By the GREEK S. 57 



(ions was confumed. As the Greeks did not draw lines around 

 the town, whilft, at the fame time, we are told they threw up 

 a rampart before their own {hips, and as the Trojans received 

 fuccours from their neighbours at different times, the fair con- 

 clufion is, that the Greeks were not matters of the country, nor 

 fuperior to the Trojans in the field, but, on the contrary, found 

 themfelves overmatched. If it {hall be faid, that the art of 

 drawing lines was not known to the Greeks, I anfwer, that the 

 method they took to fecure their mips proves the contrary to 

 be true ; and, had they been ignorant of that art, (if fo fimple 

 an operation deferves that name), they never would have 

 thought of the fiege, as they had no artillery or machinery of 

 any kind for making a breach in the walls : Befides, without any 

 art or labour, they could have placed bodies of troops fo as to 

 intercept all the Trojan convoys. 



HOMER admits, that the Greeks fuffered more before Troy 

 than any mortal man could relate * : That they loft a great num- 

 ber of men, many excellent officers, and that AJAX, ANTILO- 

 CHUS, PATROCLUS, and ACHILLES, the greateft hero of them 

 all, perifhed in the expedition. This, of itfelf, affords a pre- 

 fumption that they were not fuccefsful. It is very improbable 

 that ACHILLES fell by the hand of PARIS ; the truth feems to 

 be, that he died by that of a better man. HECTOR pofTefTed 

 himfelf of his armour, which is not at all furprifing, if he flew 

 its owner ; but cannot otherwife be explained : For, as to 

 the ftory of PATROCLUS drefung himfelf in the armour of 

 ACHILLES, and being flain and flripped by HECTOR, it cannot 

 poflibly be true. ACHILLES was by far the ftrongeft and flate- 

 lieft of the Greeks : HECTOR was nothing to him; and PATRO- 

 CLUS again was nothing to HECTOR, as is evident from the 

 anxiety with which ACHILLES charges him not to encounter 

 HECTOR. Now, when HECTOR did get ACHILLES'S armour, 

 he found he could not ufe it > and, therefore, HoMERf makes 



h JUPITER 



* Odyfl". iii. 105. t Book xvii. 210. 



