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Priam and Priam's people； but I grieve for none of thesenot
even for Hecuba； nor King Priam； nor for my brothers many and
brave who may fall in the dust before their foesfor none of
these do I grieve as for yourself when the day shall e on
which some one of the Achaeans shall rob you for ever of your
freedom； and bear you weeping away。 It may be that you will have
to ply the loom in Argos at the bidding of a mistress； or to
fetch water from the springs Messeis or Hypereia； treated
brutally by some cruel task…master； then will one say who sees
you weeping； 'She was wife to Hector； the bravest warrior among
the Trojans during the war before Ilius。' On this your tears will
break forth anew for him who would have put away the day of
captivity from you。 May I lie dead under the barrow that is
heaped over my body ere I hear your cry as they carry you into
bondage。〃
He stretched his arms towards his child； but the boy cried and
nestled in his nurse's bosom； scared at the sight of his father's
armour； and at the horse…hair plume that nodded fiercely from his
helmet。 His father and mother laughed to see him； but Hector took
the helmet from his head and laid it all gleaming upon the
ground。 Then he took his darling child； kissed him； and dandled
him in his arms； praying over him the while to Jove and to all
the gods。 〃Jove；〃 he cried； 〃grant that this my child may be even
as myself； chief among the Trojans； let him be not less excellent
in strength； and let him rule Ilius with his might。 Then may one
say of him as he es from battle； 'The son is far better than
the father。' May he bring back the blood…stained spoils of him
whom he has laid low； and let his mother's heart be glad。〃
With this he laid the child again in the arms of his wife； who
took him to her own soft bosom； smiling through her tears。 As her
husband watched her his heart yearned towards her and he caressed
her fondly； saying； 〃My own wife； do not take these things too
bitterly to heart。 No one can hurry me down to Hades before my
time； but if a man's hour is e； be he brave or be he coward；
there is no escape for him when he has once been born。 Go； then；
within the house； and busy yourself with your daily duties； your
loom； your distaff； and the ordering of your servants； for war is
man's matter； and mine above all others of them that have been
born in Ilius。〃
He took his plumed helmet from the ground； and his wife went back
again to her house； weeping bitterly and often looking back
towards him。 When she reached her home she found her maidens
within； and bade them all join in her lament； so they mourned
Hector in his own house though he was yet alive； for they deemed
that they should never see him return safe from battle； and from
the furious hands of the Achaeans。
Paris did not remain long in his house。 He donned his goodly
armour overlaid with bronze； and hasted through the city as fast
as his feet could take him。 As a horse； stabled and fed； breaks
loose and gallops gloriously over the plain to the place where he
is wont to bathe in the fair…flowing riverhe holds his head
high； and his mane streams upon his shoulders as he exults in his
strength and flies like the wind to the haunts and feeding ground
of the mareseven so went forth Paris from high Pergamus；
gleaming like sunlight in his armour； and he laughed aloud as he
sped swiftly on his way。 Forthwith he came upon his brother
Hector； who was then turning away from the place where he had
held converse with his wife； and he was himself the first to
speak。 〃Sir；〃 said he； 〃I fear that I have kept you waiting when
you are in haste； and have not e as quickly as you bade me。〃
〃My good brother；〃 answered Hector； 〃you fight bravely； and no
man with any justice can make light of your doings in battle。 But
you are careless and wilfully remiss。 It grieves me to the heart
to hear the ill that the Trojans speak about you； for they have
suffered much on your account。 Let us be going； and we will make
things right hereafter； should Jove vouchsafe us to set the cup
of our deliverance before ever…living gods of heaven in our own
homes； when we have chased the Achaeans from Troy。〃
BOOK VII
Hector and Ajax fightHector is getting worsted when night
es on and parts themThey exchange presentsThe
burial of the dead； and the building of a wall round their
ships by the AchaeansThe Achaeans buy their wine of
Agamemnon and Menelaus。
WITH these words Hector passed through the gates； and his brother
Alexandrus with him； both eager for the fray。 As when heaven
sends a breeze to sailors who have long looked for one in vain；
and have laboured at their oars till they are faint with toil；
even so wele was the sight of these two heroes to the Trojans。
Thereon Alexandrus killed Menesthius the son of Areithous； he
lived in Arne； and was son of Areithous the Mace…man； and of
Phylomedusa。 Hector threw a spear at Eioneus and struck him dead
with a wound in the neck under the bronze rim of his helmet。
Glaucus； moreover； son of Hippolochus； captain of the Lycians； in
hard hand…to…hand fight smote Iphinous son of Dexius on the
shoulder； as he was springing on to his chariot behind his fleet
mares； so he fell to earth from the car； and there was no life
left in him。
When； therefore； Minerva saw these men making havoc of the
Argives； she darted down to Ilius from the summits of Olympus；
and Apollo； who was looking on from Pergamus； went out to meet
her； for he wanted the Trojans to be victorious。 The pair met by
the oak tree； and King Apollo son of Jove was first to speak。
〃What would you have〃； said he； 〃daughter of great Jove； that
your proud spirit has sent you hither from Olympus？ Have you no
pity upon the Trojans； and would you incline the scales of
victory in favour of the Danaans？ Let me persuade youfor it
will be better thusstay the bat for to…day； but let them
renew the fight hereafter till they pass the doom of Ilius；
since you goddesses have made up your minds to destroy the city。〃
And Minerva answered； 〃So be it； Far…Darter； it was in this mind
that I came down from Olympus to the Trojans and Achaeans。 Tell
me； then； how do you propose to end this present fighting？〃
Apollo； son of Jove； replied； 〃Let us incite great Hector to
challenge some one of the Danaans in single bat； on this the
Achaeans will be shamed into finding a man who will fight him。〃
Minerva assented； and Helenus son of Priam divined the counsel of
the gods； he therefore went up to Hector and said； 〃Hector son of
Priam； peer of gods in counsel； I am your brother； let me then
persuade you。 Bid the other Trojans and Achaeans all of them take
their seats； and challenge the best man among the Achaeans to
meet you in single bat。 I have heard the voice of the
ever…living gods； and the hour of your doom is not yet e。〃
Hector was glad when he heard this saying； and went in among the
Trojans； grasping his spear by the middle to hold them back； and
they all sat down。 Agamemnon also bade the Achaeans be seated。
But Minerva and Apollo； in the likeness of vultures； perched on
father Jove's high oak tree； proud of their men； and the ranks
sat