the iliad Flashcards
Book 1 events
Chryseis is ransomed by her father Chryses, to which Agamemnon rejects and Apollo gets angry and causes a plague. Agamemnon demands that Achillies give him his prize before returning Chrysies, and they quarrel. The mission to return Chryseis begins and Agamemnons heralds seize Briseis. Achillies appeals to Thetis for the Greeks to be conquered in battle and she appeals to Zeus who agrees. Zeus and Hera quarrel and Hephaestos restores the peace. Night falls.
Book 3 events
The armies prepare for battle and Paris proposes a plan - single combat with Menelaus to end the war. Hector announces the plan and they both agree. Iris tells Helen of the impending duel and she comes to the walls of Iliums to describe some of the Greek heroes to Priam.
Oaths are taken and battle begins. Menelaus is cheated of victory by Aphrodite who then forces Helen to sleep with Paris. Agamemnon declares Menelaus the winner.
Book 4 events
Zeus wonders whether Hera and Athene would agree to make peace - Athene refuses and descends to make Pandaras shoot at the Greeks which begins the fighting again,
Agamemnon surveys his troops and demonstrates his leadership skills
Battle. Apollo and Athene urge on both sides
Book 6
The Greeks enjoy some success and Agamemnon and Nestor urge them to show no mercy.
Glaucus and Diomiedes exchange armour.
The prophet Helenus urges Aeneas and Hector to rally the trojans and then orders Hector to get the women of Troy to pray and offer offerings to Athene.
The order of escalation
Hector and Andromache
Book 9
Agamemnon is desperate and Nestor proposes that an apology be made to Achillies. Agamemnon sketches the compensation he will offer. An embassy consisting of Phoenix, Odysseus and Ajax is sent.
Achillies welcomes and feeds the embassy and Odysseus makes the offer, adding an appeal to Achillies sense of pity. Achillies rejects it outright saying he will return home the next day.
Phoenix appeals to Achillies, remembering how he used to look after Achillies and raised him. He appeals through supplication of the gods (LITAE), and tells the story of Meleager who also rejected gifts. Achillies says he will think again about returning home (shows he doesn’t think he will never fight again)
Ajax appeals to Achillies in the name of friendship. Achillies says he will consider returning to battle if the trojans threaten the ships
the embassy returns and Odyssues reports its failure. Diomedes comments it would have always been a waste of time and that they should jsut keep on fighting.
Book 16
Patroclus appeals to Achillies and tells him they are in great harm and Achillies agrees for Patroclus to return to battle.
Ajax retreats and the Greek ships are fired
Achillies prays in vain to Zeus who denies, and Patroclus advances into battle and sends the trojans flying into panic. He then kills sarpedon and Hector leads the Trojans into an attack. Zeus watches the battle keenly and makes Hector back off. Apollo rescues the body of Sarpedon
Patroclus is warned off taking Ilium by Apollo who then strips him of his armour. Patroclus is killed and he prophesises Hectors death at the hands of Achillies.
Book 17
Menelaus begins to protect Patroclus’s body and kills Euphornus
Hector leads the Trojan advance but Ajax drives him off. Glaucus rounds on Hector, who briefly puts on Achillies armour. Zeus pities his brief triumph (foreshadowing of his death). A full scale fight develops over Patroclus’s body and a mist descends.
Achillies’ horses weep for Patroclus’s death and Zeus pities them and foretells Hector will not capture them. Athene encourages Menelaus, who drags Patroclus’s body back to the Greek side. Zeus shakes his aegis and the Greeks retreat. Zeus lifts the mist.
Antilochus runs to give Achillies the bad news
Book 18
Antilochus brings news of Patroclus’s death. Achillies collapses in grief and his mother Thetis, hearing his cries, arrives with her sea nymphs to lament. Achillies says he will have his revenge by killing Hector and ignores Thetis’s warning that death will follow soon after Hector’s.
Achillies makes an appearence on the battle field and with Athene’s help routs the trojans with a battle cry. Patroclus’s body is brought back the night before the 27th day.
Terrified by Achillies’ return the trojans hold an assembly. Polydamas recommends withdrawel to Ilium; Hector, wrongfully convinced that Zeus is on his side, rejects this advice and wins Trojan approval to continue the attack next morning.
Achillies laments Patroclus, foreseeing his own death but anticipating revenge on Hector. The body is washed, anointed and clothed, and lamentation continues throughout the night. Hera gloats to Zeus over her success in bringing Achillies back into the fighting.
Thetis arrives at Hephaestus’s house and asks for armour. He agrees and the shield is described in detail.
Book 22
The Trojans recover within the walls, but Hector reimains outside. Apollo mocks the furious Achillies, who races back to Ilium. Priam and Hecabe appeal to their son Hector not to take on Achillies. Hector decides he must fight.
Achillies charges and Hector runs, they complete three circuits of the walls. The scale of destiny weighs against Hector and Apollo leaves him.
Athene tricks Hector into fighting and Achillies rejects Hectors suggetion that the losers body should be returned and kills him. Hector prophesises Achillies death.
Achillies strips the dead Hector and the Greeks stab his body. Achillies tells the Greeks to return to camp and drags Hectors body back by the ankles behind his chariot.
Priam and Hecabe lament Hector. When Andromache hears of his death he faints, recovers and offers a third lament, emphasising her fatherless child Astyanax’s fate.
Book 23
The Greeks withdraw to their ships and Patroclus is mourned.
His ghost appears to Achillies on the night before the 28th day. Firewood is collected and Patroclus’s body taken in funeral processions. Achillies dedicated a lock of his hair and the pyre is lit. Patroclus’s bones are collected and put in a golden pyre awaiting Achillies’ death.
Achillies seats the army in readiness for Patroclus’s funeral games.
Achillies gives a prize to Agamemnon as well for the throwing of a metal lump.
Book 24
Achillies cannot sleep for thinking about Patroclus. He drags Hector’s body round Patroclus’s tomb, but Apollo protects it from disfigurement. [Eleven days of Hector’s mistreatement, which began from the day of his death]
The other Gods pity Hector but Hera, Athene and Poseiden remain hostile. Apollo pleads Hectors case and Zeus instructs Thetis to tell Achillies he must return the body. Achillies agrees.
Zeus tells the mourning Priam to take gifts to Achillies and ransom Hector.
Priam, after berating his sons, sets off, and ransoms Hector.
[Night before 40th day] Hermes in disguise accompanies Priam safely to Achillies quarters.
Priam’s supplication of Achillies succeeds and they both weep - Achillies compares Priams fate with that of his own father, Peleus.
Priam’s gifts are unloaded and Hectors body is placed in the wagon. Achillies and Priam eat together and by night, Hermes leads Priam secretly away,
Cassandra see’s Priam approaching and Andromache, Hecabe and Helen utter laments. Wood is collected.
[Nine days to build Hector’s pyre]
49th day - Hector is cremated and 50th day - Hector is buried and a grave mound set up. A funeral feast is held in Priam’s palace.
