The Iliads of Homer. Homer

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       For Helen and the wealth she brought; and he that overcomes,

       Or proves superior any way, in all your equal dooms,

       Let him enjoy her utmost wealth, keep her, or take her home;

       The rest strike leagues of endless date, and hearty friends become;

       You dwelling safe in gleby Troy, the Greeks retire their force

       T' Achaia, that breeds fairest dames, and Argos, fairest horse."

       He said, and his amendsful words did Hector highly please,

       Who rush'd betwixt the fighting hosts, and made the Trojans cease,

       By holding up in midst his lance. The Grecians noted not

       The signal he for parley used, but at him fiercely shot,

       Hurl'd stones, and still were leveling darts. At last the king of

       men,

       Great Agamemnon, cried aloud: "Argives! for shame, contain;

       Youths of Achaia, shoot no more; the fair-helm'd Hector shows

       As he desir'd to treat with us." This said, all ceas'd from blows,

       And Hector spake to both the hosts: "Trojans, and hardy Greeks,

       Hear now what he that stirr'd these wars, for their cessation

       seeks.

       He bids us all, and you, disarm, that he alone may fight

       With Menelaus, for us all, for Helen and her right,

       With all the dow'r she brought to Troy; and he that wins the day,

       Or is, in all the art of arms, superior any way,

       The queen, and all her sorts of wealth, let him at will enjoy;

       The rest strike truce, and let love seal firm leagues 'twixt Greece

       and Troy."

       The Greek host wonder'd at this brave; silence flew ev'rywhere;

       At last spake Sparta's warlike king: "Now also give me ear,

       Whom grief gives most cause of reply. I now have hope to free

       The Greeks and Trojans of all ills, they have sustain'd for me,

       And Alexander, that was cause I stretch'd my spleen so far.

       Of both then, which is nearest fate, let his death end the war;

       The rest immediately retire, and greet all homes in peace.

       Go then (to bless your champion, and give his pow'rs success)

       Fetch for the Earth, and for the Sun (the Gods on whom ye call)

       Two lambs, a black one and a white, a female and a male;

       And we another, for ourselves, will fetch, and kill to Jove.

       To sign which rites bring Priam's force, because we well approve

       His sons perfidious, envious, and (out of practis'd bane

       To faith, when she believes in them) Jove's high truce may profane.

       All young men's hearts are still unstaid; but in those well-weigh'd

       deeds

       An old man will consent to pass things past, and what succeeds

       He looks into, that he may know, how best to make his way

       Through both the fortunes of a fact, and will the worst obey."

       This granted, a delightful hope both Greeks and Trojans fed,

       Of long'd-for rest from those long toils, their tedious war had

       bred.

       Their horses then in rank they set, drawn from their chariots

       round,

       Descend themselves, took off their arms, and plac'd them on the

       ground,

       Near one another; for the space 'twixt both the hosts was small.

       Hector two heralds sent to Troy, that they from thence might call

       King Priam, and to bring the lambs, to rate the truce they swore.

       But Agamemnon to the fleet Talthybius sent before,

       To fetch their lamb; who nothing slack'd the royal charge was

       giv'n.

       Iris, the rain-bow, then came down, ambassadress from heav'n,

       To white-arm'd Helen. She assum'd at ev'ry part the grace

       Of Helen's last love's sister's shape, who had the highest place

       In Helen's love, and had to name Laodice, most fair

       Of all the daughters Priam had, and made the nuptial pair

       With Helicaon, royal sprout of ole Antenor's seed.

       She found queen Helena at home, at work about a weed,

       Wov'n for herself; it shin'd like fire, was rich, and full of size,

       The work of both sides being alike; in which she did comprise

       The many labours warlike Troy and brass-arm'd Greece endur'd

       For her fair sake, by cruel Mars and his stern friends procur'd.

       Iris came in in joyful haste, and said; "O come with me,

       Lov'd nymph, and an admiréd sight of Greeks and Trojans see,

       Who first on one another brought a war so full of tears,

       Ev'n thirsty of contentious war. Now ev'ry man forbears,

       And friendly by each other sits, each leaning on his shield,

       Their long and shining lances pitch'd fast by them in the field,

       Paris, and Sparta's king, alone must take up all the strife;

       And he that conquers only call fair Helena his wife."

       Thus spake the thousand-colour'd Dame, and to her mind commends

       The joy to see her first espous'd, her native tow'rs, and friends;

       Which stirr'd a sweet desire in her: to serve the which she hied,

       Shadow'd her graces with white veils, and (though she took a pride

       To set her thoughts at gaze, and see, in her clear beauty's flood,

       What choice of glory swum to her yet tender womanhood)

       Season'd with tears her joys to see more joys the more offence,

       And that perfection could not flow from earthly excellence.

       Thus went she forth, and took with her her women most of name,

       Æthra, Pitthëus' lovely birth, and Clymene, whom fame

       Hath for her fair eyes memoris'd. They reach'd the Scæn Tow'rs,

       Where Priam sat, to see the fight, with all his counsellors;

       Panthous, Lampus, Clytius, and stout Hicetaon,

       Thymœtes, wise Antenor, and profound Ucalegon;

       All grave old men; and soldiérs they had been, but for age

       Now left the wars; yet counsellors they were exceeding sage.

       And as in well-grown woods, or trees, cold spiny grasshoppers

       Sit chirping, and send voices out, that scarce can pierce our ears

       For softness, and their weak faint sounds; so, talking on the

       tow'r,

       These seniors of the people sat; who when they saw the pow'r

       Of beauty, in the queen, ascend ev'n those cold-spirited peers,

       Those wise and almost wither'd men, found this heat in their years,

       That they were forc'd (though whispéring) to say: "What man can