Thus then did some one of the Greeks and Trojans say; but she like a hero entered the host of the Trojans, the brave warrior Laodocus, son of Antenor, seeking godlike Pandarus, if any where she might find him. She found the blameless and valiant son of Lycoan standing, and around him the brave ranks of shielded warriors, who had followed him from the streams of Æsepus; and standing near, she thus to him spoke winged words:
"Wouldst thou now hearken to me in any thing, O war-like son of Lycoan? Thou wouldst venture then to aim a swift arrow at Menelaus. Doubtless thou wouldst bear away both thanks and glory from all the Trojans, but of all, chiefly from the prince Alexander, from whom, indeed, first of all thou wouldst receive splendid gifts, if he should see martial Menelaus, the son of Atreus, subdued by this weapon, ascending the sad pile. But come, aim an arrow at renowned Menelaus; and vow to Lycian-born[1] Apollo, the renowned archer, that thou wilt sacrifice a splendid hecatomb of firstling lambs, having returned home to the city of sacred Zeleia."
Thus spoke Minerva, and she persuaded his mind for him, unthinking one. Straightway he uncased his well-polished bow, made from [the horn of] a wild, bounding goat, which he indeed surprising once on a time in ambush, as it was coming out of a cavern, struck, aiming at it beneath the breast; but it fell supine on the rock. Its horns had grown sixteen palms from its head; and these the horn-polishing artist, having duly prepared, fitted together, and when he had well smoothed all, added a golden tip. And having bent the bow, he aptly lowered it, having inclined it against the ground; but his excellent companions held their shields before him, lest the martial sons of the Greeks should rise against him, before warlike Menelaus, the chief of the Greeks, was wounded. Then he drew off the cover of his quiver, and took out an arrow, fresh, winged, a cause of gloomy ills. Forthwith he fitted the bitter arrow to the string,
- ↑ This is probably the true interpretation, and is given by the Scholiast, Hesychius, and others. But Heralclides, Elleg. § 6, says that Apollo is so called ἐπειδὴ τοῦ κατὰ τὴν ὄρθριον ὥραν λυκαυγοῦς ἐστιν αἰτιος, ἢ ὅτι λυκάβαντα γεννᾶ, τουτέστι τὸν ἐνιαυτόν. Cf. Macrob. Sat. i. 17; Serv. on Æn. iv. 377.
Procop. Vandal. i. Μάχονται μὲν ἄνθρωποι, βραβεύει δὲ ὁ θεὸς ὅπως ποτὲ αὐτῷ δοκεῖ, καὶ τὸ τοῦ πολέμου δίδωσι κράτος.
