Iliad
Title page of the Rihel edition of ca. 1572
Author	Homer
Country	Greece
Language	Ancient Greek
Genre(s)	Epic Poetry
Publisher	Various
Publication date	Before Common Era
ISBN	n/a

The Iliad is, together with the Odyssey, one of two ancient Greek epic poems traditionally attributed to Homer. The poem is commonly dated to the late 9th or to the 8th century BC^[1], and many scholars believe it is the oldest extant work of literature in the ancient Greek language, making it the first work of European literature. The existence of a single author for the poems is disputed as the poems themselves show evidence of a long oral tradition and hence, possible multiple authors. The Iliad is an epic poem (attributed to Homer). ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 379 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (500 × 791 pixel, file size: 117 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Homer: Edition of Obertus (Hubert) Griphanius Publisher: Th. ... This article is about the Greek poet Homer and the works attributed to him. ... The Greek language (Greek Ελληνικά, IPA // – Hellenic) is an Indo-European language with a documented history of some 3,000 years. ... For other meanings of epic, see Epic. ... A publisher is a person or entity which engages in the act of publishing. ... The Common Era is the period beginning with a year near the birth of Jesus, coinciding with the period from AD 1 onwards. ... ISBN redirects here. ... This article is about Homers epic poem. ... The term ancient Greece refers to the periods of Greek history in Classical Antiquity, lasting ca. ... For other meanings of epic, see Epic. ... This article is about the Greek poet Homer and the works attributed to him. ... (10th century BC - 9th century BC - 8th century BC - other centuries) (900s BC - 890s BC - 880s BC - 870s BC - 860s BC - 850s BC - 840s BC - 830s BC - 820s BC - 810s BC - 800s BC - other decades) (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium AD) Events Kingdom of Kush (900 BC... (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium) Ruins of the training grounds at Olympia, Greece. ...

The poem concerns events during the tenth and final year in the siege of the city of Ilion, or Troy, by the Greeks (See Trojan War). The word Iliad means "pertaining to Ilion" (in Latin, Ilium), the city proper, as opposed to Troy (in Turkish "Truva", in Greek, Τροία, Troía; in Latin, Troia, Troiae, f.), the state centered around Ilium, over which the names Ilium and Troy are often used interchangeably. For other uses of Troy or Ilion, see Troy (disambiguation) and Ilion (disambiguation). ... For other uses of Troy or Ilion, see Troy (disambiguation) and Ilion (disambiguation). ... This article or section should be merged with Hellenes Greeks in Ancient History In Latin literature, Græci (or Greeks, in English) is the name by which Hellenes are known. ... The fall of Troy, by Johann Georg Trautmann (1713–1769). ... Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... Turkish ( IPA ) is a language spoken by 65–73 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. ... Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ...

Date

For most of the twentieth century, scholars dated the Iliad and the Odyssey to the late 9th or to the 8th century BC. Most still argue for this period, notably Barry B. Powell (who has proposed a link between the writing of the Iliad and the invention of the Greek alphabet), G.S. Kirk, and Richard Janko; while a few others (including Martin West and Richard Seaford) now prefer a date in the 7th or even the 6th century BC. (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium) Ruins of the training grounds at Olympia, Greece. ... Barry B. Powell is the Halls-Bascom Professor of Classics Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, visiting professor at the University of New Mexico, and author of the widely used textbook Classical Myth (fifth edition, Prentice-Hall, 2006), as well as The Greeks (Prentice-Hall 2005, with Ian Morris... Martin Litchfield West (born 23 September 1937, London, England) is an internationally recognised scholar in classics, classical antiquity and philology. ... Professor Richard Seaford, from the University of Exeter in England, is a British professor has refused a request to write an article for an academic journal funded by Israeli universities. ... (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium) The 7th century BC started on January 1, 700 BC and ended on December 31, 601 BC. // Overview Events Ashurbanipal, king of Assyria who created the the first systematically collected library at Nineveh A 16th century depiction of the Hanging Gardens of... (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium) The 6th century BC started on January 1, 600 BC and ended on December 31, 501 BC. // Monument 1, an Olmec colossal head at La Venta The 5th and 6th centuries BC were a time of empires, but more importantly, a time...

The story of the Iliad

The first verses of the Iliad

The Iliad begins with these lines: Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

μῆνιν ἄειδε θεὰ Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος
οὐλομένην, ἣ μυρί' Ἀχαιοῖς ἄλγε' ἔθηκεν,
Sing, goddess, the rage of Achilles the son of Peleus,
the destructive rage that sent countless ills on the Achaeans...

The first word of Homer's Iliad is the ancient Greek word μῆνις (mēnis), fury, rage, or wrath. This word announces the major theme of the Iliad: the wrath of Achilles. When Agamemnon, the commander of the Greek forces at Troy, dishonors Achilles by taking Briseis, a slave woman given to Achilles as a prize of war, Achilles becomes enraged and withdraws from the fighting until Book XIX. Without him and his powerful Myrmidon warriors, the Greeks suffer defeat by the Trojans, almost to the point of losing their will to fight. Achilles re-enters the fighting when Patroclus is killed by the Trojan prince Hector. Achilles slaughters many Trojans and kills Hector. In his rage, he then refuses to return Hector's body and instead defiles it. Priam, the father of Hector, ransoms his son's body, and the Iliad ends with the funeral of Hector. For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... This article is about a character in Greek mythology. ... In Greek mythology, BrisÄ“is (Greek Βρισηίς) was a Trojan widow (from Lyrnessus) who was abducted during the Trojan War by Achilles upon the death of her three brothers and husband, King Mynes of Lyrnessus, in the fight. ... The Myrmidons (or Myrmidones Μυρμιδόνες) were an ancient nation of Greek mythology. ... A cup depicting Achilles bandaging Patroklos arm, by the Sosias Painter. ... For other uses, see Hector (disambiguation). ... King Priam killed by Neoptolemus, son of Achilles, detail of an Attic red-figure amphora In Greek mythology, Priam (Greek Πρίαμος, Priamos) was the king of Troy during the Trojan War, and youngest son of Laomedon. ...

Homer devotes long passages to frank, blow-by-blow descriptions of combat. He gives the names of the fighters, recounts their taunts and battle-cries, and gruesomely details the ways in which they kill and wound one another. Often, the death of a hero only escalates the violence, as the two sides battle for his armor and corpse, or his close companions launch a punitive attack on his killer. The lucky ones are sometimes whisked away by friendly charioteers or the intervention of a god, but Homeric warfare is still some of the most bloody and brutal in literature. This article is about the Greek poet Homer and the works attributed to him. ...

The Iliad has a very strong religious and supernatural element. Both sides in the war are extremely pious, and both have heroes descended from divine beings. They sacrifice to the gods and consult priests and prophets to decide their actions. For their own part, the gods frequently join in battles, both by advising and protecting their favorites and even by participating in combat against humans and other gods.

The Iliad's huge cast of characters connects the Trojan War to many ancient myths, such as Jason and the Argonauts, the Seven Against Thebes, and the Labors of Hercules. Many ancient Greek myths exist in multiple versions, so Homer had some freedom to choose among them to suit his story. See Greek mythology for more detail. Jason and the Argonauts may refer to: the Greek myth of Jason and the Argonauts Jason and the Argonauts (film), a 1963 film with animation by Ray Harryhausen Jason and the Argonauts (TV movie), a TV movie made in 2000 This is a disambiguation page: a list of articles associated... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Επτά επί Θήβας The Seven Against Thebes is a mythic narrative that finds its classic statement in the play by Aeschylus (467 BCE) concerning the battle between the Seven led by Polynices and the army of Thebes headed by Eteocles and his supporters, traditional Theban... Hercules and the hydra by Antonio Pollaiuolo The Twelve Labours (Greek: dodekathlos) of Heracles (Latin: Hercules) are a series of archaic episodes connected by a later continuous narrative, concerning a penance carried out by Heracles, the greatest of the Greek heroes. ... The bust of Zeus found at Otricoli (Sala Rotonda, Museo Pio-Clementino, Vatican) Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the Ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. ...

The action of the Iliad covers only a few weeks of the tenth and final year of the Trojan War. It does not cover the background and early years of the war (Paris' abduction of Helen from King Menelaus) nor its end (the death of Achilles and the fall of Troy). Other epic poems, collectively known as the Epic Cycle or cyclic epics, narrated many of these events; these poems only survive in fragments and later descriptions. See Trojan War for a summary of the events of the war. The fall of Troy, by Johann Georg Trautmann (1713–1769). ... See List of King Priams children Statue of Paris in the British Museum This article is about the prince of Troy. ... Helen of Troy redirects here. ... Louis XIV, king of France and Navarre (Painting by Hyacinthe Rigaud, 1701). ... Menelaus regains Helen, detail of an Attic red-figure crater, ca. ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... The Epic Cycle (Greek: Επικός Κύκλος) was a collection of Ancient Greek epic poems that related the story of the Trojan War, which includes the Kypria, the Aithiopis, the Little Iliad, the Iliou persis (The Sack of Troy), the Nostoi (Returns), and the Telegony. ... The fall of Troy, by Johann Georg Trautmann (1713–1769). ...

Synopsis

As the poem begins, the Greeks have captured Chryséis, the daughter of Apollo's priest Chryses, and given her as a prize to Agamemnon. When Agamemnon threatens Chryses as he attempted to ransom his daughter, Apollo sends a plague against the Greeks. At an assembly called by Achilles, the Greeks compel Agamemnon to restore Chryséis to her father to stop the sickness. Agamemnon agrees reluctantly but also takes for himself Briséis, whom the Achaeans had given to Achilles as a spoil of war. This causes Achilles, widely seen as the best warrior of the war, to withdraw from the fighting. For other uses, see Apollo (disambiguation). ... Chryses attempting to ransom his daughter Chryseis from Agamemnon, Apulian red-figure crater by the Athens 1714 Painter, ca. ... This article is about a character in Greek mythology. ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... In Greek mythology, BrisÄ“is (Greek Βρισηίς) was a Trojan widow (from Lyrnessus) who was abducted during the Trojan War by Achilles upon the death of her three brothers and husband, King Mynes of Lyrnessus, in the fight. ...

In counterpoint to Achilles' pride stands the Trojan prince Hector, son of King Priam, a husband and father who fights to defend his city and his family. With Achilles on the sidelines, Hector leads successful counterattacks against the Greeks, who have built a fortified camp around their ships pulled up on the Trojan beach. The best remaining Greek fighters, including Odysseus and Diomedes, are wounded, and the gods favor the Trojans. When the Trojans finally threatened the Greek ships with fire, Achilles allows Patroclus, impersonating him by wearing his armor, to lead the Myrmidons back into battle. The death of Patroclus at the hands of Hector brings Achilles back to the war for revenge, and he slays Hector in single combat. Hector's body is abused for days until his father, King Priam, comes to Achilles alone (but aided by Hermes) to ransom his son's body, and Achilles is moved to pity. The funeral of Hector ends the poem. For other uses, see Hector (disambiguation). ... King Priam killed by Neoptolemus, son of Achilles, detail of an Attic red-figure amphora In Greek mythology, Priam (Greek Πρίαμος, Priamos) was the king of Troy during the Trojan War, and youngest son of Laomedon. ... For other uses, see Odysseus (disambiguation). ... Diomēdēs or Diomed (Gk:Διομήδης - God-like cunning or advised by Zeus) is a hero in Greek mythology, mostly known for his participation in the Trojan War. ... A cup depicting Achilles bandaging Patroklos arm, by the Sosias Painter. ... For other uses, see Revenge (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Hermes (disambiguation). ...

Book summaries

• Book 1: Nine years into the war, Agamemnon seizes Briseis, the concubine (prize) of Achilles, since he has had to give away his own; Achilles withdraws from the fighting in anger; in Olympus, the gods argue about the outcome of the war
• Book 2: Agamemnon pretends to order the Greeks home to test their resolve; Odysseus encourages the Greeks to keep fighting; Catalogue of Ships, Catalogue of Trojans and Allies
• Book 3: A truce is observed as Paris challenges Menelaus to single combat over Helen while she watches from the walls of Troy with Priam; Paris is quickly overmatched by Menelaus, but is rescued from death by Aphrodite, and Menelaus is seen as the winner.
• Book 4: The truce is broken and battle begins
• Book 5: Diomedes has an aristeia (a period of supremacy in battle) and wounds Aphrodite and Ares with the assistance of Athena
• Book 6: Glaucus and Diomedes greet each other during the fighting; Hector returns to Troy and speaks to his wife Andromache

Iliad, Book 8, lines 245-253, in a Greek manuscript of the late fifth or early sixth century AD

• Book 7: Hector battles Ajax
• Book 8: The gods withdraw from the battle
• Book 9: The Embassy to Achilles. Agamemnon sends Odysseus, Ajax, and Phoenix to Achilles to obtain his help; his promises of honour and riches are spurned
• Book 10: The Doloneia. Diomedes and Odysseus go on a night mission, kill the Trojan Dolon, and ambush a camp of Thracians.
• Book 11: Paris wounds Diomedes; Achilles sends Patroclus on a mission
• Book 12: The Greeks retreat to their camp and are besieged by the Trojans
• Book 13: Fighting before the ships; Poseidon encourages the Greeks
• Book 14: Hera helps Poseidon assist the Greeks; Deception of Zeus
• Book 15: Zeus stops Poseidon from interfering; Hector brings fire to the ships
• Book 16: Patroclus borrows Achilles' armour, enters battle, kills Sarpedon and then is killed by Hector
• Book 17: The armies fight over the body and armour of Patroclus. Books 16 and 17 are collectively called the Patrocleia.
• Book 18: Achilles learns of the death of Patroclus and receives a new suit of armour. The Shield of Achilles is described at length
• Book 19: Achilles is reconciled in form with Agamemnon and enters battle
• Book 20: The gods join the battle; Achilles drives all the Trojans before him
• Book 21: Achilles does battle with the river Scamander but is led astray by Ares
• Book 22: Achilles kills Hector outside the walls of Troy and drags his body back to the Greek camp
• Book 23: Funeral games for Patroclus
• Book 24: The Ransoming of Hector. Priam, the King of the Trojans, secretly enters the Greek camp. He begs Achilles for Hector's body. Achilles is moved to pity and grants it to him, and it is taken away and burned on a pyre

This article is about a character in Greek mythology. ... In Greek mythology, Brisēis (Greek Βρισηίς) was a Trojan widow (from Lyrnessus) who was abducted during the Trojan War by Achilles upon the death of her three brothers and husband, King Mynes of Lyrnessus, in the fight. ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... This article is about a character in Greek mythology. ... For other uses, see Odysseus (disambiguation). ... Map of Homeric Greece The famous Catalogue of Ships (νεων κατολογος) is recorded as a part of Book II (verses 494–760, PP Il. ... The Trojan Battle Order is a section of the second book of the Iliad. ... See List of King Priams children Statue of Paris in the British Museum This article is about the prince of Troy. ... Menelaus regains Helen, detail of an Attic red-figure crater, ca. ... King Priam killed by Neoptolemus, son of Achilles, detail of an Attic red-figure amphora In Greek mythology, Priam (Greek Πρίαμος, Priamos) was the king of Troy during the Trojan War, and youngest son of Laomedon. ... See List of King Priams children Statue of Paris in the British Museum This article is about the prince of Troy. ... The Birth of Venus, (detail) by Sandro Botticelli, 1485 For other uses, see Aphrodite (disambiguation). ... Diomēdēs or Diomed (Gk:Διομήδης - God-like cunning or advised by Zeus) is a hero in Greek mythology, mostly known for his participation in the Trojan War. ... Ancient Greek, literally: In the dramatic conventions of such works as the Iliad, this is a scene in which a hero in battle has his finest moments (aristos = best). ... The Birth of Venus, (detail) by Sandro Botticelli, 1485 For other uses, see Aphrodite (disambiguation). ... This article is about the ancient Greek god. ... For other uses, see Athena (disambiguation). ... In Greek mythology, Glaucus (shiny, bright or bluish-green) was the name of several different figures, including one God. ... Diomēdēs or Diomed (Gk:Διομήδης - God-like cunning or advised by Zeus) is a hero in Greek mythology, mostly known for his participation in the Trojan War. ... For other uses, see Hector (disambiguation). ... Andromache grieves the loss of Hector In Greek mythology, Andromache was the wife of Hector and daughter of Eetion, sister to Podes. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... For other uses, see Hector (disambiguation). ... Ajax or Aias (Greek: ) was a mythological Greek hero, the son of Telamon and Periboea and disciple of Salamis. ... This article is about a character in Greek mythology. ... Diomēdēs or Diomed (Gk:Διομήδης - God-like cunning or advised by Zeus) is a hero in Greek mythology, mostly known for his participation in the Trojan War. ... For other uses, see Odysseus (disambiguation). ... See List of King Priams children Statue of Paris in the British Museum This article is about the prince of Troy. ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... A cup depicting Achilles bandaging Patroklos arm, by the Sosias Painter. ... For other uses of Troy or Ilion, see Troy (disambiguation) and Ilion (disambiguation). ... Neptune in Copenhagen, Denmark. ... For other uses, see Hera (disambiguation). ... Neptune in Copenhagen, Denmark. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Iliad. ... For other uses, see Zeus (disambiguation). ... Neptune in Copenhagen, Denmark. ... A cup depicting Achilles bandaging Patroklos arm, by the Sosias Painter. ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... In Greek mythology, Sarpedon referred to several different people. ... For other uses, see Hector (disambiguation). ... A cup depicting Achilles bandaging Patroklos arm, by the Sosias Painter. ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... A cup depicting Achilles bandaging Patroklos arm, by the Sosias Painter. ... The Shield Described in the Iliad The Shield of Achilles is described in the Iliad in great detail. ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... This article is about a character in Greek mythology. ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... In Greek mythology, Scamander (Skamandros) was an Oceanid, son of Oceanus and Tethys. ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Hector (disambiguation). ... A cup depicting Achilles bandaging Patroklos arm, by the Sosias Painter. ... King Priam killed by Neoptolemus, son of Achilles, detail of an Attic red-figure amphora In Greek mythology, Priam (Greek Πρίαμος, Priamos) was the king of Troy during the Trojan War, and youngest son of Laomedon. ...

Famous passages

• Catalogue of Ships (Book 2, lines 494-759)
• Teichoscopia (Book 3, lines 121-244)
• Deception of Zeus (Book 14, lines 153-353)
• Shield of Achilles (Book 18, lines 430-617)

Map of Homeric Greece The famous Catalogue of Ships (νεων κατολογος) is recorded as a part of Book II (verses 494–760, PP Il. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Iliad. ... The Shield Described in the Iliad The Shield of Achilles is described in the Iliad in great detail. ...

After the Iliad

Although the Iliad scatters foreshadowings of certain events subsequent to the funeral of Hector, and there is a general sense that the Trojans are doomed, Homer does not set out a detailed account of the fall of Troy. For the story as developed in later Greek and Roman poetry and drama, see Trojan War. The other Homeric poem, the Odyssey, is the story of Odysseus' long journey home from Troy; the two poems between them incorporate many references forward and back and overlap very little, so that despite their narrow narrative focus they are a surprisingly complete exploration of the themes of the Troy story. The fall of Troy, by Johann Georg Trautmann (1713–1769). ... This article is about Homers epic poem. ...

Major characters

Main article: List of characters in the Iliad

See also: Category:Deities in the Iliad

The Iliad contains a large number of characters. The latter half of the second book (often called the Catalogue of Ships) is devoted entirely to listing the various commanders and their contingents. Many of the battle scenes in the Iliad feature minor characters who are quickly slain. See Trojan War for a detailed list of participating armies and warriors. This is a list of the characters that appear in the Iliad by Homer. ... Map of Homeric Greece The famous Catalogue of Ships (νεων κατολογος) is recorded as a part of Book II (verses 494–760, PP Il. ... The fall of Troy, by Johann Georg Trautmann (1713–1769). ...

• The Achaeans (Ἀχαιοί) - the word Hellenes, which would today be translated as Greeks, is not used by Homer. Also called Danaans (Δαναοί) and Argives ('Aργεĩοι).
  • Agamemnon, King of Mycenae, and leader of the Achaeans
  • Achilles, King of the Myrmidions, foremost Achaean warror, he clashes with Agamemnon and sits out much of the combat. After the death of Patrolocus, he returns to battle and slays Hector.
  • Odysseus, King of Ithaca, the most clever Achaean commander. The hero of the Odyssey
  • Ajax the Greater, a large warrior, second only in fighting prowess to Achilles
  • Menelaus, King of Sparta and husband of Helen
  • Diomedes, the youngest Achaean king; he is king of Argos.
  • Ajax the Lesser, another Achaean leader, frequently partnered with Ajax the greater
• The Trojan men
  • Hector, son of the Trojan king Priam and the foremost warrior of Troy, slain by Achilles
  • Aeneas, son of Anchises and Venus
  • Paris, son of King Priam, he is the lover who stole Helen and started the Trojan war
  • Priam, the aged king of Troy
  • Polydamas, a young Trojan commander who sometimes figures as a foil for Hector by proving cool-headed and prudent when Hector charges ahead. Polydamas gives the Trojans sound advice, but Hector seldom acts on it.
  • Agenor, a Trojan warrior who attempts to fight Achilles in Book 21
  • Dolon (Δόλων), a Trojan who is sent to spy on the Achaean camp in Book 10.
  • Antenor, a Trojan nobleman, advisor to King Priam, and father of many Trojan warriors. Antenor argues that Helen should be returned to Menelaus in order to end the war, but Paris refuses to give her up.
  • Polydorus, a Trojan prince and son of Priam and Laothoe

• The Trojan women
  • Hecuba (Ἑκάβη), Queen of Troy, wife of Priam, mother of Hector, Cassandra, Paris, etc.
  • Helen (Ἑλένη), wife of Menelaus, now espoused to Paris
  • Andromache (Ἀνδρομάχη), Hector's wife and mother of their infant son, Astyanax (Ἀστυάναξ)
  • Cassandra (Κασσάνδρα), daughter of Priam, prophetess, first courted and then cursed by Apollo. As her punishment for offending him, she accurately foresees the fate of Troy, including her own death and the deaths of her entire family, but does not have the power to do anything about it.

The Olympian deities, principally Zeus, Hera, Apollo, Hades, Aphrodite, Ares, Athena, Hermes and Poseidon, as well as the lesser figures Eris, Thetis, and Proteus appear in the Iliad as advisers to and manipulators of the human characters. All except Zeus become personally involved in the fighting at one point or another (See Theomachy). This article is about the ancient people of the Achaeans. ... This article is about the ancient people of the Achaeans. ... This article is about a character in Greek mythology. ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Odysseus (disambiguation). ... Ajax or Aias (Greek: ) was a mythological Greek hero, the son of Telamon and Periboea and disciple of Salamis. ... Menelaus regains Helen, detail of an Attic red-figure crater, ca. ... Diomēdēs or Diomed (Gk:Διομήδης - God-like cunning or advised by Zeus) is a hero in Greek mythology, mostly known for his participation in the Trojan War. ... Ajax (Greek: Αἴας), a Greek hero, son of Oïleus the king of Locris, called the lesser or Locrian Ajax, to distinguish him from Ajax, son of Telamon. ... For other uses, see Hector (disambiguation). ... Aeneas flees burning Troy, Federico Barocci, 1598. ... See List of King Priams children Statue of Paris in the British Museum This article is about the prince of Troy. ... King Priam killed by Neoptolemus, son of Achilles, detail of an Attic red-figure amphora In Greek mythology, Priam (Greek Πρίαμος, Priamos) was the king of Troy during the Trojan War, and youngest son of Laomedon. ... In Greek mythology, Poludamas or Polydamas was a lieutenant and friend of Hector during the Trojan War. ... In history and Greek mythology, Agenor (which means very manly) was a king of Tyre. ... In Greek mythology, Dolon (In Ancient Greek: Δόλων) was the son of Eumedes. ... Antenor was one of the Elders of Troy at the time of the Trojan War. ... In Greek mythology, Polydorus referred to three different people. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... King Priam killed by Neoptolemus, son of Achilles, detail of an Attic red-figure amphora In Greek mythology, Priam (Greek Πρίαμος, Priamos) was the king of Troy during the Trojan War, and youngest son of Laomedon. ... For other uses, see Hector (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Cassandra (disambiguation). ... See List of King Priams children Statue of Paris in the British Museum This article is about the prince of Troy. ... Helen of Troy redirects here. ... Menelaus regains Helen, detail of an Attic red-figure crater, ca. ... See List of King Priams children Statue of Paris in the British Museum This article is about the prince of Troy. ... Andromache grieves the loss of Hector In Greek mythology, Andromache was the wife of Hector and daughter of Eetion, sister to Podes. ... For other uses, see Hector (disambiguation). ... In Greek mythology, Astyanax (Greek Ἀστυάναξ, prince of the city) was the son of Hector and Andromache. ... For other uses, see Cassandra (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Zeus (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Hera (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Apollo (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Hades (disambiguation). ... The Birth of Venus, (detail) by Sandro Botticelli, 1485 For other uses, see Aphrodite (disambiguation). ... This article is about the ancient Greek god. ... For other uses, see Athena (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Hermes (disambiguation). ... Neptune in Copenhagen, Denmark. ... Eris (ca. ... This article is about the Greek sea nymph. ... This article is about Proteus in Greek mythology. ... Theomachy is a reference to battles fought between Greek Olympians themselves. ...

Technical features

The poem is written in dactylic hexameter. The Iliad comprises 15,693 lines of verse. Later ancient Greeks divided it into twenty-four books, or scrolls, and this convention has lasted to the present day with little change. Dactyllic hexameter (also known as heroic hexameter) is a form of meter in poetry or a rhythmic scheme. ...

Themes

Nostos

Nostos (Greek: νόστος) (pl. nostoi) is the ancient Greek word for homecoming. The word νόστος is used seven times in the Iliad (2.155,251, 9.413,434,622, 10.509, 16.82) and the theme is heavily explored throughout Greek literature, especially in the fortunes of the Atreidae returning from the Trojan War. The Odyssey, dealing with the return of Odysseus, is the most famous of these stories, but many surrounding other characters such as Agamemnon and Menelaus exist as well. In the Iliad, nostos cannot be obtained without the sacking of Troy, which is the driving force behind Agamemnon's will to win at any cost. Nostos (Greek: ) (pl. ... The fall of Troy, by Johann Georg Trautmann (1713–1769). ... This article is about Homers epic poem. ... For other uses, see Odysseus (disambiguation). ... This article is about a character in Greek mythology. ... Menelaus regains Helen, detail of an Attic red-figure crater, ca. ... Nostos (Greek: ) (pl. ... For other uses of Troy or Ilion, see Troy (disambiguation) and Ilion (disambiguation). ... This article is about a character in Greek mythology. ...

Kleos

Kleos (Greek: κλέος) is the ancient Greek concept of glory that is earned through battle.[1] For many characters, most notably Odysseus, their kleos comes with their victorious return home (Nostos).[2] However, Achilles must choose between the two. In one of the most poignant scenes in the Iliad (9.410-416), Achilles tells Odysseus, Phoenix, and Ajax about the two fates (διχθαδίας κήρας 9.411) he must choose between.[3]. The passage reads: This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ... Glory can refer to: Glory (religion) Glory (optical phenomenon) Glory (film) Glory (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... For other uses, see Odysseus (disambiguation). ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ... Nostos (Greek: ) (pl. ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Odysseus (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Phoenix (mythology). ... Ajax or Aias (Greek: ) was a mythological Greek hero, the son of Telamon and Periboea and disciple of Salamis. ...

μήτηρ γάρ τέ μέ φησι θεὰ Θέτις ἀργυρόπεζα (410)
διχθαδίας κῆρας φερέμεν θανάτοιο τέλος δέ.
εἰ μέν κ’ αὖθι μένων Τρώων πόλιν ἀμφιμάχωμαι,
ὤλετο μέν μοι νόστος, ἀτὰρ κλέος ἄφθιτον ἔσται•
εἰ δέ κεν οἴκαδ’ ἵκωμι φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν,
ὤλετό μοι κλέος ἐσθλόν, ἐπὶ δηρὸν δέ μοι αἰὼν (415)
ἔσσεται, οὐδέ κέ μ’ ὦκα τέλος θανάτοιο κιχείη.^[2]

Richmond Lattimore translates the passage as follows: Richmond Alexander Lattimore (May 6, 1906 - February 26, 1984) was an American poet and translator known for his translations of the Greek classics, especially his versions of the Iliad and Odyssey, still considered superior despite their age. ...

For my mother Thetis the goddess of silver feet tells me
I carry two sorts of destiny toward the day of my death. Either,
if I stay here and fight beside the city of the Trojans,
my return home is gone, but my glory shall be everlasting;
but if I return home to the beloved land of my fathers,
the excellence of my glory is gone, but there will be a long life
left for me, and my end in death will not come to me quickly.
^[3] This article is about the Greek sea nymph. ...

Here Achilles acknowledges that he must lose his nostos in order to obtain his kleos. However, Achilles is not offered just kleos, but kleos aphthiton (Greek: κλέος ἄφθιτον), or "fame imperishable."[4] The word ἄφθιτον is used five other times throughout the Iliad (2.46, 5.724, 13.22, 14.238, 18.370), each time describing an immortal object, specifically Agamemnon's sceptre, the wheel of Hebe's chariot, the house of Poseidon, Zeus's throne, and the house of Hephaistos, respectively.Lattimore translates the word to mean 'immortal forever' or 'imperishable forever.' Achilles is the only mortal to ever be referred to in this way, which highlights the immense glory that awaits him if he stays and fights at Troy. For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... Nostos (Greek: ) (pl. ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ... This article is about a character in Greek mythology. ... Hebe is a word with multiple meanings: In Greek mythology, Hebe was the goddess of youth. ... Neptune in Copenhagen, Denmark. ... For other uses, see Zeus (disambiguation). ... The Temple of Hephaestus, Athens: western face. ... Richmond Alexander Lattimore (May 6, 1906 - February 26, 1984) was an American poet and translator known for his translations of the Greek classics, especially his versions of the Iliad and Odyssey, still considered superior despite their age. ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... For other uses of Troy or Ilion, see Troy (disambiguation) and Ilion (disambiguation). ...

Timê

Related to kleos is the concept of timê (Greek: тιμή), usually translated as "respect" or "honor". One's timê is properly determined by one's station in life, or one's accomplishments (e.g., on the battlefield). The Greeks' troubles begin when Agamemnon dishonors (Book 1.11) the priest Chryses' attempt to ransom back his captive daughter; this insult prompts Chryses to call a plague down on the Achaeans. Later, Achilles' ruinous anger with Agamemnon stems from the disrespect (1.171) he feels the Argive king has shown him despite Achilles' obvious value to the Greek army.

The Wrath of Achilles

The Wrath of Achilles by Michel Drolling, 1819.

As mentioned above, the first word of the Iliad is the Greek μῆνιν (mēnin), meaning rage or wrath. In this Homer is immediately announcing a main theme throughout the epic, the wrath of Achilles. Achilles' rage and vanity, which sometimes seem almost childlike, drive the plot, from the Greeks' faltering in battle and the death of Patroclus to the slaying of Hector and the eventual fall of Troy, which is not explicitly depicted in the Iliad but is alluded to numerous times. The wrath of Achilles is first displayed in Book I in a meeting between the Greek kings and the seer Kalchas. Agamemnon had dishonored Chryses, the Trojan priest of Apollo, by taking his daughter Chryseis and refusing to return her even when offered "gifts beyond count."^[4] Chryses then prayed to Apollo for help, who rained arrows upon the Greeks for nine days. At the meeting Achilles accuses Agamemnon of being "greediest for gain of all men."^[5] At this Agamemnon replies: This article is about the Greek poet Homer and the works attributed to him. ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... A cup depicting Achilles bandaging Patroklos arm, by the Sosias Painter. ... For other uses, see Hector (disambiguation). ... For other uses of Troy or Ilion, see Troy (disambiguation) and Ilion (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... In Greek mythology, Kalkhas Thestórides, or Calchas (brazen) for short, was a powerful prophet. ... This article is about a character in Greek mythology. ... Chryses attempting to ransom his daughter Chryseis from Agamemnon, Apulian red-figure crater by the Athens 1714 Painter, ca. ... Trojan originally referred to a citizen of the city of Troy (Ilium) made legendary by the Trojan war. ... For other uses, see Apollo (disambiguation). ... In Greek mythology, Chryseis (Greek: Χρύσηίς, Khrysēís) was a Trojan woman, the daughter of Chryses. ... Chryses attempting to ransom his daughter Chryseis from Agamemnon, Apulian red-figure crater by the Athens 1714 Painter, ca. ... For other uses, see Apollo (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... This article is about a character in Greek mythology. ...

"But here is my threat to you.
Even as Phoibos Apollo is taking away my Chryseis.
I shall convey her back in my own ship, with my own
followers; but I shall take the fair-cheeked Briseis,
your prize, I myself going to your shelter, that you may learn well
how much greater I am than you, and another man may shrink back
from likening himself to me and contending against me."^[6]

After this remark Achilles' anger can only be stayed by Athena and he vows to never take orders from Agamemnon again. Later, Achilles cries to his mother Thetis, who convinces Zeus on Olympus to favor the Trojans until Agamemnon restores Achilles' rights. This dooms the possibility of Greek victory in the near future, and the Trojans under Hector almost push the Greeks back into the sea in Book XII, causing Agamemnon to contemplate a defeated return to Greece. For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Athena (disambiguation). ... This article is about a character in Greek mythology. ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... This article is about the Greek sea nymph. ... For other uses, see Zeus (disambiguation). ... This article refers to a mountain in Greece. ... Trojan originally referred to a citizen of the city of Troy (Ilium) made legendary by the Trojan war. ... This article is about a character in Greek mythology. ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Hector (disambiguation). ... This article is about a character in Greek mythology. ...

"The Wrath of Achilles" turns the tide of the war again when his closest friend and possible lover Patroclus is killed in battle by Hector while wearing Achilles' armor. When Nestor informs him, Achilles mourns grievously, tearing out his hair and dirtying his face. During his mourning, his mother Thetis again comes to comfort him. Achilles tells her: A cup depicting Achilles bandaging Patroklos arm, by the Sosias Painter. ... For other uses, see Hector (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... The word may have one of the following meanings. ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... This article is about the Greek sea nymph. ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ...

So it was here that the lord of men Agamemnon angered me.
Still, we will let all this be a thing of the past, and for all our
sorrow beat down by force the anger deeply within us.
Now I shall go, to overtake that killer of a dear life,
Hektor; then I will accept my own death, at whatever
time Zeus wishes to bring it about, and the other immortals.^[7]

In his desire for vengeance Achilles is even willing to accept the prospect of his own death as a reasonable price to avenge his lost friend. The rage of Achilles over the death of Patroclus persuaded him to enter battle again, dooming both Hector and Troy. After killing and wounding numerous Trojans, Achilles finds Hector on the battlefield in Book XXII and chases him around the walls of Troy three times before slaying him. Achilles, in his final show of rage, then drags the body on the back of his chariot back to the Greek camp where he mourns for Patroclus. Achilles later returns the body of Hector to the Trojan king Priam when he secretly infiltrates the Greek camp and begs Achilles for the body of his son. For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... A cup depicting Achilles bandaging Patroklos arm, by the Sosias Painter. ... For other uses, see Hector (disambiguation). ... For other uses of Troy or Ilion, see Troy (disambiguation) and Ilion (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Hector (disambiguation). ... For other uses of Troy or Ilion, see Troy (disambiguation) and Ilion (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... A cup depicting Achilles bandaging Patroklos arm, by the Sosias Painter. ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Hector (disambiguation). ... King Priam killed by Neoptolemus, son of Achilles, detail of an Attic red-figure amphora In Greek mythology, Priam (Greek Πρίαμος, Priamos) was the king of Troy during the Trojan War, and youngest son of Laomedon. ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ...

Achilles Slays Hector, by Peter Paul Rubens, 1630-1635.

Peter Paul Rubens (June 28, 1577 – May 30, 1640) was a prolific seventeenth-century Flemish and European painter, and a proponent of an exuberant Baroque style that emphasized movement, color, and sensuality. ...

Fate

Fate is shown to be a driving force behind many of the events of the Iliad. It is obeyed by both gods and men once it is set, and neither seems able (or willing) to change it. The forming of Fate is unknown, but it is told by The Fates and seers such as Calchas, and mentioned by gods and men throughout the epic. It was considered heroic to accept one's fate honorably and cowardly to attempt to avoid it.[5] However, fate does not predetermine all human action. Instead, it primarily refers to the outcome or end, such as a man's life or a city such as Troy.[6] For instance, before killing him, Hector calls Patroclus a fool for trying to conquer him in battle. Patroclus retorts: For other uses, see Destiny (disambiguation). ... John Strudwick, A Golden Thread, 1885 (oil on canvas). ... In Greek mythology, Kalchas Thestórides (son of Thestor), or Calchas (brazen) for short, a loyal Argive, was a powerful seer, a gift of Apollo: as an augur, Calchas had no rival in the camp (Iliad i, E.V. Rieu translation) Calchas prophesized that in order to gain a favourable... For other uses, see Destiny (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Destiny (disambiguation). ... For other uses of Troy or Ilion, see Troy (disambiguation) and Ilion (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Hector (disambiguation). ... A cup depicting Achilles bandaging Patroklos arm, by the Sosias Painter. ... A cup depicting Achilles bandaging Patroklos arm, by the Sosias Painter. ...

No, deadly destiny, with the son of Leto, has killed me,
and of men it was Euphorbos; you are only my third slayer.
And put away in your heart this other thing that I tell you.
You yourself are not one who shall live long, but now already
death and powerful destiny are standing beside you,
to go down under the hands of Aiakos' great son, Achilleus.^[8]

Here Patroclus alludes to his own fate as well as Hector's to die at the hands of Achilles. Upon killing Hector, Achilles is fated to die at Troy as well. All of these outcomes are predetermined, and although each character has free will in his actions he knows that eventually his end has already been set. A cup depicting Achilles bandaging Patroklos arm, by the Sosias Painter. ... For other uses, see Destiny (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Hector (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Hector (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... For other uses of Troy or Ilion, see Troy (disambiguation) and Ilion (disambiguation). ...

In some places it is ambiguous whether the gods, namely [Zeus], have the ability to alter fate. This situation first appears in Book XVI when Zeus' mortal son, Sarpedon, is about to be slain in battle by Patroclus. Zeus says: For other uses, see Zeus (disambiguation). ... In Greek mythology, Sarpedon referred to several different people. ... A cup depicting Achilles bandaging Patroklos arm, by the Sosias Painter. ... For other uses, see Zeus (disambiguation). ...

'Ah me, that it is destined that the dearest of men, Sarpedon,
must go down under the hands of Menoitios' son Patroclus.^[9]

When Zeus mentions his dilemma to Hera, she answers him: For other uses, see Zeus (disambiguation). ...

'Majesty, son of Kronos, what sort of thing have you spoken?
Do you wish to bring back a man who is mortal, one long since
doomed by his destiny, from ill-sounding death and release him?
Do it, then; but not all the rest of us gods shall approve you.^[10]

When faced with having to decide between losing his beloved son and abiding by fate, even Zeus, the king of the gods, decides to let the matter pass as it has been already decided. This same motif is used again when Zeus contemplates whether to spare Hector, whom he loves and respects. This time, grey-eyed Athena answers him: For other uses, see Zeus (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Zeus (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Hector (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Athena (disambiguation). ...

'Father of the shining bold, dark misted, what is this you said?
Do you wish to bring back a man who is mortal, one long since
doomed by his destiny, from ill-sounding death and release him?
Do it, then; but not all the rest of us gods shall approve you.^[11]

Again Zeus seems able to change fate but does not, choosing instead to abide by the outcomes decided long before that day's events. For other uses, see Zeus (disambiguation). ...

Fate, working in the other direction, spares Aeneas from death at the hands of Achilles. Apollo convinced Aeneas to confront Achilles during battle, although Achilles was too strong to be defeated. Seeing Aeneas outmatched and in peril, Poseidon speaks out among the immortals: Aeneas flees burning Troy, Federico Barocci, 1598. ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Apollo (disambiguation). ... Aeneas flees burning Troy, Federico Barocci, 1598. ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... Aeneas flees burning Troy, Federico Barocci, 1598. ... Neptune in Copenhagen, Denmark. ...

But come, let us ourselves get him away from death, for fear
the son of Kronos may be angered if now Achilleus
kills this man. It is destined that he shall be the survivor,
that the generation of Dardanos shall not die...^[12]

Aeneas has been fated to survive the Trojan War and because of this is saved in battle from Achilles. Although it is unclear whether the gods have the power to change fate, they repeatedly make a conscious effort to maintain fate even in opposition to their personal allegiances. This shows that although its origins are mysterious, fate plays a huge role in the outcome of events in the Iliad. It is the one power that lies even above the gods and shapes the outcome of events more than any other force in the epic. Aeneas flees burning Troy, Federico Barocci, 1598. ... The fall of Troy, by Johann Georg Trautmann (1713–1769). ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ...

The question of fate also hints at the primeval division of the world by the three sons of Cronus, when they toppled their father. Zeus was given the air and sky, Poseidon the waters and Hades the Underworld, where the dead go. The earth per se was given jointly to all three, hence Poseidon may flood it, or convulse it with earthquakes, and Hades is free to roam it and claim those who are to die and descend to his own domain. Furthermore the Three Fates, deities of obscure and possibly far older origin than the Olympian gods, were often shown as having the only say as to the length of the lives of mortals, a matter over which the gods were unable to intervene. Not to be confused with Chronos, the personification of time. ... For other uses, see Zeus (disambiguation). ... Neptune in Copenhagen, Denmark. ... For other uses, see Hades (disambiguation). ... In Greek mythology, the white-robed Moirae or Moerae (Greek Μοίραι – the Apportioners, often called the Fates) were the personifications of destiny (Roman equivalent: Parcae, sparing ones, or Fatae; also equivalent to the Germanic Norns). ...

In the Iliad:

• Greeks killed 188 people.
• Trojans killed 53 people.

The Iliad as oral tradition

The Iliad and the Odyssey were considered by Greeks of the classical age, and later, as the most important works in Ancient Greek literature, and were the basis of Greek pedagogy in antiquity. As the center of the rhapsode's repertoire, their recitation was a central part of Greek religious festivals. The book would be spoken or sung all night (modern readings last around 14 hours), with audiences coming and going for parts they particularly enjoyed. Ancient Greek literature refers to literature written in the Greek language until the 4th century AD. // Wikisource has original text related to this article: an essay on the transition to written literature in Greece This period of Greek literature stretches from Homer until the 4th century BC and the rise... A Mongolian Pedagogical University Graduation Award Badge. ... In classical antiquity, a rhapsode was a professional reciter of poetry, especially the epics of Homer, but also the wisdom-verse of Hesiod and the satires of Archilochus, among others. ...

Throughout much of their history, scholars of the written word treated the Iliad and Odyssey as literary poems, and Homer as a writer much like them. However, in the late 19th century and the early 20th century, scholars began to question this assumption. Milman Parry, a classical scholar, was intrigued by peculiar features of Homeric style: in particular the stock epithets and the often extensive repetition of words, phrase and even whole chunks of text. He argued that these features were artifacts of oral composition. The poet employs stock phrases because of the ease with which they could be applied to a hexameter line. Specifically, Parry observed that Homer complemented each main character's name with a specific stock epithet such that the two-word unit filled half a line. Therefore, he would only ever have to compose afresh half a line – the other half could be automatically completed with a formulaic phrase like “resourceful Odysseus.”^[13] Taking this theory, Parry travelled in Yugoslavia, studying the local oral poetry. In his research he observed oral poets employing stock phrases and repetition to assist with the challenge of composing a poem orally and improvisationally. Parry's line of inquiry opened up a wider study of oral modes of thought and communication and their evolution under the impact of writing and print by Eric Havelock, Marshall McLuhan, Walter Ong and others. In fact, Parry's student Albert Lord, in his landmark work The Singer of Tales, detects similarities between the tragic story of Patroclus and the death of Enkidu in the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh. In the book, Lord refutes the idea that the Patroclus story-line upsets the "established" Homeric pattern of "wrath, bride-stealing, and rescue"^[14] and says that the structure of the Iliad is dictated by "a careful analysis of the repetition of thematic patterns."^[15] This article is about the Greek poet Homer and the works attributed to him. ... Milman Parry (1902 -December 3, 1935) was a scholar of epic poetry. ... Orality can be defined as thought and its verbal expression in societies where the technologies of literacy (especially writing and print) are unfamiliar to most of the population. ... Write redirects here. ... For other uses, see Print. ... Attic cup inscribed with the Greek alphabet. ... “McLuhan” redirects here. ... Walter Ong Walter J. Ong (November 30, 1912 – August 12, 2003) is an educator, academic, and linguist known for his work in Renaissance literary and intellectual history and in contemporary culture as well as for his more wide-ranging studies on the evolution of consciousness. ... Albert Bates Lord was a Professor of Slavic and Comparative Literature at Harvard who, after the untimely death of Milman Parry, carried on that scholars research into epic literature. ... A cup depicting Achilles bandaging Patroklos arm, by the Sosias Painter. ... Enkidu (𒂗𒆠𒆕 EN.KI.DU3 Enkis creation) appears in Sumerian mythology as a mythical wild-man raised by animals. ... Sumer (or Shumer, Sumeria, Shinar, native ki-en-gir) formed the southern part of Mesopotamia from the time of settlement by the Sumerians until the time of Babylonia. ... The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from Babylonia and is among the earliest known literary works. ...

It should be noted, however, that the use of repetition and stock phrases has not necessarily been interpreted as a restriction on Homer's originality and capacity to rework the story as he saw fit. Professor James Armstrong, in his paper The Arming Motif in the Iliad, argues that even formulaic sections of Homer's text contain enriched meaning through illustrative word choice. He points to what he refers to as the “arming motif;” characters such as Paris, Agamemnon, Patroclus, and Achilles are all described while being armed in a formulaic, long-winded fashion. Armstrong writes that this is needed to “heighten the importance of…an impressive moment” while the repetition “creates an atmosphere of smoothness.” Yet each time, he modifies elements of the passages – for example, when describing Patroclus^[16], he changes from a positive to a negative turn of phrase, which Armstrong explains as demonstrating that Patroclus is not Achilles, foreshadowing Patroclus’ death.^[17]

One of the effects that oral tradition has had on the Iliad is that the poem sometimes has inconsistency. For example, Aphrodite is described as “laughter-loving” even when she is in pain from the wound given to her by Diomedes (5.375). Oral tradition has also been a reason attributed for the Iliad's break from the view of the gods the Greeks in Homer's time actually had. In the Iliad, Mycenaean elements have become mixed up with Dark Age elements. For example, the most powerful Olympic gods have been compared to the Dark Ages’ hereditary basilees nobles who ruled over lesser social ranks, paralleling lesser gods like Scamander^[18].

The relationship of Achilles and Patroclus

Main article: Achilles and Patroclus

Achilles and Patroclus.

The precise nature of the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus has been the subject of some dispute in both the classical period and modern times. In the Iliad, it is clear that the two heroes have a deep and extremely meaningful friendship, but the evidence of a romantic or sexual element is equivocal. Commentators from the classical period to today have tended to interpret the relationship through the lens of their own cultures. Thus, in fifth-century Athens the relationship was commonly interpreted as pederastic, since pederasty was an accepted part of Athenian society. Present day readers are more likely to interpret the two heroes either as non-sexual war buddies or as a similarly-aged homosexual couple. Enlarge Achilles bandages the arm of his friend Patroclus. ... Pederasty or paederasty (literally boy-love, see Etymology below) refers to an intimate or erotic relationship between an adolescent boy and an adult male outside his immediate family. ... Homosexuality refers to sexual interaction and / or romantic attraction between individuals of the same sex. ...

Warfare in the Iliad

Even though Mycene was a maritime power that managed to launch over a thousand ships and Troy at the very least had built the fleet with which Paris took Helen,^[19] no sea-battle takes place throughout the conflict and Phereclus, the shipbuilder of Troy, fights on foot.^[20] In Greek mythology, Phereclus was the ship-builder who constructed the boat that Paris used to kidnap Helen. ...

The heroes of the Iliad are dressed in elaborate and well described armor. They ride to the battle field on a chariot, throw a spear to the enemy formation and then dismount, use their other spear and engage in personal combat. Telamonian Ajax carried a large tower-shaped shield (σάκος) that was used not only to cover him but also his brother: For other uses, see Chariot (disambiguation). ... Ajax or Aias (Greek: ) was a mythological Greek hero, the son of Telamon and Periboea and disciple of Salamis. ...

Ninth came Teucer, stretching his curved bow.

He stood beneath the shield of Ajax, son of Telamon.

As Ajax cautiously pulled his shield aside,

Teucer would peer out quickly, shoot off an arrow,

hit someone in the crowd, dropping that soldier

right where he stood, ending his life—then he'd duck back,

crouching down by Ajax, like a child beside its mother.

Ajax would then conceal him with his shining shield.

(Iliad 8.267–272, translated by Ian Johnston)

Ajax's shield was heavy and difficult to carry. It was thus more suited for defence than offence. His cousin Achilles on the other hand had a large round shield that he used along with his famous spear with great success against the Trojans. Round or eight-sided was the shield of the simple soldier. Unlike the heroes they rarely had a breast-plate and relied exclusively on the shield for defence. They would form very dense formations:

Just as a man constructs a wall for some high house,

using well-fitted stones to keep out forceful winds,

that's how close their helmets and bossed shields lined up,

shield pressing against shield, helmet against helmet

man against man. On the bright ridges of the helmets,

horsehair plumes touched when warriors moved their heads.

That's how close they were to one another.

(Iliad 16.213–7, translated by Ian Johnston)

Once Homer actually calls the formation phalanx though the true phalanx formation appears in the 7th century BC.^[21] Was this the way that the true Trojan War was fought? Most scholars do not believe so.^[22] The chariot was the main weapon in battles of the time, like the Battle of Kadesh. There is evidence from the Dendra armor and paintings at the palace of Pylos that the Mycenaeans used two-man chariots, with the principal rider armed with a long spear, unlike the Hittite three-man chariots whose riders were armed with shorter spears or the two-man chariots armed with arrows used by Egyptians and Syrians. Homer is aware of the use of chariots as a main weapon. Nestor places his charioteers in front of the rest of his troop and tells them: For other uses, see phalanx. ... (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium) The 7th century BC started on January 1, 700 BC and ended on December 31, 601 BC. // Overview Events Ashurbanipal, king of Assyria who created the the first systematically collected library at Nineveh A 16th century depiction of the Hanging Gardens of... Belligerents New Kingdom of Egypt Hittite Empire Commanders Ramesses II Muwatalli II Strength 2,000+ chariots[3] and ca. ...

In your eagerness to engage the Trojans,

don't any of you charge ahead of others,

trusting in your strength and horsemanship.

And don't lag behind. That will hurt our charge.

Any man whose chariot confronts an enemy's

should thrust with his spear at him from there.

That's the most effective tactic, the way

men wiped out city strongholds long ago—

their chests full of that style and spirit.

(Iliad 4.301–309, translated by Ian Johnston)

Mythological Characters in the Iliad

Although gods, goddesses, and demi-gods play a large role in the plot of the Iliad, scholars note that the portrayal of gods by Homer represents a break from the ways in which Greeks actually observed their religion. The gods of the Iliad were crafted to suit the author's needs in telling his story instead of to give an ideal representation of how the Greeks viewed their mythological figures. Herodotus, the classical historian, even went so far as to say that Homer and his contemporary, Hesiod, first named and described the characteristics and appearances of the gods.^[23] Herodotus of Halicarnassus (Greek: Hēródotos Halikarnāsseús) was a Greek historian who lived in the 5th century BC (c. ... Roman bronze bust, the so-called Pseudo-Seneca, now identified by some as possibly Hesiod Hesiod (Hesiodos, ) was an early Greek poet and rhapsode, who presumably lived around 700 BC. Hesiod and Homer, with whom Hesiod is often paired, have been considered the earliest Greek poets whose work has survived...

In her book, Greek Gods: Human Lives, scholar Mary Lefkowitz discusses the relevance of the gods' actions in the Iliad and attempts to answer the question of whether their actions are applicable for their own sakes or if they are merely a metaphorical representation of human characteristics. Many classic authors, such as Thucydides and Plato, were only interested in the Homeric characters of gods as "a way of talking about human life rather than a description or a truth."^[24] She argues that, if one looks at the Greek gods as religious elements rather than metaphors, their existence is what allowed Greeks to be so intellectually open. Without any established dogma or single holy book, Greeks could design gods that fit any description of religion.^[25] Mary R. Lefkowitz (born 1935) and Professor Emerita of Classical Studies at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, USA. She earned her B.A. from Wellesley College in 1957, and received her Ph. ... For other uses, see Thucydides (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Plato (disambiguation). ...

The Iliad in subsequent arts and literature

Subjects from the Trojan War were a favourite among ancient Greek dramatists. Aeschylus' trilogy, the Oresteia, comprising Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, and The Eumenides, follows the story of Agamemnon after his return from the war. This article is about the ancient Greek playwright. ... The Oresteia is a trilogy of tragedies about the end of the curse on the House of Atreus, written by Aeschylus. ...

Robert Browning's poem Development discusses his childhood introduction to the matter of the Iliad and his delight in the epic, as well as contemporary debates about its authorship. Robert Browning (May 7, 1812 – December 12, 1889) was a British poet and playwright whose mastery of dramatic verse, especially dramatic monologues, made him one of the foremost Victorian poets. ...

William Shakespeare used the plot of the Iliad as a source material for his play Troilus and Cressida, but focused the love story of Troilus, a Trojan prince and a son of Priam, and a Trojan woman Cressida. The play, often considered to be a comedy, reverses traditional views on events of the Trojan War and depicts Achilles as a coward, Ajax as a dull, unthinking mercenary, etc. Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... For the Chaucer poem, see Troilus and Criseyde. ... For other uses, see Troilus (disambiguation). ... King Priam killed by Neoptolemus, son of Achilles, detail of an Attic red-figure amphora In Greek mythology, Priam (Greek Πρίαμος, Priamos) was the king of Troy during the Trojan War, and youngest son of Laomedon. ... Cressida is a character who appears in many Medieval and Renaissance retellings of the story of the Trojan War. ... The fall of Troy, by Johann Georg Trautmann (1713–1769). ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... Ajax or Aias (Greek: ) was a mythological Greek hero, the son of Telamon and Periboea and disciple of Salamis. ...

The 1954 Broadway musical The Golden Apple by librettist John Treville Latouche and composer Jerome Moross was freely adapted from the Iliad and the Odyssey, re-setting the action to America's Washington state in the years after the Spanish-American War, with events inspired by the Iliad in Act One and events inspired by the Odyssey in Act Two. Musical theater (or theatre) is a form of theater combining music, songs, dance, and spoken dialogue. ... The Golden Apple is a musical adaptation of both the Iliad and Odyssey of Homer, produced both off-Broadway and on- in 1954. ... John Treville Latouche (November 13, 1914 – August 7, 1956) was a musician and writer. ... Jerome Moross (August 1, 1913 - July 27, 1983) was an American stage and film composer and conductor. ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... For the capital city of the United States, see Washington, D.C.. For other uses, see Washington (disambiguation). ... Belligerents United States Republic of Cuba Philippine Republic Kingdom of Spain Commanders Nelson A. Miles William R. Shafter George Dewey Máximo Gómez Emilio Aguinaldo Patricio Montojo Pascual Cervera Arsenio Linares Manuel Macías y Casado Ramón Blanco y Erenas Casualties and losses 385 KIA USA 5,000...

Christa Wolf's 1983 novel Kassandra is a critical engagement with the stuff of the Iliad. Wolf's narrator is Cassandra, whose thoughts we hear at the moment just before her murder by Clytemnestra in Sparta. Wolf's narrator presents a feminist's view of the war, and of war in general. Cassandra's story is accompanied by four essays which Wolf delivered as the Frankfurter Poetik-Vorlesungen. The essays present Wolf's concerns as a writer and rewriter of this canonical story and show the genesis of the novel through Wolf's own readings and in a trip she took to Greece. Christa Wolf (born March 18, 1929 in Landsberg an der Warthe, Germany (currently Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poland) as Christa Ihlenfeld) is one of the best-known writers to emerge from the former East Germany. ...

A number of comic series have re-told the legend of the Trojan War. The most inclusive may be Age of Bronze, a comprehensive retelling by writer/artist Eric Shanower that incorporates a broad spectrum of literary traditions and archaeological findings. Started in 1999, it is projected to number seven volumes. Age of Bronze is a comic book series by writer/artist Eric Shanower which began publication by Image Comics in the late 1990s. ... Age of Bronze issue 12 cover art Eric James Shanower (b. ...

The Washington D.C. based painter, David Richardson, began a series of paintings in 2002 based on the Iliad and titled The Trojan War Series. Each painting in the series is intended to be a monument to a character in the Iliad and bears a name taken from the poem. As of October 2007, Richardson had completed over eighty paintings in the series and was still not finished with the body of work.

Power metal band Blind Guardian composed a 14 minute song about the Iliad, "And Then There Was Silence", appearing on the 2002 album A Night at the Opera. This article is about the sub-genre of heavy metal music. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Band members Vocals and backing vocals: Hansi Kürsch Lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars: André Olbrich Rhythm guitars: Marcus Siepen Drums and percussions: Thomas Thomen Stauch Track listing And then there was Silence (14:07) Harvest of Sorrow (3:39) Multi Media Track: Born in a Mourning Hall (5:17... Not to be confused with A Night at the Opera (Queen album). ...

Power metal band Manowar composed a 28 minute medley "Achilles, Agony and Ecstasy in Eight Parts" in their 1992 album, The Triumph of Steel. Other Metal bands inspired by the epos: Manilla Road "The Fall Of Iliam"; Stormwind "War Of Try"; Virgin Steele composed a Rock opera in two parts called "The Fall Of House Atreus"; Jag Panzer "Achilles"; Arcane "Agamemnon"; Warlord "Achilles Revenge"; Tierra Santa "El Caballo De Troya". This article is about the band. ... Manilla Road is an epic heavy metal band from Wichita, Kansas, forming around its lead singer Mark the Shark Shelton (vocals and guitar). ... Virgin Steele is a Heavy metal band from New York, founded in 1981, but more recently they have displayed progressive and symphonic metal elements. ... Jag Panzer is a power metal band from the United States of America. ... Esotericism refers to knowledge suitable only for the advanced, privileged, or initiated, as opposed to exoteric knowledge, which is public. ... A warlord is a person with power who has de facto military control of a subnational area due to armed forces loyal to the warlord and not to a central authority. ... Tierra Santa is a heavy metal band from La Rioja (Spain), that arises in 1997, formed by Ángel, Arturo, Roberto, Iñaki and Tomy. ...

An epic science fiction adaptation/tribute by acclaimed author Dan Simmons titled Ilium was released in 2003. The novel received a Locus Award for best science fiction novel of 2003. Dan Simmons (born April 4, 1948 in Peoria, Illinois) is an American author most widely known for his Hugo Award-winning science fiction novel Hyperion and its sequel The Fall of Hyperion. ... For other uses, see Ilium. ... The Locus Awards are presented to winners of Locus Magazines annual readers poll, which was established in the early 70s specifically to provide recommendations and suggestions to Hugo Awards voters. ...

A loose film adaptation of the Iliad, Troy, was released in 2004, starring Brad Pitt as Achilles, Orlando Bloom as Paris, Eric Bana as Hector, Sean Bean as Odysseus and Brian Cox as Agamemnon. It was directed by German-born Wolfgang Petersen. The movie only loosely resembles the Homeric version, with the supernatural elements of the story were deliberately expunged, except for one scene that includes Achilles' sea nymph mother, Thetis (although her supernatural nature is never specifically stated, and she is aged as though human). Troy is a movie released on May 14, 2004 about the Trojan War, which is described in Homers Iliad and other Greek myths as having taken place in Anatolia (modern Turkey) around the 13th or 12th century BC. It stars, among others: Brad Pitt as Achilles, Eric Bana as... William Bradley Brad Pitt (born December 18, 1963) is an Academy award-nominated American actor, film producer, and social activist. ... Orlando Jonathan Blanchard Bloom[1] (born 13 January 1977) is an English actor. ... Eric Bana (born Eric Banadinovich on August 9, 1968) is an Australian film and television actor. ... Shaun Mark Bean (born 17 April 1959) is an English film and stage actor. ... For other uses, see Odysseus (disambiguation). ... This article is about the actor. ... This article is about a character in Greek mythology. ... Wolfgang Petersen Wolfgang Petersen (born March 14, 1941 in Emden, Lower Saxony, Germany) is a German film director. ... This article is about the Greek sea nymph. ...

Though the film received mixed reviews, it was a commercial success, particularly in international sales. It grossed $133 million in the United States and $497 million worldwide, placing it in the 50 top-grossing movies of all time.

S.M. Stirling's Island in the Sea of Time series contains numerous characters who are clearly the "original versions" of those appearing in the Iliad; the twentieth-century characters are quite aware of this and make rather frequent reference to it. One, for example, comments that "a big horse ought to be present at the fall of Troy", and another uses the glory that the poem would have brought its protagonists to turn one of them against his master. Stephen Michael Stirling is a Canadian-American science fiction and fantasy author. ...

Translations into English

The Iliad has been translated into English for centuries. George Chapman's 16th century translation was praised by John Keats in his sonnet, On First Looking into Chapman's Homer, and it quickly became a classic of English poetry. Alexander Pope's translation into rhymed pentameter, published in 1715, is also considered to be a major poetic achievement. William Cowper's 1791 version in forceful Miltonic blank verse is highly regarded and is more faithful to the Greek than Chapman or Pope. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... This article is about George Chapman the English literary figure; see George Chapman (murderer) for the Victorian poisoner of the same name. ... Keats redirects here. ... On First Looking into Chapmans Homer is a sonnet by English Romantic poet John Keats (1795-1821), written in October 1816. ... For other uses, see Alexander Pope (disambiguation). ... In poetry, a pentameter is a line of verse consisting of five metrical feet: Be what you can if thus your heart so deem, For more the man will less the foible seem. ...

In his lectures On Translating Homer Matthew Arnold commented on the problems of translating the Iliad and on the major translations available in 1861. Arnold identifies four essential qualities of Homer the poet to which the translator must do justice: Caricature from Punch, 1881: Admit that Homer sometimes nods, That poets do write trash, Our Bard has written Balder Dead, And also Balder-dash On Translating Homer, published in January 1861, was a printed version of the series of public lectures given by Matthew Arnold as Professor of Poetry at... Matthew Arnold Caricature from Punch, 1881: Admit that Homer sometimes nods, That poets do write trash, Our Bard has written Balder Dead, And also Balder-dash Family tree Matthew Arnold (24 December 1822 – 15 April 1888) was an English poet and cultural critic, who worked as an inspector of schools. ...

that he is eminently rapid; that he is eminently plain and direct both in the evolution of his thought and in the expression of it, that is, both in his syntax and in his words; that he is eminently plain and direct in the substance of his thought, that is, in his matter and ideas; and, finally, that he is eminently noble

After a discussion of the meters employed by previous translators, and in other existing English narrative poetry, he argues the need for a translation of the Iliad in hexameters in a poetic dialect, like the original.

In 1870 the American poet William Cullen Bryant published a version in blank verse that Van Wyck Brooks called "simple, faithful" .

There have been several English translations since 1950. Richmond Lattimore's version is "a free six-beat" line for line rendering that explicitly eschews "poetical dialect" for "the plain English of today"; it is more literal than older verse renderings. Robert Fitzgerald strove to situate the Iliad in the musical forms of English poetry and his forceful version is freer; his lines are shorter and this helps to increase the sense of swiftness and energy. Some find Lattimore a bit dull and "plodding", considering Fitzgerald's "voice" to be "sometimes a better reflection of the nuances and connotations in the original Greek than Lattimore's". Robert Fagles and Stanley Lombardo are both bolder in adding dramatic significance to conventional and formulaic Homeric language, but Fagles generally follows the original more closely, while Lombardo has chosen an American idiom that is much more colloquial than the other translations and his gritty "steet verse" style has been critcised by some as being out of tune with the diction of the original. Rodney Merrill's version employs an accentual dactylic hexameter that "by following the Homeric line in its shape as well as its meter" reproduces Homer's combination of sound and sense more accurately than previous verse translations. Richmond Alexander Lattimore (May 6, 1906 - February 26, 1984) was an American poet and translator known for his translations of the Greek classics, especially his versions of the Iliad and Odyssey, still considered superior despite their age. ... For other persons named Robert Fitzgerald, see Robert Fitzgerald (disambiguation). ... Robert Fagles is a Professor of Comparative Literature at Princeton University. ... Stanley Lombardo is a professor of Classics at the University of Kansas. ...

Partial list of English translations

This is a partial list of translations into English of Homer's Iliad. For a more complete list, see English translations of Homer. This is a list of the translations into English of Homers Iliad and Odyssey, listed alphabetically by the translators name, and with the date of first publication. ...

• George Chapman, 1598 and 1615 - verse
• John Ogilby, 1660
• Thomas Hobbes, 1675 - verse: full text
• John Ozell, William Broome and William Oldisworth, 1712
• Alexander Pope, 1713 - verse: full text
• James Macpherson, 1773
• William Cowper, 1791: full text
• Theodore Alois Buckley, 1851 - prose: full text
• Lord Derby, 1864 - verse: full text
• William Cullen Bryant, 1870 - verse
• Walter Leaf, Andrew Lang and Ernest Myers, 1873 - prose: full text
• Samuel Butler, 1898 - prose: full text
• A.T. Murray, 1924 - prose with facing Greek text: full text of translation
• Alexander Falconer, 1933
• Sir William Marris, 1934 - verse
• W.H.D. Rouse, 1938 - prose
• E.V. Rieu, 1950 - prose
• Alston Chase and William G. Perry, 1950 - prose
• Richmond Lattimore, 1951 -verse: full text with interlinear Greek text
• Ennis Rees, 1963 - verse
• Robert Fitzgerald, 1974 - verse
• Martin Hammond, 1987 - prose
• Robert Fagles, 1990 -verse
• Stanley Lombardo, 1997 -verse
• Ian Johnston, 2002 - verse: full text
• Rodney Merrill, 2007 - verse

This article is about George Chapman the English literary figure; see George Chapman (murderer) for the Victorian poisoner of the same name. ... John Ogilby (1600-1676) was a British writer and cartographer. ... Hobbes redirects here. ... John Ozell (? - October 15, 1743) was an English translator and accountant who became an adversary to Jonathan Swift and Alexander Pope. ... William Broome (1689 - 1745) was an English poet and translator. ... For other uses, see Alexander Pope (disambiguation). ... James Macpherson (October 27, 1736–February 17, 1796), was a Scottish poet, known as the translator of the Ossian cycle of poems (also known as the Oisín cycle). ... Portrait of William Cowper attributed to Romney. ... Arms of Edward Smith-Stanley Statue in Parliament Square, London Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, KG, PC (29 March 1799–23 October 1869) was a British statesman, three times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and is to date the longest serving leader of the Conservative... William Cullen Bryant William Cullen Bryant (November 3, 1794 - June 12, 1878) an American romantic poet, journalist, political adviser, and homeopath. ... Walter Leaf (1852 - 1927), English banker and scholar, was born at Norwood, London, on November 26, 1852 and educated at Harrow and Trinity College, Cambridge. ... For the former National Basketball Association player, see Andrew Lang (basketball). ... Samuel Butler Samuel Butler (December 4, 1835 - June 18, 1902) was a British writer best known for his satire Erewhon. ... W. H. D. Rouse (1863-1950) was a pioneering British teacher who advocated the use of the Direct Method of teaching Latin and Greek. ... Dr. E.V. Rieu— in full Emile Victor Rieu (1887–1972)— is best known for his lucid translations of Homer, as editor of Penguin Classics, and for a modern translation of the Gospels, which evolved from his role as editor of a projected Penguin translation of the Bible. ... William G. Perry, Jr. ... Richmond Alexander Lattimore (May 6, 1906 - February 26, 1984) was an American poet and translator known for his translations of the Greek classics, especially his versions of the Iliad and Odyssey, still considered superior despite their age. ... For other persons named Robert Fitzgerald, see Robert Fitzgerald (disambiguation). ... Martin Hammond was educated at Winchester College and Balliol College, Oxford, where he studies Literae Humaniores, the Oxford course in Latin and Greek Literature, Roman and Greek history, Ancient and Modern philosophy. ... Robert Fagles is a Professor of Comparative Literature at Princeton University. ... Stanley Lombardo is a professor of Classics at the University of Kansas. ...

See also

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

The Iliad

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

ΙΛΙΑΣ

• Epic poetry
• Historicity of the Iliad
• Greek mythology
• Odyssey
• Oral tradition
• Homer

Image File history File links Wikisource-logo. ... The original Wikisource logo. ... Image File history File links Wikisource-logo. ... The original Wikisource logo. ... For other meanings of epic, see Epic. ... Map of the Troad (Troas) Map of Bronze Age Greece as described in Homers Iliad The extent of the historical basis of the Iliad has been debated for some time, and recent discoveries have fueled more discussion across several disciplines. ... The bust of Zeus found at Otricoli (Sala Rotonda, Museo Pio-Clementino, Vatican) Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the Ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. ... This article is about Homers epic poem. ... Oral tradition or oral culture is a way of transmitting history, literature or law from one generation to the next in a civilization without a writing system. ... This article is about the Greek poet Homer and the works attributed to him. ...

Notes

is the 128th day of the year (129th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 330th day of the year (331st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

Milan Budimir Cyrillic Милан Будимир (1891 - 1975) the most distinguished Serbian classical scholar, professor of the Faculty of Philosophy, Belgrade University and head of the Department of the Classical philology. ... Gregory Nagy (pronounced Nahjj) is a professor of Classics at Harvard, specializing in Homer and archaic Greek poetry. ... Barry B. Powell is the Halls-Bascom Professor of Classics Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, visiting professor at the University of New Mexico, and author of the widely used textbook Classical Myth (fifth edition, Prentice-Hall, 2006), as well as The Greeks (Prentice-Hall 2005, with Ian Morris... Professor Richard Seaford, from the University of Exeter in England, is a British professor has refused a request to write an article for an academic journal funded by Israeli universities. ... Martin Litchfield West (born 23 September 1937, London, England) is an internationally recognised scholar in classics, classical antiquity and philology. ...

External links

• Iliad, online version of the work by Homer (English).
• Mount Holyoke College The Iliad recited in ancient Greek
• Iliad in Ancient Greek: from the Perseus Project (PP), with the Murray and Butler translations and hyperlinks to mythological and grammatical commentary; via the Chicago Homer, with the Lattimore translation and markup indicating formulaic repetitions
• Links to translations freely available online are included in the list above.
• The Iliad: A Study Guide
• Classical images illustrating the Iliad. Repertory of outstanding painted vases, wall paintings and other ancient iconography of the War of Troy.

• Homer: Iliad Books 1-12, & 13-24, ed. by Monro, 3rd Ed.: © Oxford Univ. Press 1902, parsed interlinear eBook for Palm Handheld

The Perseus Project is a digital library project of Tufts University that assembles digital collections of humanities resources. ... The Epic Cycle (Greek: Επικός Κύκλος) was a collection of Ancient Greek epic poems that related the story of the Trojan War, which includes the Kypria, the Aithiopis, the Little Iliad, the Iliou persis (The Sack of Troy), the Nostoi (Returns), and the Telegony. ... The Cypria is one of the lost sections of the eight volume cycle that told the full story of the Trojan War. ... The Aithiopis (Greek: Αἰθιοπίς; Latin: Aethiopis) is a lost epic of ancient Greek literature. ... The Little Iliad (Greek: Ἰλιὰς μικρά, Ilias mikra; Latin: Ilias parva) is a lost epic of ancient Greek literature. ... The Iliou persis (Greek: ; also known as Iliupersis, esp. ... The Nostoi (Greek: Νόστοι; also known as Nosti in Latin; English: Returns;) is a lost epic of ancient Greek literature. ... This article is about Homers epic poem. ... The Telegony (Greek: Τηλεγόνεια, Telegoneia; Latin: Telegonia) is a lost epic of ancient Greek literature. ...