NOW

when both hosts were marshall'd
The Trojans rush'd with noise and din,
Such as the noise and clangour
When they from home by wintry storms,

And screaming tow'rd the rivers
To massacre the Pygmy race,-
Proclaiming war along the space
Far otherwise the Grecians
Each other purpos'd to defend,

And such fog as the southwind
Unkindly to the shepherd's watch,
When one can see no further
Such ever, from their footsteps flung,
The dustwhirl to the welkin sprung,
But when they clear'd the midspace,
Paris, with pardskin lightly clad,

A bow hung from his shoulders,
In either hand a javelin bright
The best and bravest of the Greeks

Now him when Menelaus Right glad was he, as lion bold,

with every chief and king, like birds upon the wing: of cranes aloft in heaven, and furious rains are driven, of utmost ocean fly,

of all the misty sky.

their march in silence made, each other sworn to aid. sheds o'er the mountain-height, by thieves preferr❜d to night; than he may cast a stone;

as strode they swiftly on. and fronted man to man, outstepp'd the Trojan van. a cutlass at his side; he brandish'd, and defied the combat to decide.

saw bounding in advance, half-famish'd, who by chance

Has found a goodly quarry
And he will gorge, though hunters keen
So glad was Menelaüs

"Vengeance! the culprit has not 'scaped," He cried then from his chariot leap'd

But now, when godlike Paris Struck to the heart with fear of fate

As one a snake descrying

Starts and retreats with quivering knee,
So when the brass-clad warrior
Did godlike Paris backward slip
Fearing the son of Atreus.

"Ah! recreant Paris! woman-mad!
Now would that thou hadst never
Less damage then had fall'n on us,

Now laugh the crested Grecians, Because, forsooth, thy face is fair

Such wast thou when the waters And thou and thy brave comrades sought Such when from Apia's haven

The spouse and child of heroes she,

What sorrow to thy father!
Foul scorn to them that wish thee ill,

Durst thou not meet the husband?

So shouldst thou know how stout the man
The harp shall nought avail thee,
The curling locks, the form and face,-
But patient are the Trojans ;
Should they have clothed thee long ago

:

beheld him in the van, back to his friends he ran. deep in a mountain-glade, confused and pale with dread; his path impetuous cross'd, amidst the Trojan host, Him Hector stern recalls:thou gallant fair and false ! been born, or never wed! less shame on thine own head! supposing thee our best; in courage thou art least. thy sea-borne barks bestrode, the stranger's far abode : the beauteous Argive bride, was wafted at thy side! what hurt to all our race! and to thyself disgrace! durst not his mettle try?whose spouse thou dost enjoy! nor Venus' gifts sustain,— when roll'd along the plain! else for this evil done, in tunic wrought of stone!"

"Now truly hast thou said, my weakness to upbraid. wherewith he splits the wood, and squares the timber rude, and cannot be withstood. by golden Venus given;

But dost thou now require me

Then bid all Greeks and Trojans else

And me with Menelaüs

For Helen and the ravish'd spoil

And he that proves the better, Let him the ravish'd spoil enjoy,

my quarrel to maintain ? be seated on the plain; set in the clear midspace, to fight before their face. and conquers in the fight, fair Helen him requite.

"Come here, and mark, dear sister,""The sons of Troy that quell the steed, Erst have they fought together, Lo! now they pause, by Jove's command,— Their long spears planted in the sand,For now with Menelaus

Who wins the fight, and earns the spoil,

So Helen's heart the goddess

thus Helen she address'd,and Greeks with brazen vest. and raged in bloody fields;

reclining on their shields ! will Paris strive for thee; his consort thou shalt be." with gentle longings moved,

She issued from her chamber, By Ethra and fair Clymene Along the streets, until she reach'd

King Priam there and Panthus, Ucalegon, Antenor there,

Clytius and Hicetaon, From fighting long released by age, They sat, as sit cicalas, Chirping and twittering on the bough

These on the gate-tower sitting And each to other whisper'd thus,

"Ah! well for such a woman Long years of woes, so goddess-like Yet even so 'twere better

Nor on ourselves and children dear

So whisper'd they; but Priam "Come sit by me, dear child, and see, Thy spouse of yore and kinsmen :The blame is with the mighty gods, The powers which thus our dear abodes

Come, then, and name this hero, Others indeed more tall than he,

So kingly, so majestic.""Oh father, whom I love and dread,

Then when thy son I follow'd, My infant girl, my maidens dear :

For which I pine with weeping:Atrides-Agamemnon he,

Good king and potent warrior; The shameless and abandon'd one,

She spake; the old man heard her, "O Agamemnon, blest and great, Auspicious-born, and loved of fate,

Once reach'd I vine-clad Phrygia, The cavalry whom Mygdon led,

What time they went to battle For I was number'd in their ranks That day, on broad Sangarius' banks ;-

But next he spied Ulysses,

"Now name me this man, who he is :-
By the head would seem the shorter,
And stalwart shoulders; on the sward
And so the ranks of warriors
As erst a ram with curly fleece

Him answer'd Jove-born Helen :-
The Ithacan Ulysses wise,
Skill'd in all crafts and policies,
Broke in the sage Antenor :-
For on a day Ulysses here

To treat for thee they came here;
I mark'd the shape and size of both,

Now when among the Trojans The second did the first outstrip

But when they sat, majestic most

And when they spake their speeches, Then Menelais curtly spake

He was no large declaimer,

As best becomes the younger man,
But when the wise Ulysses
Then paused he, and his eyes declined,
Nor waved before him and behind

But held it stiff beside him,
Moody in temper, mindless all

But when his voice he utter'd,-
As fall the flakes of wintry snow,—
Not e'en his form majestic then

Then Ajax next in order
"What other chief is this, so great,
Replied the long-robed Helen :-
The bulwark of the Greeks, behold!-
As a god among the Cretans:
Him feasted Menelaus oft

And all the other heroes
But those twin leaders of the war,

Castor that quells the war-horse, Those whom one mother bore with me,

Did they not sail with others
Or came they in their gallant ships
But now, by keen reproaches stung,
And all the scorn upon me flung,

his staff with measured beat; as one unused to speak, of that he came to seek. big voice, and words that fell ah! who could him excel? beseem'd him half so well!" the king observed, and said :-conspicuous by the head ?" "Gigantic Ajax here, Idomeneus stands there, his warriors all have come : beneath our royal dome. could I point out and name; my brothers, known to fame, and Pollux strong of fist, my searching eyes have miss'd. from Lacedæmon's shore? the long-drawn ocean o'er,

join they the fight no more?"