tales of troy-第4章

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coloured　wool；　which　she　span　as　she　sat；　and　heard　Paris　tell　how
far　he　had　travelled　to　see　her　who　was　so　famous　for　her　beauty
even　in　countries　far　away。

Then　Paris　knew　that　he　had　never　seen；　and　never　could　see；　a　lady
so　lovely　and　gracious　as　Helen　as　she　sat　and　span；　while　the　red
drops　fell　and　vanished　from　the　ruby　called　the　Star；　and　Helen
knew　that　among　all　the　princes　in　the　world　there　was　none　so
beautiful　as　Paris。　　Now　some　say　that　Paris；　by　art　magic；　put　on
the　appearance　of　Menelaus；　and　asked　Helen　to　come　sailing　with
him；　and　that　she；　thinking　he　was　her　husband；　followed　him；　and
he　carried　her　across　the　wide　waters　of　Troy；　away　from　her　lord
and　her　one　beautiful　little　daughter；　the　child　Hermione。　　And
others　say　that　the　Gods　carried　Helen　herself　off　to　Egypt；　and
that　they　made　in　her　likeness　a　beautiful　ghost；　out　of　flowers
and　sunset　clouds；　whom　Paris　bore　to　Troy；　and　this　they　did　to
cause　war　between　Greeks　and　Trojans。　　Another　story　is　that　Helen
and　her　bower　maiden　and　her　jewels　were　seized　by　force；　when
Menelaus　was　out　hunting。　　It　is　only　certain　that　Paris　and　Helen
did　cross　the　seas　together；　and　that　Menelaus　and　little　Hermione
were　left　alone　in　the　melancholy　palace　beside　the　Eurotas。
Penelope；　we　know　for　certain；　made　no　excuses　for　her　beautiful
cousin；　but　hated　her　as　the　cause　of　her　own　sorrows　and　of　the
deaths　of　thousands　of　men　in　war；　for　all　the　Greek　princes　were
bound　by　their　oath　to　fight　for　Menelaus　against　any　one　who
injured　him　and　stole　his　wife　away。　　But　Helen　was　very　unhappy　in
Troy；　and　blamed　herself　as　bitterly　as　all　the　other　women　blamed
her；　and　most　of　all　OEnone；　who　had　been　the　love　of　Paris。　　The
men　were　much　more　kind　to　Helen；　and　were　determined　to　fight　to
the　death　rather　than　lose　the　sight　of　her　beauty　among　them。

The　news　of　the　dishonour　done　to　Menelaus　and　to　all　the　princes
of　Greece　ran　through　the　country　like　fire　through　a　forest。　　East
and　west　and　south　and　north　went　the　news：　　to　kings　in　their
castles　on　the　hills；　and　beside　the　rivers　and　on　cliffs　above　the
sea。　　The　cry　came　to　ancient　Nestor　of　the　white　beard　at　Pylos；
Nestor　who　had　reigned　over　two　generations　of　men；　who　had　fought
against　the　wild　folk　of　the　hills；　and　remembered　the　strong
Heracles；　and　Eurytus　of　the　black　bow　that　sang　before　the　day　of
battle。

The　cry　came　to　black…bearded　Agamemnon；　in　his　strong　town　called
〃golden　Mycenae；〃　because　it　was　so　rich；　it　came　to　the　people　in
Thisbe；　where　the　wild　doves　haunt；　and　it　came　to　rocky　Pytho；
where　is　the　sacred　temple　of　Apollo　and　the　maid　who　prophesies。
It　came　to　Aias；　the　tallest　and　strongest　of　men；　in　his　little
isle　of　Salamis；　and　to　Diomede　of　the　loud　war…cry；　the　bravest　of
warriors；　who　held　Argos　and　Tiryns　of　the　black　walls　of　huge；
stones；　that　are　still　standing。　　The　summons　came　to　the　western
islands　and　to　Ulysses　in　Ithaca；　and　even　far　south　to　the　great
island　of　Crete　of　the　hundred　cities；　where　Idomeneus　ruled　in
Cnossos；　Idomeneus；　whose　ruined　palace　may　still　be　seen　with　the
throne　of　the　king；　and　pictures　painted　on　the　walls；　and　the
King's　own　draught…board　of　gold　and　silver；　and　hundreds　of
tablets　of　clay；　on　which　are　written　the　lists　of　royal　treasures。
Far　north　went　the　news　to　Pelasgian　Argos；　and　Hellas；　where　the
people　of　Peleus　dwelt；　the　Myrmidons；　but　Peleus　was　too　old　to
fight；　and　his　boy；　Achilles；　dwelt　far　away；　in　the　island　of
Scyros；　dressed　as　a　girl；　among　the　daughters　of　King　Lycomedes。
To　many　another　town　and　to　a　hundred　islands　went　the　bitter　news
of　approaching　war；　for　all　princes　knew　that　their　honour　and
their　oaths　compelled　them　to　gather　their　spearmen；　and　bowmen；
and　slingers　from　the　fields　and　the　fishing；　and　to　make　ready
their　ships；　and　meet　King　Agamemnon　in　the　harbour　of　Aulis；　and
cross　the　wide　sea　to　besiege　Troy　town。

Now　the　story　is　told　that　Ulysses　was　very　unwilling　to　leave　his
island　and　his　wife　Penelope；　and　little　Telemachus；　while　Penelope
had　no　wish　that　he　should　pass　into　danger；　and　into　the　sight　of
Helen　of　the　fair　hands。　　So　it　is　said　that　when　two　of　the
princes　came　to　summon　Ulysses；　he　pretended　to　be　mad；　and　went
ploughing　the　sea　sand　with　oxen；　and　sowing　the　sand　with　salt。
Then　the　prince　Palamedes　took　the　baby　Telemachus　from　the　arms　of
his　nurse；　Eurycleia；　and　laid　him　in　the　line　of　the　furrow；　where
the　ploughshare　would　strike　him　and　kill　him。　　But　Ulysses　turned
the　plough　aside；　and　they　cried　that　he　was　not　mad；　but　sane；　and
he　must　keep　his　oath；　and　join　the　fleet　at　Aulis；　a　long　voyage
for　him　to　sail；　round　the　stormy　southern　Cape　of　Maleia。

Whether　this　tale　be　true　or　not；　Ulysses　did　go；　leading　twelve
black　ships；　with　high　beaks　painted　red　at　prow　and　stern。　　The
ships　had　oars；　and　the　warriors　manned　the　oars；　to　row　when　there
was　no　wind。　　There　was　a　small　raised　deck　at　each　end　of　the
ships；　on　these　decks　men　stood　to　fight　with　sword　and　spear　when
there　was　a　battle　at　sea。　　Each　ship　had　but　one　mast；　with　a
broad　lugger　sail；　and　for　anchors　they　had　only　heavy　stones
attached　to　cables。　　They　generally　landed　at　night；　and　slept　on
the　shore　of　one　of　the　many　islands；　when　they　could；　for　they
greatly　feared　to　sail　out　of　sight　of　land。

The　fleet　consisted　of　more　than　a　thousand　ships；　each　with　fifty
warriors；　so　the　army　was　of　more　than　fifty　thousand　men。
Agamemnon　had　a　hundred　ships；　Diomede　had　eighty；　Nestor　had
ninety；　the　Cretans　with　Idomeneus；　had　eighty；　Menelaus　had　sixty；
but　Aias　and　Ulysses；　who　lived　in　small　islands；　had　only　twelve
ships　apiece。　　Yet　Aias　was　so　brave　and　strong；　and　Ulysses　so
brave　and　wise；　that　they　were　ranked　among　the　greatest　chiefs　and
advisers　of　Agamemnon；　with　Menelaus；　Diomede；　Idomeneus；　Nestor；
Menestheus　of　Athens；　and　two　or　three　others。　　These　chiefs　were
called　the　Council；　and　gave　advice　to　Agamemnon；　who　was
commander…in…chief。　　He　was　a　brave　fighter；　but　so　anxious　and
fearful　of　losing　the　lives　of　his　soldiers　that　Ulysses　and
Diomede　were　often　obliged　to　speak　to　him　very　severely。
Agamemnon　was　also　very　insolent　and　greedy；　though；　when　anybody
stood　up　to　him；　he　was　ready　to　apologise；　for　fear　the　injured
chief　should　renounce　his　service　and　take　away　his　soldiers。

Nestor　was　much　respected　because　he　remained　brave；　though　he　was
too　old　to　be　very　useful　in　battle。　　He　generally　tried　to　make
peace　when　the　princes　quarrelled　with　Agamemnon。　　He　loved　to　tell
long　stories　about　his　great　deeds　when　he　was　young；　and　he　wished
the　chiefs　to　fight　in　old…fashioned　ways。

For　instance；　in　his　time　the　Greeks　had　fought　in　clan　regiments；
and　the　princely　men　had　never　dismounted　in　battle；　but　had　fought
in　squadrons　of　chariots；　but　now　the　owners　of　chariots　fought　on
foot；　each　man　for　himself；　while　his　squire　kept　the　chariot　near
him　to　escape　on　if　he　had　to　retreat。　　Nestor　wished　to　go　back　to
the　good　old　way　of　chariot　charges　against　the　crowds　of　foot
soldiers　of　the　enemy。　　In　short；　he　was　a　fine　example　of　the　old…
fashioned　soldier。

Aias；　though　so　very　tall；　strong；　and　brave；　was　rather　stupid。
He　seldom　spoke；　but　he　was　always　ready　to　fight；　and　the　last　to
retreat。　　Menelaus　was　weak　of　body；　but　as　brave　as　the　best；　or
more　brave；　for　he　had　a　keen　sense　of　honour；　and　would　attempt
what　he　had　not　the　strength　to　do。　　Diomede　and　Ulysses　were　great
friends；　and　always　fought　side　by　side；　when　they　could；　and
helped　each　other　in　the　most　dangerous　adventures。

These　were　the　chiefs　who　led　the　great　Greek　armada　from　the
harbour　of　Aulis。　　A　long　time　had　passed；　after　the　flight　of
Helen；　before　the　large　fleet　could　be　collected；　and　more　time
went　by　in　the　attempt　to　cross　the　sea　to　Troy。　　There　were
tempests　that　scattered　the　ships；　so　they　were　driven　back　to
Aulis　to　refit；　and　they　fought；　as　they　went　out　again；　with　the
peoples　of　unfriendly　islands；　and　besieged　their　towns。　　What　they
wanted　most　of　all　was　to　have　Achilles　with　them；　for　he　was　the
leader　of　fifty