Final answer:
The comparison in the Iliad passage is between the agitated sea and the rushing assembly of men, suggesting the chaos, power, and uncontrollable momentum of the troops moving to their ships, echoing the unstoppable forces of nature.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the passage from the Iliad, two things are being compared: the movement of the sea driven by strong winds, and the assembly of men rushing to their ships. The text uses similes that liken the commotion among the troops to waves stirred up by the winds and grain in a field bending under a strong storm.
This comparison suggests a sense of chaos and uncontrolled momentum as the troops hurry to their ships. The image evokes the power of nature, echoing the way that human war and conflict can feel like a natural disaster—unstoppable and overwhelming. The movement of the soldiers is not just orderly or purposeful; it is frantic and driven, much like the way wind-whipped waves or grain have no choice but to respond to the forces acting on them. The comparison also emphasizes the urgency felt by the soldiers and the immense scale of their movement, as if their individual actions are part of a larger, more potent force. Moreover, by using the forces of nature as a metaphor for the soldiers' actions, the text conveys a mood of foreboding, as if the soldiers are being swept up in something much larger than themselves, beyond their control.