tales of troy-第2章

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boarded　with　planks；　or　paved　with　stone：　　it　was　made　of　clay；　for
he　was　a　poor　king　of　small　islands。　　The　cooking　was　coarse：　　a
pig　or　sheep　was　killed；　roasted　and　eaten　immediately。　　We　never
hear　of　boiling　meat；　and　though　people　probably　ate　fish；　we　do
not　hear　of　their　doing　so；　except　when　no　meat　could　be　procured。
Still　some　people　must　have　liked　them；　for　in　the　pictures　that
were　painted　or　cut　in　precious　stones　in　these　times　we　see　the
half…naked　fisherman　walking　home；　carrying　large　fish。

The　people　were　wonderful　workers　of　gold　and　bronze。　　Hundreds　of
their　golden　jewels　have　been　found　in　their　graves；　but　probably
these　were　made　and　buried　two　or　three　centuries　before　the　time
of　Ulysses。　　The　dagger　blades　had　pictures　of　fights　with　lions；
and　of　flowers；　inlaid　on　them；　in　gold　of　various　colours；　and　in
silver；　nothing　so　beautiful　is　made　now。　　There　are　figures　of　men
hunting　bulls　on　some　of　the　gold　cups；　and　these　are　wonderfully
life…like。　　The　vases　and　pots　of　earthenware　were　painted　in
charming　patterns：　　in　short；　it　was　a　splendid　world　to　live　in。

The　people　believed　in　many　Gods；　male　and　female；　under　the　chief
God；　Zeus。　　The　Gods　were　thought　to　be　taller　than　men；　and
immortal；　and　to　live　in　much　the　same　way　as　men　did；　eating；
drinking；　and　sleeping　in　glorious　palaces。　　Though　they　were
supposed　to　reward　good　men；　and　to　punish　people　who　broke　their
oaths　and　were　unkind　to　strangers；　there　were　many　stories　told　in
which　the　Gods　were　fickle；　cruel；　selfish；　and　set　very　bad
examples　to　men。　　How　far　these　stories　were　believed　is　not　sure；
it　is　certain　that　〃all　men　felt　a　need　of　the　Gods；〃　and　thought
that　they　were　pleased　by　good　actions　and　displeased　by　evil。
Yet；　when　a　man　felt　that　his　behaviour　had　been　bad；　he　often
threw　the　blame　on　the　Gods；　and　said　that　they　had　misled　him；
which　really　meant　no　more　than　that　〃he　could　not　help　it。〃

There　was　a　curious　custom　by　which　the　princes　bought　wives　from
the　fathers　of　the　princesses；　giving　cattle　and　gold；　and　bronze
and　iron；　but　sometimes　a　prince　got　a　wife　as　the　reward　for　some
very　brave　action。　　A　man　would　not　give　his　daughter　to　a　wooer
whom　she　did　not　love；　even　if　he　offered　the　highest　price；　at
least　this　must　have　been　the　general　rule；　for　husbands　and　wives
were　very　fond　of　each　other；　and　of　their　children；　and　husbands
always　allowed　their　wives　to　rule　the　house；　and　give　their　advice
on　everything。　　It　was　thought　a　very　wicked　thing　for　a　woman　to
like　another　man　better　than　her　husband；　and　there　were　few　such
wives；　but　among　them　was　the　most　beautiful　woman　who　ever　lived。



THE　WOOING　OF　HELEN　OF　THE　FAIR　HANDS



This　was　the　way　in　which　people　lived　when　Ulysses　was　young；　and
wished　to　be　married。　　The　worst　thing　in　the　way　of　life　was　that
the　greatest　and　most　beautiful　princesses　might　be　taken
prisoners；　and　carried　off　as　slaves　to　the　towns　of　the　men　who
had　killed　their　fathers　and　husbands。　　Now　at　that　time　one　lady
was　far　the　fairest　in　the　world：　　namely；　Helen；　daughter　of　King
Tyndarus。　　Every　young　prince　heard　of　her　and　desired　to　marry
her；　so　her　father　invited　them　all　to　his　palace；　and　entertained
them；　and　found　out　what　they　would　give。　　Among　the　rest　Ulysses
went；　but　his　father　had　a　little　kingdom；　a　rough　island；　with
others　near　it；　and　Ulysses　had　not　a　good　chance。　　He　was　not
tall；　though　very　strong　and　active；　he　was　a　short　man　with　broad
shoulders；　but　his　face　was　handsome；　and；　like　all　the　princes；　he
wore　long　yellow　hair；　clustering　like　a　hyacinth　flower。　　His
manner　was　rather　hesitating；　and　he　seemed　to　speak　very　slowly　at
first；　though　afterwards　his　words　came　freely。　　He　was　good　at
everything　a　man　can　do；　he　could　plough；　and　build　houses；　and
make　ships；　and　he　was　the　best　archer　in　Greece；　except　one；　and
could　bend　the　great　bow　of　a　dead　king；　Eurytus；　which　no　other
man　could　string。　　But　he　had　no　horses；　and　had　no　great　train　of
followers；　and；　in　short；　neither　Helen　nor　her　father　thought　of
choosing　Ulysses　for　her　husband　out　of　so　many　tall；　handsome
young　princes；　glittering　with　gold　ornaments。　　Still；　Helen　was
very　kind　to　Ulysses；　and　there　was　great　friendship　between　them；
which　was　fortunate　for　her　in　the　end。

Tyndarus　first　made　all　the　princes　take　an　oath　that　they　would
stand　by　the　prince　whom　he　chose；　and　would　fight　for　him　in　all
his　quarrels。　　Then　he　named　for　her　husband　Menelaus；　King　of
Lacedaemon。　　He　was　a　very　brave　man；　but　not　one　of　the　strongest；
he　was　not　such　a　fighter　as　the　gigantic　Aias；　the　tallest　and
strongest　of　men；　or　as　Diomede；　the　friend　of　Ulysses；　or　as　his
own　brother；　Agamemnon；　the　King　of　the　rich　city　of　Mycenae；　who
was　chief　over　all　other　princes；　and　general　of　the　whole　army　in
war。　　The　great　lions　carved　in　stone　that　seemed　to　guard　his　city
are　still　standing　above　the　gate　through　which　Agamemnon　used　to
drive　his　chariot。

The　man　who　proved　to　be　the　best　fighter　of　all；　Achilles；　was　not
among　the　lovers　of　Helen；　for　he　was　still　a　boy；　and　his　mother；
Thetis　of　the　silver　feet；　a　goddess　of　the　sea；　had　sent　him　to　be
brought　up　as　a　girl；　among　the　daughters　of　Lycomedes　of　Scyros；
in　an　island　far　away。　　Thetis　did　this　because　Achilles　was　her
only　child；　and　there　was　a　prophecy　that；　if　he　went　to　the　wars；
he　would　win　the　greatest　glory；　but　die　very　young；　and　never　see
his　mother　again。　　She　thought　that　if　war　broke　out　he　would　not
be　found　hiding　in　girl's　dress；　among　girls；　far　away。

So　at　last；　after　thinking　over　the　matter　for　long；　Tyndarus　gave
fair　Helen　to　Menelaus；　the　rich　King　of　Lacedaemon；　and　her　twin
sister　Clytaemnestra；　who　was　also　very　beautiful；　was　given　to
King　Agamemnon；　the　chief　over　all　the　princes。　　They　all　lived
very　happily　together　at　first；　but　not　for　long。

In　the　meantime　King　Tyndarus　spoke　to　his　brother　Icarius；　who　had
a　daughter　named　Penelope。　　She　also　was　very　pretty；　but　not
nearly　so　beautiful　as　her　cousin；　fair　Helen；　and　we　know　that
Penelope　was　not　very　fond　of　her　cousin。　　Icarius；　admiring　the
strength　and　wisdom　of　Ulysses；　gave　him　his　daughter　Penelope　to
be　his　wife；　and　Ulysses　loved　her　very　dearly；　no　man　and　wife
were　ever　dearer　to　each　other。　　They　went　away　together　to　rocky
Ithaca；　and　perhaps　Penelope　was　not　sorry　that　a　wide　sea　lay
between　her　home　and　that　of　Helen；　for　Helen　was　not　only　the
fairest　woman　that　ever　lived　in　the　world；　but　she　was　so　kind　and
gracious　and　charming　that　no　man　could　see　her　without　loving　her。
When　she　was　only　a　child；　the　famous　prince　Theseus；　who　was
famous　in　Greek　Story；　carried　her　away　to　his　own　city　of　Athens；
meaning　to　marry　her　when　she　grew　up；　and　even　at　that　time；　there
was　a　war　for　her　sake；　for　her　brothers　followed　Theseus　with　an
army；　and　fought　him；　and　brought　her　home。

She　had　fairy　gifts；　for　instance；　she　had　a　great　red　jewel；
called　〃the　Star；〃　and　when　she　wore　it　red　drops　seemed　to　fall
from　it　and　vanished　before　they　touched　and　stained　her　white
breastso　white　that　people　called　her　〃the　Daughter　of　the　Swan。〃
She　could　speak　in　the　very　voice　of　any　man　or　woman；　so　folk　also
named　her　Echo；　and　it　was　believed　that　she　could　neither　grow　old
nor　die；　but　would　at　last　pass　away　to　the　Elysian　plain　and　the
world's　end；　where　life　is　easiest　for　men。　　No　snow　comes　thither；
nor　great　storm；　nor　any　rain；　but　always　the　river　of　Ocean　that
rings　round　the　whole　earth　sends　forth　the　west　wind　to　blow　cool
on　the　people　of　King　Rhadamanthus　of　the　fair　hair。　　These　were
some　of　the　stories　that　men　told　of　fair　Helen；　but　Ulysses　was
never　sorry　that　he　had　not　the　fortune　to　marry　her；　so　fond　he
was　of　her　cousin；　his　wife；　Penelope；　who　was　very　wise　and　good。

When　Ulysses　brought　his　wife　home　they　lived；　as　the　custom　was；
in　the　palace　of　his　father；　King　Laertes；　but　Ulysses；　with　his
own　hands；　built　a　chamber　for　Penelope　and　himself。　　There　grew　a
great　olive　tree　in　the　inner　court　of　the　palace；　and　its　stem　was
as　large　as　one　of　the　tall　carved　pillars　of　the　hall。　　Round
about　this　tree　Ulysses　built　the　chamber；　and　finished　it　with
close…set　stones；　and　roofed　it　over；　and　made　close…fastening
doors。　　Then　he　cut　off　all　the　branches　of　the　olive　tree；　and
smoothed　the　trunk；　and　shaped　it　into　the　bed…post；　and　made　the
bedstead　beautiful　with　inlaid　work　of　gold　and　silver　and　ivory。
There　was　no　such　bed　in　Greece；　and　no　man　could　move　it　from　its
place；　and　this　bed　comes　again　into　the　story；　at　the　very　end。

Now　time　went　by；　and　Ulysses　and　Penelope　had　one　son　called
Telemachus；　and　Eurycleia；　who　had　been　his　father's　nurse；　took
care　of　him。　　They　were　all　very　happy；　and　lived　in　peace　in　rocky
Ithaca；　and　Ulysses　looked　after　his　lands；　and　flocks；　and　herds；
and　went　hunting　with　his　dog　Argos；　the　swiftest　of　hounds。



THE　STEALING　OF　HELEN



This　happy　time　did　not　last　long；　and　Telemachus　was　still　a　baby；
when　war　arose；　so　great　and　mighty　and　marvellous　as　had　never
been　known　in　the　world。　　Far　across　the　sea　that　lies　on　the　east
of　Greece；　there　dwelt　the　rich　King　Priam。　　His　town　was　called
Troy；　or　Ilios；　and　it　stood　on　a　hill　near　the　seashore；　where　are
the　straits　of　Hellespont；　between　Europe　and　Asia；　it　was　a　great
city　surrounded　by　strong　walls；　and　its　ruins　are　still　standing。
The　kings　could　make　merchants　who　passed　through　the　straits　pay
toll　to　them；　and　they　had　allies　in　Thrace；　a　part　of　Europe
opposite　Troy；　and　Priam　was　chief　of　all　princes　on　his　side　of
the　sea；　as　Agamemnon　was　chief　king　in　Greece。　　Priam　had　many
beautiful　things；　he　had　a　vine　made　of　gold；　with　golden　leaves
and　clusters；　and　he　had　the　swiftest　horses；　and　many　strong　and
brave　sons；　the　strongest　and　bravest　was　named　Hector；　and　the
youngest　and　most　beautiful　was　named　Paris。

There　was　a　prophecy　that　Priam's　wife　would　give　birth　to　a
burning　torch；　so；　when　Paris　was　born；　Priam　sent　a　servant　to
carry　the　baby　into　a　wild　wood　on　Mount　Ida；　and　leave　him　to　die
or　be　eaten　by　wolves　and　wild　cats。　　The　servant　left　the　child；
but　a　shepherd　found　him；　and　brought　him　up　as　his　own　son。　　The
boy　became　as　beautiful；　for　a　boy；　as　Helen　was　for　a　girl；　and
was　the　best　runner；　and　hunter；　and　archer　among　the　country
people。　　He　was　loved　by　the　beautiful　OEnone；　a　nymphthat　is；　a
kind　of　fairywho　dwelt　in　a　cave　among　the　woods　of　Ida。　　The
Greeks　and　Trojans　believed　in　these　days　that　such　fair　nymphs
haunted　all　beautiful　woodland　places；　and　the　mountains；　and
wells；　and　had　crystal　palaces；　like　mermaids；　beneath　the　waves　of
the　sea。　　These　fairies　were　not　mischievous；　but　gentle　and　kind。
Sometimes　they　married　mortal　men；　and　OEnone　was　the　bride　of
Paris；　and　hoped　to　keep　him　for　her　own　all　the　days　of　his　life。

It　was　believed　that　she　had　the　magical　power　of　healing　wounded
men；　however　sorely　they　were　hurt。　　Paris　and　OEnone　lived　most
happily　together　in　the　forest；　but　one　day；　when　the　servants　of
Priam　had　driven　off　a　beautiful　bull　that　wa