was sailing. After this Proteus
asked him whence he had taken Helen; and when Alexander went astray in
his account and did not speak the truth, those who had become suppliants
convicted him of falsehood, relating in full the whole tale of the wrong
done. At length Proteus declared to them this sentence, saying, "Were
it not that I count it a matter of great moment not to slay any of those
strangers who being driven from their course by winds have come to my
land hitherto, I should have taken vengeance on thee on behalf of the
man of Hellas, seeing that thou, most base of men, having received from
him hospitality, didst work against him a most impious deed. For thou
didst go in to the wife of thine own host; and even this was not enough
for thee, but thou didst stir her up with desire and hast gone away with
her like a thief. Moreover not even this by itself was enough for thee,
but thou art come hither with plunder taken from the house of thy host.
Now therefore depart, seeing that I have counted it of great moment not
to be a slayer of strangers. This woman indeed and the wealth which thou
hast I will not allow thee to carry away, but I shall keep them safe for
the Hellene who was thy host, until he come himself and desire to carry
them off to his home; to thyself however and thy fellow-voyagers I
proclaim that ye depart from your anchoring within three days and go
from my land to some other; and if not, that ye will be dealt with as
enemies."

116. This the priests said was the manner of Helen's coming to Proteus;
and I suppose that Homer also had heard this story, but since it was
not so suitable to the composition of his poem as the other which he
followed, he dismissed it finally, 96 making it clear at the same time
that he was acquainted with that story also: and according to the manner
in which he described 97 the wanderings of Alexander in the Iliad (nor
did he elsewhere retract that which he had said) it is clear that when
he brought Helen he was carried out of his course, wandering to various
lands, and that he came among other places to Sidon in Phenicia. Of this
the poet has made mention in the "prowess of Diomede," and the verses
run this: 98

"There she had robes many-coloured, the works of women of Sidon,
Those whom her son himself the god-like of form Alexander
Carried from Sidon, what time the broad sea-path he sailed over
Bringing back Helene home, of a noble father begotten."

And in the O