The Iliad by Homer (800)

The Iliad is an epic poem by Homer, written in the 8th century BC. It tells the story of the ten-year siege of Troy by the Greeks, and the events leading up to it. The poem begins with the gods on Mount Olympus discussing the fate of the Greeks and Trojans. Zeus, the king of the gods, decides to let the two sides fight it out. The story then focuses on the Greek hero Achilles, who is the greatest warrior of the Greeks. He is angered by the slight of his leader Agamemnon, and refuses to fight. This leads to a series of events that eventually leads to the death of Achilles' beloved friend Patroclus. Achilles is filled with rage and grief, and decides to rejoin the battle. He kills the Trojan prince Hector in single combat, and then desecrates his body. This leads to a final battle between the Greeks and Trojans, which the Greeks eventually win. The poem ends with the funeral of Hector, and the Greeks sailing home with the spoils of war.

By Homer · First published 800 · Genre: Epic Poetry, Classical Literature, Mythology · 24 chapters

Contents

• The Contention of Achilles and Agamemnon
• The Trial of the Army and Catalogue of the Forces
• The Duel of Menelaus and Paris
• The Breach of the Truce, and the First Battle
• The Acts of Diomed
• The Episodes of Glaucus and Diomed, and of Hector and Andromache
• The Single Combat of Hector and Ajax
• The Second Battle, and the Distress of the Greeks
• The Embassy to Achilles
• The Night Adventure of Diomed and Ulysses
• The Third Battle, and the Acts of Agamemnon
• The Battle at the Grecian Wall
• The Fourth Battle Continued, in Which Neptune Assists the Greeks. the Acts of Idomeneus
• Juno Deceives Jupiter by the Girdle of Venus
• The Fifth Battle, at the Ships; and the Acts of Ajax
• The Sixth Battle; the Acts and Death of Patroclus
• The Seventh Battle, for the Body of Patroclus.-the Acts of Menelaus
• The Grief of Achilles, and New Armour Made Him by Vulcan
• The Reconciliation of Achilles and Agamemnon
• The Battle of the Gods, and the Acts of Achilles
• The Battle in the River Scamander
• The Death of Hector
• Funeral Games in Honour of Patroclus
• The Redemption of the Body of Hector

More by Homer

• The Odyssey (-790)
• La Ilíada (-800)
• La odisea (-800)
• All works by Homer