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BK. II.]

CATALOGUE OF ACHÆAN FORCES

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474The 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.

484And now, O Muses,^[1] 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 many 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 ægis-bearing Jove, were to recount them to me. Nevertheless, I will tell the captains of the ships and all the fleet together.

494Peneleōs, Leïtus, Arcesilaus, Prothoënor, and Clonius were captains of the Bœotians. These were they that dwelt in Hyria and rocky Aulis, and who held Schœnus, Scolus, and the highlands of Eteonus, with Thespeia, Graia, and the fair city of Mycalessus. They also held Harma, Eilesium, and Erythræ; and they had Eleon, Hyle, and Peteon; Ocalea and the strong fortress of Medeon; Copæ, Eutrēsis, and Thisbe the haunt of doves; Coronea, and the pastures of Haliartus; Platæa 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

↑ The catalogue that follows has of late years been generally held not to have formed part of the original poem. I see no sufficient reason for adopting this view, and find strong grounds for thinking that Homer wrote it as we now have it, in its present place, but possibly with the assistance of some person who was familiar with the geography of Hellas and the Peloponese.

[1] The catalogue that follows has of late years been generally held not to have formed part of the original poem. I see no sufficient reason for adopting this view, and find strong grounds for thinking that Homer wrote it as we now have it, in its present place, but possibly with the assistance of some person who was familiar with the geography of Hellas and the Peloponese.

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