Thus would many an one of Achaians and Trojans say. Then the goddess
entered the throng of Trojans in the likeness of a man, even Antenor's
son Laodokos, a stalwart warrior, and sought for godlike Pandaros, if
haply she might find him. Lykaon's son found she, the noble and
stalwart, standing, and about him the stalwart ranks of the
shield-bearing host that followed him from the streams of Aisepos. So
she came near and spake winged words: "Wilt thou now hearken to me, thou
wise son of Lykaon? Then wouldst thou take heart to shoot a swift arrow
at Menelaos, and wouldst win favour and glory before all the Trojans,
and before king Alexandros most of all. Surely from him first of any
wouldst thou receive glorious gifts, if perchance he see Menelaos,
Atreus' warrior son, vanquished by thy dart and brought to the grievous
pyre. Go to now, shoot at glorious Menelaos, and vow to Apollo, the son
of light [Or, perhaps, "the Wolf-born"], the lord of archery, to
sacrifice a goodly hecatomb of firstling lambs when thou art returned to
thy home, in the city of holy Zeleia."

So spake Athene, and persuaded his fool's heart. Forthwith he unsheathed
his polished bow of horn of a wild ibex that he himself had erst smitten
beneath the breast as it came forth from a rock, the while he awaited in
a lurking-place; and had pierced it in the chest, so that it fell
backward on the rock. Now from its head sprang there horns of sixteen
palms; these the artificer, even the worker in horn, joined cunningly
together, and polished them all well and set the top of gold thereon. So
he laid it down when he had well strung it, by resting it upon the
ground; and his staunch comrades held their shields before him, lest the
warrior sons of the Achaians should first set on them, ere Menelaos,
Atreus' son, were smitten. Then opened he the lid of his quiver and took
forth a feathered arrow, never yet shot, a source of grievous pangs; and
anon he laid the bitter dart upon the string and vowed to Apollo, the