The Trojan War by Bernard Evslin Read Free Book Online Page A

depart on your black ships in honor and in peace.”
    There was a great clamor of joyful shouting on both sides. It was clear that Hector’s proposal met with general favor from Trojan and Greek alike. Ulysses saw Agamemnon frown, and knew that the hasty general was about to refuse Hector’s offer, and order a charge. Ulysses went swiftly to Agamemnon, and whispered: “Agree … agree … We’ll have general mutiny if you refuse. And the end will be the same. The oracle has decreed that Troy must fall, and fall she must, for the voice of the oracle is the promise of the gods. But for now, agree to the truce. There is nothing else to do.”
    Therefore, Agamemnon answered, saying: “Well spoken, Hector. Let our brothers fight.”
    Hector stepped out between the armies, holding his helmet in his hand. In the helmet were two pebbles, a rough one for Menelaus, a smooth one for Paris. He shook his helmet; one pebble jumped out—the smooth one. A groan went up from the Greek lines because this meant that Paris would cast the first spear. The Trojans cheered wildly.
    Paris danced out into the space between the armies. Menelaus shuffled forward to meet him, covering himself with his bullhide shield. Paris came, all glittering bronze, poising two bronze-headed spears. He stopped about twenty paces from his enemy and hurled his spear. Its point hit the iron boss of Menelaus’ shield and fell to earth. Now the Trojans groaned and the Greeks cheered. Menelaus immediately hurled his spear with tremendous force. It hummed venomously through the air, and sheared through the Trojan’s shield. Paris ducked aside and the spearhead only nicked his shoulder. Before he could recover, Menelaus was upon him hacking away with his axe. Paris tried to back away but Menelaus allowed him no time to recover. Menelaus raised his axe high and smote the Trojan’s horse-plume helmet. Paris staggered but the axe-head shattered into three pieces.
    “Cruel Zeus!” cried Menelaus. “First you raise my hopes by allowing me to close with the falsehearted homebreaker. Then when he is in my grasp you save him from my spear; you break my axe—leave me weaponless. But I have weapons still—these two good hands you gave me before you gave me sword and spear—and they are enough to do the beautiful murder I have dreamed of for nine long years.”
    He grasped Paris by the crest of his helmet, swung him off his feet, and began to drag him back toward the Greek lines. Paris struggled helplessly; his legs were dragging, the chinstrap of his helmet dug into his throat, strangling him.
    But Aphrodite could not bear to see her favorite being manhandled. Making herself invisible she flew down from Olympus, broke the chinstrap of his helmet and snatched him away, leaving the raging Menelaus with an empty helmet in his hands.
    Paris felt himself translated into paradise. Instead of strangling beneath his enemy’s hands he was lying snug as a babe in Aphrodite’s arms, cuddled against her breast. The goddess kept herself invisible as the wind but he recognized her by her intoxicating scent—which was honey and baking bread. Aphrodite flew over the Trojan wall, past the painted wooden houses and the marble temple, to Priam’s castle. She flew through a casement and deposited Paris in his own bed. Then, still invisible, she kissed him into a healing sleep.
    Down on the battlefield the disappearance of Paris had ignited angry confusion. Trojan and Greek began a shifting and muttering but no one was quite sure what had happened. Agamemnon then stepped between the lines, raising his arms for silence.
    Honorable Hector, Trojans, all—I declare my brother Menelaus, King of Sparta, the victor in the single combat we agreed was to decide the war. To this you must submit since your champion Paris has vanished and Menelaus holds the field. Therefore, Helen must be returned to us, and the entire cost of our expedition must be paid by you, plus a huge and fitting