Homer's "The Iliad," Synopsis

Homer's The Iliad

~Synopsis by Vinia




I. Main characters:

--Homer, a blind bard, who wandered around ancient Greece to sing the epic poem with a musical instrument


--Zeus, the most powerful God among the Olympian gods and goddesses


--Thetis, a sea nymph, Achilles' mother


--Peleus, king of Phthia


--Eris, goddess of Strife , throwing a golden apple inscribed “For the Fairest” at the Wedding


--Hera, royal power


--Athena, military success


--Aprodite, offering the most beautiful woman in the world, i.e., Helen, to Paris as a bride


--Paris, prince of Troy


--Helen, wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta


--Agamemnon, king of Mycenae, brother to Menelaus


--a fleet of 1000 ships and 100,000 warriors


--Calchas, the priest of the army


--Artemis’ deer


--Odysseus, King of Ithaca


--Clytemnestra, Agmemnon’s wife


--Achilles, leader of the Myrmidons, prince of Phthia


--Iphigenia, daughter to Agamemnon, sacrified






II. The Iliad begins~


Nine years passed by and Troy (Illium) remained unconquered. In the tenth year of the war, Achilles received as his prize a young woman name Briseis, and Agamemnon got another woman name Chryseis, the daughter of Chryses, a priet of Apollo. It is at this point that the Iliad begins.






Book 1: The Rage of Achilles


The Iliad begins with a plague in the Greek camp.
Agamemnon was forced to restore Chryseis, but he took Briseis from Achilles in her place.
Achilles prayed to his mother to intercede with Zeus to bring destruction on the Greeks until they admitted his worth.


Book 2: The Great Gathering of Armies


Book 3: Helen Reviews the Champions




Book 4: The Truce Erupts in War


The plague abated, and the Greek army advanced against Troy.


Paris challenged Menelaus to single combat to decide the quarrel.


When Menelaus had disabled Paris and was about to give him the death wound, Aprodite caught him away to the safety of his home. The truce was broken and the war continued.



Book 5: Diomedes Fights the Gods


Book 6: Hector Returns to Troy


Inspired by the valor of the hero Diomedes, the Greeks pressed the Trojans so hard that Hector returned to the city to bid the Trojan women supplicate Athena, Troy’s most implacable enemy. As he reached the gate, his wife Andromache came running to meet him with their little son Astyanax.


Andromache begged Hector not to leave the safety of the city; but though Hector could not do as she asked him, he felt great pity for her, for he was filled with a presentiment of Troy’s ultimate destruction, his own death, and her captivity.




Book 7: Ajax Duels with Hector




Book 8: The Tide of Battle Turns




Book 9: The Embassy to Achilles




Book 10: Marauding Through the Night




Book 11: Agamemnon’s Day of Glory




Book 12: The Trojans Storm the Rampart




Book 13: Battling for the Ships




Book 14: Hera Outflanks Zeus




Book 15: The Achaean Armies at Bay




Book 16: Patroclus Fights and Dies


In answer to Thetis’ entreaty, Zeus now began to give victory to the Trojans.


Under Hector’s leadership they drove the Greeks before them and encamped on the plain near the ships.


At an assembly Agmemnon admitted his wrongdoing in taking Briseis from Achilles and offered to return her at once with enormous gifts.


An embassy was sent to Achilles, but the hero contemptuously rejected their proposal.


That night Odysseus and Diomedes succeeded in slaying Rhesus, the Thracian leader, who had just arrived to strengthen the Trojan side.


The next day Agmemnon, Odysseus, and Diomedes were disabled and retired from the field, and Hector opened the way for his troops into the Greek camps.


Though delayed by Posidon and Hera, with the help of Zeus the Trojans reached the Greek fleet and began to set fire to the ships.


In the crisis Patroclus, Achilles retainer and closest friend, begged permission to take the Myrmidons and enter the battle.


Achilles agreed but ordered Patroclus to return as soon as he had driven the enemy away from the ships.


Clad in Achilles’ armor, Patroclus pursued the enemy to the city gate, where Hector turned and clew him and took Achilles’ armor from him and put it on.


The Greeks succeeded in recovering the body.




Book 17: Menelaus’ Finest Hour




Book 18: The Shield of Achilles




Book 19: The Champion Arms for Battle






Book 20: Olympian Gods in Arms




Book 21: Achilles Fights The River




Book 22: The Death of Hector


When the news was brought to Achilles, he was overcome with grief.


New armor was made for him by Hephaestus, the smith god.


At an assembly he renounced his anger, and Agmemnon apologized publicly for his conduct.


Achilles now reentered the battle and in his fury slew the Trojans or drove them back into the city.


Only Hector dared to remain outside, and even he felt his courage leave him when he saw Achilles approaching.


He fled three times around the walls of Troy. Then, doomed by fate and grossly deceived by Athena, he stood and fought.


Achilles trust him through the neck with his spear and stripped the armor from him and dragged him in the dust to the Greek camp.




Book 23: Funeral Games for Patroclus




Book 24: Achilles and Priam


On the next day the funeral of Patroclus was held, but Achilles continued to mistreat the body of Hector until Zeus commanded him to permit its ransom.


At the same time Zeus sent a message to Priam to go to the Greek camp and bring back the body of his son.


Guided through the night by Hermes, the messenger god, the old man was received with kindness by Achilles, who gave him the body and granted a truce for the funeral.


Hermes then conducted Priam back to Troy.


The Iliad ends with the mourning of the Trojans for Hector and a brief account of his funeral.