Οἱ δὲ θεοὶ παρ Ζηνὶ καθήμενοι ἠγορόωντο
χρυσέῳ ἐν δαπέδῳ: μετα δέ σφισι πότνια Ἥβη
νέκταρ ἐῳνοχόει: τοι δὲ χρυσέοις δεπάεσσι
δειδέχατ' ἀλλήλους. Τρώων πόλιν εἰσορόωντες:
αὐτίκ' ἐπειρᾶτο Κρονίδης ἐρεθιζέμεν Ἥρην
κερτομίοις ἐπέεσσι: παραβλήδην ἀγορεύων:
δοιαὶ μὲν Μενελάῳ ἀρηγόνες εἰσὶ θεάων:
Ἥρη τ' Ἀργείη καὶ Ἀλαλκομενηῒς Ἀθήνη:
ἀλλ`' ἤτοι, ταὶ, νόσφι καθήμεναι. εἰσορόωσαι
τέρπεσθον: τῷ δ' αῦτε φιλομμειδὴς Ἀφροδίτη
αἰεὶ παρμέμβλωκε. καὶ αὐτοῦ κῆρας ἀμύνει:
καὶ νῦν ἐξεσάωσεν ὀϊόμενον θανέεσθαι:
ἀλλ`' ἤτοι νίκη μὲν ἀρηϊφίλου Μενελάου:
ἡμεῖς δὲ φραζώμεθ' ὅπως ἔσται τάδε ἔργα.
ή ρ' αῦτις πόλεμόν τε κακὸν καὶ φύλοπιν αἰνὴν
ὄρσομεν. ἦ φιλότητα μετ αμφοτέροισι βάλωμεν:
εἰ δ' αύτως τόδε πᾶσι φίλον καὶ ἡδὺ γένοιτο:
ἤτοι μὲν οἰκέοιτο πόλις Πριάμοιο ἄνακτος:
αῦτις δ' Ἀργείην Ἑλένην Μενέλαος ἄγοιτο:
Now the gods, seated by the side of Zeus, were holding assembly on the golden floor, and in their midst the queenly Hebe poured them nectar, and they with golden goblets pledged one the other as they looked forth upon the city of the Trojans. And forthwith the son of Cronos made essay to provoke Hera with mocking words, and said with malice: "Twain of the goddesses hath Menelaus for helpers, even Argive Hera, and Alalcomenean Athene. Howbeit these verily sit apart and take their pleasure in beholding, whereas by the side of that other laughter-loving Aphrodite ever standeth, and wardeth from him fate, and but now she saved him, when he thought to perish. But of a surety victory rests with Menelaus, dear to Ares; let us therefore take thought how these things are to be; whether we shall again rouse evil war and the dread din of battle, or put friendship between the hosts. If this might in any wise be welcome to all and their good pleasure, then might the city of king Priam still be an habitation, and Menelaus take back Argive Helen."
