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Hector made no answer； but Helen tried to soothe him。 〃Brother；〃
said she； 〃to my abhorred and sinful self； would that a whirlwind
had caught me up on the day my mother brought me forth； and had
borne me to some mountain or to the waves of the roaring sea that
should have swept me away ere this mischief had e about。 But；
since the gods have devised these evils； would； at any rate； that
I had been wife to a better manto one who could smart under
dishonour and men's evil speeches。 This fellow was never yet to
be depended upon； nor never will be； and he will surely reap what
he has sown。 Still； brother； e in and rest upon this seat； for
it is you who bear the brunt of that toil that has been caused by
my hateful self and by the sin of Alexandrusboth of whom Jove
has doomed to be a theme of song among those that shall be born
hereafter。〃
And Hector answered； 〃Bid me not be seated； Helen； for all the
goodwill you bear me。 I cannot stay。 I am in haste to help the
Trojans； who miss me greatly when I am not among them； but urge
your husband； and of his own self also let him make haste to
overtake me before I am out of the city。 I must go home to see my
household； my wife and my little son； for I know not whether I
shall ever again return to them； or whether the gods will cause
me to fill by the hands of the Achaeans。〃
Then Hector left her； and forthwith was at his own house。 He did
not find Andromache； for she was on the wall with her child and
one of her maids； weeping bitterly。 Seeing； then； that she was
not within； he stood on the threshold of the women's rooms and
said； 〃Women； tell me； and tell me true； where did Andromache go
when she left the house？ Was it to my sisters； or to my brothers'
wives？ or is she at the temple of Minerva where the other women
are propitiating the awful goddess？〃
His good housekeeper answered； 〃Hector； since you bid me tell you
truly； she did not go to your sisters nor to your brothers'
wives； nor yet to the temple of Minerva； where the other women
are propitiating the awful goddess； but she is on the high wall
of Ilius； for she had heard the Trojans were being hard pressed；
and that the Achaeans were in great force： she went to the wall
in frenzied haste； and the nurse went with her carrying the
child。〃
Hector hurried from the house when she had done speaking； and
went down the streets by the same way that he had e。 When he
had gone through the city and had reached the Scaean gates
through which he would go out on to the plain； his wife came
running towards him； Andromache； daughter of great Eetion who
ruled in Thebe under the wooded slopes of Mt。 Placus； and was
king of the Cilicians。 His daughter had married Hector； and now
came to meet him with a nurse who carried his little child in her
bosoma mere babe。 Hector's darling son； and lovely as a star。
Hector had named him Scamandrius； but the people called him
Astyanax； for his father stood alone as chief guardian of Ilius。
Hector smiled as he looked upon the boy； but he did not speak；
and Andromache stood by him weeping and taking his hand in her
own。 〃Dear husband；〃 said she； 〃your valour will bring you to
destruction； think on your infant son； and on my hapless self who
ere long shall be your widowfor the Achaeans will set upon you
in a body and kill you。 It would be better for me； should I lose
you； to lie dead and buried； for I shall have nothing left to
fort me when you are gone； save only sorrow。 I have neither
father nor mother now。 Achilles slew my father when he sacked
Thebe the goodly city of the Cilicians。 He slew him； but did not
for very shame despoil him； when he had burned him in his
wondrous armour； he raised a barrow over his ashes and the
mountain nymphs； daughters of aegis…bearing Jove； planted a grove
of elms about his tomb。 I had seven brothers in my father's
house； but on the same day they all went within the house of
Hades。 Achilles killed them as they were with their sheep and
cattle。 My motherher who had been queen of all the land under
Mt。 Placushe brought hither with the spoil； and freed her for a
great sum； but the archer…queen Diana took her in the house of
your father。 NayHectoryou who to me are father； mother；
brother； and dear husbandhave mercy upon me； stay here upon
this wall； make not your child fatherless； and your wife a widow；
as for the host； place them near the fig…tree； where the city can
be best scaled； and the wall is weakest。 Thrice have the bravest
of them e thither and assailed it； under the two Ajaxes；
Idomeneus； the sons of Atreus； and the brave son of Tydeus；
either of their own bidding； or because some soothsayer had told
them。〃
And Hector answered； 〃Wife； I too have thought upon all this； but
with what face should I look upon the Trojans； men or women； if I
shirked battle like a coward？ I cannot do so： I know nothing save
to fight bravely in the forefront of the Trojan host and win
renown alike for my father and myself。 Well do I know that the
day will surely e when mighty Ilius shall be destroyed with
Priam and Priam's people； but I grieve for none of thesenot
even for Hecuba； nor King Priam； nor for my brothers many and
brave who may fall in the dust before their foesfor none of
these do I grieve as for yourself when the day shall e on
which some one of the Achaeans shall rob you for ever of your
freedom； and bear you weeping away。 It may be that you will have
to ply the loom in Argos at the bidding of a mistress； or to
fetch water from the springs Messeis or Hypereia； treated
brutally by some cruel task…master； then will one say who sees
you weeping； 'She was wife to Hector； the bravest warrior among
the Trojans during the war before Ilius。' On this your tears will
break forth anew for him who would have put away the day of
captivity from you。 May I lie dead under the barrow that is
heaped over my body ere I hear your cry as they carry you into
bondage。〃
He stretched his arms towards his child； but the boy cried and
nestled in his nurse's bosom； scared at the sight of his father's
armour； and at the horse…hair plume that nodded fiercely from his
helmet。 His father and mother laughed to see him； but Hector took
the helmet from his head and laid it all gleaming upon the
ground。 Then he took his darling child； kissed him； and dandled
him in his arms； praying over him the while to Jove and to all
the gods。 〃Jove；〃 he cried； 〃grant that this my child may be even
as myself； chief among the Trojans； let him be not less excellent
in strength； and let him rule Ilius with his might。 Then may one
say of him as he es from battle； 'The son is far better than
the father。' May he bring back the blood…stained spoils of him
whom he has laid low； and let his mother's heart be glad。〃
With this he laid the child again in the arms of his wife； who
took him to her own soft bosom； smiling through her tears。 As her
husband watched her his heart yearned towards her and he caressed
her fondly； saying； 〃My own wife； do not take these things too
bitterly to heart。 No one can hurry me down to Hades before my
time； but if a man's hour is e； be he brave or be he coward；
there is no escape for him when he has once been born。 Go； then；
within the house； and busy yourself with your daily duties； your
loom； your distaff； and the ordering of your servants； for war is
man's matter； and mine above all others of them that have been
born in Ilius。〃
He took his plumed helmet from the ground； and his wife went back
again to her house； weeping bitterly and often looking back
towards him。 When she reached her home she found her maidens
within； and bade them all join in her lament； so they mourned
Hector in his own house though he was yet alive； for they deemed
that they should never see him return safe from battle； and from
the furious hands of the Achaeans。
Paris did not remain long in his house。 He donned his goodly
armour overlaid with bronze； and hasted through the city as fast
as his feet could take him。 As a horse； stabled and fed； breaks
loose and gallops gloriously over the plain to the place where he
is wont to bathe in the fair…flowing riverhe holds his head
high； and his mane streams up