The Iliad is an epic poem, written by Homer, that covers the quarrels and fighting near the end of the Trojan War. “The Epic Cycle and Homer,” chapter 3 of The Tradition of the Trojan War in Homer and the Epic Cycle (available online through UW libraries). Back to Top of Page. Set during the Trojan War, the ten-year siege of the city of Troy (Ilium) by a coalition of Greek states, it tells of the battles and events during the weeks of a quarrel between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles. 10/24 Iliad 17-19. The Iliad Summary In the tenth year of the Trojan War, tensions are running high among the Achaians (a super-ancient name for the Ancient Greeks). 1-7 Prologue: Sing, Muse, of the Wrath of Achilles. English Translation. Agamemnon, In the first few pages the Greek hero Achilles quarrels with the chief king, Agamemnon, over a female slave whom the Greek soldiers had awarded to Achilles as a … It tells the story of the last year of the Trojan War fought between the city of Troy and the Greeks. Maintain your own list of names that repeat themselves and seem important. Clad in new armour fashioned specially for him by Hephaestus, The immortal gods and goddesses are portrayed as characters in. He did make key choices regarding which events and characters were to be emphasized and reinterpreted. Now, at last, Patroclus’ funeral can be celebrated in what Achilles sees as a fitting manner. Continue your study of The Iliad with these useful links. The gods sit in council on Mt. There is a sense of horror and futility built into Homer‘s chronicle, and yet, posed against the viciousness, there is a sense of heroism and glory that adds a glamour to the fighting: Homer appears both to abhor war and to glorify it. Clad in new armour fashioned specially for him by Hephaestus, Achilles takes revenge for his friend Patroclus by slaying Hector in single combat, but then defiles and desecrates his corpse for several days. The Achaeans push forward. They are often used as a way of explaining how or why an event took place, but they are also sometimes used as comic relief from the war, mimicking, parodying and mocking mortals. Despite the misgivings of his wife, Andromache, the Trojan hero, Hector, son of King Priam, challenges the Greek warrior-hero Ajax to single combat, and is almost overcome in battle. Recommended Books: Chronicling the deeds of great heroes from the past who helped form a society, the Iliad is an epic poem. Chapter 2, pages 18-35: "Formula and Meter: the Oral Poetics of Homer." “Menin“or “menis“ (“anger“ or “wrath“) is the word that opens “The Iliad”, and one of the major themes of the poem is Achilles coming to terms with his anger and taking responsibility for his actions and emotions. Testing the resolve of the Greeks, Agamemnon feigns a homeward order, but Odysseus encourages the Greeks to pursue the fight. Need help with Book 24 in Homer's The Iliad? “The Iliad” itself does not cover the early events of the Trojan War, which had been launched ten years before the events described in the poem in order to rescue Helen, the wife of King Menelaus of Sparta, after her abduction by the Trojan prince, Paris. Olympus, watching events take place in Troy. Zeus begins to taunt Hera, mocking her and Athena for standing by while Aphrodite rescues Paris.He notes that Menelaus is the victor, and that he should now lead Helen home. Ithaca and London 1992. History >> Ancient Greece. Distraught at the death of his companion, Achilles then reconciles with Agamemnon and rejoins the fray, despite knowing his deadly fate, and drives all the Trojans before him in his fury. Here's where you'll find analysis about the poem as a whole. Homer was probably one of the first generation of authors who were also literate, as the Greek alphabet was introduced in the early 8th Century BCE, and the language used in his epic poems is an archaic version of Ionic Greek, with admixtures from certain other dialects such as Aeolic Greek. Diomedes and Odysseus sneak into the Trojan camp and wreak havoc. The Iliad begins with the Trojan War already in progress. Likewise, the death of Achilles and the eventual fall of Troy are not covered in the poem, and these matters are the subjects of other (non-Homeric) “Epic Cycle” poems, which survive only in fragments. 53-67 After 10 days, Achilles summons an assembly. and Hector. Throughout all, in the background, the various gods and goddesses (particularly Hera, Athena, Apollo and Poseidon) continue to argue among themselves and to manipulate and intervene in the struggle, despite Zeus’ specific orders to the contrary. Homer’s address to the Muse begins the idea that the Iliad is a poem inspired by the gods, an epic undertaking that will retrace a myth already well known to Homer’s ancient Greek audience. Achilles - Achilles is the main character and the greatest warrior in the world. A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis … The Greek hero Diomedes, strengthened by Athena, drives the Trojans before him but, in his arrogance and blood-lust, strikes and injures Aphrodite. Word Count: 1109. Follow this link for a detailed summary of the Iliad (includes a capsule summary, and a summary of which sides the gods take in the Iliad) Introductory. See a complete list of the characters in “The Iliad“ (Gr: “Iliás“) is an epic poem by the ancient Greek poet Homer, which recounts some of the significant events of the final weeks of the Trojan War and the Greek siege of the city of Troy (which was also known as Ilion, Ilios or Ilium in ancient times). As such the epic stands as a bridge between history and literature. Aeneid By Virgil Written 19 B.C.E Translated by John Dryden Analysis Jazymn Talley SNHU Analysis The intention of Virgil 's poem, Aeneid, is to romanticize the origins of the Roman Empire. Get free homework help on Homer's The Iliad: poem summary, summary and analysis, quotes, essays, and character analysis courtesy of CliffsNotes. Norman 2001 (First Edition 1903). Main Characters Greeks. During a brief truce in the hostilities, Paris and Menelaus meet in single combat over Helen, while she and old King Priam of Troy watch from the city walls and, despite the goddess Aphrodite’s intervention on behalf of the over-matched Paris, Menelaus is the victor. The Iliad is an ancient Greek epic poem in dactylic hexameter, traditionally attributed to Homer. Alice Oswald, Memorial: a Version of Homer’s Iliad Link Thanks for exploring this SuperSummary Study Guide of “The Iliad” by Homer. The Iliad recounts a brief but crucial period of the Trojan War, a conflict between the city of Troy and its allies against a confederation of Greek cities, collectively known as the Achaeans. Achilles steadfastly refuses to give in to pleas for help from Agamemnon, Odysseus, Ajax, Phoenix and Nestor, spurning the offered honours and riches and even Agamemnon‘s belated offer to return Briseis to him. Written in the mid-8th Century BCE, “The Iliad” is usually considered to be the earliest work in the whole Western literary tradition, and one of the best known and loved stories of all time. Paris, a son of the king of Troy, kidnaps Helen, who becomes the legendary "Helen of Troy" and "the woman with the face that launched a thousand ships." Major Characters of the Book. Poem Summary The Achaians, under King Agamemnon, have been fighting the Trojans off and on for nine years, trying to retrieve Helen, the wife of Menelaos, and thus Agamemnon's sister-in-law. But, with Achilles and his warriors out of battle, the tide appears to begin to turn in favour of the Trojans. Whether or not they were written down, we do know that Homer‘s poems (along with others in the “Epic Cycle”) were recited in later days at festivals and ceremonial occasions by professional singers called “rhapsodes“, who beat out the measure with rhythm staffs. Agamemnon is wounded in the battle and, despite the heroics of Ajax, Hector successfully breaches the fortified Greek camp, wounding Odysseus and Diomedes in the process, and threatens to set the Greek ships on fire. 33-52 Chryses prays to Apollo, who sends a plague among the host. When Agamemnon’s refuses to give up Chryses’ daughter, Apollo provides an early example of divine intervention, setting an example of how the gods can quickly change the fortunes of men. Greek audiences would have been familiar with the background of the story, and here a brief summary of events is necessary to help the reader to put these events in context. When Agamemnon refuses and threatens to ransom the girl to her father, the offended Apollo plagues them with a pestilence. The Achaeans, including Great Ajax and Diomedes, kill several Trojans. Last Updated on May 5, 2015, by eNotes Editorial. Indeed, it is often the gods, not the mortals, who seem casual, petty and small-minded. The conflict began when Paris, the son of Troy’s king Priam, seized a willing Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world, from the Achaean king Menelaus. A highly condensed summary: The Iliad is set three millennia ago, during the final year of the Trojan War, a conflict in which Greek warriors sailed the Aegean to what is now Turkey and besieged the citadel of Troy for ten years. 2001. English translation by Samuel Butler with popup notes and commentary (eNotes): Greek version with word-by-word translation (Perseus Project): Detailed book-by-book summary (About.com): Passer, deliciae meae puellae (Catullus 2), Vivamus, mea Lesbia, atque amemus (Catullus 5), Miser Catulle, desinas ineptire (Catullus 8), http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text.jsp?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0133, http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/iliad/a/Iliad.html. With the return of Hector and Paris the battle escalates, but Apollo and Athena soon decide to end the battle for the day. Iliad study guide contains a biography of Homer, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Achilles, The Achaeans raised a massive army and sailed to Troy, bent on … The Greeks are quarrelling about whether or not to return Chryseis, a Trojan captive of King Agamemnon, to her father, Chryses, a priest of Apollo. Link. In the same way, many of the descriptive phrases that are linked with a certain character (such as “swift-footed Achilles“, “Diomedes of the great war cry“, “Hector of the shining helm”, and “Agamemnon the lord of men”) match the number of syllables in a hero’s name, and are repeated regularly to the extent that they almost seem to become part of the characters’ names themselves. The main theme of the poem is that of war and peace, and the whole poem is essentially a description of war and fighting. Most students will find that Homer is easy to read (syntax in particular is more user-friendly than that of the Attic prose), but there is an initial period of getting used to the dialect. When Agamemnon treats him roughly and refuses the ransom, Apollo is angered and brings plague on the Achaeans. Menelaus almost spares the Trojan Adrestus ’ life in exchange for ransom, but Agamemnon convinces Menelaus to kill him. The Iliad Summary and Study Guide. In the heat of the battle, though, Hector finds the disguised Patroclus and, thinking him to be Achilles, fights and (again with Apollo’ help) kills him. “The Iliad“ (Gr: “Iliás“ ) is an epic poem by the ancient Greek poet Homer, which recounts some of the significant events of the final weeks of the Trojan War and the Greek siege of the city of Troy (which was also known as Ilion, Ilios or Ilium in ancient times). However, it is by no means certain that Homer himself (if in fact such a man ever really existed) actually wrote down the verses. Through its portayal of the epic subject matter of the Trojan War, the stirring scenes of bloody battle, the wrath of Achilles and the constant interventions of the gods, it explores themes of glory, wrath, homecoming and fate, and has provided subjects and stories for many other later Greek, Roman and Renaissance writings. Iliad Summary In the tenth and final year of the Trojan War, Chryses, a priest of Apollo, attempts to ransom his daughter from Agamemnon, commander-in-chief of the Achaeans, who has taken her captive while on a raid. The battle continues between the Achaeans and the Trojans. Hector‘s father, King Priam, emboldened by his grief and aided by Hermes, recovers Hector‘s corpse from Achilles, and “The Iliad” ends with Hector‘s funeral during a twelve day truce granted by Achilles. The Iliad January 15: Iliad 1; zooming in: Iliad 1.1-42. The concept of heroism, and the honour that results from it, is also one of the major currents running through the poem. WEEK 5 Epic and Lament. 8-32 Chryses tries to ransom his daughter; Agamemnon roughly rejects the ransom and dismisses the priest. Torn between his allegiances, Achilles orders his friend and lover, Patroclus, to dress in Achilles‘own armour and to lead the Myrmidons in repelling the Trojans. Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. The story covered by “The Iliad” begins nearly ten years into the seige of Troy by the Greek forces, led by Agamemnon, King of Mycenae. Although attributed to Homer, “The Iliad” is clearly dependent on an older oral tradition and may well have been the collective inheritance of many singer-poets over a long period of time (the historical Fall of Troy is usually dated to around the start of the 12th Century BCE). Did make key choices regarding which events and characters were to be emphasized and reinterpreted Troy. 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