And note 'Vid. Homer, de Thersite.' Swift refers of course to Iliad ii. 212. But though Homer's personal description of Thersites tallies very closely with that which Swift gives of Bentley, Thersites makes no such boast as Swift puts into Bentley s mouth. He ' wrangles with the kings ,' and advises a return home: but he does not claim that Troy would have fallen under his generalship. The taunt in 1. 4 is, however, that of Thersites in Homer.