One of few passages where the presence of nonaristocrats in the ranks at Troy is acknowledged. The rhetorical abuse uttered by Odysseus makes them sound useless; his support of “one king” draws attention to his own continuing role in propping up the authority of Agamemnon, while his employment of the scepter to beat objectors ironically contrasts with his exalted claims for the scepter-bearing king.
Seba.Health
Lattimore commentary