Poseidon Wall

So spake he, and all the sons of the Achaeans shouted aloud, applauding the saying of Diomedes, tamer of horses. Then to Idaeus spake lord Agamemnon: "Idaeus, verily of thyself thou hearest the word of the Achaeans, how they make answer to thee; and mine own pleasure is even as theirs. But as touching the dead I in no wise grudge that ye burn them; for to dead corpses should no man grudge, when once they are dead, the speedy consolation of fire. But to our oaths let Zeus be witness, the loud-thundering lord of Hera."

So saying, he lifted up his staff before the face of all the gods, and Idaeus went his way back to sacred Ilios. Now they were sitting in assembly, Trojans and Dardanians alike, all gathered in one body waiting until Idaeus should come; and he came and stood in their midst and declared his message. Then they made them ready with all speed for either task, some to bring the dead, and others to seek for wood. And the Argives over against them hasted from the benched ships, some to bring the dead and others to seek for wood.

The sun was now just striking on the fields, as he rose from softly-gliding, deep-flowing Oceanus, and climbed the heavens, when the two hosts met together. Then was it a hard task to know each man again; howbeit with water they washed from them the clotted blood, and lifted them upon the waggons, shedding hot tears the while. But great Priam would not suffer his folk to wail aloud; so in silence they heaped the corpses upon the pyre, their hearts sore stricken; and when they had burned them with fire they went their way to sacred Ilios. And in like manner over against them the well-greaved Achaeans heaped the corpses upon the pyre, their hearts sore stricken, and when they had burned them with fire they went their way to the hollow ships.

Now when dawn was not yet, but night was still 'twixt light and dark, then was there gathered about the pyre the chosen host of the Achaeans, and they made about it a single barrow, rearing it from the plain for all alike; and thereby they built a wall and a lofty rampart, a defence for their ships and for themselves. And therein they made gates, close-fastening, that through them might be a way for the driving of chariots. And without they dug a deep ditch hard by, wide and great, and therein they planted stakes.

Thus were they toiling, the long-haired Achaeans; and the gods, as they sat by the side of Zeus, the lord of the lightning, marvelled at the great work of the brazen-coated Achaeans. And among them Poseidon, the Shaker of Earth, was first to speak: "Father Zeus, is there now anyone of mortals on the face of the boundless earth, that will any more declare to the immortals his mind and counsel? Seest thou not that now again the long-haired Achaeans have builded them a wall to defend their ships, and about it have drawn a trench, but gave not glorious hecatombs to the gods? Of a surety shall the fame thereof reach as far as the dawn spreadeth, and men will forget the wall that I and Phoebus Apollo built with toil for the warrior Laomedon."

Then greatly troubled, Zeus, the cloud-gatherer, spake to him: "Ah me, thou Shaker of Earth, wide of sway, what a thing thou hast said! Another of the gods might haply fear this device, whoso was feebler far than thou in hand and might; whereas thy fame shall of a surety reach as far as the dawn spreadeth. Go to now, when once the long-haired Achaeans have gone with their ships to their dear native land, then do thou burst apart the wall and sweep it all into the sea, and cover the great beach again with sand, that so the great wall of the Achaeans may be brought to naught of thee."

On this wise spake they, one to the other, and the sun set, and the work of the Achaeans was accomplished; and they slaughtered oxen throughout the huts and took supper. And ships full many were at hand from Lemnos, bearing wine, sent forth by Jason's son, Euneus, whom Hypsipyle bare to Jason, shepherd of the host. And for themselves alone unto the sons of Atreus, Agamemnon and Menelaus, had Euneus given wine to be brought them, even a thousand measures. From these ships the long-haired Achaeans bought them wine, some for bronze, some for gleaming iron, some for hides, some for whole cattle, and some for slaves; and they made them a rich feast.


- Homer, The Iliad, Book 7