"Come, dear sister, and behold this marvel. Heretofore the Greeks and the men of Troy have fought together on the plain, but now they sit in peace, and the war is stayed; for Paris and Menelaus are to fight for thee, and thou shalt be the wife of him that shall prevail."
So spake the goddess, and roused in Helen sweet longing for her former husband, and her city, and her parents. So she wrapped herself in white apparel, and went forth from her chamber.
Meanwhile Priam sat on the wall with the old men. They had ceased from war, but in speech they were to be admired; they were like to the crickets that sit upon a tree in the wood, and send forth a thin, sweet voice. And as they talked, the fair Helen came near, and they said: "What wonder that men should suffer much for such a woman, for indeed she is divinely fair! Yet let her depart in the ships, nor bring a curse on us and our children."
But Priam called to her: "Come near, my daughter, that thou mayest see him that was thy husband, and thy friends and kinsmen. I find no fault with thee, for 'tis not thou, 'tis the gods who have brought about all this trouble. But tell me, who is this warrior that I see, so fair and strong? There are others even a head taller than he, but none of such majesty."
And Helen answered: "Ah, my father! I owe thee much reverence; yet would that I had died before I left husband and child to follow thy son. But as for this warrior, he is Agamemnon, a good king and brave soldier, and my brother-in-law in the old days."
"Happy Agamemnon," said Priam, "to rule over so many! Never saw I such an army gathered together. But who is this that I see, not so tall as Agamemnon, but of broader shoulders? His arms lie upon the ground, and he is walking through the ranks of his men just as some great ram walks through a flock of sheep."
"This," said Helen, "is Ulysses of Ithaca, who is better in craft and counsel than all other men."
"'Tis well spoken, lady," said Antenor. "Well I remember Ulysses when he came hither on an embassy about thee with the brave Menelaus. My guests they were, and I knew them well. And I remember how, in the assembly of the Trojans, when both were standing, Menelaus was the taller, but when they sat, Ulysses was the more majestic to behold. And when they rose to speak, Menelaus said few words, but said them wisely and well; and Ulysses—you had thought him a fool, so stiffly he held his sceptre and so downcast were his eyes; but as soon as he began, oh! the mighty voice, and the words thick as the falling snow!"
An-te'-nor.
Then Priam said, "Who is that stalwart hero, so tall and strong, overtopping all by head and shoulders?"