Helen

Created by Jijith Nadumuri at 21 Sep 2011 15:11 and updated at 21 Sep 2011 15:11

ILIAD NOUN

ild.02 But Juno said to Minerva, "Alas, daughter of aegis bearing Jove, unweariable, shall the Argives fly home to their own land over the broad sea, and leave Priam and the Trojans the glory of still keeping Helen, for whose sake so many of the Achaeans have died at Troy, far from their homes? Go about at once among the host, and speak fairly to them, man by man, that they draw not their ships into the sea.
ild.02 He had not as yet laid a hand upon his ship, for he was grieved and sorry; so she went close up to him and said, Ulysses", noble son of Laertes, are you going to fling yourselves into your ships and be off home to your own land in this way? Will you leave Priam and the Trojans the glory of still keeping Helen, for whose sake so many of the Achaeans have died at Troy, far from their homes? Go about at once among the host, and speak fairly to them, man by man, that they draw not their ships into the sea.
ild.02 He showed us favourable signs by flashing his lightning on our right hands; therefore let none make haste to go till he has first lain with the wife of some Trojan, and avenged the toil and sorrow that he has suffered for the sake of Helen.
ild.02 Among them went Menelaus himself, strong in zeal, urging his men to fight; for he longed to avenge the toil and sorrow that he had suffered for the sake of Helen.
ild.03 If you would have me do battle with Menelaus, bid the Trojans and Achaeans take their seats, while he and I fight in their midst for Helen and all her wealth.
ild.03 He bids the Trojans and Achaeans lay their armour upon the ground, while he and Menelaus fight in the midst of you for Helen and all her wealth.
ild.03 Meanwhile Iris went to Helen in the form of her sister in law, wife of the son of Antenor, for Helicaon, son of Antenor, had married Laodice, the fairest of Priam s daughters.
ild.03 Thus spoke the Goddess, and Helen s heart yearned after her former husband, her city, and her parents.
ild.03 When they saw Helen coming towards the tower, they said softly to one another, "Small wonder that Trojans and Achaeans should endure so much and so long, for the sake of a Woman so marvellously and divinely lovely.
ild.03 Sir"," answered Helen, "father of my husband, dear and reverend in my eyes, would that I had chosen death rather than to have come here with your son, far from my bridal chamber, my friends, my darling daughter, and all the companions of my girlhood.
ild.03 And Helen answered, "He is Ulysses, a man of great craft, son of Laertes.
ild.03 "That," answered Helen, "is huge Ajax, bulwark of the Achaeans, and on the other side of him, among the Cretans, stands Idomeneus looking like a God, and with the captains of the Cretans round him.
ild.03 Alexandrus and Menelaus are to fight for Helen in single combat, that she and all her wealth may go with him who is the victor.
ild.03 If Alexandrus kills Menelaus, let him keep Helen and all her wealth, while we sail home with our ships; but if Menelaus kills Alexandrus, let the Trojans give back Helen and all that she has; let them moreover pay such fine to the Achaeans as shall be agreed upon, in testimony among those that shall be born hereafter.
ild.03 The others took their several stations, each by his Horses and the place where his arms were lying, while Alexandrus, husband of lovely Helen, put on his goodly armour.
ild.03 Then she went to call Helen, and found her on a high tower with the Trojan Women crowding round her.
ild.03 With these words she moved the heart of Helen to anger.
ild.03 At this Helen was frightened.
ild.03 When they came to the house of Alexandrus the maid servants set about their work, but Helen went into her own room, and the laughter loving Goddess took a seat and set it for her facing Alexandrus.
ild.03 On this Helen, daughter of aegis bearing Jove, sat down, and with eyes askance began to upbraid her husband.
ild.03 The victory has been with Menelaus; therefore give back Helen with all her wealth, and pay such fine as shall be agreed upon, in testimony among them that shall be born hereafter.
ild.04 We must consider what we shall do about all this; shall we set them fighting anew or make peace between them? If you will agree to this last Menelaus can take back Helen and the city of Priam may remain still inhabited.
ild.04 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.
ild.06 She then went down into her fragrant store room, where her embroidered robes were kept, the work of Sidonian Women, whom Alexandrus had brought over from Sidon when he sailed the seas upon that voyage during which he carried off Helen.
ild.06 He found Alexandrus within the house, busied about his armour, his shield and cuirass, and handling his curved bow; there, too, sat Argive Helen with her Women, setting them their several tasks; and as Hector saw him he rebuked him with words of scorn.
ild.06 Hector made no answer, but Helen tried to soothe him.
ild.06 And Hector answered, "Bid me not be seated, Helen, for all the goodwill you bear me.
ild.07 Let us give up Argive Helen and her wealth to the sons of Atreus, for we are now fighting in violation of our solemn covenants, and shall not prosper till we have done as I say.
ild.07 He then sat down and Alexandrus husband of lovely Helen rose to speak.
ild.07 They all held their peace, but presently Diomed of the loud war cry spoke, saying, "Let there be no taking, neither treasure, nor yet Helen, for even a child may see that the doom of the Trojans is at hand.
ild.08 Alexandrus husband of lovely Helen had hit it with an arrow just on the top of its head where the mane begins to grow away from the skull, a very deadly place.
ild.09 "All these things will I give him now down, and if hereafter the Gods vouchsafe me to sack the city of Priam, let him come when we Achaeans are dividing the spoil, and load his ship with Gold and Bronze to his liking; furthermore let him take Twenty Trojan Women, the loveliest after Helen herself.
ild.09 You can take Twenty Trojan Women, the loveliest after Helen herself.
ild.09 Why, pray, must the Argives needs fight the Trojans? What made the son of Atreus gather the host and bring them? Was it not for the sake of Helen? Are the sons of Atreus the only men in the world who love their wives? Any man of common right feeling will love and cherish her who is his own, as I this Woman, with my whole heart, though she was but a fruitling of my spear.
ild.11 It was Antimachus who had been foremost in preventing Helen s being restored to Menelaus, for he was largely bribed by Alexandrus; and now Agamemnon took his two sons, both in the same Chariot, trying to bring their Horses to a stand for they had lost hold of the reins and the Horses were mad with fear.
ild.11 As he spoke he began stripping the spoils from the son of Paeon, but Alexandrus husband of lovely Helen aimed an arrow at him, leaning against a pillar of the monument which men had raised to Ilus son of Dardanus, a ruler in days of old.
ild.11 Among these Hector was making great slaughter with his spear and furious driving, and was destroying the ranks that were opposed to him; still the Achaeans would have given no ground, had not Alexandrus husband of lovely Helen stayed the prowess of Machaon shepherd of his people, by wounding him in the right shoulder with a triple barbed arrow.
ild.13 When they heard his voice they all hastened to gather round Polydamas the excellent son of Panthous, but Hector kept on among the foremost, looking everywhere to find Deiphobus and prince Helenus, Adamas son of Asius, and Asius son of Hyrtacus; living, indeed, and scatheless he could no longer find them, for the two last were lying by the sterns of the Achaean ships, slain by the Argives, while the others had been also stricken and wounded by them; but upon the left wing of the dread battle he found Alexandrus, husband of lovely Helen, cheering his men and urging them on to fight.
ild.19 Grief greater than this I could not know, not even though I were to hear of the death of my father, who is now in Phthia weeping for the loss of me his son, who am here fighting the Trojans in a strange land for the accursed sake of Helen, nor yet though I should hear that my son is no more he who is being brought up in Scyros if indeed Neoptolemus is still living.
ild.22 What, again, if were to lay down my shield and helmet, lean my spear against the wall and go straight up to noble Achilles? What if I were to promise to give up Helen, who was the fountainhead of all this war, and all the treasure that Alexandrus brought with him in his ships to Troy, aye, and to let the Achaeans divide the half of everything that the city contains among themselves? I might make the Trojans, by the mouths of their princes, take a solemn oath that they would hide nothing, but would divide into two shares all that is within the city but why argue with myself in this way? Were I to go up to him he would show me no kind of mercy; he would kill me then and there as easily as though I were a Woman, when I had off my armour.
ild.24 Thus did she too speak through her tears with bitter moan, and then Helen for a third time took up the strain of lamentation.

Arise Greece! from thy silent sleep, 2000 years long it is! Forget not, thy ancient culture, beautiful and marvelous it is!

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