nder fingers thrilled through the heart of Paris
as she parted from him with smiling lip and laughing eye. But Here,
the Queen, and Athene, the virgin child of Zeus, went away displeased,
and evermore their wrath lay heavy on the city and land of Ilion.

Then went Paris to Oenone, and he twined his arms around her and said,
"Didst thou see the dark countenance of the lady Here when I gave to
the fairest the gift which the fairest alone may have? Yet what care I
for the wrath of Here and Athene? One smile from the lips of Aphrodite
is better than their favor for a whole life long." But Oenone answered
sadly, "I would that thou mayest speak truly, Paris; yet in my eyes
the lady Athene is fairer far, and Aphrodite is ever false as fair."
Then Paris clasped her closer in his arms and kissed her pale cheek,
and said nothing.

[Illustration: LIBRARY OF HERCULANEUM.]

But the fierce wrath of Eris was not ended yet. Far away in the
western land, there was sore famine in the kingdom of the mighty
Menelaus, the people died by the wayside, and the warriors had no
strength to go forth to the battle or the huntsmen to the chase. Many
times they sought to know the will of the gods, but they heard only
dark words for answers, till Phoebus Apollo said that the famine
should never cease from the land until they brought from Ilion the
bones of the children of Prometheus, whom Zeus bound on the desolate
crags of Caucasus. So Menelaus, the King, departed from his home and
went to the city of Priam. There he saw the beautiful Paris, and took
him to the Spartan land, for he said that Paris should return home
rich and wealthy. So Paris believed his words, and sailed with him
over the wide sea. Long time he abode in Sparta, and day by day he saw
the lady Helen in the halls of Menelaus. At the first he thought
within himself, "I would that Oenone were here to see the wife of
Menelaus, for surely she is fairer than aught else on the earth." But
soon he thought less and less of Oenone, who was sorrowing for his
long sojourn in the strange land, as she wandered amid the pine
forests of woody Ida.

Quickly sped the days for Paris, for his heart was filled with a
strange love, and the will of Eris was being accomplished within him.
He thought not of Oenone and her lonely wanderings on heathy Ida; he
cared not for the kindly deeds of Menelaus; and so it came to pass
that, when Menelaus was far away, Paris spoke words of evil love to
Helen an