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
  comes　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　come；　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　river…　he　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　mares…　even　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　come　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
  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
  welcome　was　the　sight　of　these　two　heroes　to　the　Trojans。
  Thereon　Alexandrus　killed　Menesthius　the　son　of　Areithous；　he
  lived　in　Ame；　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　you…　for　it　will　be　better　thus…　stay　the　combat　for
  to…day；　but　let　them　renew　the　fight　hereafter　till　they　compass　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　combat；　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　combat。　I　have　heard　the　voice　of　the　ever…living　gods；
  and　the　hour　of　your　doom　is　not　yet　come。〃
  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　close
  ranged　together；　bristling　with　shield　and　helmet　and　spear。　As　when
  the　rising　west　wind　furs　the　face　of　the　sea　and　the　waters　grow　dark
  beneath　it；　so　sat　the　companies　of　Trojans　and　Achaeans　upon　the
  plain。　And　Hector　spoke　thus：…
  〃Hear　me；　Trojans　and　Achaeans；　that　I　may　speak　even　as　I　am
  minded；　Jove　on　his　high　throne　has　brought　our　oaths　and　covenants　to
  nothing；　and　foreshadows　ill　for　both　of　us；　till　you　either　take
  the　towers　of　Troy；　or　are　yourselves　vanquished　at　your　ships。　The
  princes　of　the　Achaeans　are　here　present　in　the　midst　of　you；　let　him；
  then；　that　will　fight　me　stand　forward　as　your　champion　against
  Hector。　Thus　I　say；　and　may　Jove　be　witness　between　us。　If　your
  champion　slay　me；　let　him　strip　me　of　my　armour　and　take　it　to　your
  ships；　but　let　him　send　my　body　home　that　the　Trojans　and　their
  wives　may　give　me　my　dues　of　fire　when　I　am　dead。　In　like　manner；　if
  Apollo　vouchsafe　me　glory　and　I　slay　your　champion；　I　will　strip　him
  of　his　armour　and　take　it　to　the　city　of　Ilius；　where　I　will　hang　it
  in　the　temple　of　Apollo；　but　I　will　give　up　his　body；　that　the
  Achaeans　may　bury　him　at　their　ships；　and　the　build　him　a　mound　by　the
  wide　waters　of　the　Hellespont。　Then　will　one　say　hereafter　as　he　sails
  his　ship　over　the　sea；　'This　is　the　monument　of　one　who　died　long
  since　a　champion　who　was　slain　by　mighty　Hector。'　Thus　will　one　say；
  and　my　fame　shall　not　be　lost。〃
  Thus　did　he　speak；　but　they　all　held　their　peace；　ashamed　to　decline
  the　challenge；　yet　fearing　to　accept　it；　till　at　last　Menelaus　rose
  and　rebuked　them；　for　he　was　angry。　〃Alas；〃　he　cried；　〃vain　braggarts；
  women　forsooth　not　men；　double…dyed　indeed　will　be　the　stain　upon　us
  if　no　man　of　the　Danaans　will　now　face　Hector。　May　you　be　turned　every
  man　of　you　into　earth　and　water　as　you　sit　spiritless　and　inglorious
  in　your　places。　I　will　myself　go　out　against　this　man；　but　the
  upshot　of　the　fight　will　be　from　on　high　in　the　hands　of　the
  immortal　gods。〃
  With　these　words　he　put　on　his　armour；　and　then；　O　Menelaus；　your
  life　would　have　come　to　an　end　at　the　hands　of　hands　of　Hector；　for　he
  was　far　better　the　man；　had　not　the　princes　of　the　Achaeans　sprung
  upon　you　and　checked　you。　King　Agamemnon　caught　him　by　the　right
  hand　and　said；　〃Menelaus；　you　are　mad；　a　truce　to　this　folly。　Be
  patient　in　spite　of　passion；　do　not　think　of　fighting　a　man　so　much
  stronger　than　yourself　as　Hector　son　of　Priam；　who　is　feared　by　many
  another　as　well　as　you。　Even　Achilles；　who　is　far　more　doughty　than
  you　are；　shrank　from　meeting　him　in　battle。　Sit　down　your　own
  people；　and　the　Achaeans　will　send　some　other　champion　to　fight
  Hector；　fearless　and　fond　of　battle　though　he　be；　I　ween　his　knees
  will　bend　gladly　under　him　if　he　comes　out　alive　from　the
  hurly…burly　of　this　fight。〃
  With　these　words　of　reasonable　counsel　he　persuaded　his　brother；
  whereon　his　squires　gladly　stripped　the　armour　from　off　his　shoulders。
  Then　Nestor　rose　and　spoke；　〃Of　a　truth；〃　said　he；　〃the　Achaean　land
  is　fallen　upon　evil　times。　The　old　knig