r to choose one of the suitors, toward whom the friendly gales
of Venus might impel her. But she chose (whom would she had never taken!)
Menelaus. And he who, according to the story told by men, once judged the
Goddesses, coming from Phrygia to Lacedaemon, flowered in the vesture of his
garments, and glittering with gold, barbarian finery, loving Helen who
loved him, he stole and bore her away to the bull-stalls of Ida, having
found Menelaus abroad. But he, goaded hastily[6] through Greece, calls to
witness the old oath given to Tyndarus, that it behooves to assist the
aggrieved. Henceforth the Greeks hastening with the spear, having taken
their arms, come to this Aulis with its narrow straits, with ships and
shields together, and accoutred with many horses and chariots. And they
chose me general of the host, out of regard for Menelaus, being his brother
forsooth. And would that some other than I had obtained the dignity. But
when the army was assembled and levied, we sat, having no power of sailing,
at Aulis. But Calchas the seer proclaimed to us, being at a loss, that we
should sacrifice Iphigenia, whom I begat, to Diana, who inhabits this
place, and that if we sacrificed her, we should have both our voyage, and
the sacking of Troy, but that this should not befall us if we did not
sacrifice her. But I hearing this in rousing proclamation, bade Talthybius
dismiss the whole army, as I should never have the heart to slay my
daughter. Upon this, indeed, my brother, alleging every kind of reasoning,
persuaded me to dare the dreadful deed, and having written in the folds of
a letter, I sent word to my wife to send her daughter as if to be married
to Achilles, both enlarging on the dignity of the man, and asserting that
he would not sail with the Greeks, unless a wife for him from among us
should come to Phthia. For I had this means of persuading my wife, having
made up a pretended match for the virgin. But we alone of the Greeks know
how these matters are, Calchas, Ulysses, and Nestor. But the things which I
then determined not well, I am now differently writing so as to be well, in
this letter, which by the shadow of night thou beheldest me opening and
closing, old man. But come, go thou, taking these letters, to Argos. But as
to what the letter conceals in its folds, I will tell thee in words all
that is written therein; for thou art faithful to my wife and house.

OLD M. Speak, and tell me, that with my tongue I may also sa