The Iliad (Audiobook) by Homer - Book 3

Book 3: Helen and the Duel
Paris and Menelaus agree to a duel to decide the war. Paris is nearly killed but is rescued by Aphrodite, who whisks him away to Helen. Summary by Dream Audiobooks

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Dream Audio Books presents the Iliad by Homer. Section three
of the Iliad by Homer, translated by Samuel Butler, Book three. Alexandria,
also called Paris, challenges Menelaus, Helen and Priam view the
Achaeans from the wall the covenant. Paris and Menelaeus fight,

(00:22):
and Paris is worsted. Venus carries him off to save him.
Seen between him and Helen. When the companies with us arrayed,
each under its own captain. The Trojans advanced as a
flight of wild fowl or cranes that scream overhead when
rain and winter drive them over the flowing waters of

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Oceanus to bring death and destruction on the pygmies. And
they wrangle in the air as they fly. But the
Achaeans marched silently in high heart and minded to stand
by one another, as when the south wind spreads a
curtain of mist upon the mountain tops, bad for shepherds,
but better than night for thieves. And a man can

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see no further than he can throw a stone. Even
so rose the dust from under their feet as they
made all speed over the plain. When they were close
up with one another, Alexandras came forward as champion on
the Trojan side. On his shoulders he bore the skin
of a panther, his bow and his sword, and he
brandished two spears shod with bronze, as a challenge to

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the bravest of the Achaeans to meet him in single fight.
Menelaya saw him thus stride out before the ranks, and
was glad as a hungry lion that lights on the
carcas of some goat or horned stag, and devours it
there and then, though dogs and youth set upon him.
Even thus was Menelayus glad when his eyes caught sight

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of Alexandras, for he deemed that now he should be revenged.
He sprang therefore from his chariot, clad in his suit
of armor. Alexandras quailed as he saw Menelaeus come forward,
and shrank in fear of his life, life under cover
of his men, as one who starts back, affrighted, trembling
and pale when he comes suddenly upon a serpent in

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some mountain glade. Even so did Alexandrus plunge into the
throng of Trojan warriors, terror stricken at the sight of
the son of Atreus. Then hector upbraided him. Paris said
he evil hearted, Paris fair to see, but woman mad
and false of tongue, would that you had never been born,

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or that you had died unwed, better so than live
to be disgraced and looked askance at? Were not the
Achaeans mock at us and say that we have sent
one to champion us, who is fair to see. But
as neither wit nor courage, did you not such as
you are, get your following together and sail beyond the seas?
Did you not, from your afar country carry off a

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lovely woman wedded among a people of warriors, to bring
sorrow upon your father, your city, and your whole country.
But joy to your enemies, and hang dog shamefacedness to
your And now can you not dare face Menilaeus and
learn what manner of man he is whose wife you
have stolen? Where indeed would be your lyre and your

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love tricks, your comely locks, and your fair favor when
you are lying in the dust before him? The Trojans
are a weak kneed people. Or ere this you would
have had a shirt of stones for the wrongs you
have done them. And Alexandras answered Hector, your rebuke is just.
You are hard as the axe which a shipwright wheels

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at his work and cleaves the timber to his liking,
as the axe in his hand. So keen as the
edge of your scorn still taunt me not with the
gifts that golden Venus has given me. They are precious.
Let not a man disdain them, for the gods give
them where they are minded, and none can have them
for the asking. If you would have me do battle

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with Menilaeus, bid the Trojans and Achaeans take their seats
while he and I fight in their midst for Helen
and all her wealth. Let him who shall be victorious
and prove to be the better man, take the woman
and all she has to bear them to his home.
But let the rest swear to a solemn covenant of peace,
whereby you Trojans shall stay here in Troy, while the

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others go home to Argos and the land of the Achaeans.
When Hector heard this, he was glad and went about
among the Trojan ranks, holding his spear by the middle
to keep them back, and they all sat down at
his bidding. But the Achaeans still aimed at him with
stones and arrows. Tell Agamemnon shouted to them, saying, hold argive,

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shoot not sons of the Achaeans, Hector desires to speak.
They ceased taking aim and was still whereon Hector spoke.
Here from my mouth, said he Trojans and Achaeans, the
saying of Alexandras, through whom this quarrel has come about.
He bids the Trojans and Achaeans lay their armor upon
the ground, while he and Menelaeus fight in the midst

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of you for Helen and all her wealth. Let him
who shall be victorious and prove to be the better man,
take the woman and all she has to bear them
to his own home. But let the rest swear to
a solemn covenant of peace. Thus he spoke, and they
all held their peace till Menelaus, of the loud battle cry,
addressed them. And now he said, hear me too, For

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it is I who am the most aggrieved. I deem
that the parting of Achaeans and Trojans is at hand
as well. It may be, seeing how much have suffered
for my quarrel with Alexandrius and the wrong he did me.
Let him who shall die die, and let the others
fight no more. Bring then two lambs, a white ram
and a black ewe for Earth and Sun, and we

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will bring a third for Jove. Moreover, you shall bid
Priam come, that he may swear to the covenant himself,
for his sons are high handed and ill to trust,
and the oaths of Jove must not be transgressed or
taken in vain. Young men's minds are light as air,
but when an old man come, he looks before and after,
deeming that which shall be fairest upon both sides. The

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Trojans and Achaeans were glad when they heard this, for
they thought that they should now have rest. They backed
their chariots towards the ranks, got out of them, and
put off their armor, laying it down upon the ground,
and the hosts were near to one another, with a
little space between them. Hector sent two messengers to the
city to bring the lambs and to bid Priam come,

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while Agamemnon told Alphebius to fetch the other lamb from
the ships, and he did as Agamemnon had said. Meanwhile,
Iris went to Helen in the form of her sister
in law, wife of the son of Antenor, for helcae On,
son of Antenor, had married Leodichi, the fairest of Priam's daughters.
He found her in her own room, working at a

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great web of purple linen, on which she was embroidering
the battles between the Trojans and Achaeans that Mars had
made them fight for her sake. Iras then came close
up to her and said, come hither, child, and see
the strange doings of the Trojans and Achaeans. Till now
they have been warring upon the plain, mad with lust

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of battle. But now they have left off fighting, and
they are leaning upon their shields, sitting still with their
spears planted beside them. Alexandras and Menelaeus are going to
fight about yourself, and you are to be the wife
of him who is the victor. Thus spoke the goddess,
and Helen's heart yearned after her former husband, her city,

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and her parents. She threw a white mantle over a
head and hurried from her room, weeping as she went,
not alone, but attended by two of her handmaids, every
three daughter of Phythius and Climene, and straightway they were
at the Skian gates. The two sages Euca Galon and
antenor elders of the people, were seated by the Skian

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gates with Priam Pantus Thimotes, Lampus Glytius, and Hiccotaeon of
the race of man. These were too old to fight,
but they were fluent orators, and sat on the tower
like chicalays that chirruped delicately from the boughs of some
high tree in a wood. When they saw Helen coming
towards the tower, they said softly to one another, small

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wonder the Trojans and Achaeans should endure so much and
so long for the sake of a woman so marvelously
and divinely lovely, Still fair though she be, Let them
take her and go, or she will breed sorrow for
us and our children after us. But Priam, but her
drew nigh. My child said he take your seat in

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front of me, that you may see your former husband,
your kinsman, and your friends. I lay no blame upon you.
It is the gods, not you, who are to blame.
It is they that have brought about this terrible war
with the Achaeans. Tell me, then, who is yonder huge hero,
so great and goodly. I have seen men taller by
a head, but none so comely and so royal. Surely

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he must be a king, sir, answered Helen, father of
my husband, dear and reverend. In my eyes, would that
I had chosen death rather than to have come here
with your son, far from my bridal chamber, my friends,
my darling daughter, and all the companions of my girlhood.
But it was not to be, and my lot is

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one of tears and sorrow. As for your question, the
hero of whom you ask is Agamemnon, son of Atreus,
a good king and a brave soldier brother in law.
As surely as that he lives. To my abhorred and
miserable self, the old man marveled at him and said, happy,
son of Atreus, child of good fortune. I see that

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the Achaeans are subject to you in great multitudes. When
I was in Phijia, I saw much horsemen, the people
of Atreus and Megidon, who were camping upon the banks
of the river Sangarius. I was their ally and with
them when the Amazons peers of men came up against them.
But even they were not so many as the Achaeans.

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The old man next looked upon Ulysses. Tell me, he said,
who is that other sure to buy a head than Agamemnon,
but broader across the chest and shoulders. His armor is
laid upon the ground, and he stalks in front of
the ranks, as it were some great wooly ram ordering
his Ewes and Helen answered, he is Ulysses, a man

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of great craft, son of Laertes. He was born in Ruggedithaca,
and excels in all manner of stratagems and subtle cunning.
On this Santanor said, madam, you have spoken truly. Ulysses
once came here as envoy about yourself, and Menelaeus with him.
I received them in my own house, and therefore know

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both of them by sight and conversation. When they stood
up in presence of the assembled trojans, Menelaeus was the
broader shouldered, but when both were seated, Ulysses had the
more royal presents. After a time they delivered their message.
From the speech of Menelaeus ran trippingly on the tongue.
He did not say much, for he was a man

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of few words, but he spoke very clearly and to
the point. Though he was the younger man of the
two Ulysses, on the other hand, when he rose to speak,
was at first silent and kept his eyes fixed upon
the ground. There was no plain or graceful movement of
his scepter. He kept it straight and stiff, like a
man unpracticed in oratory. One might have taken him for

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a mere churl or simpleton. But when he raised his
voice and the words came driving from his deep chest,
like winter snow before the wind, then there was none
to touch him, and no man thought further of what
he looked like. Priam then caught sight of Ajax and asked,
who is that great and goodly warrior whose head and
broad shoulders tower above the rest of the argives That answered,

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Helen is huge Ajax, bulwark of the Achaeans. And on
the other side of him, among the Cretans, stands Idamanaeus,
looking up a god, and with the captains of the
Cretans round him. Often did Menelaeus receive him as a
guest in our house when he came visiting us from Crete.
I see moreover many other Achaeans whose names I could

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tell you, but there are two whom I can nowhere
find Castor Breaker of Horses, and Pollux, the mighty boxer.
They are children of my mother and own brothers to myself.
Either they have not left La a diamond, or else,
though they have brought their ships, they will not show
themselves in battle for the shame and disgrace that I
have brought upon them. She knew not that both of

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these heroes were already lying under the earth in their
own land of Lace a daemon. Meanwhile, the heralds were
bringing the holy oath offerings through the city, two lambs
and a goat skin of wine the gift of Earth,
and Adaeus brought the mixing bowl and the cups of gold.
He went up to Priam and said, son of Laya,
made on the princes of the Trojans and Achaeans, bid

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you come down down on to the plain and swear
to a solemn covenant. Alexandras and Menelaus are to fight
for Helen in single combat, that she and all her
wealth may go with him who is the victor. We
are to swear to a solemn covenant of peace, whereby
we others shall dwell here in Troy. While the Achaeans
returned to Argos and the land of the Achaeans. The

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old man trembled as he heard, but Batis followers yoked
the horses, and they made all hosts to do so.
He mounted the chariot, gathered the reins in his hand,
and Antono took his seat beside him. Then they drove
through the skiing gates onto the plain. When they reached
the ranks of the Trojans and Achaeans, they left the
chariot and with measured pace, advanced into the space between

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the hosts. Agamemnon and Ulysses both rose to meet them.
The attendants brought on the oath offerings and mixed the
wine in the mixing balls. They poured water over the
hands of the chieftains, and the son of Atreus drew
the dagger that hung by his sword and cut woolf
from the lamb's heads. This the men servants gave about
among the Trojan and Achaean princes, and the son of

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Atreus lifted up his hands in prayer fa the Jove.
He cried that rulest in Ida, most glorious in power,
and ou o son that seest and givest the ear
to all things earth and revers and ye who in
the realms below. Chastise the soul of him that has
broken his oath. Witness these rights and guard them, that

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they be not vain. If Alexandras kills Menelaeus, let him
keep Helen and all her wealth, while we sail home
with our ships. But if Menelaeus kills Alexandras, let the
Trojans give back Helen and all that she has. Let
them moreover, pay such fine to the Achaeans as shall
be agreed upon in testimony among those that shall be

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born hereafter. And if Priam and his sons refuse such fine,
when Alexandras has fallen, then I will stay here and
fight on till I have got satisfaction. As he spoke,
he drew his knife across the throats of the victims
and laid them down, gasping and dying upon the ground,
for the knife had reft them of their strength. Then

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they poured wine from the mixing bowl into the cups
and prayed to the everlasting gods, saying, Trojans and Achaeans
among one another, Jove most great and glorious, and ye
other everlasting Gods, grant that the brains of them who
shall first sin against their oaths of them and their
children shall be shed upon the ground even as this wine,

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and let their wives become the slaves of strangers. Thus
they prayed, but not as yet would Jove grant them
their prayer. Then Priam, descendant of Dardanus spoke, saying, hear me,
Trojans and Achaeans, I will now go back to the
wind beaten city of Ilias. I dare not with my

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own eyes witness this fight between my son and Menelaeus,
for Jove and the other immortals alone know which shall
fall on this. He laid the two lambs on his
chariot and took his seat. He gathered the reins in
his hand, and Antennas sat beside him. The two then
went back to Ilias. Hector and Ulysses measured the ground

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and cast lots from a helmet of bronze to see
which should take aim first. Meanwhile, the two hosts lifted
up their hands and prayed, saying, Father Jove, that rulest
from Ida, most glorious in power, grant that he who
first brought about this war between us, may die and
enter the House of Hades, while we others remain at

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peace and abide by our oaths. Great Hector now turned
his head aside while he shook the helmet, and the
lot of Paris flew out first. The others took their
several stations, each by his horses and the place where
his arms were lying. While Alexandras, husband of lovely Helen,
put on his goodly armor. First, he grieved his legs

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with grieves of good make, and fitted with ankle clasps
of silver. After this he donned the cuirass of his
brother Lysaion and fitted it to his own body. He
hung his silver studded sword of bronze about his shoulders,
and then his mighty shield on his comely head. He
set his helmet, well wrought with a crest of horse
hair that nodded menacingly above it, and he grasped a

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redoubtable spear that suited his hands. In like fashion, Menelaeus
also put on his armor. When they had thus armed,
each amid his own people, they strode fierce of aspect
into the open space, and both Trojans and Achaeans were
struck with awe as they beheld them. They stood near
one another on the measured ground, brandishing their spears, and

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each furious against the other. Alexandrus aimed first and struck
the round shield of the son of Atreus, but the
spear did not pierce it, for the sh shield turned
its point. Menalaya's next door came praying to Father Jove.
As he did so, King Jove, he said, grant me
revenge on Alexandras, who has wronged me. Subdue him under

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my hand, that in ages yet to come, a man
may shrink from doing ill deeds in the house of
his host. He poised his spear as he spoke, and
hurled it at the shield of Alexandra's through shield and cuirass.
It went and tore the shirt by his flank, but
Alexandras swerved aside, and thus saved his life. Then the

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son of Atreus drew his sword and drove at the
projecting part of his helmet. But the sword fell shivered
in three or four pieces from his hand, and he cried,
looking towards heaven, Father Jove, of all gods, thou art
the most despiteful. I made sure of my revenge, But
the sword has broken in my hand. My spear has
been hurled in vain, and I have not killed him

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with this. He flew at Alexandras caught him by the
horsehair plume of his helmet and began dragging him towards
the Achaeans. The strap of the helmet that went under
his chin was choking him, and Menelaeus would have dragged
him off to his own great glory, had not Jove's
daughter Venus been quick to mark and to break the
strap of ox hide, so that the empty helmet came
away in his hand. This he flung to his comrades

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among the Achaeans, and was again springing upon Alexandra's to
run him through with a spear, But Venus snatched him
up in a moment, as a god can do, hid
him under a cloud of darkness, and conveyed him to
his own bed chamber. Then she went to call Helen
and found her on a high tower, with the Trojan
women crowding round her. She took the form of an

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old woman who used to dress wool for her when
she was stelling like a diamond, and of whom she
was very fond. Thus disguised, she plucked her by her
perfumed robe and said, come hither. Alexandra says you are
to go to the house He is on his bed
in his own room, radiant with beauty, and dressed in
gorgeous apparel. No one would think he had just come

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from fighting, but rather that he was going to a
dance or a dune dancing, and was sitting down. With
these words, she moved the heart of Helen to anger.
When she marked the beautiful neck of the goddess, her
lovely bosom and sparkling eyes, she marveled at her and said, Goddess,
why do you thus beguile me? Are you going to

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send me a field still further to some man whom
you have taken up in Phrygia or fair Meonia. Menelaus
has just vanquished Alexandras and is to take my hateful
self back with him. You are come here to betray me.
Go sit with Alexandras yourself. Henceforth, be goddess no longer.
Never let your feet carry you back to her limpers.

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Worry about him and look after him till he make
you his wife, or for the matter of that, his slave.
But me I shall not go. I can garnish his
bed no longer. I should be a byword among all
the women of troy sides. I have trouble on my mind.
Venus was very angry and said, bold, Harsey, do not

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provoke me. If you do, I shall leave you to
your fate and hate you as much as I have
loved you. I was stir up fierce hatred between Trojans
and Achaeans, and you shall come to a bad end.
At this Helen was frightened. She wrapped her mantle about
her and went in silence, following the goddess and unnoticed
by the Trojan women. When they came to the house

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of Alexandras, the maid servant set about their work, but
Helen went into her own room, and the laughter loving
goddess took a seat and set it for her, facing Alexandras.
On this Helen, daughter of Egis bearing Jove, sat down,
and with eyes askance, began to upbraid her husband. So
you are come from the fight, said she would, that

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you had fallen rather by the hand of that brave
man who was my husband. You used to brag that
you were a better man with hands and speared than Menilaus.
Go then and challenge him again, But I should advise
you not to do so, for if you are foolish
enough to meet him in single combat. He will soon
fall by his spear. And Paris answered, wife, do not

(22:15):
vex me with your reproaches. This time, with the help
of Minerva, Menelaeus has vanquished me. Another time I may
myself be victor, for I too have gods that will
stand by me. Come, let us lie down together and
make friends. Never yet was I so passionately enamored of
you as at this moment, Not even when I first

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carried you off from lack a Diamond and sailed away
with you. Not even when I had conversed with you
upon the couch of love in the island of Crayne,
I was I so enthralled by desire of you as
now on this He led her towards the bed, and
his wife went with him. Thus they laid themselves on
the bed together. But the son of Atreus strode among

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the throng, looking everywhere for Alexandraus, and no man, neither
of the Trojans nor of the allies could find him.
If they had seen him, they were in no mind
to hide him, for they all of them hated him,
as they did death itself. Then Agamemnon, king of Men, spoke,
saying hear me, Trojans, Dardanians, and allies. The victory has

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been with Menelaeus. Therefore, give back Helen with all her wealth,
and pay such fine as shall be agreed upon in
testimony among them that shall be born hereafter. Thus spoke
the son of Atreus, and the Achaeans shouted in applause.
End of Section three. Dream Audio Books. Hopes you have

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enjoyed this program.