Peneleus, and Leïtus, and Arcesilaus, and Prothoënor, and Clonius,
commanded the Bœotians; both those who tilled Hyrie, and rocky Aulis,
and Schœnos, and Scholos, and hilly Eteonus, Thespia, Græa, and the
ample plain of Mycalessus; and those who dwelt about Harma, and
Ilesius, and Erythræ; and those who possessed Elion, Hyle, Peteon,
Ocalea, and the well-built city Medeon, Copæ, Eutressis, and Thisbe
abounding in doves; and those who possessed Coronæa, and grassy
Haliartus, and Platæa; and those who inhabited Glissa, and those who
dwelt in Hypothebæ, the well-built city, and in sacred Onchestus, the
beauteous grove of Neptune; and those who inhabited grape-clustered
Arne, and those [who inhabited] Midea, and divine Nissa, and remote
Anthedon: fifty ships of these went to Troy, and in each embarked a
hundred and twenty Bœotian youths.
Those who inhabited Aspledon, and Minyean Orchomenus, these Ascalaphus
and Ialmenus, the sons of Mars, led, whom Astyoche bore to powerful
Mars in the house of Actor, son of Azis: a modest virgin, when she
ascended the upper part of her father’s house; but the god secretly
embraced her. Of these thirty hollow ships went in order.
Moreover, Schedius and Epistrophus, sons of magnanimous Iphitus, the
son of Naubolus, led the Phoceans, who possessed Cyparissus, and rocky
Python, and divine Crissa, and Daulis, and Panopea; and those who dwelt
round Anemoria and Hyampolis, and near the sacred river Cephissus, and
those who possessed Lilæa, at the sources of Cephissus: with these
forty dark ships followed. They indeed, 121 going round, arranged the
lines of the Phoceans; and they were drawn up in array near the
Bœotians, and towards the left wing.
Footnote 121: (return) Schedius and Epistrophus.
Swift-footed Ajax, the son of Oileus, was leader of the Locrians; less
in stature than, and not so tall as Ajax, the son of Telamon, but much
less. He was small indeed, wearing a linen corslet, but in [the use of]
the spear he surpassed all the Hellenes and Achæans, who inhabited
Cynus, Opus, Calliarus, Bessa, Scarpha, and pleasant Augeia, and
Tarpha, and Thronium, around the streams of Boagrius. But with him
forty dark ships of the Locrians followed, who dwell beyond sacred
Eubœa.
The Abantes, breathing strength, who possessed Eubœa, and Chalcis, and
Eretria, and grape-clustered Histiæa, and maritime Cerinthus, and the
towering city of Dium, and those who inhabited Carystus and Styra: the
leader of these was Elephenor, of the line of Mars, the son of
Chalcodon, the magnanimous prince of the Abantes. With him the swift
Abantes followed, with flowing locks behind, warriors skilled with
protended spears of ash, to break the corslets on the breasts of their
enemies. With him forty dark ships followed.
Those besides who possessed Athens, the well-built city, the state of
magnanimous Erechtheus, whom Minerva, the daughter of Jove, formerly
nursed (but him the bounteous earth brought forth), and settled at
Athens in her own rich temple: there the sons of the Athenians, in
revolving years, appease her with [sacrifices of] bulls and lambs
122—them Menestheus, son of Peteus, commanded. “No man upon the earth
was equal to him in marshalling steeds and shielded warriors in battle;
Nestor alone vied with him, for he was elder. With him fifty dark ships
followed.”
But Ajax 123 led twelve ships from Salamis, and leading arranged them
where the phalanxes of the Athenians were drawn up.
Footnote 122: (return) Grote, Hist. of Greece, vol. i. p. 75,
observes, “Athene is locally identified with the soil and people of
Athens, even in the Iliad: Erechtheus, the Athenian, is born of the
earth, but Athene brings him up, nourishes him, and lodges him in her
own temple, where the Athenians annually worship him with sacrifice and
solemnities. It was altogether impossible to make Erechtheus son of
Athene,—the type of the goddess forbade it; but the Athenian
myth-creators, though they found this barrier impassable, strove to
approach to it as near as they could.” Compare also p. 262, where he
considers Erechtheus “as a divine or heroic, certainly a superhuman
person, and as identified with the primitive germination of Attic man.”
Footnote 123: (return) : The son of Telamon.
Those who possessed Argos, and well-fortified Tiryns, Hermione, and
which encircle the Asine deep bay, Trœzene, and Eionæ, and vine-planted
Epidaurus, and those who possessed Ægina, and Mases, Achæan youths.
Their leader then was Diomede, brave in war, and Sthenelus, the dear
son of much-renowned Capaneus; and with these went Euryalus the third,
god-like man, the son of king Mecisteus, Talaus’ son; and all these
Diomede brave in war commanded. With these eighty dark ships followed.
Those who possessed Mycenæ, the well-built city, and wealthy Corinth,
124 and well-built Cleonæ, and those who inhabited Ornia, and pleasant
Aræthyrea, and Sicyon, where Adrastus first reigned: and those who
possessed Hyperesia, and lofty Gonoessa, and Pellene, and those who
[inhabited] Ægium, and all along the sea-coast, 125 and about spacious
Helice. Of these, king Agamemnon, the son of Atreus, commanded a
hundred ships: and with him by far the most and bravest troops
followed; and he had clothed himself in dazzling brass, exulting in his
glory, that he shone conspicuous amongst all heroes; for he was the
most eminent, and led by far the most numerous troops. 126
Footnote 124: (return) An anachronism, as Corinth, before its capture
by the Dorians, was called Ephyra (as in II. vi. 152). “Neque est, quod
miremur ab Homero nominari Corinthum, nam ex persona poetæ et hanc
urbem, et quasdam Ionum colonias iis nominibus appellat, quibus
vocabantur ætate ejus, multo post Ilium captum conditæ.”—Vell. Paterc.
i. 3.
Footnote 125: (return) I. e. the later Achaia.—Arnold.
Footnote 126: (return) On the superior power of Agamemnon, see Grote,
vol. i. p. 211 and compare II. ix. 69.
But those who possessed great Lacedæmon, full of clefts, and Pharis and
Sparta, and dove-abounding Messa, and Brysiæ, and pleasant Augeiæ; and
those who possessed Amyclæ, and Helos, a maritime city; and those who
possessed Laas, and dwelt round Œtylus. Of these his brother Menelaus,
brave in battle, commanded sixty ships, but they were armed apart [from
Agamemnon’s forces]. Amidst them he himself went, confiding in his
valour, inciting them to war; but especially he desired in his soul to
avenge the remorse of Helen and her groans.
Those who inhabited Pylos and pleasant Arene, and Thryos, by the fords
of Alphœus, and well-built Æpy, and Cyparesseis and Amphigenia, and
Pteleum, and Helos, and Dorium: and there it was the Muses, meeting the
Thracian Thamyris, as he was coming from Œchalia, from Œchalian
Eurytus, caused him to cease his song; for he averred, boasting, that
he could obtain the victory, 127 even though the Muses themselves, the
daughters of ægis-bearing Jove, should sing. But they, enraged, made
him blind, and moreover deprived him of his power of singing, and
caused him to forget the minstrel-art. These the Gerenian horseman
Nestor commanded: and with him ninety hollow ships proceeded in order.
Those who possessed Arcadia, under the breezy 128 mountain of Cyllene,
near the tomb of Æpytus, where are close-fighting heroes; those who
inhabited Pheneus, and sheep-abounding Orchomenus, and Ripe and
Stratie, and wind-swept Enispe, and who possessed Tegea and pleasant
Mantinea; and those who held Stymphalus, and dwelt in Parrhasie; of
these king Agapenor, the son of Ancæus, commanded sixty ships; but
aboard each ship went many Arcadian heroes skilled in war. But the son
of Atreus, Agamemnon himself, the king of heroes, gave them the
well-benched ships, to pass over the dark sea; since they had no care
of naval works.
Footnote 127: (return) Respecting the connection of this story with
the early poetic contests, see Müller, Gk. Lit. iv. 2, whose
interesting remarks are, unfortunately, too long for a note.
Footnote 128: (return) i. e. lofty.
Those who inhabited Buprasium and noble Elis, as much as Hyrmine, and
distant Myrsinus, and the Olenian rock, and Alisium, contain within; of
these the leaders were four; but ten swift ships followed each hero,
and many Epeans went aboard them. Amphimachus and Thalpius, sons, the
one of Cteatus, the other of Eurytus, Actor’s son, commanded some:
brave Diores, son of Amarynceus, commanded others: and god-like
Polyxenus, son of Agasthenes, the son of king Augeas, commanded the
fourth division.
Those from Dulichium, and the Echinades, sacred islands, which lie
beyond the sea, facing Elis. 129 Over these presided Meges, son of
Phyleus, equal to Mars, whom the knight Phyleus, beloved by Jove,
begat, who, enraged against his father, once on a time removed to
Dulichium. With him forty dark ships followed.
Moreover Ulysses led the magnanimous Cephallenians, those who possessed
Ithaca and leaf-quivering Neritos, and who dwelt in Crocylea and rugged
Ægilips, and those who possessed Zacynthus, and those who inhabited
Samos, and those who possessed the continent, and dwelt in the places
lying opposite; these Ulysses commanded, equal to Jove in council. With
him followed twelve red-sided ships.
Thoas, son of Andræmon, led the Ætolians, those who inhabited Pleuron,
and Olenus, and Pylene, and maritime Chalcis, and rocky Calydon. For
the sons of magnanimous Œneus were no more, nor was he himself
surviving; moreover, fair-haired Meleager was dead. 130 To him [Thoas,]
therefore, was intrusted the chief command, to rule the Ætolians, and
with him forty dark ships followed.
Footnote 129: (return) “This description of the Echinades has
something equivocal in it, which is cleared up, if we suppose it
addressed to the inhabitants of the Asiatic side of the Archipelago.
But if, with Pope, we understand the words ‘beyond the sea’ to relate
to Elis, I think we adopt an unnatural construction to come at a forced
meaning; for the old Greek historians tell us, that those islands are
so close upon the coast of Elis, that in their time many of them had
been joined to it by means of the Achelous.”—Wood on Homer, p. 8, sq.
Footnote 130: (return) Grote, Hist, of Greece, vol. i. p. 197, after
referring to the Homeric legend respecting Meleager in II. xi. 525,
sqq., remarks that “though his death is here indicated only indirectly,
there seems little doubt that Homer must have conceived the death of
the hero as brought about by the maternal curse: the unrelenting
Erinnys executed to the letter the invocations of Althæa, though she
herself must have been willing to retract them.”
Spear-renowned Idomeneus commanded the Cretans, those who possessed
Gnossus and well-walled Gortyna and Lyctos, and Miletus, and white
Lycastus and Phæstus, and Rhytium, well-inhabited cities; and others
who inhabited the hundred-towned Crete. These spear-famed Idomeneus
commanded, and Meriones, equal to man-slaying Mars: with these followed
eighty dark ships.
But Tlepolemus, the brave and great descendant of Hercules, led from
Rhodes nine ships of the haughty Rhodians, those who inhabited Rhodes,
arranged in three bands, Lindus, and Ialyssus, and white Camirus. These
spear-famed Tlepolemus led, he whom Astyochea brought forth to the
might of Hercules, 131 whom [Astyochea] he [Hercules] carried out of
Ephyre, from the river Selleis, after having laid waste many cities of
nobly-descended youths. Now Tlepolemus, after he had been trained up in
the well-built palaces, straightway slew the beloved uncle of his
father, Licymnius, now grown old, a branch of Mars; and instantly he
built a fleet; and having collected many troops, he departed, 132
flying over the ocean; for him the sons and grandsons of the might of
Hercules had threatened. And he indeed came wandering to Rhodes,
suffering woes. And they, divided into three parts, dwelt in tribes,
and were beloved of Jove, who rules over gods and men: and on them the
son of Saturn poured down immense wealth.
Footnote 131: (return) As in the Odyssey, I prefer preserving the
quaint simplicity of these antiquated periphrases.
Footnote 132: (return) Grote, History of Greece, vol. i. p. 33, has
collected the Homeric instances of exile “for private or involuntary
homicide,” observing, however, from the Schol. on Il. xi. 690, “that
Homer never once describes any of them to have either received or
required purification for the crime.”
Nireus moreover led three equal ships from Syme, Nireus son of Aglaea,
and king Charopus, Nireus, the fairest of men that came to Ilium, of
all the other Greeks, next to the unblemished son of Peleus. But he was
feeble, and few troops followed him.
But those who possessed Nisyrus, and Crapathus, and Casus, and Cos, the
city of Eurypylus, and the Calydnæ isles, Phidippus and Antiphus, both
sons of the Thessalian king, the son of Hercules, commanded. Thirty
hollow ships of these went in order.
But now, [O muse, recount] those, as many as inhabited Pelasgian Argos,
both those who dwelt in Alos and Alope, and Trechin, and those who
possessed Phthia, and Hellas famous for fair dames. But they are called
Myrmidons, and Hellenes, and Achæans: of fifty ships of these was
Achilles chief. But they remembered not dire-sounding war, for there
was no one who might lead them to their ranks. For swift-footed
Achilles lay at the ships, enraged on account of the fair-haired maid
Brisëis, whom he carried away from Lyrnessus, after having suffered
many labours, and having laid waste Lyrnessus and the walls of Thebes;
and he killed Mynetes and spear-skilled Epistrophus, sons of king
Evenus, the son of Selepius. On her account he lay grieving, but
speedily was he about to be roused.
Those who possessed Phylace and flowery Pyrrhasus, the consecrated
ground of Ceres, and Iton the mother of sheep, maritime Antron, and
grassy Ptelon. These warlike Protesilaus, whilst he lived, commanded;
but him the black earth then possessed. His wife, lacerated all around,
had been left at Phylace, and his palace half finished. For a Trojan
man slew him, as he leaped ashore from his ship much the first of the
Greeks. Nor were they, however, without a leader, although they longed
for their own leader; for gallant Podarces marshalled them, Podarces,
son of sheep-abounding Iphiclus, the son of Phylacis, own brother of
magnanimous Protesilaus, younger by birth; but the warlike hero
Protesilaus was older and braver. His troops wanted not a leader, but
lamented him, being brave; with him forty dark ships followed.
Those who inhabited Phære by the lake Bœbeïs, Bœbe, and Glaphyræ, and
well-built Iaolcus; these Eumeles, the beloved son of Admetus,
commanded in eleven ships, whom Alcestis, divine amongst women, most
beautiful in form of the daughters of Pelias, brought forth by Admetus.
Those who inhabited Methone and Thaumacia, and possessed Melibœa, and
rugged Olizon; these Philoctetes, well skilled in archery, commanded in
seven ships. Fifty sailors, well skilled in archery, went on board each
to fight valiantly. But he lay in an island enduring bitter pangs, in
divine Lemnos, where the sons of the Greeks had left him suffering with
the evil sting of a deadly serpent. There he lay grieving; but soon
were the Argives at the ships destined to remember their king
Philoctetes. Nor were they however without a leader, though they longed
for their own leader; but Medon, the bastard son of Oïleus, whom Rhina
brought forth by city-wasting Oïleus, marshalled them.
Those who possessed Tricca, and hilly Ithome, and those who possessed
Œchalia, the city of Œchalian Eurytus; Podalirius and Machaon, two
excellent physicians, 133 both sons of Æsculapius, led these. With them
thirty hollow ships went in order.
Footnote 133: (return) Grote, vol. i. p. 348, remarks that the “renown
of Podalirius and Machaon was further prolonged in the subsequent poem
of Arctinus, the Iliu-Persis, wherein the one was represented as
unrivalled in surgical operations, the other as sagacious in detecting
and appreciating morbid symptoms. It was Podalirius who first noticed
the glaring eyes and disturbed deportment which preceded the suicide of
Ajax.”
Those who possessed Ormenium, and the fountain Hyperia, and those who
possessed Asterium and the white tops of Titanus; these Eurypylus, the
brave son of Evæmon, commanded. With him forty dark ships followed.
Those who possessed Argissa, and inhabited Gyrtone, and Orthe, and
Elone, and the white city Oloosson: these the stout warrior Polypœtes,
son of Pirithous, whom immortal Jove begat, commanded. Him renowned
Hippodamia brought forth by Pirithous, on the day when he took
vengeance on the shaggy Centaurs, and drove them from Mount Pelion, and
chased them to the Æthiceans. He was not the only leader; with him
commanded warlike Leonteus, son of magnamimous Coronus, the son of
Cœneus. With these forty dark ships followed.
But Gyneus led two-and-twenty ships from Cyphus. Him the Enienes
followed, and the Peræbi, stout warriors, who placed their habitations
by chilly Dodona, and those who tilled the fields about delightful
Titaresius, which pours its fair-flowing stream into the Peneus; nor is
it mingled with silver-eddied Peneus, but flows on the surface of it
like oil. For it is a streamlet of the Stygian wave, the dreadful
[pledge of] oath.
Prothoüs, son of Tenthredon, commanded the Magnetes, who dwell about
the Peneus, and leaf-quivering Pelion: these swift Prothoüs led; and
with him forty dark ships followed.
These then were the leaders and chieftains of the Greeks. Do thou,
then, O muse, tell me who was the most excellent of these, of the kings
and their steeds, who followed the son of Atreus to Troy. The steeds of
the descendant of Pheres were indeed by far the most excellent, which
Eumelus drove, swift as birds, like in hair, like in age, and level in
[height of] back by the plumb-line. 134 These, bearing with them the
terror of Mars, both mares, silver-bowed Apollo fed in Pieria. 135 Of
the heroes Telamonian Ajax was by far the best, whilst Achilles
continued wrathful, for he was by far the bravest; and the steeds which
bore the irreproachable son of Peleus surpassed those of Eumelus. But
he on his part lay in his dark sea-traversing ships, breathing wrath
against the son of Atreus, Agamemnon, the shepherd of the people. But
his forces meantime amused themselves with quoits and javelins, hurling
[them,] and with their bows; and their steeds stood, each near his
chariot, feeding on lotus and lake-fed parsley. And the well-fastened
chariots lay in the tents of their lords. But they, longing for their
warlike chief, wandered hither and thither through the camp, and did
not fight.
But they went along, as if the whole earth was being fed upon by fire,
136 and the earth groaned beneath, as in honour of thunder-rejoicing
Jove when angry, 137 when he strikes the earth around Typhœus in Arimæ,
138 where they say is the tomb of Typhœus; thus indeed beneath their
feet the earth groaned mightily, as they went, and very swift they
passed over the plain.
Footnote 134: (return) I. e. exactly equal in height, as if they had
been measured.
Footnote 135: (return) This degradation of Apollo used to be
commemorated in the theoria in honour of the god. See Müller Dor. vol.
i. p. 233.
Footnote 136: (return) Such was the glitter of their arms.
Footnote 137: (return) See Arnold.
Footnote 138: (return) A volcanic district of Mysia.
But swift-footed Iris came from aegis-bearing Jove, a messenger to the
Trojans, with a woeful announcement. They all, collected together, both
young and old, were holding councils at the gates of Priam. But
swift-footed Iris standing near, accosted them: and she likened herself
in voice to Polites, son of Priam, who, trusting to the swiftness of
his feet, sat at watch for the Trojans on the top of the tomb 139 of
old Æsyetus, watching when the Greeks should set forth from the ships.
To him having likened herself, swift-footed Iris addressed them:
“Old man, ever are injudicious words pleasing to thee, as formerly in
time of peace: but now has an inevitable war arisen. Truly I have
already very often been present at the conflicts of heroes, but never
have I beheld such brave and numerous forces. For very like unto the
leaves or the sand proceed they through the plain, about to fight for
the city. Hector, for it is to thee in particular I give advice: and do
thou act thus; for many are the allies through the great city of Priam;
and different are the languages 140 of the widely-spread men. Let then
each hero command those of whom he is the chief: but do thou,
marshalling the citizens, be leader of them.”
Thus she said. But Hector was not ignorant of the voice of the goddess;
and he instantly dismissed the council, and they rushed to arms. And
the portals were opened, and the troops rushed out, both foot and
horse; and much tumult arose.
Now there is a certain lofty mound before the city, far in the plain,
that may be run round, 141 which men indeed call Batiea, but the
immortals, the tomb of nimbly-springing Myrinna. There the Trojans and
their allies were then marshalled separately.
Footnote 139: (return) On the height of the ancient tombs, see my note
on Odyss. ii. p. 21, n. 35, ed. Bohn.
Footnote 140: (return) Cf. iv. 437, where this variety of dialects is
again mentioned, and Müller, Greek Lit. i. § 4.
Footnote 141: (return) _I. e._ standing clear on all sides.
The Trojans, in the first place, great helmet-nodding Hector, son of
Priam, commanded. With him far the most numerous and the bravest troops
were armed, ardent with their spears.
The Dardanians, in the next place, Æneas, the gallant son of Anchises,
commanded (him to Anchises the divine goddess Venus bore, couched with
him a mortal on the tops of Ida): not alone, but with him the two sons
of Antenor, Archelochus and Acamas, skilled in every kind of fight.
But the Trojans who inhabited Zeleia, 142 beneath the lowest foot of
Ida, wealthy and drinking the dark water of Æsepus, these Pandarus, the
valiant son of Lycaon, commanded, to whom even Apollo himself gave his
bow.
Footnote 142: (return) Cf. iv. 119. “The inhabitants of Zeleia
worshipped Apollo, and Zeleia was also called Lycia; facts which show
that there was a real connection between the name of Lycia and the
worship of Apollo, and that it was the worship of Apollo which gave the
name to this district of Troy, as it had done to the country of the
Solymi.”—Müller, Dor. vol. i. p. 248.
Those who possessed Adrestæ, and the city of Apæsus, and possessed
Pityea, and the lofty mountain Tercia; these Adrastus and linen-mailed
Amphius commanded, the two sons of Percosian Merops, who was skilled in
prophecy above all others; nor was he willing to suffer his sons to go
into the man-destroying fight. But they did not obey him, for the fates
of sable death impelled them.
Those who dwelt around Percote and Practius, and possessed Sestos and
Abydos, and divine Arisbe; these Asius, son of Hyrtacus, prince of
heroes, commanded: Asius, son of Hyrtacus, whom large and fiery steeds
bore from Arisbe, from the river Selleïs.
Hippothoüs led the tribes of the spear-skilled Pelasgians, of those who
inhabited fertile Larissa; Hippothoüs and Pylæus of the line of Mars,
the two sons of Pelasgian Lethus, son of Teutamus, commanded these.
But Acamus and the hero Piroüs led the Thracians, all that the rapidly
flowing Hellespont confines within.
Euphemus, son of heaven-descended Trœzenus, son of Ceas, was commander
of the warlike Cicones.
But Pyræchmes led the Pæonians, who use darts fastened by a thong, far
from Amydon, from wide-flowing Axius, from Axius, whose stream is
diffused the fairest over the earth.
But the sturdy heart of Pylæmenes from the Eneti, whence is the race of
wild mules, led the Paphlagonians, those who possessed Cytorus, and
dwelt around Sesamus, and inhabited the famous dwellings around the
river Parthenius, and Cromna, Ægialus, and the lofty Erythine hills.
But Hodius and Epistrophus, far from Alybe, whence is a rich product of
silver, commanded the Halizonians. Chromis and the augur Ennomus
commanded the Mysians, but he avoided not sable death through his skill
in augury, for he was laid low by the hands of Achilles in the river,
where he made havoc of the other Trojans also.
Phorcys and godlike Ascanius far from Ascania, led the Phrygians, and
they eagerly desired to engage in battle.
But Mesthles and Antiphus led the Mæonians, both sons of Talæmeneus,
whom the lake Gygæa bore; these led the Mæonians, born beneath Mount
Tmolus.
Nastes commanded the barbarous-voiced Carians, who possessed Miletus,
and the leaf-topped mountain of Pethiri, and the streams of Mæander,
and the lofty tops of Mycale. These indeed Amphimachus and Nastes
commanded, Nastes and Amphimachus the famous sons of Nomion, who
foolish went to battle decked with gold like a young girl 143; nor did
this by any means ward off bitter death; but he was laid low by the
hands of the swift-footed son of Æacus at the river, and warlike
Achilles took away the gold.
Footnote 143: (return) It was customary for virgins to wear golden
ornaments in great profusion. See Porson on Eur. Hec. 153.
But Sarpedon and gallant Glaucus from Lycia afar, from the eddying
Xanthus, led the Lycians.