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Menelaus's in a
weep
For the sake of Catreus' sleep,
Whom he
buries in far Crete,
Having come there with his fleet.
Many
sorrows and sharp stings
Are his torture when he sings:
"As the
leaves fall from the trees
Worn by bleak late-autumn breeze,
So
man's ship ploughs alien seas
When cold winds her sail do seize
...
Catreus, speak! Where
you've withdrawn,
Can your soul tell dusk from dawn?
Are
there cities, is there gold?
Is it sunny, is it cold?
Shine
stars radiant in the sky,
Or reigns darkness in the high?
Is
death friendly or hostile,
Or like us, quite versatile?
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Does
death everything appease,
Or is death yet a disease?
I
suppose with gods you walk ...
But myself, to whom I'll talk?"
Moved
by what the king contrived,
The dead man almost revived;
But the
query was so deep
That the grandson fell asleep.
Now
they lie both side by side,
He who sleeps, and he who died.
Says a
sentry to his mate:
"As you see can death sedate."
"That
could be, but I can't tell
Who's in heaven, who's in hell."
Says
the first: "No doubt can pain,
Without mercy, drain the brain."
His
mate answers as he grins:
"Death and Sleep are closest
twins!"
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No guard dares
the king awake,
Nor the twins' encounter break.
"This
weird scene we should not change,
Lest the gods we might derange."
"Better
keep the scene, though odd,
Than at odds be with some god."
As they
sang this gentle theme,
Their teeth kept their merry gleam.
In the
meantime, with no scheme,
The king plunged into a dream:
He
believed he was awake,
And saw Heaven in a shake.
Amid
colours the most fair,
A girl came, with put up hair,
Saying,
"Leave! While you are here,
Paris steals your wife so dear.
On his
ship he has let load
All your gold; he's on his road.
It will
cost quite hard a strife
To get back both gold and wife.
You are
sleeping, do wake up!
You must drain a bitter cup!"
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Thus
spoke Iris, goddess swift,
Who helps men to catch the drift.
As his
heart lost all delight,
His eyes opened with great fright.
Turned
his pain the apparition
Into rage and into mission:
"Hear
ye gods, whom I revere,
I know well that you are near:
Hospitality sincere
I have offered to a peer,
Who my
assets held too dear,
Having made them disappear.
Punish
Paris, let him fear!
Let me hunt him like a deer!
If you
guide my hand and spear,
His perfidious heart I'll tear!"
That
curse uttered he in Crete
As he put to sea his fleet,
And he
sang on his way home,
Captivated by the sea foam:
"No
pain can, though great its size,
Greater pains forbid to rise."
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Menelaus returned
to Greece
And ordained all feasts to cease,
He
decreed troops to increase,
And forbade to speak of peace.
Then he
placed on his dark board,
His own brother, the High Lord,
"Agamemnon, you're my
kin,
Listen now to my chagrin:
Every
realm here has a lord,
Though is yours the mightiest
sword.
Many
realms have signed a pact,
Meant to keep my home intact.
Since
now treason is a fact,
We the compact must exact."
The
Overlord said well aware
That the king wished war prepare,
"Would
you say war is the word
Since away has flown your bird?
If the
dames resisted seductions,
There would never be abductions.
Though
this prince committed treason,
Yet for war is no good reason!
Please
dismiss such foolish thought,
You are tired, and much
distraught!"
"If you
let Paris me trample,
New offence, and much more ample,
Will
the Trojans us inflict;
That's quite easy to predict."
"War
imposes heavy costs.
All resources it exhausts.
While
abroad the army bleeds,
Grow at home our basic needs."
"With
the Trojans' compensation
We'll finance mobilization."
"While
in war you seek solution,
You may risk a revolution!
Our
allies at home have trouble,
Would you like to make it double?"
"If you
fail to inspire respect,
All our kingdoms will be wrecked.
It's
not here in your tower,
That you shall secure our power!"
"Have
you talked with allied kings,
Deftly pulled the longest strings?"
"Aren't
you brother and ally?
Shouldn't I first on you rely?
If you
are indeed my brother,
Should I first address another?"
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"These
affairs are rather serious,
I'm afraid you are delirious.
What if
they our move resist,
And dismiss our iron fist?
What
else could our army show
But how well it deals a blow?"
"The
whole tale will not last long,
They'll yield frightened by our
throng.
But
we'd show them they are wrong,
By the sound of the war-gong.
Though
persuasive be the speech,
It tells less than weapons teach."
"I
would never that deny:
Arms best lessons do supply."
"Let
our allies mobilize,
There's no harm in exercise!"
"Indeed, training brings
no harm.
Keeps the strength in mind and
arm."
"My
dear brother, one more question
En passant I wish to mention:
If our
children shared one bed
Both our realms would better
spread.
And
indeed we'd be more dreaded
If your son my daughter wedded ...
Yet
this theme I must postpone
While in bed I lie alone ...
Now
returning to my plea,
Tell me which is your decree."
"Is the
rule of all good brothers
To unite in front of others,
Since
all men find joy, delight,
When they watch two brothers fight.
I shall
do as you request
Though I doubt it's for the best.
Yet we
carefully shall handle
This uncomfortable scandal,
And
deft envoys we'll employ
To persuade the king of Troy."
With
such words the Lord agreed
With his brother's iron creed,
Sending
word to every king,
"Raise your armies, and stocks
bring,
We
shall gather the whole host
With our ships by Aulis' coast ..."
This
ordained the Overlord
Of all Hellas, mightiest sword.
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