after will some one say; but this my glory shall never perish."
Thus he said, but all became mute in silence. Ashamed indeed they were to refuse, and yet they dreaded to accept [the challenge]. At length, however, Menelaus stood up, and spoke among them, rebuking them with reproaches, and he groaned greatly in spirit:
"Alas! ye boasters! Greek dames! no longer Grecian men! certainly will these things be a disgrace, most grievously grievous, if none of the Greeks will now go against Hector. But may ye all become water and earth, sitting there each of you, faint-hearted; utterly inglorious: but I myself will be armed against him. But the issues of victory are rested in the immortal gods."
Thus having spoken, he put on his beautiful arms. Then, indeed, O Menelaus, would the end of life have befallen thee at the hands of Hector, since he was much the better man, had not the princes of the Greeks, starting up suddenly, restrained thee, and the son of Atreus himself, wide-ruling Agamemnon, seized thee by the right hand, and addressed thee, and spoke:
"Thou art mad, O Menelaus! offspring of Jove, nor hast thou any need of such madness: restrain thyself, although grieved, nor wish for the sake of contention to fight with a braver man than thyself, Hector, the son of Priam, whom others also dread. Nay, even Achilles, who is much braver than thou, dreads to meet him[1] in the glorious fight. But now, going to the troop of thy companions, sit down. Against him the Greeks will set up some other champion. Although he be intrepid and insatiable of battle, I think that he will gladly bend his knee,[2] if he shall escape from the hostile battle and the grievous fight."
Thus speaking, the hero dissuaded his brother's mind, advising him rightly; and he obeyed. His joyful attendants then stripped the armor from his shoulders. Then Nestor arose amid the Greeks, and said:
- ↑ Lesbonax, περὶ σχημ. p. 182, reads τοῦτον γε—ἀντιβολῆσαι, which Valckenaer, and with reason, thinks a more recherché and genuine reading than τούτῳ. Lesbonax compares the Attic phrase ἀρέσκει με for μοι. Cf. Aristoph. Ran. 103, with the Scholiast.
- ↑ i. e., sit down through fatigue, "do iis qui longo labore seu cursu fessi quiescunt et vires recipiunt."—Heyne.
