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is wont to bathe in the fair…flowing riverhe holds his head
high； and his mane streams upon his shoulders as he exults in his
strength and flies like the wind to the haunts and feeding ground
of the mareseven so went forth Paris from high Pergamus；
gleaming like sunlight in his armour； and he laughed aloud as he
sped swiftly on his way。 Forthwith he came upon his brother
Hector； who was then turning away from the place where he had
held converse with his wife； and he was himself the first to
speak。 〃Sir；〃 said he； 〃I fear that I have kept you waiting when
you are in haste； and have not e as quickly as you bade me。〃
〃My good brother；〃 answered Hector； 〃you fight bravely； and no
man with any justice can make light of your doings in battle。 But
you are careless and wilfully remiss。 It grieves me to the heart
to hear the ill that the Trojans speak about you； for they have
suffered much on your account。 Let us be going； and we will make
things right hereafter； should Jove vouchsafe us to set the cup
of our deliverance before ever…living gods of heaven in our own
homes； when we have chased the Achaeans from Troy。〃
BOOK VII
Hector and Ajax fightHector is getting worsted when night
es on and parts themThey exchange presentsThe
burial of the dead； and the building of a wall round their
ships by the AchaeansThe Achaeans buy their wine of
Agamemnon and Menelaus。
WITH these words Hector passed through the gates； and his brother
Alexandrus with him； both eager for the fray。 As when heaven
sends a breeze to sailors who have long looked for one in vain；
and have laboured at their oars till they are faint with toil；
even so wele was the sight of these two heroes to the Trojans。
Thereon Alexandrus killed Menesthius the son of Areithous； he
lived in Arne； and was son of Areithous the Mace…man； and of
Phylomedusa。 Hector threw a spear at Eioneus and struck him dead
with a wound in the neck under the bronze rim of his helmet。
Glaucus； moreover； son of Hippolochus； captain of the Lycians； in
hard hand…to…hand fight smote Iphinous son of Dexius on the
shoulder； as he was springing on to his chariot behind his fleet
mares； so he fell to earth from the car； and there was no life
left in him。
When； therefore； Minerva saw these men making havoc of the
Argives； she darted down to Ilius from the summits of Olympus；
and Apollo； who was looking on from Pergamus； went out to meet
her； for he wanted the Trojans to be victorious。 The pair met by
the oak tree； and King Apollo son of Jove was first to speak。
〃What would you have〃； said he； 〃daughter of great Jove； that
your proud spirit has sent you hither from Olympus？ Have you no
pity upon the Trojans； and would you incline the scales of
victory in favour of the Danaans？ Let me persuade youfor it
will be better thusstay the bat for to…day； but let them
renew the fight hereafter till they pass the doom of Ilius；
since you goddesses have made up your minds to destroy the city。〃
And Minerva answered； 〃So be it； Far…Darter； it was in this mind
that I came down from Olympus to the Trojans and Achaeans。 Tell
me； then； how do you propose to end this present fighting？〃
Apollo； son of Jove； replied； 〃Let us incite great Hector to
challenge some one of the Danaans in single bat； on this the
Achaeans will be shamed into finding a man who will fight him。〃
Minerva assented； and Helenus son of Priam divined the counsel of
the gods； he therefore went up to Hector and said； 〃Hector son of
Priam； peer of gods in counsel； I am your brother； let me then
persuade you。 Bid the other Trojans and Achaeans all of them take
their seats； and challenge the best man among the Achaeans to
meet you in single bat。 I have heard the voice of the
ever…living gods； and the hour of your doom is not yet e。〃
Hector was glad when he heard this saying； and went in among the
Trojans； grasping his spear by the middle to hold them back； and
they all sat down。 Agamemnon also bade the Achaeans be seated。
But Minerva and Apollo； in the likeness of vultures； perched on
father Jove's high oak tree； proud of their men； and the ranks
sat close ranged together； bristling with shield and helmet and
spear。 As when the rising west wind furs the face of the sea and
the waters grow dark beneath it； so sat the panies of Trojans
and Achaeans upon the plain。 And Hector spoke thus：
〃Hear me； Trojans and Achaeans； that I may speak even as I am
minded； Jove on his high throne has brought our oaths and
covenants to nothing； and foreshadows ill for both of us； till
you either take the towers of Troy； or are yourselves vanquished
at your ships。 The princes of the Achaeans are here present in
the midst of you； let him； then； that will fight me stand forward
as your champion against Hector。 Thus I say； and may Jove be
witness between us。 If your champion slay me； let him strip me of
my armour and take it to your ships； but let him send my body
home that the Trojans and their wives may give me my dues of fire
when I am dead。 In like manner； if Apollo vouchsafe me glory and
I slay your champion； I will strip him of his armour and take it
to the city of Ilius； where I will hang it in the temple of
Apollo； but I will give up his body； that the Achaeans may bury
him at their ships； and the build him a mound by the wide waters
of the Hellespont。 Then will one say hereafter as he sails his
ship over the sea； 'This is the monument of one who died long
since a champion who was slain by mighty Hector。' Thus will one
say； and my fame shall not be lost。〃
Thus did he speak； but they all held their peace； ashamed to
decline the challenge； yet fearing to accept it； till at last
Menelaus rose and rebuked them； for he was angry。 〃Alas；〃 he
cried； 〃vain braggarts； women forsooth not men； double…dyed
indeed will be the stain upon us if no man of the Danaans will
now face Hector。 May you be turned every man of you into earth
and water as you sit spiritless and inglorious in your places。 I
will myself go out against this man； but the upshot of the fight
will be from on high in the hands of the immortal gods。〃
With these words he put on his armour； and then； O Menelaus； your
life would have e to an end at the hands of hands of Hector；
for he was far better the man； had not the princes of the
Achaeans sprung upon you and checked you。 King Agamemnon caught
him by the right hand and said； 〃Menelaus； you are mad； a truce
to this folly。 Be patient in spite of passion； do not think of
fighting a man so much stronger than yourself as Hector son of
Priam； who is feared by many another as well as you。 Even
Achilles； who is far more doughty than you are； shrank from
meeting him in battle。 Sit down your own people； and the Achaeans
will send some other champion to fight Hector； fearless and fond
of battle though he be； I ween his knees will bend gladly under
him if he es out alive from the hurly…burly of this fight。〃
With these words of reasonable counsel he persuaded his brother；
whereon his squires gladly stripped the armour from off his
shoulders。 Then Nestor rose and spoke； 〃Of a truth；〃 said he；
〃the Achaean land is fallen upon evil times。 The old knight
Peleus； counsellor and orator among the Myrmidons； loved when I
was in his house to question me concerning the race and lineage
of all the Argives。 How would it not grieve him could he hear of
them as now quailing before Hector？ Many a time would he lift his
hands in prayer that his soul might leave his body and go down
within the house of Hades。 Would； by father Jove； Minerva； and
Apollo； that I were still young and strong as when the Pylians
and Arcadians were gathered in fight by the rapid river Celadon
under the walls of Pheia； and round about the waters of the river
Iardanus。 The godlike hero Ereuthalion stood forward as their
champion； with the armour of King Areithous upon his shoulders
Areithous whom men and women had surnamed 'the Mace…man；' because
he fought neither with bow nor spear； but broke the battalions of
the foe with his iron mace。 Lycurgus killed him； not in fair
fight； but by entrapping him in a narrow way where his mace
served him in no stead； for Lycurgus was too qui