The sails were spread, and the vessels destined to the attack of Troy
advanced quickly towards its shores. Priam and his brave sons though they
received the enemy with vigour, could not prevent them from landing, and
the siege commenced by a blockade, which lasted for the space of nine
years, and might have lasted much longer, as more than valour was necessary
to take the city; for destiny had dictated the conditions to be fulfilled,
ere its capture could be accomplished.
An ancient oracle had foretold that among the besiegers must be one of the
descendants of Eachus, who had worked on the wall of {234} of Ilion, and
Achilles, son of Thetis, considered Eachus as his ancestor. This young hero
had been hidden by his frightened mother in the isle of Cyros. Clothed in
female garments, he there lived with the beautiful Deidomia, and enslaved
by Love, forgot over the cradle of his offspring, the glory of his country,
and the precepts of his tutor, Chiron, the centaur. But it was necessary
that he should be discovered; and that he should be animated with higher
thoughts and more exalted sentiments.
Ulysses, King of Ithaca, took upon himself the charge of bringing the young
Achilles from his inglorious ease to the post which awaited him in the
camp. Disguised as a merchant, Ulysses introduced himself into the palace
of the future hero, and as he paraded himself before the women with jewels
and arms, one of them disdained the gems, and seized a sword!--It was
Achilles!--who thus betrayed his manly inclinations.
[Illustration]
Thus discovered, the eloquence of Ulysses was exerted, and the youthful
hero listened with astonishment to the King of Ithaca, as he told him of
the dangers already overcome, and of the future conquests which awaited
him. Ulysses departed, but not alone, for the spirit of glory was aroused
in Achilles, and one more defender was added to the cause of Menelaus. But
the besiegers were also to possess the arrows of Hercules, which this hero
in dying had bequeathed to Philoctetes, who, however, would not give up the
terrible arms that no mortal dared take from him. Ulysses presented himself
to Philoctetes, who, at the command of the manes of Hercules, sought the
Grecian camp with his terrible weapons to assist them against their
enemies.
[Illustration: Pyrrha seizing the sword before Achilles.]
{235}
But this was not enough. It was necessary to take from the Trojans the
talismanic protector of their city, the Palladium.
Ulysses was also charged with this mission, and the intrepid Diomedes
assisted him to triumph over the obstacles which would have resisted his
single efforts, and they went forth to seek the statue of Pallas, in the
very city of their intrepid foes.
It was necessary likewise that Rhesus, King of Thrace, should be prevented
from allowing his horses to drink of the waters of the Xanthus, an ancient
oracle having declared that if they drank of those waters or fed in the
Trojan plain, that Troy would never be taken. In this too they succeeded;
for Diomedes and Ulysses intercepted him on his journey to the Trojan camp,
entered his tent at night and slew him; they then carried off the horses
which had been the innocent causes of his melancholy fate.
All the oracles being now fulfilled, the siege was commenced with vigour,
when an unforeseen quarrel stopped the operations of the Greeks. Achilles
having been deprived by Agamemnon of his favourite mistress, retired into
his tent. Reverses of fortune instantly signalised his absence. A general
assault, however, was ordered, but directly the army displayed itself
before the walls, Paris challenged Menelaus to single combat, and promised
to return Helen if he was vanquished. The King of Sparta, protected by his
bravery and the justice of his cause, accepted his challenge, and would
have sacrificed the coward Trojan to his vengeance, when he took flight,
and escaped by the aid of Venus.
--------"Poised in air, the javelin sent,
Through Paris' shield the fearful weapon went,
His corslet pierces, and his garment rends,
And, glancing downward, near his flank descends.
The wary Trojan, bending from the blow,
Eludes the death, and disappoints his foe:
But fierce Atrides waved his sword, and struck
Full on his casque, the crested helmet shook:
The brittle steel, unfaithful to his hand,
Broke short, the fragments glittered on the sand.
The raging warrior to the spacious skies
Raised his upbraiding voice and angry eyes.
'Then is it vain in Jove himself to trust?
And is it thus the Gods assist the just?
When crimes provoke us, Heaven success denies,
The dart falls harmless, and the falchion flies.'
{236}
Furious he said, and tow'rd the Grecian crew
Seized by the crest, th' unhappy warrior drew;
Struggling he followed, while th' embroidered throng,
That tied his helmet dragged the chief along.
Then had his ruin crowned Atrides' joy,
But Venus trembled for the Prince of Troy;
Unseen she came, and burst the golden band,
And left an empty helmet in his hand."