ess hosts advanced, to meet each other in deadly
conflict, the Trojans marched with noisy shouts, like the clamor of the
cranes, when they fly to the streams of Oceanus, in the early morning,
screaming, and bringing death and destruction to the Pigmy men; but the
Achaieans came on in silence, breathing dauntless courage.

But when they came near to each other, the goodly Paris went before the
front rank of the Trojans, and brandished his spear, and challenged all
the Argive chiefs to single combat. When the warlike Menelaus, whom Paris
had so deeply wronged by carrying off his wife, the beautiful Helen, saw
Paris there, he was glad, thinking that he should now punish the false
traitor for his wickedness. So he leaped from his chariot, in his clanging
armor, and advanced to meet the challenger. And Paris saw him; and pale
fear got hold of him, like to a man who has trodden on a serpent, in a
wooded valley among the mountains; and he shrank back among the lordly
Trojans.

His brother Hector saw him, and reproached him with scornful words. "Base
deceiver of women, beautiful in appearance and favor, but coward at heart!
would that thou hadst never been born, or that thou hadst died unwedded!
Now thou seest what kind of man is he, whose lovely wife thou hast carried
off by stealth. Of no avail will be thy sounding lyre, thy beauteous face
and curling hair, or all the gifts of golden Venus, when thou liest
groveling in the dust."

And the goodly Paris answered him, "Hector, thou rightly chidest me, and
not more than I deserve. _Thy_ heart is ever undaunted, and keen as the
axe, which cutteth the strong oak, in the hands of a skillful shipwright.
But reproach me not for the lovely gifts of golden Aphrodite; for no man
can obtain them by wishing for them, for they are among the precious gifts
of the blessed Gods. But if thou desirest that I should do battle with the
valiant Menelaus, make the Trojans and the Achaians sit down; and set me
and Menelaus in the midst, to fight for Helen and for all the treasures
which were taken away with her. And whichever of us twain shall be the
victor, let him bear away the woman and the treasure, and take them home."

So spake he, and they all kept silence; but Menelaus of the loud war-cry
stood forward amongst the Greeks and made harangue, "Hearken now to me,
for my heart hath endured the greatest grief. Whosoever of us twain shall
fall, there let him lie. But now bring a goodly sacrifice,