s wife went with him.

Thus they laid themselves on the bed together; but the son of Atreus
strode among the throng, looking everywhere for Alexandrus, and no man,
neither of the Trojans nor of the allies, could find him. If they had
seen him they were in no mind to hide him, for they all of them hated
him as they did death itself. Then Agamemnon, king of men, spoke,
saying, "Hear me, Trojans, Dardanians, and allies. The victory has been
with Menelaus; therefore give back Helen with all her wealth, and pay
such fine as shall be agreed upon, in testimony among them that shall
be born hereafter."

Thus spoke the son of Atreus, and the Achaeans shouted in applause.

BOOK IV

A quarrel in Olympus--Minerva goes down and persuades Fandarus
to violate the oaths by wounding Menelaus with an arrow--Agamemnon
makes a speech and sends for Machaon--He then
goes about among his captains and upbraids Ulysses and
Sthenelus, who each of them retort fiercely--Diomed checks
Sthenelus, and the two hosts then engage, with great slaughter
on either side.

Now the gods were sitting with Jove in council upon the golden floor
while Hebe went round pouring out nectar for them to drink, and as they
pledged one another in their cups of gold they looked down upon the
town of Troy. The son of Saturn then began to tease Juno, talking at
her so as to provoke her. "Menelaus," said he, "has two good friends
among the goddesses, Juno of Argos, and Minerva of Alalcomene, but they
only sit still and look on, while Venus keeps ever by Alexandrus' side
to defend him in any danger; indeed she has just rescued him when he
made sure that it was all over with him--for the victory really did lie
with Menelaus. We must consider what we shall do about all this; shall
we set them fighting anew or make peace between them? If you will agree
to this last Menelaus can take back Helen and the city of Priam may
remain still inhabited."

Minerva and Juno muttered their discontent as they sat side by side
hatching mischief for the Trojans. Minerva scowled at her father, for
she was in a furious passion with him, and said nothing, but Juno could
not contain herself. "Dread son of Saturn," said she, "what, pray, is
the meaning of all this? Is my trouble, then, to go for nothing, and
the sweat that I have sweated, to say nothing of my horses, while
getting the people together against Priam and his children? Do as you
will, but we other gods shall not