And on the Trojan Plain. 185 
Let us now enquire in the third place, 
whether it be not more agreeable to the des- 
criptioas of Homer, that the Scamander dis- 
charged its waters at the Sigean than at the 
Rheetean promontory. 
In considering this point, we can scarcely 
fail of being struck by the important fact, 
that no mention is ever made of the Scaman- 
der in the lowest part of its course. If it ran 
out at Sigeum, the extremity of the camp, 
the station of Achilles, near whose post an 
enemy never ventured toapproach, the cause 
of this silence is evident ; the armies never 
came in contact with the river, and conse- 
quently no occasion to mention it could arise. 
But if the Scamander discharged its waters at 
Rheeteum, it would in the broadest and deepest 
part of its course have constantly intersected 
both Greeks and Trojans, and have embarras- 
sed, if not wholly prevented, many of the ac- 
tions described as taking place between the 
two armies, and the perfect silence maintained 
respecting it would be totally unaccountable. 
It would, moreover, on the night when 
the Trojans encamped on the Throsmos, 
(Book XI.) not only have divided the Tro- 
jan allies, Phrygians and Mysians, encamped 
in the valley of Thymbra, from their own 
army, but also have separated them from the 
Aa 
