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 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.