left the field? Do the Achaians press thee hard? Dost thou
come to make prayers to Father Zeus, from the Citadel? But come, I will
bring thee honey-sweet wine, that thou mayest pour out a libation to
Almighty Zeus, the Son of Cronos, and refresh thyself with a draught."

But Hector answered her, "Bring me no luscious wine, dear mother! lest
thou rob me of my strength and courage. Nor dare I make a libation to
Zeus, with hands unwashen and soiled with blood. But go thou to the Temple
of Athene, driver of the spoil; and lay the finest robe, the most precious
to thyself, upon her knees; and vow to sacrifice twelve fat kine to her;
and beg her to have mercy on the Trojans, and on their wives and little
children! So, perhaps, she will hold back the terrible warrior, Tydides,
from sacred Ilium. And I will go and seek out Paris; would that the earth
would swallow him up! for Zeus hath cherished him to be the bane of his
country, and of his father Priam."

Then Hecuba went to her ambrosial chamber, and took the finest of her
embroidered robes, the work of Sidonian women, which shone like a star;
and went, with other aged women, to the temple of Athene. And the
fair-cheeked Theano, daughter of Kisseus, the priestess, wife of Antenor,
opened the temple gates, and took the shining robe, and laid it upon
Athene's knees, and prayed to the great daughter of Zeus. But the goddess
did not grant her prayer.

But Hector went his way to the fair palace of Paris, and found him in his
chamber, polishing his beautiful armor, and proving his curved bow. Then,
when Hector saw him, he reproached him with bitter words. "O thou strange
man! thou dost not well to nurse thy spite against the Trojans, who are
now perishing before the city, and all for thy sake! Rise, then, now, lest
the city be burned with fire!"

And the goodly Paris answered, "It is not so much by reason of my wrath
against the Trojans, but I would fain indulge my sorrow. My wife, too,
hath urged me to the battle. Tarry then awhile, and I will don my armor;
or go thou before, and I will follow."

Then the divine Helen, daughter of great Zeus, came and spoke gently to
Hector, and said, "O brother! brother of vile _me_, who am a dog--would
that, when my mother bare me, the storm-wind had snatched me away to a
mountain, or a billow of the loud-roaring sea had swept me away, before
all these evil things had befallen me! Would that I had been mated with a
better man than Paris, wh