THE RAPE OF HELEN 



of each ; the shape of the heel behind, yea and the 

 soles of their feet But, before he gave judgement, 

 Athena took him, smiling, by the hand and spake to 

 Alexander * thus : 



" Come hither, son of Priam ! leave the sjwuse of 

 Zeus and heed not Aphrodite, queen of the bridal 

 bower, but praise thou Athena who aids the prowess 

 of men. They say that thou art a king and keepest 

 the city of Troy. Come hither, and I ^vill make 

 thee the saviour of their city to men hard pressed : 

 lest ever Enyo ^ of grievous wrath weigh heavily 

 upon thee. Hearken to me and I will teach thee 

 war and prowess." 



So cried Athena of many counsels, and white- 

 armed Hera thus took up the tale : 



" If thou wilt elect me and bestow on me the 

 fruit of the fairer, I will make thee lord of all mine 

 Asia. Scorn thou the works of battle. What has a 

 king to do with war ? A prince gives command 

 both to the valiant and to the unwarlike. Not 

 always are the squires of Athena foremost. Swift is 

 the doom and death of the servants of Enyo ! " 



Such lordship did Hera, who hath the foremost 

 throne, offer to bestow. But Cypris lifted up her 

 deep-bosomed robe and bared her breast to the air 

 and had no shame. And lifting with her hands the 

 honeyed girdle of the Loves she bared all her bosom 

 and heeded not her breasts. And smilingly she 

 thus spake to the herdsman : 



" Accept me and forget wars : take my beauty 

 and leave the sceptre and the land of Asia. I know 

 Hot the works of battle. What has Aphrodite to do 

 with shields .'' By beauty much more do women 

 excel. In place of manly prowess I will give thee a 



553 



