tly distinguished himself in a
contest with his unknown brothers, Hector and Deiphobus, that the proud
young princes, enraged that an obscure shepherd should snatch from them the
prize of victory, were about to create a disturbance, when Cassandra, who
had been a spectator of the proceedings, stepped forward, and announced to
them that the humble peasant who had so signally defeated them was their
own {285} brother Paris. He was then conducted to the presence of his
parents, who joyfully acknowledged him as their child; and amidst the
festivities and rejoicings in honour of their new-found son the ominous
prediction of the past was forgotten.

As a proof of his confidence, the king now intrusted Paris with a somewhat
delicate mission. As we have already seen in the Legend of Heracles, that
great hero conquered Troy, and after killing king Laomedon, carried away
captive his beautiful daughter Hesione, whom he bestowed in marriage on his
friend Telamon. But although she became princess of Salamis, and lived
happily with her husband, her brother Priam never ceased to regret her
loss, and the indignity which had been passed upon his house; and it was
now proposed that Paris should be equipped with a numerous fleet, and
proceed to Greece in order to demand the restoration of the king's sister.

Before setting out on this expedition, Paris was warned by Cassandra
against bringing home a wife from Greece, and she predicted that if he
disregarded her injunction he would bring inevitable ruin upon the city of
Troy, and destruction to the house of Priam.

Under the command of Paris the fleet set sail, and arrived safely in
Greece. Here the young Trojan prince first beheld Helen, the daughter of
Zeus and Leda, and sister of the Dioscuri, who was the wife of Menelaus,
king of Sparta, and the loveliest woman of her time. The most renowned
heroes in Greece had sought the honour of her hand; but her stepfather,
Tyndareus, king of Sparta, fearing that if he bestowed her in marriage on
one of her numerous lovers he would make enemies of the rest, made it a
stipulation that all suitors should solemnly swear to assist and defend the
successful candidate, with all the means at their command, in any feud
which might hereafter arise in connection with the marriage. He at length
conferred the hand of Helen upon Menelaus, a warlike prince, devoted to
martial exercises and the pleasures of the chase, to whom he resigned his
throne and kingdom.