He that fights fares no better than he that does not; coward and hero are held in equal honour, and death deals like measure to him who works and him who is idle.

I have taken nothing by all my hardships--with my life ever in my hand; as a bird when she has found a morsel takes it to her nestlings, and herself fares hardly, even so many a long night have I been wakeful, and many a bloody battle have I waged by day against those who were fighting for their women.

With my ships I have taken twelve cities, and eleven round about Troy have I stormed with my men by land; I took great store of wealth from every one of them, but I gave all up to Agamemnon son of Atreus.

He stayed where he was by his ships, yet of what came to him he gave little, and kept much himself.
"Nevertheless he did distribute some meeds of honour among the chieftains and kings, and these have them still; from me alone of the Achaeans did he take the woman in whom I delighted--let him keep her and sleep with her.

Why, pray, must the Argives needs fight the Trojans?
What made the son of Atreus gather the host and bring them?
Was it not for the sake of Helen?
Are the sons of Atreus the only men in the world who love their wives?
Any man of common right feeling will love and cherish her who is his own, as I this woman, with my whole heart, though she was but a fruitling of my spear.