Page:The Story of the Iliad.djvu/16

2 Greeks, went to all the chiefs, and prayed that they would help them to avenge this wrong. Thus was a great host gathered together, even a hundred thousand men, and eleven hundred fourscore and six ships. At Aulis in Eubœa was their gathering; and from Aulis they crossed over to Troy.

The great chiefs of the host were these:—

First the two brothers, the sons of Atreus.

Next Diomed, the son of Tydeus, and with him Sthenelus.

Nestor, son of Neleus, who had outlived three generations of mortal men.

Ulysses, son of Laertes, from Ithaca.

Thoas the Ætolian.

Idomeneus, King of Crete, and Meriones with him.

Tlepolemus, son of Hercules, from Rhodes.

Eumelus, son of Admetus and Alcestis, from Thessaly.

And, bravest and strongest of all, Achilles, and with him Patroclus.

For nine years did the Greeks besiege the city of Troy. They prevailed, indeed, in the field, but could not break through the walls.