marked him coming in the forefront of the multitude with long strides,
then even as a lion is glad when he lighteth upon a great carcase, a
horned stag, or a wild goat that he hath found, being an hungered; and
so he devoureth it amain, even though the fleet hounds and lusty youths
set upon him; even thus was Menelaos glad when his eyes beheld godlike
Alexandros; for he thought to take vengeance upon the sinner. So
straightway he leap in his armour from his chariot to the ground.

But when godlike Alexandros marked him appear amid the champions, his
heart was smitten, and he shrank back into the host of his comrades,
avoiding death. And even as a man that hath seen a serpent in a mountain
glade starteth backward and trembling seizeth his feet beneath him,
and he retreateth back again, and paleness hath hold of his cheeks, even
so did godlike Alexandros for fear of Atreus' son shrink back into the
throng of lordly Trojans. But Hector beheld and upbraided him with
scornful words: "Ill Paris, most fair in semblance, thou deceiver
woman-mad, would thou hadst been unborn and died unwed. Yea, that were
my desire, and it were far better than thus to be our shame and looked
at askance of all men. I ween that the flowing-haired Achaians laugh,
deeming that a prince is our champion only because a goodly favour is
his; but in his heart is there no strength nor any courage. Art thou
indeed such an one that in thy seafaring ships thou didst sail over the
deep with the company of thy trusty comrades, and in converse with
strangers didst bring back a fair woman from a far country, one that was
by marriage daughter to warriors that bear the spear, that she might be
a sore mischief to they father and city and all the realm, but to our
foes a rejoicing, and to thyself a hanging of the head? And canst thou
not indeed abide Menelaos dear to Ares? Thou mightest see what sort of
warrior is he whose lovely wife thou hast. Thy lyre will not avail thee
nor the gifts of Aphrodite, those thy locks and fair favour, when thou