The Iliad. Homer

swans, on Asian mead,

       Beside Cayster's stream, now here, now there,

       Disporting, ply their wings; then settle down

       With clam'rous noise, that all the mead resounds;

       So to Scamander's plain, from tents and ships,

       Pour'd forth the countless tribes; the firm earth groan'd

       Beneath the tramp of steeds and armed men.

       Upon Scamander's flow'ry mead they stood,

       Unnumber'd as the vernal leaves and flow'rs.

      Or as the multitudinous swarms of flies,

       That round the cattle-sheds in spring-tide pour,

       While the warm milk is frothing in the pail:

       So numberless upon the plain, array'd

       For Troy's destruction, stood the long-hair'd Greeks.

       And as experienced goat-herds, when their flocks

       Are mingled in the pasture, portion out

       Their sev'ral charges, so the chiefs array'd

       Their squadrons for the fight; while in the midst

       The mighty monarch Agamemnon mov'd:

       His eye, and lofty brow, the counterpart

       Of Jove, the Lord of thunder; in his girth

       Another Mars, with Neptune's ample chest.

       As 'mid the thronging heifers in a herd

       Stands, proudly eminent, the lordly bull;

       So, by Jove's will, stood eminent that day,

       'Mid many heroes, Atreus' godlike son.

      Say now, ye Nine, who on Olympus dwell,

       Muses (for ye are Goddesses, and ye

       Were present, and know all things: we ourselves

       But hear from Rumour's voice, and nothing know),

       Who were the chiefs and mighty Lords of Greece.

       But should I seek the multitude to name,

       Not if ten tongues were mine, ten mouths to speak,

       Voice inexhaustible, and heart of brass,

       Should I succeed, unless, Olympian maids,

       The progeny of aegis-bearing Jove,

       Ye should their names record, who came to Troy.

       The chiefs, and all the ships, I now rehearse.

      Boeotia's troops by Peneleus were led,

       And Leitus, and Prothoenor bold,

       Arcesilas and Clonius: they who dwelt

       In Hyria, and on Aulis' rocky coast,

       Scoenus, and Scolus, and the highland range

       Of Eteonus; in Thespeia's vale,

       Graia, and Mycalessus' wide-spread plains:

       And who in Harma and Eilesium dwelt,

       And in Erythrae, and in Eleon,

       Hyle, and Peteon, and Ocalea,

       In Copae, and in Medeon's well-built fort,

       Eutresis, Thisbe's dove-frequented woods,

       And Coronca, and the grassy meads

       Of Haliartus; and Plataea's plain,

       In Glissa, and the foot of Lower Thebes,

       And in Anchestus, Neptune's sacred grove;

       And who in viny-cluster'd Arne dwelt,

       And in Mideia, and the lovely site

       Of Nissa, and Anthedon's utmost bounds.

       With these came fifty vessels; and in each

       Were six score youths, Boeotia's noblest flow'r.

      Who in Aspledon dwelt, and in Minyas' realm

       Orehomenus, two sons of Mars obey'd,

       Ascalaphus, and bold Ialmenus;

       In Actor's house, the son of Azeus, born

       Of fair Astyoche, a maiden pure,

       Till in the upper chamber, where she slept,

       Stout Mars by stealth her virgin bed assail'd:

       Of these came thirty ships in order due.

      By Schedius and Epistrophus, the sons

       Of great Iphitus, son of Naubolus,

       Were led the Phocian forces; these were they

       Who dwelt in Cyparissus, and the rock

       Of Python, and on Crissa's lovely plain;

       And who in Daulis, and in Panope,

       Anemorea and IIyampolis,

       And by Cephisus' sacred waters dwelt,

       Or in Lilaea, by Cephisus' springs.

       In their command came forty dark-ribb'd ships.

       These were the leaders of the Phocian bands,

       And on Boeotia's left their camp was pitch'd.

      Ajax, Oileus' son, the Locrians led;

       Swift-footed, less than Ajax Telamon,

       Of stature low, with linen breastplate arm'd:

       But skill'd to throw the spear o'er all who dwell

       In Hellas or Achaia: these were they

       From Cynos, Opus, and Calliarus,

       Bessa, and Scarpha, and Augaea fair,

       Tarpha, and Thronium, by Boagrius' stream.

       Him from beyond Euboea's sacred isle,

       Of Locrians follow'd forty dark-ribb'd ships.

      Breathing firm courage high, th' Abantian host,

       Who from Euboea and from Chalcis came,

       Or who in vine-clad Histiaea dwelt,

       Eretria, and Cerinthus maritime,

       And who the lofty fort of Dium held,

       And in Carystus and in Styra dwelt:

       These Elephenor led, true plant of Mars,

       Chalcodon's son, the brave Abantian chief.

       Him, all conspicuous with their long black hair,

       The bold Abantians follow'd: spearmen skill'd,

       Who through the foemen's breastplates knew full well,

       Held in firm grasp, to drive the ashen spear.

       In his command came forty dark-ribb'd ships.

      Those who in Athens' well-built city dwelt,

       The noble-soul'd Erectheus' heritage;

       Child of the fertile soil, by Pallas rear'd,

       Daughter of Jove, who him in Athens plac'd

       In her own wealthy temple; there with blood

       Of bulls and lambs, at each revolving year,

       The youths of Athens do him sacrifice;

       These by Menestheus, Peteus' son, were led.

       With him might none of mortal men compare,

       In order due of battle to array

       Chariots and buckler'd men; Nestor alone

       Perchance might rival him, his elder far.

       In his command came fifty dark-ribb'd ships.

      Twelve ships from Salamis with Ajax came,

       And they beside th' Athenian troops were rang'd.

      Those who from Argos, and the well-wall'd town