Okolona messenger., 1921-10-06

tine ~HOmeE1C kpKOUAem" nave HaAU tme
basis for literary and biblical criticism
i'm modern schOlarship.
"N1E elders Of the Trojans from
their seats upon the Soaean
gate looked down upon the
hosts Of Greeks and Trojans mar
shaled in the plain. For nine long
years the armies had c0ntended. Why
had AgamemnOn brought the men of
many cities to fight around the walls
Of Prlam's Troy? What was 1t all
about?
Homer sings Of the wrath Of
Achilles, but the beginning Of all the
trouble goes back Of that, to the tale
Of a princely shepherd on night sur
prised as he watched his fiocks upon
Mount Ida. The goddesses Hera.
Athene and Aphrodite make him
choose one OF the world-old wishes !:
the Judgment Of Paris is for a fair
face and love. TO fulfill her promise
Aphrodite leads him to King Meme
laus' court In Sparta. Back to Troy
Paris brings Queen Helen and great
treasure. A hue and cry follow
throughout Greece; Menelaus calls to
his help the great overload, his broth
er Agamemnon, Achilles the sacker Of
cities, willy Odysseus, venerable 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
Andromache, his little son Astyanax,
Cassandra and all the rest whom the
toll Of war involves. Other stories Of
the many Greek epics, now lost, bring
the tale Of warning years up to the
tenth, where the Iiad begins. Hector
is the leader Of the Trojans; Achilles
has been the great fighting force Of
the Greeks, though now he has with
drawn in anger to his tent because Of
slight put upon his honor BY King
Agamemnon.
! The hostile forces are advancing to
the battle; a 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 women and wealth
have brought. The gay and debonair
Paris, however, can show splendid
moments. Hector, thy taunt is just.
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
1 BY mere willingness. But If thou doest
wish me to battle and fight, make all
the rest Of the Trojans and Achaians
sit down, and put me In the midst with
warlike Menelaus to fight for Helen
| and all her goods to see who shall
conquer and prove the better man; /;
let the rest conclude q friendship Of
trusty oaths; may We dwell in fertile
TroyIand, and the others 60 back to
Argos, nurse Of steeds, and Achaia OF
fair women"
SO It was that the hosts sat in high
expectation IN the plain, and Prtafn
ana the Trojan elders were gathered
on the Scaean gate. And Priam, who
bore no grudge against Helen for all
the misery her fair face had brought
to him and TroyfOr he saw the
| hands Of the gods In 1t all-called her
to his side 70 tell him Of the chiefs
among whom she had once lived. Then
those elders who had long since. seen
their faghtlng days paid the finest
compliment q woman's beauty has
ever received how many thousand
years agOf-as they saw Helen ad-
vancinR. GNo cause for anger that
Trojans ana welI-greayed Achaians
FOR such woman long time should
snfter sorrow" Not another wcrdl
| But those old men upon the wall have
| drawn for you and me q picture OF
The World's Desire. 'fBut even So "
they confinhed, "let her 90 home upOn
the ships ana stay not as source Of
,orrow to us and to our children after
,es