thy hair, and thy figure avail thee, when thou shalt
be mingled with the dust.[147] But the Trojans are very pusillanimous;
else wouldst thou have been arrayed in a garment of stone, on account of
the evils which thou hast done." [148]

Him then godlike Alexander in turn addressed: "Hector, since thou hast
reproached me justly, and not unjustly, [I will submit]. Ever is thy
spirit unwearied, like an axe, which penetrates the wood, [driven] by
the man who with art cuts out the naval plank, and it increases the
force of the man: so in thy breast is there an intrepid heart. Reproach
me not with the lovely gifts of golden Venus: the distinguished gifts of
the gods are by no means to be rejected, whatever indeed they give; for
no one can choose them at his own pleasure. Now, however, if thou
desirest me to wage war and to fight, cause the other Trojans and all
the Greeks to sit down, but match me and Mars-beloved Menelaus to
contend in the midst for Helen and all the treasures. And whichever of
us shall conquer, and shall be superior, having received all the
treasures without reserve, and the woman, let him conduct them home. But
let the rest of you, striking a friendship and faithful league, inhabit
fertile Troy; and let them return to the steed-nourishing Argos, and
fair-damed Achaia."

[Footnote 146: [Greek: Dys] here denotes the evils which fatally
resulted to Paris and his friends (so [Greek: dyselenas],
"baleful Helen," Eur. Or. 1388. Cf. AEsch. Ag. 689, sqq.) in
consequence of his having been preserved, despite the omens
attending his birth. See Hygin. Fab. xci. Hence the Schol. on Il.
x. i. 96, derive his name of Paris, [Greek: oti ton monon pao
paoelthen].]

[Footnote 147: Cf. Hor. Od. i. 15, 13:--

"Nequicquam, Veneris praesidio ferox,
Pectes caesariem, grataque feminis
Imbelli cithara carmina divides: . . .
. . . tamen, heu! sorus adulteros
Crines pulvere collines."]

[Footnote 148: _I. e._ thou wouldst have been stoned to death.]

Thus he spoke, but Hector on the other hand rejoiced greatly, having
heard his speech; and having advanced into the centre, holding his spear
by the middle, he restrained the phalanxes of the Trojans, and they all
sat down. Against him the waving-haired Achaeans were directing their
bows, and taking aim, were going to hurl with shafts and with stones.
But Agamemnon, he,[149] the king of men, e