The Iliad, Book II

Overview
Book I Book II Book III Book IV Book V Book VI Book VII
Book VIII Book IX Book X Book XI Book XII Book XIII Book XIV Book XV 
Book XVI Book XVII Book XVIII Book XIX Book XX Book XXI Book XXII
Book XXIII Book XXIV

Achaean War Council & Catalogue of Ships

True to his word to Thetis, Zeus sent a deceitful dream to Agamemnon which would bring destruction to the Greeks. In the guise of Nestor, he told Agamemnon that Hera had persuaded him to bring victory to the Greeks and so he should prepare his troops for battle and they would defeat the Trojans.

When he awoke at dawn, Agamemnon firstly called a council of his senior advisors, told them about his dream and said he would test the morale of the Greek troops by ordering them to sail home; his advisors must dissuade them. When all the Greek troops had gathered like swarms of bees, Agamemnon, holding the spectre made by Hephaestus and handed down to him via his father from Zeus, addressed them but his test almost backfired: he told them Zeus had ordered them to return home in disgrace with the war not won; the Greeks outnumbered the Trojans but the latter had held out for nine years because of the help from numerous allies so they should return home.

The Greeks took Agamemnon at his word and ran to their ships. They were only stopped by Hera sending Athena to Odysseus who told him to stop the Greeks leaving. Holding Agamemnon’s spectre of authority, he persuaded individual leaders and groups of men to return to the assembly. One soldier, Thersites, who was universally detested by the Greek leaders, shouted abuse at Agamemnon: he kept the best of the plunder and women that the soldiers won; the other soldiers were cowards, more like women than men; they should return home and leave Agamemnon behind; he had insulted Achilles, a far better man than him and was lucky he was still alive.

Odysseus hit his back and shoulders with the spectre, saying he could expect far worse if he ever uttered such abuse again against the leaders. Odysseus, having been praised by the other troops for the way he had dealt with Thersites, addressed the assembly: he understood their desire to return home to their wives after nine years but it would be humiliating to return home without victory; he reminded them of the omen at Aulis interpreted by Calchas of a snake sent by Zeus which ate nine birds and was then turned into a stone, signifying they would fight at Troy for nine years and would have victory in the tenth year.

This morale boosting speech was followed by one from Nestor who reminded them of their oaths and plans and of the good omen of a flash of lightning on the right as they had set sail; he advised Agamemnon to lead the men into battle by tribe and clan so that they would support each other; he would then discover whether it was the gods’ will stopping him capturing Troy or his men’ cowardice. Agamemnon praised the advice he had been given and told the Greeks to prepare for battle.

Led by Agamemnon, sacrifices were made to the gods in the hope of victory and the Greek troops assembled for battle. Athena inspired them with bravery and the gleam of their armour flashed like a mighty fire as they gathered in huge numbers and with much loud noise like many flocks of birds, as many as the flowers and leaves and flies, their leaders moving amongst them to bring order and Agamemnon standing out like a bull amongst cattle.

Homer then listed a detailed catalogue (see below) of the various Greek contingents: their leaders, the countries and towns they had come from, the number of ships and men from each area. The ground groaned as these vast numbers marched towards Troy. Disguised as Polites, one of Priam’s sons who had been posted as a lookout, Iris was sent by Zeus to Hector to alert the Trojans to the imminent threat from the Greeks. Hector dismissed the Trojan assembly and led out their troops against the Greeks. Homer then listed a detailed catalogue (see below) of the Trojan contingents and their leaders.

Book I Book III

Line	Ethnic identity	No. of ships	Captains	Settlements
II.494	Boeotians	50 of 120 men each	(First led by Thersander, then by:) Peneleōs, Leïtus, Arcesilaus, Prothoënor and Clonius	Hyria, Aulis, Schoenus, Scolus, Eteonus, Thespeia, Graia, Mycalessus, Harma, Eilesium, Erythrae, Eleon, Hyle, Peteon, Ocalea, Medeon, Copae, Eutresis, Thisbe, Coronea, Haliartus, Plataea, Glisas, Thebes, Onchestus, Arne, Midea, Nisa, Anthedon
II.511	Minyans	30	Ascalaphus, Ialmenus	Aspledon, Orchomenus
II.517	Phocēans	40	Schedius, Epistrophus	Cyparissus, Pytho, Crisa, Daulis, Panopeus, Anemorea, Hyampolis, river Cephissus, Lilaea
II.527	Locrians	40	Ajax the Lesser	Kynos, Opoüs, Calliarus, Bessa, Scarphe, Augeae, Tarphe, Thronium
II.537	Abantes of Euboea	40	Elephenor	Chalcis, Eretria, Histiaea, Cerinthus, Dium, Carystus, Styra
II.546	Athenians	50	Led first by Menestheus (then by later by Acamas and Demophon, the sons of Theseus)	Athens
II.557	Salamineans	12	Telamonian Ajax	Salamis
II.559	Argives	80	Diomedes with subordinates Sthenelus and Euryalus	Argos, Tiryns, Hermione, Asine, Troezen, Eiones, Epidaurus, Aegina, Mases
II.569	Mycenaeans	100	Agamemnon	Mycenae, Corinth, Cleonae, Orneae, Araethyrea, Sicyon, Hyperesia, Gonoessa, Pellene, Aegium, Helice
II.581	Lacedaemonians (or Laconians)	60	Menelaus	Pharis, Sparta, Messe, Bryseae, Augeae, Amyclae, Helos, Laas, Oetylus
II.592	No name given (Messenians)	90	Nestor	Pylos, Arēne, Thryon, Aipy, Cyparisseis, Amphigenea, Pteleum, Helos, Dorium
II.603	Arcadians	60	Agapenor	Cyllene, Pheneus, Orchomenus, Rhipae, Stratie, Enispe, Tegea, Mantinea, Stymphalos, Parrhasia
II.615	Epeans of Elis	40	Amphimachus, Thalpius, Diōres, Polyxenus	Buprasium and the lands enclosed by Hyrmine, Myrsinus, Olene, Alesium
II.624	Men of Dulichium	40	Meges	Dulichium, Echinean Islands
II.631	Cephallenians	12	Odysseus	Ithaca, Neritum, Crocylea, Aegilips, Same, Zacynthus
II.638	Aetolians	40	Thoas	Pleuron, Olenus, Pylene, Chalcis, Calydon
II.645	Cretans	80	Idomeneus, Meriones	Cnossus, Gortys, Lyctus, Miletus, Lycastus, Phaestus, Rhytium
II.653	Rhodians	9	Tlepolemus	Lindus, Ielysus, Cameirus
II.671	Symians	3	Nireus	Symi
II.676	No name given.	30	Pheidippus, Antiphus	Nisyrus, Crapathus, Casus, Cos, Calydnian Islands
II.681	Pelasgians, Myrmidons, Hellenes, Achaeans	50	Achilles (later by Neoptolemus)	Pelasgic Argos, Alos, Alope, Trachis, Phthia
II.695	No name given.	40	Protesilaus, later by Podarces	Phylace, Pyrasus, Iton, Antrium, Pteleum
II.711	No name given.	11	Eumelus	Pherae, Boebe, Glaphyrae, Iolcus
II.716	No name given.	7, with 50 oarsmen each who were also archers	Philoctetes, later by Medon	Methone, Thaumacia, Meliboea, Olizon
II.729	No name given.	30	Podalirius, Machaon, two sons of Asclepius	Tricca, Ithome, Oechalia
II.734	No name given.	40	Eurypylus	Ormenius, Hypereia, Asterius, Titanus
II.738	(Lapiths)	40	Polypoetes, Leonteus	Argissa, Gyrtone, Orthe, Elone, Oloösson
II.748	Enienes, Peraebi	22	Guneus	Cyphus, Dodona, Gonnos, banks of the Titaresius
II.756	Magnetes	40	Prothoüs	About the Peneus and Mt. Pelion

Line	Ethnic Identity	Leaders	Settlements
II.815	Trojans	Hector	None stated (Troy)
II.819	Dardanians	Aeneas, Archelochus, Acamas	None stated.
II.824	Trojans of Mt. Ida	Pandarus	Zeleia
II.828	No name given.	Adrestus, Amphius	Adresteia, Apaesus, Pityeia, Mount Tereia
II.835	No name given.	Asius	Percote, Practius, Sestus, Abydus, Arisbe
II.840	Pelasgians, who were spearmen	Hippothous, Pylaeus	Larissa
II.844	Thracians bounded by the Hellespont	Acamas, Peiroüs	None stated.
II.846	Ciconians, who were spearmen	Euphemus	None stated.
II.848	Paeonians, archers, “from far away”	Pyraechmes (Asteropaios is also recognized as a leader in book XXI)	Amydon, river Axius
II.851	Paphlagonians	Pylaemenes of the Eneti	Cytorus, Sesamus, along the river Parthenius, Cromna, Aegialus, Erythini
II.856	Halizones “from far away”	Odius, Epistrophus	Alybe
II.858	Mysians	Chromis, Ennomus	None stated.
II.862	Phrygians	Phorcys, Ascanius	“Far-off” Ascania
II.864	Maeonians	Mesthles, Antiphus	Under Mt. Tmolus
II.867	Carians	Nastes, Amphimachus	Miletus, Mt. Phthires, streams of the Maeander, crest of Mycale
II.875	Lycians “from far away”	Sarpedon, Glaucus	River Xanthus