Hector, of whom we shall hear more, had also gathered great armies.

They were not afraid that the Greeks would take Troy, for the city was guarded by brave men, and high walls, and heavy gates; and they rejoiced, too, that they were at home with plenty to eat and drink, while the Greeks had to go out and capture supplies for all their armies.

Year after year the Greeks encamped outside the walls of Troy tried to take the city, but the end was not to be seen, because of the brave heroes in both armies. Even the gods were drawn in to take sides in the battles, since Juno and Minerva wished the Greeks to win, while Venus, for the sake of Paris, befriended the Trojans.

Nine long years had passed when there happened an event which seemed likely to bring defeat to the Greeks. This was a bitter quarrel between the hero, Achilles, and King Agamemnon. Homer's Iliad begins with the story of this strife.

Pronunciations. — Ağ a měm'non; Ĭl'i ad; Ē'ris.

Definitions. Oracle, among the heathen the answer given by a god to an inquiry about some future event.

Spell: oracles; chieftain; deceive; plow; guard.

48. THE STORY OF ACHILLES.

In the tenth year of the Trojan war, it happened that Agamemnon and Achilles each laid claim to a slave girl who had fallen to Achilles as a prize from amongst the prisoners taken in battle.

As Agamemnon was the leading chief, Achilles had to give the maiden up, but declared that neither he nor his men would take any further part in the war.

When next the Greeks went out to meet the enemy, Achilles and his men stayed in the tents, playing games. It was a day of dreadful battle, and the Greeks were beaten and driven into their ships.

Then they knew that the gods must be angry at Agamemnon's treatment of Achilles, and a council of the Greeks was called to see what must be done. It was decided that Agamemnon must return the slave maiden to Achilles, and beg him to return to the army again.

Three of the bravest chiefs went with the messages to the tent of Achilles. They offered him the slave girl Agamemnon had taken and seven others. They offered him seven cities from Agamemnon's kingdom, and his ships full of gold and bronze besides, if he would return to aid the Greeks.

But Achilles was still so angry that he would not take the maidens nor the gifts, nor would he promise to join in battle with Agamemnon.

The night passed, and when the sun again mounted from the sea the Greeks went once more to battle.

Achilles and his men did not go with them, but stood upon the ships watching the tumult. Beside Achilles was his best friend, Patroclus, whom he had known since boyhood, and who was dear to him as his own heart. As they stood, Achilles saw the chariot of the brave Nestor come by, bearing a wounded hero. He sent Patroclus to see who this might be.

Nestor kept Patroclus in the tent, and said to him, “Our best men, Ulysses and Agamemnon, lie wounded in their tents. Hector will soon fire our ships. Has Achilles no pity? Can you not persuade him to help us? Or, if he will not go to fight, let him at least send you and his soldiers to the battle and let him lend you his armor. Perhaps the very sight of his splendid armor may drive the Trojans back."

Patroclus saw the danger and his heart was full of pity for the Greeks. He begged Achilles to send himself and the soldiers forth, and Achilles, for the sake of his friend, did as Patroclus asked.

Soon, dressed in the glorious armor and riding in the chariot of Achilles, Patroclus rushed out, followed by the joyous soldiers. The shout was heard, "Achilles is here! Achilles is here!" and the Trojans turned and fled in terror.

At last Hector and Patroclus leaped from their chariots and met face to face, and the gods taking part against Patroclus, he fell wounded unto death. Then a new battle began between the Greeks and Trojans for the body, and lasted until Jupiter blackened the heavens with clouds.

When Achilles heard of the death of his dear Patroclus, he was full of sorrow and bitterness of spirit, and determined to go out and fight in revenge of his friend.

That night the gods brought him down a splendid new armor, and in the morning he went forth to the battle-field. That day, after a brave contest on both

sides, and a fierce race around the walls, Achilles slew Hector, the leader of the Trojans.

Then there was a truce of battle for twelve days, while each side paid funeral honors to its dead hero, and from the rising to the going down of the sun there was no pause of grief.

The Iliad does not tell of the fall of Troy, nor of the death of Achilles. But we learn from Vergil's Æneid that Achilles was afterwards shot in the heel by Paris, and killed. This heel was the only part of his body that could be harmed, his mother having held him here while as a child she dipped him into the enchanted river Styx, in order to make his body proof against death.

The taking of Troy was accomplished by a cunning trick. The Greeks built a great wooden horse outside the walls of Troy. Several armed soldiers were hidden inside it. The rest of the Greeks got into their ships and sailed away as if they were discouraged and going home. The Trojans then came out to look at the curious horse. It was said that the Greeks had left it to be taken into the city in place of the statue of Minerva that Ulysses had captured there.

Some of the Trojans did not believe this, but many did, and soon they began to put ropes about the wooden horse and pull it into Troy, amid the music of flutes and pipes. In the night the hidden Greeks climbed out of the wooden horse, let their friends in at the gates, and so Troy was gained by the enemy, her people banished, and Helen returned to her friends.

Pronunciations. - Pa trō'elus; Aē nē'id.

Select the hardest ten words of this lesson, to spell.

Read the "Meeting of Hector and Andromache.” — Bryant's Пliad. Also, "Adventures of Ulysses."- Lamb, "Stories of the Old World.”— Church.

HOMER'S ODYSSEY.

49. THE ADVENTURES OF ULYSSES.

PART I.

Articulation. - force | his | men; swinish | shape; Ulysses | sent | half his men.

The Odyssey of Homer tells of the wanderings of Ulysses on his return to his own country after the Trojan war. Upon leaving Troy he and his men sailed to the land of the Lotus Eaters. These people met the strangers and gave them some of the lotus plant to eat.

Now, the effect of eating this food was always to make the eaters forget their homes, and wish only to stay in the Lotus Land. Ulysses, upon learning this, had to force his men back to the ships and hurry away.

After some distressing adventures in a land peopled by greedy, one-eyed giants, called Cyclops, the mariners came to the island home of Æolus, the keeper of the winds. He treated them well, and as they were going he gave Ulysses, tied up in a leathern bag, such winds as might be dangerous to his ships, and commanded only fair winds to blow him back to his own country.

For nine days Ulysses stood without sleep directing the ships. At last he lay down to rest. His men, supposing that the bag contained treasure, concluded to open it while he slept. Immediately the harmful winds rushed out and the ships were driven far from their right course, and obliged to row back.

The next adventure was with a wild tribe, who came about the ships as they lay one night at anchor in a little bay. These savages attacked the fleet with stones, sinking all the ships but that of Ulysses, and he was spared only by rowing swiftly away.