Each leans, his long spear planted at his side. Paris and Menelaus, warrior bold, With quivering lances shall contend for thee, And thou art his who conquers; his for ever. So saying, the Goddess into Helen’s soul160 Sweetest desire infused to see again Her former Lord, her parents, and her home. At once o’ermantled with her snowy veil She started forth, and as she went let fall A tender tear; not unaccompanied165 She went, but by two maidens of her train Attended, Æthra, Pittheus’ daughter fair, And soft-eyed Clymene. Their hasty steps Convey’d them quickly to the Scæan gate. There Priam, Panthous, Clytius, Lampus sat,170 Thymoetes, Hicetaon, branch of Mars, Antenor and Ucalegon the wise, All, elders of the people; warriors erst, But idle now through age, yet of a voice Still indefatigable as the fly’s[10]175 Which perch’d among the boughs sends forth at noon Through all the grove his slender ditty sweet. Such sat those Trojan leaders on the tower, Who, soon as Helen on the steps they saw, In accents quick, but whisper’d, thus remark’d.180 Trojans and Grecians wage, with fair excuse, Long war for so much beauty.[11] Oh, how like In feature to the Goddesses above! Pernicious loveliness! Ah, hence away, Resistless as thou art and all divine,185 Nor leave a curse to us, and to our sons. So they among themselves; but Priam call’d Fair Helen to his side.[12] My daughter dear! Come, sit beside me. Thou shalt hence discern Thy former Lord, thy kindred and thy friends.190 I charge no blame on thee. The Gods have caused, Not thou, this lamentable war to Troy.[13] Name to me yon Achaian Chief for bulk Conspicuous, and for port. Taller indeed I may perceive than he; but with these eyes195 Saw never yet such dignity, and grace. Declare his name. Some royal Chief he seems. To whom thus Helen, loveliest of her sex, My other Sire! by me for ever held In reverence, and with filial fear beloved!200 Oh that some cruel death had been my choice, Rather than to abandon, as I did, All joys domestic, matrimonial bliss, Brethren, dear daughter, and companions dear, A wanderer with thy son. Yet I alas!205 Died not, and therefore now, live but to weep. But I resolve thee. Thou behold’st the son Of Atreus, Agamemnon, mighty king, In arms heroic, gracious in the throne, And, (though it shame me now to call him such,)210 By nuptial ties a brother once to me. Then him the ancient King-admiring, said. Oh blest Atrides, happy was thy birth, And thy lot glorious, whom this gallant host So numerous, of the sons of Greece obey!215 To vine-famed Phrygia, in my days of youth, I journey’d; many Phrygians there I saw, Brave horsemen, and expert; they were the powers Of Otreus and of Mygdon, godlike Chief, And on the banks of Sangar’s stream encamp’d.220 I march’d among them, chosen in that war Ally of Phrygia, and it was her day Of conflict with the man-defying race, The Amazons; yet multitudes like these Thy bright-eyed Greeks, I saw not even there.225