and capture small neighbouring cities； and take the women for
slaves； and drive the cattle。 They got provisions and wine from
the Phoenicians； who came in ships； and made much profit out of the
war。
It was not till the tenth year that the war began in real earnest；
and scarcely any of the chief leaders had fallen。 Fever came upon
the Greeks； and all day the camp was black with smoke； and all
night shone with fire from the great piles of burning wood； on
which the Greeks burned their dead； whose bones they then buried
under hillocks of earth。 Many of these hillocks are still standing
on the plain of Troy。 When the plague had raged for ten days；
Achilles called an assembly of the whole army； to try to find out
why the Gods were angry。 They thought that the beautiful God
Apollo （who took the Trojan side） was shooting invisible arrows at
them from his silver bow； though fevers in armies are usually
caused by dirt and drinking bad water。 The great heat of the sun；
too； may have helped to cause the disease； but we must tell the
story as the Greeks told it themselves。 So Achilles spoke in the
assembly； and proposed to ask some prophet why Apollo was angry。
The chief prophet was Calchas。 He rose and said that he would
declare the truth if Achilles would promise to protect him from the
anger of any prince whom the truth might offend。
Achilles knew well whom Calchas meant。 Ten days before； a priest
of Apollo had come to the camp and offered ransom for his daughter
Chryseis； a beautiful girl； whom Achilles had taken prisoner； with
many others； when he captured a small town。 Chryseis had been
given as a slave to Agamemnon； who always got the best of the
plunder because he was chief king； whether he had taken part in the
fighting or not。 As a rule he did not。 To Achilles had been given
another girl； Briseis； of whom he was very fond。 Now when Achilles
had promised to protect Calchas； the prophet spoke out； and boldly
said； what all men knew already； that Apollo caused the plague
because Agamemnon would not return Chryseis； and had insulted her
father； the priest of the God。
On hearing this； Agamemnon was very angry。 He said that he would
send Chryseis home； but that he would take Briseis away from
Achilles。 Then Achilles was drawing his great sword from the
sheath to kill Agamemnon； but even in his anger he knew that this
was wrong； so he merely called Agamemnon a greedy coward； 〃with
face of dog and heart of deer；〃 and he swore that he and his men
would fight no more against the Trojans。 Old Nestor tried to make
peace； and swords were not drawn； but Briseis was taken away from
Achilles； and Ulysses put Chryseis on board of his ship and sailed
away with her to her father's town； and gave her up to her father。
Then her father prayed to Apollo that the plague might cease； and
it did ceasewhen the Greeks had cleansed their camp； and purified
themselves and cast their filth into the sea。
We know how fierce and brave Achilles was； and we may wonder that
he did not challenge Agamemnon to fight a duel。 But the Greeks
never fought duels； and Agamemnon was believed to be chief king by
right divine。 Achilles went alone to the sea shore when his dear
Briseis was led away； and he wept； and called to his mother； the
silver…footed lady of the waters。 Then she arose from the grey
sea； like a mist； and sat down beside her son； and stroked his hair
with her hand； and he told her all his sorrows。 So she said that
she would go up to the dwelling of the Gods； and pray Zeus； the
chief of them all； to make the Trojans win a great battle； so that
Agamemnon should feel his need of Achilles； and make amends for his
insolence； and do him honour。
Thetis kept her promise； and Zeus gave his word that the Trojans
should defeat the Greeks。 That night Zeus sent a deceitful dream
to Agamemnon。 The dream took the shape of old Nestor； and said
that Zeus would give him victory that day。 While he was still
asleep； Agamemnon was fun of hope that he would instantly take
Troy； but； when he woke； he seems not to have been nearly so
confident； for in place of putting on his armour； and bidding the
Greeks arm themselves； he merely dressed in his robe and mantle；
took his sceptre； and went and told the chiefs about his dream。
They did not feel much encouraged； so he said that he would try the
temper of the army。 He would call them together； and propose to
return to Greece； but； if the soldiers took him at his word； the
other chiefs were to stop them。 This was a foolish plan； for the
soldiers were wearying for beautiful Greece； and their homes； and
wives and children。 Therefore； when Agamemnon did as he had said；
the whole army rose； like the sea under the west wind； and； with a
shout； they rushed to the ships； while the dust blew in clouds from
under their feet。 Then they began to launch their ships； and it
seems that the princes were carried away in the rush； and were as
eager as the rest to go home。
But Ulysses only stood in sorrow and anger beside his ship； and
never put hand to it； for he felt how disgraceful it was to run
away。 At last he threw down his mantle； which his herald Eurybates
of Ithaca； a round…shouldered； brown； curly…haired man； picked up；
and he ran to find Agamemnon； and took his sceptre； a gold…studded
staff； like a marshal's baton； and he gently told the chiefs whom
he met that they were doing a shameful thing； but he drove the
common soldiers back to the place of meeting with the sceptre。
They all returned； puzzled and chattering； but one lame； bandy…
legged； bald； round…shouldered； impudent fellow； named Thersites；
jumped up and made an insolent speech； insulting the princes； and
advising the army to run away。 Then Ulysses took him and beat him
till the blood came； and he sat down； wiping away his tears； and
looking so foolish that the whole army laughed at him； and cheered
Ulysses when he and Nestor bade them arm and fight。 Agamemnon
still believed a good deal in his dream； and prayed that he might
take Troy that very day； and kill Hector。 Thus Ulysses alone saved
the army from a cowardly retreat； but for him the ships would have
been launched in an hour。 But the Greeks armed and advanced in
full force； all except Achilles and his friend Patroclus with their
two or three thousand men。 The Trojans also took heart； knowing
that Achilles would not fight； and the armies approached each
other。 Paris himself； with two spears and a bow； and without
armour； walked into the space between the hosts； and challenged any
Greek prince to single combat。 Menelaus； whose wife Paris had
carried away； was as glad as a hungry lion when he finds a stag or
a goat； and leaped in armour from his chariot； but Paris turned and
slunk away； like a man when he meets a great serpent on a narrow
path in the hills。 Then Hector rebuked Paris for his cowardice；
and Paris was ashamed and offered to end the war by fighting
Menelaus。 If he himself fell； the Trojans must give up Helen and
all her jewels； if Menelaus fell； the Greeks were to return without
fair Helen。 The Greeks accepted this plan； and both sides disarmed
themselves to look on at the fight in comfort； and they meant to
take the most solemn oaths to keep peace till the combat was lost
and won； and the quarrel settled。 Hector sent into Troy for two
lambs； which were to be sacrificed when the oaths were taken。
In the meantime Helen of the fair hands was at home working at a
great purple tapestry on which she embroidered the battles of the
Greeks and Trojans。 It was just like the tapestry at Bayeux on
which Norman ladies embroidered the battles in the Norman Conquest
of England。 Helen was very fond of embroidering； like poor Mary；
Queen of Scots； when a prisoner in Loch Leven Castle。 Probably the
work kept both Helen and Mary from thinking of their past lives and
their sorrows。
When Helen heard that her husband was to fight Paris； she wept； and
threw a shining veil over her head； and with her two bower maidens
went to the roof of the gate tower； where king Priam was sitting
with the old Trojan chiefs。 They saw her and said that it was
small blame to fight for so beautiful a lady； and Priam called her
〃dear child；〃 and said； 〃I do not blame you； I blame the Gods who
brought about this war。〃 But Helen said that she wished she had
died before she left her little daughter and her husband； and her
home： 〃Alas！ shameless me！〃 Then she told Priam the names of the
chief Greek warriors； and of Ulysses； who was shorter by a head
than Agamemnon； but broader in chest and shoulders。 She wondered
that she could not see her own two brothers； Castor and Polydeuces；
and thought that they kept aloof in shame for her sin； but the
green grass covered their graves； for they had both died in battle；
far away in Lacedaemon； their own country。
Then the lambs were sacrificed； and the oaths were taken； and Paris
put on his brother's armour； helmet； breastplate； shield； and leg…
armour。 Lots were drawn to decide whether Paris or Menelaus should
throw his spear first； and； as Paris won； he threw his spear； but
the point was blunted against the shield of Menelaus。 But when
Menelaus threw his spear it went clean through the shield of Paris；
and through the side of his breastplate； but only grazed his robe。
Menelaus drew his sword； and rushed in； and smote at the crest of
the helmet of Paris； but his bronze blade broke into four pieces。
Menelaus caught Paris by the horsehair crest of his helmet； and
dragged him towards the Greeks； but the chin…strap broke； and
Menelaus turning round threw the helmet into the ranks of the
Greeks。 But when Menelaus looked again for Paris； with a spear in
his hand； he could see him nowhere！ The Greeks believed that the
beautiful goddess Aphrodite； whom the Romans called Venus； hid him
in a thick cloud of darkness and carried him to his own house；
where Helen of the fair hands found him and said to him； 〃Would
that thou hadst perished； conquered by that great warrior who was
my lord！ Go forth again and challenge him to fight thee face to
face。〃 But Paris had no more desire to fight； and the Goddess
threatened Helen； and com