The Catalogue of Ships

Source: Iliad, Homer – Book 2

Zeus’s Wakefulness and the Sending of a Dream

Now the other gods and the armed warriors on the plain slept soundly, but Zeus was wakeful, for he was thinking how to do honor to Achilles and destroy many people at the ships of the Achaeans.

In the end, he deemed it would be best to send a lying dream to King Agamemnon. So he called one to him and said to it, “Lying Dream, go to the ships of the Achaeans, into the tent of Agamemnon, and say to him word for word as I now bid you.

Tell him to get the Achaeans instantly under arms, for he shall take Troy.

There are no longer divided counsels among the gods; Hera has brought them to her own mind, and woe betides the Trojans.”

The Dream’s Visit to Agamemnon

The dream went when it had heard its message and soon reached the ships of the Achaeans. It sought Agamemnon, son of Atreus, and found him in his tent, wrapped in a profound slumber.

It hovered over his head in the likeness of Nestor, son of Neleus, whom Agamemnon honored above all his councilors, and said: “You are sleeping, son of Atreus; one who has the welfare of his host and so much other care upon his shoulders should dock his sleep.

Hear me at once, for I come as a messenger from Zeus, who, though he be not near, yet takes thought for you and pities you.

He bids you get the Achaeans instantly under arms, for you shall take Troy. There are no longer divided counsels among the gods;

Hera has brought them over to her own mind, and woe betides the Trojans at the hands of Zeus. Remember this, and when you wake, see that it does not escape you.”

Agamemnon’s Deceptive Strategy

The dream then left him, and he thought of things that were surely not to be accomplished.

He thought that on that same day he was to take the city of Priam, but he little knew what was in the mind of Zeus, who had many another hard-fought fight in store alike for Danaans and Trojans.

Then presently, he woke with the divine message still ringing in his ears; so he sat upright, put on his soft shirt so fair and new, and over this his heavy cloak.

He bound his sandals onto his comely feet, and slung his silver-studded sword about his shoulders; then he took the imperishable staff of his father and sallied forth to the ships of the Achaeans.

Gathering of the Achaeans

Agamemnon sent the criers round to call the people in assembly; so they called them, and the people gathered thereon.

But first, he summoned a meeting of the elders at the ship of Nestor, king of Pylos, and when they were assembled, he laid a cunning counsel before them.

“My friends,” said he, “I have had a dream from heaven in the dead of night, and its face and figure resembled none but Nestor’s.

It hovered over my head and said, ‘You are sleeping, son of Atreus; one who has the welfare of his host and so much other care upon his shoulders should dock his sleep.

Hear me at once, for I am a messenger from Zeus, who, though he be not near, yet takes thought for you and pities you.

He bids you get the Achaeans instantly under arms, for you shall take Troy.

There are no longer divided counsels among the gods; Hera has brought them over to her own mind, and woe betides the Trojans at the hands of Zeus. Remember this.’

The dream then vanished, and I awoke. Let us now, therefore, arm the sons of the Achaeans.

But it will be the right thing that I should first sound them, and to this end I will tell them to flee with their ships; but you others go about among the host and prevent their doing so.”

Nestor’s Call to Arms

He then sat down, and Nestor, the king of Pylos, with all sincerity and goodwill, addressed them thus: “My friends,” said he, “princes and councilors of the Argives, if any other man of the Achaeans had told us of this dream, we should have declared it false, and would have had nothing to do with it.

But he who has seen it is the foremost man among us; we must therefore set about getting the people under arms.” With this, he led the way from the assembly, and the other sceptered kings rose with him in obedience to the word of Agamemnon.

But the people pressed forward to hear. They swarmed like bees that sally from some hollow cave and flit in countless throngs among the spring flowers, bunched in knots and clusters; even so did the mighty multitude pour from ships and tents to the assembly and range themselves upon the wide-watered shore, while among them ran Wildfire Rumor, messenger of Zeus, urging them ever to the fore.

The Rising of the Achaeans

Thus they gathered in a pell-mell of mad confusion, and the earth groaned under the tramp of men as the people sought their places. Nine heralds went crying about among them to stay their tumult and bid them listen to the kings until at last they were got into their several places and ceased their clamor.

Then King Agamemnon rose, holding his scepter. This was the work of Hephaistos, who gave it to Zeus, the son of Kronos.

Zeus gave it to Hermes, slayer of Argos, guide, and guardian. King Hermes gave it to Pelops, the mighty charioteer, and Pelops to Atreus, shepherd of his people.

Atreus, when he died, left it to Thyestes, rich in flocks, and Thyestes, in turn, left it to be borne by Agamemnon, that he might be lord of all Argos and of the isles. Leaning, then, on his scepter, he addressed the Argives.

The Gathering of the Achaeans for Battle

“My friends,” he said, “heroes, squires of Ares, Zeus, the son of Kronos, has tied me down with atê. Cruel, he gave me his solemn promise that I should sack the city of Priam before returning, but he has played me false and is now bidding me go ingloriously back to Argos with the loss of many people.

Such is the will of Zeus, who has laid many a proud city in the dust, as he will yet lay others, for his power is above all.”

The Counting of the Ships

• Peneleos, Leitos, Arkesilaos, Prothoenor, and Klonios were leaders of the Boeotians. From these, there came fifty ships, and in each, there were a hundred and twenty young men of the Boeotians.
• Askalaphos and Ialmenos, sons of Ares, led the people that dwelt in Aspledon and Orkhomenos the realm of Minyas. With these, there came thirty ships.
• The Phocaeans were led by Schedios and Epistrophos, sons of mighty Iphitos, the son of Naubolos. With their chieftains came forty ships.
• Ajax, the fleet son of Oileus, commanded the Locrians. With him, there came forty ships of the Locrians who dwell beyond Euboea.
• Elephenor of the race of Ares was in command of the fierce Abantes who held Euboea. With him, there came fifty ships.
• The men of Athens were commanded by Menestheus, son of Peteos. With him, there came fifty ships.
• Ajax brought twelve ships from Salamis.
• Diomedes and his companions commanded eighty ships from Argos and the surrounding regions.
• The forces of King Agamemnon himself included a hundred ships from Mycenae and its territories.
• Menelaos commanded sixty ships from Lacedaemon.
• Nestor, horseman of Gerene, led ninety ships from Pylos and the surrounding regions.
• King Agapenor led sixty ships of Arcadians.
• The men of Elis had forty ships, divided among their four leaders.
• Odysseus led twelve ships of brave Cephallenians.
• Thoas led forty ships of Aetolians.
• The famous spearsman Idomeneus led eighty ships of Cretans.
• Tlepolemos brought nine ships of lordly warriors from Rhodes.
• Nireus brought three ships from Syme.
• Pheidippos and Antiphos commanded thirty ships from the islands near Cos.
• Achilles led fifty ships of Myrmidons, though they did not participate in the battle due to his wrath.
• Protesilaos, now deceased, had led forty ships from Phylake and its surrounding regions.
• Eumelos led eleven ships from the regions near Boebean lake.
• Philoctetes, though absent, commanded seven ships of skilled archers.
• Podaleirios and Machaon commanded thirty ships from the regions of Tricca and Oechalia.
• Eurypylos led forty ships from Ormenios and surrounding regions.
• Polypoites and Leonteus commanded forty ships from Argissa and the surrounding areas.
• Guneus brought twenty-two ships from Cyphus and surrounding lands.
• Prothoos led forty ships from the lands around the river Peneus and Mount Pelion.

The Gathering of the Trojan Allies

Priam’s son, great Hektor of the gleaming helmet, commanded the Trojans, and with him were arrayed by far the greater number and most valiant of those who were longing for the fray. The Dardanians were led by brave Aeneas, whom Aphrodite bore to Anchises when she, goddess though she was, had lain with him upon the mountain slopes of Ida.

• The men of Telea were led by Pandaros, son of Lykaon, and had numerous ships.
• Adrastos and Amphios commanded the forces from Adrasteia and the district of Apaesus.
• Asios, son of Hyrtakos, led the forces from Perkote and Praktios with numerous ships.
• Hippothoos and Pylaios commanded the Pelasgian spearsmen with numerous ships.
• Akamas and Peirous commanded the Thracians with numerous ships.
• Euphemos commanded the Ciconian spearsmen with numerous ships.
• Pyraikhmes led the Paeonian archers with numerous ships.
• Pylaimenes commanded the Paphlagonians with numerous ships.
• Odios and Epistrophos led the Halizoni with numerous ships.
• Chromis and Ennomos commanded the Mysians with numerous ships.
• Phorkys and noble Askanios led the Phrygians with numerous ships.
• Mesthles and Antiphos commanded the Meonians with numerous ships.
• Nastes and Amphimakhos commanded the Carians with numerous ships.
• Sarpedon and Glaukos led the Lycians with numerous ships.