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　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　house…　many　a　knight　is　fain　to　bear　it；
  but　the　king　keeps　it　as　an　ornament　of　which　both　horse　and　driver
  may　be　proud…　even　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　comrades
  made　moan　in　concert。　〃Dear　brother；　〃he　cried；　〃I　have　been　the　death
  of　you　in　pledging　this　covenant　and　letting　you　come　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　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　come　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　come　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　come　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
  middle　of　the　ring　and　at　once　drew　the　arrow　from　the　belt；　bending
  its　barbs　back　through　the　force　with　which　he　pulled　it　out。　He　undid
  the　burnished　belt；　and　beneath　this　the　cuirass　and　the　belt　of
  mail　which　the　bronze…smiths　had　made；　then；　when　he　had　seen　the
  wound；　he　wiped　away　the　blood　and　applied　some　soothing　drugs　which
  Chiron　had　given　to　Aesculapius　out　of　the　good　will　he　bore　him。
  While　they　were　thus　busy　about　Menelaus；　the　Trojans　came　forward
  against　them；　for　they　had　put　on　their　armour；　and　now　renewed　the
  fight。
  You　would　not　have　then　found　Agamemnon　asleep　nor　cowardly　and
  unwilling　to　fight；　but　eager　rather　for　the　fray。　He　left　his　chariot
  rich　with　bronze　and　his　panting　steeds　in　charge　of　Eurymedon；　son　of
  Ptolemaeus　the　son　of　Peiraeus；　and　bade　him　hold　them　in　readiness
  against　the　time　his　limbs　should　weary　of　going　about　and　giving
  orders　to　so　many；　for　he　went　among　the　ranks　on　foot。　When　he　saw
  men　hasting　to　the　front　he　stood　by　them　and　cheered　them　on。
  〃Argives；〃　said　he；　〃slacken　not　one　whit　in　your　onset；　father　Jove
  will　be　no　helper　of　liars；　the　Trojans　have　been　the　first　to　break
  their　oaths　and　to　attack　us；　therefore　they　shall　be　devoured　of
  vultures；　we　shall　take　their　city　and　carry　off　their　wives　and
  children　in　our　ships。〃
  But　he　angrily　rebuked　those　whom　he　saw　shirking　and　disinclined　to
  fight。　〃Argives；〃　he　cried；　〃cowardly　miserable　creatures；　have　you　no
  shame　to　stand　here　like　frightened　fawns　who；　when　they　can　no　longer
  scud　over　the　plain；　huddle　together；　but　show　no　fight？　You　are　as
  dazed　and　spiritless　as　deer。　Would　you　wait　till　the　Trojans　reach
  the　sterns　of　our　ships　as　they　lie　on　the　shore；　to　see；　whether
  the　son　of　Saturn　will　hold　his　hand　over　you　to　protect　you？〃
  Thus　did　he　go　about　giving　his　orders　among　the　ranks。　Passing
  through　the　crowd；　he　came　presently　on　the　Cretans；　arming　round
  Idomeneus；　who　was　at　their　head；　fierce　as　a　wild　boar；　while
  Meriones　was　bringing　up　the　battalions　that　were　in　the　rear。
  Agamemnon　was　glad　when　he　saw　him；　and　spoke　him　fairly。　〃Idomeneus；〃
  said　he；　〃I　treat　you　with　greater　distinction　than　I　do　any　others　of
  the　Achaeans；　whether　in　war　or　in　other　things；　or　at　table。　When　the
  princes　are　mixing　my　choicest　wines　in　the　mixing…bowls；　they　have
  each　of　them　a　fixed　allowance；　but　your　cup　is　kept　always　full
  like　my　own；　that　you　may　drink　whenever　you　are　minded。　Go；
  therefore；　into　battle；　and　show　yourself　the　man　you　have　been　always
  proud　to　be。〃
  Idomeneus　answered；　〃I　will　be　a　trusty　comrade；　as　I　promised　you
  from　the　first　I　would　be。　Urge　on　the　other　Achaeans；　that　we　may
  join　battle　at　once；　for　the　Trojans　have　trampled　upon　their
  covenants。　Death　and　destruction　shall　be　theirs；　seeing　they　have
  been　the　first　to　break　their　oaths　and　to　attack　us。〃
  The　son　of　Atreus　went　on；　glad　at　heart；　till　he　came　upon　the
  two　Ajaxes　arming　themselves　amid　a　host　of　foot…soldiers。　As　when　a
  goat…herd　from　some　high　post　watches　a　storm　drive　over　the　deep
  before　the　west　wind…　black　as　pitch　is　the　offing　and　a　mighty
  whirlwind　draws　towards　him；　so　that　he　is　afraid　and　drives　his　flock
  into　a　cave…　even　thus　did　the　ranks　of　stalwart　youths　move　in　a　dark
  mass　to　battle　under　the　Ajaxes；　horrid　with　shield　and　spear。　Glad
  was　King　Agamemnon　when　he　saw　them。　〃No　need；〃　he　cried；　〃to　give
  orders　to　such　leaders　of　the　Argives　as　you　are；　for　of　your　own
  selves　you　spur　your　men　on　to　fight　with　might　and　main。　Would；　by
  father　Jove；　Minerva；　and　Apollo　that　all　were　so　minded