No chief like thee,
Menestheus! Greece could yield,
To marshal armies in the dusty
field,
The extended wings of battle
to display,
Or close the embodied host in
firm array.
Nestor alone, improved by
length of days,
For martial conduct bore an
equal praise.
With these appear the
Salaminian bands,
Whom the gigantic Telamon
commands;
In twelve black ships to Troy
they steer their course,
And with the great Athenians
join their force.
Next move to war the generous
Argive train,
From high Troezene, and
Maseta's plain,
And fair Ægina circled by the
main:
Whom strong Tyrinthe's lofty
walls surround,
And Epidaure with viny
harvests crown'd:
And where fair Asinen and
Hermoin show
Their cliffs above, and ample
bay below.
These by the brave Euryalus
were led,
Great Sthenelus, and greater
Diomed;
But chief Tydides bore the
sovereign sway:
In fourscore barks they plough
the watery way.
(43)
- The list continues with praise of the Greeks of Italy and Greece who were bread as leaders and for war command,
- The list includes lands who were bread as administrators or in that time truly reared good administrators.\
- It includes more of all the lands of the world and the types and size of troops who took to the waters to join the Greeks policering the corruption of troy.
- It’s a historical list as it tells you the name of the land what the people are like and what they are good for and that they considered themselves Greek or part of the greater Greek ethnos as many did in our time today.
- It mentions the number of troops sent to battle at troy.Till next week
from