bow it was, shooting\narrows so as none other could do, and the arrows were sure dealers of\ndeath, for they had been dipped in the blood of the great dragon of\nLerna, and the wounds which they made no physician might heal. But\nit chanced that the Prince, being on his voyage to Troy, landed at\nthe island of Chrysa, where there was an altar of Athen\u00e9, the goddess\nof the place, and, desiring to show the altar to his companions, he\napproached it too nearly; whereupon the serpent that guarded it, lest\nit should be profaned, bit him in the foot. The wound was very sore\nand could not be healed, but tormented him day and night with grievous\npains, making him groan and cry aloud. And when men were troubled\nwith his complainings, and also with the noisome stench of his wound,\nthe chiefs took counsel together, and it seemed good to the sons of\nAtreus, King Agamemnon and King Menela\u00fcs, who were the leaders of\nthe host, that he should be left alone on the island of Lemnos. This\nmatter they committed to Ulysses, who did according to their bidding.\nNow, therefore, the king took counsel with his chiefs; and they chose\nUlysses, who was crafty beyond all other men, to accomplish this\nmatter, and with him they sent Neoptolemus, the son of Achilles, who\nexcelled in strength, even as his father had done.\n\nNow when these two were landed upon the island, Ulysses led the way to\nthe place where in time past he had left Philoctetes. A cave it was\nin the cliff, with two mouths to it, of which the one looked to the\neast and the other to the west, so that in winter time a man might see\nthe sun and be warm, but in summer the wind blew through it, bringing\ncoolness and sleep, and a little below was a spring of fair water to\ndrink. Then said Ulysses to Neoptolemus, \u201cGo and spy out the place, and\nsee whether or no the man be there.\u201d\n\nAnd the Prince went up and looked into the cave, and found that it\nwas empty, but that there were signs of one who dwelt there, a bed of\nleaves, and a cup of wood, very rudely fashioned, and pieces of wood\nfor kindling fires, and also, a very piteous sight, the rags wherewith\nthe sick man was wont to dress his wound. And when he had told what he\nsaw, Ulysses said, \u201cThat the man dwelleth here is manifest; nor can he\nbe far away, for how can one that is wounded travel far? Doubtless he\nis gone to some place whither the birds resort to slay them, or, haply,\nto find some herb wherewith to assuage his pain. But do thou set one\nwho will wait for his coming, for it would fare ill with me should he\nfind me.\u201d\n\nAnd when the watch had been set Ulysses said again, \u201cI will tell what\nit is needful for thee to say and do. Only thou must be bold, son of\nAchilles, and that not only with thy hand, but in heart also, if what I\nshall now unfold to thee shall seem new or strange. Hearken then: when\nthe man shall ask thee who thou art, and whence thou comest, thou shalt\nanswer him that thou art the son of Achilles, and that thou hast left\nthe host of the Greeks, because they had done thee great wrong, for\nthat, having prayed thee to come as not being able to take the great\ncity of Troy without thee, yet they would not deliver to thee the arms\nof thy father Achilles, but gave them to Ulysses. And here thou mayest\nspeak against me all kinds of evil, for such words will not trouble me,\nbut if thou accomplish not this thing thou wilt trouble the whole host\nof the Greeks. For know that without this man\u2019s bow thou canst not take\nthe city of Troy; know also that thou only canst approach him without\nperil, not being of the number of those who sailed with him at the\nfirst. And if it please thee not to get the bow by stealth, for this\nindeed thou must do--and I know thee to be one that loveth not to speak\nfalsely or to contrive deceit--yet bethink thee that victory is sweet.\nBe thou bold to-day, and we will be righteous to-morrow.\u201d\n\nThen the Prince made reply, \u201c\u2019Tis not in me, son of Laertes, to work by\ncraft and guile, neither was it in my father before me. I am ready to\ncarry off this man with a strong arm; and how, being a cripple, shall\nhe stand against us? but deceit I will not use. And though I should be\nloath to fail thee in this our common enterprise, yet were this better\nthan to prevail by fraud.\u201d\n\nThen said Ulysses, \u201cAnd I, too, in my youth would do all things by the\nhand and not by the tongue; but now I know that the tongue hath alone\nthe mastery.\u201d\n\nAnd the Prince replied, \u201cBut thou biddedst me speak the thing that is\nfalse.\u201d\n\n\u201cI bid thee prevail over Philoctetes by craft.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut why may I not persuade him, or even constrain him by force?\u201d\n\n\u201cTo persuasion he will not hearken, and force thou mayest not use, for\nhe hath arrows that deal death without escape.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut is it not a base thing for a man to lie?\u201d\n\n\u201cSurely not, if a lie save him.\u201d\n\n\u201cTell me what is the gain to me if this man come to Troy.\u201d\n\n\u201cWithout this bow and these arrows Troy falleth not. For though it is\nthe pleasure of the Gods that thou take the city, yet canst not thou\ntake it without these, nor indeed these without thee.\u201d\n\nAnd when the Prince had mused a while, he said, \u201cIf this be so with the\narms, I must needs get them.\u201d\n\nThen Ulysses said, \u201cDo this, and thou shalt gain a double honor.\u201d\n\nAnd the Prince said, \u201cWhat meanest thou by thy \u2018double honor\u2019? Tell me,\nand I refuse no more.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe praise of wisdom and of courage also.\u201d\n\n\u201cBe it so: I will do this deed, nor count it shame.\u201d\n\n\u201c\u2019Tis well,\u201d said Ulysses, \u201cand now I will despatch this watcher to the\nship, whom I will send again in pilot\u2019s disguise if thou desire, and\nit seems needful. Also I myself will depart, and may Hermes, the god of\ncraft, and Athen\u00e9, who ever is with me, cause us to prevail.\u201d\n\nAfter a while Philoctetes came up the path to the cave, very slowly,\nand with many groans. And when he saw the strangers (for now some of\nthe ship\u2019s crew were with Prince Neoptolemus) he cried, \u201cWho are ye\nthat are come to this inhospitable land? Greeks I know you to be by\nyour garb; but tell me more.\u201d\n\nAnd when the Prince had told his name and lineage, and that he was\nsailing from Troy, Philoctetes cried, \u201cSayest thou from Troy? Yet\nsurely thou didst not sail with us in the beginning.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat?\u201d cried the Prince. \u201cHadst thou then a share in this matter of\nTroy?\u201d\n\nAnd Philoctetes made reply, \u201cKnowest thou not whom thou seest? Hast\nthou not heard the story of my sorrows?\u201d And when he heard that the\nyoung man knew nothing of these things: \u201cSurely this is sorrow upon\nsorrow if no report of my state hath come to the land of Greece, and I\nlie here alone, and my disease groweth upon me, but my enemies laugh\nand keep silence!\u201d And then he told his name and fortunes, and how the\nGreeks had left him on the shore while he slept, and how it was the\ntenth year of his sojourning in the island. \u201cFor know,\u201d he said, \u201cthat\nit is without haven or anchorage, and no man cometh hither of his free\nwill; and if any come unwilling, as indeed it doth sometimes chance,\nthey speak soft words to me and give me, haply, some meat; but when I\nmake suit to them that they carry me to my home, they will not. And\nthis wrong the sons of Atreus and Ulysses have worked against me; for\nwhich may the gods who dwell in Olympus make them equal recompense.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd I,\u201d said the Prince, \u201cam no lover of these men. For when Achilles\nwas dead----\u201d\n\n\u201cHow sayest thou? Is the son of Peleus dead?\u201d\n\n\u201cYea; but it was the hand of a god and not of a man that slew him.\u201d\n\n\u201cA mighty warrior slain by a mighty foe! But say on.\u201d\n\n\u201cUlysses, and Ph\u0153nix who was my sire\u2019s foster-father, came in a ship to\nfetch me; and when I was come to the camp they even greeted me kindly,\nand sware that it was Achilles\u2019 self they saw, so like was I to my\nsire. And, my mourning ended, I sought the sons of Atreus and asked of\nthem the arms of my father, but they made answer that they had given\nthem to Ulysses; and Ulysses, chancing to be there, affirmed that they\nhad done well, seeing that he had saved them from the enemy. And when I\ncould prevail nothing, I sailed away in great wrath.\u201d\n\n\u201c\u2019Tis even,\u201d Philoctetes made reply, \u201cas I should have judged of them.\nBut I marvel that the Greater Ajax endured to see such doings.\u201d\n\n\u201cAh! but he was already dead.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis is grievous news. And how fares old Nestor of Pylos?\u201d\n\n\u201cBut ill, for his eldest born, Antilochus, is dead.\u201d\n\n\u201cI could have spared any rather than these two, Ajax and Antilochus.\nBut Patroclus, where was he when thy father died?\u201d\n\n\u201cHe was already slain. For \u2019tis ever thus that war taketh the true man\nand leaveth the false. But of these things I have had enough and more\nthan enough. Henceforth my island of Scyros, though it be rocky and\nsmall, shall content me. And now, Prince Philoctetes, I go, for the\nwind favors us, and we must take the occasion which the gods give us.\u201d\n\nAnd when Philoctetes knew that Neoptolemus was about to depart, he\nbesought him with many prayers that he would take him also on his ship;\nfor the voyage, he said, would not be of more than a single day. \u201cPut\nme,\u201d he said, \u201cwhere thou wilt, in forecastle, or hold, or stern, and\nset me on shore even as it may seem best to thee. Only take me from\nthis place.\u201d And the sailors also made entreaty to the Prince that he\nwould do so; and he, after a while, made as if he consented to their\nprayers.\n\nBut while Philoctetes was yet thanking him and his companions, there\ncame two men to the cave, of whom one was a sailor in the Prince\u2019s\nship, and the other a merchant. And the merchant said that he was\nsailing from Troy to his home, and that chancing to come to the island,\nand knowing that the Prince was there, he judged it well to tell him\nhis news; \u2018twas briefly this, that Ph\u0153nix and the sons of Theseus had\nsailed, having orders from the sons of Atreus that they should bring\nthe Prince back; and also that Ulysses and Diomed were gone on another\nerrand, even to fetch some one of whom the rulers had need. And when\nthe Prince would know who he might be, the merchant bade him say who it\nwas standing near; and when he heard that it was Philoctetes, he cried,\n\u201cHaste thee to thy ship, son of Achilles, for this is the very man whom\nthe two are coming to fetch. Haply thou hast not heard what befell\nat Troy. There is a certain Helenus, son of King Priam, and a famous\nsoothsayer. Him Ulysses, the man of craft, took a prisoner, and brought\ninto the assembly of Greeks; and the man prophesied to them that they\nshould never take the city of Troy, unless they should bring thither\nthe Prince Philoctetes from the island whereon he dwelt. And Ulysses\nsaid, \u2018If I bring not the man, whether willing or unwilling, then cut\noff my head.\u2019\u201d\n\nAnd when Philoctetes heard this his anger was very great, and he became\nyet more eager to depart. But first he must go into the cave and fetch\nsuch things as he needed, herbs with which he was wont to soothe the\npains of his wounds, and all the furniture of his bow. And when he\nspake of the bow, the Prince asked whether it was indeed the famous bow\nof Hercules that he carried in his hand, and would fain, he said, touch\nit, if only it were lawful so to do. And Philoctetes answered, \u201cYes,\nthou shalt touch it and handle it, which, indeed, no other man hath\never done, for thou hast done a good deed to me, and it was for a good\ndeed that I myself also received it.\u201d\n\nBut when they would have gone towards the ship, the pangs of his wound\ncame upon Philoctetes. And then at first he cried, saying that it was\nwell with him; but at the last he could endure no more, and cried to\nthe Prince that he should draw his sword and smite off the foot, nor\nheed if he should slay him; only he would be rid of the pain. And then\nhe bade him take the bow and keep it for him while he slept, for that\nsleep came ever upon him after these great pains. Only he must keep\nit well, especially if those two, Ulysses and Diomed, should chance\nto come in the meanwhile. And when the Prince had promised this,\nPhiloctetes gave him the bow, saying, \u201cTake it, my son, and pray to the\njealous gods that it bring not sorrow to thee as it hath brought sorrow\nto me, and to him that was its master before me.\u201d\n\nAnd after a while the sick man slept. And the Prince, with the sailors\nthat were his companions, watched by him the while.\n\nBut when the sailors would have had the Prince depart, seeing that he\nhad now the great bow and the arrows, for whose sake he had come, he\nwould not, for they would be of no avail, he said, without the archer\nhimself. And in no long space of time the sick man woke. Right glad\nwas he to see that the strangers had not departed, for, indeed, he had\nscarce hoped that this might be. Therefore commending the young man\nmuch for his courage and loving kindness, he would have him help him\nstraightway to the ship, that his pain having now ceased awhile, they\nmight be ready to depart without delay. So they went, but the Prince\nwas sorely troubled in his mind and cried, \u201cNow what shall I do?\u201d and\n\u201cnow am I at my wits\u2019 end, so that even words fail me.\u201d At which words,\nindeed, Philoctetes was grieved, thinking that it repented the Prince\nof his purpose, so that he said, \u201cDoth the trouble of my disease then\nhinder thee from taking me in thy ship?\u201d\n\nThen said the Prince, \u201cAll is trouble when a man leaveth his nature to\ndo things that are not fitting.\u201d\n\nAnd Philoctetes made answer, \u201cNay, is not this a fitting thing, seeing\nof what sire thou art the son, to help a brave man in his trouble?\u201d\n\n\u201cCan I endure to be so base,\u201d said the Prince, \u201chiding that which\nI should declare, and speaking the thing that is false?\u201d And while\nPhiloctetes still doubted whether he repented not of his purpose, he\ncried aloud, \u201cI will hide the thing no longer. Thou shalt sail with me\nto Troy.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat sayest thou?\u201d\n\n\u201cI say that thou shalt be delivered from these pains, and shalt prevail\ntogether with me over the great city of Troy.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat treachery is this? What hast thou done to me? Give me back the\nbow.\u201d\n\n\u201cNay, that I cannot do, for I am under authority, and must needs obey.\u201d\n\nAnd when Philoctetes heard these words, he cried with a very piteous\nvoice, \u201cWhat a marvel of wickedness thou art that hast done this thing.\nArt thou not ashamed to work such wrong to a suppliant? Give me my bow,\nfor it is my life. But I speak in vain, for he goeth away and heedeth\nme not. Hear me then, ye waters and cliffs, and ye beasts of the field,\nwho have been long time my wonted company, for I have none else to\nhearken to me. Hear what the son of Achilles hath done to me. For he\nsware that he would carry me to my home, and lo! he taketh me to Troy.\nAnd he gave me the right hand of fellowship, and now he robbeth me of\nthe bow, the sacred bow of Hercules. Nay,--for I will make trial of\nhim once more,--give back this thing to me and be thy true self. What\nsayest thou? Nothing? Then am I undone. O cavern of the rock wherein I\nhave dwelt, behold how desolate I am! Never more shall I slay with my\narrows bird of the air or beast of the field; but that which I hunted\nshall pursue me, and that on which I fed shall devour me.\u201d\n\nAnd the Prince was cut to the heart when he heard these words, hating\nthe thing which he had done, and cursing the day on which he had come\nfrom Scyros to the plains of Troy. Then turning himself to the sailors,\nhe asked what he should do, and was even about to give back the bow,\nwhen Ulysses, who was close at hand, watching what should be done, ran\nforth crying that he should hold his hand.\n\nThen said Philoctetes, \u201cIs this Ulysses that I see? Then am I undone.\u201d\n\n\u201c\u2019Tis even so: and as for what thou asketh of this youth, that he\nshould give back the bow, he shall not do it; but rather thou shalt\nsail with us to Troy; and if thou art not willing, these that stand by\nshall take thee by force.\u201d\n\n\u201cLord of fire, that rulest this land of Lemnos, hearest thou this?\u201d\n\n\u201cNay, \u2019tis Zeus that is master here, and Zeus hath commanded this deed.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat lies are these? Thou makest the gods false as thyself.\u201d\n\n\u201cNot so. They are true and I also. But this journey thou must take.\u201d\n\n\u201cMethinks I am a slave, and not freeborn, that thou talkest thus.\u201d\n\n\u201cThou art peer to the bravest, and with them shalt take the great city\nof Troy.\u201d\n\n\u201cNever; I had sooner cast myself down from this cliff.\u201d\n\nThen Ulysses cried to the men that they should lay hold on him; and\nthis they straightway did. Then Philoctetes in many words reproached\nhim with all the wrongs that he had done; how at the first he had\ncaused him to be left on this island, and now had stolen his arms, not\nwith his own hands, indeed, but with craft and deceit, serving himself\nof a simple youth, who knew not but to do as he was bidden. And he\nprayed to the gods that they would avenge him on all that had done him\nwrong, and chiefly on this man Ulysses.\n\nThen Ulysses made reply, \u201cI can be all things as occasion serveth; such\nas thou sayest, if need be; and yet no man more pious if the time call\nfor goodness and justice. One thing only I must needs do, and that is\nto prevail. Yet here I will yield to thee. Thou wilt not go; so be it.\nLoose him! We need thee not, having these arms of thine. Teucer is with\nus, an archer not one whit less skilful than thou. And now I leave\nthee to this Lemnos of thine. May be this bow shall bring me the honor\nwhich thou refusest.\u201d\n\nWhen he had thus spoken he departed, and the Prince Neoptolemus with\nhim. Only the Prince gave permission to the sailors that they should\ntarry with the sick man till it was time to make ready for the voyage.\n\nThen Philoctetes bewailed himself, crying to his bow, \u201cO my bow,\nmy beloved, that they have wrested from my hands, surely, if thou\nknowest aught, thou grievest to see that the man who was the comrade\nof Hercules will never hold thee more, but that base hands will grasp\nthee, mixing thee with all manner of deceit.\u201d And then again he called\nto the birds of the air and the beasts of the field, that they should\nnot fly from him any more, seeing that he had now no help against\nthem, but should come and avenge themselves upon him and devour him.\nAnd still the sailors would have comforted him. Also they sought to\npersuade him that he should listen to the chiefs; but he would not,\ncrying that the lightning should smite him before he would go to Troy\nand help them that had done him such wrong. And at the last he cried\nthat they should give him a spear or a sword, that he might be rid of\nhis life.\n\nBut while they thus talked together, the Prince came back like one that\nis in haste, with Ulysses following him, who cried, \u201cWherefore turnest\nthou back?\u201d\n\n\u201cTo undo what I did amiss.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow sayest thou? When didst thou thus?\u201d\n\n\u201cWhen I listened to thee, and used deceit to a brave man.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat wilt thou then? (I fear me much what this fool may do.)\u201d\n\n\u201cI will give back this bow and these arrows to him from whom I took\nthem by craft.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat shalt thou not do.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut who shall hinder me?\u201d\n\n\u201cThat will I, and all the sons of the Greeks with me.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis is idle talk for a wise man as thou art.\u201d\n\n\u201cSeest thou this sword whereto I lay my hand?\u201d\n\n\u201cIf thou talkest of swords, thou shalt see right soon that I also have\na sword.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell--I let thee alone. To the host will I tell this matter; they\nshall judge thee.\u201d\n\n\u201cNow thou speakest well; be ever as wise; so shalt thou keep thy foot\nout of trouble.\u201d\n\nThen the Prince called to Philoctetes, who, being loosed by the\nsailors, had hidden himself in the cave, and asked of him again whether\nhe were willing to sail with him, or were resolved to abide in the\nisland.\n\nAnd when the man had denied that he would go, and had begun again to\ncall down a curse on the sons of Atreus, and on Ulysses, and on the\nPrince himself, then the Prince bade him stay his speech, and gave him\nback the bow and the arrows.\n\nAnd when Ulysses, seeing this deed, was very wroth, and threatened\nvengeance, Philoctetes put an arrow to the string, and drew the bow to\nthe full, and would have shot at the man, but the Prince stayed his\nhand.\n\nAnd then the Prince was urgent with him that he should cease from his\nanger, and should sail with him to Troy, saying that there he should be\nhealed by the great physician, the son of Asclepius, and should also\nwin great glory by taking the city, and that right soon; for that the\nsoothsayer Helenus had declared that it was the will of the gods that\nthe city of Troy should be taken that same summer.\n\nBut for all this he prevailed nothing; for Philoctetes was obstinate\nthat he would not go to Troy, nor do any pleasure to the chiefs who had\ndone him such wrong. But he would that the Prince should fulfil the\npromise which he had made, that he would carry him in his ship to his\nown country. And this the Prince said that he would do.\n\nAnd now the two were about to depart to the ship, when lo! there\nappeared in the air above their heads the great Hercules. Very\nwonderful was he to behold, with bright raiment, and a great glory\nshining from his face, even as the everlasting gods beheld him with\nwhom he dwelt in the palace of Olympus. And Hercules spake, saying,--\n\n\u201cGo not yet, son of P\u0153as, before thou hearest what I shall say to thee.\nFor \u2019tis Hercules whom thou seest and hearest; and I am come from my\ndwelling in heaven to declare to thee the will of Zeus. Know then that\neven as I attained to this blessedness after much toil, so shall it\nbe with thee. For thou shalt go to the land of Troy; and first thou\nshalt be healed of thy grievous sickness, and afterwards thou shalt\nslay Paris with thine arrows, and shalt take the city of Troy, whereof\nthou shalt carry the spoils to thy home, even to P\u0153as thy father,\nhaving received from thy fellows the foremost prize for valor. But\nremember that all that thou winnest in this warfare thou must take\nas an offering to my tomb. And to thee, son of Achilles, I say; thou\ncanst not take the city of Troy without this man, nor he without thee.\nWhereof, as two lions that consort together, guard ye each other. And\nI will send Asclepius to heal him of his sickness; for it is the will\nof the gods that Troy should yet again be taken by my bow. And remember\nthis, when ye lay waste the land, to have the gods and that which\nbelongeth to them in reverence.\u201d\n\nThen said Philoctetes, \u201cO my master, whom I have long desired to hear\nand see, I will do as thou sayest.\u201d\n\nAnd the Prince also gave his consent.\n\nThen Philoctetes bade farewell to the island in these words:--\n\n    \u201cHome that hast watched with me, farewell!\n    And nymphs that haunt the springs or dwell\n    In seaward meadows, and the roar\n    Of waves that break upon the shore;\n    Where often, through the cavern\u2019s mouth,\n    The drifting of the rainy South\n    Hath coldly drenched me as I lay;\n    And Hermes\u2019 hill, whence many a day,\n    When anguish seized me, to my cry\n    Hoarse-sounding echo made reply.\n    O fountains of the land, and thou,\n    Pool of the Wolf, I leave you now;\n    Beyond all hope I leave thy strand,\n    O Lemnos, sea-encircled land!\n    Grant me with favoring winds to go\n    Whither the mighty Fates command,\n    And this dear company of friends,\n    And mastering Powers who shape our ends\n    To issues fairer than we know.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VII.\n\n\nIt fell out that at the last Troy was taken by a stratagem. Now the\nstratagem was this: The Greeks made a great Horse of wood, feigning it\nto be a peace-offering to the gods, that they might have a safe return\nto their homes.\n\nIn the belly of this there hid themselves certain of the bravest of the\nchiefs, as Menela\u00fcs, and Ulysses, and Thoas the \u00c6tolian, and Machaon,\nthe great physician, and Pyrrhus, son of Achilles (but Achilles himself\nwas dead, slain by Paris, Apollo helping, even as he was about to take\nthe city), and others also, and with them Epeius himself. But the rest\nof the people made as if they had departed to their homes; only they\nwent not further than Tenedos, which was an island near to the coast.\n\nGreat joy was there in Troy when it was noised abroad that the men of\nGreece had departed. The gates were opened, and the people went forth\nto see the plain and the camp. And one said to another, as they went,\n\u201cHere they set the battle in array, and there were the tents of the\nfierce Achilles, and there lay the ships.\u201d And some stood and marvelled\nat the great peace-offering to Minerva, even the Horse of wood. And\nThym\u0153tes, who was one of the elders of the city, was the first who\nadvised that it should be brought within the walls and set in the\ncitadel. Now whether he gave this counsel out of a false heart, or\nbecause the gods would have it so, no man knows. But Capys, and others\nwith him, said that it should be drowned in water, or burned with fire,\nor that men should pierce it and see whether there were aught within.\nAnd the people were divided, some crying one thing and some another.\nThen came forward the priest Laoco\u00f6n, and a great company with him,\ncrying, \u201cWhat madness is this? Think ye that the men of Greece are\nindeed departed, or that there is any profit in their gifts? Surely,\nthere are armed men in this mighty Horse; or haply they have made it\nthat they may look down upon our walls. Touch it not, for as for these\nmen of Greece, I fear them, even though they bring gifts in their\nhands.\u201d\n\nAnd as he spake he cast his great spear at the Horse, so that it\nsounded again. But the gods would not that Troy should be saved.\n\nMeanwhile there came certain shepherds, dragging with them one whose\nhands were bound behind his back. He had come forth to them, they said,\nof his own accord, when they were in the field. And first the young men\ngathered about him mocking him, but when he cried aloud, \u201cWhat place is\nleft for me, for the Greeks suffer me not to live, and the men of Troy\ncry for vengeance upon me?\u201d they rather pitied him, and bade him speak,\nand say whence he came and what he had to tell.\n\nThen the man spake, turning to King Priam: \u201cI will speak the truth,\nwhatever befall me. My name is Sinon, and I deny not that I am a Greek.\nHaply thou hast heard the name of Palamedes, whom the Greeks slew, but\nnow, being dead, lament; and the cause was that, because he counselled\npeace, men falsely accused him of treason. Now, of this Palamedes I was\na poor kinsman, and followed him to Troy. And when he was dead, through\nthe false witness of Ulysses, I lived in great grief and trouble, nor\ncould I hold my peace, but sware that if ever I came back to Argos I\nwould avenge me of him that had done this deed. Then did Ulysses seek\noccasion against me, whispering evil things, nor rested till at the\nlast, Calchas the soothsayer helping him--but what profit it that I\nshould tell these things? For doubtless ye hold one Greek to be even\nas another. Wherefore slay me, and doubtless ye will do a pleasure to\nUlysses and the sons of Atreus.\u201d\n\nThen they bade him tell on, and he said,--\n\n\u201cOften would the Greeks have fled to their homes, being weary of the\nwar, but still the stormy sea hindered them. And when this Horse that\nye see had been built, most of all did the dreadful thunder roll from\nthe one end of the heaven to the other. Then the Greeks sent one\nwho should inquire of Apollo; and Apollo answered them thus: \u2018Men\nof Greece, even as ye appeased the winds with blood when ye came to\nTroy, so must ye appease them with blood now that ye would go from\nthence.\u2019 Then did men tremble to think on whom the doom should fall,\nand Ulysses, with much clamor, drew forth Calchas the soothsayer\ninto the midst, and bade him say who it was that the gods would\nhave as a sacrifice. Then did many forebode evil for me. Ten days\ndid the soothsayer keep silence, saying that he would not give any\nman to death. But then, for in truth the two had planned the matter\nbeforehand, he spake, appointing me to die. And to this thing they all\nagreed, each being glad to turn to another that which he feared for\nhimself. But when the day was come, and all things were ready, the\nsalted meal for the sacrifice and the garlands, lo! I burst my bonds\nand fled, and hid myself in the sedges of a pool, waiting till they\nshould have set sail, if haply that might be. But never shall I see\ncountry, or father, or children again. For doubtless on these will they\ntake vengeance for my flight. Only do thou, O king, have pity on me,\nwho have suffered many things, not having harmed any man.\u201d\n\nAnd King Priam had pity on him, and bade them loose his bonds, saying,\n\u201cWhoever thou art, forget now thy country. Henceforth thou art one of\nus. But tell me true: why made they this huge Horse? Who contrived it?\nWhat seek they by it,--to please the gods or to further their siege?\u201d\n\nThen said Sinon, and as he spake he stretched his hands to the sky,\n\u201cI call you to witness, ye everlasting fires of heaven, that with\ngood right I now break my oath of fealty and reveal the secrets of my\ncountrymen. Listen then, O king. All our hope has ever been in the help\nof Minerva. But, from the day when Diomed and Ulysses dared, having\nbloody hands, to snatch her image from her holy place in Troy, her\nface was turned from us. Well do I remember how the eyes of the image,\nwell-nigh before they had set it in the camp, blazed with wrath, and\nhow the salt sweat stood upon its limbs, aye, and how it thrice leapt\nfrom the ground, shaking shield and spear. Then Calchas told us that we\nmust cross the seas again, and seek at home fresh omens for our war.\nAnd this, indeed, they are doing even now, and will return anon. Also\nthe soothsayer said, \u2018Meanwhile ye must make the likeness of a Horse,\nto be a peace-offering to Minerva. And take heed that ye make it huge\nof bulk, so that the men of Troy may not receive it into their gates,\nnor bring it within their walls, and get safety for themselves thereby.\nFor if,\u2019 he said, \u2018the men of Troy harm this image at all, they shall\nsurely perish; but if they bring it into their city, then shall Asia\nlay siege hereafter to the city of Pelops, and our children shall\nsuffer the doom which we would fain have brought on Troy.\u2019\u201d\n\nThese words wrought much on the men of Troy, and as they pondered on\nthem, lo! the gods sent another marvel to deceive them. For while\nLaoco\u00f6n, the priest of Neptune was slaying a bull at the altar of\nhis god, there came two serpents across the sea from Tenedos, whose\nheads and necks, whereon were thick manes of hair, were high above the\nwaves, and many scaly coils trailed behind in the waters. And when they\nreached the land they still sped forward. Their eyes were red as blood\nand blazed with fire, and their forked tongues hissed loud for rage.\nThen all the men of Troy grew pale with fear and fled away, but these\nturned not aside this way or that, seeking Laoco\u00f6n where he stood.\nAnd first they wrapped themselves about his little sons, one serpent\nabout each, and began to devour them. And when the father would have\ngiven help to his children, having a sword in his hand, they seized\nupon himself, and bound him fast with their folds. Twice they compassed\nabout his body, and twice his neck, lifting their heads far above him.\nAnd all the while he strove to tear them away with his hands, his\npriest\u2019s garlands dripping with blood. Nor did he cease to cry horribly\naloud, even as a bull bellows when after an ill stroke of the axe it\nflees from the altar. But when their work was done, the two glided to\nthe citadel of Minerva, and hid themselves beneath the feet and the\nshield of the goddess. And men said one to another, \u201cLo! the priest\nLaoco\u00f6n has been judged according to his deeds; for he cast his spear\nagainst this holy thing, and now the gods have slain him.\u201d Then all\ncried out together that the Horse of wood must be drawn to the citadel.\nWhereupon they opened the Sc\u00e6an Gate, and pulled down the wall that\nwas thereby, and put rollers under the feet of the Horse, and joined\nropes thereto. So, in much joy, they drew it into the city, youths and\nmaidens singing about it the while, and laying their hands to the ropes\nwith great gladness. And yet there wanted not signs and tokens of evil\nto come. Four times it halted on the threshold of the gate, and men\nmight have heard a clashing of arms within. Cassandra also opened her\nmouth, prophesying evil: but no man heeded her, for that was ever the\ndoom upon her, not to be believed speaking truth. So the men of Troy\ndrew the Horse into the city. And that night they kept a feast to all\nthe gods with great joy, not knowing that the last day of the great\ncity had come.\n\nBut when night was now fully come, and the men of Troy lay asleep, lo!\nfrom the ship of King Agamemnon there rose up a flame for a signal to\nthe Greeks; and these straightway manned their ships, and made across\nthe sea from Tenedos, there being a great calm, and the moon also\ngiving them light. Sinon likewise opened a secret door that was in the\ngreat Horse, and the chiefs issued forth therefrom, and opened the\ngates of the city, slaying those that kept watch.\n\nMeanwhile there came a vision to \u00c6neas, who now, Hector being dead, was\nthe chief hope and stay of the men of Troy. It was Hector\u2019s self that\nhe seemed to see, but not such as he had seen him coming back rejoicing\nwith the arms of Achilles, or setting fire to the ships, but even as\nhe lay after that Achilles dragged him at his chariot wheels, covered\nwith dust and blood, his feet swollen and pierced through with thongs.\nTo him said \u00c6neas, not knowing what he said, \u201cWhy hast thou tarried\nso long? Much have we suffered waiting for thee! And what grief hath\nmarked thy face? and whence these wounds?\u201d\n\nBut to this the spirit answered nothing, but said, groaning the while,\n\u201cFly, son of Venus, fly, and save thee from these flames. The enemy is\nin the walls, and Troy hath utterly perished. If any hand could have\nsaved our city, this hand had done so. Thou art now the hope of Troy.\nTake then her gods, and flee with them for company, seeking the city\nthat thou shalt one day build across the sea.\u201d\n\nAnd now the alarm of battle came nearer and nearer, and \u00c6neas, waking\nfrom sleep, climbed upon the roof, and looked on the city. As a\nshepherd stands, and sees a fierce flame sweeping before the south wind\nover the cornfields or a flood rushing down from the mountains, so he\nstood. And as he looked, the great palace of De\u00efphobus sank down in\nthe fire, and the house of Ucalegon, that was hard by, blazed forth,\ntill the sea by Sige\u00fcm shone with the light. Then, scarce knowing what\nhe sought, he girded on his armor, thinking, perchance, that he might\nyet win some place of vantage, or, at the least, might avenge himself\non the enemy, or find honor in his death. But as he passed from out of\nhis house there met him Panthus, the priest of Apollo that was on the\ncitadel, who cried to him, \u201cO \u00c6neas, the glory is departed from Troy,\nand the Greeks have the mastery in the city; for armed men are coming\nforth from the great Horse of wood, and thousands also swarm in at the\ngates, which Sinon hath treacherously opened.\u201d And as he spake others\ncame up under the light of the moon, as Hypanis, and Dymas, and young\nCor\u0153bus, who had but newly come to Troy, seeking Cassandra to be his\nwife. To whom \u00c6neas spake:\n\n\u201cIf ye are minded, my brethren, to follow me to the death, come on.\nFor how things fare this night ye see. The gods who were the stay of\nthis city have departed from it; nor is aught remaining to which we may\nbring succor. Yet can we die as brave men in battle. And haply he that\ncounts his life to be lost may yet save it.\u201d Then, even as ravening\nwolves hasten through the mist seeking for prey, so they went through\nthe city, doing dreadful deeds. And for a while the men of Greece fled\nbefore them.\n\nFirst of all there met them Androgeos with a great company following\nhim, who, thinking them to be friends, said, \u201cHaste, comrades, why are\nye so late? We are spoiling this city of Troy, and ye are but newly\ncome from the ships.\u201d But forthwith, for they answered him not as he\nhad looked for, he knew that he had fallen among enemies. Then even\nas one who treads upon a snake unawares among thorns, and flies from\nit when it rises angrily against him with swelling neck, so Androgeos\nwould have fled. But the men of Troy rushed on, and seeing that they\nknew all the place, and that great fear was upon the Greeks, slew many\nmen. Then said Cor\u0153bus, \u201cWe have good luck in this matter, my friends.\nCome now, let us change our shields, and put upon us the armor of these\nGreeks. For whether we deal with our enemy by craft or by force, who\nwill ask?\u201d Then he took to himself the helmet and shield of Androgeos,\nand also girded the sword upon him. In like manner did the others, and\nthus going disguised among the Greeks slew many, so that some again\nfled to the ships and some were fain to climb into the Horse of wood.\nBut lo! men came dragging by the hair from the temple of Minerva the\nvirgin Cassandra, whom when Cor\u0153bus beheld, and how she lifted up her\neyes to heaven (but as for her hands, they were bound with iron), he\nendured not the sight, but threw himself upon those that dragged her,\nthe others following him. Then did a grievous mischance befall them,\nfor the men of Troy that stood upon the roof of the temple cast spears\nagainst them, judging them to be enemies. The Greeks also, being wroth\nthat the virgin should be taken from them, fought the more fiercely,\nand many who had before been put to flight in the city came against\nthem, and prevailed, being indeed many against few. Then first of all\nfell Cor\u0153bus, being slain by Peneleus the B\u0153otian, and Rhipeus also,\nthe most righteous of all the sons of Troy. But the gods dealt not with\nhim after his righteousness. Hypanis also was slain and Dymas, and\nPanthus escaped not for all that more than other men he feared the gods\nand was also the priest of Apollo.\n\nThen was \u00c6neas severed from the rest, having with him two only, Iphitus\nand Pelias, Iphitus being an old man and Pelias sorely wounded by\nUlysses. And these, hearing a great shouting, hastened to the palace\nof King Priam, where the battle was fiercer than in any place beside.\nFor some of the Greeks were seeking to climb the walls, laying ladders\nthereto, whereon they stood, holding forth their shields with their\nleft hands, and with their right grasping the roofs. And the men of\nTroy, on the other hand, being in the last extremity, tore down the\nbattlements and the gilded beams wherewith the men of old had adorned\nthe palace. Then \u00c6neas, knowing of a secret door whereby the unhappy\nAndromach\u00e9 in past days had been wont to enter, bringing her son\nAstyanax to his grandfather, climbed on to the roof, and joined himself\nto those that fought therefrom. Now upon this roof there was a tower,\nwhence all Troy could be seen and the camp of the Greeks and the ships.\nThis the men of Troy loosened from its foundations with bars of iron,\nand thrust it over, so that it fell upon the enemy, slaying many of\nthem. But not the less did others press forward, casting the while\nstones and javelins and all that came to their hands.\n\nMeanwhile others sought to break down the gates of the palace, Pyrrhus,\nson of Achilles, being foremost among them, clad in shining armor\nof bronze. Like to a serpent was he, which sleeps indeed during the\nwinter, but in the spring comes forth into the light, full fed on evil\nherbs, and, having cast his skin and renewed his youth, lifts his head\ninto the light of the sun and hisses with forked tongue. And with\nPyrrhus were tall Periphas, and Automedon, who had been armor-bearer to\nhis father Achilles, and following them the youth of Scyros, which was\nthe kingdom of his grandfather Lycomedes. With a great battle-axe he\nhewed through the doors, breaking down also the door-posts, though they\nwere plated with bronze, making, as it were, a great window, through\nwhich a man might see the palace within, the hall of King Priam and of\nthe kings who had reigned aforetime in Troy. But when they that were\nwithin perceived it, there arose a great cry of women wailing aloud\nand clinging to the doors and kissing them. But ever Pyrrhus pressed\non, fierce and strong as ever was his father Achilles, nor could aught\nstand against him, either the doors or they that guarded them. Then, as\na river bursts its banks and overflows the plain, so did the sons of\nGreece rush into the palace.\n\nBut old Priam, when he saw the enemy in his hall, girded on him his\narmor, which now by reason of old age he had long laid aside, and\ntook a spear in his hand, and would have gone against the adversary,\nonly Queen Hecuba called to him from where she sat. For she and her\ndaughters had fled to the great altar of the household gods, and sat\ncrowded about it like unto doves that are driven by a storm. Now the\naltar stood in an open court that was in the midst of the palace, with\na great bay-tree above it. So when she saw Priam, how he had girded\nhimself with armor as a youth, she cried to him and said, \u201cWhat hath\nbewitched thee, that thou girdest thyself with armor? It is not the\nsword that shall help us this day; no, not though my own Hector were\nhere, but rather the gods and their altars. Come hither to us, for here\nthou wilt be safe, or at the least wilt die with us.\u201d\n\nSo she made the old man sit down in the midst. But lo! there came\nflying through the palace, Polites, his son, wounded to death by the\nspear of Pyrrhus, and Pyrrhus close behind him. And he, even as he came\ninto the sight of his father and his mother, fell dead upon the ground.\nBut when King Priam saw it he contained not himself, but cried aloud,\n\u201cNow may the gods, if there be any justice in heaven, recompense thee\nfor this wickedness, seeing that thou hast not spared to slay the son\nbefore his father\u2019s eyes. Great Achilles, whom thou falsely callest thy\nsire, did not thus to Priam, though he was an enemy, but reverenced\nright and truth, and gave the body of Hector for burial, and sent me\nback to my city.\u201d\n\nAnd as he spake the old man cast a spear, but aimless and without\nforce, and that pierced not even the boss of the shield. Then said the\nson of Achilles, \u201cGo thou and tell my father of his unworthy son and\nall these evil deeds. And that thou mayest tell him, die!\u201d And as he\nspake he caught in his left hand the old man\u2019s white hair, and dragged\nhim, slipping the while in the blood of his own son, to the altar, and\nthen, lifting his sword high for a blow, drave it to the hilt in the\nold man\u2019s side. So King Priam, who had ruled mightily over many peoples\nand countries in the land of Asia, was slain that night, having first\nseen Troy burning about him, and his citadel laid even with the ground.\nSo was his carcase cast out upon the earth, headless, and without a\nname.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VIII.\n\nTHE ADVENTURES OF ULYSSES.\n\n\nWhen the great city of Troy was taken, all the chiefs who had fought\nagainst it set sail for their homes. But there was wrath in heaven\nagainst them, for indeed they had borne themselves haughtily and\ncruelly in the day of their victory. Therefore they did not all find\na safe and happy return. For one was shipwrecked, and another was\nshamefully slain by his false wife in his palace, and others found\nall things at home troubled and changed, and were driven to seek new\ndwellings elsewhere. And some, whose wives and friends and people had\nbeen still true to them through those ten long years of absence, were\ndriven far and wide about the world before they saw their native land\nagain. And of all, the wise Ulysses was he who wandered farthest and\nsuffered most.\n\nHe was well-nigh the last to sail, for he had tarried many days to do\npleasure to Agamemnon, lord of all the Greeks. Twelve ships he had\nwith him--twelve he had brought to Troy--and in each there were some\nfifty men, being scarce half of those that had sailed in them in the\nold days, so many valiant heroes slept the last sleep by Simo\u00efs and\nScamander, and in the plain on the sea-shore, slain in battle or by the\nshafts of Apollo.\n\nFirst they sailed north-west to the Thracian coast, where the Ciconians\ndwelt, who had helped the men of Troy. Their city they took, and in it\nmuch plunder, slaves and oxen, and jars of fragrant wine, and might\nhave escaped unhurt, but that they stayed to hold revel on the shore.\nFor the Ciconians gathered their neighbors, being men of the same\nblood, and did battle with the invaders, and drove them to their ship.\nAnd when Ulysses numbered his men, he found that he had lost six out of\neach ship.\n\nScarce had he set out again when the wind began to blow fiercely; so,\nseeing a smooth sandy beach, they drave the ships ashore and dragged\nthem out of reach of the waves, and waited till the storm should abate.\nAnd the third morning being fair, they sailed again, and journeyed\nprosperously till they came to the very end of the great Peloponnesian\nland, where Cape Malea looks out upon the southern sea. But contrary\ncurrents baffled them, so that they could not round it, and the north\nwind blew so strongly that they must fain drive before it. And on the\ntenth day they came to the land where the lotus grows--a wondrous\nfruit, of which whosoever eats cares not to see country or wife or\nchildren again. Now the Lotus-eaters, for so they called the people\nof the land, were a kindly folk, and gave of the fruit to some of the\nsailors, not meaning them any harm, but thinking it to be the best that\nthey had to give. These, when they had eaten, said that they would not\nsail any more over the sea; which, when the wise Ulysses heard, he bade\ntheir comrades bind them and carry them, sadly complaining, to the\nships.\n\nThen, the wind having abated, they took to their oars, and rowed for\nmany days till they came to the country where the Cyclopes dwell.\nNow, a mile or so from the shore there was an island, very fair and\nfertile, but no man dwells there or tills the soil, and in the island a\nharbor where a ship may be safe from all winds, and at the head of the\nharbor a stream falling from a rock, and whispering alders all about\nit. Into this the ships passed safely, and were hauled up on the beach,\nand the crews slept by them, waiting for the morning. And the next\nday they hunted the wild goats, of which there was great store on the\nisland, and feasted right merrily on what they caught, with draughts of\nred wine which they had carried off from the town of the Ciconians.\n\nBut on the morrow, Ulysses, for he was ever fond of adventure, and\nwould know of every land to which he came what manner of men they were\nthat dwelt there, took one of his twelve ships and bade row to the\nland. There was a great hill sloping to the shore, and there rose up\nhere and there a smoke from the caves where the Cyclopes dwelt apart,\nholding no converse with each other, for they were a rude and savage\nfolk, but ruled each his own household, not caring for others. Now very\nclose to the shore was one of these caves, very huge and deep, with\nlaurels round about the mouth, and in front a fold with walls built\nof rough stone, and shaded by tall oaks and pines. So Ulysses chose\nout of the crew the twelve bravest, and bade the rest guard the ship,\nand went to see what manner of dwelling this was, and who abode there.\nHe had his sword by his side, and on his shoulder a mighty skin of\nwine, sweet-smelling and strong, with which he might win the heart of\nsome fierce savage, should he chance to meet with such, as indeed his\nprudent heart forecasted that he might.\n\nSo they entered the cave, and judged that it was the dwelling of some\nrich and skilful shepherd. For within there were pens for the young\nof the sheep and of the goats, divided all according to their age, and\nthere were baskets full of cheeses, and full milkpails ranged along\nthe wall. But the Cyclops himself was away in the pastures. Then the\ncompanions of Ulysses besought him that he would depart, taking with\nhim, if he would, a store of cheeses and sundry of the lambs and of\nthe kids. But he would not, for he wished to see, after his wont, what\nmanner of host this strange shepherd might be. And truly he saw it to\nhis cost!\n\nIt was evening when the Cyclops came home, a mighty giant, twenty feet\nin height, or more. On his shoulder he bore a vast bundle of pine logs\nfor his fire, and threw them down outside the cave with a great crash,\nand drove the flocks within, and closed the entrance with a huge rock,\nwhich twenty wagons and more could not bear. Then he milked the ewes\nand all the she-goats, and half of the milk he curdled for cheese, and\nhalf he set ready for himself, when he should sup. Next he kindled a\nfire with the pine logs, and the flame lighted up all the cave, showing\nhim Ulysses and his comrades.\n\n\u201cWho are ye?\u201d cried Polyphemus, for that was the giant\u2019s name. \u201cAre ye\ntraders, or, haply, pirates?\u201d\n\nFor in those days it was not counted shame to be called a pirate.\n\nUlysses shuddered at the dreadful voice and shape, but bore him\nbravely, and answered, \u201cWe are no pirates, mighty sir, but Greeks,\nsailing back from Troy, and subjects of the great King Agamemnon, whose\nfame is spread from one end of heaven to the other. And we are come to\nbeg hospitality of thee in the name of Zeus, who rewards or punishes\nhosts and guests according as they be faithful the one to the other, or\nno.\u201d\n\n\u201cNay,\u201d said the giant, \u201cit is but idle talk to tell me of Zeus and the\nother gods. We Cyclopes take no account of gods, holding ourselves to\nbe much better and stronger than they. But come, tell me where have you\nleft your ship?\u201d\n\nBut Ulysses saw his thought when he asked about the ship, how he was\nminded to break it, and take from them all hope of flight. Therefore he\nanswered him craftily,--\n\n\u201cShip have we none, for that which was ours King Poseidon brake,\ndriving it on a jutting rock on this coast, and we whom thou seest are\nall that are escaped from the waves.\u201d\n\nPolyphemus answered nothing, but without more ado caught up two of\nthe men, as a man might catch up the whelps of a dog, and dashed them\non the ground, and tore them limb from limb, and devoured them, with\nhuge draughts of milk between, leaving not a morsel, not even the very\nbones. But the others, when they saw the dreadful deed, could only weep\nand pray to Zeus for help. And when the giant had ended his foul meal,\nhe lay down among his sheep and slept.\n\nThen Ulysses questioned much in his heart whether he should slay the\nmonster as he slept, for he doubted not that his good sword would\npierce to the giant\u2019s heart, mighty as he was. But, being very wise,\nhe remembered that, should he slay him, he and his comrades would yet\nperish miserably. For who should move away the great rock that lay\nagainst the door of the cave? So they waited till the morning. And the\nmonster woke, and milked his flocks, and afterwards, seizing two men,\ndevoured them for his meal. Then he went to the pastures, but put the\ngreat rock on the mouth of the cave, just as a man puts down the lid\nupon his quiver.\n\nAll that day the wise Ulysses was thinking what he might best do to\nsave himself and his companions, and the end of his thinking was this:\nthere was a mighty pole in the cave, green wood of an olive tree, big\nas a ship\u2019s mast, which Polyphemus purposed to use, when the smoke\nshould have dried it, as a walking staff. Of this he cut off a fathom\u2019s\nlength, and his comrades sharpened it and hardened it in the fire, and\nthen hid it away. At evening the giant came back, and drove his sheep\ninto the cave, nor left the rams outside, as he had been wont to do\nbefore, but shut them in. And having duly done his shepherd\u2019s work,\nhe made his cruel feast as before. Then Ulysses came forward with the\nwine-skin in his hand, and said,--\n\n\u201cDrink, Cyclops, now that thou hast feasted. Drink and see what\nprecious things we had in our ship. But no one hereafter will come to\nthee with such like, if thou dealest with strangers as cruelly as thou\nhast dealt with us.\u201d\n\nThen the Cyclops drank, and was mightily pleased, and said, \u201cGive me\nagain to drink, and tell me thy name, stranger, and I will give thee a\ngift such as a host should give. In good truth this is a rare liquor.\nWe, too, have vines, but they bear not wine like this, which indeed\nmust be such as the gods drink in heaven.\u201d\n\nThen Ulysses gave him the cup again, and he drank. Thrice he gave it\nto him, and thrice he drank, not knowing what it was, and how it would\nwork within his brain.\n\nThen Ulysses spake to him. \u201cThou didst ask my name, Cyclops. Lo! my\nname is No Man. And now that thou knowest my name, thou shouldst give\nme thy gift.\u201d\n\nAnd he said, \u201cMy gift shall be that I will eat thee last of all thy\ncompany.\u201d\n\nAnd as he spoke he fell back in a drunken sleep. Then Ulysses bade his\ncomrades be of good courage, for the time was come when they should be\ndelivered. And they thrust the stake of olive wood into the fire till\nit was ready, green as it was, to burst into flame, and they thrust it\ninto the monster\u2019s eye; for he had but one eye, and that in the midst\nof his forehead, with the eyebrow below it. And Ulysses leant with all\nhis force upon the stake, and thrust it in with might and main. And the\nburning wood hissed in the eye, just as the red-hot iron hisses in the\nwater when a man seeks to temper steel for a sword.\n\nThen the giant leapt up, and tore away the stake, and cried aloud, so\nthat all the Cyclopes who dwelt on the mountain side heard him and\ncame about his cave, asking him, \u201cWhat aileth thee, Polyphemus, that\nthou makest this uproar in the peaceful night, driving away sleep? Is\nany one robbing thee of thy sheep, or seeking to slay thee by craft or\nforce?\u201d\n\nAnd the giant answered, \u201cNo Man slays me by craft.\u201d\n\n\u201cNay, but,\u201d they said, \u201cif no man does thee wrong, we cannot help thee.\nThe sickness which great Zeus may send, who can avoid? Pray to our\nfather, Poseidon, for help.\u201d\n\nThen they departed; and Ulysses was glad at heart for the good success\nof his device, when he said that he was No Man.\n\nBut the Cyclops rolled away the great stone from the door of the\ncave, and sat in the midst, stretching out his hands to feel whether\nperchance the men within the cave would seek to go out among the sheep.\n\nLong did Ulysses think how he and his comrades should best escape. At\nlast he lighted upon a good device, and much he thanked Zeus for that\nthis once the giant had driven the rams with the other sheep into the\ncave. For, these being great and strong, he fastened his comrades under\nthe bellies of the beasts, tying them with osier twigs, of which the\ngiant made his bed. One ram he took, and fastened a man beneath it,\nand two others he set, one on either side. So he did with the six, for\nbut six were left out of the twelve who had ventured with him from the\nship. And there was one mighty ram, far larger than all the others,\nand to this Ulysses clung, grasping the fleece tight with both his\nhands. So they waited for the morning. And when the morning came, the\nrams rushed forth to the pasture; but the giant sat in the door and\nfelt the back of each as it went by, nor thought to try what might be\nunderneath. Last of all went the great ram. And the Cyclops knew him as\nhe passed, and said,--\n\n\u201cHow is this, thou, who art the leader of the flock? Thou art not wont\nthus to lag behind. Thou hast always been the first to run to the\npastures and streams in the morning, and the first to come back to the\nfold when evening fell; and now thou art last of all. Perhaps thou art\ntroubled about thy master\u2019s eye, which some wretch--No Man, they call\nhim--has destroyed, having first mastered me with wine. He has not\nescaped, I ween. I would that thou couldst speak, and tell me where he\nis lurking. Of a truth I would dash out his brains upon the ground, and\navenge me of this No Man.\u201d\n\nSo speaking, he let him pass out of the cave. But when they were out\nof reach of the giant, Ulysses loosed his hold of the ram, and then\nunbound his comrades. And they hastened to their ship, not forgetting\nto drive before them a good store of the Cyclops\u2019 fat sheep. Right glad\nwere those that had abode by the ship to see them. Nor did they lament\nfor those that had died, though they were fain to do so, for Ulysses\nforbade, fearing lest the noise of their weeping should betray them to\nthe giant, where they were. Then they all climbed into the ship, and\nsitting well in order on the benches, smote the sea with their oars,\nlaying-to right lustily, that they might the sooner get away from the\naccursed land. And when they had rowed a hundred yards or so, so that a\nman\u2019s voice could yet be heard by one who stood upon the shore, Ulysses\nstood up in the ship and shouted,--\n\n\u201cHe was no coward, O Cyclops, whose comrades thou didst so foully slay\nin thy den. Justly art thou punished, monster, that devourest thy\nguests in thy dwelling. May the gods make thee suffer yet worse things\nthan these!\u201d\n\nThen the Cyclops, in his wrath, broke off the top of a great hill, a\nmighty rock, and hurled it where he had heard the voice. Right in front\nof the ship\u2019s bow it fell, and a great wave rose as it sank, and washed\nthe ship back to the shore. But Ulysses seized a long pole with both\nhands and pushed the ship from the land, and bade his comrades ply\ntheir oars, nodding with his head, for he was too wise to speak, lest\nthe Cyclops should know where they were. Then they rowed with all their\nmight and main.\n\nAnd when they had gotten twice as far as before, Ulysses made as if he\nwould speak again; but his comrades sought to hinder him, saying, \u201cNay,\nmy lord, anger not the giant any more. Surely we thought before we were\nlost, when he threw the great rock, and washed our ship back to the\nshore. And if he hear thee now, he may crush our ship and us, for the\nman throws a mighty bolt, and throws it far.\u201d\n\nBut Ulysses would not be persuaded, but stood up and said, \u201cHear,\nCyclops! If any man ask who blinded thee, say that it was the warrior\nUlysses, son of Laertes, dwelling in Ithaca.\u201d\n\nAnd the Cyclops answered with a groan, \u201cOf a truth, the old oracles are\nfulfilled, for long ago there came to this land one Telemus, a prophet,\nand dwelt among us even to old age. This man foretold to me that one\nUlysses would rob me of my sight. But I looked for a great man and a\nstrong, who should subdue me by force, and now a weakling has done the\ndeed, having cheated me with wine. But come thou hither, Ulysses, and\nI will be a host indeed to thee. Or, at least, may Poseidon give thee\nsuch a voyage to thy home as I would wish thee to have. For know that\nPoseidon is my sire. May be that he may heal me of my grievous wound.\u201d\n\nAnd Ulysses said, \u201cWould to God I could send thee down to the abode of\nthe dead, where thou wouldst be past all healing, even from Poseidon\u2019s\nself.\u201d\n\nThen Cyclops lifted up his hands to Poseidon and prayed,--\n\n\u201cHear me, Poseidon, if I am indeed thy son and thou my father. May this\nUlysses never reach his home! or, if the Fates have ordered that he\nshould reach it, may he come alone, all his comrades lost, and come to\nfind sore trouble in his house!\u201d\n\nAnd as he ended he hurled another mighty rock, which almost lighted on\nthe rudder\u2019s end, yet missed it as by a hair\u2019s breadth. So Ulysses and\nhis comrades escaped, and came to the island of the wild goats, where\nthey found their comrades, who indeed had waited long for them, in sore\nfear lest they had perished. Then Ulysses divided amongst his company\nall the sheep which they had taken from the Cyclops. And all, with one\nconsent, gave him for his share the great ram which had carried him\nout of the cave, and he sacrificed it to Zeus. And all that day they\nfeasted right merrily on the flesh of sheep and on sweet wine, and when\nthe night was come, they lay down upon the shore and slept.\n\nAfter sailing awhile, they came to the island of \u00c6olus, who is the king\nof the winds, and who dwelt there with his children, six sons and six\ndaughters. Right well did \u00c6olus entertain them, feasting them royally\nfor a whole month, while he heard from Ulysses the story of all that\nhad been done at Troy. And when Ulysses prayed him that he would help\nhim on his way homewards, \u00c6olus hearkened to him, and gave him the skin\nof an ox in which he had bound all contrary winds, so that they should\nnot hinder him. But he let a gentle west wind blow, that it might carry\nhim and his comrades to their home. For nine days it blew and now they\nwere near to Ithaca, their country, so that they saw lights burning\nin it, it being night-time. But now, by an ill chance, Ulysses fell\nasleep, being wholly wearied out, for he had held the helm for nine\ndays, nor trusted it to any of his comrades. And while he slept his\ncomrades, who had cast eyes of envy on the great ox-hide, said one to\nanother,--\n\n\u201cStrange it is how men love and honor this Ulysses whithersoever he\ngoes. And now he comes back from Troy with much spoil, but we with\nempty hands. Let us see what it is that \u00c6olus hath given, for doubtless\nin this ox-hide is much silver and gold.\u201d\n\nSo they loosed the great bag of ox-hide, and lo! all the winds rushed\nout, and carried them far away from their country. But Ulysses, waking\nwith the tumult, doubted much whether he should not throw himself into\nthe sea and so die. But he endured, thinking it better to live. Only\nhe veiled his face and so sat, while the ships drave before the winds,\ntill they came once more to the island of \u00c6olus. Then Ulysses went\nto the palace of the king, and found him feasting with his wife and\nchildren, and sat him down on the threshold. Much did they wonder to\nsee him, saying, \u201cWhat evil power has hindered thee, that thou didst\nnot reach thy country and home?\u201d\n\nThen he answered, \u201cBlame not me, but the evil counsels of my comrades,\nand sleep, which mastered me to my hurt. But do ye help me again.\u201d\n\nBut they said, \u201cBegone; we may not help him whom the gods hate; and\nhated of them thou surely art.\u201d\n\nSo \u00c6olus sent him away. Then again they launched their ships and set\nforth, toiling wearily at the oars, and sad at heart.\n\nSix days they rowed, nor rested at night, and on the seventh they came\nto Lamos, which was a city of the L\u00e6strygons, in whose land the night\nis as the day, so that a man might earn double wage, if only he wanted\nnot sleep--shepherd by day and herdsman by night. There was a fair\nhaven with cliffs about it, and a narrow mouth with great rocks on\neither side. And within are no waves, but always calm.\n\nNow Ulysses made fast his ship to the rocks, but the others entered\nthe haven. Then he sent two men and a herald with them, and these\ncame upon a smooth road by which waggons brought down wood from the\nmountain to the city. Here they met a maiden, the stalwart daughter of\nAntiphates, king of the land, and asked of her who was lord of that\ncountry. Whereupon she showed them her father\u2019s lofty palace. And they,\nentering this, saw the maiden\u2019s mother, big as a mountain, horrible\nto behold, who straightway called to Antiphates, her husband. The\nmessengers, indeed, fled to the ships; but he made a great shout, and\nthe L\u00e6strygons came flocking about him, giants, not men. And these\nbroke off great stones from the cliffs, each stone as much as a man\ncould carry, and cast them at the ships, so that they were broken. And\nthe men they speared, as if they were fishes, and devoured them. So it\nhappened to all the ships in the haven. Ulysses only escaped, for he\ncut the hawser with his sword, and bade his men ply their oars, which\nindeed they did right willingly.\n\nAfter a while they came to the island of \u00c6\u00e6a, where Circ\u00e9 dwelt, who\nwas the daughter of the Sun. Two days and nights they lay upon the\nshore in great trouble and sorrow. On the third, Ulysses took his spear\nand sword and climbed a hill that there was, for he wished to see to\nwhat manner of land they had come. And having climbed it, he saw the\nsmoke rising from the palace of Circ\u00e9, where it stood in the midst of\na wood. Then he thought awhile: should he go straightway to the palace\nthat he saw, or first return to his comrades on the shore? And this\nlast seemed better; and it chanced that as he went he saw a great stag\nwhich was going down to the river to drink, for indeed the sun was\nnow hot, and casting his spear at it he pierced it through. Then he\nfastened together the feet with green withes and a fathom\u2019s length of\nrope, and slinging the beast round his neck, so carried it to the ship,\nleaning on his spear; for indeed it was heavy to bear, nor could any\nman have carried it on the shoulder with one hand. And when he was come\nto the ship, he cast down his burden. Now the men were sitting with\ntheir faces muffled, so sad were they. But when he bade them be of good\ncheer, they looked up and marvelled at the great stag. And all that day\nthey feasted on deer\u2019s flesh and sweet wine, and at night lay down to\nsleep on the shore. But when morning was come, Ulysses called them all\ntogether and spake,--\n\n\u201cI know not, friends, where we are. Only I know, having seen smoke\nyesterday from the hill, that there is a dwelling in this island.\u201d\n\nIt troubled the men much to hear this, for they thought of the Cyclops\nand of the L\u00e6strygons; and they wailed aloud, but there was no counsel\nin them. Wherefore Ulysses divided them into two companies, setting\nEurylochus over the one and himself over the other, and shook lots\nin a helmet who should go and search out the island, and the lot of\nEurylochus leapt out. So he went, and comrades twenty and two with him.\nAnd in an open space in the wood they found the palace of Circ\u00e9. All\nabout were wolves and lions; yet these harmed not the men, but stood up\non their hind legs, fawning upon them, as dogs fawn upon their master\nwhen he comes from his meal. And the men were afraid. And they stood\nin the porch and heard the voice of Circ\u00e9 as she sang with a lovely\nvoice and plied the loom. Then said Polites, who was dearest of all his\ncomrades to Ulysses,--\n\n\u201cSome one within plies a great loom, and sings with a loud voice. Some\ngoddess is she, or woman. Let us make haste and call.\u201d\n\nSo they called to her, and she came out and beckoned to them that they\nshould follow. So they went, in their folly. And she bade them sit, and\nmixed for them a mess, red wine, and in it barley-meal and cheese and\nhoney, and mighty drugs withal, of which, if a man drank, he forgot all\nthat he loved. And when they had drunk she smote them with her wand.\nAnd lo! they had of a sudden the heads and the voices and the bristles\nof swine, but the heart of a man was in them still. And Circ\u00e9 shut\nthem in sties, and gave them mast and acorns and cornel to eat.\n\nBut Eurylochus fled back to the ship. And for a while he could not\nspeak, so full was his heart of grief, but at the last he told the tale\nof what had befallen. Then Ulysses took his silver-studded sword and\nhis bow, and bade Eurylochus guide him by the way that he had gone.\n\nNor would he hearken when Eurylochus would have hindered him, but said,\n\u201cStay here by the ship, eating and drinking, if it be thy will, but I\nmust go, for necessity constrains me.\u201d\n\nAnd when he had come to the house, there met him Hermes of the golden\nwand, in the shape of a fair youth, who said to him,--\n\n\u201cArt thou come to rescue thy comrades that are now swine in Circ\u00e9\u2019s\nhouse? Nay, but thou shalt never go back thyself. Yet, stay; I will\ngive thee such a drug as shall give thee power to resist all her\ncharms. For when she shall have mixed thee a mess, and smitten thee\nwith her wand, then do thou rush upon her with thy sword, making as if\nthou wouldst slay her. And when she shall pray for peace, do thou make\nher swear by the great oath that binds the gods that she will not harm\nthee.\u201d\n\nThen Hermes showed Ulysses a certain herb, whose root was black, but\nthe flower white as milk. \u201cMoly,\u201d the gods call it, and very hard it\nis for mortal man to find. Then Ulysses went into the house, and all\nbefell as Hermes had told him. For Circ\u00e9 would have changed him as she\nhad changed his comrades. Then he rushed at her with his sword, and\nmade her swear the great oath which binds the gods that she would not\nharm him.\n\nBut afterwards, when they sat at meat together, the goddess perceived\nthat he was silent and ate not. Wherefore she said, \u201cWhy dost thou\nsit, Ulysses, as though thou wert dumb? Fearest thou any craft of mine?\nNay, but that may not be, for have I not sworn the great oath that\nbinds the gods?\u201d\n\nAnd Ulysses said, \u201cNay, but who could think of meat and drink when such\nthings had befallen his companions?\u201d\n\nThen Circ\u00e9 led the way, holding her wand in her hand, and opened the\ndoors of the sties, and drove out the swine that had been men. Then she\nrubbed on each another mighty drug, and the bristles fell from their\nbodies and they became men, only younger and fairer than before. And\nwhen they saw Ulysses they clung to him and wept for joy, and Circ\u00e9\nherself was moved with pity.\n\nThen said she, \u201cGo, Ulysses, to thy ship, and put away all the goods\nand tackling in the caves that are on the shore, but come again hither\nthyself, and bring thy comrades with thee.\u201d\n\nThen Ulysses went. Right glad were they who had stayed to see him,\nglad as are the calves who have been penned in the fold-yard when\ntheir mothers come back in the evening. And when he told them what had\nbeen, and would have them follow him, they were all willing, save only\nEurylochus, who said,--\n\n\u201cO ye fools, whither are we going? To the dwelling of Circ\u00e9, who will\nchange us all into swine, or wolves, or lions, and keep us in prison,\neven as the Cyclops did! For was it not this same foolhardy Ulysses\nthat lost our comrades there?\u201d\n\nThen was Ulysses very wroth, and would have slain Eurylochus, though\nnear of kin to him. But his comrades hindered him, saying, \u201cLet him\nabide here and keep the ship, if he will. But we will go with thee to\nthe dwelling of Circ\u00e9.\u201d\n\nThen Ulysses forbore. Nor did Eurylochus stay behind, but followed\nwith the rest. So they went to the dwelling of Circ\u00e9, who feasted them\nroyally, so that they remained with her for a whole year, well content.\n\nBut when the year was out they said to Ulysses, \u201cIt were well to\nremember thy country, if it is indeed the will of the gods that thou\nshouldst return thither.\u201d\n\nThen Ulysses besought Circ\u00e9 that she would send him on his way\nhomewards, as indeed she had promised to do. And she answered,--\n\n\u201cI would not have you abide in my house unwillingly. Yet must thou\nfirst go another journey, even to the dwellings of the dead, there to\nspeak with the seer Tiresias.\u201d\n\nBut Ulysses was sore troubled to hear such things, and wept aloud,\nsaying, \u201cWho shall guide us in this journey?--for never yet did ship\nmake such a voyage as this.\u201d\n\nThen said Circ\u00e9, \u201cSeek no guide; only raise the mast of thy ship and\nspread the white sails, and sit in peace. So shall the north wind\nbear thee to the place on the ocean shore where are the groves of\nPersephon\u00e9, tall poplars and willows. There must thou beach thy ship.\nAnd after that thou must go alone.\u201d\n\nThen she told him all that he must do if he would hold converse with\nthe dead seer Tiresias, and hear what should befall him. So the next\nmorning he roused his companions, telling them that they should now\nreturn. But it chanced that one of them, Elpenor by name, was sleeping\non the roof, for the coolness, being heavy with wine. And when he heard\nthe stir of his comrades, he rose up, nor thought of the ladder, but\nfell from the roof and brake his neck. And the rest being assembled,\nUlysses told them how they must take another journey first, even to the\ndwellings of the dead. This they were much troubled to hear, yet they\nmade ready the ship and departed.\n\nSo they came to the place of which Circ\u00e9 had told them. And when all\nthings had been rightly done, Ulysses saw spirits of the dead. First of\nall came Elpenor, and he marvelled much to see him, saying,--\n\n\u201cHow camest thou hither?--on foot or in the ship?\u201d\n\nThen he answered, telling how he had died; and he said, \u201cNow, as thou\nwilt go back, I know, to the island of Circ\u00e9, suffer me not to remain\nunburied, but make above me a mound of earth, for men in aftertimes to\nsee, and put upon it my oar, with which I was wont to row while I yet\nlived.\u201d\n\nThese things Ulysses promised that he would do. Afterwards came the\nspirit of Tiresias, holding a sceptre of gold in his hand. And when\nUlysses asked him of his return, he said,--\n\n\u201cThy return shall be difficult, because of the anger of Poseidon,\nwhose son thou madest blind. Yet, when thou comest to the island of\nthe Three Capes, where feed the oxen of the Sun, if thou leave these\nunhurt, thou and thy comrades shall return to Ithaca. But otherwise\nthey shall perish, and thou shalt return, after long time, in a ship\nnot thine own, and shalt find in thy palace, devouring thy goods, men\nof violence, suitors of thy wife. These shalt thou slay, openly or by\ncraft. Nor yet shalt thou rest, but shalt go to a land where men know\nnot the sea, nor eat their meat with salt; and thou shalt carry thy\noar on thy shoulder. And this shall be a sign to thee, when another\nwayfarer, meeting thee, shall ask whether it be a winnowing fan that\nthou bearest on thy shoulder; then shalt thou fix thy oar in the earth,\nand make a sacrifice to Poseidon, and so return. So shalt thou die at\nlast in peace.\u201d\n\nThen Tiresias departed. After this he saw his mother, and asked how it\nfared with his home in Ithaca, and she told him all. And many others\nhe saw, wives and daughters of the heroes of old time. Also there came\nKing Agamemnon, who told him how \u00c6gisthus, with Clytemnestra, his\nwicked wife, had slain him in his own palace, being newly returned from\nTroy. Fain would the King have heard how it fared with Orestes, his\nson, but of this Ulysses could tell him nothing. Then came the spirit\nof Achilles, and him Ulysses comforted, telling him how bravely and\nwisely his son Neoptolemus had borne himself in Troy.\n\nAlso he saw the spirit of Ajax, son of Telamon; but Ajax spake not to\nhim, having great wrath in his heart, because of the arms of Achilles.\nFor the two, Ajax and Ulysses, had contended for them, Achilles being\ndead, before the assembly of the Greeks, and the Greeks had given them\nto Ulysses, whereupon Ajax, being very wroth, had laid hands upon\nhimself.\n\nAnd having seen many other things, Ulysses went back to his ship, and\nreturned with his companions to the island of Circ\u00e9. And being arrived\nthere, first they buried Elpenor, making a mound over him, and setting\nup on it his oar, and afterwards Circ\u00e9 made them a feast. But while the\nothers slept she told to Ulysses all that should befall him, saying,--\n\n\u201cFirst thou wilt come to the island of the Sirens, who sing so sweetly,\nthat whosoever hears them straightway forgets wife and child and home.\nIn a meadow they sit, singing sweetly, but about them are bones of men.\nDo thou, then, close with wax the ears of thy companions, and make them\nbind thee to the mast, so that thou mayest hear the song and yet take\nno hurt. And do thou bid them, when thou shalt pray to be loosed, not\nto hearken, but rather to bind thee the more. And this peril being\npast, there lie others in thy path, of which thou must take thy choice.\nFor either thou must pass between the rocks which the gods call the\nWanderers--and these close upon all that passes between them, even the\nvery doves in their flight, nor has any ship escaped them, save only\nthe ship _Argo_, which Her\u00e9 loved--or thou must go through the strait,\nwhere there is a rock on either hand. In the one rock dwells Scylla,\nin a cave so high above the sea that an archer could not reach it with\nhis arrow. A horrible monster is she. Twelve unshapely feet she hath,\nand six long necks, and on each a head with three rows of teeth. In\nthe cave she lies, but her heads are without, fishing for sea-dogs and\ndolphins, or even a great whale, if such should chance to go by. Think\nnot to escape her, Ulysses, for, of a truth, with each head will she\ntake one of thy companions. But the other rock is lower and more flat,\nwith a wild fig-tree on the top. There Charybdis thrice a day draws\nin the dark water, and thrice a day sends it forth. Be not thou near\nwhen she draws it in; not even Poseidon\u2019s self could save thee. Choose\nrather to pass near to Scylla, for it is better to lose six of thy\ncompanions than that all should perish.\u201d\n\nThen said Ulysses, \u201cCan I not fight with this Scylla, and so save my\ncompanions?\u201d\n\nBut Circ\u00e9 answered, \u201cNay, for she is not of mortal race. And if thou\nlinger to arm thyself, thou wilt but lose six others of thy companions.\nPass them with all the speed that may be, and call on Crata\u00efs, who is\nthe mother of Scylla, that she may keep her from coming the second\ntime. Then wilt thou come to the island of the Three Capes, where feed\nthe oxen of the Sun. Beware that thy companions harm them not.\u201d\n\nThe next day they departed. Then Ulysses told his companions of the\nSirens, and how they should deal with him. And after a while, the\nfollowing wind that had blown ceased, and there was a great calm; so\nthey took down the sails and laid them in the ship, and put forth the\noars to row. Then Ulysses made great cakes of wax, kneading them (for\nthe sun was now hot), and put into the ears of his companions. And they\nbound him to the mast and so rowed on. Then the Sirens sang,--\n\n    \u201cHither, Ulysses, great Achaian name,\n    Turn thy swift keel, and listen to our lay;\n    Since never pilgrim near these regions came,\n    In black ship on the azure fields astray,\n    But heard our sweet voice ere he sailed away,\n    And in his joy passed on with ampler mind.\n    We know what labors were in ancient day\n    Wrought in wide Troia, as the gods assigned;\n    We know from land to land all toils of all mankind.\u201d[1]\n\n        [1] Worsley.\n\nThen Ulysses prayed that they would loose him, nodding his head, for\ntheir ears were stopped; but they plied their oars, and Eurylochus and\nPerimedes put new bonds upon him.\n\nAfter this they saw a smoke and surf, and heard a mighty roar, and\ntheir oars dropped out of their hands for fear; but Ulysses bade them\nbe of good heart, for that by his counsel they had escaped other\ndangers in past time. And the rowers he bade row as hard as they might.\nBut to the helmsman he said, \u201cSteer the ship outside the smoke and the\nsurf, and steer close to the cliffs, lest the ship shoot off unawares\nand lose us.\u201d But of Scylla he said nothing, fearing lest they should\nlose heart and cease rowing altogether. Then he armed himself, and\nstood in the prow waiting till Scylla should appear.\n\nBut on the other side Charybdis was sucking in the water with a\nhorrible noise, and with eddies so deep that a man might see the sand\nat the bottom. But while they looked trembling at this, Scylla caught\nsix of the men from the ship, and Ulysses heard them call him by his\nname as the monster carried them away. And never, he said in after\ndays, did he see with his eyes so piteous a sight.\n\nBut after this they came to the land where fed the oxen of the Sun. And\nUlysses said, \u201cLet us pass by this island, for there shall we find the\ngreatest evil that we have yet suffered.\u201d But they would not hearken;\nonly they said that the next day they would sail again.\n\nThen spake Ulysses, \u201cYe constrain me, being many to one. Yet promise\nme this, that ye will not take any of the sheep or oxen, for if ye do\ngreat trouble will come to us.\u201d\n\nSo they promised. But for a whole month the south wind blew and ceased\nnot. And their store of meat and drink being spent, they caught fishes\nand birds, as they could, being sore pinched with hunger. And at the\nlast it chanced that Ulysses, being weary, fell asleep. And while he\nslept, his companions, Eurylochus persuading them, took of the oxen of\nthe Sun, and slew them, for they said that their need was great, and\nthat when they came to their own land they would build a temple to the\nSun to make amends. But the Sun was very wroth with them. And a great\nand dreadful thing happened, for the hides crept, and the meat on the\nspits bellowed.\n\nSix days they feasted on the oxen, and on the seventh they set sail.\nBut when they were now out of sight of land, Zeus brought up a great\nstorm over the sea, and a mighty west wind blew, breaking both the\nforestay and the backstay of the mast, so that it fell. And after this\na thunderbolt struck the ship, and all the men that were in it fell\noverboard and died. But Ulysses lashed the keel to the mast with the\nbackstay, and on these he sat, borne by the winds across the sea.\n\nAll night was he borne along, and in the morning he came to Charybdis.\nAnd it chanced that Charybdis was then sucking in the water; but\nUlysses, springing up, clung to a wild fig-tree that grew from the\nrock, but could find no rest for his feet, nor yet could climb into the\ntree. All day long he clung, waiting till the raft should come forth\nagain; and at evening, at the time when a judge rises from his seat\nafter judging many causes, the raft came forth. Then he loosed his\nhands and fell, so that he sat astride upon the raft.\n\nAfter this he was borne for nine days upon the sea, till he came to the\nisland Ogygia, where dwelt the goddess Calypso.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER IX.\n\n\nFor seven years Ulysses tarried in the island of Calypso. And in the\neighth year Zeus sent Hermes to the goddess, to bid her let Ulysses go.\nSo Hermes donned his golden sandals, and took his wand in his hand,\nand came to the island of Ogygia, and to the cave where Calypso dwelt.\nA fair place it was. In the cave was burning a fire of sweet-smelling\nwood, and Calypso sat at her loom and sang with a lovely voice. And\nround about the cave was a grove of alders and poplars and cypresses,\nwherein many birds, falcons and owls and sea-crows, were wont to\nroost; and all about the mouth of the cave was a vine with purple\nclusters of grapes; and there were four fountains which streamed four\nways through meadows of parsley and violet. But Ulysses was not there,\nfor he sat, as was his wont, on the sea-shore, weeping and groaning\nbecause he might not see wife and home and country.\n\nAnd Calypso spied Hermes, and bade him come within, and gave him meat\nand drink, ambrosia and nectar, which are the food of the gods. And\nwhen he had ended his meal, she asked him of his errand. So he told her\nthat he was come, at the bidding of Zeus, in the matter of Ulysses,\nfor that it was the pleasure of the gods that he should return to his\nnative country, and that she should not hinder him any more. It vexed\nCalypso much to hear this, for she would fain have kept Ulysses with\nher always, and she said,--\n\n\u201cYe gods are always jealous when a goddess loves a mortal man. And as\nfor Ulysses, did not I save him when Zeus had smitten his ship with a\nthunderbolt, and all his comrades had perished? And now let him go,--if\nit pleases Zeus. Only I cannot send him, for I have neither ship nor\nrowers. Yet will I willingly teach him how he may safely return.\u201d\n\nAnd Hermes said, \u201cDo this thing speedily, lest Zeus be wroth with thee.\u201d\n\nSo he departed. And Calypso went seeking Ulysses, and found him on the\nshore of the sea, looking out over the waters, as was his wont, and\nweeping, for he was weary of his life, so much did he desire to see\nIthaca again. She stood by him and said,--\n\n\u201cWeary not for thy native country, nor waste thyself with tears. If\nthou wilt go, I will speed thee on thy way. Take therefore thine axe\nand cut thee beams, and join them together, and make a deck upon them,\nand I will give thee bread and water and wine, and clothe thee also, so\nthat thou mayest return safe to thy native country, for the gods will\nhave it so.\u201d\n\n\u201cNay,\u201d said Ulysses, \u201cwhat is this that thou sayest? Shall I pass in a\nraft over the dreadful sea, over which even ships go not without harm?\nI will not go against thy will; but thou must swear the great oath of\nthe gods that thou plannest no evil against me.\u201d\n\nThen Calypso smiled and said, \u201cThese are strange words. By the Styx I\nswear that I plan no harm against thee, but only such good as I would\nask myself, did I need it; for indeed my heart is not of iron, but\nrather full of compassion.\u201d\n\nThen they two went to the cave and sat down to meat, and she set before\nhim food, such as mortal men eat, but she herself ate ambrosia and\ndrank nectar, as the gods are wont. And afterwards she said,--\n\n\u201cWhy art thou so eager for thy home? Surely if thou knewest all the\ntrouble that awaits thee, thou wouldst not go, but wouldst rather dwell\nwith me. And though thou desirest all the day long to see thy wife,\nsurely I am not less fair than she.\u201d\n\n\u201cBe not angry,\u201d Ulysses made reply. \u201cThe wise Penelop\u00e9 cannot indeed be\ncompared to thee, for she is a mortal woman and thou art a goddess. Yet\nis my home dear to me, and I would fain see it again.\u201d\n\nThe next day Calypso gave him an axe with a handle of olive wood, and\nan adze, and took him to the end of the island, where there were great\ntrees, long ago sapless and dry, alder and poplar and pine. Of these he\nfelled twenty, and lopped them, and worked them by the line. Then the\ngoddess brought him a gimlet, and he made holes in the logs and joined\nthem with pegs. And he made decks and side-planking also; also a mast\nand a yard, and a rudder wherewith to turn the raft. And he fenced it\nabout with a bulwark of osier against the waves. The sails, indeed,\nCalypso wove, and Ulysses fitted them with braces and halyards and\nsheets. And afterwards, with ropes, he moored the raft to the shore.\n\nOn the fourth day all was finished, and on the fifth day he departed.\nAnd Calypso gave him goodly garments, and a skin of wine, and a skin\nof water, and a rich provender in a wallet of leather. She sent also\na fair wind blowing behind, and Ulysses set his sails and proceeded\njoyfully on his way; nor did he sleep, but watched the sun and the\nstars, still steering, as indeed Calypso had bidden, to the left. So he\nsailed for seventeen days, and on the eighteenth he saw the hills of\nPh\u00e6acia and the land, which had the shape of a shield.\n\nBut Poseidon spied him as he sailed, and was wroth to see him so near\nto the end of his troubles. Wherefore he sent all the winds of heaven\ndown upon him. Sore troubled was Ulysses, and said to himself, \u201cIt was\ntruth that Calypso spake when she said how that I should suffer many\ntroubles returning to my home. Would that I had died that day when many\na spear was cast by the men of Troy over the dead Achilles. Then would\nthe Greeks have buried me; but now shall I perish miserably.\u201d\n\nAnd as he spake a great wave struck the raft and tossed him far away,\nso that he dropped the rudder from his hand. Nor for a long time could\nhe rise, so deep was he sunk, and so heavy was the goodly clothing\nwhich Calypso had given him. Yet at the last he rose, and spat the salt\nwater out of his mouth, and, so brave was he, sprang at the raft and\ncaught it and sat thereon, and was borne hither and thither by the\nwaves. But Ino saw him and pitied him--a woman she had been, and was\nnow a goddess of the sea--and came and sat upon the waves, saying,--\n\n\u201cLuckless mortal, why doth Poseidon hate thee so? He shall not slay\nthee, though he fain would do it. Put off these garments and swim to\nthe land of Ph\u00e6acia, putting this veil under thy breast. And when thou\nart come to the land, loose it from thee, and cast it into the sea; but\nwhen thou castest it, look away.\u201d\n\nBut Ulysses doubted what this might be, and thought that he would yet\nstay on the raft while the timbers held together, for that the land\nwas far away. But as he thought, yet another great wave struck it, and\nscattered the timbers. And he sat upon one of them, as a man sits upon\na horse; and then he stripped off the garments which Calypso had given\nhim, and so, leaping into the sea, made to swim to the land.\n\nAnd Poseidon saw him, and said, \u201cGet to the shore if thou canst, but\neven so thou art not come to the end of thy troubles.\u201d\n\nSo for two days and two nights he swam, Athen\u00e9 helping him, for\notherwise he had perished. But on the third day there was a calm,\nand he saw the land from the top of a great wave, for the waves were\nyet high, close at hand. Dear as a father to his son, rising up from\ngrievous sickness, so dear was the land to Ulysses. But when he came\nnear he heard the waves breaking along the shore, for there was no\nharbor there, but only cliffs and rugged rocks. And while he doubted\nwhat he should do, a great wave bore him to the shore. Then would he\nhave perished, all his bones being broken; but Athen\u00e9 put it in his\nheart to lay hold of a great rock till the wave had spent itself. And\neven then had he died, for the ebb caught him and bore him far out to\nsea; but he bethought him that he would swim along, if haply he might\nsee some landing-place. And at last he came to the mouth of a river,\nwhere there were no rocks. Then at last he won his way to the land. His\nknees were bent under him, and his hands dropped at his side, and the\nsalt water ran out of his mouth and nostrils. Breathless was he, and\nspeechless; but when he came to himself, he loosed the veil from under\nhis breast and cast it into the sea.\n\nThen he lay down on the rushes by the bank of the river and kissed the\nearth, thinking within himself, \u201cWhat now shall I do? for if I sleep\nhere by the river, I fear that the dew and the frost may slay me; for\nindeed, in the morning-time the wind from the river blows cold. And if\nI go up to the wood, to lay me down to sleep in the thicket, I fear\nthat some evil beast may devour me.\u201d\n\nBut it seemed better to go to the wood. So he went. Now this was close\nto the river, and he found two bushes, of wild olive one, and of\nfruitful olive the other. So thickly grown together were they, that\nthe winds blew not through them, nor did the sun pierce them, nor yet\nthe rain. Thereunder crept Ulysses, and found great store of leaves,\nshelter enough for two or three, even in a great storm. Then, even as\na man who dwells apart from others cherishes his fire, hiding it under\nthe ashes, so Ulysses cherished his life under the leaves. And Athen\u00e9\nsent down upon his eyelids deep sleep, that might ease him of his toil.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER X.\n\nNAUSICAA AND ALCINO\u00dcS.\n\n\nNow the king of Ph\u00e6acia was Alcino\u00fcs, and he had five sons and one\ndaughter, Nausicaa. To her, where she slept with her two maidens by\nher, Athen\u00e9 went, taking the shape of her friend, the daughter of\nDymas, and said,--\n\n\u201cWhy hath thy mother so idle a daughter, Nausicaa? Lo! thy garments lie\nunwashed, and thy wedding must be near, seeing that many nobles in the\nland are suitors to thee. Ask then thy father that he give thee the\nwagon with the mules, for the laundries are far from the city, and I\nwill go with thee.\u201d\n\nAnd when the morning was come, Nausicaa awoke, marvelling at the\ndream, and went seeking her parents. Her mother she found busy with\nher maidens at the loom, and her father she met as he was going to the\ncouncil with the chiefs of the land. Then she said, \u201cGive me, father,\nthe wagon with the mules, that I may take the garments to the river\nto wash them. Thou shouldest always have clean robes when thou goest\nto the council; and there are my five brothers also, who love to have\nnewly-washed garments at the dance.\u201d\n\nBut of her own marriage she said nothing. And her father, knowing her\nthoughts, said, \u201cIt is well. The men shall harness the wagon for thee.\u201d\n\nSo they put the clothing into the wagon. And her mother put also food\nand wine, and olive oil also, wherewith she and her maidens might\nanoint themselves after the bath. So they climbed into the wagon and\nwent to the river. And then they washed the clothing, and spread it\nout to dry on the rocks by the sea. And after that they had bathed and\nanointed themselves, they sat down to eat and drink by the river side;\nand after the meal they played at ball, singing as they played, and\nNausicaa, fair as Artemis when she hunts on Taygetus or Erymanthus wild\ngoats and stags, led the song. But when they had nearly ended their\nplay, the princess, throwing the ball to one of her maidens, cast it\nso wide that it fell into the river. Whereupon they all cried aloud,\nand Ulysses awoke. And he said to himself, \u201cWhat is this land to which\nI have come? Are they that dwell therein fierce or kind to strangers?\nJust now I seemed to hear the voice of nymphs, or am I near the\ndwellings of men?\u201d\n\nThen he twisted leaves about his loins, and rose up and went towards\nthe maidens, who indeed were frighted to see him (for he was wild of\naspect), and fled hither and thither. But Nausicaa stood and fled not.\nThen Ulysses thought within himself, should he go near and clasp her\nknees, or, lest haply this should anger her, should he stand and speak?\nAnd this he did, saying,--\n\n\u201cI am thy suppliant, O queen. Whether thou art a goddess, I know not.\nBut if thou art a mortal, happy thy father and mother, and happy thy\nbrothers, and happiest of all he who shall win thee in marriage. Never\nhave I seen man or woman so fair. Thou art like a young palm-tree that\nbut lately I saw in Delos, springing by the temple of the god. But as\nfor me, I have been cast on this shore, having come from the island\nOgygia. Pity me, then, and lead me to the city, and give me something,\na wrapper of this linen, maybe, to put about me. So may the gods give\nthee all blessings!\u201d\n\nAnd Nausicaa made answer, \u201cThou seemest, stranger, to be neither evil\nnor foolish; and as for thy plight, the gods give good fortune or bad,\nas they will. Thou shalt not lack clothing or food, or anything that a\nsuppliant should have. And I will take thee to the city. Know also that\nthis land is Ph\u00e6acia, and that I am daughter to Alcino\u00fcs, who is king\nthereof.\u201d\n\nThen she called to her maidens, \u201cWhat mean ye, to flee when ye see a\nman? No enemy comes hither to harm us, for we are dear to the gods, and\nwe also live in an island of the sea, so that men may not approach to\nwork us wrong; but if one cometh here overborne by trouble, it is well\nto succor him. Give this man, therefore, food and drink, and wash him\nin the river, where there is shelter from the wind.\u201d\n\nSo they brought him down to the river, and gave him a tunic and a cloak\nto clothe himself withal, and also oil-olive in a flask of gold. Then,\nat his bidding, they departed a little space, and he washed the salt\nfrom his skin and out of his hair, and anointed himself, and put on the\nclothing. And Athen\u00e9 made him taller and fairer to see, and caused the\nhair to be thick on his head, in color as a hyacinth. Then he sat down\non the sea-shore, right beautiful to behold, and the maiden said,--\n\n\u201cNot without some bidding of the gods comes this man to our land.\nBefore, indeed, I deemed him uncomely, but now he seems like to the\ngods. I should be well content to have such a man for a husband, and\nmaybe he might will to abide in this land. But give him, ye maidens,\nfood and drink.\u201d\n\nSo they gave him, and he ate ravenously, having fasted long. Then\nNausicaa bade yoke the mules, and said to Ulysses,--\n\n\u201cFollow thou with the maidens, and I will lead the way in the wagon.\nFor I would not that the people should speak lightly of me. And I doubt\nnot that were thou with me, some one of the baser sort would say,\n\u2018Who is this stranger, tall and fair, that cometh with Nausicaa? Will\nhe be her husband? Perchance it is some god who has come down at her\nprayer, or a man from far away; for of us men of Ph\u00e6acia she thinks\nscorn,\u2019 It would be shame that such words should be spoken. And indeed\nit is ill-done of a maiden who, father and mother unknowing, companies\nwith men. Do thou, then, follow behind, and when we are come to the\ncity, tarry in a poplar grove that thou shalt see (\u2019tis the grove of\nAthen\u00e9) till I shall have come to my father\u2019s house. Then follow; and\nfor the house, that any one, even a child can show thee, for the other\nPh\u00e6acians dwell not in such. And when thou art come within the doors,\npass quickly through the hall to where my mother sits. Close to the\nhearth is her seat, and my father\u2019s hard by, where he sits with the\nwine-cup in his hand, as a god. Pass him by, and lay hold of her knees,\nand pray her that she give thee safe return to thy country.\u201d\n\nIt was evening when they came to the city. And Nausicaa drove the\nwagon to the palace. Then her brothers came out to her, and loosed the\nmules and carried in the clothing. Then she went to her chamber, where\nEurymedusa, who was her nurse, lighted a fire and prepared a meal.\nMeanwhile Ulysses came from the grove, and, lest any one should see\nhim, Athen\u00e9 spread a mist about him; and when he had now reached the\ncity, she took the shape of a young maiden carrying a pitcher, and met\nhim.\n\nThen Ulysses asked her, \u201cMy child, canst thou tell me where dwells\nAlcino\u00fcs? for I am a stranger in this place.\u201d\n\nAnd she answered, \u201cI will show thee, for indeed he dwells nigh to my\nown father. But be thou silent, for we Ph\u00e6acians love not strangers\nover much.\u201d Then she led him to the palace. A wondrous place it was,\nwith walls of brass and doors of gold, hanging on posts of silver;\nand on either side of the door were dogs of gold and silver, the work\nof Heph\u00e6stus, and against the wall, all along from the threshold to\nthe inner chamber, were set seats, on which sat the chiefs of the\nPh\u00e6acians, feasting; and youths wrought in gold stood holding torches\nin their hands, to give light in the darkness. Fifty women were in the\nhouse grinding corn and weaving robes, for the women of the land are no\nless skilled to weave than are the men to sail the sea. And round about\nthe house were gardens beautiful exceedingly, with orchards of fig and\napple and pear and pomegranate and olive. Drought hurts them not, nor\nfrost, and harvest comes after harvest without ceasing. Also there was\na vineyard; and some of the grapes were parching in the sun, and some\nwere being gathered, and some again were but just turning red. And\nthere were beds of all manner of flowers; and in the midst of all were\ntwo fountains which never failed.\n\nThese things Ulysses regarded for a space, and then passed into the\nhall. And there the chiefs of Ph\u00e6acia were drinking their last cup to\nHermes. Quickly he passed through them, and put his hands on the knees\nof Aret\u00e9, and said,--and as he spake the mist cleared from about him,\nand all that were in the hall beheld him,--\n\n\u201cI am a suppliant to thee, and to thy husband, and to thy guests. The\ngods bless thee and them, and grant you to live in peace, and that your\nchildren should come peacefully after you. Only do you send me home to\nmy native country.\u201d\n\nAnd he sat down in the ashes of the hearth. Then for a space all were\nsilent; but at the last spake Echene\u00fcs, who was the oldest man in the\nland,--\n\n\u201cKing Alcino\u00fcs, this ill becomes you that this man should sit in the\nashes of the hearth. Raise him and bid him sit upon a seat, and let us\npour out to Father Zeus, who is the friend of suppliants, and let the\nkeeper of the house give him meat and drink.\u201d\n\nAnd Alcino\u00fcs did so, bidding his eldest born, Laodamas, rise from his\nseat. And an attendant poured water on his hands, and the keeper of\nthe house gave him meat and drink. Then, when all had poured out to\nFather Zeus, King Alcino\u00fcs said that they would take counsel on the\nmorrow about sending this stranger to his home. And they answered that\nit should be so, and went each to his home. Only Ulysses was left in\nthe hall, and Alcino\u00fcs and Aret\u00e9 with him. And Aret\u00e9 saw his cloak and\ntunic, that she and her maidens had made them, and said,--\n\n\u201cWhence art thou, stranger? and who gave thee these garments?\u201d\n\nSo Ulysses told her how he had come from the island of Calypso, and\nwhat he had suffered, and how Nausicaa had found him on the shore, and\nhad guided him to the city.\n\nBut Alcino\u00fcs blamed the maiden that she had not herself brought him to\nthe house. \u201cFor thou wast her suppliant,\u201d he said.\n\n\u201cNay,\u201d said Ulysses; \u201cshe would have brought me, but I would not,\nfearing thy wrath.\u201d For he would not have the maiden blamed.\n\nThen said Alcino\u00fcs, \u201cI am not one to be angered for such cause. Gladly\nwould I have such a one as thou art to be my son-in-law, and I would\ngive him house and wealth. But no one would I stay against his will.\nAnd as for sending thee to thy home, that is easy; for thou shalt\nsleep, and they shall take thee meanwhile.\u201d\n\nAnd after this they slept. And the next day the King called the chiefs\nto an assembly, and told them of his purpose, that he would send this\nstranger to his home, for that it was their wont to show such kindness\nto such as needed it. And he bade fifty and two of the younger men make\nready a ship, and that the elders should come to his house, and bring\nDemodocus, the minstrel, with them, for that he was minded to make a\ngreat feast for this stranger before he departed. So the youths made\nready the ship. And afterwards there were gathered together a great\nmultitude, so that the palace was filled from the one end to the other.\nAnd Alcino\u00fcs slew for them twelve sheep and eight swine and two oxen.\nAnd when they had feasted to the full, the minstrel sang to them of how\nAchilles and Ulysses had striven together with fierce words at a feast,\nand how King Agamemnon was glad, seeing that so the prophecy of Apollo\nwas fulfilled, saying that when valor and counsel should fall out, the\nend of Troy should come. But when Ulysses heard the song, he wept,\nholding his mantle before his face.\n\nThis Alcino\u00fcs perceived, and said to the chiefs, \u201cNow that we have\nfeasted and delighted ourselves with song, let us go forth, that this\nstranger may see that we are skilful in boxing and wrestling and\nrunning.\u201d\n\nSo they went forth, a herald leading Demodocus by the hand, for the\nminstrel was blind. Then stood up many Ph\u00e6acian youths, and the fairest\nand strongest of them all was Laodamas, eldest son to the King, and\nafter him Euryalus. And next they ran a race, and Clytoneus was the\nswiftest. And among the wrestlers Euryalus was the best; and of the\nboxers, Laodamas. And in throwing the quoit Elatrius excelled; and in\nleaping at the bar, Amphialus.\n\nThen Laodamas, Euryalus urging him, said to Ulysses, \u201cFather, wilt\nthou not try thy skill in some game, and put away the trouble from thy\nheart?\u201d\n\nBut Ulysses answered, \u201cWhy askest thou this? I think of my troubles\nrather than of sport, and sit among you, caring only that I may see\nagain my home.\u201d\n\nThen said Euryalus, \u201cAnd in very truth, stranger, thou hast not the\nlook of a wrestler or boxer. Rather would one judge thee to be some\ntrader, who sails over the sea for gain.\u201d\n\n\u201cNay,\u201d answered Ulysses, \u201cthis is ill said. So true is it that the\ngods give not all gifts to all men, beauty to one and sweet speech to\nanother. Fair of form art thou, no god could better thee; but thou\nspeakest idle words. I am not unskilled in these things, but stood\namong the first in the old days; but since have I suffered much in\nbattle and shipwreck. Yet will I make trial of my strength, for thy\nwords have angered me.\u201d\n\nWhereupon he took a quoit, heavier far than such as the Ph\u00e6acians were\nwont to throw, and sent it with a whirl. It hurtled through the air, so\nthat the brave Ph\u00e6acians crouched to the ground in fear, and fell far\nbeyond all the rest.\n\nThen said Ulysses, \u201cCome now, I will contend in wrestling or boxing,\nor even in the race, with any man in Ph\u00e6acia, save Laodamas only, for\nhe is my friend. I can shoot with the bow, and only Philoctetes could\nsurpass me; and I can cast a spear as far as other men can shoot an\narrow. But as for the race, it may be that some one might outrun me,\nfor I have suffered much on the sea.\u201d\n\nBut they all were silent, till the King stood up and said, \u201cThou hast\nspoken well. But we men of Ph\u00e6acia are not mighty to wrestle or to box;\nonly we are swift of foot, and skilful to sail upon the sea. And we\nlove feasts, and dances, and the harp, and gay clothing, and the bath.\nIn these things no man may surpass us.\u201d\n\nThen the King bade Demodocus the minstrel sing again. And when he had\ndone so, the King\u2019s two sons, Alius and Laodamas, danced together; and\nafterwards they played with the ball, throwing it into the air, cloud\nhigh, and catching it right skilfully.\n\nAnd afterwards the king said, \u201cLet us each give this stranger a mantle\nand a tunic and a talent of gold, and let Euryalus make his peace with\nwords and with a gift.\u201d\n\nAnd they all (now there were twelve princes, and Alcino\u00fcs the\nthirteenth) said that it should be so; also Euryalus gave Ulysses a\nsword with a hilt of silver and a scabbard of ivory. And after this\nUlysses went to the bath, and then they all sat down to the feast. But\nas he went to the hall, Nausicaa, fair as a goddess, met him and said,--\n\n\u201cHail, stranger; thou wilt remember me in thy native country, for thou\nowest me thanks for thy life.\u201d\n\nAnd he answered, \u201cEvery day in my native country will I remember thee,\nfor indeed, fair maiden, thou didst save my life.\u201d\n\nAnd when they were set down to the feast, Ulysses sent a portion of the\nchine, which the King had caused to be set before him, to the minstrel\nDemodocus, with a message that he should sing to them of the Horse of\nwood which Epeius made, Athen\u00e9 helping him, and how Ulysses brought it\ninto Troy, full of men of war who should destroy the city.\n\nThen the minstrel sang how that some of the Greeks sailed away, having\nset fire to their tents, and some hid themselves in the horse with\nUlysses, and how the men of Troy sat around, taking counsel what they\nshould do with it, and some judged that they should rip it open, and\nsome that they should throw it from the hill-top, and others again that\nthey should leave it to be a peace-offering to the gods; and how the\nGreeks issued forth from their lurking-place and spoiled the city, and\nhow Ulysses and Menela\u00fcs went to the house of De\u00efphobus.\n\nSo he sang, and Ulysses wept to hear the tale. And when Alcino\u00fcs\nperceived that he wept, he bade Demodocus cease from his song, for\nthat some that were there liked it not. And to Ulysses he said that he\nshould tell them who was his father and his mother, and from what land\nhe came, and what was his name. All these things Ulysses told them, and\nall that he had done and suffered, down to the time when the Princess\nNausicaa found him on the river shore. And when he had ended, King\nAlcino\u00fcs bade that the princes should give Ulysses yet other gifts; and\nafter that they went each man to his house to sleep.\n\nThe next day King Alcino\u00fcs put all the gifts into the ship. And when\nthe evening was come, Ulysses bade farewell to the King and to the\nQueen, and departed.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XI.\n\nULYSSES AND THE SWINEHERD.\n\n\nNow Ulysses slept while the ship was sailing to Ithaca. And when it\nwas come to the shore he yet slept. Wherefore the men lifted him out,\nand put him on the shore with all his goods that the princes of the\nPh\u00e6acians had given him, and so left him. After a while he awoke, and\nknew not the land, for there was a great mist about him, Athen\u00e9 having\ncontrived that it should be so, for good ends, as will be seen. Very\nwroth was he with the men of Ph\u00e6acia, thinking that they had cheated\nhim; nor did it comfort him when he counted his goods to find that of\nthese he had lost nothing.\n\nBut as he walked by the sea, lamenting his fate, Athen\u00e9 met him, having\nthe shape of a young shepherd, fair to look upon, such as are the sons\nof kings; and Ulysses, when he saw him, was glad, and asked him how men\ncalled the country wherein he was.\n\nAnd the false shepherd said, \u201cThou art foolish, or, may be, hast come\nfrom very far, not to know this country. Many men know it, both in the\neast and in the west. Rocky it is, not fit for horses, nor is it very\nbroad; but it is fertile land, and full of wine; nor does it want for\nrain, and a good pasture it is for oxen and goats; and men call it\nIthaca. Even in Troy, which is very far, they say, from this land of\nGreece, men have heard of Ithaca.\u201d\n\nThis Ulysses was right glad to hear. Yet he was not minded to say who\nhe was, but rather to feign a tale.\n\nSo he said, \u201cYes, of a truth, I heard of this Ithaca in Crete, from\nwhich I am newly come with all this wealth, leaving also as much behind\nfor my children. For I slew Orsilochus, son of Idomeneus the king,\nbecause he would have taken from me my spoil. Wherefore I slew him,\nlying in wait for him by the way. Then made I covenant with certain\nPh\u0153nicians that they should take me to Pylos or to Elis; which thing\nindeed they were minded to do, only the wind drave them hither, and\nwhile I slept they put me upon the shore, and my possessions with me,\nand departed to Sidon.\u201d\n\nThis pleased Athen\u00e9 much, and she changed her shape, becoming like a\nwoman, tall and fair, and said to Ulysses,--\n\n\u201cRight cunning would he be who could cheat thee. Even now in thy native\ncountry ceasest thou not from cunning words and deceits! But let these\nthings be; for thou, I trow, art the wisest of mortal men, and I excel\namong the gods in council. For I am Athen\u00e9, daughter of Zeus, who am\never wont to stand by thee and help thee. And now we will hide these\npossessions of thine; and thou must be silent, nor tell to any one who\nthou art, and endure many things, so that thou mayest come to thine own\nagain.\u201d\n\nBut still Ulysses doubted, and would have the goddess tell him whether\nof a truth he had come back to his native land. And she, commending his\nprudence, scattered the mist that was about him.\n\nThen Ulysses knew the land, and kissed the ground, and prayed to the\nNymphs that they would be favorable to him. And after this, Athen\u00e9\nguiding him, he hid away his possessions in a cave, and put a great\nstone on the mouth. Then the two took counsel together.\n\nAnd Athen\u00e9 said, \u201cThink, man of many devices, how thou wilt lay hands\non these men, suitors of thy wife, who for three years have sat in thy\nhouse devouring thy substance. And she hath answered them craftily,\nmaking many promises, but still waiting for thy coming.\u201d\n\nThen Ulysses said, \u201cTruly I had perished, even as Agamemnon perished,\nbut for thee. But do thou help me, as of old in Troy, for with thee at\nmy side I would fight with three hundred men.\u201d\n\nThen said Athen\u00e9, \u201cLo! I will cause that no man shall know thee, for\nI will wither the fair flesh on thy limbs, and take the bright hair\nfrom thy head, and make thine eyes dull. And the suitors shall take no\naccount of thee, neither shall thy wife nor thy son know thee. But go\nto the swineherd Eum\u00e6us, where he dwells by the fountain of Arethusa,\nfor he is faithful to thee and to thy house. And I will hasten to\nSparta, to the house of Menela\u00fcs, to fetch Telemachus, for he went\nthither, seeking news of thee.\u201d\n\nThen Athen\u00e9 changed him into the shape of a beggar man. She caused his\nskin to wither, and his hair to fall off, and his eyes to grow dim, and\nput on him filthy rags, with a great stag\u2019s hide about his shoulders,\nand in his hand a staff, and a wallet on his shoulder fastened by a\nrope.\n\nThen she departed, and Ulysses went to the house of Eum\u00e6us, the\nswineherd. A great courtyard there was, and twelve sties for the sows,\nand four watchdogs, big as wild beasts, for such did the swineherd\nbreed. He himself was shaping sandals, and of his men three were with\nthe swine in the fields, and one was driving a fat beast to the city,\nto be meat for the suitors. But when Ulysses came near, the dogs ran\nupon him, and he dropped his staff and sat down, and yet would have\nsuffered harm, even on his own threshold; but the swineherd ran forth\nand drave away the dogs, and brought the old man in, and gave him a\nseat of brushwood, with a great goat-skin over it.\n\nAnd Ulysses said, \u201cZeus and the other gods requite thee for this\nkindness.\u201d\n\nThen the two talked of matters in Ithaca, and Eum\u00e6us told how the\nsuitors of the Queen were devouring the substance of Ulysses. Then\nthe false beggar asked him of the King, saying that perchance, having\ntravelled far, he might know such an one.\n\nBut Eum\u00e6us said, \u201cNay, old man, thus do all wayfarers talk, yet we hear\nno truth from them. Not a vagabond fellow comes to this land but our\nQueen must see him, and ask him many things, weeping the while. And\nthou, I doubt not, for a cloak or a tunic, would tell a wondrous tale.\nBut Ulysses, I know, is dead, and either the fowls of the air devour\nhim or the fishes of the sea.\u201d\n\nAnd when the false beggar would have comforted him, saying he knew of\na truth that Ulysses would yet return, he hearkened not. Moreover he\nprophesied evil for Telemachus also, who had gone to seek news of his\nfather, but would surely be slain by the suitors, who were even now\nlying in wait for him as he should return. And after this he asked the\nstranger who he was and whence he had come. Then Ulysses answered him\ncraftily,--\n\n\u201cI am a Cretan, the son of one Castor, by a slave woman. Now my father,\nwhile he lived, did by me as by his other sons. But when he died\nthey divided his goods, and gave me but a small portion, and took my\ndwelling from me. Yet I won a rich wife for myself, for I was brave\nand of good repute. No man would sooner go to battle or to ambush than\nI, and I loved ships and spears and arrows, which some men hate, I\ntrow. Nine times did I lead my followers in ships against strangers,\nand the tenth time I went with King Idomeneus to Troy. And when the\ncity of Priam had perished, I went back to my native country, and there\nfor the space of one month I tarried with my wife, and afterwards I\nsailed with nine ships to Egypt. On the fifth day,--for the gods gave\nus a prosperous voyage,--we came to the river of Egypt. There did my\ncomrades work much wrong to the people of the land, spoiling their\nfields, and leading into captivity their wives and children; nor would\nthey hearken to me when I would have stayed them. Then the Egyptians\ngathered an army, and came upon them, and slew some and took others.\nAnd I, throwing down helmet and spear and shield, hasted to the king\nof the land where he sat in his chariot, and prayed that he would have\nmercy on me, which thing he did. And with him I dwelt for seven years,\ngathering much wealth. But in the eighth year there came a trader of\nPh\u0153nicia, who beguiled me, that I went with him to his country. And\nthere I tarried for a year; and afterwards he carried me in his ship\nto Libya, meaning to sell me as a slave; but Zeus brake the ship, so\nthat I only was left alive. Nine days did I float, keeping hold of the\nmast, and on the tenth a wave cast me on the land of Thresprotia, where\nKing Pheidon kindly entreated me, giving me food and raiment. There did\nI hear tell of Ulysses; yea, and saw the riches which he had gathered\ntogether, which King Pheidon was keeping till he himself should come\nback from Dodona, from the oracle of Zeus. Thence I sailed in a ship\nfor Dulichium, purposing to go to King Acastus, but the sailors\nwere minded to sell me for a slave. Therefore they left me bound in\nthe ship, but themselves took their supper on the shore. But in the\nmeanwhile I brake my bonds, the gods helping me, and leaping into the\nsea, swam to the land, and hid myself in a wood that was near.\u201d\n\nAll this tale did Ulysses tell; but Eum\u00e6us doubted whether these things\nwere so, thinking rather that the beggar-man said these things to\nplease him. After this they talked much; and when the swineherd\u2019s men\nwere returned, they all feasted together. And the night being cold, and\nthere being much rain, Ulysses was minded to see whether one would lend\nhim a cloak; wherefore he told this tale:--\n\n\u201cOnce upon a time there was laid an ambush near to the city of Troy.\nAnd Menela\u00fcs and Ulysses and I were the leaders of it. In the reeds we\nsat, and the night was cold, and the snow lay upon our shields. Now all\nthe others had cloaks, but I had left mine behind at the ships. So when\nthe night was three parts spent I spake to Ulysses, \u2018Here am I without\na cloak; soon, methinks, shall I perish with the cold.\u2019 Soon did he\nbethink him of a remedy, for he was ever ready with counsel. Therefore\nto me he said, \u2018Hush, lest some one hear thee,\u2019 and to the others, \u2018I\nhave been warned in a dream. We are very far from the ships and in\nperil. Wherefore let some one run to the ships to King Agamemnon, that\nhe send more men to help.\u2019 Then Thoas, son of Andr\u00e6mon, rose up and\nran, casting off his cloak, and this I took, and slept warmly therein.\nWere I this night such as then I was, I should not lack such kindness\neven now.\u201d\n\nThen said Eum\u00e6us, \u201cThis is well spoken, old man. Thou shalt have a\ncloak to cover thee. But in the morning thou must put on thy own rags\nagain. Yet perchance, when the son of Ulysses shall come, he will give\nthee new garments.\u201d\n\nAfter this they slept, but Eum\u00e6us tarried without, keeping watch over\nthe swine.\n\nIt came to pass the next morning that Telemachus, that was son of King\nUlysses, came to the dwelling of Eum\u00e6us, for he was newly returned from\nSparta, whither he had gone if haply he might hear some tidings of his\nfather.\n\nAnd Ulysses heard the steps of a man, and, as the dogs barked not, said\nto Eum\u00e6us, \u201cLo! there comes some comrade or friend, for the dogs bark\nnot.\u201d\n\nAnd as he spake, Telemachus stood in the doorway, and the swineherd let\nfall from his hand the bowl in which he was mixing wine, and ran to him\nand kissed his head and his eyes and his hands. As a father kisses his\nonly son coming back to him from a far country after ten years, so did\nthe swineherd kiss Telemachus. And when Telemachus came in, the false\nbeggar, though indeed he was his father, rose, and would have given\nplace to him; but Telemachus suffered him not. And when they had eaten\nand drunk, Telemachus asked of the swineherd who this stranger might be.\n\nThen the swineherd told him as he had heard, and afterwards said, \u201cI\nhand him to thee; he is thy suppliant; do as thou wilt.\u201d\n\nBut Telemachus answered, \u201cNay, Eum\u00e6us. For am I master in my house? Do\nnot the suitors devour it? And does not my mother doubt whether she\nwill abide with me, remembering the great Ulysses, who was her husband,\nor will follow some one of those who are suitors to her? I will give\nthis stranger, indeed, food and clothing and a sword, and will send\nhim whithersoever he will, but I would not that he should go among the\nsuitors, so haughty are they and violent.\u201d\n\nThen said Ulysses, \u201cBut why dost thou bear with these men? Do the\npeople hate thee, that thou canst not avenge thyself on them? and hast\nthou not kinsmen to help thee? As for me, I would rather die than see\nsuch shameful things done in house of mine.\u201d\n\nAnd Telemachus answered, \u201cMy people hate me not; but as for kinsmen,\nI have none, for Acrisius had but one son, Laertes, and he again but\none, Ulysses, and Ulysses had none other but me. Therefore do these\nmen spoil my substance without let, and, it may be, will take my life\nalso. These things, however, the gods will order. But do thou, Eum\u00e6us,\ngo to Penelop\u00e9, and tell her that I am returned, but let no man know\nthereof, for there are that counsel evil against me; but I will stay\nhere meanwhile.\u201d\n\nSo Eum\u00e6us departed. But when he had gone Athen\u00e9 came, like a woman tall\nand fair; but Telemachus saw her not, for it is not given to all to\nsee the immortal gods; but Ulysses saw her, and the dogs saw her, and\nwhimpered for fear. She signed to Ulysses, and he went forth, and she\nsaid,--\n\n\u201cHide not the matter from thy son, but plan with him how ye may slay\nthe suitors, and lo! I am with you.\u201d\n\nThen she made his garments white and fair, and his body lusty and\nstrong, and his face swarthy, and his cheeks full, and his beard black.\nAnd when he was returned to the house, Telemachus marvelled to see him,\nand said,--\n\n\u201cThou art not what thou wast. Surely thou art some god from heaven.\u201d\n\nBut Ulysses made reply, \u201cNo god am I, only thy father, whom thou hast\nso desired to see.\u201d\n\nAnd when Telemachus yet doubted, Ulysses told him how that Athen\u00e9 had\nso changed him. Then Telemachus threw his arms about him, weeping, and\nboth wept together for a while. And afterwards Telemachus asked him of\nhis coming back. And Ulysses, when he had told him of this, asked him\nhow many were the suitors, and whether they two could fight with them\nalone.\n\nThen said Telemachus, \u201cThou art, I know, a great warrior, my father,\nand a wise, but this thing we cannot do; for these men are not ten, no,\nnor twice ten, but from Dulichium come fifty and two, and from Samos\nfour and twenty, and from Zacynthus twenty, and from Ithaca twelve; and\nthey have Medon the herald, and a minstrel also, and attendants.\u201d\n\nThen said Ulysses, \u201cGo thou home in the morning and mingle with the\nsuitors, and I will come as an old beggar; and if they entreat me\nshamefully, endure to see it, yea, if they drag me to the door. Only,\nif thou wilt, speak to them prudent words; but they will not heed\nthee, for indeed their doom is near. Heed this also: when I give thee\nthe token, take all the arms from the dwelling and hide them in thy\nchamber. And when they shall ask thee why thou doest thus, say that\nthou takest them out of the smoke, for that they are not such as\nUlysses left behind him when he went to Troy, but that the smoke has\nsoiled them. Say, also, that haply they might stir up strife sitting at\ntheir cups, and that it is not well that arms should be at hand, for\nthat the very steel draws on a man to fight. But keep two swords and\ntwo spears and two shields,--these shall be for thee and me. Only let\nno one know of my coming back--not Laertes, nor the swineherd, no, nor\nPenelop\u00e9 herself.\u201d\n\nBut after a while the swineherd came back from the city, having carried\nhis tidings to the Queen. And this she also had heard from the sailors\nof the ships. Also the ship of the suitors which they had sent to lie\nin wait for the young man was returned. And the suitors were in great\nwrath and fear, because their purpose had failed, and also because\nPenelop\u00e9 the queen knew what they had been minded to do, and hated them\nbecause of it.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XII.\n\nULYSSES IN HIS HOME.\n\n\nThe next day Telemachus went to the city. But before he went he said\nto Eum\u00e6us that he should bring the beggar-man to the city, for that it\nwas better to beg in the city than in the country. And the false beggar\nalso said that he wished this. And Telemachus, when he was arrived,\nwent to the palace and greeted the nurse Euryclea and his mother\nPenelop\u00e9, who was right glad to see him, but to whom he told nought\nof what had happened. And after this he went to Pir\u00e6us, and bade him\nkeep the gifts which King Menela\u00fcs had given him till he should be in\npeace in his own house; and if things should fall out otherwise, that\nhe should keep them for himself. And then he went to fetch the seer\nTheoclymenus, that he might bring him to the palace. And the seer, when\nhe was come thither, prophesied good concerning Ulysses, how that he\nwould certainly return and take vengeance for all the wrong that had\nbeen done to him.\n\nNow in the meanwhile Eum\u00e6us and the false beggar were coming to the\ncity. And when they were now near to it, by the fountain which Ithacus\nand his brethren had made, where was also an altar of the Nymphs,\nMelanthius the goatherd met them, and spake evil to Eum\u00e6us, rebuking\nhim that he brought this beggar to the city. And he came near and smote\nUlysses with his foot on the thigh, but moved him not from the path.\nAnd Ulysses thought a while, should he smite him with his club and\nslay him, or dash him on the ground. But it seemed to him better to\nendure.\n\nBut Eum\u00e6us lifted up his hands and said, \u201cOh, now may the Nymphs of the\nfountain fulfil this hope, that Ulysses may come back to his home, and\ntear from thee this finery of thine, wherein thou comest to the city,\nleaving thy flock for evil shepherds to devour!\u201d\n\nSo they went on to the palace. And at the door of the court there lay\nthe dog Argus, whom in the old days Ulysses had reared with his own\nhand. But ere the dog grew to his full, Ulysses had sailed to Troy.\nAnd, while he was strong, men used him in the chase, hunting wild goats\nand roe-deer and hares. But now he lay on a dunghill, and the lice\nswarmed upon him. Well he knew his master, and, for that he could not\ncome near to him, wagged his tail and drooped his ears.\n\nAnd Ulysses, when he saw him, wiped away a tear, and said, \u201cSurely this\nis strange, Eum\u00e6us, that such a dog, being of so fine a breed, should\nlie here upon a dunghill.\u201d\n\nAnd Eum\u00e6us made reply, \u201cHe belongeth to a master who died far away. For\nindeed, when Ulysses had him of old, he was the strongest and swiftest\nof dogs; but now my dear lord has perished far away, and the careless\nwomen tend him not. For when the master is away the slaves are careless\nof their duty. Surely a man, when he is made a slave, loses half the\nvirtue of a man.\u201d\n\nAnd as he spake, the dog Argus died. Twenty years had he waited, and\nsaw his master at the last.\n\nAfter this the two entered the hall. And Telemachus, when he saw them,\ntook from the basket bread and meat, as much as his hands could hold,\nand bade carry them to the beggar, and also to tell him that he might\ngo round among the suitors, asking alms. So he went, stretching\nout his hand, as though he were wont to beg; and some gave, having\ncompassion upon him and marvelling at him, and some asked who he was.\nBut, of all, Antino\u00fcs was the most shameless. For when Ulysses came to\nhim and told him how he had had much riches and power in former days,\nand how he had gone to Egypt, and had been sold a slave into Cyprus,\nAntino\u00fcs mocked him, saying,--\n\n\u201cGet thee from my table, or thou shalt find a worse Egypt and a harder\nCyprus than before.\u201d\n\nThen Ulysses said, \u201cSurely thy soul is evil though thy body is fair;\nfor though thou sittest at another man\u2019s feast, yet wilt thou give me\nnothing.\u201d\n\nBut Antino\u00fcs, in great wrath, took the stool on which he sat and cast\nit at him, smiting his right shoulder. But Ulysses stirred not, but\nstood as a rock. But in his heart he thought on revenge. So he went and\nsat down at the door. And being there, he said,--\n\n\u201cHear me, suitors of the Queen! There is no wrath if a man be smitten\nfighting for that which is his own, but Antino\u00fcs has smitten me because\nthat I am poor. May the curse of the hungry light on him therefor, ere\nhe come to his marriage day.\u201d\n\nAlso the other suitors blamed him that he had dealt so cruelly with\nthis stranger. Also the Queen was wroth when she heard it, as she sat\nin the upper chamber with her maidens about her.\n\nBut as the day passed on there came a beggar from the city, huge of\nbulk, mighty to eat and drink, but his strength was not according to\nhis size. Arn\u00e6us was his name, but the young men called him Irus,\nbecause he was their messenger, after Iris, the messenger of Zeus. He\nspake to Ulysses,--\n\n\u201cGive place, old man, lest I drag thee forth; the young men even now\nwould have it so, but I think it shame to strike such an one as thee.\u201d\n\nThen said Ulysses, \u201cThere is room for thee and for me; get what thou\ncanst, for I do not grudge thee aught, but beware lest thou anger me,\nlest I harm thee, old though I am.\u201d\n\nBut Irus would not hear words of peace, but still challenged him to\nfight.\n\nAnd when Antino\u00fcs saw this he was glad, and said, \u201cThis is the\ngoodliest sport that I have seen in this house. These two beggars would\nfight; let us haste and match them.\u201d\n\nAnd the saying pleased them; and Antino\u00fcs spake again: \u201cHear me, ye\nsuitors of the Queen! We have put aside these paunches of the goats\nfor our supper. Let us agree then that whosoever of these two shall\nprevail, shall have choice of these, that which pleaseth him best, and\nshall hereafter eat with us, and that no one else shall sit in his\nplace.\u201d\n\nThen said Ulysses, \u201cIt is hard for an old man to fight with a young.\nYet will I do it. Only do ye swear to me that no one shall strike me a\nfoul blow while I fight with this man.\u201d\n\nThen Telemachus said that this should be so, and they all consented to\nhis words. And after this Ulysses girded himself for the fight. And all\nthat were there saw his thighs, how great and strong they were, and\nhis shoulders, how broad, and his arms, how mighty. And they said one\nto another, \u201cThere will be little of Irus left, so stalwart seems this\nbeggar-man.\u201d But as for Irus himself, he would have slunk out of sight,\nbut they that were set to gird him compelled him to come forth.\n\nThen said the Prince Antino\u00fcs, \u201cHow is this, thou braggart, that thou\nfearest this old man, all woe-begone as he is? Harken thou to this.\nIf this man prevails against thee, thou shalt be cast into a ship and\ntaken to the land of King Echetus, who will cut off thy ears and thy\nnose for his dogs to eat.\u201d\n\nSo the two came together. And Ulysses thought whether he should strike\nthe fellow and slay him out of hand, or fell him to the ground. And\nthis last seemed the better of the two. So when Irus had dealt his\nblow, he smote him on the jaw, and brake in the bone, so that he fell\nhowling on the ground, and the blood poured amain from his mouth.\n\nThen all the suitors laughed aloud. But Ulysses dragged him out of the\nhall, and propped him by the wall of the courtyard, putting a staff\nin his hand, and saying, \u201cSit there, and keep dogs and swine from the\ndoor, but dare not hereafter to lord it over men, lest some worse thing\nbefall thee.\u201d\n\nThen Antino\u00fcs gave him a great paunch, and Amphinomus gave two\nloaves, and pledged him in a cup, saying, \u201cGood luck to thee, father,\nhereafter, though now thou seemest to have evil fortune.\u201d\n\nAnd Ulysses made reply, \u201cO Amphinomus, thou hast much wisdom, methinks,\nand thy father, I know, is wise. Take heed, therefore. There is nought\nfeebler upon earth than man. For in the days of his prosperity he\nthinketh nothing of trouble, but when the gods send evil to him, there\nis no help in him. I also trusted once in myself and my kinsmen, and\nnow--behold me what I am! Let no man, therefore, do violence and wrong,\nfor Zeus shall requite such deeds at the last. And now these suitors\nof the Queen are working evil to him who is absent. Yet will he return\nsome day and slay his enemies. Fly thou, therefore, while yet there is\ntime, nor meet him when he comes.\u201d\n\nSo he spake, with kindly thought.\n\nBut his doom was on Amphinomus that he should die.\n\nAnd that evening, the suitors having departed to their own dwellings,\nUlysses and Telemachus took the arms from the hall, as they had also\nplanned to do. And while they did so Telemachus said, \u201cSee, my father,\nthis marvellous brightness that is on the pillars and the ceiling.\nSurely some god is with us.\u201d\n\nAnd Ulysses made reply, \u201cI know it: be silent. And now go to thy\nchamber and sleep, and leave me here, for I have somewhat to say to thy\nmother and her maidens.\u201d\n\nAnd when the Queen and her maidens came into the hall (for it was their\nwork to cleanse it and make it ready for the morrow), Penelop\u00e9 asked\nhim of his family and his country. And at first he made as though he\nwould not answer, fearing, he said, lest he should trouble her with\nthe story of that which he had suffered. But afterwards, for she urged\nhim, telling him what she herself had suffered, her husband being lost\nand her suitors troubling her without ceasing, he feigned a tale that\nshould satisfy her. For he told her how that he was a man of Crete, a\nbrother of King Idomeneus, and how he had given hospitality to Ulysses,\nwhat time he was sailing to Troy with the sons of Atreus.\n\nAnd when the queen, seeking to know whether he spake the truth, asked\nhim of Ulysses what manner of man he was, and with what clothing he was\nclothed, he answered her rightly, saying, \u201cI remember me that he had a\nmantle, twofold, woollen, of sea-purple, clasped with a brooch of gold,\nwhereon was a dog that held a fawn by the throat; marvellously wrought\nthey were, so hard held the one, so strove the other to be free. Also\nhe had a tunic, white and smooth, which the women much admired to see.\nBut whether some one had given him these things I know not, for indeed\nmany gave him gifts, and I also, even a sword and a tunic. Also he had\na herald with him, one Eurybates, older than him, dark-skinned, round\nin the shoulders, with curly hair.\u201d\n\nAnd Penelop\u00e9 knowing these things to be true, wept aloud, crying that\nshe should see her husband no more. But the false beggar comforted her,\nsaying that Ulysses was in the land of the Thresprotians, having much\nwealth with him, only that he had lost his ships and his comrades, yet\nnevertheless would speedily return.\n\nThen Penelop\u00e9 bade her servants make ready a bed for the stranger of\nsoft mats and blankets, and also that one of them should bathe him. But\nthe mats and blankets he would not have, saying that he would sleep as\nbefore; and for the bathing, he would only that some old woman, wise\nand prudent, should do this. Wherefore the queen bade Euryclea, the\nkeeper of the house, do this thing for him, for that he had been the\ncomrade of her lord, and indeed was marvellously like to him in feet\nand hands.\n\nAnd this the old woman was right willing to do, for love for her\nmaster, \u201cfor never,\u201d she said, \u201cof all strangers that had come to the\nland, had come one so like to him.\u201d But when she had prepared the bath\nfor his feet, Ulysses sat by the fire, but as far in the shadow as he\nmight, lest the old woman should see a great scar that was upon his\nleg, and know him thereby.\n\nNow the scar had chanced in this wise. He had come to see his\ngrandfather Autolycus, who was the most cunning of men, claiming\ncertain gifts which he had promised to him in the old days when, being\nthen newly born, he was set on his grandfather\u2019s knees in the halls of\nLaertes, and his grandfather had given him this name. And on the day of\nhis coming there was a great feast, and on the day after a hunting on\nMount Parnassus. In this hunting, therefore, Ulysses came in the heart\nof a wood upon a place where lay a great wild boar; and the beast,\nbeing stirred by the noise, rose up, and Ulysses charged him with his\nspear; but before he could slay the beast, it ripped a great wound just\nabove the knee. And afterwards Ulysses slew it, and the young men bound\nup the wound, singing a charm to stanch the blood.\n\nBy this scar, then, the old nurse knew that it was Ulysses himself, and\nsaid, \u201cO Ulysses, O my child, to think that I knew thee not!\u201d\n\nAnd she looked towards the Queen, as meaning to tell the thing to her.\nBut Ulysses laid his hand on her throat, \u201cMother, wouldst thou kill me?\nI am returned after twenty years; and none must know till I shall be\nready to take vengeance.\u201d\n\nAnd the old woman held her peace. And after this Penelop\u00e9 talked with\nhim again, telling him her dreams, how she had seen a flock of geese in\nher palace, and how that an eagle had slain them; and when she mourned\nfor the geese, lo! a voice that said, \u201cThese geese are thy suitors, and\nthe eagle thy husband.\u201d\n\nAnd Ulysses said that the dream was well. And then she said that on\nthe morrow she must make her choice, for that she had promised to\nbring forth the great bow that was Ulysses\u2019, and whosoever should draw\nit most easily, and shoot an arrow best at a mark, he should be her\nhusband.\n\nAnd Ulysses made answer to her, \u201cIt is well, lady. Put not off this\ntrial of the bow, for before one of them shall draw the string the\ngreat Ulysses shall come and duly shoot at the mark that shall be set.\u201d\n\nAfter this Penelop\u00e9 slept, but Ulysses watched.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XIII.\n\nTHE TRIAL OF THE BOW.\n\n\nThe next day many things cheered Ulysses for that which he had to do;\nfor first Athen\u00e9 had told him that she would stand at his side, and\nnext he heard the thunder of Zeus in a clear sky, and last it chanced\nthat a woman who sat at the mill grinding corn, being sore weary of her\ntask, and hating the suitors, said, \u201cGrant, Father Zeus, that this be\nthe last meal which these men shall eat in the house of Ulysses!\u201d\n\nAnd after a while the suitors came and sat down, as was their wont, to\nthe feast. And the servants bare to Ulysses, as Telemachus had bidden,\na full share with the others. And when Ctesippus, a prince of Samos,\nsaw this (he was a man heedless of right and of the gods), he said, \u201cIs\nit well that this fellow should fare even as we? Look now at the gift\nthat I shall give him.\u201d Whereupon he took a bullock\u2019s foot out of a\nbasket wherein it lay, and cast it at Ulysses.\n\nBut he moved his head to the left and shunned it, and it flew on,\nmarking the wall. And Telemachus cried in great wrath,--\n\n\u201cIt is well for thee, Ctesippus, that thou didst not strike this\nstranger. For surely, hadst thou done this thing, my spear had pierced\nthee through, and thy father had made good cheer, not for thy marriage,\nbut for thy burial.\u201d\n\nThen said Agela\u00fcs, \u201cThis is well said. Telemachus should not be\nwronged, no, nor this stranger. But, on the other hand, he must bid\nhis mother choose out of the suitors whom she will, and marry him, nor\nwaste our time any more.\u201d\n\nAnd Telemachus said, \u201cIt is well. She shall marry whom she will. But\nfrom my house I will never send her against her will.\u201d\n\nAnd the suitors laughed; but their laughter was not of mirth, and the\nflesh which they ate dripped with blood, and their eyes were full\nof tears. And the eyes of the seer Theoclymenus were opened, and he\ncried,--\n\n\u201cWhat ails you, miserable ones? For your heads and your faces and\nyour knees are covered with darkness, and the voice of groaning comes\nfrom you, and your cheeks are wet with tears. Also the walls and the\npillars are sprinkled with blood, and the porch and the hall are full\nof shadows that move towards hell, and the sun has perished from the\nheaven, and an evil mist is over all.\u201d\n\nBut they laughed to hear him; and Eurymachus said, \u201cThis stranger is\nmad; let us send him out of doors into the market-place, for it seems\nthat here it is dark.\u201d\n\nAlso they scoffed at Telemachus, but he heeded them not, but sat\nwaiting till his father should give the sign.\n\nAfter this Penelop\u00e9 went to fetch the great bow of Ulysses which\nIphitus had given to him. From the peg on which it hung she took it\nwith its sheath, and sitting down, she laid it on her knees and wept\nover it, and after this rose up and went to where the suitors sat\nfeasting in the hall. The bow she brought, and also the quiver full of\narrows, and standing by the pillar of the dome, spake thus,--\n\n\u201cYe suitors who devour this house, making pretence that ye wish to wed\nme, lo! here is a proof of your skill. Here is the bow of the great\nUlysses. Whoso shall bend it easiest in his hands, and shoot an arrow\nmost easily through the helve-holes of the twelve axes that Telemachus\nshall set up, him will I follow, leaving this house, which I shall\nremember only in my dreams.\u201d\n\nThen she bade Eum\u00e6us bear the bow and the arrows to the suitors. And\nthe good swineherd wept to see his master\u2019s bow, and Phil\u00e6tius, the\nherdsman of the kine, wept also, for he was a good man, and loved the\nhouse of Ulysses.\n\nThen Telemachus planted in due order the axes wherein were the\nhelve-holes, and was minded himself to draw the bow; and indeed would\nhave done the thing, but Ulysses signed to him that he should not.\nWherefore he said, \u201cMethinks I am too weak and young; ye that are elder\nshould try the first.\u201d\n\nThen first Leiodes, the priest, who alone among the suitors hated their\nevil ways, made trial of the bow. But he moved it not, but wearied his\nhands with it, for they were tender, and unwont to toil. And he said,\n\u201cI cannot bend this bow; let some other try; but it shall be grief and\npain to many this day, I trow.\u201d\n\nAnd Antino\u00fcs was wroth to hear such words, and bade Melanthius bring\nforth from the stores a roll of fat, that they might anoint the string\nand soften it withal. So they softened the string with fat, but not\nfor that the more could they bend it, for they tried all of them in\nvain, till only Antino\u00fcs and Eurymachus were left, who indeed were the\nbravest and the strongest of them all.\n\nNow the swineherd and the herdsman of the kine had gone forth out of\nthe yard, and Ulysses came behind them and said, \u201cWhat would ye do if\nUlysses were to come back to his home? Would ye fight for him, or for\nthe suitors?\u201d\n\nAnd both said they would fight for him.\n\nAnd Ulysses said, \u201cIt is even I who am come back in the twentieth year,\nand ye, I know, are glad at heart that I am come; nor know I of any\none besides. And if ye will help me as brave men to-day, wives shall\nye have, and possessions and houses near to mine own. And ye shall be\nbrothers and comrades to Telemachus. And for a sign, behold this scar,\nwhich the wild boar made when I hunted with Autolycus.\u201d\n\nThen they wept for joy and kissed Ulysses, and he also kissed them.\nAnd he said to Eum\u00e6us that he should bring the bow to him when the\nsuitors had tried their fortune therewith; also that he should bid the\nwomen keep within doors, nor stir out if they should hear the noise of\nbattle. And Phil\u00e6tius he bade lock the doors of the hall, and fasten\nthem with a rope.\n\nAfter this he came back to the hall, and Eurymachus had the bow in his\nhands, and sought to warm it at the fire. Then he essayed to draw it,\nbut could not. And he groaned aloud, saying, \u201cWoe is me! not for loss\nof this marriage only, for there are other women to be wooed in Greece,\nbut that we are so much weaker than the great Ulysses. This is indeed\nshame to tell.\u201d\n\nThen said Antino\u00fcs, \u201cNot so; to-day is a holy day of the God of\nArchers; therefore we could not draw the bow. But to-morrow will we try\nonce more, after due sacrifice to Apollo.\u201d\n\nAnd this saying pleased them all; but Ulysses said, \u201cLet me try this\nbow, for I would fain know whether I have such strength as I had in\nformer days.\u201d\n\nAt this all the suitors were wroth, and chiefly Antino\u00fcs, but Penelop\u00e9\nsaid that it should be so, and promised the man great gifts if he could\ndraw this bow.\n\nBut Telemachus spake thus, \u201cMother, the bow is mine to give or to\nrefuse. And no man shall say me nay, if I will that this stranger make\ntrial of it. But do thou go to thy chamber with thy maidens, and let\nmen take thought for these things.\u201d\n\nAnd this he said, for that he would have her depart from the hall\nforthwith, knowing what should happen therein. But she marvelled to\nhear him speak with such authority, and answered not, but departed. And\nwhen Eum\u00e6us would have carried the bow to Ulysses, the suitors spake\nroughly to him, but Telemachus constrained him to go. Therefore he\ntook the bow and gave it to his master. Then went he to Euryclea, and\nbade her shut the door of the women\u2019s chambers and keep them within,\nwhatsoever they might hear. Also Phil\u00e6tius shut the doors of the hall,\nand fastened them with a rope.\n\nThen Ulysses handled the great bow, trying it, whether it had taken\nany hurt; but the suitors thought scorn of him. Then when he had found\nit to be without flaw, just as a minstrel fastens a string upon his\nharp, and strains it to the pitch, so he strung the bow without toil;\nand holding the string in his right hand, he tried its tone, and the\ntone was sweet as the voice of a swallow. Then he took an arrow from\nthe quiver, and laid the notch upon the string and drew it, sitting as\nhe was, and the arrow passed through every ring, and stood in the wall\nbeyond. Then he said to Telemachus,--\n\n\u201cThere is yet a feast to be held before the sun go down.\u201d\n\nAnd he nodded the sign to Telemachus. And forthwith the young man stood\nby him, armed with spear and helmet and shield.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XIV.\n\nTHE SLAYING OF THE SUITORS.\n\n\nThen spake he among the suitors, \u201cThis labor has been accomplished. Let\nme try at yet another mark.\u201d\n\nAnd he aimed his arrow at Antino\u00fcs. But the man was just raising a cup\nto his lips, thinking not of death, for who had thought that any man,\nthough mightiest of mortals, would venture on such a deed, being one\namong many? Right through the neck passed the arrow-head, and the blood\ngushed from his nostrils, and he dropped the cup and spurned the table\nfrom him.\n\nAnd all the suitors, when they saw him fall, leapt from their seats;\nbut when they looked, there was neither spear nor shield upon the wall.\nAnd they knew not whether it was by chance or of set purpose that\nthe stranger had smitten him. But Ulysses then declared who he was,\nsaying,--\n\n\u201cDogs, ye thought that I should never come back. Therefore have ye\ndevoured my house, and made suit to my wife while I yet lived, and\nfeared not the gods nor regarded men. Therefore a sudden destruction is\ncome upon you all.\u201d\n\nThen, when all the others trembled for fear, Eurymachus said, \u201cIf\nthou be indeed Ulysses of Ithaca, thou hast said well. Foul wrong has\nbeen done to thee in the house and in the field. But lo! he who was\nthe mover of it all lies here, even Antino\u00fcs. Nor was it so much this\nmarriage that he sought, as to be king of this land, having destroyed\nthy house. But we will pay thee back for all that we have devoured,\neven twenty times as much.\u201d\n\nBut Ulysses said, \u201cSpeak not of paying back. My hands shall not cease\nfrom slaying till I have taken vengeance on you all.\u201d\n\nThen said Eurymachus to his comrades, \u201cThis man will not stay his\nhands. He will smite us all with his arrows where he stands. But let us\nwin the door, and raise a cry in the city; soon then will this archer\nhave shot his last.\u201d\n\nAnd he rushed on, with his two-edged knife in his hand. But as he\nrushed, Ulysses smote him on the breast with an arrow, and he fell\nforwards. And when Amphinomus came on, Telemachus slew him with his\nspear, but drew not the spear from the body, lest some one should smite\nhim unawares.\n\nThen he ran to his father and said, \u201cShall I fetch arms for us and our\nhelpers?\u201d\n\n\u201cYea,\u201d said he, \u201cand tarry not, lest my arrows be spent.\u201d\n\nSo he fetched from the armory four shields and four helmets and\neight spears. And he and the servants, Eum\u00e6us and Phil\u00e6tius, armed\nthemselves. Also Ulysses, when his arrows were spent, donned helmet\nand shield, and took a mighty spear in each hand. But Melanthius, the\ngoatherd, crept up to the armory and brought down therefrom twelve\nhelmets and shields, and spears as many. And when Ulysses saw that the\nsuitors were arming themselves, he feared greatly, and said to his\nson,--\n\n\u201cThere is treachery here. It is one of the women, or, it may be,\nMelanthius, the goatherd.\u201d\n\nAnd Telemachus said, \u201cThis fault is mine, my father, for I left the\ndoor of the chamber unfastened.\u201d\n\nAnd soon Eum\u00e6us spied Melanthius stealing up to the chamber again, and\nfollowed him, and Phil\u00e6tius with him. There they caught him, even as\nhe took a helmet in one hand and a shield in the other, and bound his\nfeet and hands, and fastened him aloft by a rope to the beams of the\nceiling.\n\nThen these two went back to the hall, and there also came Athen\u00e9 having\nthe shape of Mentor. Still, for she would yet further try the courage\nof Ulysses and his son, she helped them not as yet, but changing her\nshape, sat on the roof-beam like unto a swallow.\n\nAnd then cried Agela\u00fcs, \u201cFriends, Mentor is gone, and helps them not.\nLet us not cast our spears at random, but let six come on together, if\nperchance we may prevail against them.\u201d\n\nThen they cast their spears, but Athen\u00e9 turned them aside, one to the\npillar and another to the door and another to the wall. But Ulysses and\nTelemachus and the two herdsmen slew each his man; and yet again they\ndid so, and again. Only Amphimedon wounded Telemachus, and Ctesippus\ngrazed the shoulder of Eum\u00e6us. But Telemachus struck down Amphimedon,\nand the herdsman of the kine slew Ctesippus, saying, \u201cTake this, for\nthe ox foot which thou gavest to our guest.\u201d And all the while Athen\u00e9\nwaved her flaming \u00e6gis-shield from above, and the suitors fell as birds\nare scattered and torn by eagles.\n\nThen Leiodes, the priest, made supplication to Ulysses, saying, \u201cI\nnever wrought evil in this house, and would have kept others from\nit, but they would not. Nought have I done save serve at the altar;\nwherefore slay me not.\u201d\n\nAnd Ulysses made reply, \u201cThat thou hast served at the altar of these\nmen is enough, and also that thou wouldest wed my wife.\u201d\n\nSo he slew him; but Phemius, the minstrel, he spared, for he had sung\namong the suitors in the hall of compulsion, and not of good will; and\nalso Medon, the herald, bidding them go into the yard without. There\nthey sat, holding by the altar and looking fearfully every way, for yet\nthey feared that they should die.\n\nSo the slaughtering of the suitors was ended; and now Ulysses bade\ncleanse the hall, and wash the benches and the tables with water, and\npurify them with sulphur. And when this was done, that Euryclea, the\nnurse, should go to Penelop\u00e9 and tell her that her husband was indeed\nreturned. So Euryclea went to her chamber and found the Queen newly\nwoke from slumber, and told her that her husband was returned, and how\nthat he had slain the suitors, and how that she had known him by the\nscar where the wild boar had wounded him.\n\nAnd yet the Queen doubted, and said, \u201cLet me go down and see my son,\nand these men that are slain, and the man who slew them.\u201d\n\nSo she went, and sat in the twilight by the other wall, and Ulysses\nsat by a pillar, with his eyes cast down, waiting till his wife should\nspeak to him. But she was sore perplexed; for now she seemed to know\nhim, and now she knew him not, being in such evil case, for he had not\nsuffered that the women should put new robes upon him.\n\nAnd Telemachus said, \u201cMother, evil mother, sittest thou apart from my\nfather, and speakest not to him? Surely thy heart is harder than a\nstone.\u201d\n\nBut Ulysses said, \u201cLet be Telemachus. Thy mother will know that which\nis true in good time. But now let us hide this slaughter for a while,\nlest the friends of these men seek vengeance against us. Wherefore let\nthere be music and dancing in the hall, so that men shall say, \u2018This is\nthe wedding of the Queen, and there is joy in the palace,\u2019 and know not\nof the truth.\u201d\n\nSo the minstrel played and the women danced. And meanwhile Ulysses went\nto the bath, and clothed himself in bright apparel, and came back to\nthe hall, and Athen\u00e9 made him fair and young to see. Then he sat him\ndown as before, over against his wife, and said,--\n\n\u201cSurely, O lady, the gods have made thee harder of heart than all women\nbesides. Would other wife have kept away from her husband, coming back\nnow after twenty years?\u201d\n\nAnd when she doubted yet, he spake again, \u201cHear thou this, Penelop\u00e9,\nand know that it is I myself, and not another. Dost thou remember how I\nbuilt up the bed in our chamber? In the court there grew an olive tree,\nstout as a pillar, and round it I built a chamber of stone, and spanned\nthe chamber with a roof; and I hung also a door, and then I cut off the\nleaves of the olive, and planed the trunk, to be smooth and round; and\nthe bed I inlaid with ivory and silver and gold, and stretched upon it\nan ox-hide that was ornamented with silver.\u201d\n\nThen Penelop\u00e9 knew him, that he was her husband indeed, and ran to him,\nand threw her arms about him, and kissed him, saying, \u201cPardon me, my\nlord, if I was slow to know thee; for ever I feared, so many wiles have\nmen, that some one should deceive me, saying that he was my husband.\nBut now I know this, that thou art he and not another.\u201d\n\nAnd they wept over each other and kissed each other. So did Ulysses\ncome back to his home after twenty years.\n\n\n\n\nTHE\n\nADVENTURES OF \u00c6NEAS.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER I.\n\n\nWhen the fair city of Troy was taken and destroyed there appeared to\n\u00c6neas, who alone was left of all the great chiefs that had fought\nagainst the Greeks, his mother Venus. And she spake to him, saying,--\n\n\u201cSee now, for I will take away the mist that covers thine eyes; see\nhow Neptune with his trident is over throwing the walls and rooting\nup the city from its foundations; and how Juno stands with spear and\nshield in the Sc\u00e6an Gate, and calls fresh hosts from the ships; and how\nPallas sits on the height with the storm-cloud about her and her Gorgon\nshield; and how Father Jupiter himself stirs up the enemy against Troy.\nFly, therefore, my son. I will not leave thee till thou shalt reach thy\nfather\u2019s house.\u201d And as she spake she vanished in the darkness.\n\nThen did \u00c6neas see dreadful forms and gods who were the enemies of\nTroy, and before his eyes the whole city seemed to sink down into the\nfire. Even as a mountain oak upon the hills on which the woodmen ply\ntheir axes bows its head while all its boughs shake about it, till at\nlast, as blow comes after blow, with a mighty groan it falls crashing\ndown from the height, even so the city seemed to fall. Then did \u00c6neas\npass on his way, the goddess leading him, and the flames gave place to\nhim, and the javelins harmed him not.\n\nBut when he was come to his house he bethought him first of the old man\nhis father; but when he would have carried him to the hills, Anchises\nwould not, being loath to live in some strange country when Troy had\nperished. \u201cNay,\u201d said he, \u201cfly ye who are strong and in the flower of\nyour days. But as for me, if the gods had willed that I should live,\nthey had saved this dwelling for me. Enough is it, yea, and more than\nenough, that once I have seen this city taken, and lived. Bid me, then,\nfarewell as though I were dead. Death will I find for myself. And truly\nI have long lingered here a useless stock and hated of the gods since\nJupiter smote me with the blast of his thunder.\u201d\n\nNor could the old man be moved from his purpose, though his son and\nhis son\u2019s wife, and even the child Ascanius, besought him with many\ntears that he should not make yet heavier the doom that was upon them.\nThen was \u00c6neas minded to go back to the battle and die. For what hope\nwas left? \u201cThoughtest thou, my father,\u201d he cried, \u201cthat I should flee\nand leave thee behind? What evil word is this that has fallen from\nthy lips? If the gods will have it that nought of Troy should be\nleft, and thou be minded that thou and thine should perish with the\ncity, be it so. The way is easy; soon will Pyrrhus be here; Pyrrhus,\nred with Priam\u2019s blood; Pyrrhus, who slays the son before the face\nof the father, and the father at the altar. Was it for this, kind\nMother Venus, that thou broughtest me safe through fire and sword, to\nsee the enemy in my home, and my father and my wife and my son lying\nslaughtered together? Comrades, give me my arms, and take me back to\nthe battle. At the least I will die avenged.\u201d\n\nBut as he girded on his arms and would have departed from the house,\nhis wife Cre\u00fcsa caught his feet upon the threshold, staying him, and\nheld out the little Ascanius, saying, \u201cIf thou goest to thy death, take\nwife and child with thee; but if thou hopest aught from arms, guard\nfirst the house where thou hast father and wife and child.\u201d\n\nAnd lo! as she spake there befell a mighty marvel, for before the face\nof father and mother there was seen to shine a light on the head of\nthe boy Ascanius, and to play upon his waving hair and glitter on his\ntemples. And when they feared to see this thing, and would have stifled\nthe flame or quenched it with water, the old man Anchises in great\njoy raised his eyes to heaven, and cried aloud, \u201cO Father Jupiter, if\nprayer move thee at all, give thine aid and make this omen sure.\u201d And\neven as he spake the thunder rolled on his left hand, and a star shot\nthrough the skies, leaving a long trail of light behind, and passed\nover the house-tops till it was hidden in the woods of Ida. Then the\nold man lifted himself up and did obeisance to the star, and said, \u201cI\ndelay no more: whithersoever ye lead I will follow. Gods of my country,\nsave my house and my grandson. This omen is of you. And now, my son, I\nrefuse not to go.\u201d\n\nThen said \u00c6neas, and as he spake the fire came nearer, and the light\nwas clearer to see, and the heat more fierce, \u201cClimb, dear father, on\nmy shoulders; I will bear thee, nor grow weary with the weight. We\nwill be saved or perish together. The little Ascanius shall go with\nme, and my wife follow behind, not over near. And ye, servants of my\nhouse, harken to me; ye mind how that to one who passes out of the city\nthere is a tomb and a temple of Ceres in a lonely place, and an ancient\ncypress-tree hard by. There will we gather by divers ways. And do thou,\nmy father, take the holy images in thy hands, for as for me, who have\nbut newly come from battle, I may not touch them till I have washed me\nin the running stream.\u201d\n\nAnd as he spake he put a cloak of lion\u2019s skin upon his shoulders, and\nthe old man sat thereon. Ascanius also laid hold of his hand, and\nCre\u00fcsa followed behind. So he went in much dread and trembling. For\nindeed before sword and spear of the enemy he had not feared, but now\nhe feared for them that were with him. But when he was come nigh unto\nthe gates, and the journey was well-nigh finished, there befell a\ngrievous mischance, for there was heard a sound as of many feet through\nthe darkness; and the old man cried to him, \u201cFly, my son, fly; they are\ncoming. I see the flashing of shields and swords.\u201d But as \u00c6neas hasted\nto go, Cre\u00fcsa his wife was severed from him. But whether she wandered\nfrom the way or sat down in weariness, no man may say. Only he saw her\nno more, nor knew her to be lost till, all his company being met at\nthe temple of Ceres, she only was found wanting. Very grievous did the\nthing seem to him, nor did he cease to cry out in his wrath against\ngods and men. Also he bade his comrades have a care of his father and\nhis son, and of the household gods, and girded him again with arms,\nand so passed into the city. And first he went to the wall and to the\ngate by which he had come forth, and then to his house, if haply she\nhad returned thither. But there indeed the men of Greece were come,\nand the fire had well-nigh mastered it. And after that he went to the\ncitadel and to the palace of King Priam. And lo! in the porch of Juno\u2019s\ntemple, Ph\u0153nix and Ulysses were keeping guard over the spoil, even the\ntreasure of the temples, tables of the gods, and solid cups of gold,\nand raiment, and a long array of them that had been taken captive,\nchildren and women. But not the less did he seek his wife through all\nthe streets of the city, yea, and called her aloud by name. But lo!\nas he called, the image of her whom he sought seemed to stand before\nhim, only greater than she had been while she was yet alive. And the\nspirit spake, saying, \u201cWhy art thou vainly troubled? These things have\nnot befallen us against the pleasure of the gods. The ruler of Olympus\nwilleth not that Cre\u00fcsa should bear thee company in thy journey. For\nthou hast a long journey to take, and many seas to cross, till thou\ncome to the Hesperian shore, where Lydian Tiber flows softly through a\ngood land and a fertile. There shalt thou have great prosperity, and\ntake to thyself a wife of royal race. Weep not then for Cre\u00fcsa, whom\nthou lovest, nor think that I shall be carried away to be a bond-slave\nto some Grecian woman. Such fate befits not a daughter of Dardanus and\ndaughter-in-law of Venus. The mighty Mother of the gods keepeth me in\nthis land to serve her. And now, farewell, and love the young Ascanius,\neven thy son and mine.\u201d\n\nSo spake the spirit, and, when \u00c6neas wept and would have spoken,\nvanished out of his sight. Thrice he would have cast his arms about her\nneck, and thrice the image mocked him, being thin as air and fleeting\nas a dream. Then, the night being now spent, he sought his comrades,\nand found with much joy and wonder that a great company of men and\nwomen were gathered together, and were willing, all of them, to follow\nhim whithersoever he went. And now the morning star rose over Mount\nIda, and \u00c6neas, seeing that the Greeks held the city, and that there\nwas no longer any hope of succor, went his way to the mountains, taking\nwith him his father.\n\nNow for what remained of that year (for it was the time of summer when\nTroy was taken), \u00c6neas, and they that were gathered to him, builded\nthemselves ships for the voyage, dwelling the while under Mount Ida;\nand when the summer was well-nigh come again the work was finished,\nand the old man Anchises commanded that they should tarry no longer.\nWhereupon they sailed, taking also their gods with them.\n\nThere was a certain land of Thrace, which the god Mars loved beyond\nall other lands, whereof in time past the fierce Lycurgus, who would\nhave slain Bacchus, was king. Here, therefore, for the men of the land\nwere friendly, or, at the least, had been before evil days came upon\nTroy, \u00c6neas builded him a city, and called it after his own name. But,\nafter awhile, as he did sacrifice on a certain day to his mother, even\nVenus, that he might have a blessing on his work, slaying also a white\nbull to Jupiter, there befell a certain horrible thing. For hard by the\nplace where he did sacrifice there was a little hill, with much cornel\nand myrtle upon it, whereto \u00c6neas coming would have plucked wands\nhaving leaves upon them, that he might cover therewith the altars. But\nlo! when he plucked a wand there dropped drops of blood therefrom.\nWhereupon great fear came on him, and wonder also. And when seeking to\nknow the cause of the thing he plucked other wands also, there dropped\nblood even as before. Then, having prayed to the nymphs of the land and\nto Father Mars that they would turn all evil from him, he essayed the\nthird time with all his might, setting his knee against the ground, to\npluck forth a wand. Whereupon there issued from the hill a lamentable\nvoice, saying, \u201c\u00c6neas, why doest thou me such cruel hurt, nor leavest\nme in peace in my grave? For indeed I am no stranger to thee, nor\nstrange is this blood which thou seest. Fly, for the land is cruel, and\nthe shore greedy of gain. I am Polydorus. Here I was pierced through\nwith spears, which have grown into these wands that thou seest.\u201d\n\nBut \u00c6neas when he heard the voice was sore dismayed, and he remembered\nhim how King Priam, thinking that it might fare ill with him and the\ngreat city of Troy, had sent his son, Polydorus, by stealth, and much\ngold with him, to Polymestor, who was king of Thrace, and how the king,\nwhen Troy had now perished, slew the boy, and took the gold to himself.\nFor of a truth the love of gold is the root of all evil. And \u00c6neas told\nthe thing to his father and to the chiefs; and the sentence of all\nwas that they should depart from the evil land. But first they made a\ngreat funeral for Polydorus, making a high mound of earth, and building\nthereon an altar to the dead. This also they bound about with garlands\nof sad-colored wool and cypress, and the women of Troy stood about\nit with their hair loosened, as is the use of them that mourn. They\noffered also bowls of warm milk and blood, and laid the spirit in the\ntomb, bidding him farewell three times with a loud voice.\n\nAfter this, when the time for voyaging was come, and the south wind\nblew softly, they launched the ships and set sail. And first they came\nto the island of Delos, which, having been used to wander over the sea,\nthe Lord of the Silver Bow made fast, binding it to Myconos and Gyaros,\nand found there quiet anchorage. And when they landed to worship, there\nmet them Anius, who was priest and king of the place, having a crown\nof bay-leaves about his head, who knew Anchises for a friend in time\npast, and used to them much hospitality. Then did they pray to the god\nsaying, \u201cGive us, we beseech thee, a home where we may dwell, and a\nname upon the earth, and a city that shall abide, even a second Troy\nfor them that have escaped from the hands of Achilles and the Greeks.\nAnd do thou answer us, and incline our hearts that we may know.\u201d\n\nBut when \u00c6neas had ended these words, straightway the place was shaken,\neven the gates of the temple and the bay-trees that were hard by. And\nwhen they were all fallen to the ground there came a voice, saying,\n\u201cSon of Dardanus, the land that first bare you shall receive you again.\nSeek, then, your ancient mother. Then shall the children of \u00c6neas\nbear rule over all lands, yea, and their children\u2019s children to many\ngenerations.\u201d Which when they had heard, they greatly rejoiced, and\nwould fain know what was the city whither Ph\u0153bus would have them go,\nthat they might cease from their wanderings. Then Anchises, pondering\nin his heart the things which he had learnt from the men of old time,\nspake thus: \u201cThere lieth in mid-ocean a certain island of Crete,\nwherein is a mountain, Ida. There was the first beginning of our\nnation. Thence came Teucer, our first father, to the land of Troy. Let\nus go, then, whither the gods would send us, first doing sacrifice to\nthe Winds; and, indeed, if but Jupiter help us, \u2019tis but a three days\u2019\njourney for our ships.\u201d\n\nSo they offered sacrifice, a bull to Neptune and a bull to the\nbeautiful Apollo, and a black sheep to the Storm and a white sheep\nto the West Wind. There came also a rumor that Idomeneus the Cretan\nhad fled from his father\u2019s kingdom, and that the land was ready for\nhim who should take it. Whereupon the men of Troy set sail with a\ngood heart, and passing among the islands that are called Cyclades,\nthe wind blowing favorably behind them, so came to Crete. There they\nbuilded a city, and called its name Pergamea, after Pergama, which was\nthe citadel of Troy. And for a while they tilled the soil; also they\nmarried and were given in marriage, as purposing to abide in the land.\nBut there came a wasting sickness on the men, and a blight also on the\ntrees and harvests, filling the year with death. The fields likewise\nwere parched with drought, and the staff of bread was broken. Then the\nold Anchises bade them go yet again to the oracle at Delos, and inquire\nof the god what end there should be of these troubles, whence they\nshould seek for help, and whither they should go.\n\nBut as \u00c6neas slept there appeared to him the household gods, which he\nhad carried out of the burning of Troy, very clear to see in the light\nof the moon, which shone through the window of his chamber. And they\nspake unto him, saying, \u201cApollo bids us tell thee here that which he\nwill tell thee if thou goest to Delos. We who have followed thee over\nmany seas, even we will bring thy children\u2019s children to great honor,\nand make their city ruler over many nations. Faint not, therefore, at\nthy long wandering. Thou must seek yet another home. For it was not in\nCrete that Apollo bade thee dwell. There is a land which the Greeks\ncall Hesperia; an ancient land, whose inhabitants are mighty men of\nvalor; a land of vineyards and wheat. There is our proper home, and\nthence came Dardanus our father. Do thou, therefore, tell these things\nto the old man Anchises. Seek ye for the land of Hesperia, which men\nalso call Italy; but as for Crete, Jupiter willeth not that ye should\ndwell there.\u201d\n\nAnd for a while \u00c6neas lay in great fear, with a cold sweat upon him,\nso clear was the vision of those whom he saw, nor in anywise like unto\na dream. Then he rose up from his bed, and after prayer and sacrifice\ntold the thing to Anchises. And the old man saw that he had been\ndeceived in this matter, and he said, \u201cO my son, now do I remember how\nCassandra was wont to prophesy these things to me, and would speak of\nHesperia and of the land of Italy. But, indeed, no man thought in those\ndays that the men of Troy should voyage to Hesperia, nor did any take\naccount of the words of Cassandra. But now let us heed the oracle of\nApollo, and depart.\u201d\n\nSo the men of Troy made their ships ready and departed. And after\na while, when they could no more see the land, there fell a great\nstorm upon them, with a strong wind and great rolling waves, and much\nlightning also. Thus were they driven out of their course, and for\nthree days and nights saw neither the sun nor the stars. But on the\nfourth day they came to a land where they saw hills, and smoke rising\ntherefrom. Then did the men ply their oars amain, and soon came to the\nshore. Now this place they found to be one of certain islands which men\nname the Strophades. And upon these islands dwell creatures which are\ncalled Harpies, very evil indeed, having the countenances of women and\nwings like unto the wings of birds, and long claws. Also their faces\nare pale as with much hunger. Now when the men of Troy were come to\nthis land, they saw many herds of oxen and flocks of goats thereon,\nnor any one to watch them. Of these they slew such as they needed,\nand, not forgetting to give due share to the gods, made a great feast\nupon the shore. But lo! even while they made merry, there came a great\nrushing of wings, and the Harpies came upon them, making great havoc\nof the meat and fouling all things most horribly. And when they had\ndeparted, the men of Troy sought another place where they might do\nsacrifice and eat their meat in peace. But when the Harpies had come\nthither also and done in the same fashion, \u00c6neas commanded that the\nmen should draw their swords and do battle with the beasts. Therefore,\nthe Harpies coming yet again, Misenus with his trumpet gave the sound\nfor battle. But lo! they fought as those that beat the air, seeing that\nneither sword nor spear availed to wound the beasts. Then again these\ndeparted, one only remaining, by name, Cel\u00e6no, who, sitting on a rock,\nspake after this fashion: \u201cDo ye purpose, sons of Laomedon, to fight\nfor these cattle that ye have wrongfully taken, or to drive the Harpies\nfrom their kingdom and inheritance? Hear, therefore, my words, which\nindeed the almighty Father told to Ph\u0153bus, and Ph\u0153bus told to me. Ye\njourney to Italy, and to Italy shall ye come. Only ye shall not build\na city, and wall it about with walls, till dreadful hunger shall cause\nyou to eat the very tables whereon ye sup.\u201d\n\nSo saying, she departed. But when great fear was fallen upon all,\nAnchises lifted up his hands to heaven and prayed to the gods that they\nwould keep that evil from them.\n\nThen they set sail, and, the south wind blowing, passed by Zacynthus\nand Dulichium, and also Ithaca, which they cursed as they passed,\nbecause it was the land of the hateful Ulysses, and so came to Actium,\nwhere they landed. There also they did sacrifice to the gods, and had\ngames of wrestling and others, rejoicing that they had passed safely\nthrough so many cities of their enemies. And there they wintered, and\n\u00c6neas fixed on the doors of the temple of Apollo a shield of bronze\nwhich he had won in battle from the valiant Abas, writing thereon these\nwords, \u201c\u00c6NEAS DEDICATES THESE ARMS WON FROM THE VICTORIOUS GREEKS.\u201d\n\nBut when the spring was come they set sail, and, leaving behind them\nthe land of Ph\u00e6acia, came to Buthrotum that is in Epirus. There indeed\nthey heard a marvellous thing, even that Helenus, the son of Priam,\nwas king in these parts, in the room of Pyrrhus, the son of Achilles,\nhaving also to wife Andromach\u00e9, who was the widow of Hector. And when\n\u00c6neas, wishing to know whether these things were so, journeyed towards\nthe city, lo! in a grove hard by, by a river which also was called\nSimo\u00efs, there stood this same Andromach\u00e9, and made offerings to the\nspirit of Hector not without many tears. And at the first when she saw\n\u00c6neas, and that he wore such arms as the men of Troy were used to wear,\nshe swooned with fear, but after a while spake thus: \u201cIs this indeed a\nreal thing that I see? Art thou alive? or, if thou art dead, tell me,\nwhere is my Hector?\u201d So she cried and wept aloud. And \u00c6neas answered\nher: \u201cYes, lady, this is flesh and blood, and not a spirit, that thou\nseest. But as for thee, what fortune has befallen thee? Art thou still\nwedded to Pyrrhus?\u201d\n\nAnd she, casting down her eyes, made answer, \u201cO daughter of Priam,\nhappy beyond thy sisters in that thou wast slain at the tomb of\nAchilles, nor wast taken to be a prey of the conqueror! But as for me I\nwas borne across the sea, to be slave to the haughty son of Achilles.\nAnd when he took to wife Hermione, who was the daughter of Helen, he\ngave me to Helenus, as a slave is given to a slave. But Pyrrhus, after\nawhile, Orestes slew, taking him unawares, even by the altar of his\nfather. And when he was dead, part of his kingdom came to Helenus,\nwho hath called the land Chaonia, after Chaon of Troy, and hath also\nbuilded a citadel, a new Pergama, upon the hills. But tell me, was it\nsome storm that drave thee hither, or chance, or, lastly, some sending\nof the gods? And is Ascanius yet alive--the boy whom I remember? Doth\nhe yet think of his mother that is dead? And is he stout and of a good\ncourage, as befits the son of \u00c6neas and sister\u2019s son to Hector?\u201d\n\nAnd while she spake there came Helenus from the city with a great\ncompany, and bade welcome to his friends with much joy. And \u00c6neas\nsaw how that all things were ordered and named even as they had been\nat Troy, only the things at Troy had been great, and these were very\nsmall. And afterwards King Helenus made a feast to them in his house,\nand they drank together and were merry.\n\nBut after certain days were passed, \u00c6neas, seeing that the wind favored\nthem, spake to Helenus, knowing him also to be a prophet of the gods:\n\u201cTell me now, seeing that thou art wise in all manner of divination and\nprophecy, how it will fare with us. For indeed all things have seemed\nto favor us, and we go not on this journey against the will of the\ngods, yet did the Harpy Cel\u00e6no prophesy evil things, that we should\nendure great extremity of hunger. Say, then, of what things I should\nmost beware, and how I shall best prosper.\u201d\n\nThen Helenus, after due sacrifice, led \u00c6neas to the temple of Ph\u0153bus.\nAnd when they were come thither, and the god had breathed into the\nseer, even into Helenus, the spirit of prophecy, he spake, saying, \u201cSon\nof Venus, that thou takest thy journey across the sea with favor of the\ngods is manifest. Hearken, therefore, and I will inform thee of certain\nthings, though indeed they be few out of many, by which thou mayest\nmore safely cross unknown seas and get thee to thy haven in Italy.\nMuch indeed the Fates suffer me not to know, and much Juno forbids me\nto speak. Know then, first of all, that Italy, which thou ignorantly\nthinkest to be close at hand, is yet far away across many seas. And let\nthis be a sign to thee that thou art indeed come to the place where\nthou wouldst be. When thou shalt see a white sow and thirty pigs at\nher teats, then hast thou found the place of thy city that shall be.\nAnd as to the devouring of thy tables for famine, heed it not: Apollo\nwill help thee at need. But seek not to find a dwelling-place on this\nshore of Italy which is near at hand, seeing that it is inhabited by\nthe accursed sons of Greece. And when thou hast passed it by, and art\ncome to the land of Sicily, and shalt see the strait of Pelorus open\nbefore thee, do thou keep to thy left hand and avoid the way that is\non thy right. For here in days past was the land rent asunder, so that\nthe waters of the sea flow between cities and fields that of old time\nwere joined together. And on the right hand is Scylla, and on the left\nCharybdis the whirlpool. But Scylla dwelleth in her cave, a monster\ndreadful to behold; for to the middle she is a fair woman, but a beast\nof the sea below, even the belly of a dolphin, with heads as of a wolf.\nWherefore it will be better for thee to fetch a compass round the whole\nland of Sicily than to come nigh these things, or to see them with\nthine eyes. Do thou also remember this, at all places and times, before\nall other gods to worship Juno, that thou mayest persuade her, and so\nmake thy way safely to Italy. And when thou art come thither, seek\nthe Sibyl that dwelleth at Cum\u00e6, the mad prophetess that writeth the\nsayings of Fate upon the leaves of a tree. For these indeed at first\nabide in their places, but, the gate being opened, the wind blows them\nhither and thither. And when they are scattered she careth not to join\nthem again, so that they who would inquire of her depart without an\nanswer. Refuse not to tarry awhile, that thou mayest take counsel of\nher, though all things seem to prosper thy journey, and thy comrades\nchide thy delay. For she shall tell thee all that shall befall thee in\nItaly,--what wars thou shalt wage, and what perils thou must endure,\nand what avoid. So much, and no more, is it lawful for me to utter. Do\nthou depart, and magnify our country of Troy even to the heaven.\u201d\n\nAnd when the seer had ended these sayings, he commanded his people that\nthey should carry to the ships gifts: gold, and carvings of ivory, and\nmuch silver, and caldrons that had been wrought at Dodona; also a coat\nof chain mail, and a helmet with a fair plume, which Pyrrhus had worn.\nAlso he gave gifts to the old man Anchises. Horses, too, he gave, and\nguides for the journey, and tackling for the ships, and arms for the\nwhole company. Then did he bid farewell to the old Anchises. Andromach\u00e9\nalso came, bringing broidered robes, and for Ascanius a Phrygian cloak,\nand many like things, which she gave him, saying, \u201cTake these works\nof my hands, that they may witness to thee of the abiding love of her\nthat was once Hector\u2019s wife. For in truth thou art the very image of my\nAstyanax, so like are thy eyes and face and hands. And indeed he would\nnow be of an age with thee.\u201d Then \u00c6neas also said farewell, weeping the\nwhile. \u201cBe ye happy, whose wanderings are over and rest already won; ye\nhave no seas to cross, nor fields of Italy, still flying as we advance,\nto seek. Rather ye have the likeness of Troy before your eyes. And be\nsure that if ever I come to this land of Italy which I seek, there\nshall be friendship between you and me, and between your children and\nmy children, forever.\u201d\n\nThen they set sail, and at eventide drew their ships to the land and\nslept on the beach. But at midnight Palinurus, the pilot, rising from\nhis bed, took note of the winds and of the stars, even of Arcturus, and\nthe Greater Bear and the Less, and Orion with his belt of gold. Seeing\ntherefore that all things boded fair weather to come, he blew loud the\nsignal that they should depart; which they did forthwith. And when the\nmorning was now growing red in the east, behold a land with hills dimly\nseen and shores lying low in the sea. And, first of all, the old man\nAnchises cried, \u201cLo! there is Italy,\u201d and after him all the company.\nThen took Anchises a mighty cup, and filled it with wine, and, standing\non the stern, said, \u201cGods of sea and land, and ye that have power of\nthe air, give us an easy journey, and send such winds as may favor\nus.\u201d And even as he spake the wind blew more strongly behind. Also the\nharbor mouth grew wider to behold, and on the hills was seen a temple\nof Minerva. And lo! upon the shore four horses white as snow, which\nthe old man seeing, said, \u201cThou speakest of war, land of the stranger;\nfor the horse signifieth war, yet doth he also use himself to run in\nthe chariot, and to bear the bit in company; therefore also will we\nhope for peace.\u201d Then did they sacrifice to Minerva, and to Juno also,\nwhich rites the seer Helenus had chiefly commanded. And this being done\nthey trimmed their sails and departed from the shore, fearing lest\nsome enemy, the Greeks being in that place, should set upon them. So\ndid they pass by Tarentum, which Hercules builded, also the hills of\nCaulon, and Scylacium, where many ships are broken. And from Scylacium\nthey beheld \u00c6tna, and heard a great roaring of the sea, and saw also\nthe waves rising up to heaven. Then said Anchises, \u201cLo! this is that\nCharybdis whereof the seer Helenus spake to us. Ply your oars, my\ncomrades, and let us fly therefrom.\u201d So they strove amain in rowing,\nand Palinurus also steered to the left, all the other ships following\nhim. And many times the waves lifted them to the heaven, and many\ntimes caused them to go down to the deep. But at the last, at setting\nof the sun, they came to the land of the Cyclops.\n\nThere, indeed, they lay in a harbor, well sheltered from all winds that\nblow, but all the night \u00c6tna thundered dreadfully, sending forth a\ncloud with smoke of pitch, and ashes fiery hot, and also balls of fire,\nand rocks withal that had been melted with heat. For indeed men say\nthat the giant Enceladus lieth under this mountain, being scorched with\nthe lightning of Jupiter, and that from him cometh forth this flame;\nalso that when, being weary, he turneth from one side to the other, the\nwhole land of the Three Capes is shaken. All that night they lay in\nmuch fear, nor knew what the cause of this uproar might be, for indeed\nthe sky was cloudy, nor could the moon be seen.\n\nAnd when it was morning, lo! there came forth from the woods a\nstranger, very miserable to behold, in filthy garments fastened with\nthorns, and with beard unshaven, who stretched out to them his hands\nas one who prayed. And the men of Troy knew him to be a Greek. But he,\nseeing them, and knowing of what country they were, stood awhile in\ngreat fear, but afterwards ran very swiftly towards them, and used to\nthem many prayers, weeping also the while. \u201cI pray you, men of Troy,\nby the stars and by the gods, and by this air which we breathe, to\ntake me away from this land, whithersoever ye will. And indeed I ask\nnot whither. That I am a Greek, I confess, and also that I bare arms\nagainst Troy. Wherefore drown me, if ye will, in the sea. Only let me\ndie, if die I must, by the hands of men.\u201d\n\nAnd he clung to their knees. Then \u00c6neas bade him tell who he was,\nand how he came to be in this plight And the man made answer, \u201cI am\na man of Ithaca, and a comrade of the unhappy Ulysses. My name is\nAch\u00e6menides, and my father was Adamastus. And when my comrades fled\nfrom this accursed shore, they left me in the Cyclops\u2019 cave. Hideous is\nhe to see, and savage, and of exceeding great stature, and he feeds on\nthe flesh of men. I myself saw with these eyes how he lay and caught\ntwo of my companions and brake them on the stone; aye, and I saw\ntheir limbs quiver between his teeth. Yet did he not do such things\nunpunished, for Ulysses endured not to behold these deeds, and when the\ngiant lay asleep, being overcome with wine, we, after prayer made to\nthe gods, and lots cast what each should do, bored out his eye, for one\neye he had, huge as a round shield of Argos, or as the circle of the\nsun, and so did we avenge our comrades\u2019 death. Do ye then fly with all\nthe speed ye may. For know that as this shepherd Polyphemus--a shepherd\nhe is by trade--so are a hundred other Cyclop\u00e9s, huge and savage as he,\nwho dwell on these shores and wander over the hills. And now for three\nmonths have I dwelt in these woods, eating berries and cornels and\nherbs of the field. And when I saw your ships, I hastened to meet them.\nDo ye with me, therefore, as ye will, so that I flee from this accursed\nrace.\u201d\n\nAnd even while he spake the men of Troy saw the shepherd Polyphemus\namong his flocks, and that he made as if he would come to the shore.\nHorrible to behold was he, huge and shapeless and blind. And when he\ncame to the sea, he washed the blood from the wound, grinding his teeth\nthe while; and though he went far into the sea, yet did not the waves\ntouch his middle. And the men of Troy, having taken the suppliant on\nboard, fled with all their might; and he hearing their rowing would\nhave reached to them, but could not. Therefore did he shout aloud, and\nthe Cyclop\u00e9s hearing him, hasted to the shore. Then did the men of Troy\nbehold them, a horrid company, tall as a grove of oaks or cypresses.\nNor knew they in their fear what they should do, seeing that on the\none hand was the land of the Cyclop\u00e9s, and on the other Scylla and\nCharybdis, of which the seer Helenus had bidden them beware. But while\nthey doubted, there blew a north wind from Pelorus, wherewith they\nsailed onwards, and Ach\u00e6menides with them. So they came to Ortygia,\nwhither, as men say, the river Alphe\u00fcs floweth under the sea from\nthe land of Pelops, and so mingleth with Arethusa; and afterwards\nthey passed the promontory of Pachynus, Camarina also, and Gela, and\nother cities likewise, till they came to Lilyb\u00e6um, and so at last to\nDrepanum. There the old man Anchises died, and was buried.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER II.\n\n\nNot many days after \u00c6neas and his companions set sail. But scarce were\nthey out of sight of the land of Sicily when Juno espied them. Very\nwroth was she that they should be now drawing near to the end of their\njourney, and she said to herself, \u201cShall I be balked of my purpose\nnor be able to keep these men of Troy from Italy? Minerva, indeed,\nbecause one man sinned, even Ajax O\u00efleus, burned the fleet of the\nGreeks, and drowned the men in the sea. For the ships she smote with\nthe thunderbolts of Jupiter; and as for Ajax, him she caught up with a\nwhirlwind, and dashed him upon the rocks, piercing him through. Only\nI, though I be both sister and wife to Jupiter, avail nothing against\nthis people. And who that heareth this in after time shall pay me due\nhonor and sacrifice?\u201d\n\nThen she went, thinking these things in her heart, to the land of\n\u00c6olia, where King \u00c6olus keepeth the winds under bolt and bar. Mightily\ndo they roar within the mountain, but their King restraineth them and\nkeepeth them in bounds, being indeed set to do this very thing, lest\nthey should carry both the heavens and the earth before them in their\ngreat fury. To him said Juno, \u201cO \u00c6olus, whom Jupiter hath made king\nof the winds, a nation which I hate is sailing over the Tuscan sea.\nLoose now thy storms against them, and drown their ships in the sea.\nAnd hearken what I will do for thee. Twelve maidens I have that wait\non me continually, who are passing fair, and the fairest of all, even\nDe\u00efopea, I will give thee to wife.\u201d\n\nTo whom answered King \u00c6olus, \u201cIt is for thee, O Queen, to order what\nthou wilt, it being of thy gift that I hold this sovereignty and eat at\nthe table of the gods.\u201d\n\nSo saying he drave in with his spear the folding-doors of the prison\nof the winds, and these straightway in a great host rushed forth,\neven all the winds together, and rolled great waves upon the shore.\nAnd straightway there arose a great shouting of men and straining of\ncables; nor could the sky nor the light of the day be seen any more,\nbut a darkness as of night came down upon the sea, and there were\nthunders and lightnings over the whole heavens.\n\nThen did \u00c6neas grow cold with fear; and stretching out his hands to\nheaven, he cried, \u201cHappy they who fell under the walls of Troy, before\ntheir fathers\u2019 eyes! Would to the gods that thou hadst slain me,\nDiomed, bravest of the Greeks, even as Hector fell by the spear of\nAchilles, or tall Sarpedon, or all the brave warriors whose dead bodies\nSimo\u00efs rolled down to the sea!\u201d\n\nBut as he spake a blast of wind struck his sails from before, and\nhis ship was turned broad-side to the waves. Three others also were\ntossed upon the rocks which men call the \u201cAltars,\u201d and three into the\nquicksands of the Syrtis. And another, in which sailed the men of\nLycia, with Orontes, their chief, was struck upon the stern by a great\nsea and sunk. And when \u00c6neas looked, lo! there were some swimming in\nthe waves, and broken planks also, and arms and treasures of Troy.\nOthers also were shattered by the waves, and those of Ilione\u00fcs and\nAchates, and of Abas and the old man Alethes.\n\nBut King Neptune was aware of the tumult where he sat at the bottom of\nthe sea, and raising his head above the waves, looked forth and saw how\nthe ships were scattered abroad and the men of Troy were in sore peril.\nAlso he knew his sister\u2019s wrath and her craft. Then he called to him\nthe winds and said, \u201cWhat is this, ye winds, that ye trouble heaven and\nearth without leave of me? Now will I--but I must first bid the waves\nbe still, only be sure that ye shall not thus escape hereafter. Begone,\nand tell your King that the dominion over the sea belongeth unto me,\nand bid him keep him to his rocks.\u201d\n\nThen he bade the waves be still; also he scattered the clouds and\nbrought back the sun. And Cymothea and Triton, gods of the sea, drew\nthe ships from the rocks, Neptune also lifting them with his trident.\nLikewise he opened the quicksands, and delivered the ships that were\ntherein. And this being done he crossed the sea in his chariot, and\nthe waves beholding him sank to rest, even as it befalls when there is\nsedition in the city, and the people are wroth, and men throw stones\nand firebrands, till lo! of a sudden there cometh forth a reverend\nsire, a good man and true, and all men are silent and hearken to him,\nand the uproar is stayed. So was the sea stilled, beholding its King.\n\nThen \u00c6neas and his companions, being sore wearied with the storm, made\nfor the nearest shore, even Africa, where they found a haven running\nfar into the land, into which the waves come not till their force be\nspent. On either side thereof are cliffs very high, and shining woods\nover them. Also at the harbor\u2019s head is a cave and a spring of sweet\nwater within, a dwelling-place of the Nymphs. Hither came \u00c6neas, with\nseven ships. Right glad were the men of Troy to stand upon the dry land\nagain. Then Achates struck a spark out of flint, and they lighted a\nfire with leaves and the like; also they took of the wheat which had\nbeen in the ships, and made ready to parch and to bruise it, that they\nmight eat. Meanwhile \u00c6neas had climbed the cliff, if haply he might see\nsome of his companions\u2019 ships. These indeed he saw not, but he espied\nthree great stags upon the shore and a herd following them. Wherefore,\ntaking the arrows and the bow which Achates bare with him, he let fly,\nslaying the leaders and others also, till he had gotten seven, one\nfor each ship. Then made he his way to the landing-place, and divided\nthe prey. Also he made distribution of the wine which Acestes, their\nhost in Sicily, had given them as they were about to depart, and spake\ncomfortable words to them, saying, \u201cO my friends, be ye sure that there\nwill be an end to these troubles; and indeed ye have suffered worse\nthings before. Be ye of good cheer therefore. Haply ye shall one day\nhave pleasure in thinking of these things. For be sure that the gods\nhave prepared a dwelling-place for us in Italy, where we shall build a\nnew Troy, in great peace and happiness. Wherefore endure unto the day\nof prosperity.\u201d\n\nThen they made ready the feast, and roasted of the meat upon spits, and\nboiled other in water. Also they drank of the wine and were comforted.\nAnd after supper they talked much of them that were absent, doubting\nwhether they were alive or dead.\n\nAll these things did Jupiter behold; and even as he beheld them there\ncame to him Venus, having a sad countenance and her shining eyes dim\nwith tears, and spake: \u201cO great Father, that rulest all things, what\nhave \u00c6neas and the men of Troy sinned against thee, that the whole\nworld is shut against them? Didst not thou promise that they should\nrule over land and sea? Why, then, art thou turned back from thy\npurpose? With this I was wont to comfort myself for the evil fate of\nTroy, but lo! this same fate follows them still, nor is there any end\nto their troubles. And yet it was granted to Antenor, himself also a\nman of Troy, that he should escape from the Greeks, and coming to the\nLiburnian land, where Timavus flows with much noise into the sea, build\na city and find rest for himself. But we, who are thy children, are\nkept far from the land which thou hast sworn to give us.\u201d\n\nThen her father kissed her once and again, and answered smiling, \u201cFear\nnot, my daughter, the fate of thy children changeth not. Thou shalt\nsee this city for which thou lookest, and shalt receive thy son, the\ngreat-hearted \u00c6neas, into the heavens. Hearken, therefore, and I will\ntell thee things to come. \u00c6neas shall war with the nations of Italy,\nand shall subdue them, and build a city, and rule therein for three\nyears. And after the space of thirty years shall the boy Ascanius, who\nshall hereafter be called I\u00fclus also, change the place of his throne\nfrom Lavinium unto Alba; and for three hundred years shall there be\nkings in Alba of the kindred of Hector. Then shall a priestess bear\nto Mars twin sons, whom a she-wolf shall suckle; of whom the one, even\nRomulus, shall build a city, dedicating it to Mars, and call it Rome,\nafter his own name. To which city have I given empire without bound or\nend. And Juno also shall repent her of her wrath, and join counsel with\nme, cherishing the men of Rome, so that they shall bear rule even over\nArgos and Mycen\u00e6.\u201d\n\nAnd when he had said this, he sent down his messenger, even Mercury, to\nturn the heart of Dido and her people, where they dwelt in the city of\nCarthage, which they had builded, so that they should deal kindly with\nthe strangers.\n\nNow it came to pass on the next day that \u00c6neas, having first hidden\nhis ships in a bay that was well covered with trees, went forth to spy\nout the new land whither he was come, and Achates only went with him.\nAnd \u00c6neas had in each hand a broad-pointed spear. And as he went there\nmet him in the middle of the wood his mother, but habited as a Spartan\nvirgin, for she had hung a bow from her shoulders after the fashion of\na huntress, and her hair was loose, and her tunic short to the knees,\nand her garments gathered in a knot upon her breast. Then first the\nfalse huntress spake, \u201cIf perchance ye have seen one of my sisters\nwandering hereabouts, make known to me the place. She is girded with a\nquiver, and is clothed with the skin of a spotted lynx, or, may be, she\nhunts a wild boar with horn and hound.\u201d\n\nTo whom \u00c6neas, \u201cI have not seen nor heard sister of thine, O\nvirgin--for what shall I call thee? for, of a surety, neither is thy\nlook as of a mortal woman, nor yet thy voice. A goddess certainly thou\nart, sister of Ph\u0153bus, or, haply, one of the nymphs. But whosoever\nthou art, look favorably upon us and help us. Tell us in what land we\nbe, for the winds have driven us hither, and we know not aught of place\nor people.\u201d\n\nAnd Venus said, \u201cNay, stranger, I am not such as ye think. We virgins\nof Tyre are wont to carry a quiver and to wear a buskin of purple.\nFor indeed it is a Tyrian city that is hard by, though the land be\nLybia. And of this city Dido is Queen, having come hither from Tyre,\nflying from the wrong-doing of her brother. And indeed the story of the\nthing is long, but I will recount the chief matter thereof to thee.\nThe husband of this Dido was one Sich\u00e6us, richest among all the men\nof Ph\u0153nicia, and greatly beloved of his wife, whom he married from a\nvirgin. Now the brother of this Sich\u00e6us was Pygmalion, the King of the\ncountry, and he exceeded all men in wickedness. And when there arose a\nquarrel between them, the King, being exceedingly mad after gold, took\nhim unaware, even as he did sacrifice at the altar, and slew him. And\nthe King hid the matter many days from Dido, and cheated her with false\nhopes. But at the last there came to her in her dreams the likeness of\nthe dead man, baring his wounds and showing the wickedness which had\nbeen done. Also he bade her make haste and fly from that land, and,\nthat she might do this the more easily, told her of great treasure,\ngold and silver, that was hidden in the earth. And Dido, being much\nmoved by these things, made ready for flight; also she sought for\ncompanions, and there came together to her all as many as hated the\nKing or feared him. Then did they seize ships that chanced to be ready,\nand laded them with gold, even the treasure of King Pygmalion, and\nso fled across the sea. And in all this was a woman the leader. Then\ncame they to this place, where thou seest the walls and citadel of\nCarthage, and bought so much land as they could cover with a bull\u2019s\nhide. And now do ye answer me this, Whence come ye, and whither do ye\ngo?\u201d\n\nThen answered \u00c6neas, \u201cShould I tell the whole story of our wanderings,\nand thou have leisure to hear, evening would come ere I could make an\nend. We are men of Troy, who, having journeyed over many seas, have\nnow been driven by storms to this shore of Lybia. And as for me, men\ncall me the Prince \u00c6neas. The land I seek is Italy, and my race is from\nJupiter himself. With twenty ships did I set sail, going in the way\nwhereon the gods sent me. And of these scarce seven are left. And now,\nseeing that Europe and Asia endure me not, I wander over the desert\nplaces of Africa.\u201d\n\nBut Venus suffered him not to speak more, but said, \u201cWhoever thou art,\nstranger, that art come to this Tyrian city, thou art surely beloved by\nthe gods. And now go, show thyself to the Queen. And as for thy ships\nand thy companions, I tell that they are safe in the haven, if I have\nnot learnt augury in vain. See those twenty swans, how joyously they\nfly! And now there cometh an eagle swooping down from the sky, putting\nthem to confusion; but now again they move in due order, and some are\nsettling on the earth and some preparing to settle. Even so doth it\nfare with thy ships, for either are they already in the haven or enter\nthereinto with sails full set.\u201d\n\nAnd as she spake she turned away, and there shone a rosy light from her\nneck; also there came from her hair a sweet savor as of ambrosia, and\nher garments grew unto her feet; and \u00c6neas perceived that she was his\nmother, and cried aloud,--\n\n\u201cO my mother, why dost thou mock me so often with false shows, nor\nsufferest me to join my hand unto thy hand, and to speak with thee face\nto face?\u201d\n\nAnd he went towards the walls of the city. But Venus covered him and\nhis companions with a mist, that no man might see them, or hinder them,\nor inquire of their business, and then departed to Paphos, where was\nher temple and also many altars of incense. Then the men hastened on\ntheir way, and mounting a hill which hung over the city, marvelled to\nbehold it, for indeed it was very great and noble, with mighty gates\nand streets, and a multitude that walked therein. For some built the\nwalls and the citadel, rolling great stones with their hands, and\nothers marked out places for houses. Also they chose those that should\ngive judgment and bear rule in the city. Some, too, digged out harbors,\nand others laid the foundations of a theatre, and cut out great pillars\nof stone. Like to bees they were, when, the summer being newly come,\nthe young swarms go forth, or when they labor filling the cells with\nhoney, and some receive the burdens of those that return from the\nfields, and others keep off the drones from the hive. Even so labored\nthe men of Tyre. And when \u00c6neas beheld them he cried, \u201cHappy ye, who\neven now have a city to dwell in!\u201d And being yet hidden by the mist, he\nwent in at the gate and mingled with the men, being seen of none.\n\nNow in the midst of the city was a wood, very thick with trees, and\nhere the men of Carthage, first coming to the land from their voyage,\nhad digged out of the ground that which Juno had said should be a sign\nto them, even a horse\u2019s head! for that, finding this, their city would\nbe mighty in war, and full of riches. Here, then, Dido was building a\ntemple to Juno, very splendid, with threshold of bronze, and many steps\nthereunto; of bronze also were the door-posts and the gates. And here\nbefell a thing which gave much comfort and courage to \u00c6neas; for as he\nstood and regarded the place, waiting also for the Queen, he saw set\nforth in order upon the walls the battles that had been fought at Troy,\nthe sons of Atreus also, and King Priam, and fierce Achilles. Then\nsaid he, not without tears, \u201cIs there any land, O Achates, that is not\nfilled with our sorrows? Seest thou Priam? Yet withal there is a reward\nfor virtue here also, and tears and pity for the troubles of men. Fear\nnot, therefore. Surely the fame of these things shall profit us.\u201d\n\nThen he looked, satisfying his soul with the paintings on the walls.\nFor there was the city of Troy. In this part of the field the Greeks\nfled and the youth of Troy pursued them, and in that the men of Troy\nfled, and Achilles followed hard upon them in his chariot. Also he saw\nthe white tents of Rhesus, King of Thrace, whom the fierce Diomed slew\nin his sleep, when he was newly come to Troy, and drave his horses to\nthe camp before they ate of the grass of the fields of Troy or drank\nthe waters of Xanthus. There also Tro\u00eflus was pictured, ill-matched in\nbattle with the great Achilles. His horses bare him along; but he lay\non his back in the chariot, yet holding the reins, and his neck and\nhead were dragged upon the earth, and the spear-point made a trail in\nthe dust. And in another place the women of Troy went suppliant-wise\nto the temple of Minerva, bearing a great and beautiful robe, sad and\nbeating their breasts, and with hair unbound; but the goddess regarded\nthem not. Also Achilles dragged the body of Hector three times round\nthe walls of Troy, and was selling it for gold. And \u00c6neas groaned\nwhen he saw the man whom he loved, and the old man Priam reaching out\nhelpless hands. Also he knew himself, fighting in the midst of the\nGrecian chiefs; black Memnon also he knew, and the hosts of the East;\nand Penthesilea leading the army of the Amazons with shields shaped as\nthe moon. Fierce she was to see, with one breast bared for battle, and\na golden girdle beneath it, a damsel daring to fight with men.\n\nBut while \u00c6neas marvelled to see these things, lo! there came, with a\ngreat throng of youths behind her, Dido, most beautiful of women, fair\nas Diana, when, on the banks of Eurotas or on the hills of Cynthus, she\nleads the dance with a thousand nymphs of the mountains about her. On\nher shoulder she bears a quiver, and overtops them all, and her mother,\neven Latona, silently rejoices to behold her. So fair and seemly to see\nwas Dido as she bare herself right nobly in the midst, being busy in\nthe work of her kingdom. Then she sat herself down on a lofty throne\nin the gate of the temple, with many armed men about her. And she did\njustice between man and man; also she divided the work of the city,\nsharing it equally or parting it by lot.\n\nThen of a sudden \u00c6neas heard a great clamor, and saw a company of men\ncome quickly to the place, among whom were Antheus and Sergestus and\nCloanthus, and others of the men of Troy that had been parted from him\nin the storm. Right glad was he to behold them, yet was not without\nfear; and though he would fain have come forth and caught them by the\nhand, yet did he tarry, waiting to hear how the men had fared, where\nthey had left their ships, and wherefore they were come.\n\nThen Ilioneus, leave being now given that he should speak, thus began:\n\u201cO Queen, whom Jupiter permits to build a new city in these lands, we\nmen of Troy, whom the winds have carried over many seas, pray thee\nthat thou save our ships from fire, and spare a people that serveth\nthe gods. For, indeed, we are not come to waste the dwellings of this\nland, or to carry off the spoils to our ships. For, of a truth, they\nwho have suffered so much think not of such deeds. There is a land\nwhich the Greeks call Hesperia, but the people themselves Italy, after\nthe name of their chief; an ancient land, mighty in arms and fertile\nof corn. Hither were we journeying, when a storm arising scattered our\nships, and only these few that thou seest escaped to the land. And can\nthere be nation so savage that it receiveth not shipwrecked men on its\nshore, but beareth arms against them, and forbiddeth them to land? Nay,\nbut if ye care not for men, yet regard the gods, who forget neither\nthem that do righteously nor them that transgress. We had a king,\n\u00c6neas, than whom there lived not a man more dutiful to gods and men and\ngreater in war. If indeed he be yet alive, then we fear not at all. For\nof a truth it will not repent thee to have helped us. And if not, other\nfriends have we, as Acestes of Sicily. Grant us, therefore, to shelter\nour ships from the wind: also to fit them with fresh timber from the\nwoods, and to make ready oars for rowing, so that, finding again our\nKing and our companions, we may gain the land of Italy. But if he be\ndead, and Ascanius his son lost also, then there is a dwelling ready\nfor us in the land of Sicily, with Acestes, who is our friend.\u201d\n\nThen Dido, her eyes bent on the ground, thus spake, \u201cFear not, men of\nTroy. If we have seemed to deal harshly with you, pardon us, seeing\nthat, being newly settled in this land, we must keep watch and ward\nover our coasts. But as for the men of Troy, and their deeds in\narms, who knows them not? Think not that we in Carthage are so dull\nof heart, or dwell so remote from man that we are ignorant of these\nthings. Whether, therefore, ye will journey to Italy, or rather return\nto Sicily and King Acestes, know that I will give you all help, and\nprotect you; or, if ye will, settle in this land of ours. Yours is this\ncity which I am building. I will make no difference between man of Troy\nand man of Tyre. Would that your King also were here! Surely I will\nsend those that shall seek him in all parts of Libya, lest haply he\nshould be gone astray in any forest or strange city of the land.\u201d\n\nAnd when \u00c6neas and Achates heard these things, they were glad, and\nwould have come forth from the cloud, and Achates said, \u201cWhat thinkest\nthou? Lo, thy comrades are safe, saving him whom we saw with our own\neyes drowned in the waves; and all other things are according as thy\nmother said.\u201d\n\nAnd even as he spake the cloud parted from about them, and \u00c6neas stood\nforth, very bright to behold, with face and breast as of a god, for\nhis mother had given to him hair beautiful to see, and cast about him\nthe purple light of youth, even as a workman sets ivory in some fair\nornament, or compasseth about silver or marble of Paros with gold. Then\nspake he to the Queen, \u201cLo! I am he whom ye seek, even \u00c6neas of Troy,\nscarcely saved from the waters of the sea. And as for thee, O Queen,\nseeing that thou only hast been found to pity the unspeakable sorrows\nof Troy, and biddest us, though we be but poor exiles and lacking all\nthings, to share thy city and thy home, may the gods do so to thee as\nthou deservest. And, of a truth, so long as the rivers run to the seas,\nand the shadows fall on the hollows of the hills, so long will thy name\nand thy glory survive, whatever be the land to which the gods shall\nbring me.\u201d Then gave he his right hand to Ilioneus, and his left hand\nto Sergestus, and greeted him with great joy.\n\nAnd Dido, hearing these things, was silent for a while, but at last\nshe spake: \u201cWhat ill fortune brings thee into perils so great? what\npower drave thee to these savage shores? Well do I mind me how in days\ngone by there came to Sidon one Teucer, who, having been banished from\nhis country, sought help from Belus that he might find a kingdom for\nhimself. And it chanced that in those days Belus, my father, had newly\nconquered the land of Cyprus. From that day did I know the tale of\nTroy, and thy name also, and the chiefs of Greece. Also I remember that\nTeucer spake honorably of the men of Troy, saying that he was himself\nsprung of the old Teucrian stock. Come ye, therefore, to my palace. I\ntoo have wandered far, even as you, and so have come to this land, and\nhaving suffered much, have learnt to succor them that suffer.\u201d\n\nSo saying she led \u00c6neas into her palace; also she sent to his\ncompanions in the ships great store of provisions, even twenty oxen,\nand a hundred bristly swine, and a hundred ewe sheep with their lambs.\nBut in the palace a great feast was set forth, couches covered with\nbroidered purple, and silver vessels without end, and cups of gold,\nwhereon were embossed the mighty deeds of the men of old time.\n\nAnd in the mean time \u00c6neas sent Achates in haste to the ships, that he\nmight fetch Ascanius to the feast. Also he bade that the boy should\nbring with him gifts of such things as they had saved from the ruins of\nTroy, a mantle stiff with broidery of gold and a veil broidered with\nyellow acanthus, which the fair Helen had taken with her, flying from\nher home; but Leda, her mother, had given them to Helen; a sceptre\nlikewise which Ilione, first-born of the daughters of Priam, had\ncarried, and a necklace of pearls, and a double crown of jewels and\ngold.\n\nBut Venus was troubled in heart, fearing evil to her son should the\nmen of Tyre be treacherous, after their wont, and Juno remembered her\nwrath. Wherefore, taking counsel with herself, she called to the winged\nboy, even Love, that was her son, and spake, \u201cMy son, who art all my\npower and strength, who laughest at the thunders of Jupiter, thou\nknowest how Juno, being exceedingly wroth against thy brother \u00c6neas,\ncauseth him to wander out of the way over all lands. This day Dido\nhath him in her palace, and speaketh him fair; but I fear me much how\nthese things may end. Wherefore hear thou that which I purpose. Thy\nbrother hath even now sent for the boy Ascanius, that he may come to\nthe palace, bringing with him gifts of such things as they saved from\nthe ruins of Troy. Him will I cause to fall into a deep sleep, and hide\nin Cythera or Idalium, and do thou for one night take upon thee his\nlikeness. And when Queen Dido at the feast shall hold thee in her lap,\nand kiss and embrace thee, do thou breathe by stealth thy fire into her\nheart.\u201d\n\nThen did Love as his mother bade him, and put off his wings, and took\nupon him the shape of Ascanius, but on the boy Venus caused there to\nfall a deep sleep, and carried him to the woods of Idalium, and lapped\nhim in sweet-smelling flowers. And in his stead Love carried the gifts\nto the Queen. And when he was come they sat down to the feast, the\nQueen being in the midst under a canopy. \u00c6neas also and the men of\nTroy lay on coverlets of purple, to whom serving-men brought water\nand bread in baskets and napkins; and within fifty handmaids were\nready to replenish the store of victual and to fan the fire; and a\nhundred others, with pages as many, loaded the tables with dishes and\ndrinking-cups. Many men of Tyre also were bidden to the feast. Much\nthey marvelled at the gifts of \u00c6neas, and much at the false Ascanius.\nDido also could not satisfy herself with looking on him, nor knew what\ntrouble he was preparing for her in the time to come. And he, having\nfirst embraced the father who was not his father, and clung about his\nneck, addressed himself to Queen Dido, and she ever followed him with\nher eyes, and sometimes would hold him on her lap. And still he worked\nupon her that she should forget the dead Sich\u00e6us and conceive a new\nlove in her heart.\n\nBut when they first paused from the feast, lo! men set great bowls upon\nthe table and filled them to the brim with wine. Then did the Queen\ncall for a great vessel of gold, with many jewels upon it, from which\nBelus, and all the kings from Belus, had drunk, and called for wine,\nand having filled it, she cried, \u201cO Jupiter, whom they call the god of\nhosts and guests, cause that this be a day of joy for the men of Troy\nand for them of Tyre, and that our children remember it forever. Also,\nBacchus, giver of joy, be present, and kindly Juno.\u201d And when she had\ntouched the wine with her lips, she handed the great cup to Prince\nBitias, who drank thereout a mighty draught, and the other princes\nafter him. Then the minstrel Iopas, whom Atlas himself had taught,\nsang to the harp, of the moon, how she goes on her way, and of the\nsun, how his light is darkened. He sang also of men, and of the beasts\nof the field, whence they come; and of the stars, Arcturus, and the\nGreater Bear and the Less, and the Hyades; and of the winter sun, why\nhe hastens to dip himself in the ocean; and of the winter nights, why\nthey tarry so long. The Queen also talked much of the story of Troy, of\nPriam, and of Hector, asking many things, as of the arms of Memnon, and\nof the horses of Diomed, and of Achilles, how great he was. And at last\nshe said to \u00c6neas, \u201cTell us now thy story, how Troy was taken, and thy\nwanderings over land and sea.\u201d And \u00c6neas made answer, \u201cNay, O Queen,\nbut thou biddest me renew a sorrow unspeakable. Yet, if thou art minded\nto hear these things, hearken.\u201d And he told her all that had befallen\nhim, even to the day when his father Anchises died.\n\nMuch was Queen Dido moved by the story, and much did she marvel at him\nthat told it, and scarce could sleep for thinking of him. And the next\nday she spake to Anna, her sister, \u201cO my sister, I have been troubled\nthis night with ill dreams, and my heart is disquieted within me. What\na man is this stranger that hath come to our shores! How noble of\nmien! How bold in war! Sure I am that he is of the sons of the gods.\nWhat fortunes have been his! Of what wars he told us! Surely were I\nnot steadfastly purposed that I would not yoke me again in marriage,\nthis were the man to whom I might yield. Only he--for I will tell thee\nthe truth, my sister--only he, since the day when Sich\u00e6us died by his\nbrother\u2019s hand, hath moved my heart. But may the earth swallow me up,\nor the almighty Father strike me with lightning, ere I stoop to such\nbaseness. The husband of my youth hath carried with him my love, and he\nshall keep it in his grave.\u201d\n\nSo she spake, with many tears. And her sister made answer, \u201cWhy wilt\nthou waste thy youth in sorrow, without child or husband? Thinkest\nthou that there is care or remembrance of such things in the grave?\nNo suitors indeed have pleased thee here or in Tyre, but wilt thou\nalso contend with a love that is after thine own heart? Think too of\nthe nations among whom thou dwellest, how fierce they are, and of thy\nbrother at Tyre, what he threatens against thee. Surely it was by the\nwill of the gods, and of Juno chiefly, that the ships of Troy came\nhither. And this city which thou buildest, to what greatness will\nit grow if only thou wilt make for thyself such alliance! How great\nwill be the glory of Carthage if the strength of Troy be joined unto\nher! Only do thou pray to the gods and offer sacrifices; and, for the\npresent, seeing that the time of sailing is now past, make excuse that\nthese strangers tarry with thee awhile.\u201d\n\nThus did Anna comfort her sister and encourage her. And first the two\noffered sacrifice to the gods, chiefly to Juno, who careth for the bond\nof marriage. Also, examining the entrails of slain beasts, they sought\nto learn the things that should happen thereafter. And ever Dido would\ncompany with \u00c6neas, leading him about the walls of the city which she\nbuilded. And often she would begin to speak and stay in the midst of\nher words. And when even was come, she would hear again and again at\nthe banquet the tale of Troy, and while others slept would watch, and\nwhile he was far away would seem to see him and to hear him. Ascanius,\ntoo, she would embrace for love of his father, if so she might cheat\nher own heart. But the work of the city was stayed meanwhile; nor did\nthe towers rise in their places, nor the youth practise themselves in\narms.\n\nThen Juno, seeing how it fared with the Queen, spake to Venus, \u201cAre ye\nsatisfied with your victory, thou and thy son, that ye have vanquished\nthe two of you one woman? Well I knew that thou fearedst lest this\nCarthage should harm thy favorite. But why should there be war between\nus? Thou hast what thou seekedst. Let us make alliance. Let Dido obey a\nPhrygian husband, and bring the men of Tyre as her dowry.\u201d\n\nBut Venus knew that she spake with ill intent, to the end that the\nmen of Troy should not reign in the land of Italy. Nevertheless she\ndissembled with her tongue, and spake, \u201cWho would not rather have peace\nwith thee than war? Only I doubt whether this thing shall be to the\npleasure of Jupiter. This thou must learn, seeing that thou art his\nwife, and where thou leadest I will follow.\u201d\n\nSo the two, taking counsel together, ordered things in this wise. The\nnext day a great hunting was prepared. For as soon as ever the sun was\nrisen upon the earth, the youth of the city assembled, with nets and\nhunting-spears, and dogs that ran by scent. And the princes of Carthage\nwaited for the Queen at the palace door, where her horse stood champing\nthe bit, with trappings of purple and gold. And after a while she came\nforth with many following her. And she had upon her a Sidonian mantle,\nwith a border wrought with divers colors; of gold was her quiver, and\nof gold the knot of her hair, and of gold the clasp to her mantle.\n\u00c6neas likewise came forth, beautiful as is Apollo when he leaveth Lydia\nand the stream of Xanthus, coming to Delos, and hath about his hair a\nwreath of bay-leaves and a circlet of gold. So fair was \u00c6neas to see.\nAnd when the hunters came to the hills, they found great store of goats\nand stags, which they chased. And of all the company Ascanius was the\nforemost, thinking scorn of such hunting, and wishing that a wild boar\nor a lion out of the hills should come forth to be his prey.\n\nAnd now befell a great storm, with much thunder and hail, from which\nthe hunters sought shelter. But \u00c6neas and the Queen, being left of all\ntheir company, came together to the same cave. And there they plighted\ntheir troth one to another. Nor did the Queen after that make secret of\nher love, but called \u00c6neas her husband. Straightway went Rumor and told\nthese things through the cities of Libya. Now Rumor, men say, is the\nyoungest daughter of Earth, a marvellous creature, moving very swiftly\nwith feet and wings, and having many feathers upon her, and under every\nfeather an eye and a tongue and a mouth and an ear. In the night she\nflieth between heaven and earth, and sleepeth not; and in the day she\nsitteth on some housetop or lofty tower, or spreadeth fear over mighty\ncities; and she loveth that which is false even as she loveth that\nwhich is true. So now she went telling through Libya how \u00c6neas of Troy\nwas come, and Dido was wedded to him, and how they lived careless and\nat ease, and thinking not of the work to which they were called.\n\nAnd first of all she went to Prince Iarbas, who himself had sought Dido\nin marriage. And Iarbas was very wroth when he heard it, and, coming to\nthe temple of Jupiter, spread his grief before the god, how that he had\ngiven a place on his coasts to this Dido, and would have taken her to\nwife, but that she had married a stranger from Phrygia, another Paris,\nwhose dress and adornments were of a woman rather than of a man.\n\nAnd Jupiter saw that this was so, and he said to Mercury, who was his\nmessenger, \u201cGo, speak to \u00c6neas these words: \u2018Thus saith the King of\ngods and men. Is this what thy mother promised of thee, twice saving\nthee from the spear of the Greeks? Art thou he that shall rule Italy\nand its mighty men of war, and spread thy dominion to the ends of the\nworld? If thou thyself forgettest these things, dost thou grudge to thy\nson the citadels of Rome? What dost thou here? Why lookest thou not to\nItaly? Depart and tarry not.\u2019\u201d\n\nThen Mercury fitted the winged sandals to his feet, and took the wand\nwith which he driveth the spirits of the dead, and came right soon to\nMount Atlas, which standeth bearing the heaven on his head, and having\nalways clouds about his top, and snow upon his shoulders, and a beard\nthat is stiff with ice. There Mercury stood awhile; then, as a bird\nwhich seeks its prey in the sea, shot headlong down, and came to \u00c6neas\nwhere he stood, with a yellow jasper in his sword-hilt, and a cloak of\npurple shot with gold about his shoulders, and spake: \u201cBuildest thou\nCarthage, forgetting thine own work? The almighty Father saith to thee,\n\u2018What meanest thou? Why tarriest thou here? If thou carest not for\nthyself, yet think of thy son, and that the Fates have given to him\nItaly and Rome.\u2019\u201d\n\nAnd \u00c6neas saw him no more. And he stood stricken with fear and doubt.\nFain would he obey the voice, and go as the gods commanded. But how\nshould he tell this purpose to the Queen? But at the last it seemed\ngood to him to call certain of the chiefs, as Mnestheus, and Sergestus,\nand Antheus, and bid them make ready the ships in silence, and gather\ntogether the people, but dissemble the cause, and he himself would\nwatch a fitting time to speak and unfold the matter to the Queen.\n\nYet was not Dido deceived, for love is keen of sight. Rumor also told\nher that they made ready the ships for sailing. Then, flying through\nthe city, even as one on whom has come the frenzy of Bacchus flies by\nnight over Mount Cith\u00e6ron, she came upon \u00c6neas, and spake: \u201cThoughtest\nthou to hide thy crime, and to depart in silence from this land? Carest\nthou not for her whom thou leavest to die? And hast thou no fear of\nwinter storms that vex the sea? By all that I have done for thee and\ngiven thee, if there be yet any place for repentance, repent thee\nof this purpose. For thy sake I suffer the wrath of the princes of\nLibya and of my own people; and if thou leavest me, for what should\nI live?--till my brother overthrow my city, or Iarbas carry me away\ncaptive? If I had but a little \u00c6neas to play in my halls I should not\nseem so altogether desolate.\u201d\n\nBut \u00c6neas, fearing the words of Jupiter, stood with eyes that relented\nnot. At the last he spake: \u201cI deny not, O Queen, the benefits that\nthou hast done unto me, nor ever, while I live, shall I forget Dido.\nI sought not to fly by stealth; yet did I never promise that I would\nabide in this place. Could I have chosen according to my will, I had\nbuilt again the city of Troy where it stood; but the gods command that\nI should seek Italy. Thou hast thy Carthage: why dost thou grudge\nItaly to us? Nor may I tarry. Night after night have I seen my father\nAnchises warning me in dreams. Also even now the messenger of Jupiter\ncame to me--with these ears I heard him--and bade me depart.\u201d\n\nThen, in great wrath, with eyes askance, did Dido break forth upon him:\n\u201cSurely no goddess was thy mother, nor art thou come of the race of\nDardanus. The rocks of Caucasus brought thee forth, and an Hyrcanian\ntigress gave thee suck. For why should I dissemble? Was he moved at\nall my tears? Did he pity my love? Nay, the very gods are against me.\nThis man I took to myself when he was shipwrecked and ready to perish.\nI brought back his ships, his companions from destruction. And now\nforsooth comes the messenger of Jupiter with dreadful commands from the\ngods. As for thee, I keep thee not. Go, seek thy Italy across the seas:\nonly, if there is any vengeance in heaven, thou wilt pay the penalty\nfor this wrong, being wrecked on some rock in their midst. Then wilt\nthou call on Dido in vain. Aye, and wherever thou shalt go I will haunt\nthee, and rejoice in the dwellings below to hear thy doom.\u201d\n\nThen she turned, and hasted to go into the house. But her spirit left\nher, so that her maidens bear her to her chamber and laid her on her\nbed.\n\nThen \u00c6neas, though he was much troubled in his heart, and would fain\nhave comforted the Queen, was obedient to the heavenly word, and\ndeparted to his ships. And the men of Troy busied themselves in making\nthem ready for the voyage. Even as the ants spoil a great heap of corn\nand store it in their dwellings against winter, moving in a black line\nacross the field, and some carry the great grains, and some chide those\nthat linger, even so did the Trojans swarm along the ways and labor at\nthe work.\n\nBut when Dido saw it, she called to Anna, her sister, and said, \u201cSeest\nthou how they hasten the work along the shore? Even now the sails are\nready for the winds, and the sailors have wreathed the ships with\ngarlands, as if for departure. Go thou--the deceiver always trusted\nthee, and thou knowest how best to move him--go and entreat him. I\nharmed not him nor his people; let him then grant me this only. Let\nhim wait for a fairer time for his journey. I ask not that he give up\nhis purpose; only that he grant me a short breathing space, till I may\nlearn how to bear this sorrow.\u201d\n\nAnd Anna hearkened to her sister, and took the message to \u00c6neas, yet\nprofited nothing, for the gods shut his ears that he should not hear.\nEven as an oak stands firm when the north wind would root it up from\nthe earth--its leaves are scattered all around, yet doth it remain\nfirm, for its roots go down to the regions below, even as far as its\nbranches reach to heaven--so stood \u00c6neas firm, and, though he wept many\ntears, changed not his purpose.\n\nThen did Dido grow weary of her life. For when she did sacrifice,\nthe pure water would grow black and the wine be changed into blood.\nAlso from the shrine of her husband, which was in the midst of her\npalace, was heard a voice calling her, and the owl cried aloud from\nthe house-top. And in her dreams the cruel \u00c6neas seemed to drive her\nbefore him; or she seemed to be going a long way with none to bear\nher company, and be seeking her own people in a land that was desert.\nTherefore, hiding the thing that was in her heart, she spake to her\nsister, saying, \u201cI have found a way, my sister, that shall bring him\nback to me or set me free from him. Near the shore of the Great Sea,\nwhere the \u00c6thiopians dwell, is a priestess, who guards the temple of\nthe daughters of Hesperus, being wont to feed the dragons that kept the\napples of gold. She is able by her charms to loose the heart from care\nor to bind it, and to stay rivers also, and to turn the courses of the\nstars, and to call up the spirits of the dead. Do thou, therefore--for\nthis is what the priestess commands--build a pile in the open court,\nand put thereon the sword which he left hanging in our chamber, and the\ngarments he wore, and the couch on which he lay, even all that was his,\nso that they may perish together.\u201d\n\nAnd when these things were done--for Anna knew not of her purpose--and\nalso an image of \u00c6neas was laid upon the pile, the priestess, with her\nhair unbound, called upon all the gods that dwell below, sprinkling\nthereon water that was drawn, she said, from the lake of Avernus, and\nscattering evil herbs that had been cut at the full moon with a sickle\nof bronze. Dido also, with one foot bare and her garments loosened,\nthrew meal upon the fire, and called upon the gods, if haply there be\nany, that look upon those that love and suffer wrong.\n\nIn the meantime \u00c6neas lay asleep in the hind part of his ship, when\nthere appeared to him in a dream the god Mercury, even as he had seen\nhim when he brought the commandment of Jupiter. And Mercury spake,\nsaying, \u201cSon of Venus, canst thou sleep? seest thou not what perils\nsurround thee, nor hearest how the favorable west wind calls? The Queen\npurposes evil against thee. If thou lingerest till the morning come\nthou wilt see the shore covered with them that wish thee harm. Fly,\nthen, and tarry not; for a woman is ever of many minds.\u201d\n\nThen did \u00c6neas in great fear start from his sleep, and call his\ncompanions, saying, \u201cWake, and sit on the benches, and loose the sails.\n\u2019Tis a god thus bids us fly.\u201d And even as he spake he cut the cable\nwith his sword. And all hasted to follow him, and sped over the sea.\n\nAnd now it was morning, and Queen Dido, from her watch-tower, saw the\nships upon the sea. Then she smote upon her breast and tore her hair,\nand cried, \u201cShall this stranger mock us thus? Hasten to follow him.\nBring down the ships from the docks, make ready sword and fire. And\nthis was the man who bare upon his shoulders his aged father! Why did\nI not tear him to pieces, and slay his companions with the sword, and\nserve up the young Ascanius at his meal? And if I had perished, what\nthen? for I die to-day. O Sun, that regardest all the earth, and Juno,\nthat carest for marriage bonds, and Hecate, Queen of the dead, and ye\nFuries that take vengeance on evil-doers, hear me. If it be ordered\nthat he reach this land, yet grant that he suffer many things from his\nenemies, and be driven from his city, and beg for help from strangers,\nand see his people cruelly slain with the sword; and, when he shall\nhave made peace on ill conditions, that he enjoy not long his kingdom,\nbut die before his day, and lie unburied on the plain. And ye, men of\nTyre, hate his children and his people for ever. Let there be no love\nor peace between you. And may some avenger arise from my grave who\nshall persecute the race of Dardanus with fire and sword. So shall\nthere be war for ever between him and me.\u201d\n\nThen she spake to old Barc\u00e9, who had been nurse to her husband Sich\u00e6us.\n\u201cBid my sister bathe herself in water, and bring with her beasts for\nsacrifice. And do thou also put a garland about thy head, for I am\nminded to finish this sacrifice which I have begun, and to burn the\nimage of the man of Troy.\u201d\n\nAnd when the old woman made haste to do her bidding, Queen Dido ran\nto the court where the pile was made for the burning, and mounted on\nthe pile, and drew the sword of \u00c6neas from the scabbard. Then did she\nthrow herself upon the bed, and cry, \u201cNow do I yield up my life. I\nhave finished my course. I have built a mighty city. I have avenged my\nhusband on him that slew him. Happy had I been, yea too happy! had the\nships of Troy never come to this land.\u201d Then she kissed the bed and\ncried, \u201cShall I die unavenged? Nevertheless let me die. The man of Troy\nshall see this fire from the sea whereon he journeys, and carry with\nhim an augury of death.\u201d\n\nAnd when her maidens looked, lo! she had fallen upon the sword, and the\nblood was upon her hands. And a great cry went up through the palace,\nexceeding loud and bitter, even as if the enemy had taken Carthage or\nancient Tyre, and the fire were mounting over the dwellings of men and\nof gods. And Anna her sister heard it, and rushing through the midst\ncalled her by her name, \u201cO my sister, was this thy purpose? Were the\npile and the sword and the fire for this? Why wouldst thou not suffer\nthat I should die with thee? For surely, my sister, thou hast slain\nthyself, and me, and thy people, and thy city. But give me water, ye\nmaidens, that I may wash her wounds, and if there be any breath left in\nher, we may yet stay it.\u201d\n\nThen she climbed on to the pile, and caught her sister in her arms, and\nsought to staunch the blood with her garments. Three times did Dido\nstrive to raise her eyes; three times did her spirit leave her. Three\ntimes she would have raised herself upon her elbow; three times she\nfell back upon the bed, looking with wandering eyes for the light, and\ngroaning that she yet beheld it.\n\nThen Juno, looking down from heaven, saw that her pain was long, and\npitied her, and sent down Iris, her messenger, that she might loose\nthe soul that struggled to be free. For, seeing that she died not by\nnature, nor yet by the hand of man, but before her time and of her own\nmadness, Queen Proserpine had not shred the ringlet from her head which\nshe shreds from them that die. Wherefore Iris, flying down with dewy\nwings from heaven, with a thousand colors about her from the light of\nthe sun, stood above her head and said, \u201cI will give thee to death,\neven as I am bidden, and loose thee from thy body.\u201d Then she shred the\nlock, and Queen Dido gave up the ghost.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER III.\n\n\nFrom Carthage \u00c6neas journeyed to Sicily, for the wind hindered him from\ncoming to Italy as he would fain have done. And in Sicily he held great\ngames in honor of his father Anchises. And when these were finished\nhe departed to Italy, leaving behind him all that were weak and\nfaint-hearted.\n\nThe place whereunto he came was nigh unto Cum\u00e6, which was the\ndwelling-place of the Sibyl. And the men turned the forepart of the\nships to the sea, and made them fast with anchors. Then they leapt\nforth upon the shore, and kindled a fire; and some cut wood in the\nforest, or fetched water from the stream. But \u00c6neas went up to the\ngreat cave of the Sibyl, where, by the inspiration of Apollo, she\nforetelleth things to come.\n\nNow the temple was a marvellous place to look upon. For D\u00e6dalus,\nwhen he fled from Minos, King of Crete, flying through the air upon\nwings, came northwards to the land of Cum\u00e6, and tarried there. Also he\ndedicated his wings in the temple. On the doors thereof was set forth,\ngraven in stone, the death of Androgeos, and the men of Attica choosing\nby lot seven of their children who should be given as a ransom yearly;\nand, rising from the sea upon the other side, the land of Crete.\nLikewise the Labyrinth was there and its winding ways; but Icarus they\nsaw not, for when his father would have wrought the manner of his death\nin gold his hands failed him: twice he strove and twice they failed.\nAnd when \u00c6neas would have looked further, the priestess said, \u201cLinger\nnot with these things, but slay forthwith seven bullocks from the herd,\nand seven sheep duly chosen out of the flock.\u201d And when they came to\nthe cave--now there are a hundred doors, and a voice cometh forth from\neach--the Sibyl cried, \u201cIt is time. Lo! the god, the god!\u201d And even\nas she spake her look was changed and the color of her face; also her\nhair was loosened, and her breast panted, and she waxed greater than is\nthe stature of a man. Then she cried, \u201cDelayest thou to pray, \u00c6neas of\nTroy? delayest thou? for the doors open not but to prayer.\u201d Nor said\nshe more. Then \u00c6neas prayed, saying, \u201cO Ph\u0153bus, who didst always pity\nthe sorrows of Troy, and didst guide the arrow of Paris that it slew\nthe great Achilles, I have followed thy bidding, journeying over many\nlands, and now I lay hold on this shore of Italy, which ever seemed to\nfly before me. Grant thou that our ill fortune follow us no more. And\nall ye gods and goddesses who loved not Troy, be merciful to us. And\nthou, O Prophetess, give, if it may be, such answer as I would hear.\nSo will I and my people honor thee for ever. And write it not, I pray\nthee, upon leaves, lest the winds carry them away, but speak with thy\nvoice.\u201d\n\nAnd for awhile the prophetess strove against the spirit; but at the\nlast it mastered her, and the doors flew open, and she spake, saying,\n\u201cThe perils of the sea thou hast escaped, but there await thee yet\nworse perils upon the land. The men of Troy shall come to the kingdom\nof Lavinium. Fear not for that; yet will they fain not have come. I\nsee battles, and the Tiber foaming with blood, and a new Xanthus and\nSimo\u00efs, and another Achilles, himself also goddess-born. Juno also\nshall be ever against thee. And thou shalt be a suppliant to many\ncities. And the cause of all these woes shall be again a woman. Only\nyield not thou, but go ever more boldly when occasion shall serve.\nLittle thinkest thou that thy first succor shall be from a city of the\nGreeks.\u201d\n\nAnd when she had ended these words, \u00c6neas made answer: \u201cO Lady, no toil\nor peril shall take me unawares; for I have thought over all things\nin my heart. But one thing I ask of thee. Here is the door of the\ndwellings of the dead. Fain would I pass thereby, that I may visit my\nfather. I carried him on my shoulders out of the fires of Troy, and\nwith me he endured many things by land and sea, more than befitted his\nold age. Likewise he bade me ask this boon of thee. Do thou therefore\npity both father and son, for thou hast the power, if only thou wilt.\nDid not Orpheus bring back his wife from the dead, having his harp\nonly? Also Pollux goeth many times this same path, redeeming his\nbrother from death. And why should I tell of Theseus and Hercules? And\nI also am of the lineage of Jupiter.\u201d\n\nThen the Sibyl spake, saying, \u201cSon of Anchises, it is easy to go down\nto hell. The door is open day and night. But to return, and struggle\nto the upper air, that is the labor. Few only have done it, and these\nof the lineage of the gods and dear to Jupiter. Yet if thou wilt\nattempt it, hearken unto me. There lieth hid in the forest a bough of\ngold which is sacred to the Queen of hell. Nor may any man go on this\njourney till he have plucked it, for the Queen will have it as a gift\nfor herself. And when the bough is plucked, there ever groweth another;\nand if it be the pleasure of the gods that thou go, it will yield to\nthy hand. But know that one of thy companions lieth dead upon the\nshore. First must thou bury him, and after offer due sacrifice, even\nblack sheep. So shalt thou approach the dwellings of the dead.\u201d\n\nThen \u00c6neas departed from the cave, and Achates went with him, and much\nthey wondered who it might be that was dead. And when they came to the\nshore, lo! Misenus lay there, than whom no man was more skilful to\ncall men to battle with the voice of the trumpet. Hector\u2019s companion\nhe had been in old time, and then followed \u00c6neas. And now, blowing his\ntrumpet on the shore, he had challenged the gods of the sea to compare\nwith him; wherefore a Triton caught him and plunged him into the sea,\nso that he died. Then did \u00c6neas and his companions prepare for the\nburial, cutting ilex and oak and mountain-ash from the wood. But when\n\u00c6neas beheld the forest, how vast it was, he said, \u201cNow may the gods\ngrant that in this great forest the bough of gold discover itself.\u201d\nAnd as he spake, lo! two doves flew before his face, and settled on\nthe grass, and he knew them to be the birds of his mother, and cried,\nsaying, \u201cGuide me now to the bough of gold, and thou, my mother, help\nme as before.\u201d Then the birds flew so that he could still see them with\nhis eyes, and he followed after them. But when they came to the mouth\nof Avernus, they sat both of them on a tree. And lo! the bough of gold\nglittered among the branches and rustled in the wind. Right gladly did\n\u00c6neas break it off, and carry it to the dwelling of the Sibyl.\n\nIn the meantime the men of Troy made a great burial for Misenus on the\nshore, building a pile of wood, and washing and anointing the body.\nAlso they laid the body on a bier, and on it the garments which he had\nworn being yet alive. Then others, with faces turned away, held a torch\nto the wood, whereon also were burned incense and offerings of oil.\nAnd when the burning was ended they quenched the ashes with wine. And\nCoryn\u00e6us gathered the bones into an urn of bronze, and purified the\npeople, sprinkling them with water with a bough of an olive-tree. Then\n\u00c6neas made a great mound, and put thereon the trumpet of the man and\nhis bow; and the mountain is called Misenus, after him, to this day.\n\nBut when the burial was ended he did as the Sibyl had commanded. A\ngreat cavern there is, from which cometh so evil a stench that no bird\nmay fly across. There they brought four black oxen, and the priestess\npoured wine upon their heads and cut hairs from between the horns.\nAnd when they had burned these they slew the oxen, holding dishes for\nthe blood. And \u00c6neas offered a black lamb to the Furies and a barren\nheifer to the Queen of hell, smiting them with his sword. Then they\nburned the entrails with fire, pouring oil upon them. Then did the\nground give a hollow sound beneath them, and the dogs howled, for the\ngoddess was at hand. And the priestess cried, \u201cGo ye who may not take\npart in this matter. And thou, \u00c6neas, draw thy sword from its sheath\nand follow. Now hast thou need of all thy strength and courage.\u201d Then\nshe plunged into the cave, and \u00c6neas went with her.\n\nSo they went together through the land of shadows, like unto men who\nwalk through a wood in a doubtful light, when the moon indeed hath\nrisen, but there are clouds over the sky. And first they came to where,\nin front of the gates of hell, dwell Sorrow and Remorse, and pale\nDisease and Fear, and Hunger that tempteth men to sin, and Want, and\nDeath, and Toil, and Slumber, that is Death\u2019s kinsman, and deadly War;\nalso they saw the chamber of the Furies, and Discord, whose hair is of\nsnakes that drip with blood. And in this region there is an ancient\nelm, in the boughs whereof dwell all manner of dreams, and shapes of\nevil monsters, as many as have been, such as were the Centaurs, half\nman half horse, and Briareus with the hundred hands, and others also.\nThese \u00c6neas, when he saw them, sought to slay, rushing upon them with\nthe sword, but his guide warned him that they were shadows only.\n\nAfter this they came to the river of hell, whereon plies the Boatman\nCharon. A long white beard hath he and unkempt; and his eyes are fixed\nin a fiery stare, and a scarf is knotted upon his shoulder, as is a\npilot\u2019s wont. An old man he seemeth to be, but hale and ruddy. Now\nthere was ever rushing to the bank a great crowd, wives and mothers,\nand valiant men of war, boys, and girls dead before they were given in\nmarriage, and young men laid on the funeral pile before their parents\u2019\neyes. Thick they were as the leaves that fall to the earth at the\nfirst frost of autumn, or as the swallows, when they gather themselves\ntogether, making ready to fly across the sea to the lands of the sun.\nAnd of these Charon would take some into his boat; but others he would\nforbid, and drive from the shore. This when \u00c6neas saw, he marvelled,\nand said, \u201cO Lady, what meaneth this concourse at the river? What seek\nthese souls? Why be some driven from the bank and some ferried across?\u201d\n\nAnd the Sibyl made answer: \u201cThis river that thou seest is the Styx, by\nwhich the gods in heaven swear, and fear to break their oath. Those\nwhom thou seest to be driven from the bank are such as have lacked\nburial, but those who are ferried across have been buried duly; for\nnone pass this stream till their bodies have been laid in the grave,\notherwise they wander for a hundred years, and so at last may cross\nover.\u201d\n\nMuch did \u00c6neas pity their ill fortune, and the more when he beheld\nOrontes and his Lycians, whom the sea had swallowed up alive before his\neyes. Here likewise there met him his pilot Palinurus, to whom, when\nhe knew him, for indeed he scarce could see him in the darkness, he\nsaid, \u201cWhat god took thee from us and drowned thee in the sea? Surely,\nin this one matter, Apollo hath deceived me, saying that thou shouldst\nescape the sea and come to the land of Italy.\u201d\n\nThen answered Palinurus, \u201cNot so, great \u00c6neas. For indeed to the land\nof Italy I came. Three nights the south wind carried me over the sea,\nand on the fourth day I saw the land of Italy from the top of a wave.\nAnd when I swam to the shore, and was now clinging to the rocks, my\ngarments being heavy with water, the savage people came upon me, and\ntook me for a prey, and slew me. And now the winds and waves bear me\nabout as they will. Wherefore I pray thee, by thy father, and I\u00fclus,\nthe hope of thy house, that thou deliver me from these woes. Go,\ntherefore, I beseech thee, to the haven of Velia, and cast earth upon\nme for burial; or give me now thy hand, and take me with thee across\nthis river.\u201d\n\nThen said the priestess, \u201cO Palinurus, what madness is this? Wilt thou\nwithout due burial cross the river, and look upon the awful faces of\nthe Furies? Think not that the Fates can be changed by prayers. Yet\nhear this, and be comforted. They that slew thee, being sore troubled\nby many plagues, shall make due expiation to thee, and build a tomb,\nand make offerings thereon year by year; and the place where they slew\nthee shall be called after thy name.\u201d\n\nThen he took comfort and departed. But when they came near to the\nriver, the Boatman beheld them, and cried, \u201cStay thou, whoever thou\nart, that comest armed to this river, and tell me what thou seekest.\nThis is the land of Shadows, of Sleep, and of Night. The living may not\nbe ferried in this boat. An evil day it was when I carried Hercules,\nand Theseus, and Piritho\u00fcs, though they were children of the gods. For\nHercules chained the Watch-dog of hell, and dragged him trembling from\nhis master\u2019s seat. And Theseus and his friend sought to carry away the\nQueen even from the chamber of her husband.\u201d\n\nThen the Sibyl made answer: \u201cBe not troubled. We come not hither with\nevil thoughts. Let the Watch-dog of hell make the pale ghosts afraid;\nlet your Queen abide in her husband\u2019s palace; we will not harm them.\n\u00c6neas of Troy cometh down to hell that he may speak with his father.\nAnd if thou takest no account of such piety, yet thou wilt know this\ntoken.\u201d\n\nAnd she showed him the bough of gold. And when he saw it he laid aside\nhis anger, rejoicing to behold, now after many years, the marvellous\ngift. Then he brought near his boat to the bank, and drave out the\nsouls that were therein, and took on board \u00c6neas and the priestess.\nMuch did it groan with the weight, and the water poured apace through\nthe seams thereof. Yet did they come safe across.\n\nThen they saw Cerberus, the Watch-dog, in his cave. And to him the\nSibyl gave a cake of honey and poppy-seed, causing sleep. And this he\nswallowed, opening wide his three ravenous mouths, and straightway\nstretched himself out asleep across the cave.\n\nAfter this they heard a great wailing of infants, even the voices of\nsuch as are taken away before they have had lot or part in life. And\nnear to these were such as have died by false accusation; yet lack they\nnot justice, for Minos trieth their cause. And yet beyond, they that,\nbeing guiltless, have laid hands upon themselves. Fain would they now\nendure hardships, being yet alive, but may not, for the river keeps\nthem in with his unlovely stream as in a prison. Not far from these are\nthe Mourning Fields, where dwell the souls of those that have died of\nlove, as Procris, whom Cephalus slew in error, and Laodamia, who died\nof grief for her husband. And among these was Dido, fresh from the\nwound wherewith she slew herself. And when \u00c6neas saw her darkly through\nthe shadows, even as one who sees, or thinketh that he sees, the new\nmoon lately risen, he wept, and said, \u201cO Dido, it was truth, then, that\nthey told me, saying that thou hadst slain thyself with the sword.\nTell me, Was I the cause of thy death? Loath was I, O Queen--I swear it\nby all that is most holy in heaven or hell--to leave thy land. But the\ngods, at whose bidding I come hither this day, constrained me; nor did\nI think that thou wouldst take such sorrow from my departure. But stay;\ndepart not; for never again may I speak to thee but this once only.\u201d\n\nSo he spake, and would fain have appeased her wrath. But she cast her\neyes to the ground, and her heart was hard against him, even as a rock.\nAnd she departed into a grove that was hard by, wherein was her first\nhusband, Sich\u00e6us, who loved her even as he was loved. After this they\ncame to the land where the heroes dwell. And there they saw Tydeus,\nwho died before Thebes; and Adrastus, and also many men of Troy, as\nthe three sons of Antenor, and Id\u00e6us who was the armor-bearer of King\nPriam, and bare the arms and drave the chariot yet. All these gathered\nabout him, and would fain know wherefore he had come. But when the\nhosts of Agamemnon saw his shining arms through the darkness, they\nfled, as in old days they had fled to the ships; and some would have\ncried aloud, but could not, so thin are the voices of the dead.\n\nAmong these he saw De\u00efphobus, son of Priam. Cruelly mangled was he, for\nhis hands had been cut off, and his ears and his nostrils likewise.\nScarce did \u00c6neas know him, and he himself in shame would have hidden\nhis wounds; but the son of Anchises spake to him, saying, \u201cWho hath\ndealt so foully with thee, great De\u00efphobus? Men told me that on the\nlast night of Troy thou didst fall dead on a heap of Greeks whom thou\nhadst slain. Wherefore I built thee a tomb by the sea, and thrice\ncalled aloud thy name. But thee I found not, that I might lay thee\ntherein.\u201d\n\nThen De\u00efphobus made answer: \u201cThou hast left nothing undone, but hast\npaid me all due honor. But my ill fate and the accursed wickedness of\nthe Spartan woman have destroyed me. How we spent that last night in\nidle rejoicings thou knowest. And she, while the women of Troy danced\nbefore the gods, stood holding a torch on the citadel, as though she\nwere their leader, yet in truth she called therewith the Greeks from\nTenedos. But I lay overcome with weariness in my chamber. Then did\nshe, a noble wife, forsooth! take all the arms out of the house, and\nmy trusty sword also from under my head; and after brought thereunto\nMenela\u00fcs, so hoping to do away her sin against him; and Ulysses also,\nalways ready with evil counsels. What need of more? May the gods do so\nand more also to them. But tell me why hast thou come hither?\u201d\n\nAnd it was now past noonday, and the two had spent in talk all the\nallotted time. Therefore the Sibyl spake: \u201cNight cometh, \u00c6neas, and we\nwaste the day in tears. Lo! here are two roads. This on the right hand\nleadeth to the palace of Pluto and to the Elysian plains; and that on\nthe left to Tartarus, the abode of the wicked.\u201d And De\u00efphobus answered:\n\u201cBe not wroth, great priestess; I depart to my own place. Do thou, my\nfriend, go on and prosper.\u201d\n\nBut as \u00c6neas looked round he saw a great building, and a three-fold\nwall about it, and round the wall a river of fire. Great gates there\nwere, and a tower of brass, and the fury Tisiphone sat as warder. Also\nhe heard the sound of those that smote upon an anvil, and the clanking\nof chains. And he stood, and said, \u201cWhat mean these things that I see\nand hear?\u201d Then the Sibyl made answer: \u201cThe foot of the righteous may\nnot pass that threshold. But when the Queen of hell gave me this\noffice she herself led me through the place and told me all. There\nsitteth Rhadamanthus the Cretan, and judgeth the dead. And them that\nbe condemned Tisiphone taketh, and the gate which thou seest openeth\nto receive them. And within is a great pit, and the depth thereof is\nas the height of heaven. Herein lie the Titans, the sons of Earth,\nwhom Jupiter smote with the thunder; and herein the sons of Aloeus,\nwho strove to thrust the gods from heaven; and Salmoneus, who would\nhave mocked the thunder of Jupiter, riding in his chariot through the\ncities of Elis, and shaking a torch, and giving himself out to be a\ngod. But the lightning smote him in his pride. Also I saw Tityos,\nspread over nine acres of ground, and the vulture feeding on his heart.\nAnd over some hangs a great stone ready to fall; and some sit at the\nbanquet, but when they would eat, the Fury at their side forbids, and\nrises and shakes her torch and thunders in their ears. These are they\nwho while they were yet alive hated their brothers, or struck father\nor mother, or deceived one that trusted to them, or kept their riches\nfor themselves, nor cared for those of their own household (a great\nmultitude are they), or stirred up civil strife. And of these some roll\na great stone and cease not, and some are bound to wheels, and some sit\nforever crying, \u2018Learn to do righteousness and to fear the gods.\u2019\u201d\n\nAnd when the priestess had finished these words they hastened on their\nway. And, after a while, she said, \u201cLo! here is the palace which the\nCyclop\u00e9s built for Pluto and the Queen of hell. Here must we offer the\ngift of the bough of gold.\u201d And this being accomplished, they came to\nthe dwellings of the righteous. Here are green spaces, with woods about\nthem; and the light of their heaven is fuller and brighter than that\nwhich men behold. Another sun they have and other stars. Some of them\ncontend together in wrestling and running; and some dance in measure,\nsinging the while a pleasant song; and Orpheus, clad in a long robe,\nmakes music, touching his harp, now with his fingers and now with an\nivory bow. Here did \u00c6neas marvel to see the mighty men of old, such\nas were Ilus, and Dardanus, builder of Troy. Their spears stood fixed\nin the earth, and their horses fed about the plain; for they love\nspear and chariot and horses, even as they loved them upon earth. And\nothers sat and feasted, sitting on the grass in a sweet-smelling grove\nof bay, whence flows the river which men upon the earth call the Po.\nHere were they who had died for their country, and holy priests, and\npoets who had uttered nothing base, and such as had found out witty\ninventions, or had done great good to men. All these had snow-white\ngarlands on their heads. Then spake the Sibyl to Mus\u00e6us, who stood\nin the midst, surpassing them all in stature: \u201cTell me, happy souls,\nwhere shall we find Anchises.\u201d And Mus\u00e6us answered, \u201cWe have no certain\ndwelling-place: but climb this hill, and ye can see the whole plain\nbelow, and doubtless him whom ye seek.\u201d\n\nThen they beheld Anchises where he sat in a green valley, regarding the\nspirits of those who should be born in after-time of his race. And when\nhe beheld \u00c6neas coming, he stretched out his hands and cried, \u201cComest\nthou, my son? Hast thou won thy way hither to me? Even so I thought\nthat it would be, and lo! my hope hath not failed me.\u201d\n\nAnd \u00c6neas made answer, \u201cYea, I have come a long way to see thee, even\nas thy spirit bade me. And now let me embrace thee with my arms.\u201d\n\nBut when he would have embraced him it was as if he clasped the air.\n\nThen \u00c6neas looked and beheld a river, and a great company of souls\nthereby, thick as the bees on a calm summer day in a garden of lilies.\nAnd when he would know the meaning of the concourse, Anchises said,\n\u201cThese are souls which have yet to live again in a mortal body, and\nthey are constrained to drink of the water of forgetfulness.\u201d And \u00c6neas\nsaid, \u201cNay, my father, can any desire to take again upon them the body\nof death?\u201d Then Anchises made reply: \u201cListen, my son, and I will tell\nthee all. There is one soul in heaven and earth and the stars and the\nshining orb of the moon and the great sun himself; from which soul also\ncometh the life of man and of beast, and of the birds of the air, and\nof the fishes of the sea. And this soul is of a divine nature, but the\nmortal body maketh it slow and dull. Hence come fear and desire, and\ngrief and joy, so that, being as it were shut in a prison, the spirit\nbeholdeth not any more the light that is without. And when the mortal\nlife is ended, yet are not men quit of all the evils of the body,\nseeing these must needs be put away in many marvellous ways. For some\nare hung up to the winds, and with some their wickedness is washed out\nby water, or burnt out with fire. But a ghostly pain we all endure.\nThen we that are found worthy are sent unto Elysium and the plains of\nthe blest. And when, after many days, the soul is wholly pure, it is\ncalled to the river of forgetfulness, that it may drink thereof, and so\nreturn to the world that is above.\u201d\n\nThen he led \u00c6neas and the Sibyl to a hill whence they could see the\nwhole company, and regard their faces as they came; and he said, \u201cCome,\nand I will show thee them that shall come after thee. That youth who\nleans upon a pointless spear is Silvius, thy youngest child, whom\nLavinia shall bear to thee in thy old age. He shall reign in Alba, and\nshall be the father of kings. And many other kings are there who shall\nbuild cities great and famous. Lo! there is Romulus, whom Ilia shall\nbear to Mars. He shall build Rome, whose empire shall reach to the\nends of the earth and its glory to the heaven. Seest thou him with the\nolive crown about his head and the white beard? That is he who shall\nfirst give laws to Rome. And next to him is Tullus, the warrior. And\nthere are the Tarquins; and Brutus, who shall set the people free, aye,\nand shall slay his own sons when they would be false to their country.\nSee also the Decii; and Torquatus, with the cruel axe; and Camillus\nwinning back the standards of Rome. There standeth one who shall subdue\nCorinth; and there another who shall avenge the blood of Troy upon the\nrace of Achilles. There, too, thou mayest see the Scipios, thunderbolts\nof war, whom the land of Africa shall fear; and there Regulus, busy in\nthe furrows; and there the Fabii, chiefly him, greatest of the name,\nwho shall save thy country by wise delay. Such, my son, shall be thy\nchildren\u2019s children. Others with softer touch shall carve the face of\nman in marble or mould the bronze; some more skilfully shall plead,\nor map the skies, or tell the rising of the stars. \u2019Tis thine, man of\nRome, to subdue the world. This is thy work, to set the rule of peace\nover the vanquished, to spare the humble, and to subdue the proud.\u201d\n\nThen he spake again: \u201cRegard him who is the first of all the company\nof conquerors. He is Marcellus; he shall save the state in the day of\ntrouble, and put to flight Carthaginian and Gaul.\u201d\n\nThen said \u00c6neas, for he chanced to see by his side a youth clad in\nshining armor, and very fair to look upon, but sad, and with downcast\neyes, \u201cTell me, father, who is this? How noble is he! What a company is\nabout him! but there is a shadow of darkness round his head.\u201d\n\nAnd Anchises made answer, \u201cO my son, seek not to know the greatest\nsorrow that shall befall thy children after thee. This youth the Fates\nshall only show for a brief space to man. Rome would seem too mighty\nto the gods should he but live! What mourning shall there be for him!\nWhat a funeral shalt thou see, O river of Tiber, as thou flowest by the\nnew-made tomb! No youth of the race of Troy shall promise so much as\nhe. Alas! for his righteousness, and truth, and valor unsurpassed! O\nluckless boy, if thou canst haply break thy evil doom thou shalt be a\nMarcellus. Give handfuls of lilies. I will scatter the bright flowers\nand pay the idle honors to my grandson\u2019s shade.\u201d\n\nThus did Anchises show his son things to be, and kindled his soul with\ndesire of glory. Also he showed him what wars he must wage, and how he\nshould endure, or, if it might be, avoid the evils to come.\n\nThere are two gates of Sleep, of horn the one, by which true dreams go\nforth; of ivory the other, by which the false. Then did Anchises send\nforth his son and the Sibyl by the ivory gate. And \u00c6neas returned to\nthe ships, and making sail came to the cape which was afterwards called\nCaieta.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER IV.\n\n\nWhile they tarried at Cum\u00e6, Caieta, who was the nurse of \u00c6neas, died\nand was buried; and they called the cape after her name. And afterwards\nthey set sail, and passed by the island wherein dwelt Circ\u00e9, who is the\ndaughter of the Sun. Pleasantly doth she sing, sitting at the loom, and\nburneth torches of sweet-smelling cedar to give her light by night. And\nround about her dwelling you may hear the growling of lions and wild\nboars and bears and wolves, which are men whom the goddess with her\nenchantments hath changed into the shapes of beasts. But Neptune would\nnot that the men of Troy, being fearers of the gods, should suffer such\nthings. Therefore did he send them favorable winds, so that they passed\nquickly by that land.\n\nNow when it was dawn, the wind being now lulled, they came to a great\nwood upon the shore, and in the midst of the wood the river Tiber,\nyellow with much abundance of sand, flowing into the sea. And on the\nshore and in the wood were many birds. Thither the men of Troy brought\ntheir ships safe to land.\n\nOf this country Latinus was king, who was the son of Faunus, who was\nthe son of Picus, who was the son of Saturn. And King Latinus had not a\nson, but a daughter only, Lavinia by name, who was now of an age to be\nmarried. Many chiefs of Latium, and of all Italy, desired to have her\nto wife; of whom the first was Turnus, a very comely youth, and of a\nroyal house. Now the Queen, the mother of the virgin, loved him, and\nwould fain have married her daughter to him, but the gods hindered the\nmarriage with ill omens and marvels. In the midst of the palace was a\ngreat bay-tree, which the King who had builded the house had dedicated\nto Ph\u0153bus. On this there lighted a great swarm of bees, and hung like\nunto a cluster of grapes from a bough thereof. And the seers, beholding\nthe thing, cried, \u201cThere cometh a stranger who shall be husband to\nLavinia, and a strange people who shall bear rule in this place.\u201d Also\nwhen Lavinia lighted the fire upon the altar, standing by her father,\na flame leapt therefrom upon her hair, and burned the ornament that\nwas upon her head and the crown of jewels and gold, and spread with\nsmoke and fire over the whole palace. Whereupon the prophets spake,\nsaying, \u201cThe virgin indeed shall be famous and great, but there cometh\na dreadful war upon her people.\u201d And King Latinus, fearing what these\nthings might mean, inquired of the oracle of Faunus, his father, which\nis by the grove of Albunea. Now the custom is that the priest offereth\nsacrifice in the grove and lieth down to sleep on the skins of the\nsheep that he hath slain; and it cometh to pass that he seeth visions\nin the night and heareth the voice of the gods. So King Latinus, being\nhimself a priest, made a great sacrifice, even of a hundred sheep, and\nlay down to sleep upon the skins thereof. And when he was laid down,\nstraightway there came a voice from the grove, saying, \u201cSeek not, my\nson, to marry thy daughter to a chief of this land. There shall come a\nson-in-law from beyond the sea, who shall exalt our name from the one\nend of heaven to the other.\u201d Nor did the King hide these things, but\nnoised them abroad, and the fame thereof was great in these days when\n\u00c6neas and his company came to the land of Italy.\n\nNow it so chanced that \u00c6neas and I\u00fclus his son, and others of the\nprinces, sat down to eat under a tree; and they had platters of dough\nwhereupon to eat their meat. And when they had ended, and were not\nsatisfied, they ate their platters also, not thinking what they did.\nThen said I\u00fclus, making sport, \u201cWhat! do we eat even our tables?\u201d\nAnd \u00c6neas was right glad to hear this thing, and embraced the boy,\nand said, \u201cNow know I that we are come to the land which the gods\nhave promised to me and to my people, that they would give us. For\nmy father, Anchises, spake to me, saying, \u2018My son, when thou shalt\ncome to a land that thou knowest not, and hunger shall constrain thee\nto eat thy tables, then know that thou hast found thee a home.\u2019 Now,\ntherefore, seeing that these things have an accomplishment, let us\npour out libations to Jupiter, and make our prayers also to my father,\nAnchises, and make merry. And in the morning we will search out the\ncountry, and see who they be that dwell herein.\u201d\n\nThen he bound a garland of leaves about his head, and made his prayers\nto Mother Earth, and to the gods of the land, of whom indeed he knew\nnot who they were, and to Father Jupiter, and to the other gods also.\nAnd when he had ended his prayer, Jupiter thundered thrice from the\nsky. Then was it noised abroad among the men of Troy that now indeed\nwere they come to the land where they should build them a city; and\nthey eat and drank and made merry.\n\nThe next day those who should search out the country went forth. And\nwhen it was told \u00c6neas, saying that this river was the Tiber, and that\nthe people who dwelt in the land were the Latins, valiant men of war,\nhe chose out a hundred men who should go, with crowns of olive upon\ntheir heads, to the city of the King, having also gifts in their hands,\nand should pray that there might be peace between the men of Troy and\nhis people. And the men made haste to depart; and in the meanwhile\n\u00c6neas marked out for himself a camp, and bade that they should make a\nrampart and a ditch.\n\nNow when they that were sent came nigh to the city, they saw the young\nmen in the plain that was before it, riding upon horses and driving\nchariots. Others shot with the bow or cast javelins, and some contended\nin running or boxing. And one rode on horseback and told the king,\nsaying that certain men in strange raiment were come. Then the King\ncommanded that they should be brought into the palace, and sat upon the\nthrone of his fathers, and gave audience to them.\n\nNow the palace stood on the hill that was in the midst of the\ncity, where King Picus had builded it, having woods about it very\nsacred. Here did the kings first receive the sceptre, that they\nshould bear rule over the people. A senate-house also it was, and a\nbanqueting-house, where the princes sat feasting. Very great was it\nand magnificent, having a hundred pillars; and in the halls were the\nstatues of ancient kings, carven in cedar, even Italus, and Sabinus the\nvine-dresser, and Father Saturn, and Janus with the two faces. Also on\nthe wall hung trophies of war, chariots, and battle-axes, and helmets,\nand the beaks of ships. And sitting on the throne was the image of King\nPicus, clad in royal apparel, and bearing a shield on his left arm. But\nthe King himself his wife Circ\u00e9 had changed into a bird.\n\nAnd King Latinus spake, saying, \u201cTell me, men of Troy, for I know you\nwho you are, what seek ye? For what cause are ye come to the land of\nItaly? Have ye gone astray in your journey? or have the storms driven\nyou out of the way, as ofttimes befalleth men that sail upon the\nsea? Ye are welcome. And know that we be of the race of Saturn, who\ndo righteously, not by constraint, but of our own will. From hence\nalso, even from Corythus, which is a city of the Etrurians, went forth\nDardanus, and abode in the land of Troy.\u201d\n\nThen Ilione\u00fcs made answer, saying, \u201cGreat King, we have not gone\nastray in our journey, nor have storms driven us out of our way. Of\nset purpose are we come to this land. For we were driven away by\nill-fortune from our country, of which things we doubt not, O King,\nthat thou knowest the certainty. For who is there under the whole\nheaven who knoweth not what a storm of destruction came forth from the\nland of Greece and overthrew the great city of Troy, Europe and Asia\nsetting themselves in arms against each other? And now are we come to\nask for a parcel of land whereon we may dwell; and for air and water,\nwhich indeed are common to all men. Nor shall we do dishonor to this\nrealm, nor be unthankful for these benefits. And be sure, O King, that\nit will not repent thee that thou hast received us. For indeed many\nnations and lands would fain have joined us to themselves. But the gods\nlaid a command upon us that we should come to this country of Italy.\nFor indeed, as thou sayest, Dardanus came forth from hence, and thither\nhis children, Apollo bidding them, would return. And now, behold,\n\u00c6neas sends thee these gifts of the things which remain to us of the\nriches which we had aforetime. This sceptre King Priam held when he did\njustice among his people; here is a crown also, and garments which the\nwomen of Troy have worked with their hands.\u201d\n\nThen for awhile King Latinus kept silence, fixing his eyes upon\nthe ground. Deeply did he ponder in his heart upon the marriage of\nhis daughter, and upon the oracles of Faunus his father, whether\nindeed this stranger that was now come to his land might haply be the\nson-in-law of whom the prophets had spoken. At the last he spake,\nsaying, \u201cMay the gods prosper this matter between you and me. We grant,\nmen of Troy, that which ye ask. Also we regard these your gifts. Know\nye that while we reign in this land ye shall not want for riches, even\nunto the measure of the riches of Troy. And for your King, \u00c6neas, if he\ndesire, as ye say, to join himself with us, let him come and look upon\nus, face to face. And also take ye back this message to your King. I\nhave a daughter, whom the gods suffer me not to marry to a husband of\nthis land. For they say that there shall come a stranger who shall be\nmy son-in-law, and that from his loins shall come forth those who shall\nraise our name even unto the stars.\u201d\n\nThen the King commanded that they should bring forth horses from the\nstalls. Now there stood in the stalls three hundred horses, very fleet\nof foot. And of these they brought forth one hundred, one for each man\nof Troy; and they were decked with trappings of purple, and champed on\nbits of gold. And for \u00c6neas himself he sent a chariot, and two horses\nbreathing fire from their nostrils, which were of the breed of the\nhorses of the Sun. So the men of Troy went back riding on horses, and\ntook to \u00c6neas the gifts and the message of peace.\n\nNow Juno beheld how the men of Troy were come to the land of Italy,\nand were now building them houses to dwell in; and great wrath came\ninto her heart, and she spake to herself, saying, \u201cOf a truth this\naccursed race hath vanquished me. For the flames of Troy burned them\nnot, neither hath the sea devoured them. And, lo! they are come to the\nplace where they would be, even to the river of Tiber. Yet could Mars\ndestroy the whole nation of the Lapith\u00e6, when he was wroth with them;\nand Jupiter suffered Diana to prevail against the land of Calydon. Yet\nhad not the Lapith\u00e6 or Calydon done so great wickedness as hath this\nnation of Troy. And I, who am the wife of Jupiter, am vanquished by\n\u00c6neas! Yet have I means yet remaining to me, for if the gods of heaven\nwill not help me, then will I betake me to the powers of hell. From the\nkingdom of Latium I may not keep him, and the gods decree that he shall\nhave Lavinia to wife. Yet may I hinder the matter. Surely at a great\nprice shall they buy this alliance; and thy dowry, O virgin, shall be\nthe blood of Italy and of Troy.\u201d\n\nThen Juno descended to the lower parts of the earth, and called to her\nAlecto from the dwellings of her sisters the Furies--Alecto who loveth\nwar and anger and treachery, and all evil deeds. Even Pluto hateth\nher, aye, and her sisters likewise, so dreadful is she to behold. And\nJuno spake to her, saying, \u201cNow would I have thee help me, Daughter of\nNight, that I lose not my proper honor. I will not that \u00c6neas should\nhave the daughter of Latinus to wife, or dwell in the land of Italy.\nSeeing therefore that thou canst set brother against brother, and bring\nenmity into houses and kingdoms, that they should fall, break this\npeace that they have made, and bring to pass some occasion of war.\u201d\n\nThen straightway Alecto betook herself to the dwelling of King Latinus.\nThere found she Amata, the Queen, in great trouble and wrath, for she\nloved not the men of Troy, and would have Turnus for her son-in-law.\nAnd the Fury took a snake from her hair, and thrust it into the bosom\nof the Queen. About her breast it glided unfelt, and breathed poisonous\nbreath into her heart. And now it became a collar of twisted gold\nabout her neck, and now a crown about her head, binding her hair. At\nthe first indeed, when the poison began to work, and her whole heart\nwas not as yet filled with the fever, she spake gently and after the\nwont of a mother, weeping much the while over her daughter. \u201cArt thou\nthen ready, my husband, to give thy daughter to this exile of Troy?\nHast thou no pity for thyself, or thy daughter, or me? Well know I that\nwith the first north wind he will fly and carry her away over the sea.\nAnd what of thy word, and of the faith that thou hast pledged so many\ntimes to Turnus thy kinsman? If thou must seek a son-in-law from the\nland of the stranger, I hold that they all be strangers who obey not\nthy rule, and that the gods mean not other than this. And Turnus, if\nthou wilt inquire more deeply into his descent, is of the lineage of\nInachus, and cometh in the beginning from the land of Mycen\u00e6.\u201d\n\nBut when she perceived that her husband heeded not these words, and\nwhen also the poison of the serpent had now altogether prevailed\nover her, she ran through the city like to one that is mad. Nay, she\nfeigned that the frenzy of Bacchus was upon her, and fled into the\nwoods, taking her daughter with her, to the end that she might hinder\nthe marriage. Many other women also, when they heard this thing, went\nforth, leaving their homes. With bare necks and hair unbound they went,\ncrying aloud the while; and in their hands they held staves of pine,\nand were clad in the skins of wild beasts. And in the midst of them\nstood the Queen, holding a great pine torch in her hand, and singing\nthe marriage song of her daughter and Turnus; and her eyes were red as\nblood.\n\nNext after this the Fury, deeming that she had overthrown the counsels\nof Latinus, sped to the city of Turnus the Rutulian. Now the name of\nthe city was called Ardea, and Dana\u00eb builded it in old time; Ardea is\nit called to this day, but its glory hath departed. Now Turnus was\nasleep in his palace, and Alecto took upon her the shape of an old\nwoman, even of Chalyb\u00e9, who was the priestess of Juno; and she spake,\nsaying, \u201cTurnus, wilt thou suffer all thy toil to be in vain, and thy\nkingdom to be given to another? King Latinus taketh from thee thy\nbetrothed wife, and chooseth a stranger that he should inherit his\nkingdom. Juno commanded that I should tell thee this in thy sleep.\nRise, therefore, and arm thy people. Consume these strangers and their\nships with fire. And if King Latinus yet will not abide by his promise,\nlet him know for himself what Turnus can do in the day of battle.\u201d\n\nBut Turnus laughed her to scorn. \u201cThat the ships of the stranger have\ncome to the Tiber, I know full well. But tell me not these tales.\nQueen Juno forgetteth me not, therefore I am not afraid; but thou,\nmother, art old, and wanderest from the truth, and troublest thyself\nfor nought, and art mocked with idle fear. Thy business it is to tend\nthe temples of the gods and their images, but as for war, leave that to\nmen, seeing that it is their care.\u201d\n\nGreatly wroth was Alecto to hear such words. And even while he spake\nthe young man shuddered and stared with his eyes, for the Fury hissed\nbefore him with a thousand snakes. And when he would have spoken more,\nshe thrust him back, and caught two snakes from her hair, and lashed\nhim therewith, and cried aloud, \u201cOld am I! and wander from the truth!\nand am mocked with idle fears! Nay, but I come from the dwelling of the\nFuries, and war and death are in my hand!\u201d\n\nAnd she cast a torch at the youth, and fixed it smoking with baleful\nlight in his heart. Then, in great fear, he woke, and a cold sweat\nburst forth upon him, and he cried aloud for his arms, and was\nexceedingly mad for battle. Also he bade the youth arm themselves,\nsaying that he would thrust the men of Troy out of Italy, aye, and\nfight, if need were, with the Latins also. And the people hearkened\nunto him, so fair was he, and of noble birth, and great renown in war.\n\nThen Alecto hied her to the place where I\u00fclus was hunting the beasts of\nthe forest. Now there was a stag, very stately, with exceeding great\nhorns, which Tyrrheus and his children had brought up from a fawn. And\nSilvia, a fair virgin who was his daughter, was wont to adorn it with\ngarlands, and to comb it, and to wash it with water. By day it would\nwander in the woods, and at nightfall come back to the house. This\nstag, then, the dogs of I\u00fclus having scented pursued, and indeed Alecto\nbrought it to pass that this mischief shall befall; and I\u00fclus also,\nfollowing hard upon his dogs, shot an arrow at it, nor missed (for\nthe Fury would have it so), but pierced it through. Then the wounded\nbeast flew back to the house which it knew, being covered with blood,\nand filled it with a lamentable voice, as one that crieth for help.\nAnd Silvia heard it, and cried to the country folk for aid, who came\nforthwith, Alecto urging them (for the accursed thing lay hid in the\nwoods). And one had a charred firebrand and another a knotted stick,\neach such weapon as came to his hand. And Tyrrheus, who chanced to be\nsplitting a tall oak with wedges, led the way, having a great axe in\nhis hand.\n\nThen did Alecto climb upon the roof, and, sounding with hellish voice\nthrough a clarion, sent abroad the shepherds\u2019 signal. And all the\nforest trembled at the sound, and Trivia\u2019s lake and Nar, with his white\nsulphurous wave, and the fountains of Velia; and trembling mothers\npressed their children to their breasts.\n\nThen ran together all the country folk, and the youth of Troy hasted\nalso to the help of I\u00fclus. And now they fought not with clubs and\ncharred stakes, but with swords and spears in battle array. Then Almo\nfell, the eldest of the sons of Tyrrheus, stricken in the throat, with\nmany others round him, and among them the old man Gal\u00e6sus, even as he\noffered himself to be a mediator between the two. Most righteous of men\nwas he, and richest likewise, for he had five flocks of sheep and five\nherds of cattle, and tilled the earth with a hundred ploughs.\n\nBut Alecto, when she had accomplished these things, hasted to Juno, and\nspake, saying, \u201cI have done thy bidding; and now, if thou wilt, I will\nto the neighboring cities, spreading among them rumors of wars.\u201d But\nJuno answered, \u201cIt is enough; there hath been the shedding of blood. It\nwere not well that the Father should see thee wandering in the upper\nair, wherefore depart, and if aught remain to be done, I will see to\nit.\u201d\n\nAfter this the shepherds hasted back to the city, and bare with them\nthe dead, even the youth Almo and the old man Gal\u00e6sus, and cried for\nvengeance to the gods and to the King. And fiercest of all was Turnus,\ncomplaining that men of Troy were called to reign over them, and that\nhe himself was banished. And all the multitude was urgent with the King\nthat he should make war against the strangers; neither did any man\nregard the commands of the gods. But the King stood firm, even as a\ngreat rock in the sea is not moved though the waves roar about it and\nthe seaweed is dashed upon its sides. But when he saw that he could\nnot prevail against these evil counsels, he called the gods to witness,\ncrying, \u201cThe storm strikes upon me, and I may not stand against it.\nO foolish Latins, ye shall pay for this madness with your blood, and\nthou, Turnus, shalt suffer the worst punishment of all; and when thou\nshalt turn to the gods they shall not hear thee. But as for me, my rest\nis at hand; I lose but the honors of my funeral.\u201d\n\nIt was a custom in Latium, which Alba kept in after time, and mighty\nRome yet keepeth to this day, that when she beginneth to make war, be\nit on the men of Thrace or the men of the East, Arab, or Indian, or\nParthian, they open the great gates of the temple (double they are, and\nmade strong with bolts of brass and iron), on the threshold whereof\nsitteth Janus, the guardian. For the Consul himself, with robe and\ngirdle, so soon as the fathers give their sentence for war, throweth\nthem wide, and the people follow the Consul, and the horns blow a great\nblast together. Even so they bade King Latinus, after the custom of his\ncountry, declare war against the the men of Troy, and open the gates\nof slaughter; but he would not, flying and hiding himself in darkness.\nThen did great Juno herself come down and burst asunder the iron-bound\ngates of war.\n\nThen through the land of Italy men prepared themselves for battle,\nmaking bright shield and spear, and sharpening the axe upon the\nwhetstone. And in five cities did they set up anvils to make arms\nthereon, head-pieces, and shields of wicker, and breast-plates of\nbronze, and greaves of silver. Nor did men regard any more the\nreaping-hook nor the plough, making new for battle the swords of their\nfathers.\n\nNow the greatest of the chiefs were these:--\n\nFirst, Prince Mezentius, the Tuscan, who regarded not the gods; and\nwith him Lausus his son, than whom was none fairer in the host but\nTurnus only. A thousand men followed him from Agylla. Worthy was he of\na better father.\n\nNext came, with horses that none might surpass, Aventinus, son of\nHercules; and on his shield was the emblem of his father, the Hydra\nwith its hundred snakes. Long swords had his men and Sabine spears; and\nhe himself had about his head and shoulders a great lion\u2019s skin, with\nterrible mane and great white teeth.\n\nAnd from Tibur came two youths of Argos, twin brothers, Catillus and\nCoras, swift and strong as two Centaurs from the hills. And C\u00e6culus,\nwho builded Pr\u00e6neste, was there, son of Vulcan, and a great company\nof country folk with him, whereof many bare not shield nor spear, but\nslings with bullets of lead, and javelins in either hand, and helmets\nof wolf\u2019s skin upon their heads.\n\nAfter him marched Messapus, tamer of horses, Neptune\u2019s son, whom no\nman might lay low with fire or sword; and the people followed, singing\na war-song of their king, like to a great flock of swans, which flies\nwith many cries across the Asian marsh. And next Clausus the Sabine,\nfrom whom is sprung the great Claudian house; and Halesus, companion of\nAgamemnon, and enemy of Troy from of old, with many nations behind him;\nclubs had they, fastened with thongs of leather, and wicker shields on\ntheir left arms, and their swords were shaped as reaping-hooks. After\nthese came \u0152balus, son of Telon, with the men of Campania, wearing\nhelmets of cork, and having shields and swords of bronze; also Ufens,\nof Neres\u00e6, with his robber bands; and Umbro, the Marsian priest, a\nmighty wizard and charmer of serpents, who could also heal their bite;\nbut the wound of the Trojan spears he could not heal, nor did all his\ncharms and mighty herbs avail him.\n\nWith them also came Virbius, son of Hippolytus, from Egeria. For men\nsay that Hippolytus, when the curse of his father had fallen upon him,\nand he had perished by the madness of his horses, was made alive by the\nskill of \u00c6sculapius, and that Jupiter, being wroth that a mortal should\nreturn from the dead, slew the healer, the son of Ph\u0153bus, with his\nthunderbolt; but that Hippolytus Diana hid in the grove of Africa, that\nhe might spend the rest of his days obscure and without offence. And\ntherefore do they yet hinder horses from coming near to the temple of\nDiana. Nevertheless the youth Virbius drave horses in his chariot.\n\nBut chief among them all was Turnus, who moved in the midst, clad in\narmor, and overtopping them all by his head. And he had a helmet with\nthree crests, and the Chim\u00e6ra thereon for a sign; and on his shield\nwas Io, with her horns lifted to heaven, and Argus the herdsman, and\nInachus pouring a river from his urn. A great multitude of footmen\nfollowed him, Rutulians and Sicanians, and they that dwelt about the\nTiber, and about Anxur, and about the green woods of Feronia.\n\nLast of all came Camilla the Volscian, with a great company on horses,\nclad in armor of bronze. She loved neither distaff nor the basket of\nMinerva, but rather to fight and to outstrip the winds in running. And\na mighty runner was she, for she would run over the harvest-field nor\nharm the corn, and when she sped across the waves of the sea she wetted\nnot her foot therein. All the youth marvelled to behold her, and the\nwomen stood gazing upon her as she went. For a robe of royal purple\nwas about her shoulders, and a snood of gold about her hair; and she\ncarried a Syrian quiver and a pike of myrtle-wood, as the shepherds are\nwont.\n\nSo the chiefs were gathered together, and much people with them,\nMezentius, and Ufens, and Messapus being their leaders. They sent an\nembassy likewise to Diomed (for Diomed had built him a city in Italy,\neven Arpi), to tell him that \u00c6neas and the men of Troy were setting up\na kingdom in these parts, and to bid him take counsel for himself.\n\nBut \u00c6neas was much troubled at these things, and cast about in his\nmind where he should look for help. And while he meditated thereon he\nslept. And lo! in his dreams the god of the river, even Father Tiber,\nappeared to him. An old man was he, and clad in a blue linen robe, and\nhaving a crown of reeds upon his head. And he spake, saying, \u201cThou art\nwelcome to this land, to which thou hast brought the gods of Troy. Be\nnot dismayed at wars and rumors of wars, nor cease from thy enterprise.\nAnd this shall be a sign unto thee. Thou shalt find upon the shore a\nwhite sow with thirty young, white also, about her teats. And it shall\ncome to pass that after thirty years I\u00fclus shall build him the White\nCity. And now I will tell thee how thou shalt have victory in this\nwar. Certain men of Arcadia, following their King, Evander, have built\na city in this land, and called its name Pallantium. These wage war\ncontinually with the Latins. To them therefore thou must go, making thy\nway up the stream of the river. Rise therefore, and offer sacrifice to\nJuno, appeasing her wrath. And to me thou shalt perform thy vows when\nthou shalt have prevailed. For know that I am Tiber the river, and that\nof all the rivers on earth none is dearer to the gods.\u201d\n\nThen \u00c6neas roused him from sleep, and made his supplications to the\nNymphs and the river god, that they would be favorable to him. And when\nhe looked, lo! upon the shore a white sow with thirty young, white\nalso, about her teats. Of these he made a sacrifice to Juno. And after\nthis he commanded that they should make ready two ships, and so went on\nhis way. And Tiber stayed his stream so that the men might not toil in\nrowing. Quickly they sped, and many trees were above their heads, and\nthe image thereof in the water beneath. And at noonday they beheld a\ncity with walls, and a citadel, and a few houses round about.\n\nNow it chanced that Evander and his people were holding a sacrifice\nthat day to Hercules before the city. But when they saw through the\ntrees the ships approaching, they were astonished, and rose all from\nthe feast. But Pallas, who was the son of the King, commanded that they\nshould not interrupt the sacrifice, and snatching a spear, he cried\nfrom the mound whereon the altar stood: \u201cStrangers, why come ye? what\nseek ye? Do ye bring peace or war?\u201d\n\nThen \u00c6neas cried from the stern of his ship, holding out the while an\nolive branch: \u201cWe be men of Troy, enemies of the Latins, and we seek\nKing Evander. Say, therefore, to him that \u00c6neas, prince of Troy, is\ncome, seeking alliance with him.\u201d\n\nMuch did Pallas marvel to hear this name, and said, \u201cApproach thou,\nwhoever thou art, and hold converse with my father;\u201d and he caught him\nby the hand.\n\nAnd when \u00c6neas was set before King Evander he spake, saying, \u201cI come to\nthee, O King, not unwilling or fearful, though indeed thou art a Greek\nand akin to the sons of Atreus. For between thee and me also there is\nkindred. For Dardanus, builder of Troy, was the son of Electra, who\nwas the daughter of Atlas. And ye come from Mercurius, who was the\nson of Cyllene, who was also the daughter of Atlas. Wherefore, I sent\nnot ambassadors to thee, but came myself, fearing nothing. Know thou\nthat the Daunian race, which warreth against thee, pursueth us also;\nagainst whom if they prevail, without doubt they shall rule over Italy,\nfrom the one sea even to the other. I would, therefore, that we make\nalliance together.\u201d\n\nAnd as he spake, Evander ceased not to regard him, and, when he\nhad ended, spake, saying, \u201cWelcome, great son of Troy. Gladly do I\nrecognize the voice and face of Anchises. For I remember how Priam came\nof old time to the kingdom of his sister Hesion\u00e9, who was the wife of\nTelamon; and many princes were with him, but the mightiest of them was\nAnchises. Much did I love the man, and took him with me to Pheneus. And\nhe gave me when he departed a quiver and arrows of Lycia, and a cloak\nwith threads of gold, and two bridles of gold, which my son Pallas hath\nto this day. The alliance that thou seekest I grant. To-morrow shalt\nthou depart, with such help as I can give. But now, since ye be come at\nsuch good time, join us in our sacrifice and feast.\u201d\n\nSo they feasted together on the flesh of oxen and drank wine, and\nwere merry. And when they had made an end of eating and drinking,\nKing Evander spake, saying, \u201cThis great feast, my friend, we hold not\nwithout good reason, which thou shalt now hear from me. Seest thou this\ngreat ruin of rocks? Here in old time was a cave, running very deep\ninto the cliff, wherein Cacus dwelt, a monster but half man, whose\nfather was Vulcan. The ground thereof reeked with blood, and at the\nmouth were fixed the heads of dead men. Very great of stature was he,\nand breathed out fire from his mouth. To this land came Hercules,\ndriving before him the oxen of Geryon, whom he had slain. And when\nhe had left these to feed in the valley by the river, Cacus, that he\nmight fill up the measure of his wickedness, stole four bulls and four\nheifers, the very chiefest of the herd. And that he might conceal the\nthing, he dragged them by the tails backwards, so that the tracks lead\nnot to the cave. But it chanced that the herd made a great bellowing\nwhen Hercules would have driven them away in the morning. And one of\nthe heifers which Cacus had hidden in the cave bellowed also, making\nanswer. Then was Hercules very wroth, and caught up in his hand his\ngreat knotted club, and climbed to the top of the hill. Then was Cacus\nsore afraid, and fled to his cave swift as the wind, fear giving wings\nto his feet. And when he was come thither, he shut himself therein,\nletting fall a great stone which he had caused to hang over the mouth\nthereof by cunning devices that he had learned from his father. And\nwhen Hercules was come he sought to find entrance and could not; but\nat the last he saw one of the rocks that it was very high and leaned\nto the river. This he pushed from the other side, so that it fell with\na great crash into the water. Then did the whole cave of Cacus lie\nopen to view, horrible to behold, as though the earth were to open her\nmouth and show the regions of the dead. And first Hercules shot at the\nmonster with arrows, and cast boughs and great stones at him; and Cacus\nvomited forth from his mouth fire and smoke, filling the whole cave.\nAnd Hercules endured not to be so baffled, but plunged into the cave,\neven where the smoke was thickest, and caught him, twining his arms and\nlegs about him, and strangled him, that he died. Of which deed, O my\nfriends, we keep the remembrance year by year. Do ye, therefore, join\nin our feast, putting first wreaths of poplar about your heads, for the\npoplar is the tree of Hercules.\u201d\n\nSo they feasted; and the priests, even the Salii, being in two\ncompanies, young and old, sang the great deeds of Hercules: how, being\nyet an infant, he strangled the snakes that Juno sent to slay him, and\noverthrew mighty cities, and endured many grievous labors, slaying\nthe Centaurs and the lion of Nemea; and how he went down to hell, and\ndragged the dog Cerberus therefrom, and many other things likewise.\n\nAnd at even they went back to the city, and as they went Evander told\n\u00c6neas many things concerning the country: how of old a savage race\ndwelt therein, living even as the beasts, whom Saturn, flying from his\nson Jupiter, first taught, giving them customs and laws; and how other\nkings also had borne rule over them, and how he himself had come to the\nland at the bidding of Apollo. Also he showed him the city which he had\nfounded, and the places thereof: very famous were they in aftertime,\nwhen mighty Rome was builded, even on the selfsame ground. And when\nthey came to his palace he said, \u201cHercules entered this dwelling,\nthough indeed it be small and lowly. Think not, then, overmuch of\nriches, and so make thyself worthy to ascend to heaven, as he also\nascended.\u201d\n\nThen he led him within the palace, and bade him rest on a couch,\nwhereon was spread the skin of an African bear.\n\nVery early the next morning the old man Evander rose up from his bed,\nand donned his tunic, and bound his Tuscan sandals on his feet, and\ngirt his Tegean sword to his side, flinging a panther\u2019s hide over his\nleft shoulder. Pallas, his son, also went with him. And two hounds,\nwhich lay by his chamber, followed him. For he would fain have speech\nwith \u00c6neas, whom, indeed, he found astir, and Achates with him. Then\nspake Evander: \u201cGreat chief of Troy, good will have we, but scanty\nmeans; for our folk are few and our bounds narrow. But I will tell\nthee of a great people and a wealthy, with whom thou mayest make\nalliance. Nigh to this place is the famous city Agylla, which the men\nof Lydia, settling in this land of Etruria, builded aforetime. Now of\nthis Agylla Mezentius was King, who surpassed all men in wickedness.\nFor he would join a living man to a dead corpse, and so leave him\nto perish miserably. But after awhile the citizens rebelled, saying\nthat he should not reign over them, and slew his guards and burnt his\npalace. But on him they laid not hands, for he fled to Prince Turnus.\nTherefore there is war between Turnus and Agylla. Now in this war thou\nshalt be leader; for as yet, when they would have gone forth to battle,\nthe soothsayers have hindered them, saying, \u2018Though your wrath against\nMezentius be just, yet must no man of Italy lead this people; but look\nyou for a stranger.\u2019 And they would fain have had me for their leader,\nbut I am old and feeble. And my son Pallas also is akin to them, seeing\nthat he was born of a Sabine mother. But thou art in thy prime, and\naltogether a stranger in race. Wherefore take this office upon thyself.\nPallas also shall go with thee, and learn from thee to bear himself as\na warrior. Also I will send with thee two hundred chosen horsemen, and\nPallas will give thee as many.\u201d\n\nAnd even before he had made an end of speaking, Venus gave them a sign,\neven thunder in a clear sky; and there was heard a voice as of a Tuscan\ntrumpet, and when they looked to the heavens, lo! there was a flashing\nof arms.\n\nAnd \u00c6neas knew the sign and the interpretation thereof, even that he\nshould prosper in that to which he set his hand. Therefore he bade\nEvander be of good cheer. Then again they did sacrifice, and afterwards\n\u00c6neas returned to his companions, of whom he chose some, and them the\nbravest, who should go with him to Agylla, and the rest he bade return\nto I\u00fclus, to the camp.\n\nBut when he was now ready to depart, Evander took him by the hand,\nsaying, \u201cO that Jupiter would give me back the years that are gone,\nwhen I slew, under Pr\u00e6neste, King Erulus, to whom at his birth his\nmother, Feronia, gave three lives. Thrice must he needs be slain, and\nthrice I slew him. Then had I not been parted from thee, my son, nor\nhad the wicked Mezentius slain so many of my people. And now, may the\ngods hear my prayer: If it be their pleasure that Pallas should come\nback, may I live to see it; but if not, may I die even now while I hold\nthee in my arms, my son, my one and only joy.\u201d\n\nAnd his spirit left the old man, and they carried him into the palace.\nThen the horsemen rode out from the gates, with Pallas in the midst,\nadorned with mantle and blazoned arms, fair as the Morning Star, which\nVenus loves beyond all others in the sky. The women stood watching them\nfrom the walls, while they shouted aloud and galloped across the plain.\nAnd after a while they came to a grove, near to which the Etruscans and\nTarchon, their leader, had pitched their camp.\n\nNow in the meantime Venus had bestirred herself for her son, for\nwhile he slept in the palace of Evander she spake to her husband,\neven Vulcan, saying, \u201cWhile the Greeks were fighting against Troy, I\nsought not thy help, for I would not that thou shouldst labor in vain;\nbut now that \u00c6neas is come to Italy by the command of the gods, I ask\nthee that thou shouldst make arms and armor for my son. This Aurora\nasked for Memnon; this Thetis for Achilles, and thou grantedst it to\nthem. And now thou seest how the nations join themselves to destroy\nhim. Wherefore I pray thee to help me.\u201d And he hearkened to her voice.\nTherefore when the morning was come, very early, even as a woman who\nmaketh her living by the distaff riseth and kindleth her fire, and\ngiveth tasks to her maidens, that she may provide for her husband and\nher children, even so Vulcan rose betimes to his work. Now there is an\nisland, Lipar\u00e9, nigh unto the shore of Sicily, and there the god had\nset up his furnace and anvil, and the Cyclop\u00e9s were at work, forging\nthunderbolts for Jupiter, whereof one remained half wrought. Three\nparts of hail had they used, and three of rain-cloud, and three of red\nfire and the south wind; and now they were adding to it lightning, and\nnoise, and fear, and wrath, with avenging flames. And elsewhere they\nwrought a chariot for Mars, and a shirt of mail for Minerva, even the\n\u00c6gis, with golden scales as of a serpent, and in the midst the Gorgon\u2019s\nhead, lopped at the nape, with rolling eyes. But the god cried, \u201cCease\nye your toils. Ye must make arms for a hero.\u201d Then they all bent them\nto their toil. Then bronze, and gold, and iron flowed in streams; and\nsome plied the bellows, and others dipped the hissing mass in water,\nand a third turned the ore in griping pincers.\n\nA helmet they made with nodding crest, that blazed like fire, and a\nsword, and a cuirass of ruddy bronze, and greaves of gold molten many\ntimes, and a spear, and a shield whereon was wrought a marvellous story\nof things to come. For the god had set forth all the story of Rome.\nThere lay the she-wolf in the cave of Mars, suckling the twin babes\nthat feared her not--and she, bending back her neck, licked them with\nher tongue; and there the men of Rome carried off the Sabine virgins\nto be their wives; and hard by the battle raged, and there again\nthe kings made peace together, with offerings and sacrifice. Also\nthere were wrought the chariots that tore asunder Mettus of Alba for\nhis treachery, and Porsenna bidding the Romans take back their King,\nbesieging the city, but the men of Rome stood in arms against him.\nAngry and threatening stood the King to see how Cocles broke down the\nbridge, and Cl\u0153lia burst her bonds to swim across the river. There\nManlius stood to guard the Capitol, and a goose of silver flapped his\nwings in arcades of gold, and showed the Gauls at hand. And they, under\ncover of the darkness, were climbing through the thickets even to\nthe ridge of the hill. Their hair was wrought in gold, in gold their\nraiment; and their cloaks were of divers colors crossed; milk-white\ntheir necks and clasped with gold; two spears had each and an oblong\nshield. Likewise he wrought the dwellings of the dead, of the just\nand of the unjust. Here Catiline hung from the rock while the Furies\nthreatened him; there Cato gave the people laws. And all about was the\nsea wrought in gold; but the waves were blue, and white the foam, and\ntherein sported dolphins of silver. But in the midst was wrought a\ngreat battle of ships at the cape of Actium. On the one side Augustus\nled the men of Italy to battle, standing very high on the stern of the\nship. From either temple of his head blazed forth a fire. And Agrippa\nalso led on his array with a naval crown about his head. And on the\nother side stood Antony, having with him barbarous soldiers arrayed in\ndivers fashions, and leading to battle Egypt and Persia and the armies\nof the East; and lo! behind him--a shameful sight--his Egyptian wife.\nBut in another part the battle raged, and all the sea was in a foam\nwith oars and triple beaks. It seemed as though islands were torn\nfrom their places, or mountain clashed against mountain, so great was\nthe shock of the ships. And all about flew javelins with burning tow,\nand the sea was red with blood. In the midst stood Cleopatra, with a\ntimbrel in her hand, and called her armies to the battle: behind her\nyou might see the snakes by whose bite she should die. And on one side\nthe dog Anubis, with other monstrous shapes of gods, and over against\nthem Neptune, and Venus, and Minerva. And in the midst Mars was seen\nto rage, embossed in steel; and the Furies hovered above, and Discord\nstalked with garment rent, while high above Apollo stretched his bow,\nand Egyptian and Indian and Arab fled before him. And in a third place\ngreat C\u00e6sar rode through Rome in triumph, and the city was full of joy,\nand the matrons were gathered in the temples; and through the street\nthere passed a long array of nations that he had conquered, from the\neast, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south. Such\nwas the shield which Vulcan wrought.\n\nAnd Venus, when she saw her son that none was with him,--for he had\nwandered apart from his companions,--brought the arms and laid them\ndown before him, saying, \u201cSee the arms that I promised I would give\nthee. These my husband, the Fire-god, hath wrought for thee. With these\nthou needst shun no enemy; no, not Turnus himself.\u201d Right glad was he\nto see them, and fitted them upon him, and swung the shield upon his\nshoulder, nor knew what mighty fates of his children he bare thereon.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER V.\n\n\nAfter this \u00c6neas made a covenant with the men of Etruria, of whom one\nTarchon was chief. And a great company of these went with him to the\nwar.\n\nBut in the meanwhile Turnus had fought against the camp of the Trojans,\nand had slain many of the people. And when they that remained were now\nready to despair, they looked up, and behold! \u00c6neas was there, for he\nstood upon the stern of his ship and lifted in his left hand a flashing\nshield. Much did the men of Troy rejoice to see that sight, and shouted\namain. And Turnus and his companions marvelled, till they looked behind\nthem, and lo! the sea was covered with ships, and in the midst was\n\u00c6neas. And it was as if a flame poured forth from his helmet and his\nshield, bright as is a comet when it shines in the night-time red as\nblood, or as the Dog Star in the hot summer-tide with baleful light\nbringing fevers to the race of men.\n\nYet did not Turnus lose heart, but would occupy the shore, and hinder\nfrom landing those that came. Wherefore he cried, \u201cNow have ye that\nwhich ye wished for. Lo! the enemy hides not himself behind a wall, but\nmeets us face to face. Remember wife and child and home and the great\ndeeds of your fathers. Let us meet them on the shore ere yet their\nfooting is firm.\u201d And he thought within himself who should watch the\nwalls, and who should meet the enemy when he would gain the shore.\n\nBut in the meanwhile \u00c6neas landed his men on gangways from the ships.\nAnd some leapt on shore, having watched for the ebb of the waves, and\nsome ran along the oars. Tarchon also, the Etrurian, having spied a\nplace where the sea broke not in waves, commanded his men that they\nshould beach the ships. Which indeed they did without harm. Only the\nship of Tarchon himself was caught upon a ridge and the men thrown\ntherefrom. Yet these also, after a while, got safe to the shore.\n\nThen did \u00c6neas do great deeds against the enemy. For first he slew\nTheron, who surpassed all men in stature, smiting through his coat\nof mail; and Cisseus and Gyas, who wielded clubs after the manner of\nHercules. Sons were they of Melampus, who had borne Hercules company\nin all his labors. Then the sons of Phorcus came against him, seven in\nnumber; and they cast at him seven spears, whereof some rebounded from\nhis shield and some grazed his body, but harmed him not. Then cried\n\u00c6neas to Achates, \u201cGive me spears enough. Spears which have slain the\nGreeks on the fields of Troy shall not be cast in vain against these\nLatins.\u201d Then of the seven he slew M\u00e6on and Alcanor, for the spear\npierced the breast-plate and heart of M\u00e6on, and when Alcanor would\nhave held him up, passed through his arm and yet kept on its way. And\nmany others fell on this side and on that, for they fought with equal\nfortune. On the very threshold of Italy they fought, and neither would\nthe Italians give place nor yet the men of Troy, for foot was planted\nclose to foot, and man stood fast by man.\n\nIn another part of the battle Pallas fought with his Arcadians. And\nwhen he saw that they fled, not being wont to fight on foot (for by\nreason of the ground they had sent away their horses), he cried, \u201cNow,\nby the name of your King Evander, and by my hope that I may win praise\nlike unto his, I beseech you that ye trust not to your feet. Ye must\nmake your way through the enemy with your swords. Where the crowd is\nthe thickest follow me. Nor have ye now gods against you. These are but\nmortal men that ye see.\u201d And he rushed into the midst of the enemy.\nFirst he smote Lagus with his spear, even as he was lifting a great\nstone from the earth. In the back he smote him, and, having smitten\nhim, strove to draw forth the spear; and while he strove, Hisbo would\nhave slain him; but Pallas was aware of his coming, and pierced him\nin the breast with his sword. Next he slew the twin brothers, Larides\nand Thymber. Very like they were, and it pleased father and mother\nthat they knew not the one from the other; but Pallas made a cruel\ndifference between them, for from Thymber he struck off the head, and\nfrom Larides the right hand. And after these he slew Rh\u0153tus, as he\nfled past him in his chariot. And now, even as a shepherd sets fire\nto a wood, and the flames are borne along by the wind, so Pallas, and\nhis Arcadians following, raged through the battle. And when Hal\u00e6sus,\nthe companion of Agamemnon, would have stayed them, Pallas, first\npraying to Father Tiber, smote him through the breast with a spear,\nthat he died. Then came to the help of the Latins, Lausus, the son of\nKing Mezentius, and slew Abas of Populonia, and others also. Then the\nbattle was equal for a space, for Pallas supported it on the one side\nand Lausus on the other. Fair were they both to behold and of equal\nage, and for both it was ordained that they should not return to their\nnative country. Yet they met not in battle, seeing that the doom of\neach was that he should fall by a greater hand.\n\nAnd now the nymph Juturna, who was sister to Turnus, bade her brother\nhaste to the help of Lausus. And when he was come, he cried to the\nLatins, \u201cGive place: I only will deal with Pallas. I only would that\nhis father were here to see.\u201d Much did Pallas marvel to behold him\nand to see the men give place. But, being no whit afraid, he went\nforth into the space between the hosts, and the blood of the Arcadians\nran cold when they saw him go. Then Turnus leapt from his chariot,\nfor he would meet him on foot. And first Pallas prayed, saying, \u201cO\nHercules! if thou wast indeed my father\u2019s guest, help me to-day!\u201d And\nHercules heard him where he sat in heaven, and wept because he could\navail nothing. Then said Father Jupiter, \u201cMy son, the days of men are\nnumbered; yet may they live forever by noble deeds. This at least can\nvalor do. Did not many sons of the gods fall at Troy? yea, and my\nown Sarpedon. And for Turnus, too, the day of doom is at hand.\u201d And\nhe turned his eyes from the battle. Then Pallas cast his spear with\nall his might. Through the shield of Turnus it passed, and through\nthe corselet, yea, and grazed the top of his shoulder. Then Turnus\nbalanced his spear awhile, and said, \u201cThis, methinks, shall better\nmake its way,\u201d and he cast it. Through the shield, through the stout\nbull\u2019s hide, and through the folds of bronze it passed, and through\nthe corselet, and pierced the breast of Pallas from front to back. And\nPallas tore from the wound the reeking steel, and the blood gushed out,\nand the life therewith. Then Turnus stood above the corpse, and said,\n\u201cMen of Arcadia, tell these my words to Evander: \u2018Pallas I send him\nback, even as he deserved that I should send him. I grudge him not due\nhonors of burial. Yet of a truth the friendship of \u00c6neas hath cost him\ndear.\u2019\u201d Then he put his foot upon the body and dragged therefrom the\nbelt. Great and heavy it was, and Clonius had wrought thereon in gold\nthe deed of the fifty daughters of Dana\u00fcs, how they slew their husbands\nin one night. But even then the time was very near when Turnus would\nwish that he had left that spoil untouched. And afterwards, with much\ngroaning and weeping, the companions of Pallas laid him upon a shield\nand bare him back.\n\nAnd now tidings came to \u00c6neas that it fared ill with his men, and that\nPallas was slain. Across the field he sped, and all his heart was full\nof wrath against Turnus and pity for the old man Evander; and first\nhe took alive eight youths, whom he should slay upon the tomb. Then\nhe cast his spear at Lagus; but Lagus avoided it by craft, and rushed\nforward, and caught him by the knees, beseeching him by the spirit of\nhis father and the hopes of I\u00fclus that he would spare him, and take a\nransom for his life. But \u00c6neas made answer, \u201cTalk not of sparing nor\nof ransom; for to all courtesy of war there is an end now that Turnus\nhath slain Pallas.\u201d And he caught the man\u2019s helmet with his left hand,\nand, bending back his neck, thrust in the sword up to the hilt. And\nmany other valiant chiefs he slew, as H\u00e6monides, priest of Ph\u0153bus and\nDiana, and Tarquitus, son of Faunus, and dark Camers, son of Volscens.\nAnd now there met him two brethren on one chariot, Lucagus and Liger.\nAnd Liger, who indeed drave the horses, cried aloud, \u201cThese are not the\nhorses of Diomed, nor this the chariot of Achilles, from which thou\nmayest escape. Lo! the end of thy battles and thy life is come.\u201d But\n\u00c6neas spake not, but cast his spear, and even as Lucagus made himself\nready for battle, it sped through his shield and pierced his thigh.\nThen he fell dying on the plain. And \u00c6neas cried, mocking him, \u201cThy\nhorses are not slow to flee, nor frightened by a shadow. Of thine own\nwill thou leavest thy chariot.\u201d And he caught the horses by the head.\nThen Liger stretched out his hands to him in supplication, saying,\n\u201cI beseech thee, by thy parents, have pity upon me.\u201d But \u00c6neas made\nanswer, \u201cNay, but thou speakest not thus before. Die! and desert not\nthy brother.\u201d And he thrust the sword into his breast. Thus did \u00c6neas\ndeal death through the host, even as he had been the giant Typh\u0153us with\nthe hundred hands. And when I\u00fclus and the men of Troy beheld him they\nbrake forth from the camp.\n\nAnd now Juno bethought her how she might save Turnus, whom she loved.\nSo she caused that there should pass before his eyes an image as of\n\u00c6neas, which seemed to defy him to battle. And when Turnus would have\nfought, lo! the false \u00c6neas fled, and Turnus followed him. Now there\nchanced to be lying moored to a great rock a certain ship, on which\nKing Asinius had come from Clusium. Into this the false \u00c6neas fled,\nand Turnus followed hard upon him, but found not the man. And when he\nlooked, Juno had burst the moorings of the ship, and the sea was about\nhim on every side. Then he cried, \u201cWhat have I done, great Jupiter,\nthat I should suffer such shame? What think the Latins of my flight?\nDrown me, ye winds and waves, or drive me where no man may see me\nmore.\u201d Thrice he would have cast himself into the sea; thrice would he\nhave slain himself with the sword; but Juno forbade, and brought him\nsafe to the city of Daunus, his father.\n\nIn the meanwhile King Mezentius joined the battle. Nor could the men\nof Troy, nor yet the Tuscans, stay him. Many valiant men he slew, as\nMimas, whom his mother Theano bare the same night that Hecuba bare\nParis to King Priam; and Actor, a Greek, who had left his promised\nwife, and carried her purple favor in his helmet; and tall Orodes.\nOrodes, indeed, was flying, but the King deigned not to slay him in\nhis flight, but met him face to face and smote him. Also when Orodes\ncried, \u201cWhoever thou art, thou goest not long unpunished: a like doom\nawaits thee; and in this land shalt thou find thy grave,\u201d Mezentius\nlaughed, and made answer, \u201cDie thou, but let the King of gods and men\nsee to me.\u201d\n\nBut after awhile \u00c6neas spied Mezentius as he fought, and made haste to\nmeet him. Nor did the King give place, but cried, \u201cNow may this right\nhand and the spear which I wield be my gods, and help me.\u201d And he cast\nhis spear. It smote the shield of \u00c6neas, but pierced it not. Yet did it\nnot fly in vain, for glancing off it smote Antores in the side--Antores\nwho once had been comrade to Hercules, and afterwards followed Evander.\nNow he fell, and in his death remembered the city which he loved, even\nArgos. Then in his turn \u00c6neas cast his spear. Through the bull\u2019s-hide\nshield it passed, wounding the King in the groin, but not to death. And\n\u00c6neas was right glad to see the blood flow forth, and drew his sword\nand pressed on; and Mezentius, much cumbered with the spear and the\nwound, gave place. But when Lausus, his son, saw this, he groaned aloud\nand leapt forward, and took the blow upon his sword; and his companions\nfollowed him with a shout, and cast their spears at \u00c6neas, staying him\ntill Mezentius had gotten himself safe away. And \u00c6neas stood awhile\nunder the shower of spears, even as a traveller stands hiding himself\nfrom a storm. Then he cried to Lausus, \u201cWhat seekest thou, madman? Why\nventurest thou that which thy strength may not endure?\u201d But Lausus\nheeded him not at all, but still pressed on. Then the heart of \u00c6neas\nwas filled with wrath, and the day was come for Lausus that he should\ndie. For the King smote him with his sword: through shield it passed\nand tunic woven with gold, and was hidden to the hilt in his body.\nAnd \u00c6neas pitied him as he lay dead, bethinking him how he, too, would\nfain have died for his father, and spake, saying, \u201cWhat shall \u00c6neas\ngive thee, unhappy boy, for this thy nobleness? Keep thy arms, in which\nthou hadst such delight, and let thy father care as he will for thy\nbody; and take this comfort in thy death, that thou fallest by the hand\nof the great \u00c6neas.\u201d Then he lifted him from the earth, and bade his\ncompanions carry him away.\n\nIn the meantime his father tended his wounds, leaning on the trunk of a\ntree by the Tiber bank. His helmet hung from a branch, and his arms lay\nupon the ground, while his followers stood around. And ever he asked\ntidings of Lausus, and sent those who should bid him return. But when\nthey brought back his body on a shield, his father knew it from afar,\nand threw dust upon his white hair, and fell upon the body, crying,\n\u201cHad I such desire to live, my son, that I suffered thee to meet in my\nstead the sword of the enemy? Am I saved by these wounds? Do I live by\nthy death? And indeed, my son, I did dishonor to thee by my misdeeds.\nWould that I had given my guilty life for thine! But indeed I die;\nnevertheless not yet, for I have first somewhat that I must do.\u201d\n\nThen he raised himself on his thigh, and commanded that they should\nbring his horse. His pride it was and comfort, and had borne him\nconqueror from many fights. Very sad was the beast, and he spake to it,\nsaying, \u201cO Rh\u0153bus, thou and I have lived long enough, if indeed aught\non earth be long. To-day thou shalt bring back the head and the arms of\n\u00c6neas, and so avenge my Lausus; or thou shalt die with me. For a Trojan\nmaster thou wilt not, I know, endure.\u201d\n\nThen he mounted the horse, and took spears in both his hands, and so\nhasted to meet \u00c6neas. Thrice he called him by name, and \u00c6neas rejoiced\nto hear his voice, and cried, \u201cNow may Jupiter and Apollo grant that\nthis be true. Begin the fight.\u201d And Mezentius made answer: \u201cSeek not\nto make afraid. Thou canst do me no harm now that thou hast slain my\nson. I am come to die, but take thou first this gift; and he cast his\nspear, and then another, and yet another, as he rode in a great circle\nabout the enemy. But they brake not the boss of gold. And \u00c6neas stood\nfirm, bearing the forest of spears in his shield. But at last issuing\nforth in anger from behind his shield, he cast his spear and smote the\nwar-horse Rh\u0153bus between his temples. Then the horse reared himself\nand lashed the air with his feet, and fell with his rider beneath him.\nAnd the men of Troy and the Latins sent up a great shout. Then \u00c6neas\nhasted and drew his sword, and stood above him, crying, \u201cWhere is the\nfierce Mezentius now?\u201d And the King said, when he breathed again, \u201cWhy\nthreatenest thou me with death? Slay me; thou wrongest me not. I made\nno covenant with thee for life, nor did my Lausus when he died for me.\nYet grant me this one thing. Thou knowest how my people hateth me. Keep\nmy body, I pray thee, from them, that they do it no wrong. And let\nmy son be buried with me in my grave.\u201d And he gave his throat to the\nsword, and feared not.\n\nSo the battle had an end. And the next day, early in the morning, \u00c6neas\npaid his vows. For he took an oak-tree, and lopped the branches round\nabout, and set it on a mound. And thereon he hung, for a trophy to\nMars, the arms of King Mezentius, the crest dripping with blood, and\nthe headless spears, and the corselet pierced in twelve places. Also\nhe fastened on the left hand the shield, and hung about the neck the\nivory-hilted sword. And next, the chiefs being gathered about him, he\nspake, saying, \u201cWe have wrought a great deed. Here ye see all that\nremaineth of Mezentius. Now, therefore, let us make ready to carry the\nwar against the city of Latinus. This therefore will we do with the\nfirst light to-morrow. And now let us bury the dead, doing such honor\nto them as we may, for indeed they have purchased a country for us\nwith their own blood. But first will I send back Pallas to the city of\nEvander.\u201d\n\nThen he went to the tent where the dead body was laid, and old Ac\u0153tes\nkept watch thereby--Ac\u0153etes, who had been armor-bearer to Evander, and\nnow had followed his son, but with evil fortune; and the women of Troy,\nwith their hair unbound, mourned about him. But when they saw \u00c6neas\nthey beat their breasts, and sent up a great cry even to heaven. And\nwhen the King saw the pillowed head, and the great wound in the breast,\nhe wept, and said, \u201cAh! why did Fortune grudge me this, that thou\nshouldst see my kingdom, and go back in triumph to thy father\u2019s home?\nThis is not what I promised to Evander when he gave thee to my charge,\nand warned me that the men of Italy were valiant and fierce. And now\nhaply, old man, thou makest offerings and prayers for him who oweth\nnot service any more to the gods of heaven. Yet, at least, thou wilt\nsee that he beareth an honorable wound. But what a son thou losest, O\nItaly! and what a friend, thou, I\u00fclus!\u201d\n\nThen he choose a thousand men who should go with the dead and share the\nfather\u2019s grief. After this they made a bier of arbutus boughs and oak,\nand put also over it a canopy of branches, and laid the dead thereon,\nlike unto a flower of violet or hyacinth which a girl hath plucked,\nwhich still hath beauty and color, but the earth nourisheth it no more.\nAnd \u00c6neas took two robes of purple, which Dido had woven with thread of\ngold, and with one he wrapped the body and with the other the head. And\nbehind were carried the arms which Pallas had won in fight; and they\nled the old man Ac\u0153tes, smiting on his breast and tearing his cheeks,\nand throwing himself upon the ground; and the war-horse \u00c6thon walked\nbeside, with the great tears rolling down his cheeks. And also they\nbare behind him his helmet and shield, for all else Turnus had taken:\nand then followed the whole company, the men of Troy, the Arcadians,\nand the Tuscans, with arms reversed. And \u00c6neas said, \u201cThe same cares\nand sorrows of war call me elsewhere. Farewell, my Pallas, for ever!\u201d\nAnd he departed to the camp.\n\nAnd now there came ambassadors from the city, having olive branches\nabout their heads, praying for a truce, that they might bury their\ndead. Then \u00c6neas made answer, \u201cYe ask peace for the dead; fain would I\ngive it to the living. I had not come to this land but for the bidding\nof the Fates. And if your King changeth from me and my friendship to\nTurnus, I am blameless. Yet methinks Turnus should rather have taken\nthis danger upon himself. And even now, if he be willing to fight with\nme, man to man, so be it. But now bury ye your dead.\u201d\n\nThen they made a truce for twelve days. And the men of Troy and the\nLatins labored together, hewing wood upon the hills, pine and cedar and\nmountain ash. And the men of Troy built great piles upon the shore, and\nburned the dead bodies of their companions thereon, and their arms with\nthem. And the Latins did likewise. Also they that had been chosen to do\nthis thing carried the body of Pallas to his city. And King Evander and\nthe Arcadians made a great mourning for him.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VI.\n\n\nAfter these things there was again battle between the Trojans and the\nLatins; and many were slain on either side, but at the last the men of\nTroy prevailed. Then Prince Turnus, seeing that the Latins had fled\nin the battle, and that men looked to him that he should perform that\nwhich he had promised, even to meet \u00c6neas face to face, was filled with\nrage. Even as a lion which a hunter hath wounded breaketh the arrow\nwherewith he hath been stricken, and rouseth himself to battle, shaking\nhis mane and roaring, so Turnus arose. And first he spake to King\nLatinus, saying, \u201cNot for me, my father, shall these cowards of Troy go\nback from that which they have covenanted. I will meet this man face\nto face, and slay him while ye look on; or, if the gods will that he\nvanquish me so, he shall rule over you, and have Lavinia to wife.\u201d\n\nBut King Latinus made answer: \u201cYet think awhile, my son. Thou hast the\nkingdom of thy father Daunus; and there are other noble virgins in\nLatium whom thou mayest have to wife. Wilt thou not then be content?\nFor to give my daughter to any husband of this nation I was forbidden,\nas thou knowest. Yet did I disobey, being moved by love of thee, my\nwife also beseeching me with many tears. Thou seest what troubles I and\nmy people, and thou more than all, have suffered from that time. Twice\nhave we fled in the battle, and now the city only is left to us. If I\nmust yield me to these men, let me yield whilst thou art yet alive. For\nwhat doth it profit me that thou shouldst die? Nay, but all men would\ncry shame on me if I gave thee to death!\u201d\n\nNow for a space Turnus spake not for wrath. Then he said, \u201cBe not\ntroubled for me, my father. For I, too, can smite with the spear; and\nas for this \u00c6neas, his mother will not be at hand to snatch him in a\ncloud from my sight.\u201d\n\nThen Amata cried to him, saying, \u201cFight not, I beseech thee, with\nthese men of Troy, my son; for surely what thou sufferest I also shall\nsuffer. Nor will I live to see \u00c6neas my son-in-law.\u201d\n\nAnd Lavinia heard the voice of her mother, and wept. As a man stains\nivory with crimson, or as roses are seen mixed with lilies, even so the\nvirgin\u2019s face burned with crimson. And Turnus, regarding her, loved her\nexceedingly, and made answer: \u201cTrouble me not with tears or idle words,\nmy mother, for to this battle I must go. And do thou, Idmon the herald,\nsay to the Phrygian king, \u2018To-morrow, when the sun shall rise, let the\npeople have peace, but we two will fight together. And let him that\nprevaileth have Lavinia to wife.\u2019\u201d\n\nThen first he went to the stalls of his horses. The wife of the North\nWind gave them to Pilumnus. Whiter than snow were they, and swifter\nthan the wind. Then he put the coat of mail about his shoulders, and\nfitted a helmet on his head, and took the great sword which Vulcan had\nmade for Daunus his father, and had dipped it when it was white-hot\nin the river of Styx. His spear also he took where it stood against\na pillar, saying, \u201cServe me well, my spear, that has never failed me\nbefore, that I may lay low this womanish robber of Phrygia, and soil\nwith dust his curled and perfumed hair.\u201d\n\nThe next day the men of Italy and the men of Troy measured out a space\nfor the battle. And in the midst they builded an altar of turf. And the\ntwo armies sat on the one side and on the other, having fixed their\nspears in the earth and laid down their shields. Also the women and the\nold men stood on the towers and roofs of the city, that they might see\nthe fight.\n\nBut Queen Juno spake to Juturna, the sister of Turnus, saying, \u201cSeest\nthou how these two are now about to fight, face to face? And indeed\nTurnus goeth to his death. As for me, I endure not to look upon this\ncovenant or this battle. But if thou canst do aught for thy brother,\nlo! the time is at hand.\u201d And when the Nymph wept and beat her breast,\nJuno said, \u201cThis is no time for tears. Save thy brother, if thou canst,\nfrom death; or cause that they break this covenant.\u201d\n\nAfter this came the kings, that they might make the covenant together.\nAnd King Latinus rode in a chariot with four horses, and he had on\nhis head a crown with twelve rays of gold, for he was of the race of\nthe Sun; and Turnus came in a chariot with two white horses, having a\njavelin in either hand; and \u00c6neas had donned the arms which Vulcan had\nmade, and with him was the young I\u00fclus. And after due offering \u00c6neas\nsware, calling on all the gods, \u201cIf the victory shall fall this day\nto Turnus, the men of Troy shall depart to the city of Evander, nor\ntrouble this land any more. But if it fall to me, I will not that the\nLatins should serve the men of Troy. Let the nations be equal one with\nthe other. The gods that I bring we will worship together, but King\nLatinus shall reign as before. A new city shall the men of Troy build\nfor me, and Lavinia shall call it after her own name.\u201d\n\nThen King Latinus sware, calling on the gods that are above and the\ngods that are below, saying, \u201cThis covenant shall stand for ever,\nwhatsoever may befall. As sure as this sceptre which I bear--once it\nwas a tree, but a cunning workman closed it in bronze, to be the glory\nof Latium\u2019s kings--shall never again bear twig or leaf, so surely shall\nthis covenant be kept.\u201d\n\nBut the thing pleased not the Latins; for before, indeed, they judged\nthat the battle would not be equal between the two; and now were they\nthe more assured, seeing them when they came together, and that Turnus\nwalked with eyes cast to the ground, and was pale and wan. Wherefore\nthere arose a murmuring among the people, which when Juturna perceived,\nshe took upon herself the likeness of Camers, who was a prince and a\ngreat warrior among them, and passed through the host, saying, \u201cAre ye\nnot ashamed, men of Italy, that one man should do battle for you all?\nFor count these men: surely they are scarce one against two. And if he\nbe vanquished, what shame for you! As for him, indeed, though he die,\nyet shall his glory reach to the heavens; but ye shall suffer disgrace,\nserving these strangers for ever.\u201d\n\nAnd when she saw that the people were moved, she gave also a sign from\nheaven. For lo! an eagle that drave a crowd of sea-fowl before him,\nswooped down to the water, and caught a great swan; and even while the\nItalians looked, the birds that before had fled turned and pursued the\neagle, and drave him before them, so that he dropped the swan and fled\naway. Which thing when the Italians perceived, they shouted, and made\nthem ready for battle. And the augur Tolumnius cried, \u201cThis is the\ntoken that I have looked for. For this eagle is the stranger and ye are\nthe birds, which before, indeed, have fled, but shall now make him to\nflee.\u201d\n\nAnd he ran forward and cast his spear, smiting a man of Arcadia below\nthe belt, upon the groin. One of nine brothers was he, sons of a Tuscan\nmother, but their father was a Greek; and they, when they saw him\nslain, caught swords and spears, and ran forward. And straightway the\nbattle was begun. First they brake down the altars, that they might\ntake firebrands therefrom; and King Latinus fled from the place. Then\ndid Messapus drive his horses against King Aulestes of Mantua, who,\nbeing fain to fly, stumbled upon the altar and fell headlong on the\nground. And Messapus smote him with a spear that was like a weaver\u2019s\nbeam, saying, \u201cThis, of a truth, is a worthier victim.\u201d After this\nCoryne\u00fcs the Arcadian, when Ebysus would have smitten him, snatched a\nbrand from the altar and set fire to the beard of the man, and, before\nhe came to himself, caught him by the hair, and thrusting him to the\nground, so slew him. And when Podalirius pursued Alsus the shepherd,\nand now held his sword over him ready to strike, the other turned, and\nwith a battle-axe cleft the man\u2019s head from forehead to chin.\n\nBut all the while the righteous \u00c6neas, having his head bare, and\nholding neither spear nor sword, cried to the people, \u201cWhat seek ye?\nwhat madness is this? The covenant is established, and I only have\nthe right to do battle.\u201d But even while he spake an arrow smote him,\nwounding him. But who let it fly no man knoweth; for who, of a truth,\nwould boast that he had wounded \u00c6neas? And he departed from the battle.\n\nNow when Turnus saw that \u00c6neas had departed from the battle he called\nfor his chariot. And when he had mounted thereon he drave it through\nthe host of the enemy, slaying many valiant heroes, as Sthenelus and\nPholus, and the two sons of Imbrasus the Lycian, Glaucus and Lades.\nThen he saw Eumedes, son of that Dolon who would have spied out the\ncamp of the Greeks, asking as his reward the horses of Achilles (but\nDiomed slew him). Him Turnus smote with a javelin from afar, and, when\nhe fell, came near and put his foot upon him, and taking his sword\ndrave it into his neck, saying, \u201cLo! now thou hast the land which thou\nsoughtest. Lie there, and measure out Italy for thyself.\u201d Many others\nhe slew, for the army fled before him. Yet did one man, Phegeus by\nname, stand against him, and would have stayed the chariot, catching\nthe bridles of the horses in his hand. But as he clung to the yoke and\nwas dragged along, Turnus broke his cuirass with his spear, and wounded\nhim. And when the man set his shield before him, and made at Turnus\nwith his sword, the wheels dashed him to the ground and Turnus struck\nhim between the helmet and the breast-plate, and smote off his head.\n\nBut in the meanwhile Mnestheus and Achates and I\u00fclus led \u00c6neas to the\ncamp, leaning on his spear. Very wrath was he and strove to draw forth\nthe arrow. And when he could not, he commanded that they should open\nthe wound with the knife, and so send him back to the battle. Iapis\nalso, the physician, ministered to him. Now this Iapis was dearer than\nall other men to Apollo, and when the god would have given him all his\narts, even prophecy and music and archery, he chose rather to know the\nvirtues of herbs and the art of healing, that so he might prolong the\nlife of his father, who was even ready to die. This Iapis, then, having\nhis garments girt about him in healer\u2019s fashion, would have drawn\nforth the arrow with the pincers but could not. And while he strove,\nthe battle came nearer, and the sky was hidden by clouds of dust, and\njavelins fell thick into the camp. But when Venus saw how grievously\nher son was troubled, she brought from Ida, which is a mountain of\nCrete, the herb dittany. A hairy stalk it hath and a purple flower. The\nwild goats know it well if so be that they have been wounded by arrows.\nThis, then, Venus, having hidden her face, brought and dipped into the\nwater, and sprinkled there with ambrosia and sweet-smelling panacea.\n\nAnd Iapis, unawares, applied the water that had been healed; and lo!\nthe pain was stayed and the blood was staunched, and the arrow came\nforth, though no man drew it, and \u00c6neas\u2019s strength came back to him as\nbefore. Then said Iapis, \u201cArt of mine hath not healed thee, my son.\nThe gods call thee to thy work.\u201d Then did \u00c6neas arm himself again, and\nwhen he had kissed I\u00fclus and bidden him farewell, he went forth to the\nbattle. And all the chiefs went with him, and the men of Troy took\ncourage and drave back to the Latins. Then befell a great slaughter,\nfor Gyas slew Ufens who was the leader of the \u00c6quians; also Tolumnius,\nthe great augur, was slain, who had first broken the covenant, slaying\na man with his spear. But \u00c6neas deigned not to turn his hand against\nany man, seeking only for Turnus, that he might fight with him. But\nwhen the nymph Juturna perceived this she was sore afraid. Therefore\nshe came near to the chariot of her brother, and thrust out Metiscus,\nhis charioteer, where he held the reins, and herself stood in his room,\nhaving made herself like to him in shape and voice. Then as a swallow\nflies through the halls and arcades of some rich man\u2019s house, seeking\nfood for its young, so Juturna drave the chariot of her brother hither\nand thither. And ever \u00c6neas followed behind, and called to him that he\nshould stay; but whenever he espied the man, and would have overtaken\nhim by running, then again did Juturna turn the horses about and flee.\nAnd as he sped Messapus cast a spear at him. But \u00c6neas saw it coming,\nand put his shield over him, resting on his knee. Yet did the spear\nsmite him on the helmet-top and shear off the crest. Then indeed was\nhis wrath kindled, and he rushed into the army of the enemy, slaying\nmany as he went.\n\nThen there was a great slaughter made on this side and on that. But\nafter a while Venus put it into the heart of \u00c6neas that he should lead\nhis army against the city. Therefore he called together the chiefs,\nand, standing in the midst of them on a mound, spake, saying, \u201cHearken\nnow to my words, and delay not to fulfil them, for of a truth Jupiter\nis on our side. I am purposed this day to lay this city of Latinus even\nwith the ground, if they still refuse to obey. For why should I wait\nfor Turnus till it please him to meet me in battle?\u201d\n\nThen did the whole array make for the walls of the city. And some\ncarried firebrands, and some scaling-ladders, and some slew the warders\nat the gates, and cast javelins at them who stood on the walls. And\nthen there arose a great strife in the city, for some would have opened\nthe gates that the men of Troy might enter, and others made haste to\ndefend the walls. Hither and thither did they run with much tumult,\neven as bees in a hive in a rock which a shepherd hath filled with\nsmoke, having first shut all the doors thereof.\n\nThen also did other ill fortune befall the Latins, for when Queen\nAmata saw from the roof of the palace that the enemy were come near to\nthe walls, and saw not anywhere the army of the Latins, she supposed\nTurnus to have fallen in the battle. Whereupon, crying out that she was\nthe cause of all these woes, she made a noose of the purple garment\nwherewith she was clad, and hanged her self from a beam of the roof.\nThen did lamentation go through the city, for the women wailed and\ntore their hair, and King Latinus rent his clothes and threw dust upon\nhis head.\n\nBut the cry that went up from the city came to the ears of Turnus where\nhe fought in the furthest part of the plain. And he caught the reins\nand said, \u201cWhat meaneth this sound of trouble and wailing that I hear?\u201d\nAnd the false Metiscus, who was in truth his sister, made answer, \u201cLet\nus fight, O Turnus, here where the gods give us victory. There are\nenough to defend the city.\u201d But Turnus spake, saying, \u201cNay, my sister,\nfor who thou art I have known even from the beginning, it must not be\nso. Why camest thou down from heaven? Was it to see thy brother die?\nAnd now what shall I do? Have I not seen Murranus die and Ufens the\n\u00c6quian? And shall I suffer this city to be destroyed? Shall this land\nsee Turnus flee before his enemies? Be ye kind to me, O gods of the\ndead, seeing that the gods of heaven hate me. I come down to you a\nrighteous spirit, and not unworthy of my fathers.\u201d\n\nAnd even as he spake came Saces, riding on a horse that was covered\nwith foam, and on his face was the wound of an arrow. And he cried, \u201cO\nTurnus, our last hopes are in thee. For \u00c6neas is about to destroy the\ncity, and the firebrands are cast upon the roofs. And King Latinus is\nsore tried with doubt, and the Queen hath laid hands upon herself and\nis dead. And now only Messapus and Atinas maintain the battle, and the\nfight grows fierce around them, while thou drivest thy chariot about\nthese empty fields.\u201d\n\nThen for a while Turnus stood speechless, and shame and grief and\nmadness were in his soul; and he looked to the city, and lo! the fire\nwent up even to the top of the tower which he himself had builded upon\nthe walls to be a defence against the enemy. And when he saw it, he\ncried, \u201cIt is enough, my sister; I go whither the gods call me. I will\nmeet with \u00c6neas face to face, and endure my doom.\u201d\n\nAnd as he spake he leapt down from his chariot, and ran across the\nplain till he came near to the city, even where the blood was deepest\nupon the earth and the arrows were thickest in the air. And he beckoned\nwith the hand and called to the Italians, saying, \u201cStay now your\narrows. I am come to fight this battle for you all.\u201d And when they\nheard it they left a space in the midst. \u00c6neas also, when he heard the\nname of Turnus, left attacking the city, and came to meet him, mighty\nas Athos, or Eryx, or Father Apenninus, that raiseth his snowy head\nto the heavens. And the men of Troy and the Latins and King Latinus\nmarvelled to see them meet, so mighty they were.\n\nFirst they cast their spears at each other, and then ran together, and\ntheir shields struck one against the other with a crash that went up to\nthe sky. And Jupiter held the balance in heaven, weighing their doom.\nThen Turnus, rising to the stroke, smote fiercely with his sword. And\nthe men of Troy and the Latins cried out when they saw him strike. But\nthe treacherous sword brake in the blow. And when he saw the empty\nhilt in his hand he turned to flee. They say that when he mounted his\nchariot that day to enter the battle, not heeding the matter in his\nhaste, he left his father\u2019s sword behind him, and took the sword of\nMetiscus, which, indeed, served him well while the men of Troy fled\nbefore him, but brake, even as ice breaks, when it came to the shield\nwhich Vulcan had made. Thereupon Turnus fled, and \u00c6neas, though the\nwound which the arrow had made hindered him, pursued. Even as a hound\nfollows a stag that is penned within some narrow space, for the beast\nflees hither and thither, and the staunch Umbrian hound follows close\nupon him, and almost holds him, and snaps his teeth, yet bites him not,\nso did \u00c6neas follow hard on Turnus. And still Turnus cried out that\nsome one should give him his sword, and \u00c6neas threatened that he would\ndestroy the city if any should help him. Five times about the space\nthey ran; not for some prize they strove, but for the life of Turnus.\nNow there stood in the plain the stump of a wild olive-tree. The tree\nwas sacred to Faunus, but the men of Troy had cut it, and the stump\nonly was left. Herein the spear of \u00c6neas was fixed, and now he would\nhave drawn it forth that he might slay Turnus therewith, seeing that\nhe could not overtake him by running. Which when Turnus perceived, he\ncried to Faunus, saying, \u201cO Faunus, if I have kept holy for thee that\nwhich the men of Troy have profaned, hold fast this spear.\u201d And the god\nheard him; nor could \u00c6neas draw it forth. But while he strove, Juturna,\ntaking again the form of Metiscus, ran and gave to Turnus his sword.\nAnd Venus, perceiving it, wrenched forth the spear from the stump. So\nthe two stood again face to face.\n\nThen spake Jupiter to Juno, where she sat in a cloud watching the\nbattle, \u201cHow long wilt thou fight against fate? What purpose hast thou\nnow in thy heart? Was it well that Juturna--for what could she avail\nwithout thy help?--should give back to Turnus his sword? Thou hast\ndriven the men of Troy over land and sea, and kindled a dreadful war,\nand mingled the song of marriage with mourning. Further thou mayest not\ngo.\u201d\n\nAnd Juno humbly made answer, \u201cThis is thy will, great Father; else had\nI not sat here, but stood in the battle smiting the men of Troy. And\nindeed I spake to Juturna that she should help her brother; but aught\nelse I know not. And now I yield. Yet grant me this. Suffer not that\nthe Latins should be called after the name of Troy, nor change their\nspeech nor their garb. Let Rome rule the world, but let Troy perish\nforever.\u201d\n\nThen spake with a smile the Maker of all things, \u201cTruly thou art a\ndaughter of Saturn, so fierce is the wrath of thy soul! And now what\nthou prayest I give. The Italians shall not change name, nor speech,\nnor garb. The men of Troy shall mingle with them, and I will give them\na new worship, and call them all Latins. Nor shall any race pay thee\nmore honor than they.\u201d\n\nThen Jupiter sent a Fury from the pit. And she took the form of a\nbird, even of an owl that sitteth by night on the roof of a desolate\nhouse, and flew before the face of Turnus and flapped her wings against\nhis shield. Then was Turnus stricken with great fear, so that his\nhair stood up and his tongue clave to the roof of his mouth. And when\nJuturna knew the sound of the false bird what it was, she cried aloud\nfor fear, and left her brother and fled, hiding herself in the river of\nTiber.\n\nBut \u00c6neas came on, shaking his spear that was like unto a tree, and\nsaid, \u201cWhy delayest thou, O Turnus? Why drawest thou back? Fly now if\nthou canst through the air, or hide thyself in the earth.\u201d And Turnus\nmade answer, \u201cI fear not thy threats, but the gods and Jupiter, that\nare against me this day.\u201d And as he spake he saw a great stone which\nlay hard by, the landmark of a field. Scarce could twelve chosen men,\nsuch as men are now, lift it on their shoulders. This he caught from\nthe earth and cast it at his enemy, running forward as he cast. But he\nknew not, so troubled was he in his soul, that he ran or that he cast,\nfor his knees tottered beneath him and his blood grew cold with fear.\nAnd the stone fell short, nor reached the mark. Even as in a dream,\nwhen dull sleep is on the eyes of a man, he would fain run but cannot,\nfor his strength faileth him, neither cometh there any voice when he\nwould speak; so it fared with Turnus. For he looked to the Latins and\nto the city, and saw the dreadful spear approach, nor knew how he might\nfly, neither how he might fight, and could not spy anywhere his chariot\nor his sister. And all the while \u00c6neas shook his spear and waited that\nhis aim should be sure. And at last he threw it with all his might.\nEven as a whirlwind it flew, and brake through the seven folds of the\nshield and pierced the thigh. And Turnus dropped with his knee bent to\nthe ground. And all the Latins groaned aloud to see him fall. Then he\nentreated \u00c6neas, saying, \u201cI have deserved my fate. Take thou that which\nthou hast won. Yet perchance thou mayest have pity on the old man, my\nfather, even Daunus, for such an one was thy father Anchises, and give\nme back to my own people, if it be but my body that thou givest. Yet\nhast thou conquered, and the Latins have seen me beg my life of thee,\nand Lavinia is thine. Therefore, I pray thee, stay now thy wrath.\u201d\n\nThen for awhile \u00c6neas stood doubting; aye, and might have spared the\nman, when lo! he spied upon his shoulders the belt of Pallas, whom\nhe had slain. And his wrath was greatly kindled, and he cried with\na dreadful voice, \u201cShalt thou who art clothed with the spoils of my\nfriends escape me? \u2019Tis Pallas slays thee with this wound, and takes\nvengeance on thy accursed blood.\u201d And as he spake he drave the steel\ninto his breast. And with a groan the wrathful spirit passed into\ndarkness.\n\n\n\n\nTranscriber\u2019s Notes:\n\n\nPunctuation and spelling were made consistent when a predominant\npreference was found in this book; otherwise they were not changed.\n\nSimple typographical errors were corrected; occasional unbalanced\nquotation marks retained.\n\nAmbiguous hyphens at the ends of lines were retained. Missing hyphens\nassumed to be implied when there was space for them.\n\nIllustrations have been moved closer to the relevant text.\n\nText uses both \u201cLybia\u201d and \u201cLibya\u201d; both retained here.\n\nPage 30: \u201cwhen he first took\u201d was printed as \u201cwhen the first took\u201d.\n\nPage 50: \u201cGolden Helmet\u201d was printed as \u201cGolden Hemlet\u201d.\n\nPage 100: \u201clet these things be my care.\u201d ended with a gap where the\npunctuation belonged. Period added by Transcriber, but a semi-colon\nmight be more appropriate.\n\nPage 117: \u201cMestor\u201d is correct: he was a Trojan; Nestor was a Greek.\n\nPage 123: Closing quote mark added at end of \u201cwould slay us altogether.\u201d\n\nPage 128: \u201clet me put thy armor on me\u201d was printed as \u201cor me\u201d.\n\nPage 339: Missing closing quote mark in paragraph that begins, \u201cThen he\nmounted the horse\u201d. It probably belongs at the end of \u201ctake thou first\nthis gift;\u201d, but has not been added.\n\nPage 348: \u201chealed; and lo!\u201d was printed as \u201chealed; and low!\u201d.","title":"Stories of the Old World","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":114746}