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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 bat； 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 Alexandrushe 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 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
not 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 housemany a knight is fain to bear
it； but the king keeps it as an ornament of which both horse and
driver may be proudeven 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 rades made moan in concert。 〃Dear brother；〃 he
cried； 〃I have been the death of you in pledging this covenant
and letting you e 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 we 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 e 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 e 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 e
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 mi