Not only every Greek of chariot-driving rank, but every Olympian too, Zeus alone excepted, slept the whole night through. He lay pondering how best to honour Achilles and arrange for a Greek defeat at their naval camp, until finally it occurred to him: why not send Agamemnon a false dream? Summoning one such to his bedside, he said: 'False Dream, fly down to the Greek ships at Troy, seek out King Agamemnon, son of Atreus-you will find him in his hut-and give him this message, carefully using my exact words:
'Know, King, that all Olympus
Has yielded to the plea
Brought before ZEUS by HERA
With importunity.
'So rouse your long-haired army
And march without delay
In mass against the Trojans-
Great Troy is yours today!'
The False Dream hurried off as instructed, and found Agamemnon sound asleep. Disguising herself as King Nestor of Pylus, whose advice he valued more than any man's, she cried: 'What, are you asleep, son of Atreus? A commander-in-chief with so many vassals serving under him, and so many preoccupations, has no right to snore the whole night through. Here is an urgent message from Zeus. Though living far away, he feels a tender concern for your fortunes:
"'Know, King, that all Olympus
Has yielded to the plea
Brought before ZEUS by HERA
With importunity.
"'So rouse your long-haired army
And march without delay
In mass against the Trojans-
Great Troy is yours today!"
'That was Zeus' personal message; do not forget it on waking from your pleasant sleep!'
Off flew the False Dream. Agamemnon awoke and sat up, the divine words still ringing in his ears. Quite unaware that Zeus planned to cause both armies painful losses, he fondly expected to capture Troy that same day. Rising, he put on a beautiful, soft, bright tunic, and a capacious cloak over it, shod his white feet with elegant sandals, shouldered the baldric supporting his silver-studded sword, took in hand his imperishable sceptre (an ancestral heirloom), and strolled out among the ships.
As soon as Dawn touched high Olympus, notifying the Divine Family of Day's approach, Agamemnon told heralds to summon an immediate Assembly. They did so, and the Greek soldiers hastily gathered in response. Before addressing them, however, Agamemnon called a Privy Council beside Nestor's ship. 'Pay attention, friends,' he said. 'I was sleeping pleasantly last night, when someone resembling you, my lord Nestor, in height, bulk and appearance, invaded my dreams. He stood near me, and I heard him say: "What, are you asleep, Agamemnon, son of wise Atreus the Chariot-Fighter? A commander-in-chief with so many vassals serving under him, and so many preoccupations, has no right to snore the whole night through. Here is an urgent message from Zeus. Though living far away, he feels a tender concern for your fortunes:
"Know, King, that all Olympus
Has yielded to the plea
Brought before ZEUS by HERA
With importunity.
"So rouse your long-haired army
And march without delay
In mass against the Trojans-
Great Troy is yours today!
"'This is Zeus' personal message. Do not forget it on waking from your pleasant sleep." So saying, the man in my dream vanished. With your leave, therefore, I shall sound a general call to arms. Yet it might be prudent to test the army's courage first. When I suggest, in Assembly, that we break off the siege and sail home, you must shout protests from all sides and insist on a vigorous offensive.'
Nestor then made a warm speech in support. 'My lord King, Princes and Councillors! Had any other person told us of this vision, we might have either disregarded it or rejected it as false. Agamemnon, however, has every claim to be considered the greatest among us, so we should, I believe, accept the message as authentic, and sanction a general call to arms.' Since nobody said anything else, all the members of the Council followed Nestor out, like sheep; and the men-at-arms came surging around them:
Flights of bees, a thousand strong,
From their caverned precipice
Over flowery meadows throng,
Some on that side, some on this.
And like bees the various Greek contingents streamed from their ships and huts on the low, sandy shore, urged by the Goddess Rumour, a servant of Zeus; soon setting the Assembly Ground in such an uproar, as they sat down on the benches, that the nine heralds who implored them at least to let the Kings, Zeus' foster-sons, make their voices heard, succeeded only by dint of considerable exertions.
Agamemnon stood up and displayed his sceptre. Lame Hephaestus, the Smith-god, had originally presented this exquisite work of art to Zeus; but Zeus later gave it to Hermes, the swift-flying Helper; who passed it on to Pelops the Charioteer; from whom it went to Atreus, the High King. Atreus bequeathed the sceptre to his brother Thyestes the Sheep-Breeder; and he, in his turn, bequeathed it to Atreus' son Agamemnon. Leaning on this emblem of his sovereignty over the entire Greek mainland, besides numerous adjacent islands, Agamemnon addressed the army:
'Comrades, soldiers of Greece, devotees of the God Ares! Zeus, hard-hearted Son of Cronus, promised me once, in my innocence, even pledging me his famous nod, that I should not return to Argos before sacking yonder great city of Troy. This was a cruel deception, it now appears: he meant us to sail back in disgrace, after suffering severe casualties-or that, at any rate, reflects my present view-and nobody can contend with Zeus, who has humbled many a city and must, in time, humble yet more. It will be a tale to shame our posterity: how such powerful Greek forces fought so long and so useless a war against far weaker opponents. I shall enlarge on this point. Suppose that a solemn armistice were concluded by the two armies; and suppose that the Trojans invited us to enter their gates; and suppose, further, that we Greeks divided into companies of ten, each company engaging a Trojan householder to pour wine for it-why, then, I can assure you, there would not be nearly enough wine-pourers to go round! Such is the disproportion between their strength and ours. Of course, the Trojans possess fighting allies in plenty; and it is these who prevent us from sacking Troy. Nine long years have passed; the ships' timbers are rotten and the tackle is perished; and though wives and children at home still await our return, we seem no nearer to success than we were at the start. Let us therefore do as I suggest: sail back to beloved Greece, in despair of ever forcing a way into the wide streets of Troy.'
Agamemnon's unexpected speech stirred the feelings of every man present, except his Privy Council, much as a tempestuous southeaster suddenly stirs the waters of the Icarian Gulf. Or, as when:
After long days of summer heat
A storm blows from the west,
By which broad ranks of bearded wheat
Are shaken and oppressed.
The Assembly broke up in such excitement that the soldiers' feet, scampering towards the ships, raised a tall cloud of dust. Down at the shore, men sang out to their comrades: 'Lend a hand with this galley! Clear her launching track, knock away the props, and into the water she goes!'
A confused noise rose to Heaven, and they would have raised the siege then and there, in defiance of Fate, had Hera not exclaimed: 'Athene, you busy daughter of Zeus the Shield-Bearer, what do I hear? Are Agamemnon's men really sailing back across the horizon? And will Priam and his Trojans make good their boast by keeping Queen Helen of Sparta-the woman for whose sake so many Greeks have died far from their native land? It is unthinkable! Hurry off, and prevent the launching of those ships!'
Athene darted straight to where Odysseus, Sacker of Cities, stood lost in grief, not attempting to launch his fine vessel. She confronted him with: 'Son of Laertes, what is this?' Then, using Hera's exact words, she went on: 'Are Agamemnon's men really sailing back across the horizon? And will Priam and his Trojans make good their boast by keeping Queen Helen of Sparta-the woman for whose sake so many Greeks have died far from their native land? It is unthinkable! Hurry off, and prevent the launching of those ships!'
Odysseus knew Athene's voice and, casting away his cloak-which Eurybates, the Ithacan herald, retrieved-ran through the camp, found Agamemnon, borrowed the aforesaid imperishable sceptre and, thus armed, walked around carrying out the goddess' instructions. Whenever he met an officer in command of a ship, he would say politely: 'My lord, it ill becomes you to catch this panic. Sit down, keep calm, and force your crew to do the same. You have entirely missed the drift of Agamemnon's speech: he was just testing the army's courage. And you had better take care that he does not punish you for this morning's rebellion. The foster-sons of Omniscient Zeus are proud of the divine honours bestowed on them; and he jealously protects them from affront.'
But whenever Odysseus met a rowdy man-at-arms, he shook the sceptre at him. 'Sit down,' he would shout, 'and await orders! You count for nothing, either as a soldier or a thinker. All Greeks cannot be kings. It is a bad army in which each soldier claims freedom of action: we need a united command, and our leader is Agamemnon, High King and representative of Zeus, Son of Cronus. Father Zeus, in his inscrutable wisdom, has conferred this sceptre on him, with the right to exact obedience from you.'
Odysseus made his authority felt everywhere; and the men hurried back to their benches on the Assembly Ground, raising as much noise as when:
A western wave rolls growling up the reach
And thunderously breaks on the long beach…
There they took their places again and everyone sat quiet-except a certain Thersites, who had no control over his tongue, and poured out an endless stream of abuse against his superiors, saying whatever came into his head that might raise a laugh. Thersites was by far the ugliest man in the Greek army: bandy-legged, lame, hump-backed, crook-necked and almost bald. His main butts were Achilles and Odysseus, who both detested him. On this occasion, careless of the annoyance his words might cause, he taunted Agamemnon. 'Son of Atreus,' he cried, 'what more can you want of us? We have surely by now filled your huts with enough bronze vessels and slave-girls to satisfy your greed? When a city is sacked, you are always voted the pick of the loot. I daresay you hope to do even better soon: by squeezing the father of some Trojan prisoner whom I or my comrades may take, for a gold ransom. Or shall we capture yet another pretty little concubine to warm your bed? No commander-in-chief should treat his men so meanly!'
Then he bellowed at the crowded benches: 'Fools, rascals-women, not men-you should be ashamed of your softness! Go home, as you intended, and let this fellow Agamemnon gorge himself on his prizes of honour! That would soon teach him how much he needs us-especially after putting Achilles, a far finer soldier, to shame by robbing him of his award in that brutal fashion. Of course, Achilles has swallowed the insult; so he can hardly have felt much resentment, else Agamemnon would not still be alive and as presumptuous as ever.'
Odysseus, an impressive personage, walked straight across to Thersites, looked him sternly in the eyes, and said: 'Hold your tongue, you irresponsible windbag! Nobody here is attacking royal prerogatives; and since, in my view at least, you are the meanest member of the whole army landed here under Agamemnon and Menelaus, you had better keep kings out of your nasty talk and show less eagerness to raise the siege. The situation may be obscure-who can tell whether we ought to end this campaign or continue it?-but I will not allow you to taunt the High King with accepting the awards we have voted him. Let me hear any more of your nonsense, and I shall strip off your cloak and tunic, drive you in tears down to the ships, beating your naked buttocks as you ran! May this head be taken from my shoulders-may I be denied the title of Telemachus' father-if I fail to make good my threat!'
So saying, he raised the royal sceptre and belaboured Thersites' hump with it. Thersites shrank back, and a big tear coursed down one cheek-for the sceptre had left a bloody weal where it struck-then he subsided in pain and confusion, threw a helpless glance around, and wiped the tear away. His comrades, though regretting the violence, mocked at him, and some exclaimed: 'Odysseus may be an eminent strategist and tactician, but his silencing of this chatterbox is by far the kindest service he has done us. Depend on it, Thersites will never again presume to slander a divine king!'
Odysseus then made an address. Athene, disguised as his herald, called for silence, so effectively that even those seated farthest off could catch every word of the speech. He said earnestly: 'Son of Atreus, these troops intend to make you the most despised mortal alive, by a breach of the oath which they all took on leaving Greece: it was to obey your orders loyally until you had sacked Troy. Now they whimper, like infant children or their widowed mothers, and complain of homesickness! True, this siege is grim enough to sap any man's resolution. When a storm-bound sailor has to stay away from his wife for as little as a month, he grows impatient: and we are already in the ninth year of war. I am not surprised that some men are eating their hearts out; but the longer we remain here, the more shameful will it be to go back empty-handed.
'Take courage, comrades, and have patience yet awhile! We shall soon see whether Calchas was a true prophet. Doubtless you remember that famous scene as though it were yesterday, or the day before. Our fleet had gathered at Aulis, laden with trouble for Priam and his Trojans, and we kings stood beside a spring, offering carefully chosen sacrifices on the altars of the Immortals. The spring ran clear between the roots of a plane-tree. Suddenly we saw a remarkable portent: a snake with blood-red markings appeared from under the altar and darted towards the tree, on the very top branch of which, hidden by leaves, a sparrow had built her nest. Up the trunk glided that ruthless snake, and swallowed each of the nestlings in turn-there were eight of them-while the distressed mother fluttered overhead, cheeping indignantly. Then he coiled his tail about the branch, seized hold of the hen-sparrow's wing, and swallowed her also. Eight and one make nine; and Zeus, Son of Cronus, who always moves in a mysterious way, proved that he had sent this portent himself by miraculously turning the snake into stone. As we stared in amazement at this interruption of our solemn sacrifice, Calchas prophesied:
"'Why stand you silent, long-haired Greeks,
When ZEUS the Omniscient
This late sign, this great sign,
This famous sign has sent?
"'A snake devours a sparrow whole,
Likewise her nestlings eight;
So shall War swallow nine whole years,
And Victory come late:
Not till the tenth year shall proud Troy
Fall from her high estate!"
'Calchas' prophecy is now approaching fulfilment. So I beg you noble warriors to continue manfully here, until we have sacked King Priam's city.'
Such cheers greeted Odysseus' words that the ships echoed. Old Nestor, however, complained: 'What a disorganized Assembly! You behave like a crowd of foolish boys without any interest in warfare proper. Do covenants and oaths mean nothing to you? Why not throw on a bonfire all the plans, schemes, libation ceremonies, and hand-clasps of friendship on which we rely? So far you have done no more than talk, argue, and waste the entire forenoon in trying to shape a common policy; as though the High King would swerve from his avowed purpose, which is to shepherd us through the hazards of battle! The small party of Greeks who are making a futile attempt to raise the siege before they see whether Zeus keeps his promise, deserve death! As we sailed from Aulis that fateful day, lightning flashed on our starboard bow, his sure pledge that we should be victorious. No one should therefore think of returning until he has avenged Paris the Trojan's theft of Queen Helen, and whatever personal discomfort he may have experienced, by enjoying the wife of some Trojan enemy; but anyone who feels an irresistible desire for home can try launching his ship-and be the first to die!
'My lord Agamemnon, pray consider the following proposal and ask your Privy Council their opinion on it! I move that, when taking the field, you should group your army by tribes and clans: with each clan supporting its fellow-clans, and each tribe supporting its fellow-tribes. If we assume a widespread loyalty to you, we shall thus readily distinguish the brave men from the cowards, and contrive to judge whether the gods themselves oppose your capture of Troy, or whether you must blame the poor fighting qualities of your troops.'
Agamemnon answered: 'Venerable Nestor, as usual you have made the best speech of the session! Ah, if only Father Zeus, and Athene and Apollo would provide ten Councillors as shrewd as yourself, we should soon sack this stubborn city! Zeus has surrounded me with so much fruitless wrangling and quarrelling that my mind is never at ease. Although Achilles provoked that violent dispute about his captive, I confess to having lost my temper before he did. But as soon as we princes reach unanimity on matters of common interest, Troy will no longer avoid her fate-no, not for a single day!
'Now, my men, march off to your dinners, and afterwards we shall take up our battle stations. I want all spears sharpened, all shields tested, all horses fed, and all chariots thoroughly gone over, in readiness for several hours of hard fighting. I cannot promise you the least intermission once the armies are engaged; nightfall alone shall call a halt. By then, baldrics and the necks of your horses will be damp with sweat, and spear-hands numbed. Yet if I catch any soldier skulking among the ships, why, dogs and carrion-birds shall have his corpse!'
Prolonged applause greeted Agamemnon's words-
As when a south wind forces
In never-ending flock
Tall waves against a headland,
A steep and jutting rock;
This side or that they strike it
With loud, continual shock.
Then the troops dispersed hurriedly to their lines, kindled fires on the hearths, cooked and ate their dinners; but each first sacrificed to one of the Olympians, imploring protection from the imminent slaughter. Agamemnon's own victim was a fat five-year-old bull, and he summoned six Councillors to assist at the sacrifice: namely, Nestor of Pylus; Idomeneus of Crete; Great Ajax and Little Ajax, the Locrian; Diomedes of Argos; and cunning Odysseus of Ithaca. Menelaus came uninvited, guessing how busy his brother must be. These seven princes stood around the victim, holding barley-meal; and Agamemnon prayed to Zeus:
'O ZEUS, greatest of gods
In Heaven residing,
With unabated power
The storm cloud riding:
'Let not this sun go down,
Nor darkness flout me,
Till I and these seven kings
Here grouped about me
'Have fired the many-doored
Dwelling of Priam,
That not one wall may stand
So tall as I am;
'Till swords have rent the bright
Tunic of Hector,
And ringed him round with dead-
Troy's doomed protector.'
Zeus, though accepting the sacrifice, did not grant Agamemnon's plea, but only made matters worse for him. Meanwhile, the princes, having each spoken his prayer, sprinkled their barley-meal on the bull's poll; then one of them drew back its muzzle and slit the throat. Next, they flayed the carcase, stripped the thighbones of flesh, and wrapped these in a double fold of fat. Slabs of flesh having been laid over them, they burned this sacrifice on dry branches; also spitting pieces of liver and kidneys, to be eaten as appetizers. Afterwards they jointed the carcase and roasted slices of beef on the same spits. Their banquet being at last ready, everyone set to, and when they had eaten as much as they could swallow, Nestor spoke again: 'Noble son of Atreus, High King Agamemnon, it is time we ended our meal and, without further delay, undertook the task which Zeus has assigned us. Let the heralds summon all contingents to parade in full armour beside the ships; and then we should review them and foster their fighting spirit.'
Agamemnon accepted Nestor's sensible advice, and the parade formed up at once. The seven princes eagerly marshalled their subjects, and Owl-Eyed Athene stood by. Her indestructible shield, called the Aegis, was fringed with a hundred curiously woven golden tassels, each of them worth one hundred oxen. She dazzled the Greek ranks, giving every man strength and courage to fight all day, and convincing him that battle was much more enjoyable than a long voyage home. The twinkling of bronze arms and armour could have been seen at a great distance-
As when a mountain-forest burns: the glow
Visible miles away to men below-
and the soldiers, pouring from their ships and huts into the Scamandrian Plain, recalled:
Migrating birds of many kinds
That all together swoop upon
Asian meadow land where winds
The Cayster: crane and goose and swan.
No single field contents their eye
But, with one huge discordant voice,
Hither and thither on they fly
And in their splendid plumes rejoice.
The plain menacingly echoed the tread of beasts and men, as the Greeks gathered upon it, eager to pull their enemy in pieces. How numerous they were, too!
Like leaves and blossoms bursting out
From every lusty tree,
Like flies of spring that buzz about
The farmyard busily,
When milk pours foaming into pails:
To number them no count avails.
Their leaders controlled them with the easy authority of goatherds, each keeping his flock together on a common pasture. In the centre rode Agamemnon: he had a frown worthy of Zeus, a waist worthy of Ares, a breast worthy of Poseidon! He reminded everyone of a bull, standing nobly prepared to defend his herd; so heroic and grand, by the grace of Heaven, was his appearance.
And now,
You wise and gentle MUSES,
Who on Olympus dwell,
And truth from idle rumour
Can separate and tell:
MEMORY'S daughters, prompt me-
Alone, I judge not well.
What I want is the name of every Greek commander and lesser officer who fought against Troy. Any attempt at listing the men-at-arms, too, would be hopeless: for that I should need ten tongues, an unwearied voice, and a heart of bronze, as well as the assistance of these same divine Muses.
***
Here is THE CATALOGUE OF SHIPS:
The Boeotians sent fifty ships, with a complement of one hundred and fifty men each, under the command of Peneleos, Le?tus, Arcesilaus, Prothoenor and Clonius. Some of their troops came from the following places: Hyria, the rocky district of Aulis, Schoenus, Scolus, the ridges of Eteonus, Thespeia, Graia, the spreading pastureland of Mycalessus.
Others came from Harma, Eilesion, Erythrae, Eleon, Peteon, Hyle, Ocalea, the fortress of Medeon, Copae, Eutresis and Thisbe (where doves breed).
Still others came from Coronea, the meadows of Haliartus, Plataea, Glisas, the fortress of Lesser Thebes, Onchestus (where Poseidon has a sacred grove), the vineyards of Arne, Mideia, Nisa (sacred to Dionysus), and the frontier town of Anthedon.
The Minyans of Boeotia sent thirty ships, under the command of Ascalaphus and Ialmenus, twin sons of the God Ares. Their troops came from Aspledon and Orchomenus. Ares had once stolen into the bedroom of these princes' stately mother Astyoche, unknown to her father King Actor, son of Zeus.
***
The Phocians sent forty ships, under the command of Schedius and Epistrophus, sons of gallant Iphitus, the son of Naubolus. Their troops came from Cyparissus, rocky Delphi and Crysa (both sacred to Apollo), Daulis, Panopeia, Anemoreia, Hyampolis, and the banks of the Cephisus as far as Lilaea, at its source.
Keeping their companies well in control, Schedius and Epistrophus now drew them up on the left flank of the Boeotian contingent.
***
The Locrians from the coast opposite Euboea sent forty ships, under the command of Little Ajax, son of O?leus. Though nothing like so striking a figure as Great Ajax, son of Telamon, this diminutive prince, who always wore a linen corslet, was easily the handiest with a spear in all Greece, Achaea not excepted. His troops came from Cynus, Opus, Calliarus, Bessa, Scarphe, the lovely district of Augeiae; also from Tarphe and Thronion, in the valley of the Boagrius.
***
The Abantes sent forty ships, under the command of Elephenor, son of Chalcodon, a descendant of Ares. His troops came from Euboea, Chalcis, Eiretria, and the vinelands of Histaea; also from the seaport of Corinthus, the high fortress of Dios, Carystus and Styra. They wore their hair very long, and would rush forward furiously into battle, eager to rip the enemy's corslets with the blades of their ash-shafted spears.
***
The Athenians sent fifty ships, under Menestheus, son of Peteus, the ablest commander then living-if we exclude old Nestor, who had much more experience of warfare.
Athens is the splendid city once ruled by Erechtheus the Courageous, a parthenogenous son of Mother Earth, Giver of Grain. The Goddess Athene, Zeus' daughter, brought up Erechtheus in her own rich temple at Athens, where an annual sacrifice of bulls and rams still honours his memory.
***
The Salaminians sent twelve ships, under Great Ajax, son of Telamon.[3]
The Achaeans sent two flotillas. The first consisted of eighty ships, under Diomedes of the Loud War-Cry; his lieutenants being Sthenelus, son of the famous Capaneus, and Euryalus the Godlike, son of King Mecisteus, son of Talaus. Their troops came from Argos, the great fortress of Tiryns, Hermione and Asine (seaports on opposite sides of a deep gulf), Troezen, Eionae, the vineyards of Epidaurus, the island of Aegina, and Mases.
The second Achaean flotilla consisted of one hundred ships, the largest of the whole fleet, under the personal command of Agamemnon, son of Atreus. His contingent, the most numerous and best equipped in the army, came from the great walled city of Mycenae, wealthy Corinth, the fortress of Cleonae, Orneiae, delightful Araetherea, and Sicyon, whose first king was Adrestus. Also from Hyperisi?, Gonoessa on its crag, the coastal region about Aegion, and the broad lands of Helice. Agamemnon himself, wearing a glorious suit of brightly polished bronze armour, outshone all other princes, and ranked as far the most important.
***
The Laconians sent sixty ships, under Menelaus, deputy commander-in-chief to his brother, King Agamemnon. Menelaus displayed his warlike spirit-sharpened by a desire to avenge himself on the Trojans for the trouble and sorrow their abduction of Queen Helen had caused him-in the zeal with which he fought. His troops came from Lacedaemon (a town cradled in the hills), Pharis, Sparta, Messe (a haunt of doves), Bryseiae, pleasant Augeiae, Amyclae, and the coastal fortress of Helus; also from Laas and Oetylus.
***
The Messenians sent ninety ships, under the command of Nestor the Gerenian. His troops came from Pylus, pleasant Arene, Thryen (where the Alpheius is fordable), the fortress of Aepy, Cyparisseis, Amphigeneia, Pteleum, Helus and Dorion. (At Dorion, the Muses waylaid Thamyris the Thracian as he left the palace of Eurytus in Oechalia; vexed by Thamyris' boast that he could outsing them, they not only blinded him but silenced his voice and made him forget how to play the lyre.)
***
The Arcadians, since they lived inland and lacked naval experience, borrowed sixty ships belonging to Agamemnon, and placed them under the command of Agapenor, son of Ancaeus. His troops came from the lower slopes of Mount Cyllene, near Aegyptus' tomb, where tough fighting-men abound, the sheep-pastures of Arcadian Orchomenus, Rhipe, pleasant Mantineia, Stymphalus and Parrhasie.
***
The Epeians sent forty ships, under four independent commanders, each in charge of a ten-ship flotilla. These were two of King Actor's descendants: Amphimachus, son of Cteatus, and Thalpius, son of Eurytus; also Diores, the gallant son of Amarynceus, and Polyxeinus, son of King Agasthenes and grandson of King Augeias. Their troops came from Buprasion, and from so much of the rich land of Elis as is bounded by Hyrmine, the frontier town of Myrsinus, the Olenian Rock and Aleision.
***
The Western Islanders sent two flotillas. The first consisted of forty ships under Meges, son of Phylus, as fine a fighter as Ares himself. His troops came from Dulichium and the Echinean Isles, which lie to the north of Elis. Meges' father Phylus the Horseman, a prince favoured by Zeus, migrated to Dulichium after a quarrel with his father King Augeias, who had cheated Heracles of a reward earned by cleansing out his stables.
The second flotilla consisted of twelve ships with vermilion-painted bows, under the command of Odysseus the Crafty. His troops came from the islands of Cephallene, Ithaca, wooded Neriton, Crocyleia, rugged Aegilips, Zacynthos, Samos, and the mainland opposite.
***
The Aetolians sent forty ships, under Thoas, son of Andraemon. His troops came from Pleuron, Olenus, Pylene, the coastal town of Chalcis, and rocky Calydon. Thoas was successor to King Meleager the Fair-Haired, who had ruled after the death of bold Oineus and his sons.
***
The Cretans sent eighty ships, under the joint-command of King Idomeneus the Warrior and Meriones, who rivalled the God Ares himself in battle. Their troops came from all the hundred cities of Crete, including the fortress of Cnossus, Gortys with its huge walls, Lyctus, Miletus, chalky Lycastus, Phaestus and Rhytion.
***
The Rhodians sent nine ships, under the command of Heracles' son Tlepolemus. His troops came from the island's three cities: Lindus, Ialysus, and chalky Cameirus.
Tlepolemus was the son of Astyocheia, whom Heracles had captured at Ephyra beside the River Selleeis, after sacking several cities held by Zeus' royal foster-sons. When Tlepolemus grew to manhood in the fortress of Tiryns, he murdered his father's uncle, old Licymnius, a descendant of Ares. Threatened with death by Heracles' other offspring, he hastily built a fleet, collected a large number of colonists, and sailed away to Rhodes. These immigrants were adopted into the three Rhodian tribes and greatly favoured by Zeus, who made them exceedingly rich.
***
The Symians sent three ships, under the command of Nireus, son of Aglaia and King Charopus. Though the handsomest of all these Greeks, with the sole exception of Achilles, he was a weakling; nor did his contingent amount to much.
***
The Asian Islanders sent thirty ships, commanded by Pheidippus and Antiphus, the sons of Thessalus and grandsons of Heracles. Their troops came from Nisyros, Carpathos, Casos and Cos, where Eurypylus reigned; and from the Calydnian group.
***
The Myrmidons, with their Hellenic and Achaean neighbours, sent fifty ships, under the command of Achilles. His troops came from Pelasgian Argos, Alus, Alope, Trachis, Phthia and Hellas (famed for its beautiful women).
This contingent, however, did not join the present parade because their commander, Prince Achilles, was sulking down at the camp-angered by his loss of beautiful Briseis. He had been given her as a reward for sacking Lyrnessus, where she lived, and the walled city of Thebe; also for killing Mynes and Epistrophus, the spearman sons of King Evenus the Selepiad, in a hotly-contested battle. Nevertheless, Achilles was soon to fight once more.
***
The Thessalians sent seven contingents, led by one of forty ships originally under the command of gallant Protesilaus, who was the son of Iphiclus, the grandson of Phylacus, and a descendant of Ares. His troops came from Phylace, fertile Pyrasus (where Demeter has a sanctuary), Itone (famous for its flocks), the coastal town of Antron, and the pastures of Pteleus.
Protesilaus, however, the first Greek to land at Troy, was also the first casualty; a Trojan killed him as he leaped ashore, leaving his widow to disfigure her cheeks in token of grief. Protesilaus had quitted Phylace with their bridal chamber only half-built. The troops missed him greatly because, though a younger brother named Podarces took charge of them, Protesilaus had been by far the braver of the two.
The second contingent, of eleven ships, was commanded by Eumelus, the son of Alcestis (loveliest of Pelias' daughters), and Admetus of Pherae. These troops came from Pherae beside Lake Boebe, the town of Boebe, Glaphyre, and the fortress of Iolcus.
The third contingent, of seven ships, was commanded by Philoctetes, the famous archer, and each contained fifty oarsmen expert with the bow. These troops came from Methone, Thaumacia, Meliboea, and rugged Olizon. But Philoctetes himself lay pining away and suffering torments in the pleasant Isle of Lemnos, where the Greeks had marooned him because of his noisome wound caused by the bite of a venomous water-snake. Philoctetes' men, though they missed him, did not stay leaderless; Medon, a bastard son of Rene and O?leus the City-Sacker, took his place. The Greeks were destined, however, to recall Philoctetes before capturing Troy.
The fourth contingent, of thirty ships, was commanded by Asclepius' two sons Podaleirius and Machaon, both skilled physicians. Their troops came from Tricca, Ithone (with its terraces), and Eurytus' city of Oechalia.
The fifth contingent, of forty ships, was commanded by Eurypylus, Euaemon's famous son. His troops came from Ormenius, the spring of Hypereia, Asterion, and the snow-clad peaks of Mount Titanus.
The sixth contingent, of the same size, was jointly commanded by the resolute Polypoetes, son of Peirithous and thus grandson of Zeus himself, and his comrade Leonteus, son of Coronus and grandson of Caeneus, a descendant of Ares. (Polypoetes' mother conceived him on the day that her husband Peirithous drove the shaggy Centaurs out of their homes on Mount Pelion and forced them to seek refuge with the Aethicans.) These troops came from Argissa, Orthe, Elone, and the white town of Oloosson.
The seventh contingent, of twenty-two ships, was commanded by Guneus, King of Cyphus. Among his troops were the Enienians and the tough Peraebians from settlements near wintry Dodona and farms in the delightful valley of the Titaresius. This river, though a tributary of the Peneius, does not mix with its waters, but flows above them like a coat of oil: being itself fed by the dreadful River Styx-on which the Immortals swear oaths that they never break.
***
The Magnesians, lastly, sent forty ships, commanded by Prothous, son of Teuthredon. His troops came from the banks of the Peneius, and the wooded slopes of Mount Pelion.
***
Such were the captains, such the crews.
Now help me, knowledgeable MUSE,
To pick the best men and best horses
From all King Agamemnon's forces!
By far the finest team on parade were two mares bred for Admetus, son of Pheres, by Apollo of the Silver Bow: swift as birds, perfectly matched in colour, age and size-one could lay a rod anywhere across their backs when they stood side by side, and it would always remain level. Harnessed to the chariot of Admetus' son Eumelus, who had brought them overseas, they carried all the terror of battle with them.
In the absence of Achilles, easily the best fighter was Great Ajax, son of Telamon, commanding the Salaminian contingent. Achilles, of course, outshone Great Ajax-as, indeed, his chariot-team outshone that of Eumelus-but while anger against Agamemnon kept him idling in his hut, the men amused themselves along the shore at quoits, javelin-throwing, and archery, or wandered through the camp, heartily wishing that someone would lead them to war. The Myrmidons' horses stood idle too, munching clover and marsh-parsley; and the chariots were stowed away.
Meanwhile Agamemnon had sounded the advance, and-
The spearmen coursed across Troy's plain
As though they trod on coals of fire;
The broad earth heaved and groaned again
As under ZEUS the Thunderer's ire
When, at Inarim?, he shakes
Great TYPHON's couch; and the world quakes.
***
At this point, Golden-Winged Iris, the Olympian herald, was entrusted by Zeus with an unwelcome message for the Trojans. She found a meeting in progress near the royal palace-citizens of all ages attended it-and came disguised as the permanent look-out man, Priam's son Polites. He used to perch aloft on the ancient tomb of Aesyetes, and if any considerable force emerged from the Greek camp, he could run fast enough to raise the alarm in good time. Imitating Polites' voice, Iris addressed old Priam: 'Father, though you enjoy listening to eloquent, well-composed speeches suitable for peaceful occasions, the needs of war compel me to brevity. I have done my fair share of fighting; but let me assure you that the largest and most formidable army I ever saw is now advancing across the plain: as numerous as forest leaves or grains of sand on the seashore.'
Iris then turned to Hector and said: 'Brother, pray take my advice! Many allied contingents are serving under you, all speaking different dialects: ask each commander to lead his men out in defence of the city, and post them at his own discretion.'
Hector, recognizing Iris' voice, broke up the meeting. A rash to arms ensued, and soon the Trojan infantry and chariotry poured through the gates, yelling their war-cries.
Between Troy and the Greek camp, a small knoll rises from the Scamandrian Plain; though commonly known as 'The Bateia', its sacred name is 'The Tomb of Leaping Myrine'. This knoll they occupied, and here I give you
THE TROJAN ORDER OF BATTLE:
The Trojans proper, led by Hector the Bright-Helmed; easily the biggest and best corps in the army.
The Dardanians, led by Prince Aeneas, son of Anchises, with Archelochus and Acamas, Antenor's sons, as his reliable lieutenants. (One night, among the ridges of Mount Ida, Anchises, a mortal, had begotten Aeneas on Laughter-Loving Aphrodite.)
The Zeleians, rich Trojan colonists of the Aesepus Valley, at the very foot of Mount Ida, led by Prince Pandarus, son of Lycaon. Pandarus carried a bow which Apollo the Archer himself had given him.
The Adresteians, and their neighbours from Apaesus, Pityeia, and the steep hill of Tereia, led by two brothers: Adrestus and Amphius of the Linen Corslet. Their father Merops, King of Percote, a prophet of wide repute, had warned them against taking part in this murderous war; but they paid no heed, being lured to their death by the sullen Fates.
The Hellespontians and their neighbours from the Sea of Marmara-men of Percote, Practius, Sestus, Abydus, and pleasant Arisbe beside the Selleeis-whence their commander Prince Asius, son of Hyrtacus, drove a chariot-team of tall sorrels.
The Pelasgians of fertile Larissa in the Troad, led by Hippothous and Pylaeus, twin sons of Teutamus' son Lethus and descendants of Ares.
The Thracians from the farther side of the swift-running Hellespont, led by Acamas and the heroic Peirous. Included in this contingent were the Ciconian spearmen, led by Euphemns, son of King Troezenus of Ceus.
The Paeonians, archers, led by Pyraechmes, and men from Cytorus, the neighbourhood of Sesamon, the banks of the River Parthenius, Cromna, Aegialus, and Erytheni high up in the hills. Their country is famous for its breed of wild mules.
The Alizonians from the silver mines of far-off Alybe, led by Odius and Epistrophus.
The Mysians, led by Chromis and Ennomus the Augur. Ennomus' auguries did not, however, serve to protect him. When Achilles later caused such havoc among the Trojans and their allies at the Battle of the Scamander, Ennomus died too.
The Phrygians from Ascania, eager fighters, led by Phorcys and Ascanius the Splendid.
The Maeonians from the slopes of Mount Tmolus, under the command of Mesthles and Antiphus, sons of the Lake-goddess Gyge by King Talaemenes.
The Carians, with their unintelligible language, men from Miletus, wooded Mount Phthires, the River Maeander, and the abrupt slopes of Mycale, led by Nastes and Amphimachus, the gallant sons of Nomion. This Amphimachus was vain enough to wear golden armour on the battlefield, as though he were a girl, but would have been wise to choose baser metal. Achilles killed him in the river and very wisely despoiled his corpse of its treasure.
The Lycians from the banks of the other River Xanthus, far to the south, led by Sarpedon and Glaucus the Victorious.
