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kneeling at her feet； and bade him follow her to her own house； within the
palace garden of King Priam。
Helen walked forward； with a bower maiden at either side； and the
beggar crawling after her。 When she had entered her house； Paris was
not there； so she ordered the bath to be filled with warm water； and new
clothes to be brought； and she herself washed the old beggar and anointed
him with oil。 This appears very strange to us； for though Saint Elizabeth
of Hungary used to wash and clothe beggars； we are surprised that Helen
should do so； who was not a saint。 But long afterwards she herself told
the son of Ulysses； Telemachus； that she had washed his father when he
came into Troy disguised as a beggar who had been sorely beaten。
You must have guessed that the beggar was Ulysses； who had not gone
to Delos in his ship； but stolen back in a boat； and appeared disguised
among the Greeks。 He did all this to make sure that nobody could
recognise him； and he behaved so as to deserve a whipping that he might
not be suspected as a Greek spy by the Trojans； but rather be pitied by
them。 Certainly he deserved his name of 〃the much…enduring Ulysses。〃
Meanwhile he sat in his bath and Helen washed his feet。 But when
she had done； and had anointed his wounds with olive oil； and when she
had clothed him in a white tunic and a purple mantle； then she opened her
lips to cry out with amazement； for she knew Ulysses； but he laid his
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finger on her lips； saying 〃Hush！〃 Then she remembered how great
danger he was in； for the Trojans； if they found him； would put him to
some cruel death； and she sat down； trembling and weeping； while he
watched her。
〃Oh thou strange one；〃 she said； 〃how enduring is thy heart and how
cunning beyond measure！ How hast thou borne to be thus beaten and
disgraced； and to come within the walls of Troy？ Well it is for thee that
Paris； my lord； is far from home； having gone to guide Penthesilea； the
Queen of the warrior maids whom men call Amazons； who is on her way
to help the Trojans。〃
Then Ulysses smiled； and Helen saw that she had said a word which
she ought not to have spoken； and had revealed the secret hope of the
Trojans。 Then she wept； and said； 〃Oh cruel and cunning！ You have
made me betray the people with whom I live； though woe is me that ever I
left my own people； and my husband dear； and my child！ And now if you
escape alive out of Troy； you will tell the Greeks； and they will lie in
ambush by night for the Amazons on the way to Troy and will slay them
all。 If you and I were not friends long ago； I would tell the Trojans that
you are here； and they would give your body to the dogs to eat； and fix
your head on the palisade above the wall。 Woe is me that ever I was
born。〃
Ulysses answered； 〃Lady； as you have said； we two are friends from of
old； and your friend I will be till the last； when the Greeks break into Troy；
and slay the men； and carry the women captives。 If I live till that hour no
man shall harm you； but safely and in honour you shall come to your
palace in Lacedaemon of the rifted hills。 Moreover； I swear to you a
great oath； by Zeus above； and by Them that under earth punish the souls
of men who swear falsely； that I shall tell no man the thing which you
have spoken。〃
So when he had sworn and done that oath； Helen was comforted and
dried her tears。 Then she told him how unhappy she was； and how she
had lost her last comfort when Hector died。 〃Always am I wretched；〃
she said； 〃save when sweet sleep falls on me。 Now the wife of Thon；
King of Egypt； gave me this gift when we were in Egypt； on our way to
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Troy； namely； a drug that brings sleep even to the most unhappy； and it is
pressed from the poppy heads of the garland of the God of Sleep。〃 Then
she showed him strange phials of gold； full of this drug： phials wrought
by the Egyptians； and covered with magic spells and shapes of beasts and
flowers。 〃One of these I will give you；〃 she said； 〃that even from Troy
town you may not go without a gift in memory of the hands of Helen。〃
So Ulysses took the phial of gold； and was glad in his heart； and Helen set
before him meat and wine。 When he had eaten and drunk； and his
strength had come back to him； he said：
〃Now I must dress me again in my old rags； and take my wallet； and
my staff； and go forth； and beg through Troy town。 For here I must abide
for some days as a beggar man； lest if I now escape from your house in the
night the Trojans may think that you have told me the secrets of their
counsel； which I am carrying to the Greeks； and may be angry with you。〃
So he clothed himself again as a beggar； and took his staff； and hid the
phial of gold with the Egyptian drug in his rags； and in his wallet also he
put the new clothes that Helen had given him； and a sword； and he took
farewell； saying； 〃Be of good heart； for the end of your sorrows is at hand。
But if you see me among the beggars in the street； or by the well； take no
heed of me； only I will salute you as a beggar who has been kindly treated
by a Queen。〃
So they parted； and Ulysses went out； and when it was day he was
with the beggars in the streets； but by night he commonly slept near the
fire of a smithy forge； as is the way of beggars。 So for some days he
begged； saying that he was gathering food to eat while he walked to some
town far away that was at peace； where he might find work to do。 He
was not impudent now； and did not go to rich men's houses or tell evil
tales； or laugh； but he was much in the temples； praying to the Gods； and
above all in the temple of Pallas Athene。 The Trojans thought that he
was a pious man for a beggar。
Now there was a custom in these times that men and women who were
sick or in distress； should sleep at night on the floors of the temples。
They did this hoping that the God would send them a dream to show them
how their diseases might be cured； or how they might find what they had
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lost； or might escape from their distresses。
Ulysses slept in more than one temple； and once in that of Pallas
Athene； and the priests and priestesses were kind to him； and gave him
food in the morning when the gates of the temple were opened。
In the temple of Pallas Athene； where the Luck of Troy lay always on
her altar； the custom was that priestesses kept watch； each for two hours；
all through the night； and soldiers kept guard within call。 So one night
Ulysses slept there； on the floor； with other distressed people； seeking for
dreams from the Gods。 He lay still all through the night till the turn of
the last priestess came to watch。 The priestess used to walk up and down
with bare feet among the dreaming people； having a torch in her hand； and
muttering hymns to the Goddess。 Then Ulysses； when her back was
turned； slipped the gold phial out of his rags； and let it lie on the polished
floor beside him。 When the priestess came back again； the light from her
torch fell on the glittering phial； and she stooped and picked it up； and
looked at it curiously。 There came from it a sweet fragrance； and she
opened it； and tasted the drug。 It seemed to her the sweetest thing that
ever she had tasted； and she took more and more； and then closed the phial
and laid it down； and went along murmuring her hymn。
But soon a great drowsiness came over her； and she sat down on the
step of the altar； and fell sound asleep