The Iliad of Homer. Homer

Pellene also and wide Helice

       With all their shores, were number'd in his train.705

      From hollow Lacedæmon's glen profound,

       From Phare, Sparta, and from Messa, still

       Resounding with the ring-dove's amorous moan,

       From Brysia, from Augeia, from the rocks

       Of Laas, from Amycla, Otilus,710

       And from the towers of Helos, at whose foot

       The surf of Ocean falls, came sixty barks

       With Menelaus. From the monarch's host

       The royal brother ranged his own apart,

       and panted for revenge of Helen's wrongs,715

       And of her sighs and tears.[24] From rank to rank, Conscious of dauntless might he pass'd, and sent Into all hearts the fervor of his own.

      Gerenian Nestor in thrice thirty ships

       Had brought his warriors; they from Pylus came,720

       From blithe Arene, and from Thryos, built

       Fast by the fords of Alpheus, and from steep

       And stately Æpy. Their confederate powers

       Sent Amphigenia, Cyparissa veiled

       With broad redundance of funereal shades,725

       Pteleos and Helos, and of deathless fame

       Dorion. In Dorion erst the Muses met

       Threïcian Thamyris, on his return

       053 From Eurytus, Oechalian Chief, and hush'd

       His song for ever; for he dared to vaunt730

       That he would pass in song even themselves

       The Muses, daughters of Jove Ægis-arm'd.

       They therefore, by his boast incensed, the bard

       Struck blind, and from his memory dash'd severe

       All traces of his once celestial strains.735

      Arcadia's sons, the dwellers at the foot

       Of mount Cyllene, where Æpytus sleeps

       Intomb'd; a generation bold in fight,

       And warriors hand to hand; the valiant men

       Of Pheneus, of Orchomenos by flocks740

       Grazed numberless, of Ripe, Stratia, bleak

       Enispe; Mantinea city fair,

       Stymphelus and Parrhasia, and the youth

       Of Tegea; royal Agapenor these,

       Ancæus' offspring, had in sixty ships745

       To Troy conducted; numerous was the crew,

       And skilled in arms, which every vessel brought,

       And Agamemnon had with barks himself

       Supplied them, for, of inland realms possessed,

       They little heeded maritime employs.[25]750

      The dwellers in Buprasium, on the shores

       Of pleasant Elis, and in all the land

       Myrsinus and the Hyrminian plain between,

       The rock Olenian, and the Alysian fount;

       These all obey'd four Chiefs, and galleys ten755

       Each Chief commanded, with Epeans filled.

       Amphimachus and Thalpius govern'd these,

       This, son of Cteatus, the other, sprung

       From Eurytus, and both of Actor's house.

       Diores, son of Amarynceus, those760

       Led on, and, for his godlike form renown'd,

       Polyxenus was Chieftain o'er the rest,

       Son of Agasthenes, Augeias' son.

      Dulichium, and her sister sacred isles

       054 The Echinades, whose opposite aspect765

       Looks toward Elis o'er the curling waves,

       Sent forth their powers with Meges at their head,

       Brave son of Phyleus, warrior dear to Jove.

       Phyleus in wrath, his father's house renounced,

       And to Dulichium wandering, there abode.770

       Twice twenty ships had follow'd Meges forth.

      Ulysses led the Cephallenians bold.

       From Ithaca, and from the lofty woods

       Of Neritus they came, and from the rocks

       Of rude Ægilipa. Crocylia these,775

       And these Zacynthus own'd; nor yet a few

       From Samos, from Epirus join'd their aid,

       And from the opposite Ionian shore.

       Them, wise as Jove himself, Ulysses led

       In twelve fair ships, with crimson prows adorn'd.780

      From forty ships, Thoas, Andræmon's son,

       Had landed his Ætolians; for extinct

       Was Meleager, and extinct the house

       Of Oeneus all, nor Oeneus self survived;

       To Thoas therefore had Ætolia fallen;785

       Him Olenos, Pylene, Chalcis served,

       With Pleuro, and the rock-bound Calydon.

      Idomeneus, spear-practised warrior, led

       The numerous Cretans. In twice forty ships

       He brought his powers to Troy. The warlike bands790

       Of Cnossus, of Gortyna wall'd around,

       Of Lyctus, of Lycastus chalky-white,

       Of Phæstus, of Miletus, with the youth

       Of Rhytius him obey'd; nor these were all,

       But others from her hundred cities Crete795

       Sent forth, all whom Idomeneus the brave

       Commanded, with Meriones in arms

       Dread as the God of battles blood-imbrued.

      Nine ships Tlepolemus, Herculean-born,

       For courage famed and for superior size,800

       Fill'd with his haughty Rhodians. They, in tribes

       Divided, dwelt distinct. Jelyssus these,

       055 Those Lindus, and the rest the shining soil

       Of white Camirus occupied. Him bore

       To Hercules, (what time he led the nymph805

       From Ephyre, and from Sellea's banks,

       After full many a city laid in dust.)

       Astyocheia. In his father's house

       Magnificent, Tlepolemus spear-famed

       Had scarce up-grown to manhood's lusty prime810

       When he his father's hoary uncle slew

       Lycimnius, branch of Mars. Then built he ships,

       And, pushing forth to sea, fled from the threats

       Of the whole house of Hercules. Huge toil

       And many woes he suffer'd, till at length815

       At Rhodes arriving, in three separate bands

       He spread himself abroad, Much was he loved

       Of all-commanding Jove, who bless'd him there,

       And shower'd abundant riches on them all.

      Nireus of Syma, with three vessels came;820

       Nireus, Aglæa's offspring, whom she bore