O'er his broad back, and placed the brazen helm
Upon his head, and took in his strong grasp
A spear, and went to bid his brother wake, --
His brother, the chief ruler over all
The men of Greece, and honored like a god.
He found him at his galley's prow in act
To sheath his shoulders in the shining mail,
And pleased to greet his coming. To the king
Thus Menelaus, great in battle, spake: --

"Why arm thyself, my brother? Wouldst thou
send
A warrior to explore the Trojan camp?
None will accept the task, I fear, to creep
The hostile lines; -- a bold man must he be."
Alone at dead of night, a spy, within

Then answered Agamemnon, king of men: --
"Most noble Menelaus, much we need
Wise counsel -- thou and I -- to save our men
And galleys from destruction, since the will
Of Jove is changed. Now hath the God respect
To Hector's sacrifices; for in truth
I never saw -- I never heard of one
Who in one day performed such mighty deeds
As Hector, dear to Jove, just now hath wrought,
Though not the son of goddess or of god.
Those deeds will be, I deem, for many a day
A cause of bitter sorrow to the Greeks, --
Such evil hath he wrought. Now go at once,
And from their galleys call Idomeneus

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