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 compelled her to remain with him in Troy；
coward as he had proved himself。 Yet on other days Paris fought
well； it seems that he was afraid of Menelaus because； in his
heart； he was ashamed of himself。
Meanwhile Menelaus was seeking for Paris everywhere； and the
Trojans； who hated him； would have shown his hiding place。 But
they knew not where he was； and the Greeks claimed the victory； and
thought that； as Paris had the worst of the fight； Helen would be
restored to them； and they would all sail home。
TROJAN VICTORIES
The war might now have ended； but an evil and foolish thought came
to Pandarus； a prince of Ida； who fought for the Trojans。 He chose
to shoot an arrow at Menelaus； contrary to the sworn vows of peace；
and the arrow pierced the breastplate of Menelaus through the place
where the clasped plates meet； and drew his blood。 Then Agamemnon；
who loved his brother dearly； began to lament； saying that if he
died； the army would all go home and Trojans would dance on the
grave of Menelaus。 〃Do not alarm all our army；〃 said Menelaus；
〃the arrow has done me little harm；〃 and so it proved； for the
surgeon easily drew the arrow out of the wound。
Then Agamemnon hastened here and there； bidding the Greeks arm and
attack the Trojans； who would certainly be defeated； for they had
broken the oaths of peace。 But with his usual insolence he chose
to accuse Ulysses and Diomede of cowardice； though Diomede was as
brave as any man； and Ulysses had just prevented the whole army
from launching their ships and going home。 Ulysses answered him
with spirit； but Diomede said nothing at the moment； later he spoke
his mind。 He leaped from his chariot； and all the chiefs leaped
down and advanced in line； the chariots following them； while the
spearmen and bowmen followed the chariots。 The Trojan army
advanced； all shouting in their different languages； but the Greeks
came on silently。 Then the two front lines clashed； shield against
shield； and the noise was like the roaring of many flooded torrents
among the hills。 When a man fell he who had slain him tried to
strip off his armour； and his friends fought over his body to save
the dead from this dishonour。
Ulysses fought above a wounded friend； and drove his spear through
head and helmet of a Trojan prince； and everywhere men were falling
beneath spears and arrows and heavy stones which the warriors
threw。 Here Menelaus speared the man who built the ships with
which Paris had sailed to Greece； and the dust rose like a cloud；
and a mist went up from the fighting men； while Diomede stormed
across the plain like a river in flood； leaving dead bodies behind
him as the river leaves boughs of trees and grass to mark its
course。 Pandarus wounded Diomede with an arrow； but Diomede slew
him； and the Trojans were being driven in flight； when Sarpedon and
Hector turned and hurled themselves on the Greeks； and even Diomede
shuddered when Hector came on； and charged at Ulysses； who was
slaying Trojans as he went； and the battle swayed this way and
that； and the arrows fell like rain。
But Hector was sent into the city to bid the women pray to the
goddess Athene for help； and he went to the house of Paris； whom
Helen was imploring to go and fight like a man； saying： 〃Would
that the winds had wafted me away； and the tides drowned me；
shameless that I am； before these things came to pass！〃
Then Hector went to see his dear wife； Andromache； whose father had
been slain by Achilles early in the siege； and he found her and her
nurse carrying her little boy； Hector's son； and like a star upon
her bosom lay his beautiful and shining golden head。 Now； while
Helen urged Paris to go into the fight； Andromache prayed Hector to
stay with her in the town； and fight no more lest he should be
slain and leave her a widow； and the boy an orphan； with none to
protect him。 The army she said； should come back within the walls；
where they had so long been safe； not fight in the open plain。 But
Hector answered that he would never shrink from battle； 〃yet I know
this in my heart； the day shall come for holy Troy to be laid low；
and Priam and the people of Priam。 But this and my own death do
not trouble me so much as the thought of you； when you shall be
carried as a slave to Greece； to spin at another woman's bidding；
and bear water from a Grecian well。 May the heaped up earth of my
tomb cover me ere I hear thy cries and the tale of thy captivity。〃
Then Hector stretched out his hands to his little boy； but the
child was afraid when he saw the great glittering helmet of his
father and the nodding horsehair crest。 So Hector laid his helmet
on the ground and dandled the child in his arms； and tried to
comfort his wife； and said good…bye for the last time； for he never
came back to Troy alive。 He went on his way back to the battle；
and Paris went with him； in glorious armour； and soon they were
slaying the princes of the Greeks。
The battle raged till nightfall； and in the night the Greeks and
Trojans burned their dead； and the Greeks made a trench and wall
round their camp； which they needed for safety now that the Trojans
came from their town and fought in the open plain。
Next day the Trojans were so successful that they did not retreat
behind their walls at night； but lit great fires on the plain： a
thousand fires； with fifty men taking supper round each of them；
and drinking their wine to the music of flutes。 But the Greeks
were much discouraged； and Agamemnon called the whole army
together； and proposed that they should launch their ships in the
night and sail away home。 Then Diomede stood up； and said： 〃You
called me a coward lately。 You are the coward！ Sail away if you
are afraid to remain here； but all the rest of us will fight till
we take Troy town。〃
Then all shouted in praise of Diomede； and Nestor advised them to
send five hundred young men； under his own son； Thrasymedes； to
watch the Trojans； and guard the new wall and the ditch； in case
the Trojans attacked them in the darkness。 Next Nestor counselled
Agamemnon to send Ulysses and Aias to Achilles； and promise to give
back Briseis； and rich presents of gold； and beg pardon for his
insolence。 If Achilles would be friends again with Agamemnon； and
fight as he used to fight； the Trojans would soon be driven back
into the town。
Agamemnon was very ready to beg pardon； for he feared that the
whole army would be defeated； and cut off from their ships； and
killed or kept as slaves。 So Ulysses and Aias and the old tutor of
Achilles； Phoenix； went to Achilles and argued with him； praying
him to accept the rich presents； and help the Greeks。 But Achilles
answered that he did not believe a word that Agamemnon said；
Agamemnon had always hated him； and always would hate him。 No； he
would not cease to be angry； he would sail away next day with all
his men； and he advised the rest to come with him。 〃Why be so
fierce？〃 said tall Aias； who seldom spoke。 〃Why make so much
trouble about one girl？ We offer you seven girls； and plenty of
other gifts。〃
Then Achilles said that he would not sail away next day； but he
would not fight till the Trojans tried to burn his own ships； and
there he thought that Hector would find work enough to do。 This
was the most that Achilles would promise； and all the Greeks were
silent when Ulysses delivered his message。 But Diomede arose and
said that； with or without Achilles； fight they must； and all men；
heavy at heart； went to sleep in their huts or in the open air at
their doors。
Agamemnon was much too anxious to sleep。 He saw the glow of the
thousand fires of the Trojans in the dark； and heard their merry
flutes； and he groaned and pulled out his long hair by handfuls。
When he was tired of crying and groaning and tearing his hair； he
thought that he would go for advice to old Nestor。 He threw a lion
skin； the coverlet of his bed； over his shoulder； took his spear；
went out and met Menelausfor he； too； could not sleepand
Menelaus proposed to send a spy among the Trojans； if any man were
brave enough to go； for the Trojan camp was all alight with fires；
and the adventure was dangerous。 Therefore the two wakened Nestor
and the other chiefs； who came just as they were； wrapped in the
fur coverlets of their beds； without any armour。 First they
visited the five hundred young men set to watch the wall； and then
they crossed the ditch and sat down outside and considered what
might be done。 〃Will nobody go as a spy among the Trojans？〃 said
Nestor； he meant would none of the young men go。 Diomede said that
he would take the risk if any other man would share it with him；
and； if he might choose a companion； he would take Ulysses。
〃Come； then； let us be going；〃 said Ulysses； 〃for the night is
late； and the dawn is near。〃 As these two chiefs had no armour on；
they borrowed shields and leather caps from the young men of the
guard； for leather would not shine as bronze helmets shine in the
firelight。 The cap lent to Ulysses was strengthened outside with
rows of boars' tusks。 Many of these tusks； shaped for this
purpose； have been found； with swords and armour； in a tomb in
Mycenae； the town of Agamemnon。 This cap which was lent to Ulysses
had once been stolen by his grandfather； Autolycus； who was a
Master Thief； and he gave it as a present to a friend； and so；
through several hands； it had come to young Meriones of Crete； one
of the five hundred guards； who now lent it to Ulysses。 So the two
princes set forth in the dark； so dark it was that though they
heard a heron cry； they could not see it as it flew away。
While Ulysses and Diomede stole through the night silently； like
two wolves among the bodies of dead men； the Trojan leaders met and
considered what they ought to do。 They did not know whether the
Greeks had set sentinels and outposts； as usual； to give warning if
the enemy were approaching； or whether they were too weary to keep
a good watch； or whether perhaps they were getting ready their