son of light, the lord of archery, to sacrifice a goodly hecatomb of
firstling lambs when he should have returned to his home in the city of
holy Zeleia. Then he took the notch and string of oxes' sinew together,
and drew, bringing to his breast the string, and to the bow the iron
head. So when he had now bent the great bow into a round, the horn
twanged, and the string sang aloud, and the keen arrow leapt eager to
wing his way amid the throng.

But the blessed gods immortal forgat not thee, Menelaos; and before all
the daughter of Zeus, the driver of the spoil, who stood before thee and
warded off the piercing dart. She turned it just aside from the flesh,
even as a mother driveth a fly from her child that lieth in sweet
slumber; and with her own hand guided it where the golden buckles of the
belt were clasped and the doubled breastplate met them. So the bitter
arrow lighted upon the firm belt; through the inwrought belt it sped and
through the curiously wrought breastplate it pressed on and through the
taslet [and apron or belt set with metal, worn below the corslet] he
wore to shield his flesh, a barrier against darts; and this best
shielded him, yet it passed on even through this. Then did the arrow
graze the warrior's outermost flesh, and forthwith the dusky blood
flowed from the wound.

As when some woman of Maionia or Karia staineth ivory with purple, to
make a cheek-piece for horses, and it is laid up in the treasure
chamber, and many a horseman prayeth for it to wear; but it is laid up
to be a king's boast, alike an adornment for his horse and a glory for
his charioteer; even in such wise, Menelaos, were thy shapely thighs
stained with blood and thy legs and thy fair ankles beneath.

Thereat shuddered Agamemnon king of men when he saw the black blood