The Catalogue in the Second Book belongs more properly to the Geography, than to the Ethnology of the poems. But I advert to it here on account both of the historic matter it contains, and of the manner in which it illustrates the general historic designs of the Poet.
It is perhaps, in its own way, nearly as characteristic and remarkable a performance, as any among the loftier parts of the poem. Considered as a portion of the Iliad, it would be more justly termed the Array than the Catalogue; for it is a review, and not a mere enumeration. Considered with respect to history, its value can scarcely be overrated: it contains the highest title-deeds of whatever ancient honour the several States might claim, and is in truth the Doomsday Book of Greece.
We may consider the Greek Catalogue in three parts:
First, the Invocation or Preface.
Secondly, the Catalogue Proper.
Thirdly, the Postscript, so to call it, 761-779.
Before and after, he has graced the work with splendid similes. When all is concluded and, as it were, marked off, he proceeds to append to it the Trojan Catalogue; a work of less extent and difficulty, as also of less penetrating interest to his hearers, but yet constructed with much of care, and with various descriptive embellishments.
The Preface contains the most formal invocation of the Muses among the few which are to be found in the poems. The others are,
Il. i. 1. Introduction to the Iliad: addressed to Θεά.
Il. ii. 761. In the Postscript to the Catalogue.