riam. "Tell me now who the other
warrior is who is shorter by a head than King Agamemnon, but who is
broader of chest and shoulder."'

'"He is Odysseus," I said, "who was reared in rugged Ithaka, but who is
wise above all the Kings."'

'And an old man, Antenor, who was by us said, "That indeed is Odysseus.
I remember that he and Menelaus came on an embassy to the assembly of
the Trojans. When they both stood up, Menelaus seemed the greater man,
but when they sat down Odysseus seemed by far the most stately. When
they spoke in the assembly, Menelaus was ready and skilful of speech.
Odysseus when he spoke held his staff stiffly in his hands and fixed his
eyes on the ground. We thought by the look of him then that he was a man
of no understanding. But when he began to speak we saw that no one could
match Odysseus--his words came like snow-flakes in winter and his voice
was very resonant."'

'And Priam said, "Who is that huge warrior? I think he is taller and
broader than any of the rest."'

'"He is great Aias," I said, "who is as a bulwark for the Greeks. And
beside him stands Idomeneus, who has come from the Island of Crete.
Around him stand the Cretan captains." So I spoke, but my heart was
searching for a sight of my own two brothers. I did not see them in any
of the companies. Had they come with the host, I wondered, and were they
ashamed to be seen with the warriors on account of my wrong-doing? I
wondered as I looked for them. Ah, I did not know that even then my two
dear brothers were dead, and that the earth of their own dear land held
them.'

'Hector came to the gate and the wives and daughters of the Trojans came
running to him, asking for news of their husbands or sons or brothers,
whether they were killed or whether they were coming back from the
battle. He spoke to them all and went to his own house. But Andromache,
his wife, was not there, and the housedame told him that she had gone to
the great tower by the wall of the City to watch the battle and that the
nurse had gone with her, bringing their infant child.

'So Hector went down the street and came to the gate where we were, and
Andromache his wife came to meet him. With her was the nurse who carried
the little child that the folk of the city named Astyanax, calling him,
'King of the City' because his father was their city's protector. Hector
stretched out his arms to the little boy whom the nurse carried. But the
child shrank away from him, becaus