The face off between Menelaus and Pairs

The Greeks and the Trojans march out and meet on the plain in front of Troy.

The armies face off and Paris comes forward to challenge the Greeks. Menelaus cannot pass this up since Paris stole Helen from him, he is only to glad to fight Paris. What happens next is embarrassing for the Trojans, Paris hides behind his men, then his brother Hector upbraids him for being so cowardly. Rebuked, Paris says he will fight Menelaus and the better man gets Helen and her wealth. Both sides agree to this, and they finalize this by sacrificing four sheep.

Meanwhile Helen is prompted by the goddess Iris goes to the city walls to witness the coming fight. Several elder statesmen of Troy make this comment about Helen “Small wonder that Trojans and Achaeans should endure so much and so long, for the sake of a woman so marvelously and divinely lovely. Still, fair though she be, let them take her and go, or she will breed sorrow for us and our children after us.” Helen points several of the Greek warriors to the Trojans, among them Odysseus and Ajax. What Helen does not realize that her two brothers Castor and Pollux lay buried in their own land of Lacedaemon.

Paris and Menelaus finally fight it out, and it does not go well for Paris. They face off on measured ground, brandishing spears, threatening each other. Paris throws his spear first, hits Menelaus shield, and does not piece it. Menelaus then throws his spear and it nicks Paris, next he draws his sword and strikes Paris’s helmet. Much to Menelaus surprise, the sword shivered into pieces in his hand. Menelaus angered flies at Paris, caught the horsehair plume of Paris helmet, and starts to drag him back to the Greek lines. The gods intervene again, Aphrodite breaks the ox hide strap on Paris helmet and under a cloud of darkness takes him to his own bedchamber. She then gets Helen who upbraids Paris again; they make up and lay down together. Meanwhile Menelaus is searching indeed everyone, Trojans included, is searching for Paris, no one had a reason to hide him. Book 3 ends with Agamemnon declaring that the victory goes to Menelaus.