Homer
c.800 BC
THE ILIAD
translated by Samuel Butler
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 for 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’s 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 bastard
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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