“Then Priam’s daughter, Cassandra, who had the gift of prophecy, cried out, ’Oh, blind of eye and heart, that you cannot see in this young shepherd the child whom you sent to sleep the sleep of death on Ida’s wooded slopes!’

“And so it came about, that Paris was taken into his father’s house, and given the place of honor which was his by right.  And he forgot Oenone, his fair young wife, and left her to pine in loneliness among the woods and in the narrow dells of sunny Ida.”

HESIONE

Related by Menelaus[1]

With troubled brow and anxious heart, Menelaus sat in Nestor’s halls, and told the story of his wrongs.  Behind him stood his brother, Agamemnon, tall and strong, and with eye and forehead like mighty Zeus.  Before him, seated on a fair embroidered couch, was the aged Nestor, listening with eager ears.  Close by his feet two heroes sat:  on this side, Antilochus, the valiant son of Nestor; and on that, sage Palamedes, prince of Euboea’s distant shores.  The last had just arrived, and had not learned the errand that had brought Menelaus hither.

“Tell again the story of your visit to Troy,” said Nestor.  “Our guest, good Palamedes, would fain hear it; and I doubt not that he may be of service in your cause.  Tell us the whole story, for we would all know more about the famous city and its kingly rulers.”

Then Menelaus began once more at the beginning.

THE STORY

There is no need that I should speak of my long voyage to Troy, or of the causes which persuaded me to undertake it.  When I drew near the lofty walls of the city, and through the gate, which is called Scaean, could see the rows of stately dwellings and the busy market-place and the crowds of people, I stopped there in wonder, hesitating to venture farther.

Then I sent a herald to the gate, who should make known my name and lineage and the errand upon which I had come; but I waited without in the shade of a spreading beech, not far from the towering wall.  Before me stood the mighty city; behind me the fertile plain sloped gently to the sea; on my right hand flowed the sparkling waters of the river Scamander; while much farther, and on the other side, the wooded peak of Ida lifted itself toward the clouds.

But I had not long to view this scene; for a noble company of men led by Paris himself, handsome as Apollo, came out of the gate to welcome me.  With words of greeting from the king, they bade me enter within the walls.  They led me through the Scaean gate and along the well-paved streets, until we came, at last, to King Priam’s hall.

It was a splendid house with broad doorways and polished porticos, and marble columns richly carved.  Within were fifty chambers, joining one another, all walled with polished stone; in these abode the fifty sons of Priam with their wedded wives.  On the other side, and opening into the court, were twelve chambers built for his daughters; while over all were the sleeping-rooms for that noble household, and around were galleries and stairways leading to the king’s great hall below.