Iliad by Homer
Book II
Now the other gods and the armed warriors on the
plain slept soundly, but Jove was
wakeful, for he was thinking how to do honour
to Achilles, and destroyed much people
at the ships of the Achaeans. In the end he
deemed it would be best to send a lying
dream to King Agamemnon; so he called one
to him and said to it, "Lying Dream, go to
the ships of the Achaeans, into the tent of
Agamemnon, and say to him word to word as
I now bid you. Tell him to get the Achaeans
instantly under arms, for he shall take Troy.
There are no longer divided counsels among
the gods; Juno has brought them to her
own mind, and woe betides the Trojans."
The dream went when it had heard its message,
and soon reached the ships of the
Achaeans. It sought Agamemnon son of Atreus
and found him in his tent, wrapped in a
profound slumber. It hovered over his head
in the likeness of Nestor, son of Neleus,
whom Agamemnon honoured above all his councillors,
and said:-
"You are sleeping, son of Atreus; one who
has the welfare of his host and so much
other care upon his shoulders should dock
his sleep. Hear me at once, for I come as a
messenger from Jove, who, though he be not
near, yet takes thought for you and pities
you. He bids you get the Achaeans instantly
under arms, for you shall take Troy. There
are no longer divided counsels among the gods;
Juno has brought them over to her own
mind, and woe betides the Trojans at the hands
of Jove. Remember this, and when you
wake see that it does not escape you."
The dream then left him, and he thought of
things that were, surely not to be
accomplished. He thought that on that same
day he was to take the city of Priam, but he
little knew what was in the mind of Jove,
who had many another hard-fought fight in
store alike for Danaans and Trojans. Then
presently he woke, with the divine message
still ringing in his ears; so he sat upright,
and put on his soft shirt so fair and new, and
over this his heavy cloak. He bound his sandals
on to his comely feet, and slung his
silver-studded sword about his shoulders;
then he took the imperishable staff of his
father, and sallied forth to the ships of
the Achaeans.
The goddess Dawn now wended her way to vast
Olympus that she might herald day to
Jove and to the other immortals, and Agamemnon
sent the criers round to call the
people in assembly; so they called them and
the people gathered thereon. But first he
summoned a meeting of the elders at the ship
of Nestor king of Pylos, and when they
were assembled he laid a cunning counsel before
them.
"My friends," said he, "I have had a dream
from heaven in the dead of night, and its face
and figure resembled none but Nestor's. It
hovered over my head and said, 'You are
sleeping, son of Atreus; one who has the welfare
of his host and so much other care
upon his shoulders should dock his sleep.
Hear me at once, for I am a messenger from
Jove, who, though he be not near, yet takes
thought for you and pities you. He bids you
get the Achaeans instantly under arms, for
you shall take Troy. There are no longer
divided counsels among the gods; Juno has
brought them over to her own mind, and
woe betides the Trojans at the hands of Jove.
Remember this.' The dream then
vanished and I awoke. Let us now, therefore,
arm the sons of the Achaeans. But it will
be well that I should first sound them, and
to this end I will tell them to fly with their
ships; but do you others go about among the
host and prevent their doing so."
He then sat down, and Nestor the prince of
Pylos with all sincerity and goodwill
addressed them thus: "My friends," said he,
"princes and councillors of the Argives, if
any other man of the Achaeans had told us
of this dream we should have declared it
false, and would have had nothing to do with
it. But he who has seen it is the foremost
man among us; we must therefore set about
getting the people under arms."
With this he led the way from the assembly,
and the other sceptred kings rose with him
in obedience to the word of Agamemnon; but
the people pressed forward to hear. They
swarmed like bees that sally from some hollow
cave and flit in countless throng among
the spring flowers, bunched in knots and clusters;
even so did the mighty multitude pour
from ships and tents to the assembly, and
range themselves upon the wide-watered
shore, while among them ran Wildfire Rumour,
messenger of Jove, urging them ever to
the fore. Thus they gathered in a pell-mell
of mad confusion, and the earth groaned
under the tramp of men as the people sought
their places. Nine heralds went crying
about among them to stay their tumult and
bid them listen to the kings, till at last they
were got into their several places and ceased
their clamour. Then King Agamemnon
rose, holding his sceptre. This was the work
of Vulcan, who gave it to Jove the son of
Saturn. Jove gave it to Mercury, slayer of
Argus, guide and guardian. King Mercury
gave it to Pelops, the mighty charioteer,
and Pelops to Atreus, shepherd of his people.
Atreus, when he died, left it to Thyestes,
rich in flocks, and Thyestes in his turn left it to
be borne by Agamemnon, that he might be lord
of all Argos and of the isles. Leaning,
then, on his sceptre, he addressed the Argives.
"My friends," he said, "heroes, servants of
Mars, the hand of heaven has been laid
heavily upon me. Cruel Jove gave me his solemn
promise that I should sack the city of
Priam before returning, but he has played
me false, and is now bidding me go
ingloriously back to Argos with the loss of
much people. Such is the will of Jove, who
has laid many a proud city in the dust, as
he will yet lay others, for his power is above
all. It will be a sorry tale hereafter that
an Achaean host, at once so great and valiant,
battled in vain against men fewer in number
than themselves; but as yet the end is not in
sight. Think that the Achaeans and Trojans
have sworn to a solemn covenant, and that
they have each been numbered- the Trojans
by the roll of their householders, and we
by companies of ten; think further that each
of our companies desired to have a Trojan
householder to pour out their wine; we are
so greatly more in number that full many a
company would have to go without its cup-bearer.
But they have in the town allies from
other places, and it is these that hinder
me from being able to sack the rich city of Ilius.
Nine of Jove years are gone; the timbers of
our ships have rotted; their tackling is sound
no longer. Our wives and little ones at home
look anxiously for our coming, but the
work that we came hither to do has not been
done. Now, therefore, let us all do as I
say: let us sail back to our own land, for
we shall not take Troy."
With these words he moved the hearts of the
multitude, so many of them as knew not
the cunning counsel of Agamemnon. They surged
to and fro like the waves of the
Icarian Sea, when the east and south winds
break from heaven's clouds to lash them; or
as when the west wind sweeps over a field
of corn and the ears bow beneath the blast,
even so were they swayed as they flew with
loud cries towards the ships, and the dust
from under their feet rose heavenward. They
cheered each other on to draw the ships
into the sea; they cleared the channels in
front of them; they began taking away the stays
from underneath them, and the welkin rang
with their glad cries, so eager were they to
return.
Then surely the Argives would have returned
after a fashion that was not fated. But
Juno said to Minerva, "Alas, daughter of aegis-bearing
Jove, unweariable, shall the
Argives fly home to their own land over the
broad sea, and leave Priam and the Trojans
the glory of still keeping Helen, for whose
sake so many of the Achaeans have died at
Troy, far from their homes? Go about at once
among the host, and speak fairly to them,
man by man, that they draw not their ships
into the sea."
Minerva was not slack to do her bidding. Down
she darted from the topmost summits
of Olympus, and in a moment she was at the
ships of the Achaeans. There she found
Ulysses, peer of Jove in counsel, standing
alone. He had not as yet laid a hand upon his
ship, for he was grieved and sorry; so she
went close up to him and said, "Ulysses,
noble son of Laertes, are you going to fling
yourselves into your ships and be off home
to your own land in this way? Will you leave
Priam and the Trojans the glory of still
keeping Helen, for whose sake so many of the
Achaeans have died at Troy, far from
their homes? Go about at once among the host,
and speak fairly to them, man by man,
that they draw not their ships into the sea."
Ulysses knew the voice as that of the goddess:
he flung his cloak from him and set off to
run. His servant Eurybates, a man of Ithaca,
who waited on him, took charge of the
cloak, whereon Ulysses went straight up to
Agamemnon and received from him his
ancestral, imperishable staff. With this he
went about among the ships of the Achaeans.
Whenever he met a king or chieftain, he stood
by him and spoke him fairly. "Sir," said
he, "this flight is cowardly and unworthy.
Stand to your post, and bid your people also
keep their places. You do not yet know the
full mind of Agamemnon; he was sounding
us, and ere long will visit the Achaeans with
his displeasure. We were not all of us at the
council to hear what he then said; see to
it lest he be angry and do us a mischief; for the
pride of kings is great, and the hand of Jove
is with them."
But when he came across any common man who
was making a noise, he struck him
with his staff and rebuked him, saying, "Sirrah,
hold your peace, and listen to better men
than yourself. You are a coward and no soldier;
you are nobody either in fight or
council; we cannot all be kings; it is not
well that there should be many masters; one
man must be supreme- one king to whom the
son of scheming Saturn has given the
sceptre of sovereignty over you all."
Thus masterfully did he go about among the
host, and the people hurried back to the
council from their tents and ships with a
sound as the thunder of surf when it comes
crashing down upon the shore, and all the
sea is in an uproar.
The rest now took their seats and kept to
their own several places, but Thersites still
went on wagging his unbridled tongue- a man
of many words, and those unseemly; a
monger of sedition, a railer against all who
were in authority, who cared not what he
said, so that he might set the Achaeans in
a laugh. He was the ugliest man of all those
that came before Troy- bandy-legged, lame
of one foot, with his two shoulders rounded
and hunched over his chest. His head ran up
to a point, but there was little hair on the
top of it. Achilles and Ulysses hated him
worst of all, for it was with them that he was
most wont to wrangle; now, however, with a
shrill squeaky voice he began heaping his
abuse on Agamemnon. The Achaeans were angry
and disgusted, yet none the less he
kept on brawling and bawling at the son of
Atreus.
"Agamemnon," he cried, "what ails you now,
and what more do you want? Your tents
are filled with bronze and with fair women,
for whenever we take a town we give you
the pick of them. Would you have yet more
gold, which some Trojan is to give you as a
ransom for his son, when I or another Achaean
has taken him prisoner? or is it some
young girl to hide and lie with? It is not
well that you, the ruler of the Achaeans, should
bring them into such misery. Weakling cowards,
women rather than men, let us sail
home, and leave this fellow here at Troy to
stew in his own meeds of honour, and
discover whether we were of any service to
him or no. Achilles is a much better man
than he is, and see how he has treated him-
robbing him of his prize and keeping it
himself. Achilles takes it meekly and shows
no fight; if he did, son of Atreus, you would
never again insult him."
Thus railed Thersites, but Ulysses at once
went up to him and rebuked him sternly.
"Check your glib tongue, Thersites," said
be, "and babble not a word further. Chide not
with princes when you have none to back you.
There is no viler creature come before
Troy with the sons of Atreus. Drop this chatter
about kings, and neither revile them nor
keep harping about going home. We do not yet
know how things are going to be, nor
whether the Achaeans are to return with good
success or evil. How dare you gibe at
Agamemnon because the Danaans have awarded
him so many prizes? I tell you,
therefore- and it shall surely be- that if
I again catch you talking such nonsense, I will
either forfeit my own head and be no more
called father of Telemachus, or I will take
you, strip you stark naked, and whip you out
of the assembly till you go blubbering
back to the ships."
On this he beat him with his staff about the
back and shoulders till he dropped and fell
a-weeping. The golden sceptre raised a bloody
weal on his back, so he sat down
frightened and in pain, looking foolish as
he wiped the tears from his eyes. The people
were sorry for him, yet they laughed heartily,
and one would turn to his neighbour
saying, "Ulysses has done many a good thing
ere now in fight and council, but he never
did the Argives a better turn than when he
stopped this fellow's mouth from prating
further. He will give the kings no more of
his insolence."
Thus said the people. Then Ulysses rose, sceptre
in hand, and Minerva in the likeness
of a herald bade the people be still, that
those who were far off might hear him and
consider his council. He therefore with all
sincerity and goodwill addressed them thus:-
"King Agamemnon, the Achaeans are for making
you a by-word among all mankind.
They forget the promise they made you when
they set out from Argos, that you should
not return till you had sacked the town of
Troy, and, like children or widowed women,
they murmur and would set off homeward. True
it is that they have had toil enough to
be disheartened. A man chafes at having to
stay away from his wife even for a single
month, when he is on shipboard, at the mercy
of wind and sea, but it is now nine long
years that we have been kept here; I cannot,
therefore, blame the Achaeans if they turn
restive; still we shall be shamed if we go
home empty after so long a stay- therefore, my
friends, be patient yet a little longer that
we may learn whether the prophesyings of
Calchas were false or true.
"All who have not since perished must remember
as though it were yesterday or the day
before, how the ships of the Achaeans were
detained in Aulis when we were on our
way hither to make war on Priam and the Trojans.
We were ranged round about a
fountain offering hecatombs to the gods upon
their holy altars, and there was a fine
plane-tree from beneath which there welled
a stream of pure water. Then we saw a
prodigy; for Jove sent a fearful serpent out
of the ground, with blood-red stains upon its
back, and it darted from under the altar on
to the plane-tree. Now there was a brood of
young sparrows, quite small, upon the topmost
bough, peeping out from under the
leaves, eight in all, and their mother that
hatched them made nine. The serpent ate the
poor cheeping things, while the old bird flew
about lamenting her little ones; but the
serpent threw his coils about her and caught
her by the wing as she was screaming.
Then, when he had eaten both the sparrow and
her young, the god who had sent him
made him become a sign; for the son of scheming
Saturn turned him into stone, and we
stood there wondering at that which had come
to pass. Seeing, then, that such a fearful
portent had broken in upon our hecatombs,
Calchas forthwith declared to us the
oracles of heaven. 'Why, Achaeans,' said he,
'are you thus speechless? Jove has sent us
this sign, long in coming, and long ere it
be fulfilled, though its fame shall last for ever. As
the serpent ate the eight fledglings and the
sparrow that hatched them, which makes
nine, so shall we fight nine years at Troy,
but in the tenth shall take the town.' This was
what he said, and now it is all coming true.
Stay here, therefore, all of you, till we take
the city of Priam."
On this the Argives raised a shout, till the
ships rang again with the uproar. Nestor,
knight of Gerene, then addressed them. "Shame
on you," he cried, "to stay talking here
like children, when you should fight like
men. Where are our covenants now, and where
the oaths that we have taken? Shall our counsels
be flung into the fire, with our
drink-offerings and the right hands of fellowship
wherein we have put our trust? We
waste our time in words, and for all our talking
here shall be no further forward. Stand,
therefore, son of Atreus, by your own steadfast
purpose; lead the Argives on to battle,
and leave this handful of men to rot, who
scheme, and scheme in vain, to get back to
Argos ere they have learned whether Jove be
true or a liar. For the mighty son of
Saturn surely promised that we should succeed,
when we Argives set sail to bring death
and destruction upon the Trojans. He showed
us favourable signs by flashing his
lightning on our right hands; therefore let
none make haste to go till he has first lain with
the wife of some Trojan, and avenged the toil
and sorrow that he has suffered for the
sake of Helen. Nevertheless, if any man is
in such haste to be at home again, let him lay
his hand to his ship that he may meet his
doom in the sight of all. But, O king, consider
and give ear to my counsel, for the word that
I say may not be neglected lightly. Divide
your men, Agamemnon, into their several tribes
and clans, that clans and tribes may
stand by and help one another. If you do this,
and if the Achaeans obey you, you will
find out who, both chiefs and peoples, are
brave, and who are cowards; for they will
vie against the other. Thus you shall also
learn whether it is through the counsel of
heaven or the cowardice of man that you shall
fail to take the town."
And Agamemnon answered, "Nestor, you have
again outdone the sons of the Achaeans
in counsel. Would, by Father Jove, Minerva,
and Apollo, that I had among them ten
more such councillors, for the city of King
Priam would then soon fall beneath our
hands, and we should sack it. But the son
of Saturn afflicts me with bootless wranglings
and strife. Achilles and I are quarrelling
about this girl, in which matter I was the first to
offend; if we can be of one mind again, the
Trojans will not stave off destruction for a
day. Now, therefore, get your morning meal,
that our hosts join in fight. Whet well your
spears; see well to the ordering of your shields;
give good feeds to your horses, and
look your chariots carefully over, that we
may do battle the livelong day; for we shall
have no rest, not for a moment, till night
falls to part us. The bands that bear your
shields shall be wet with the sweat upon your
shoulders, your hands shall weary upon
your spears, your horses shall steam in front
of your chariots, and if I see any man
shirking the fight, or trying to keep out
of it at the ships, there shall be no help for him,
but he shall be a prey to dogs and vultures."
Thus he spoke, and the Achaeans roared applause.
As when the waves run high before
the blast of the south wind and break on some
lofty headland, dashing against it and
buffeting it without ceasing, as the storms
from every quarter drive them, even so did the
Achaeans rise and hurry in all directions
to their ships. There they lighted their fires at
their tents and got dinner, offering sacrifice
every man to one or other of the gods, and
praying each one of them that he might live
to come out of the fight. Agamemnon, king
of men, sacrificed a fat five-year-old bull
to the mighty son of Saturn, and invited the
princes and elders of his host. First he asked
Nestor and King Idomeneus, then the two
Ajaxes and the son of Tydeus, and sixthly
Ulysses, peer of gods in counsel; but
Menelaus came of his own accord, for he knew
how busy his brother then was. They
stood round the bull with the barley-meal
in their hands, and Agamemnon prayed,
saying, "Jove, most glorious, supreme, that
dwellest in heaven, and ridest upon the
storm-cloud, grant that the sun may not go
down, nor the night fall, till the palace of
Priam is laid low, and its gates are consumed
with fire. Grant that my sword may pierce
the shirt of Hector about his heart, and that
full many of his comrades may bite the dust
as they fall dying round him."
Thus he prayed, but the son of Saturn would
not fulfil his prayer. He accepted the
sacrifice, yet none the less increased their
toil continually. When they had done praying
and sprinkling the barley-meal upon the victim,
they drew back its head, killed it, and
then flayed it. They cut out the thigh-bones,
wrapped them round in two layers of fat,
and set pieces of raw meat on the top of them.
These they burned upon the split logs of
firewood, but they spitted the inward meats,
and held them in the flames to cook. When
the thigh-bones were burned, and they had
tasted the inward meats, they cut the rest up
small, put the pieces upon spits, roasted
them till they were done, and drew them off;
then, when they had finished their work and
the feast was ready, they ate it, and every
man had his full share, so that all were satisfied.
As soon as they had had enough to eat
and drink, Nestor, knight of Gerene, began
to speak. "King Agamemnon," said he, "let
us not stay talking here, nor be slack in
the work that heaven has put into our hands. Let
the heralds summon the people to gather at
their several ships; we will then go about
among the host, that we may begin fighting
at once."
Thus did he speak, and Agamemnon heeded his
words. He at once sent the criers
round to call the people in assembly. So they
called them, and the people gathered
thereon. The chiefs about the son of Atreus
chose their men and marshalled them, while
Minerva went among them holding her priceless
aegis that knows neither age nor death.
From it there waved a hundred tassels of pure
gold, all deftly woven, and each one of
them worth a hundred oxen. With this she darted
furiously everywhere among the hosts
of the Achaeans, urging them forward, and
putting courage into the heart of each, so
that he might fight and do battle without
ceasing. Thus war became sweeter in their eyes
even than returning home in their ships. As
when some great forest fire is raging upon a
mountain top and its light is seen afar, even
so as they marched the gleam of their
armour flashed up into the firmament of heaven.
They were like great flocks of geese, or cranes,
or swans on the plain about the waters
of Cayster, that wing their way hither and
thither, glorying in the pride of flight, and
crying as they settle till the fen is alive
with their screaming. Even thus did their tribes
pour from ships and tents on to the plain
of the Scamander, and the ground rang as
brass under the feet of men and horses. They
stood as thick upon the
flower-bespangled field as leaves that bloom
in summer.
As countless swarms of flies buzz around a
herdsman's homestead in the time of spring
when the pails are drenched with milk, even
so did the Achaeans swarm on to the plain
to charge the Trojans and destroy them.
The chiefs disposed their men this way and
that before the fight began, drafting them out
as easily as goatherds draft their flocks
when they have got mixed while feeding; and
among them went King Agamemnon, with a head
and face like Jove the lord of thunder,
a waist like Mars, and a chest like that of
Neptune. As some great bull that lords it over
the herds upon the plain, even so did Jove
make the son of Atreus stand peerless
among the multitude of heroes.
And now, O Muses, dwellers in the mansions
of Olympus, tell me- for you are
goddesses and are in all places so that you
see all things, while we know nothing but by
report- who were the chiefs and princes of
the Danaans? As for the common soldiers,
they were so that I could not name every single
one of them though I had ten tongues,
and though my voice failed not and my heart
were of bronze within me, unless you, O
Olympian Muses, daughters of aegis-bearing
Jove, were to recount them to me.
Nevertheless, I will tell the captains of
the ships and all the fleet together.
Peneleos, Leitus, Arcesilaus, Prothoenor,
and Clonius were captains of the Boeotians.
These were they that dwelt in Hyria and rocky
Aulis, and who held Schoenus, Scolus,
and the highlands of Eteonus, with Thespeia,
Graia, and the fair city of Mycalessus.
They also held Harma, Eilesium, and Erythrae;
and they had Eleon, Hyle, and Peteon;
Ocalea and the strong fortress of Medeon;
Copae, Eutresis, and Thisbe the haunt of
doves; Coronea, and the pastures of Haliartus;
Plataea and Glisas; the fortress of
Thebes the less; holy Onchestus with its famous
grove of Neptune; Arne rich in
vineyards; Midea, sacred Nisa, and Anthedon
upon the sea. From these there came
fifty ships, and in each there were a hundred
and twenty young men of the Boeotians.
Ascalaphus and Ialmenus, sons of Mars, led
the people that dwelt in Aspledon and
Orchomenus the realm of Minyas. Astyoche a
noble maiden bore them in the house of
Actor son of Azeus; for she had gone with
Mars secretly into an upper chamber, and he
had lain with her. With these there came thirty
ships.
The Phoceans were led by Schedius and Epistrophus,
sons of mighty Iphitus the son of
Naubolus. These were they that held Cyparissus,
rocky Pytho, holy Crisa, Daulis, and
Panopeus; they also that dwelt in Anemorea
and Hyampolis, and about the waters of
the river Cephissus, and Lilaea by the springs
of the Cephissus; with their chieftains
came forty ships, and they marshalled the
forces of the Phoceans, which were stationed
next to the Boeotians, on their left.
Ajax, the fleet son of Oileus, commanded the
Locrians. He was not so great, nor nearly
so great, as Ajax the son of Telamon. He was
a little man, and his breastplate was
made of linen, but in use of the spear he
excelled all the Hellenes and the Achaeans.
These dwelt in Cynus, Opous, Calliarus, Bessa,
Scarphe, fair Augeae, Tarphe, and
Thronium about the river Boagrius. With him
there came forty ships of the Locrians who
dwell beyond Euboea.
The fierce Abantes held Euboea with its cities,
Chalcis, Eretria, Histiaea rich in vines,
Cerinthus upon the sea, and the rock-perched
town of Dium; with them were also the
men of Carystus and Styra; Elephenor of the
race of Mars was in command of these; he
was son of Chalcodon, and chief over all the
Abantes. With him they came, fleet of foot
and wearing their hair long behind, brave
warriors, who would ever strive to tear open
the corslets of their foes with their long
ashen spears. Of these there came fifty ships.
And they that held the strong city of Athens,
the people of great Erechtheus, who was
born of the soil itself, but Jove's daughter,
Minerva, fostered him, and established him at
Athens in her own rich sanctuary. There, year
by year, the Athenian youths worship him
with sacrifices of bulls and rams. These were
commanded by Menestheus, son of
Peteos. No man living could equal him in the
marshalling of chariots and foot soldiers.
Nestor could alone rival him, for he was older.
With him there came fifty ships.
Ajax brought twelve ships from Salamis, and
stationed them alongside those of the
Athenians.
The men of Argos, again, and those who held
the walls of Tiryns, with Hermione, and
Asine upon the gulf; Troezene, Eionae, and
the vineyard lands of Epidaurus; the
Achaean youths, moreover, who came from Aegina
and Mases; these were led by
Diomed of the loud battle-cry, and Sthenelus
son of famed Capaneus. With them in
command was Euryalus, son of king Mecisteus,
son of Talaus; but Diomed was chief
over them all. With these there came eighty
ships.
Those who held the strong city of Mycenae,
rich Corinth and Cleonae; Orneae,
Araethyrea, and Licyon, where Adrastus reigned
of old; Hyperesia, high Gonoessa, and
Pellene; Aegium and all the coast-land round
about Helice; these sent a hundred ships
under the command of King Agamemnon, son of
Atreus. His force was far both finest
and most numerous, and in their midst was
the king himself, all glorious in his armour of
gleaming bronze- foremost among the heroes,
for he was the greatest king, and had
most men under him.
And those that dwelt in Lacedaemon, lying
low among the hills, Pharis, Sparta, with
Messe the haunt of doves; Bryseae, Augeae,
Amyclae, and Helos upon the sea; Laas,
moreover, and Oetylus; these were led by Menelaus
of the loud battle-cry, brother to
Agamemnon, and of them there were sixty ships,
drawn up apart from the others.
Among them went Menelaus himself, strong in
zeal, urging his men to fight; for he
longed to avenge the toil and sorrow that
he had suffered for the sake of Helen.
The men of Pylos and Arene, and Thryum where
is the ford of the river Alpheus; strong
Aipy, Cyparisseis, and Amphigenea; Pteleum,
Helos, and Dorium, where the Muses
met Thamyris, and stilled his minstrelsy for
ever. He was returning from Oechalia, where
Eurytus lived and reigned, and boasted that
he would surpass even the Muses,
daughters of aegis-bearing Jove, if they should
sing against him; whereon they were
angry, and maimed him. They robbed him of
his divine power of song, and thenceforth
he could strike the lyre no more. These were
commanded by Nestor, knight of Gerene,
and with him there came ninety ships.
And those that held Arcadia, under the high
mountain of Cyllene, near the tomb of
Aepytus, where the people fight hand to hand;
the men of Pheneus also, and
Orchomenus rich in flocks; of Rhipae, Stratie,
and bleak Enispe; of Tegea and fair
Mantinea; of Stymphelus and Parrhasia; of
these King Agapenor son of Ancaeus was
commander, and they had sixty ships. Many
Arcadians, good soldiers, came in each
one of them, but Agamemnon found them the
ships in which to cross the sea, for they
were not a people that occupied their business
upon the waters.
The men, moreover, of Buprasium and of Elis,
so much of it as is enclosed between
Hyrmine, Myrsinus upon the sea-shore, the
rock Olene and Alesium. These had four
leaders, and each of them had ten ships, with
many Epeans on board. Their captains
were Amphimachus and Thalpius- the one, son
of Cteatus, and the other, of Eurytus-
both of the race of Actor. The two others
were Diores, son of Amarynces, and
Polyxenus, son of King Agasthenes, son of
Augeas.
And those of Dulichium with the sacred Echinean
islands, who dwelt beyond the sea off
Elis; these were led by Meges, peer of Mars,
and the son of valiant Phyleus, dear to
Jove, who quarrelled with his father, and
went to settle in Dulichium. With him there
came forty ships.
Ulysses led the brave Cephallenians, who held
Ithaca, Neritum with its forests,
Crocylea, rugged Aegilips, Samos and Zacynthus,
with the mainland also that was over
against the islands. These were led by Ulysses,
peer of Jove in counsel, and with him
there came twelve ships.
Thoas, son of Andraemon, commanded the Aetolians,
who dwelt in Pleuron, Olenus,
Pylene, Chalcis by the sea, and rocky Calydon,
for the great king Oeneus had now no
sons living, and was himself dead, as was
also golden-haired Meleager, who had been
set over the Aetolians to be their king. And
with Thoas there came forty ships.
The famous spearsman Idomeneus led the Cretans,
who held Cnossus, and the
well-walled city of Gortys; Lyctus also, Miletus
and Lycastus that lies upon the chalk;
the populous towns of Phaestus and Rhytium,
with the other peoples that dwelt in the
hundred cities of Crete. All these were led
by Idomeneus, and by Meriones, peer of
murderous Mars. And with these there came
eighty ships.
Tlepolemus, son of Hercules, a man both brave
and large of stature, brought nine ships
of lordly warriors from Rhodes. These dwelt
in Rhodes which is divided among the
three cities of Lindus, Ielysus, and Cameirus,
that lies upon the chalk. These were
commanded by Tlepolemus, son of Hercules by
Astyochea, whom he had carried off
from Ephyra, on the river Selleis, after sacking
many cities of valiant warriors. When
Tlepolemus grew up, he killed his father's
uncle Licymnius, who had been a famous
warrior in his time, but was then grown old.
On this he built himself a fleet, gathered a
great following, and fled beyond the sea,
for he was menaced by the other sons and
grandsons of Hercules. After a voyage. during
which he suffered great hardship, he
came to Rhodes, where the people divided into
three communities, according to their
tribes, and were dearly loved by Jove, the
lord, of gods and men; wherefore the son of
Saturn showered down great riches upon them.
And Nireus brought three ships from Syme-
Nireus, who was the handsomest man that
came up under Ilius of all the Danaans after
the son of Peleus- but he was a man of no
substance, and had but a small following.
And those that held Nisyrus, Crapathus, and
Casus, with Cos, the city of Eurypylus,
and the Calydnian islands, these were commanded
by Pheidippus and Antiphus, two
sons of King Thessalus the son of Hercules.
And with them there came thirty ships.
Those again who held Pelasgic Argos, Alos,
Alope, and Trachis; and those of Phthia
and Hellas the land of fair women, who were
called Myrmidons, Hellenes, and
Achaeans; these had fifty ships, over which
Achilles was in command. But they now
took no part in the war, inasmuch as there
was no one to marshal them; for Achilles
stayed by his ships, furious about the loss
of the girl Briseis, whom he had taken from
Lyrnessus at his own great peril, when he
had sacked Lyrnessus and Thebe, and had
overthrown Mynes and Epistrophus, sons of
king Evenor, son of Selepus. For her sake
Achilles was still grieving, but ere long
he was again to join them.
And those that held Phylace and the flowery
meadows of Pyrasus, sanctuary of Ceres;
Iton, the mother of sheep; Antrum upon the
sea, and Pteleum that lies upon the grass
lands. Of these brave Protesilaus had been
captain while he was yet alive, but he was
now lying under the earth. He had left a wife
behind him in Phylace to tear her cheeks in
sorrow, and his house was only half finished,
for he was slain by a Dardanian warrior
while leaping foremost of the Achaeans upon
the soil of Troy. Still, though his people
mourned their chieftain, they were not without
a leader, for Podarces, of the race of
Mars, marshalled them; he was son of Iphiclus,
rich in sheep, who was the son of
Phylacus, and he was own brother to Protesilaus,
only younger, Protesilaus being at
once the elder and the more valiant. So the
people were not without a leader, though
they mourned him whom they had lost. With
him there came forty ships.
And those that held Pherae by the Boebean
lake, with Boebe, Glaphyrae, and the
populous city of Iolcus, these with their
eleven ships were led by Eumelus, son of
Admetus, whom Alcestis bore to him, loveliest
of the daughters of Pelias.
And those that held Methone and Thaumacia,
with Meliboea and rugged Olizon, these
were led by the skilful archer Philoctetes,
and they had seven ships, each with fifty
oarsmen all of them good archers; but Philoctetes
was lying in great pain in the Island of
Lemnos, where the sons of the Achaeans left
him, for he had been bitten by a
poisonous water snake. There he lay sick and
sorry, and full soon did the Argives come
to miss him. But his people, though they felt
his loss were not leaderless, for Medon, the
son of Oileus by Rhene, set them in
array.
Those, again, of Tricca and the stony region
of Ithome, and they that held Oechalia, the
city of Oechalian Eurytus, these were commanded
by the two sons of Aesculapius,
skilled in the art of healing, Podalirius
and Machaon. And with them there came thirty
ships.
The men, moreover, of Ormenius, and by the
fountain of Hypereia, with those that held
Asterius, and the white crests of Titanus,
these were led by Eurypylus, the son of
Euaemon, and with them there came forty ships.
Those that held Argissa and Gyrtone, Orthe,
Elone, and the white city of Oloosson, of
these brave Polypoetes was leader. He was
son of Pirithous, who was son of Jove
himself, for Hippodameia bore him to Pirithous
on the day when he took his revenge on
the shaggy mountain savages and drove them
from Mt. Pelion to the Aithices. But
Polypoetes was not sole in command, for with
him was Leonteus, of the race of Mars,
who was son of Coronus, the son of Caeneus.
And with these there came forty ships.
Guneus brought two and twenty ships from Cyphus,
and he was followed by the
Enienes and the valiant Peraebi, who dwelt
about wintry Dodona, and held the lands
round the lovely river Titaresius, which sends
its waters into the Peneus. They do not
mingle with the silver eddies of the Peneus,
but flow on the top of them like oil; for the
Titaresius is a branch of dread Orcus and
of the river Styx.
Of the Magnetes, Prothous son of Tenthredon
was commander. They were they that
dwelt about the river Peneus and Mt. Pelion.
Prothous, fleet of foot, was their leader,
and with him there came forty ships.
Such were the chiefs and princes of the Danaans.
Who, then, O Muse, was the
foremost, whether man or horse, among those
that followed after the sons of Atreus?
Of the horses, those of the son of Pheres
were by far the finest. They were driven by
Eumelus, and were as fleet as birds. They
were of the same age and colour, and
perfectly matched in height. Apollo, of the
silver bow, had bred them in Perea- both of
them mares, and terrible as Mars in battle.
Of the men, Ajax, son of Telamon, was
much the foremost so long as Achilles' anger
lasted, for Achilles excelled him greatly
and he had also better horses; but Achilles
was now holding aloof at his ships by reason
of his quarrel with Agamemnon, and his people
passed their time upon the sea shore,
throwing discs or aiming with spears at a
mark, and in archery. Their horses stood each
by his own chariot, champing lotus and wild
celery. The chariots were housed under
cover, but their owners, for lack of leadership,
wandered hither and thither about the
host and went not forth to fight.
Thus marched the host like a consuming fire,
and the earth groaned beneath them when
the lord of thunder is angry and lashes the
land about Typhoeus among the Arimi, where
they say Typhoeus lies. Even so did the earth
groan beneath them as they sped over the
plain.
And now Iris, fleet as the wind, was sent
by Jove to tell the bad news among the
Trojans. They were gathered in assembly, old
and young, at Priam's gates, and Iris
came close up to Priam, speaking with the
voice of Priam's son Polites, who, being fleet
of foot, was stationed as watchman for the
Trojans on the tomb of old Aesyetes, to
look out for any sally of the Achaeans. In
his likeness Iris spoke, saying, "Old man, you
talk idly, as in time of peace, while war
is at hand. I have been in many a battle, but
never yet saw such a host as is now advancing.
They are crossing the plain to attack the
city as thick as leaves or as the sands of
the sea. Hector, I charge you above all others,
do as I say. There are many allies dispersed
about the city of Priam from distant places
and speaking divers tongues. Therefore, let
each chief give orders to his own people,
setting them severally in array and leading
them forth to battle."
Thus she spoke, but Hector knew that it was
the goddess, and at once broke up the
assembly. The men flew to arms; all the gates
were opened, and the people thronged
through them, horse and foot, with the tramp
as of a great multitude.
Now there is a high mound before the city,
rising by itself upon the plain. Men call it
Batieia, but the gods know that it is the
tomb of lithe Myrine. Here the Trojans and their
allies divided their forces.
Priam's son, great Hector of the gleaming
helmet, commanded the Trojans, and with
him were arrayed by far the greater number
and most valiant of those who were longing
for the fray.
The Dardanians were led by brave Aeneas, whom
Venus bore to Anchises, when she,
goddess though she was, had lain with him
upon the mountain slopes of Ida. He was not
alone, for with him were the two sons of Antenor,
Archilochus and Acamas, both
skilled in all the arts of war.
They that dwelt in Telea under the lowest
spurs of Mt. Ida, men of substance, who
drink the limpid waters of the Aesepus, and
are of Trojan blood- these were led by
Pandarus son of Lycaon, whom Apollo had taught
to use the bow.
They that held Adresteia and the land of Apaesus,
with Pityeia, and the high mountain of
Tereia- these were led by Adrestus and Amphius,
whose breastplate was of linen.
These were the sons of Merops of Percote,
who excelled in all kinds of divination. He
told them not to take part in the war, but
they gave him no heed, for fate lured them to
destruction.
They that dwelt about Percote and Practius,
with Sestos, Abydos, and Arisbe- these
were led by Asius, son of Hyrtacus, a brave
commander- Asius, the son of Hyrtacus,
whom his powerful dark bay steeds, of the
breed that comes from the river Selleis, had
brought from Arisbe.
Hippothous led the tribes of Pelasgian spearsmen,
who dwelt in fertile Larissa-
Hippothous, and Pylaeus of the race of Mars,
two sons of the Pelasgian Lethus, son of
Teutamus.
Acamas and the warrior Peirous commanded the
Thracians and those that came from
beyond the mighty stream of the Hellespont.
Euphemus, son of Troezenus, the son of Ceos,
was captain of the Ciconian spearsmen.
Pyraechmes led the Paeonian archers from distant
Amydon, by the broad waters of the
river Axius, the fairest that flow upon the
earth.
The Paphlagonians were commanded by stout-hearted
Pylaemanes from Enetae, where
the mules run wild in herds. These were they
that held Cytorus and the country round
Sesamus, with the cities by the river Parthenius,
Cromna, Aegialus, and lofty Erithini.
Odius and Epistrophus were captains over the
Halizoni from distant Alybe, where there
are mines of silver.
Chromis, and Ennomus the augur, led the Mysians,
but his skill in augury availed not to
save him from destruction, for he fell by
the hand of the fleet descendant of Aeacus in
the river, where he slew others also of the
Trojans.
Phorcys, again, and noble Ascanius led the
Phrygians from the far country of Ascania,
and both were eager for the fray.
Mesthles and Antiphus commanded the Meonians,
sons of Talaemenes, born to him of
the Gygaean lake. These led the Meonians,
who dwelt under Mt. Tmolus.
Nastes led the Carians, men of a strange speech.
These held Miletus and the wooded
mountain of Phthires, with the water of the
river Maeander and the lofty crests of Mt.
Mycale. These were commanded by Nastes and
Amphimachus, the brave sons of
Nomion. He came into the fight with gold about
him, like a girl; fool that he was, his
gold was of no avail to save him, for he fell
in the river by the hand of the fleet
descendant of Aeacus, and Achilles bore away
his gold.
Sarpedon and Glaucus led the Lycians from
their distant land, by the eddying waters of
the Xanthus.
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