Hindbad
should dine every day at his table, and receive his golden pieces, so
that all his life he might have reason to remember the adventures of
Sindbad the Sailor.

THE ILIAD OF HOMER

ADAPTED BY JEANIE LANG

I

THE STORY OF WHAT LED TO THE SIEGE OF TROY

In the deep forest that clothes Mount Ida, not far from the strong
city of Troy, Paris, son of King Priam, watched his father's flocks by
night.

Suddenly through the dim woods he saw a light, as if the golden sun
and silver moon shone both together.

And, lo! in the radiance of this light there stood before him the
three fairest of the godesses--queenly Hera, wise Athene, and lovely
Aphrodite.

Like music stealing through the trees came the soft voice of Hera:

"Of all mortal men thou art the most beautiful, Paris, and to thee do
we come for judgment. Tell us which of us is the fairest of all, and
to that one whom thou so deemest, give this golden apple."

So spake Hera, and placed in the hand of Paris an apple of purest
gold.

Again she spake: "If to me, Hera, queen of goddesses, and wife of
mighty Zeus, king of all the gods, thou dost grant the prize of
loveliness, Power immeasurable shall be thine. King shalt thou be of
the lands where the gray dawn rises, and king even to where the red
sun goes down. A hundred peoples shall call thee lord."

She was silent, and the voice of Athene, fair and pure as a silver
moonbeam, broke the stillness of the starless night.

"To me award the prize," she said, "and wise as the gods shalt thou
be. With me as thy friend and guide, all things will be possible to
thee."

Last of all, standing in a rosy light, as of the dawning sunlight in
the spring, spoke Aphrodite.

"What are Power and Wisdom, fair Paris?" she pled. "Wisdom and Power
bring no joy at last. I will give thee Love, and for thy wife thou
shalt have the fairest woman in all the world."

And Paris, the melody of her voice still in his ears, as he gazed
spellbound on her face of wondrous beauty, handed to Aphrodite the
golden prize.

So was it that the wrath of the gods came upon Paris, son of Priam.
For Hera and Athene, filled with rage, vowed to be revenged upon Paris
and all his race, and made all the gods pledge themselves to aid them
in their vengeance.

Across far seas sailed Paris, with Aphrodite as his guide, to Sparta,
where Menelaus was king.

A brave king was Menelaus, and happily he lived in his kingdom with
Helen,