tales of troy-第3章

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The　man　who　proved　to　be　the　best　fighter　of　all；　Achilles；　was　not
among　the　lovers　of　Helen；　for　he　was　still　a　boy；　and　his　mother；
Thetis　of　the　silver　feet；　a　goddess　of　the　sea；　had　sent　him　to　be
brought　up　as　a　girl；　among　the　daughters　of　Lycomedes　of　Scyros；
in　an　island　far　away。　　Thetis　did　this　because　Achilles　was　her
only　child；　and　there　was　a　prophecy　that；　if　he　went　to　the　wars；
he　would　win　the　greatest　glory；　but　die　very　young；　and　never　see
his　mother　again。　　She　thought　that　if　war　broke　out　he　would　not
be　found　hiding　in　girl's　dress；　among　girls；　far　away。

So　at　last；　after　thinking　over　the　matter　for　long；　Tyndarus　gave
fair　Helen　to　Menelaus；　the　rich　King　of　Lacedaemon；　and　her　twin
sister　Clytaemnestra；　who　was　also　very　beautiful；　was　given　to
King　Agamemnon；　the　chief　over　all　the　princes。　　They　all　lived
very　happily　together　at　first；　but　not　for　long。

In　the　meantime　King　Tyndarus　spoke　to　his　brother　Icarius；　who　had
a　daughter　named　Penelope。　　She　also　was　very　pretty；　but　not
nearly　so　beautiful　as　her　cousin；　fair　Helen；　and　we　know　that
Penelope　was　not　very　fond　of　her　cousin。　　Icarius；　admiring　the
strength　and　wisdom　of　Ulysses；　gave　him　his　daughter　Penelope　to
be　his　wife；　and　Ulysses　loved　her　very　dearly；　no　man　and　wife
were　ever　dearer　to　each　other。　　They　went　away　together　to　rocky
Ithaca；　and　perhaps　Penelope　was　not　sorry　that　a　wide　sea　lay
between　her　home　and　that　of　Helen；　for　Helen　was　not　only　the
fairest　woman　that　ever　lived　in　the　world；　but　she　was　so　kind　and
gracious　and　charming　that　no　man　could　see　her　without　loving　her。
When　she　was　only　a　child；　the　famous　prince　Theseus；　who　was
famous　in　Greek　Story；　carried　her　away　to　his　own　city　of　Athens；
meaning　to　marry　her　when　she　grew　up；　and　even　at　that　time；　there
was　a　war　for　her　sake；　for　her　brothers　followed　Theseus　with　an
army；　and　fought　him；　and　brought　her　home。

She　had　fairy　gifts；　for　instance；　she　had　a　great　red　jewel；
called　〃the　Star；〃　and　when　she　wore　it　red　drops　seemed　to　fall
from　it　and　vanished　before　they　touched　and　stained　her　white
breastso　white　that　people　called　her　〃the　Daughter　of　the　Swan。〃
She　could　speak　in　the　very　voice　of　any　man　or　woman；　so　folk　also
named　her　Echo；　and　it　was　believed　that　she　could　neither　grow　old
nor　die；　but　would　at　last　pass　away　to　the　Elysian　plain　and　the
world's　end；　where　life　is　easiest　for　men。　　No　snow　comes　thither；
nor　great　storm；　nor　any　rain；　but　always　the　river　of　Ocean　that
rings　round　the　whole　earth　sends　forth　the　west　wind　to　blow　cool
on　the　people　of　King　Rhadamanthus　of　the　fair　hair。　　These　were
some　of　the　stories　that　men　told　of　fair　Helen；　but　Ulysses　was
never　sorry　that　he　had　not　the　fortune　to　marry　her；　so　fond　he
was　of　her　cousin；　his　wife；　Penelope；　who　was　very　wise　and　good。

When　Ulysses　brought　his　wife　home　they　lived；　as　the　custom　was；
in　the　palace　of　his　father；　King　Laertes；　but　Ulysses；　with　his
own　hands；　built　a　chamber　for　Penelope　and　himself。　　There　grew　a
great　olive　tree　in　the　inner　court　of　the　palace；　and　its　stem　was
as　large　as　one　of　the　tall　carved　pillars　of　the　hall。　　Round
about　this　tree　Ulysses　built　the　chamber；　and　finished　it　with
close…set　stones；　and　roofed　it　over；　and　made　close…fastening
doors。　　Then　he　cut　off　all　the　branches　of　the　olive　tree；　and
smoothed　the　trunk；　and　shaped　it　into　the　bed…post；　and　made　the
bedstead　beautiful　with　inlaid　work　of　gold　and　silver　and　ivory。
There　was　no　such　bed　in　Greece；　and　no　man　could　move　it　from　its
place；　and　this　bed　comes　again　into　the　story；　at　the　very　end。

Now　time　went　by；　and　Ulysses　and　Penelope　had　one　son　called
Telemachus；　and　Eurycleia；　who　had　been　his　father's　nurse；　took
care　of　him。　　They　were　all　very　happy；　and　lived　in　peace　in　rocky
Ithaca；　and　Ulysses　looked　after　his　lands；　and　flocks；　and　herds；
and　went　hunting　with　his　dog　Argos；　the　swiftest　of　hounds。



THE　STEALING　OF　HELEN



This　happy　time　did　not　last　long；　and　Telemachus　was　still　a　baby；
when　war　arose；　so　great　and　mighty　and　marvellous　as　had　never
been　known　in　the　world。　　Far　across　the　sea　that　lies　on　the　east
of　Greece；　there　dwelt　the　rich　King　Priam。　　His　town　was　called
Troy；　or　Ilios；　and　it　stood　on　a　hill　near　the　seashore；　where　are
the　straits　of　Hellespont；　between　Europe　and　Asia；　it　was　a　great
city　surrounded　by　strong　walls；　and　its　ruins　are　still　standing。
The　kings　could　make　merchants　who　passed　through　the　straits　pay
toll　to　them；　and　they　had　allies　in　Thrace；　a　part　of　Europe
opposite　Troy；　and　Priam　was　chief　of　all　princes　on　his　side　of
the　sea；　as　Agamemnon　was　chief　king　in　Greece。　　Priam　had　many
beautiful　things；　he　had　a　vine　made　of　gold；　with　golden　leaves
and　clusters；　and　he　had　the　swiftest　horses；　and　many　strong　and
brave　sons；　the　strongest　and　bravest　was　named　Hector；　and　the
youngest　and　most　beautiful　was　named　Paris。

There　was　a　prophecy　that　Priam's　wife　would　give　birth　to　a
burning　torch；　so；　when　Paris　was　born；　Priam　sent　a　servant　to
carry　the　baby　into　a　wild　wood　on　Mount　Ida；　and　leave　him　to　die
or　be　eaten　by　wolves　and　wild　cats。　　The　servant　left　the　child；
but　a　shepherd　found　him；　and　brought　him　up　as　his　own　son。　　The
boy　became　as　beautiful；　for　a　boy；　as　Helen　was　for　a　girl；　and
was　the　best　runner；　and　hunter；　and　archer　among　the　country
people。　　He　was　loved　by　the　beautiful　OEnone；　a　nymphthat　is；　a
kind　of　fairywho　dwelt　in　a　cave　among　the　woods　of　Ida。　　The
Greeks　and　Trojans　believed　in　these　days　that　such　fair　nymphs
haunted　all　beautiful　woodland　places；　and　the　mountains；　and
wells；　and　had　crystal　palaces；　like　mermaids；　beneath　the　waves　of
the　sea。　　These　fairies　were　not　mischievous；　but　gentle　and　kind。
Sometimes　they　married　mortal　men；　and　OEnone　was　the　bride　of
Paris；　and　hoped　to　keep　him　for　her　own　all　the　days　of　his　life。

It　was　believed　that　she　had　the　magical　power　of　healing　wounded
men；　however　sorely　they　were　hurt。　　Paris　and　OEnone　lived　most
happily　together　in　the　forest；　but　one　day；　when　the　servants　of
Priam　had　driven　off　a　beautiful　bull　that　was　in　the　herd　of
Paris；　he　left　the　hills　to　seek　it；　and　came　into　the　town　of
Troy。　　His　mother；　Hecuba；　saw　him；　and　looking　at　him　closely；
perceived　that　he　wore　a　ring　which　she　had　tied　round　her　baby's
neck　when　he　was　taken　away　from　her　soon　after　his　birth。　　Then
Hecuba；　beholding　him　so　beautiful；　and　knowing　him　to　be　her　son；
wept　for　joy；　and　they　all　forgot　the　prophecy　that　he　would　be　a
burning　torch　of　fire；　and　Priam　gave　him　a　house　like　those　of　his
brothers；　the　Trojan　princes。

The　fame　of　beautiful　Helen　reached　Troy；　and　Paris　quite　forgot
unhappy　OEnone；　and　must　needs　go　to　see　Helen　for　himself。
Perhaps　he　meant　to　try　to　win　her　for　his　wife；　before　her
marriage。　　But　sailing　was　little　understood　in　these　times；　and
the　water　was　wide；　and　men　were　often　driven　for　years　out　of
their　course；　to　Egypt；　and　Africa；　and　far　away　into　the　unknown
seas；　where　fairies　lived　in　enchanted　islands；　and　cannibals　dwelt
in　caves　of　the　hills。

Paris　came　much　too　late　to　have　a　chance　of　marrying　Helen；
however；　he　was　determined　to　see　her；　and　he　made　his　way　to　her
palace　beneath　the　mountain　Taygetus；　beside　the　clear　swift　river
Eurotas。　　The　servants　came　out　of　the　hall　when　they　heard　the
sound　of　wheels　and　horses'　feet；　and　some　of　them　took　the　horses
to　the　stables；　and　tilted　the　chariots　against　the　gateway；　while
others　led　Paris　into　the　hall；　which　shone　like　the　sun　with　gold
and　silver。　　Then　Paris　and　his　companions　were　led　to　the　baths；
where　they　were　bathed；　and　clad　in　new　clothes；　mantles　of　white；
and　robes　of　purple；　and　next　they　were　brought　before　King
Menelaus；　and　he　welcomed　them　kindly；　and　meat　was　set　before
them；　and　wine　in　cups　of　gold。　　While　they　were　talking；　Helen
came　forth　from　her　fragrant　chamber；　like　a　Goddess；　her　maidens
following　her；　and　carrying　for　her　an　ivory　distaff　with　violet…
coloured　wool；　which　she　span　as　she　sat；　and　heard　Paris　tell　how
far　he　had　travelled　to　see　he