The Ithacan fleet and the lone ship from Mycenae had reached the Cape of Malea by sunset of the third day of their voyage. The thirteen vessels were drawn up in a large bay along the eastern coast of the cape, where the crews threw their stone anchors overboard and made camp on the beach. Here they baked bread using stores of grain from the ship, or went up into the hills to hunt wild goats, rabbits and birds. That evening they feasted, drank wine and told stories until they fell asleep on the soft sand, whilst their commanders gathered in Agamemnon’s tent and talked long into the night.
As Helen made love to Paris on Cyprus, her husband was pacing up and down and listening to the argument between Odysseus on one side and Agamemnon and Palamedes on the other. After a while he could no longer hold back his thoughts.
‘You’re suggesting, Odysseus, that we send a single ship to Troy to plead for the return of my wife?’
‘Not plead, Menelaus – negotiate. There’s a difference.’
‘I don’t care if there is a difference. We’re gathering the largest force of men and arms ever witnessed and you think we should negotiate for Helen like a pack of beggars? They kidnapped her along with my youngest son, don’t forget! I agree with my brother – the Trojans need to be taught a stern lesson, one that will show the rest of the world we Greeks aren’t to be toyed with. We should slaughter them to a man, reduce their city to rubble and bring Helen back to Sparta where she belongs.’
‘I agree with everything you and Agamemnon have done so far,’ Odysseus replied. ‘Calling in the oath; gathering the armies as quickly as possible; preparing for a quick strike. But an embassy to Troy could save hundreds of Greek lives – even thousands – as well as the possibility of a long and expensive war paid for from Mycenaean and Spartan coffers.’
‘We all appreciate your desire to return to your wife and son as quickly as possible, Odysseus,’ Agamemnon said. ‘I, also, have no desire to spend long months away from my lad, Orestes. He’ll eventually take my place on the throne and needs his father’s example to follow. Then there’s my daughter, Iphigenia; without my influence to check her feminine nature, I fear she will become rebellious and gain ideas above her station. But how can we consider our needs more urgent than those of my brother? Menelaus has had his beloved wife torn from him and taken to Troy! He wants nothing more than to return her to the loving safety of her own home, where her children weep constantly for the loss of their mother. That’s why the Greeks are gathering in Aulis as we speak, eager as hounds to be at Trojan throats. Of all those called only Achilles has not yet responded, though if he’s even half the warrior he is said to be then it won’t be long before he joins us. But these negotiations you suggest could take months and will dampen the ardour of the army. So why don’t you forget this noble but hopeless notion and turn your brilliant mind to thoughts of winning this war?’
Agamemnon folded his arms across his chest and stared at Odysseus, challenging him to respond. But the Ithacan did not meet his gaze, turning his eyes instead on the king of Sparta.
‘Menelaus, my friend, Agamemnon is right – our sympathies lie with you first and foremost. You’re the one who has had his family broken apart. It’s you who have suffered the loss of a matchless wife and a devoted son, so you should be the one to decide on the matter.’ He looked at Agamemnon, who was the most powerful of them and the one most opposed to a peaceful resolution. The Mycenaean king nodded and Odysseus continued. ‘But first, listen carefully to what I have to say on the matter. Teach the Trojans a lesson, you say; wipe them out and destroy their city. Who can say they deserve any less? But ask yourself this – do you want revenge or do you want your family restored? If it’s revenge, then let’s all head for Aulis and rouse the Greeks to war. And don’t tarry there – sail to Troy at once and launch our attack without delay, for this won’t be a quick war. The Trojans will be defending their homes, and that alone will give them twice the stomach for a fight than our men will have. They’re well trained and battle-hardened, and with their allies they can at least match us in numbers; they will have the safety of their walls to return to each evening and a sure supply of food and reserves, whereas we will sleep in tents or on our beached galleys, exposed to night attacks and relying on ships for our provisions. This won’t be a speedy raid, Menelaus, and Troy is not some minor city with a weak army and no defences. Even with names like Diomedes, Ajax and Achilles – if he comes – in our ranks, this war won’t be concluded until next year at the earliest, and not without the loss of much Greek blood. And all the time we must worry about attacks on our own kingdoms while we are absent.’
He paused and caught Menelaus’s eye, holding his gaze for a long moment as if the others in the tent were not there.
‘But if I were you,’ he continued, ‘I would forget revenge. If you want Helen back at all, then you need to act quickly – and with much more speed than the mechanics of war will allow.’
‘What is that supposed to mean?’ Menelaus asked, his eyes narrowing.
‘Be realistic, Menelaus. Helen may have been able to keep Paris at bay thus far, but for how much longer? He took her because of her beauty. He wants to make her his lover and wife, and the longer she is kept prisoner behind the walls of Troy the greater the risk he will succeed. He won’t be above forcing himself upon her either. Do you want Paris to violate Helen? Do you want her to bear his children?’
Menelaus’s eyes widened and his face turned red. Suddenly the fury burst free and he smashed his fist down on the table, sending the cups and plates leaping into the air. Wine, meat and bread spilled over the fleece-covered floor.
‘How dare you!’ he shouted, grabbing a handful of the purple robe Penelope had given Odysseus and pulling the Ithacan king towards him. ‘How dare you speak of such an outrage!’
Odysseus placed his hand on Menelaus’s wrist and calmly forced it back down to his side.
‘I dare to speak of these things, Menelaus, because I’m your friend. Palamedes there has spent the evening goading you with talk of revenge, provoking your anger by reminding you of the injustice Paris has committed against you. That’s because he thinks that’s what you want to hear, and he doesn’t have the courage to tell you the painful truth. But what I’m telling you is the truth, whether you like it or not. And unless you’re prepared to put aside your desire for revenge, then Paris and Helen will become lovers. That much I can guarantee. Your only hope – and my only hope of returning to Penelope and Telemachus – is to allow me to go to Priam and speak with him. I can make him see reason and let Helen go, especially if he knows about the army that’s being gathered against him.’
‘An embassy to Troy is a waste of time,’ Agamemnon said, icily. ‘We’ll lose the element of surprise if you tell Priam about our preparations. We can’t afford to risk an opposed landing on the beaches of Ilium. And I know my sister-in-law better than you do, Odysseus. Helen won’t betray Menelaus. She’ll be expecting him to come with an army, and that thought alone will help her to resist Paris.’