part of his helmet； but the sword fell shivered in three or four
pieces from his hand； and he cried； looking towards Heaven； 〃Father
Jove； of all gods thou art the most despiteful； I made sure of my
revenge； but the sword has broken in my hand； my spear has been hurled
in vain； and I have not killed him。〃
With this he flew at Alexandrus； caught him by the horsehair plume
of his helmet； and began dragging him towards the Achaeans。 The
strap of the helmet that went under his chin was choking him； and
Menelaus would have dragged him off to his own great glory had not
Jove's daughter Venus been quick to mark and to break the strap of
oxhide； so that the empty helmet came away in his hand。 This he
flung to his comrades among the Achaeans； and was again springing upon
Alexandrus to run him through with a spear； but Venus snatched him
up in a moment （as a god can do）； hid him under a cloud of darkness；
and conveyed him to his own bedchamber。
Then she went to call Helen； and found her on a high tower with
the Trojan women crowding round her。 She took the form of an old woman
who used to dress wool for her when she was still in Lacedaemon； and
of whom she was very fond。 Thus disguised she plucked her by
perfumed robe and said； 〃Come hither； Alexandrus says you are to go to
the house； he is on his bed in his own room； radiant with beauty and
dressed in gorgeous apparel。 No one would think he had just come
from fighting； but rather that he was going to a dance； or had done
dancing and was sitting down。〃
With these words she moved the heart of Helen to anger。 When she
marked the beautiful neck of the goddess； her lovely bosom； and
sparkling eyes； she marvelled at her and said； 〃Goddess； why do you
thus beguile me？ Are you going to send me afield still further to some
man whom you have taken up in Phrygia or fair Meonia？ Menelaus has
just vanquished Alexandrus； and is to take my hateful self back with
him。 You are come here to betray me。 Go sit with Alexandrus
yourself； henceforth be goddess no longer； never let your feet carry
you back to Olympus； worry about him and look after him till he make
you his wife； or； for the matter of that； his slave… but me？ I shall
not go； I can garnish his bed no longer； I should be a by…word among
all the women of Troy。 Besides； I have trouble on my mind。〃
Venus was very angry； and said； 〃Bold hussy； do not provoke me； if
you do； I shall leave you to your fate and hate you as much as I
have loved you。 I will stir up fierce hatred between Trojans and
Achaeans； and you shall come to a bad end。〃
At this Helen was frightened。 She wrapped her mantle about her and
went in silence； following the goddess and unnoticed by the Trojan
women。
When they came to the house of Alexandrus the maid…servants set
about their work； but Helen went into her own room； and the
laughter…loving goddess took a seat and set it for her facing
Alexandrus。 On this Helen； daughter of aegis…bearing Jove； sat down；
and with eyes askance began to upbraid her husband。
〃So you are come from the fight；〃 said she； 〃would that you had
fallen rather by the hand of that brave man who was my husband。 You
used to brag that you were a better man with hands and spear than
Menelaus。 go； but I then； an challenge him again… but I should
advise you not to do so； for if you are foolish enough to meet him
in single combat； you will soon all by his spear。〃
And Paris answered； 〃Wife； do not vex me with your reproaches。
This time； with the help of Minerva； Menelaus has vanquished me；
another time I may myself be victor； for I too have gods that will
stand by me。 Come； let us lie down together and make friends。 Never
yet was I so passionately enamoured of you as at this moment… not even
when I first carried you off from Lacedaemon and sailed away with you…
not even when I had converse with you upon the couch of love in the
island of Cranae was I so enthralled by desire of you as now。〃 On this
he led her towards the bed； and his wife went with him。
Thus they laid themselves on the bed together； but the son of Atreus
strode among the throng； looking everywhere for Alexandrus； and no
man； neither of the Trojans nor of the allies； could find him。 If they
had seen him they were in no mind to hide him； for they all of them
hated him as they did death itself。 Then Agamemnon； king of men；
spoke； saying； 〃Hear me； Trojans； Dardanians； and allies。 The
victory has been with Menelaus； therefore give back Helen with all her
wealth； and pay such fine as shall be agreed upon； in testimony
among them that shall be born hereafter。〃
Thus spoke the son of Atreus； and the Achaeans shouted in applause。
BOOK IV
Now the gods were sitting with Jove in council upon the golden floor
while Hebe went round pouring out nectar for them to drink； and as
they pledged one another in their cups of gold they looked down upon
the town of Troy。 The son of Saturn then began to tease Juno；
talking at her so as to provoke her。 〃Menelaus；〃 said he； 〃has two
good friends among the goddesses； Juno of Argos； and Minerva of
Alalcomene； but they only sit still and look on； while Venus keeps
ever by Alexandrus' side to defend him in any danger； indeed she has
just rescued him when he made sure that it was all over with him…
for the victory really did lie with Menelaus。 We must consider what we
shall do about all this； shall we set them fighting anew or make peace
between them？ If you will agree to this last Menelaus can take back
Helen and the city of Priam may remain still inhabited。〃
Minerva and Juno muttered their discontent as they sat side by
side hatching mischief for the Trojans。 Minerva scowled at her father；
for she was in a furious passion with him； and said nothing； but
Juno could not contain herself。 〃Dread son of Saturn；〃 said she；
〃what； pray； is the meaning of all this？ Is my trouble； then； to go
for nothing； and the sweat that I have sweated； to say nothing of my
horses； while getting the people together against Priam and his
children？ Do as you will； but we other gods shall not all of us
approve your counsel。〃
Jove was angry and answered； 〃My dear； what harm have Priam and
his sons done you that you are so hotly bent on sacking the city of
Ilius？ Will nothing do for you but you must within their walls and eat
Priam raw； with his sons and all the other Trojans to boot？ Have it
your own way then； for I would not have this matter become a bone of
contention between us。 I say further； and lay my saying to your heart；
if ever I want to sack a city belonging to friends of yours； you
must not try to stop me； you will have to let me do it； for I am
giving in to you sorely against my will。 Of all inhabited cities under
the sun and stars of heaven； there was none that I so much respected
as Ilius with Priam and his whole people。 Equitable feasts were
never wanting about my altar； nor the savour of burning fat； which
is honour due to ourselves。〃
〃My own three favourite cities；〃 answered Juno； 〃are Argos；
Sparta； and Mycenae。 Sack them whenever you may be displeased with
them。 I shall not defend them and I shall not care。 Even if I did； and
tried to stay you； I should take nothing by it； for you are much
stronger than I am； but I will not have my own work wasted。 I too am a
god and of the same race with yourself。 I am Saturn's eldest daughter；
and am honourable not on this ground only； but also because I am
your wife； and you are king over the gods。 Let it be a case； then；
of give…and…take between us； and the rest of the gods will follow
our lead。 Tell Minerva to go and take part in the fight at once； and
let her contrive that the Trojans shall be the first to break their
oaths and set upon the Achaeans。〃
The sire of gods and men heeded her words； and said to Minerva；
〃Go at once into the Trojan and Achaean hosts； and contrive that the
Trojans shall be the first to break their oaths and set upon the
Achaeans。〃
This was what Minerva was already eager to do； so down she darted
from the topmost summits of Olympus。 She shot through the sky as
some brilliant meteor which the son of scheming Saturn has sent as a
sign to mariners or to some great army； and a fiery train of light
follows in its wake。 The Trojans and Achaeans were struck with awe
as they beheld； and one would turn to his neighbour； saying； 〃Either
we shall again have war and din of combat； or Jove the lord of
battle will now make peace between us。〃
Thus did they converse。 Then Minerva took the form of Laodocus；
son of Antenor； and went through the ranks of the Trojans to find
Pandarus； the redoubtable son of Lycaon。 She found him standing
among the stalwart heroes who had followed him from the banks of the
Aesopus； so she went close up to him and said； 〃Brave son of Lycaon；
will you do as I tell you？ If you dare send an arrow at Menelaus you
will win honour and thanks from all the Trojans； and especially from
prince Alexandrus… he would be the first to requite you very
handsomely if he could see Menelaus mount his funeral pyre； slain by
an arrow from your hand。 Take your home aim then； and pray to Lycian
Apollo； the famous archer； vow that when you ge