The Iliad

1. The Iliad

2. Background Info • Paris, the prince of Troy and son of Priam, was chosen to decide who was the fairest among Aphrodite, Athena, and Hera • The winner would receive the golden apple with the inscription “to the fairest” • Each goddess disrobed so that Paris could see that she was the fairest

3. Background Info • Hera promised Paris all of Asia and great wealth if he chose her; he refused • Athena promised to make him victorious in all battles and the most handsome and wise man in all the world; he refused • Aphrodite promised that she would offer Helen, wife of Menelaus and the most beautiful mortal woman in the world to become his bride

4. Background Info • After Aphrodite promised to make Helen fall in love with him, Paris awarded her the apple • This decision angered Hera and Athena so they plotted the destruction of Troy • Long ago Aphrodite had doomed Helen and her sisters because their father, Tyndareus, had given a sacrifice to all the other gods, but had forgotten her

5. Background Info • So Aphrodite swore to make his daughters known for adultery • Eventually Paris went to Sparta and stayed with Menelaus , until Menelaus was called away on business • While Menelaus was gone, Helen and Paris fell in love, and left for Troy

6. Background Info • When Menelaus returns and learns what has happened, he assembles an army, which includes Agamemnon and Odysseus, to go to Troy and retrieve Helen, thus the start of the Trojan War • 10 years have passed and that’s where The Iliad picks up

7. Homeric Conventions • Invocation- the Iliad begins with an invocation, formal plea for help, to Calliope • In medias res- the poem starts in the middle of the war; flashbacks are used to inform the audience of prior events • Conflict in the celestial realm • Use of epithets

8. Characters of the Iliad • The Greeks • Achilles- son of mortal king, Peleus, and the sea goddess Thetis. King of the Myrmidons and the mightiest of the Greek warriors • Agamemnon- king of Mycenae and the commander of the Greek forces; brother of Menelaus

9. The Greeks • Ajax- one of the strongest Greek warriors • Calchas-prophet who counsels the Greeks • Clytemnestra- Agamemnon’s wife; Helen’s sister • Helen- wife of Menelaus • Menelaus- king of Sparta

10. The Greeks • Nestor- king of Pylos; serves as a counselor • Odysseus- Greek warrior • Patroclus- Greek warrior and friend to Achilles

11. The Trojans • The Trojans • Andromache- wife of Hector • Astyanax- son of Hector and Andromache • Briseis- captured by Achilles as a prize • Cassandra- daughter of Priam and Hecuba; has the gift of prophecy

12. The Trojans • Chryseis- captured by Agamemnon • Hector- son of Priam and Hecuba; commander of the Trojan forces • Hecuba- queen of Troy • Paris- son of Priam and Hecuba; aka Alexandros • Priam- king of Troy

13. God and Goddesses • Aphrodite- goddess of love; sides with the Trojans • Apollo- god of poetry, music, and prophecy; sides with the Trojans • Athena- goddess of wisdom; sides with the Greeks • Hera- wife of Zeus; enemy of the Trojans

14. Gods and Goddesses • Hermes- messenger of the gods; aka the Wayfinder • Thetis- sea goddess; mother of Achilles • Zeus- father god; most powerful of the gods; remains neutral

15. Book 1 The poet invokes a Muse to help tell the story in the first 9 lines. Muses are goddesses who are believed to help artists find creative inspiration. Agamemnon takes Chryseis as his prize and Achilles takes Briseis. Chryses begs Agamemnon to return his daughter and when he refuses, Chryses prays to Apollo.

16. Book 1 Apollo sends a plague upon the Greek army. After 10 days, Achilles calls an assembly of the Achean army and asks for a soothsayer to reveal the cause of the plague Calchas reveals the plague as a vengeful and strategic move by Chryses and Apollo.

17. Book 1 Agamemnon flies into a rage and says he’ll return Chryseis if Achilles gives back Briseis Agamemnon’s demand humiliates and infuriates Achilles, and he threatens to withdraw from battle Agamemnon threatens to go to Achilles’ tent and take Briseis himself

18. Book 1 Achilles stands with his sword drawn ready to kill Agamenon, when Athena appears, and along with Nestor, prevents the duel That night, Agamemnon puts Chryseis on a ship back to her father and sends heralds to have Briseis escorted from Achilles’ tent

19. Book 1 Achilles prays to his mother, to ask Zeus, to punish the Achaeans He tells her what happened with Agamemnon, and she promises to talk to Zeus- who owes her a favor- when she returns home Thetis foretell Achilles that he will meet an early death

20. Between Book 1 and 22 Without Achilles, the Greeks are at a disadvantage against the Trojans, who are led by their greatest warrior Hector Hector believes that Troy is doomed, but honor will not allow him to surrender Agamemnon admits he’s wronged Achilles, so he sends a delegation of ambassadors to offer amends, and to ask for Achilles to return

21. Between Book 1 and 22 Achilles refuses; saying he’s going to return to his kingdom and live out his life in comfort, forgoing the honor of dying a hero’s death in battle When the Trojans break through Greek defenses, Achilles’ best friend, Patroclus pleads with him to rejoin the battle and Achilles agrees to let him do so

22. Between Book 1 and 22 As they fight Apollo strikes Patroclus from his horse, and Hector slays him and strips his corpse of its armor, thus preventing him from a proper burial The Greeks believes in proper burial rites; if a corpse wasn’t given a proper burial they could never attain peace in the after life Out to avenge his friends’ death, Achilles returns to battle, slaying the Trojan forces

23. Book 22 Achilles thinks he’s been running after Agenor (Hector’s half-brother), but really it’s Apollo in disguise; Apollo tells him that while he’s been chasing him, he’s enabled the Trojans to retreat Hector is ready to go and fight Achilles, but his mother and father plead with him not to, because they know he will loose

24. Book 22 He says that many have died because of his foolish pride, and that he should have retreated when Achilles returned to battle; it will be better if he kills Achilles man to man, or go down fighting to the end Zeus watches and asks if they should deliver Hector from death or see him killed by Achilles

25. Book 22 Athena says he’s a mortal so he’s going to die anyway. Hector goes to fight Achilles, but gets scared once he sees him. He runs around the town with Achilles at his heels. After 3 times around, Hector tells Achilles he fears him no more, but if he wins, once he has Achilles gear he’ll give his body back to the Achaeans

26. Book 22 Achilles refuses Hector is still wearing the armor that he stole off of Patroclus’ body, which happened to belong to Achilles Finally Achilles punctures Hector in the neck and tells him he will let his body lay there and let the dogs and scavenger birds maul him

27. Book 22 Hector begs to have his body returned to his family, and Achilles says no. Hector tells him that the gods will hold it against him when Paris and Apollo destroy him at the gates After Hector dies, the rest of the Achaeans stab at his body; Achilles ties his body to the back of his chariot and drags him around town

28. Book 22 Andromache hears the wailing from outside and runs to see her husband’s body being dragged around town She weeps and says the dogs and maggots will eat his naked body, therefore she will burn his clothes because they cannot be used to cover him in death

29. Book 23 After he slays Hector, Achilles prepares for the funeral of Patroclus; when they burn his body, they also hold elaborate athletic contests, a custom for distinguished men Achilles is still so upset by Hector’s treatment of Patroclus that he refuses to give up his body for burial

30. Book 23 This shameful treatment of Hector’s body offends Zeus and he orders Achilles to give the body to Priam The king filled with grief and bearing a rich ransom in exchange for his son’s corpse, is escorted to the Greek camp by Hermes, who’s disguised as a young man.

31. Book 24 In order to sneak Priam into the camp, Hermes casts sleep over the guards and unbars the gates; he tells Priam that he will not go in the see Achilles with him, but he should beg Achilles for mercy and hope he will be sympathetic Priam kisses the hands of Achilles and asks him to remember his own dead father and they both weep for their loved ones

32. Book 24 When Achilles realizes Priam has gotten into his camp by some supernatural power, he threatens to kill him, even though Zeus is sure to retaliate Achilles orders Hector’s body to be bathed and rubbed with oils, but to keep it hidden from Priam Achillles asks Priam how long he needs for the funeral, for that is how long he’ll hold off his army

33. Book 24 Priam says he’ll need 11 days; they’ll mourn for 9 days, the funeral will be held on the 10th, on the 11th a tomb will be made, and on the 12th the Trojans will give battle When Hector’s body gets back to Troy, Andromache predicts that she’ll be kicked out of Troy and her son will be thrown to his death from a tower

34. Book 24 because Hector has killed many Greeks whose relatives or comrades may now want revenge; Hecuba says the gods have shown favor to Hector by restoring his mangled and decomposed body to good condition