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The following is from Heinlein's Starship Troopers (1959):

Youse guys think this deleted outfit is a blankety-blank nursery. Well, it ain't! See?

—Remark attributed to a Hellenic corporal before the walls of Troy, 1194 B.C.

Considering the veracity of other quotes in the book, I suspect that the above quote is paraphrased from a historical source. Can anybody identify the original?

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The only real references we have for the Trojan war are the Illiad and Odyssey. So either its in there, or it isn't. – T.E.D.♦ Feb 25 at 15:28
@T.E.D.: Strictly speaking, there can be some later relevant material in, I don't know, maybe Plato. – Felix Goldberg Feb 25 at 15:42
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Given the overall tenor of "infantry will remain infantry, sergeants will remain sergeants" present throughout Starship Troopers, I wouldn't be surprised if this quote was specifically meant to be "I'm 100% sure that SOME corporal in Hellenic Army said something like that. They ALWAYS do". Good question though. – DVK Feb 25 at 17:40

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