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The First Six Books of the Iliad of Homer
The First Six Books of the Iliad of Homer Author:Homer Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THE THIRD BOOK. Argument. THE SINGLE COMBAT BETWEEN MENELAOS AND PARIS. The armies being ready to engage, Hector steps forth, and proposes a single comb... more »at between Menelaos and Paris, the issue of which shall decide the fate of Helen and the conclusion of the war. Iris is sent from Olympos to call Helen to behold the fight, and leads her to the walls, where Priam sat with his counsellors observing the Achaian chiefs on the plain below, to whom Helen gives an account of the principal men among them. The combat ensues, wherein Paris is overcome, but is saved from death by Aphrodite, being snatched away in a cloud, and transported to his home in Troy. The goddess then calls Helen to him from the walls. Agamemnon, on the part of the Achaians, demands the restoration of Helen, and the fulfilment of the terms of the truce. Now when arrayed they stood, each with their leaders, for the fight, With clangs and cries the Trojans rushed, as wild birds in their flight: Just like the clanging sound of cranes, heard in the front of heaven, Which, fleeing from the wintry cold and by the fierce storm driven, Wing on their way to Ocean's streams with shrilly-sounding cry, To warrior Pygmies bearing death and slaughterous destiny, High up in air forth-threatening the deadly strife to wage. But silently marched on the Greeks, their spirits breathing rage, Intent each other to support, and in close rank engage. When spreads along the mountain-tops, borne by the South-west wind, 10 A mist, to robbers dear as night, to shepherds most unkind; So far one sees before him as a sling a stone can cast. So rose beneath their moving feet the eddying dusty blast, As at full march the meeting hosts the battle-field o'erpast. And now when onwards pressed the hosts, nearer and nearer on, Foremost,...« less