The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-09-26
HOMRR'S ILIAD

Condensation by Professo
The Elders of the Trojans from their
seats upon the Scaean Gate looked
down upon the hosts of Greeks and
IroJans marshalled in the plain. For
nine long years the armies had con-
tended. Why had Agamemon brought
the men of many cities to fight around
the walls of Priam's Troy? What was
it all about?
Homer sings of the wrath of Achilles
but the beginning of all the trouble
goes far back of that, to the tale of a
princely shepherd on a night surprised
as he watched his flock upon Mount
Ida. The goddesses Hera, Athene, and
Aphrodfte make him choose one of the
World-old wishes; the judgment Of
Parls is for fair face and love. To
fulfil her promise Aphrodite leads him
TO King Menelaus' court in Sparta.
Back to Troy Paris brings Queen Hell
en- and great treasure. A hue, and cry
follow throughout Greece; Menelaus
calls to his help the great overload, his
brother Agamemnon, Achilles the
sacker of cities, willy Odysseus, veneer
able and genial NestOr, and all the
chivalry of the land with men and
ships to make war on Troy.
! Others must pay for the wrong doing
OF Paris-old King Priam of the Ashen
Spear, his venerable queen Hecuba,
hector and his noble wife Androm-
acne, MS little son Astyanax, Cassan-
dra, and all the rest whom the toll of
war involves. Other stories of the
many Greek epics, now lost, bring the
tale or warning years up to the tenth,
where the~lliad begins. Hector is the
leader or the Trojans; Achilles has
been the great fighting force of the
creeks, though now he has Withdrawn
IN anger to his tent because of a slight
put upon his honor by King Agamen-
non.
| The hostile hosts are advancing to
the battle; dramatic moment brings
Menelaus and Paris in sight of one an
other The wrath of Hector blazes
out against Paris for all the evil and
shame his theft of woman and wealth
nave brought. The gay and debonair
farls, however can show splendid mo-
ments. Hector, thy taunt is lust. But
throw not at me the lovely gifts Of
golden Aphrodite. The glorious gifts
that the gods give are not to be flung
away; no man could take them by
mere Willingness But if thou doest
wish me to battle and fight, make all
the rest of the Trojans and Achaian;
Sit down, and put me in the midst
with warlike Menelaus to fight for
Helen and all her goods, to see which
shall conquar and prove the better
man; let the rest conclude a friend
snip or rusty oaths; may We dwell in
lertlle Ir0yland, and the others go
oack 10 Argos, nurse of stecds, and
Achaia of fair women"
SO ii was that the hosts sat in high
expectation in the plain. and Priam
ana the Trojan Elders were gathered
on the Scaean gate. And Priam. who
pore no grudge against Helen for all
me misery her fair face had brought
10 nm and TrOv-fOr he saw the hands
or the gods in it all-called her to his
sldc-to tell him of the chiefs among
whom she had once lived. Then
those Elders. who had long since seen
their fighting days, paid the finest
compliment a woman's beauty has
ever received-how many thousand
years ago?-as they saw Helen ad-
Eahclng- No cause for anger that
lroJans and well-graved Achaians for
such woman long time should suf
Ter sorrow Not another word! But
tHose ola men upon the wall have
drawn for you and me a picture of
me Worlds Desire. But even 81 )"
they continued, 'let her go home upon
the ships and stay not as source of
sorrow to us and to our children after
us"
The high hopes raised of settling all
the troubles by the duel of the cham
plons were in vain. The contest was
lnconcluslTe and the truce was broken.
Inc scene changes to Troy itself. In
an interval OF the battle great Hecotr
, or the CHANGING Helm had gone to the
cltadel And there he said farewell 70
Ahdromache, his wife, and to his little
ooF' picture that has never been sur
: passed Tor true tenderness-although
II was so many hundred years ago. He
smiled and looked upon the little bow
IN silence. "Ah, Hector" she cried
stay here upon the WALL Thou art IA
me father and mother and brother.
100, as we'll as lord. The foe will at.
tack thee alone." 81 know the dav
shall come" he answered, when holv
} iilos shall perish, and Priam and the
, lo!h or Pr1am of the goodly Ashen
spear. But thought of him, of nv
iiother or my brothers, does not trou.
Die me so much as that some warrior
7 OF the Achaians shall rob thee of the
day or freedom" He stretched ont his
hand to the little boy, who shrunk back
10 MS nurses breast in fear of the
} bronze and the horse-hair crest that
nodded dreadfully from the top of the
helm. Straightway Hector took off
the helm and placed it on the ground
And when he had kissed his son and
: tossed him in his arms, he spoke in
, prayer OF Zeus and the rest of the
gods Grant, ye gods, that this son
OF mine prove foremost among the
Iro1ans, good and mighty King. And
| as he comes back from battle NAV
many man say of him "A far better
man than his father and may his