The Iliad of Homer. Homer

Beside him—for his sake renounce the skies;

       Watch him, weep for him; till at length his wife

       He deign to make thee, or perchance his slave.

       I go not (now to go were shame indeed)

       To dress his couch; nor will I be the jest485

       080 Of all my sex in Ilium. Oh! my griefs

       Are infinite, and more than I can bear.

      To whom, the foam-sprung Goddess, thus incensed.

       Ah wretch! provoke not me; lest in my wrath

       Abandoning thee, I not hate thee less490

       Than now I fondly love thee, and beget

       Such detestation of thee in all hearts,

       Grecian and Trojan, that thou die abhorr'd.

      The Goddess ceased. Jove's daughter, Helen, fear'd,

       And, in her lucid veil close wrapt around,495

       Silent retired, of all those Trojan dames

       Unseen, and Venus led, herself, the way.

       Soon then as Alexander's fair abode

       They reach'd, her maidens quick their tasks resumed,

       And she to her own chamber lofty-roof'd500

       Ascended, loveliest of her sex. A seat

       For Helen, daughter of Jove Ægis-arm'd,

       To Paris opposite, the Queen of smiles

       Herself disposed; but with averted eyes

       She sat before him, and him keen reproach'd.505

      Thou hast escaped.—Ah would that thou hadst died

       By that heroic arm, mine husband's erst!

       Thou once didst vaunt thee in address and strength

       Superior. Go then—challenge yet again

       The warlike Menelaüs forth in fight.510

       But hold. The hero of the amber locks

       Provoke no more so rashly, lest the point

       Of his victorious spear soon stretch thee dead.

      She ended, to whom Paris thus replied.

       Ah Helen, wound me not with taunt severe!515

       Me, Menelaüs, by Minerva's aid,

       Hath vanquish'd now, who may hereafter, him.

       We also have our Gods. But let us love.

       For never since the day when thee I bore

       From pleasant Lacedæmon o'er the waves520

       To Cranäe's fair isle, and first enjoy'd

       Thy beauty, loved I as I love thee now,

       Or felt such sweetness of intense desire.

      081 He spake, and sought his bed, whom follow'd soon

       Jove's daughter, reconciled to his embrace.525

      But Menelaüs like a lion ranged

       The multitude, inquiring far and near

       For Paris lost. Yet neither Trojan him

       Nor friend of Troy could show, whom, else, through love

       None had conceal'd, for him as death itself530

       All hated, but his going none had seen.

      Amidst them all then spake the King of men.

       Trojans, and Dardans, and allies of Troy!

       The warlike Menelaüs hath prevailed,

       As is most plain. Now therefore bring ye forth535

       Helen with all her treasures, also bring

       Such large amercement as is meet, a sum

       To be remember'd in all future times.

      So spake Atrides, and Achaia's host

       With loud applause confirm'd the monarch's claim.540

      083

THE ILIAD.

       Table of Contents

BOOK IV.

       Table of Contents

      084

ARGUMENT OF THE FOURTH BOOK.

       Table of Contents

      In a Council of the Gods, a dispute arises between Jupiter and Juno, which is at last compromised, Jove consenting to dispatch Minerva with a charge to incite some Trojan to a violation of the truce. Minerva descends for that purpose, and in the form of Laodocus, a son of Priam, exhorts Pandarus to shoot at Menelaus, and succeeds. Menelaus is wounded, and Agamemnon having consigned him to the care of Machaon, goes forth to perform the duties of commander-in-chief, in the encouragement of his host to battle. The battle begins.

      085

BOOK IV.

       Table of Contents

      Now, on the golden floor of Jove's abode

       The Gods all sat consulting; Hebe them,

       Graceful, with nectar served;[1] they pledging each His next, alternate quaff'd from cups of gold, And at their ease reclined, look'd down on Troy,5 When, sudden, Jove essay'd by piercing speech Invidious, to enkindle Juno's ire.

      Two Goddesses on Menelaus' part

       Confederate stand, Juno in Argos known,

       Pallas in Alalcomene;[2] yet they10 Sequester'd sit, look on, and are amused. Not so smile-loving Venus; she, beside Her champion station'd, saves him from his fate, And at this moment, by her aid, he lives. But now, since victory hath proved the lot15 Of warlike Menelaus, weigh ye well The matter; shall we yet the ruinous strife Prolong between the nations, or consent To give them peace? should peace your preference win, And prove alike acceptable to all,20 Stand Ilium, and let Menelaus bear Helen of Argos back to Greece again.

      086 He ended; Juno and Minerva heard,

       Low-murmuring deep disgust; for side by side

       They forging sat calamity to Troy.25

       Minerva through displeasure against Jove

       Nought utter'd, for with rage her bosom boil'd;

       But Juno check'd not hers, who thus replied.

      What word hath pass'd thy lips, Jove most severe!

       How? wouldst thou render fruitless all my pains?30

       The sweat that I have pour'd? my steeds themselves

       Have fainted while I gather'd Greece in arms

       For punishment of Priam and his sons.

       Do it. But small thy praise shall be in heaven.

      Then her the Thunderer answer'd sore displeased.35

       Ah shameless! how have Priam and his sons

       So much transgress'd against thee, that thou burn'st

       With ceaseless rage to ruin populous Troy?

       Go, make thine entrance at her lofty gates,

       Priam and all his house, and all his