shook the helmet, looking behind him; and quickly leapt forth the lot of Paris. Then the people sat them down by ranks where each man's high-stepping horses and inwrought armor lay. And upon his shoulders goodly Alexandros donned his beauteous armor, even he that was lord to Helen of the lovely hair. First upon his legs set he his greaves, beautiful, fastened with silver ankle-clasps; next upon his breast he donned the corselet of his brother Lykaon, and fitted it upon himself. And over his shoulders cast he his silver-studded sword of bronze, and then a shield great and sturdy. And on his mighty head he set a wrought helmet of horse-hair crest, whereover the plume nodded terribly, and he took him a strong spear fitted to his grasp. And in like wise warlike Menelaos donned his armor.

So when they had armed themselves on either side in the throng, they strode between Trojans and Achaians, fierce of aspect, and wonder came on them that beheld, both on the Trojans, tamers of horses, and on the well-greaved Achaians. Then took they their stand near together in the measured space, brandishing their spears in wrath each against other. First Alexandros hurled his far-shadowing spear, and smote on Atreides's round shield; but the bronze brake not through, for its point was turned in the stout shield. Next Menelaos, son of Atreus, lifted up his hand to cast, and made prayer to father Zeus: "King Zeus, grant me revenge on him that was first to do me wrong, even on goodly Alexandros, and subdue thou him at my hands; so that many an one of men that shall be hereafter may shudder to wrong his host that hath shown him kindness."

So said he, and poised his far-shadowing spear, and hurled, and smote on the round shield of the son of Priam. Through the bright shield went the ponderous spear, and through the inwrought breastplate it pressed on; and straight beside his flank the spear rent the tunic, but he swerved and escaped

black death. Then Atreides drew his silver-studded sword, and lifted up his hand and smote the helmet-ridge; but the sword shattered upon it into three, yea; four, and fell from his hand. Thereat Atreides looked up to the wide heaven and cried: "Father Zeus, surely none of the gods is crueler than thou. Verily I thought to have gotten vengeance on Alexandros for his wickedness, but now my sword breaketh in my hand, and my spear sped from my grasp in vain, and I have not smitten him."

So saying, he leapt upon him and caught him by his horse-hair crest, and swinging him round dragged him towards the well-greaved Achaians; and he was strangled by the embroidered strap beneath his soft throat, drawn tight below his chin to hold his helm. Now would Menelaos have dragged him away and won glory unspeakable, but that Zeus's daughter Aphrodite was swift to mark, and tore asunder for him the strap of slaughtered ox's hide; so the helmet came away empty in his stalwart hand. Thereat Menelaos cast it with a swing toward the well-greaved Achaians, and his trusty comrades took it up; and himself sprang back again eager to slay him with spear of bronze. But Aphrodite snatched up Paris, very easily as a goddess may, and hid him in thick darkness, and set him down in his fragrant, perfumed chamber.

Thus laid they them upon their fretted couch; but Atreides the while strode through the host like to a wild beast, if anywhere he might set eyes on godlike Alexandros. But none of the Trojans or their famed allies could discover Alexandros to Menelaos, dear to Ares. Yet surely did they in no wise hide him for kindliness, could any have seen him; for he was hated of all even as black death. So Agamemnon king of men spake among them there : "Hearken to me, Trojans and Dardanians and allies. Now is victory declared for Menelaos, dear to Ares; give ye back

Helen of Argos and the possessions with her, and pay ye the recompense such as is seemly, that it may live even among men that shall be hereafter." So said Atreides, and all the Achaians gave assent.

From The Iliad, Book III.

XXV. THE BATTLE OF MENELAOS AND PARIS.

PART II.

In Part I. of this account of the Trojan War, the translation was literal from Homer's original. Part II. continues the story by summarizing the principal later events, without pretending to be even a free translation. In some cases the Latin, instead of the Greek, names of the gods are used.

NOTWI

TWITHSTANDING the truce agreed upon before the battle between Menelaos and Paris, the gods were not satisfied. You remember that Juno and Minerva were especially interested in this war on the Grecian side, and Venus on the Trojan side, because of the decision of Paris long ago as to which of them was the most beautiful. So they decided that the war must go on, and Minerva was sent down to break the truce. She persuaded a Trojan named Pandarus to shoot an arrow at the noble Menelaos, and wound him. This so angered Agamemnon and the other Greeks that they rushed furiously to the attack, and many were killed on both sides.

Then followed bitter war; many Grecian heroes and many Trojan heroes were slain. At one time it was agreed that Hector, the bravest prince of Troy, and the great Ajax, the largest and strongest of the Greeks, should fight in single combat. They fought furiously and bravely. Finally Ajax hurled a great rock at Hector, which struck his shield and felled him to the earth, but Apollo raised him up, and he did not lose his shield.

Then they were about to attack each other with their swords, when Jupiter sent a messenger, who stood between them, and in these words forbade them to continue longer:

"Cease to contend, dear sons, in deadly fray;
Ye are both loved by cloud-compelling Jove,
And both are great in war, as all men know.
The night is come; be then the night obeyed.”

Then the Greeks proposed that if Paris would yield up Helen and all the wealth he had taken with her when he stole her away from Menelaos in the land of the Grecians, they would go home; but Paris refused to give up Helen, though he offered to give up her wealth.

So the war was again renewed; this time the Trojans being victorious so far that they encamped around the Grecian ships and built fires about them. Then the Greeks sent messengers to Achilles to try to reconcile him to Agamemnon, but he would not forgive the loss of Briseis, and the Trojans continued victorious, and the Greeks were driven to their ships which the Trojans almost succeeded in burning. Finally Patroclus, a noble Greek and an intimate friend of Achilles, begged that he might put on Achilles's armor and go to fight the Trojans, thinking that they might take him for Achilles and be afraid.

Achilles at length consented, and for a time the deception succeeded, the Trojans thinking he was Achilles and fleeing before him. But finally he was slain by Hector, and then occurred a fierce battle over his body, which was finally rescued by Menelaos. When Achilles learned of the death of his friend, he was so overwhelmed with grief and rage, and so eager to avenge Patroclus's death, that he was willing to return to the war.

His mother, Thetis, induced Vulcan to make a new suit

of armor for him, the most wonderful suit of armor ever made, a description of which occupies nearly one entire book of the poem. A reconciliation, too, was brought about with Agamemnon, who agreed to restore to him Briseis, his beloved slave. So the Greeks are once more united and hopeful.

-

Hector

Then came more furious battles. Wonderful deeds of valor were performed by the heroes of both armies, Achil les in particular slaying warrior after warrior. The gods themselves came down to take part in the conflict; some on one side, and some on the other. Finally Achilles encountered Hector, who had slain his friend Patroclus. realized that he had met a stronger than himself, and tried to flee; but finally they met in mortal combat, and Hector fell, pierced through with Achilles's spear, who, still mad with rage over the death of Patroclus, and exulting in his victory, fastened the body to his chariot, and dragged it thus three times about the walls of Troy.

Then the Greeks returned to camp to celebrate the funeral of Patroclus, — building a great funeral pile, on which his body was consumed while Trojan prisoners were sacrificed about it.

The poem of Homer extends through twenty-four books, and closes with the visit of the aged Priam, King of Troy, to the Grecian camp to buy the body of his bravest and bestbeloved son from the conqueror Achilles. The gods sent Thetis his mother to persuade him to give up the body when asked by Priam, and Iris, the messenger of Juno, was sent to Priam to urge him to go and seek the body, satisfied that Achilles would not harm him.

Priam was directed to the Grecian camp, and finally was able to ransom the body of his beloved son from Achilles. This he took back with him to Troy, where it was treated with royal honors.