The Iliad

*Author* *Summary*

*Structure* *Themes*

*Characters* *Analysis*
 “Sing, O muse, of the rage of
Achilles, son of Peleus, that
brought countless ills upon the
Achaeans.”
― Homer, The Iliad
“Why so much grief for me? No man will hurl
me down to Death, against my fate. And fate?
No one alive has ever escaped it, neither
brave man nor coward, I tell you - it’s born
with us the day that we are born.”
― Homer, The Iliad

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 Homer
A blind bard

Born in Ionia (Turkey)

around 750 BCE Notable
Work:
Father of Greek Iliad
Literature and
Odyssey
He is regarded as one of
the greatest and most
influential writers of all
time
Timeline

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EPIC POETRY – long winding narrative tale that comes
from the long tradition of oral poetry. It was passed on to
communities through word of mouth.

Consist of 24 books (modern day = 24 chapters) (24 scrolls)

Homer started his epic poem “in medias res”, Latin words
meaning “in the middle of things”
The Iliad is only a portion of the Trojan War, because
it only covers few weeks or months during the 9th /
10th year of the war.
The writing style of The Iliad isclear and poetic in the sense that most of
the descriptions of the words are very clear and direct which is written in his own
distinctive language. His distinctive style of writing is characterized by the
repetition of lines, phrases, and even the passages.
One of the main reasons behind this constant repetition is attributed to the fact that
Homer composed his poem in oral style and these repetitions are crucial to the oral
style of composition

Homeric Epithets - often compound adjectives – came about as a result of composing

and listening to oral poetry. These epithets allowed the poet to describe a character
or object quickly and economically, in terms the audience would recognize
Examples: “brilliant Achilles” “Hector breaker of horses” “blazing-eyed Athena.”

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Characters
Greeks

Trojans
 Characters
Greeks Men Trojans
Achilles Patroclus Hector Paris

Agamemnon Diomedes King Priam Helen

Menelaus Ajax “G” Andromache Aeneas

Odysseus Old Nestor

Ajax “L”
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 Characters
Greeks Gods & Goddesses Trojans
The goddess of The goddess of
Hera marriage Zeus love Aphrodite
The goddess of The father of The god of
Athena Apollo
wisdom god and archery, music
goddesses, the
The god of the The goddess of Artemis
Poseidon god of the sky
sea the hunt
Herald of the The goddess of Ares
Hermes
gods war
Greek Characters
Achilles ❖The most powerful warrior in the
Greek Army
❖Hero of the Trojan War
❖Son of Thetis and Peleus
❖Slayer of the Trojan Prince Hector
❖Invincible and invulnerable except for
his heels
❖Strong sense of vanity / excessive
pride

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Greek Characters
Agamemnon

❖King of Mycenae
❖Menelaus Older brother
❖The husband of Clytemnestra
❖Courageous and cunning but often
rash and arrogant
❖He stands as a symbol of the capable
leader, without the heroic qualities of
the more dramatic warriors who fight
under his command
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Greek Characters

Odysseus

❖King of Ithaca
❖Penelope’s Husband
❖ wisest among the Greeks – the interpreter
of the will of the gods
❖he serves as a foil between haughty
Agamemnon and sulking Achilles
❖My favorite <3
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Greek Characters
Menelaus

❖King of Sparta
❖Helen’s Husband
❖ Agamemnon’s younger brother
❖He stands more as a symbol than as a man,
a victim of the gods and an outraged
husband who avenges with brave deeds the
wrong done to his honor. At the end of the
war, he takes Helen back to Sparta with him
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Greek Characters
Patroclus

❖Loyal squire and number 1 bff

(#bestfriendforever) of Achilles

❖He was killed by Hector

❖His death was the cause of another

rage from Achilles

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Greek Characters
Diomedes

❖King of Argos
❖Fierce warrior
❖In the absence of Achilles in the
battleground, Diomedes took much
more role in the battle injuring men
and even gods

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 Greek Characters
Ajax the Greater

❖is described as being of great

strength and stature – the biggest
Achaean warrior
❖Second best warrior to Achilles
❖Cousin of Achilles
❖He took his own life due to shame and
guilt and grief

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 Greek Characters
Ajax the Lesser

❖Also known as Ajax of Locris

❖is a major contributor to the Achaean
effort in the Trojan War
❖ brought 40 ships with him to the Troy,
and mentions that the Locrians are
some of the fiercest fighters during
the battle
❖better with a spear than anyone on
either side. back
 Greek Characters
Old Nestor

❖King of Gerenia
❖Too old to battle
❖Great adviser
❖Story teller

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Trojan Characters
Hector ❖Prince of Troy
❖Commander of the Troy Army
❖Skilled horseman and brave soldier
❖A man devoted to his family and his
city
❖Andromache’s Husband
❖ Paris’ Brother
❖King Priam’s Son

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Trojan Characters
Paris
❖Prince of Troy
❖King Priam’s Son
❖The judge of the golden apple discord
❖He stole Helen from her husband
Menelaus
❖His actions are believed to be the
cause of the war
❖He killed Achilles
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Trojan Characters
Aeneas
❖The son of Anchises and Aphrodite
❖He commands the Trojan forces after
the death of Hector
❖He fought with Diomedes on the
battlefield

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Trojan Characters
King Priam
❖King of Troy
❖Queen Hecuba’s Husband
❖He is a father of a large family
❖Although he does not condone the abduction
of Helen by Paris, he is fair in his judgment of
both because he knows that they are victims of
Aphrodite’s whims. His devotion to his son
Hector and his pity for all who suffer in the war
elevate him to noble stature.
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Trojan Characters
The most beautiful woman on earth. The
Helen woman that launch a thousand ship. Menelaus
wife who was stolen by Paris.

Andromache Devoted wife of Hector and the mother of Astyanax

Loving wife of King Priam. Her fate is tragic. She witnesses the death
Queen Hecuba of her sons, the enslavement of her daughter Cassandra, carried into
captivity by Agamemnon
A prophetess daughter of King Priam. She was
Cassandra taken as a prisoner by Agamemnon after the fall
of Troy
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 The Story Before the War

This about this..

Have you ever been in that

situation? When you feel like you are
being compared to someone else
and you don’t feel good enough?
 The Story Before the War
• Eris the goddess of DISCORD wasn’t invited to the
wedding
•• party
She of Thetis
threw and Peleus.
in a golden apple with a note saying: “TO
THE FAIREST”
• Hera, Athena and Aphrodite all claimed that they are
the rightful owner of that apple.
• Zeus told them to appear before the young Paris and let
him choose.
• They all offered bribes to Paris
 The Story Before the War
• Hera offered Paris to be the ruler of Asia.
• Athena offered Paris supreme wisdom and victorious
battles
• Aphrodite offered Paris the love of the most beautiful
woman on earth.
• Paris favored Aphrodite not knowing that his prize
would already be married to the King of Sparta.
• Hera and Athena were both furious with Paris and so
they aim for the destruction of Troy
 Book 1
• Achilles was in rage because Agamemnon refuses to give back his
prisoner Chryseis to her father Chryses who happened to be a priest of
Apollo
• Chryses prayed to Apollo. As a response, Apollo sent a plague to the
Achaean army killing a number of their people
• Agamemnon couldn’t believe that it will lead to the divine intervention
so he had no choice but to give back Chryseis on the condition that he
will take Briseis, the prisoner prize of Achilles.

• Achilles was so angry that he almost killed Agamemnon but Athena intervened and get him out of the room.
His rage is beyond human control.

• Because of that quarrel Achilles refused to go back to the battlefield. He just stayed in his tent moping and
sulking.
 Book 1
• Achilles called on to his mother, Thetis to help him get revenge
to Agamemnon because his pride was wounded.
• Thetis talked to Zeus and promised that the Achaeans will lose
the war until the insult to Achilles’ honor has been repaired.
• BOOK 1 clearly shows what Iliad is all about. It is about the
“RAGE of Achilles and the CONSQUENCES of this rage.
 Book 2
• Zeus sent Agamemnon a dream that we would win the war against the Trojans. He told his
army about his dreams and encourage everyone to fight. Agamemnon believed that all
gods are on his side.
• He test the will of the men by telling them that they can go home but that was a trick.
Odysseus, together with Nestor berate them and inspired the ones who stayed
• Agamemnon made sacrifices in order to ensure the win. He sacrificed his own daughter
Iphigenia.
• Zeus sent the same dream to Hector and both armies gathered once again, full force,
except that this time, Achilles is sitting out of the battle together with all the Myrmidon
warriors that he commanded.
• Briefly tells the story of why the war started. Paris seduced and stole Helen from Menelaus
and Achaeans retaliate by starting a war against the Trojan. Hera and Athena bringing their
wrath to the whole city of Troy.
 Book 3
• Paris proposes to face Menelaus in one on one battle to settle the war, once and for all.
Menelaus agreed and they faced each other.
• Ares summoned Helen to watch besides King Priam. It’s important to note that despite the
fact that Helen brought chaos to Troy, she was treated nicely and respectfully. Helen was
regretful about the turn of events.
• Menelaus sword breaks into Paris’ helmet and he strangled Paris aiming to kill him.
Aphrodite intervened and she swooped Paris away back to his room.
• Aphrodite called Helen to be with Paris. She resisted at first because she’s feeling confused.
She both loved Paris and despised him at the same time.
• Paris didn’t feel much shame or responsibility about his action though.
 Book 4
• There has been a momentary truce between the Greeks and the Trojan but Hera and
Athena can’t let his happen.
• Athena provoked Troy into breaking the truce. She disguised as a soldier and told Pandarus,
a trojan Archer to kill Menelaus. So Pandarus hit Menelaus with his arrow. Menelaus didn’t
die, but the truce is finally broken.
• Battle resumed and soldiers from both sides continues to fight ..and die.
 Book 5
• Diomedes moment of glory.

• He was empowered by Athena. Gods are joining the battle and fighting against humans.
Athena gave him the power to see gods among mortals. Athena guides him in his moves
until he killed the archer Pandarus. He also injured Aeneas and he could almost die right
there and then but Aphrodite appeared and carried him away.

• Diomedes took the chance and sliced Aphrodite in the arms. She dropped Aeneas and
Apollo brought him to his temple to heal him so he could return to battle.

• Athena also helped Diomedes to spear Ares in the stomach so Areas went back to Olympus.
Hera and Athena followed him.
 Book 6
• Achaeans was able to drive the Trojans back to their walls.
• They were able to capture a charioteer and he begged to be ransomed but Agamemnon
said no. So they killed him
• Hector asked his mother to make an offering to Athena

• Glaucus (a Trojan) and Diomedes met in the battlefield.

Diomedes haven’t heard of Glaucus to they recited their
lineage and found out that their forefathers once
exchange friendship gifts, so they also exchanges armors
as gifts and decided to be friends.

• Touching moment between Hector and Andromache. She

told her husband to withdraw from fighting but Hector
refused because that is a shameful act. What will happen
to his honor if he does that? He tossed his Astyanax in the
air, a perfect picture of a loving family.
 Book 7
• Hector and Paris go back to their army.
• Apollo suggested to end the day with a duel.
• Ajax “the greater” was selected to fight with Hector. He is considered second to Achilles
when it comes to fighting.
• It was draw fight and they exchange goodwill gifts.
Neither side was eager to resume fighting the next
day.
• Trojans adviser suggested to return Helen but Paris
rejected and offered Achaeans treasures instead but
they refused
• They agreed for a day without fighting to bury their
dead
 Book 8
• Zeus finally decided not to allow any god and
goddesses to interfere in the war
• Trojans started to gain advantage and threatened to
burn the ships of the Achaeans.

• Hector continued his winning rampage and they set up

their cam near the Achaeans ships.

• The Achaeans continued to lose the battle and they

retreat

• This is also happened to uphold the promise of Zeus to

Thetis that Achaeans will lose until Achilles’ pride and
honor have been repaired
 Book 9
• Achaeans army is now in panic. Agamemnon suggested they should sail home and left few men to fight while
they sail away.
• Odysseus said that he is a coward. He still has a faith about Zeus promise that they will win the war so Nestor
calmed them down. He suggested that it’s time to approach Achilles
• Agamemnon offered to give back Briseis plus some more wealth to Achilles to encourage him to go back to
battle.
• Odysseus appealed to Achilles to fulfill his responsibility to help his fellow Achaeans but Achilles refused and
threatened to sail home.
• Phoenix asked Achilles to forgive and told him a story. Ajax urged him to earn the love of his comrades and
Achilles response to this is warmer than the others.
• But he still refused to go back to the battle until Hector burns the ship.
 Book 10
• Agamemnon was worried and can’t sleep because the Trojan’s camps are very near. He called for a meeting
and asked for advice.
• Nestor suggested that someone should “SPY” in the Trojan camp and Diomedes and Odysseus immediately
volunteered for the task.
• Hector had the same idea and sent out a volunteer to scout the ships. But Dolan, the Trojan volunteer was
captured by Diomedes and Odysseus. They interrogated him and after giving them some information, they
killed him.
 Book 11
• In the morning , the battle resumes and Agamemnon was able to kill a lot Trojans. He managed to drive the
Trojans back to the gates of Troy. This was Agamemnon’s glorious hour.
• The battle continues and both Trojans and Achaeans were suffering from injuries and a lot of deaths
• Achilles was watching the battle from his ship and he sent Patroclus to identify the wounded fighters under
Nestor’s care. Nestor told Patroclus that he must convince Achilles to return to battle and help his fellow
Achaeans.
• Book 11 details the description of Agamemnon’s armor
 Book 12
• More fight scenes. In favor of the Trojans. Trojans once again advanced towards the Achaean walls. They
brought their chariots, and when its impossible to continue with chariots, they go on foot.

• Trojans saw a sign of an eagle carrying a snake. They believed that it means defeat so they suggested Hector
to retreat. Hector believes that retreating is dishonorable so he continued to charge and manages to tear
down a part of the Achaean wall through the help of Zeus.

• Fear shakes faith. Every time they fall, Achaeans question Zeus.

An eagle was bitten by

It’s typical for the the snake it’s carrying
humans to lose
faith when things
are crumbling
down.
 Book 13
• When Zeus was not paying attention to the war, Poseidon took advantage and help the Trojans. He inspired
the two Ajax and other members of the army to hold back Hector.
• The Trojans decided to regroup. Hector looked around him and saw that many were injured. Paris spoke
bravely (for the first time) and lift up the spirit of Hector.
• Achaeans had nowhere to go and they needed to protect their ships. Both parties regrouped and plan for
another strategy.
 Book 14
• Agamemnon feared that they will lose and again, the cowardly suggested to sail back home. But Odysseus
rejected the idea (again).
• Diomedes offered a suggestion that all the commanders will march in front row, not to fight but to inspire
everyone and give hope. Poseidon disguised himself and assured the Achaeans that the Trojans will retreat.

• Hera made herself more beautiful so she can distract Zeus

and asked Aphrodite to give her a band that contains the
power of LOVE. Hera did this to help Poseidon in his course to
help the Achaeans. And very soon after that, the battle
resumes.

• Hector and great Ajax faced off once again, but neither of
them won and soon retreated. The only thing they
accomplished here was more death.
 Book 15
• Because of Poseidon’s help, Trojans were driven back to their chariots to retreat.
• Zeus woke up from (you know ☺ <3 <3 ) and saw what was happening and threatened to punish Hera. But
Hera pleaded that she is innocent. (Zeus believed her). But he told Hera to undo what Poseidon has done. So
she obeyed but not before provoking Ares to defy Zeus orders so that he can avenge his son’s death.
• Apollo empowered Hector and they once again marched forward to the walls of the Achaean. They managed
to break through the walls and came to the ship.
• Seeing what was happening, Patroclus talked to Achilles to fight and avenge their fallen comrades.
• Hector continued to rampage until he reached a ship. Ajax mightily protected the ship. And more fights
followed.
 Book 16
• Patroclus informed Achilles that the battle is going really bad for the Achaeans. So he agreed to give his
armor and the rest of the Myrmidon army to Patroclus to help in the battle and drive the Trojans away.
• Patroclus charged at the Trojans killing everyone on his way. The Trojans retreated but before that, they
managed to burn some ship.
• Sarpedon, Zeus’s son, faced Patroclus in the battle and they duel. Patroclus was able to kill Sarpedon because
Hera told Zeus not to intervene to set an example to other gods. Zeus was furious because he wasn’t able to
save his son.
• Zeus sent Apollo to retrieve Sarpedon’s body for burial.

• Patroclus continued to chase the Trojans to the gates of Troy. He was

able to kill the driver in Hector’s chariot. But Apollo struck from
behind and his body armor fell off. A young Trojan speared him in
the back and hector finished him off.
 Book 17
• More raging battle happened after Patroclus was killed. Menelaus killed the your
Trojan who stabbed Patroclus. But he backed off when he saw Hector joined the
fight. He run to Ajax to get help.

• Menelaus and Ajax rushed off to get Patroclus body and stopped Hector from
dismembering him. Hector run away with Achilles’ armor and he quickly put it on
to defame Achilles armor. Gods disapproved of this action.

• In the middle of the raging fight, Achaeans worked hard to protect Patroclus body.
And Menelaus sent a messenger to Achilles to tell him about Patroclus death.

• Ajax was finally able to organize some fighters to carry Patroclus body out of the
field.
 Book 18
• Achilles got the news about the death of Patroclus. He tore his hair, and shout
curses of despair. And so finally, he rejoined the battle. The only thing left for
him to do is to kill Hector and avenge Patroclus.
• Thetis told him to wait for his new Armor before going to war. She will ask the
god of fire, Hephaestus to make a powerful suit of armor in the hope that it will
protect Achilles from his unescapable death.
• Athena granted Achilles with god-like strength and his cries sent chills and panic
to the Trojan army. Patroclus body was finally arrive in the Archaean camp and
Achilles bowed that he will avenge his death.

The New Armor

 Book 19
• Thetis delivered the new armor to Achilles. It gave him more strength and Thetis promised to keep Patroclus
body from decaying because Achilles refused to bury him not until he killed Hector.

• Achilles gathered his army and made peace with Agamemnon, who in turn promised Achilles to give back
Briseis along with more wealth and treasures.

• Odysseus suggested that everyone must eat first to replenish their strength but Achilles wont eat so Athena
fueled him with food and drinks of the gods. He was so eager to get started on his killing rampage
 Book 20
• Zeus finally granted permission to the gods to intervene however they like. Gods chose their respective sides.
• Apollo urged Aeneas to go against Achilles. But he can win against Achilles. When Achilles threw the killing
shot, Poseidon switched side and took Aeneas out of the battlefield. He isn’t fated to die at that moment
because he has other roles to fulfill in the future.

• Hector couldn’t hold himself back from attacking Achilles after he killed his
younger brother. He threw a spear at Achilles which Athena flipped away.
Achilles charged an attack towards Hector but Apollo covered him in mist and
told Achilles: (oops! Not yet!)

• Achilles rampage continued and mercilessly killing a lot of Trojans that came his
way

• The god intervened this time to ensure that the events will occur according to
their fate.
 Book 21
• Achilles was showing how great he was at battle and killed many. Lycaon, son of King Priam begged for mercy
but there wasn’t any to give. He killed him with a second thought. Achilles heart was filled with nothing but
rage.

• He killed so many that the river became full of corpses that angered the god of the river. The river god
attacked Achilles with waves and whirlpool but even the god can’t escape the wrath of Achilles and started to
fight back.

• The god started to fight among themselves as well. (Physically hurting each other)
• King Priam open the gate of Troy to let the Trojans in to seek refuge. They are now retreating from the battle
so Apollo lures Achilles away by disguising himself. He needed to make sure that Achilles was distracted from
chasing him so the Trojans army can enter the gates.
 Book 22
• Apollo revealed that it was only a trick to allow the Trojan to escape. Achilles ran back towards the gates of
Troy.
• Hector was waiting at the gates but when he saw Achilles approached, he run in fear! (who wouldn’t be,
yeah?)
• Achilles chased him down and Apollo gave him
extra strength so he can escaped for the time being.
• Zeus consulted is scales and saw that it was
Hector‘s time for his doom. So Hera disguised
herself as one of Hector’s brother and pledges to
help him fight Achilles so Hector finally stopped and
faced Achilles.
• Hector proposed a pact that the winner must not
mutilate the loser’s body. Achilles said no.
• Achilles attacked first. Hector retaliate hitting Achilles shield. And charged using his sword. Achilles used his
spear and injured Hector and slashed his neck. He stripped him off his armor and dragged him in his chariot
around the walls of
 Book 23
• Achilles and his army returned to the Achaean camp to mourn for Patroclus. He disrespected Hectors body
because he was so angry.
• One of Patroclus’ wishes was that his bones put in the jar when Achilles dies. (So Sweet ☺ Bff’s forever)
• They made a huge pyre. His body was surrounded with slain animals, even their enemies and some other
things. Achilles cut a portion of his hair and burn it with Patroclus.
• The Funeral Games – chariot race, wrestling match , foot race, boxing, duel, shot put, archery, spear throwing
• The Importance of
Ancient Greek burial
ceremony
• Achilles is denying
Hector this proper burial
ceremony
 Book 24
• Yey! The final BOOK!
• Achilles still hasn’t stopped from torturing the body of Hector. He keeps on dragging it around Patroclus tomb
like a madman. Thanks to Apollo, he protected the body from decay and further damage.
• Hera, Athena, and Poseidon the 3 main god and goddesses in the Achaean side wont let any other god from
stealing the body to return to his family.
• Zeus decided to compromise saying that Achilles would finally give up Hector’s body in exchange for a ransom
on the condition that King Priam must bring it in person and alone.
• Priam gathered the treasures and then
Zeus sent Hermes, disguised as a servant
of Achilles to guide him safely to Achilles
tent.

“I have kissed the hand of the man

who killed my son”. – King Priam
 Violence is glorious and
terrible, the unavoidable
fact of life
Analysis The sense of common
humanity balances the
horror of war

war
War/glory humanity
13
24
Pride /pride
rage fate
Inflexible pride and The gods decide
honor take a heavy toll human’s fate, but
on the Greeks sometimes mortals have
a choice
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 ANALYSIS
“I can compare “ILIAD” to a perfectly seasoned, excellently cooked, and marvelously
served type of a DISH. Everything you are looking for is there. Once you get a taste of it,
you just wanna ask for some more ”. – Jenna Cascalla

My realizations: Emphasis on NO ONE IS PERFECT! – Character

• The story of Trojan horse is analysis of HECTOR
not in ILIAD.
• It was all about Achilles and
the consequences of this rage
• There are so much more to
Iliad than just the story of war
• It’s for all ages.
• It’s not only about action and
drama. There’s comedy too!
 ANALYSIS
In the eyes of the Formalist critics and Mythological
The SYMBOLS in ILIAD

• Ship – symbolizes home

• Eagle and Snake – power and defeat
• Walls – protection
• Eating – “life” , “current feelings”, “social ritual”
• Shield of Achilles = “dominance” “favored”
• Armor = “glory and honor”
• Kissing the hands of the enemy
 ANALYSIS
In the eyes of the Marxist critics
The Real Reason of the Trojan war

• Strategical Location of Troy – perfectly situated between Europe and

Asia – during the bronze age, age is considered one of the wealthiest
city.
• The Achaeans are aware of this but they don’t have any reason to
start a war on them until Helen’s elopement with Paris transpired.
• Agamemnon greediness in power
 ANALYSIS

Simple deconstructionist approach

1. Repetition
2. Epithets
3. Foreshadowing

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