PART I. gled hard for mastery; now was seen the shock of armies, the single combats of heroes, and the bloody rencounters of chieftains at the head of their followers63. A new perfidy had inflamed this hostile fury. Menelaus having vanquished Paris in single combat 4, the Trojans, contrary to solemn treaty, persisted in refusing to deliver up Helen, or fulfil other stipulations 5. The Greeks accused them of breach of faith66; 64. Iliad. lib. iii. 63. Hom. Iliad. lib. iv.—vii. 65. Hom. Iliad. lib. iii. iv. et seq. What these stipulations were, we are informed in the words of the treaty, and also in the demand of Agamemnon, after Paris had escaped from the field; in which the words of the treaty are literally repeated, as far as they regard the stipulations. I shall, for the sake of conciseness, give only the demand. "Hear me, O warriors of Ilion! Dardanians, and allies of Troy," said Agamemnon:-" with victory crowned, Menelaus possesses the field; "restore, therefore, Argive Helen, and all the treasure she brought. "Pay also a just fine to the Greeks, memorial for future years" (Hom. Iliad. lib. iii. sub. fin.). It must however be owned, that the slaying of one or other of the combatants, seems always to be implied as a condition of the treaty. Yet a compact so solemnly ratified could hardly, in those rude times, have been framed to turn upon a particular expression: victory must have been meant. As a proof of this, we do not find that the Trojans, in answer to the demand of Agamemnon, ever made use of such evasion, as an apology for not fulfilling the treaty. The religious rites, with which the ratification of this treaty was accompanied, afford a curious view of the sacred ceremonies anciently used on such occasions (Iliad. lib. iii.). There we see prayer united with sacrifice: two lambs slain by Agamemnon; "wine poured in libations to Heaven, and holy vows made to the "gods who forever live” (Id. ibid.). The prayer in which the two armies joined is too remarkable to be omitted. "O Jove most august! thou greatest in power, and ye the other deathless gods! let "those who first the treaty break, let their blood flow, like this "wine upon the ground; their blood, and that of all their race; and "may their wives mix in love with their foes." Hom. Iliad. lib. iii. 66. Iliad. lib. iv. "Nor unpunished their oaths shall pass," said Agamemnon; "nor plighted faith which binds mankind. Though "Jove his wrath may defer, the hour of visitation will come. 'The great son of Saturn, who sits aloft; the dweller in the highest "heavens shall over them shake his dreadful ægis, awakened to rage "by their recent crime. Their broken faith shall not pass unheed"ed." Id. ibid. " and and thus prosecuted the war with fresh vigour, and LETTER all the rancour of roused revenge. Hector, stung with that reproach, and seeing no end to hostilities, challenged the most redoubted of the Grecian chiefs to meet him in arms68. Nine warriors stept forwards, each willing to encounter the guardian of Troy69. By the advice of Nestor, the aged king of Pylos, recourse was had to lots for the choice of a champion. Each of the nine warriors marked his lot, and threw it into the helmet of Agamemnon. Nestor shook the whole in the helmet, and forth flew the lot of Telamonian Ajax70. The two heroes engaged in sight of the two armies. Each launched his spear twice at his antagonist; each threw at the other a large stone: both unsheathed their swords, and advanced to close fight; when the hearlds, "sacred messengers "of men and Jove! one from the Trojans, and one "from the Greeks, interposed"." 67. Iliad. lib. iv.—vii. 68. Hom. Iliad. lib. vii. 69. Id. ibid. "First arose the king of men, the far-commanding Agamemnon; next the son of Tydeus, Diomedes in battle renowned. "The Ajaces then arose, both in matchless valour cloathed; the great "Idomeneus, and Meriones equal to Mars in arms. Eurypylus succeeds "to these the gallant son of the great Euæmon. Thoas started up "with speed, the warlike offspring of Andremon. Last arose divine Ulysses. All these stept forward in arms, bent on godlike Hector 'to lift the spear." Hom. Iliad. ubi sup. 70. Iliad. lib. vii. " 71. Id. ibid. "But let each some gift exchange," said Hector, on the interposition of the heralds;-"some fair memorial to future "times; that the sons of Ilion may say, These fought for renown "alone! then in friendship departed from war" (Hom. Iliad. ubi sup.). "Thus, as he spoke, he gave his sword, distinguished with silver "studs. With its scabbard, he stretched it forth; with its belt wrought curious with art. Ajax his girdle gave, bright with Phoe "nician red." Hom. Iliad. lib. vii. 44 III. VOL. 1. CC In PART I. In consequence of this interposition, a truce for burying the dead, took place between the contending nations72. And Agamemnon made use of that temporary suspension of hostilities to fortify the Grecian camp-with a wall flanked with towers, and a ditch defended by stakes73. At the expiration of the truce, the hostile powers again assumed their arms; and the fight raged more fiercly than ever. "Shield is harshly laid to shield : spears grate on the brazen corslets of the combatants. "Bossy buckler with buckler meets: loud tumult rages 66 over all. Groans are mixed with the boasts of war"riors74; the slain and slayers join in the noise: the "field floats with blood75." From morning till noon, the event of the battle remained doubtful. Then victory began to incline to the Trojans; and before sun 72. Hom. Iliad. lib. vii. This truce was proposed by the Trojans; who, at the same time, offered to restore the Spartan treasure. And to that Paris agreed to “add rich treasures of his own;" but Helen he still refused to restore. The Greeks, therefore, disdainfully rejected the offer. Id. ibid. 73. Id. ibid. 74. The boasts and insults of the Greek and Trojan warriors, but especially of the former (Iliad. passim.), savour strongly of barbarism, Not Telamonian Ajax, the most manly and honest-hearted of the Grecian heroes, was free from boasting; nor the noble-minded Hector, the pride of Troy. "Ajax came forward near the foe, bearing his "shield, like a tower on high; his brazen shield, covered with the bides " of seven bulls: bearing his shield before his breast, the son of Telamon advanced. Standing near the godlike Hector, he threatening began aloud: Hector; now singly engaged, thou shalt know, what "leaders the Greeks have in war, beside Achilles the breaker of lines, "the lion-hearted Achilles!-To him great Hector replied, Ajax "descended of Jove! son of Telamon, leader of armies, attempt not "me like a boy to affright. I know to the right to raise my shield; "to wield it to the left, I know. In standing fight to dare I am "taught; to set my steps to the clamours of Mars. On the car I have "learned to launch the spear; ¡from my steeds to hurl forward the war. But thee by stratagem I will not strike; for brave thou art "and great in arms. No course shall be followed by Hector, but open force on such a foe." Iliad. lib. vii. 75. Hom. Iliad. lib. viii. set III. set the Greeks were driven with great slaughter into LETTER their camp in spite of their most vigorous efforts to maintain their ground. Nor did their entrenchments seem sufficient to protect them. Hence “un"willing Troy saw the falling light; but grateful was "shady night to the vanquished Argives"." Hector, exulting in his decisive victory, called a council of war on the field; and explained to the Trojans and their allies his purpose of remaining under arms all night, in order to prevent the Greeks from putting to sea, and escaping before morning. "For "night," said he," has chiefly saved the Argives, and "their navy on the shore of the main78." His resolution was applauded, and all the measures he proposed adopted. Heralds were sent to Troy, to order the youths under the military age, the old men, and even the women to keep watch in "the lofty towers," and to kindle fires, "lest a hostile band should surprise "the city, during the absence of the troops. Fires were also ordered to be kindied on the spot where the Trojans passed the night, "between the "river Scamander and the Grecian fleet1;" and strict watch there was kept82. "Much elated, the "warriors, in arms, sat by their martial tribes. Sheep "and beeves are brought from Troy; bread is "brought, and generous wine. The wood is gather"ed round in heaps: the winds bear the smoke to the "skies. A thousand were the fires in the field;" and "round each fifty warriors sat83. Their faces bright"ened 83. Iliad. lib. viii. sub. fin. The number of the Trojan forces, consequently, was fifty thousand. That the allies of Priam were not included PART I. "ened to the beam. Their steeds stood near at their "cars; with oats, and yellow barley fed84," Meanwhile Agamemnon had assembled in council the chiefs of the terror-struck Greeks; and as no hope remained of their being able to "take in arms "the wide-streeted city of Troy," he proposed that they should" obey the pressure of the times," and "fly, in their ships, to the loved shore of their native "land86." The motion was opposed by Diomedes, the gallant son of Tydeus, and by the voice of the whole council. Nestor, king of Pylos, became mediator between the commander in chief, " the king of "Men," and the Grecian leaders. By his advice, a nightly guard was appointed to defend the fortifications of the camp, and Agamemnon gave a feast to the chiefs in his tent88. There it was resolved, through the counsel of the same venerable prince, to send an humble deputation to the quarters of Achilles, bearing the offer of many rich presents, and the restitution in this number, appears from the information given to Ulysses by 85. Hom Iliad. lib. ix. init. 87. Iliad. ubi sup. 86. Id. ibid. 88. Hom. Iliad. lib. ix. of |