Thus she ended, and Zeus said not nay, but spake straightway to Athene: "Make haste, get thee down to the host, and bring it to pass that the men of Troy break the truce."

So Athene sped down from the top of Olympus, like to a star which Zeus sends as a sign to sailors on the sea, or to some host that goeth forth to battle; and wonder cometh upon all that behold it.

Among the host of Troy she went, taking upon herself the shape of Laodocus, son of Antenor, and went to Pandarus, where he stood among his men. Then the false Laodocus said: "Pandarus, darest thou aim an arrow at Menelaus. Truly the Trojans would love thee well, and Paris best of all, if they could see Menelaus slain by an arrow from thy bow. Aim then, but first pray to Apollo, and vow that thou wilt offer a hundred beasts when thou returnest to thy city."

La-o'-do-cus. Pan'-da-rus.

Now Pandarus had a bow made of the horns of a wild goat which he had slain; sixteen palms long were the horns, and a cunning workman had made them smooth, and put a tip of gold whereon to fasten the bow-string. And Pandarus strung his bow, his comrades hiding him with their shields. Then he took an arrow from his quiver, and laid it on the bow-string, and drew the string to his breast, till the arrow-head touched the bow, and let fly. Right well aimed was the dart, but it was not the will of heaven that it should slay Menelaus. For the daughter of Zeus stood before him, and turned aside the shaft, waving it from him as a mother waveth a fly from her child when he lieth asleep. She guided it to where the golden clasps of the belt came together, and the breast-plate overlapped. It passed through the belt, and through the corselet, and through the girdle, and pierced the skin. Then the red blood rushed out and stained the white skin.

Sore dismayed was King Agamemnon to see the blood; sore dismayed also was the brave Menelaus, till he spied the barb of the arrow, and knew that the wound was not deep. But Agamemnon cried: "It was in an evil hour for thee, my brother, that I made a covenant with these false sons of Troy. Right well, indeed, I know that oath and sacrifice are not in vain. For though Zeus fulfil not now his purpose, yet will he take vengeance at the last, and the guilty shall suffer, they and their wives, and their children. Troy shall fall; but woe is me if thou shouldst die, Menelaus. For the Greeks will straightway go back to their fatherland, and the fair Helen will be left a boast to the sons of Troy, and I shall have great shames when one of them shall say, as he leaps on the tomb of the brave Menelaus, 'Surely the great Agamemnon has avenged himself well; for he brought an army hither, but now has gone back to his home, and left Menelaus here.' May the earth swallow me up before that day!"

"Nay," said Menelaus; "fear not, for the arrow hath but grazed the skin."

Then King Agamemnon bade fetch Machaon, the physician. And Machaon came, and drew forth the arrow, and when he had wiped away the blood he put healing drugs upon the wound.

Ma-cha'-on.

But while this was doing, King Agamemnon went throughout the host, and if he saw any one stirring himself to get ready for the battle he praised him and gave him good encouragement; but whomsoever he saw halting and lingering and slothful, him he blamed and rebuked, whether he were common man or chief.