an arrow from your hand。 Take your home aim then； and pray to Lycian
Apollo； the famous archer； vow that when you get home to your strong
city of Zelea you will offer a hecatomb of firstling lambs in his
honour。〃
His fool's heart was persuaded； and he took his bow from its case。
This bow was made from the horns of a wild ibex which he had killed as
it was bounding from a rock； he had stalked it； and it had fallen as
the arrow struck it to the heart。 Its horns were sixteen palms long；
and a worker in horn had made them into a bow； smoothing them well
down； and giving them tips of gold。 When Pandarus had strung his bow
he laid it carefully on the ground； and his brave followers held their
shields before him lest the Achaeans should set upon him before he had
shot Menelaus。 Then he opened the lid of his quiver and took out a
winged arrow that had yet been shot； fraught with the pangs of
death。 He laid the arrow on the string and prayed to Lycian Apollo；
the famous archer； vowing that when he got home to his strong city
of Zelea he would offer a hecatomb of firstling lambs in his honour。
He laid the notch of the arrow on the oxhide bowstring； and drew
both notch and string to his breast till the arrow…head was near the
bow； then when the bow was arched into a half…circle he let fly； and
the bow twanged； and the string sang as the arrow flew gladly on
over the heads of the throng。
But the blessed gods did not forget thee； O Menelaus； and Jove's
daughter； driver of the spoil； was the first to stand before thee
and ward off the piercing arrow。 She turned it from his skin as a
mother whisks a fly from off her child when it is sleeping sweetly；
she guided it to the part where the golden buckles of the belt that
passed over his double cuirass were fastened； so the arrow struck
the belt that went tightly round him。 It went right through this and
through the cuirass of cunning workmanship； it also pierced the belt
beneath it； which he wore next his skin to keep out darts or arrows；
it was this that served him in the best stead； nevertheless the
arrow went through it and grazed the top of the skin； so that blood
began flowing from the wound。
As when some woman of Meonia or Caria strains purple dye on to a
piece of ivory that is to be the cheek…piece of a horse； and is to
be laid up in a treasure house… many a knight is fain to bear it；
but the king keeps it as an ornament of which both horse and driver
may be proud… even so； O Menelaus； were your shapely thighs and your
legs down to your fair ancles stained with blood。
When King Agamemnon saw the blood flowing from the wound he was
afraid； and so was brave Menelaus himself till he saw that the barbs
of the arrow and the thread that bound the arrow…head to the shaft
were still outside the wound。 Then he took heart； but Agamemnon heaved
a deep sigh as he held Menelaus's hand in his own； and his comrades
made moan in concert。 〃Dear brother； 〃he cried； 〃I have been the death
of you in pledging this covenant and letting you come forward as our
champion。 The Trojans have trampled on their oaths and have wounded
you； nevertheless the oath； the blood of lambs； the drink…offerings
and the right hands of fellowship in which have put our trust shall
not be vain。 If he that rules Olympus fulfil it not here and now；
he。 will yet fulfil it hereafter； and they shall pay dearly with their
lives and with their wives and children。 The day will surely come when
mighty Ilius shall be laid low； with Priam and Priam's people； when
the son of Saturn from his high throne shall overshadow them with
his awful aegis in punishment of their present treachery。 This shall
surely be； but how； Menelaus； shall I mourn you； if it be your lot now
to die？ I should return to Argos as a by…word； for the Achaeans will
at once go home。 We shall leave Priam and the Trojans the glory of
still keeping Helen； and the earth will rot your bones as you lie here
at Troy with your purpose not fulfilled。 Then shall some braggart
Trojan leap upon your tomb and say； 'Ever thus may Agamemnon wreak his
vengeance； he brought his army in vain； he is gone home to his own
land with empty ships； and has left Menelaus behind him。' Thus will
one of them say； and may the earth then swallow me。〃
But Menelaus reassured him and said； 〃Take heart； and do not alarm
the people； the arrow has not struck me in a mortal part； for my outer
belt of burnished metal first stayed it； and under this my cuirass and
the belt of mail which the bronze…smiths made me。〃
And Agamemnon answered； 〃I trust； dear Menelaus； that it may be even
so； but the surgeon shall examine your wound and lay herbs upon it
to relieve your pain。〃
He then said to Talthybius； 〃Talthybius； tell Machaon； son to the
great physician； Aesculapius； to come and see Menelaus immediately。
Some Trojan or Lycian archer has wounded him with an arrow to our
dismay； and to his own great glory。〃
Talthybius did as he was told； and went about the host trying to
find Machaon。 Presently he found standing amid the brave warriors
who had followed him from Tricca； thereon he went up to him and
said； 〃Son of Aesculapius； King Agamemnon says you are to come and see
Menelaus immediately。 Some Trojan or Lycian archer has wounded him
with an arrow to our dismay and to his own great glory。〃
Thus did he speak； and Machaon was moved to go。 They passed
through the spreading host of the Achaeans and went on till they
came to the place where Menelaus had been wounded and was lying with
the chieftains gathered in a circle round him。 Machaon passed into the
middle of the ring and at once drew the arrow from the belt； bending
its barbs back through the force with which he pulled it out。 He undid
the burnished belt； and beneath this the cuirass and the belt of
mail which the bronze…smiths had made； then； when he had seen the
wound； he wiped away the blood and applied some soothing drugs which
Chiron had given to Aesculapius out of the good will he bore him。
While they were thus busy about Menelaus； the Trojans came forward
against them； for they had put on their armour； and now renewed the
fight。
You would not have then found Agamemnon asleep nor cowardly and
unwilling to fight； but eager rather for the fray。 He left his chariot
rich with bronze and his panting steeds in charge of Eurymedon； son of
Ptolemaeus the son of Peiraeus； and bade him hold them in readiness
against the time his limbs should weary of going about and giving
orders to so many； for he went among the ranks on foot。 When he saw
men hasting to the front he stood by them and cheered them on。
〃Argives；〃 said he； 〃slacken not one whit in your onset； father Jove
will be no helper of liars； the Trojans have been the first to break
their oaths and to attack us； therefore they shall be devoured of
vultures； we shall take their city and carry off their wives and
children in our ships。〃
But he angrily rebuked those whom he saw shirking and disinclined to
fight。 〃Argives；〃 he cried； 〃cowardly miserable creatures； have you no
shame to stand here like frightened fawns who； when they can no longer
scud over the plain； huddle together； but show no fight？ You are as
dazed and spiritless as deer。 Would you wait till the Trojans reach
the sterns of our ships as they lie on the shore； to see； whether
the son of Saturn will hold his hand over you to protect you？〃
Thus did he go about giving his orders among the ranks。 Passing
through the crowd； he came presently on the Cretans； arming round
Idomeneus； who was at their head； fierce as a wild boar； while
Meriones was bringing up the battalions that were in the rear。
Agamemnon was glad when he saw him； and spoke him fairly。 〃Idomeneus；〃
said he； 〃I treat you with greater distinction than I do any others of
the Achaeans； whether in war or in other things； or at table。 When the
princes are mixing my choicest wines in the mixing…bowls； they have
each of them a fixed allowance； but your cup is kept always full
like my own； that you may drink whenever you are minded。 Go；
therefore； into battle； and show yourself the man you have been always
proud to be。〃
Idomeneus answered； 〃I will be a trusty comrade； as I promised you
from the first I would be。 Urge on the other Achaeans； that we may
join battle at once； for the Trojans have trampled upon their
covenants。 Death and destruction shall be theirs； seeing they have
been the first to break their oaths and to attack us。〃
The son of Atreus went on； glad at heart； till he came upon the
two Ajaxes arming themselves amid a host of foot…soldiers。 As when a
goat…herd from some high post watches a storm drive over the deep
before the west wind… black as pitch is the offing and a mighty
whirlwind draws towards him； so that he is afraid and drives his flock
into a cave… even thus did the ranks of stalwart youths move in a dark
mass to battle under the Ajaxes； horrid with shield and spear。 Glad
was King Agamemnon when he saw them。 〃No need；〃 he cried； 〃to give
orders to such leaders of the Argives as you are； for of your own
selves you spur your men on to fight with might and main。 Would； by
father Jove； Minerva； and Apollo that all were so minded