Dr. J. Taylor
Iliad
Study Guide
Events leading up to the Trojan War
The Wedding of Peleus and Thetis
Thetis as the Fateful Female
The Golden Apple of Eris
The Judgment of Paris
Greek and Roman Humanities
Leda and the Swan
The Oath of the Suitors
The Abduction of Helen
The Sacrifice of Iphigeneia at Aulis
The Iliad covers
 only a two to three week period during the tenth year of the Trojan War.
 main theme is the Anger of Achilles NOT the Trojan War itself.
II. Identify the following characters. Make sure to indicate whether they are Greek or Trojan.
Agamemnon
Achilles
Hector
Kassandra
Menelaos
Patroklos
Priam
Helenus
Nestor
Paris/Alexandros
Ajax
Kalkas
Helen
Diomedes
Briseis
Hekabe
Chryseis
Chryses
Odysseus
Andromache
Aeneas
Astyanax
Questions for Book I
1. In Book I of the Iliad why are Agamemnon and Achilles arguing?
2. Why does Achilles withdraw from the fighting? When does he say he will return?
3. What does Achilles ask his mother Thetis to do for him?
4. What is Zeus’ response? How does Zeus plan to fulfill Thetis’ request for her son?
Questions from Chapter III
1. How is Paris dressed for battle at the beginning of Book III? What happens when he
challenges any of the Greeks to fight him?
2. Hector suggests that Paris and Menelaos duel for Helen and the return of her dowry. How
does this duel develop? How does it end?
3.Where does Aphrodite find Helen? What does she tell Helen to do?
4. What happens when Helen returns to their apartments in the palace? What does she tell
Paris? What does Paris tell her? How does Book III end?
In Book IV:
What bargain do Zeus and Hera make?
How does the Truce between the Greeks and the Trojans break?
(Note that in Book VII Ajax and Hector duel all day but neither one wins. What does this imply
about any future battles between Hector and Achilles?)
In Book IX:
Why does Agamemnon send a delegation to Achilles?
How does Agamemnon’s speech differ from the one Odysseus delivers to Achilles?
What is Achilles response? Why?
In Book XVI:
Who is most disturbed by the Greek losses?
What arrangement do Achilles and Patroklos make?
What warnings does Achilles give Patroklos?
Note pages 332-3, lines 97-100. What do you think of Achilles’ declaration?
Describe Patroklos’ adventures on the battlefield.
Who stops Patroklos and how?
How does book XVI end?
In Book XXI, Skim this book to see Achilles’ descent into the abyss of human degradation. He
has lost respect for life, and even for HONOR. He is a killing machine. His anger is like Hera’s.
Note the description of him wishing to eat the Trojans. Note also that Zeus has opened up the
battle to the gods. They may interfere, as they like. Note in Book XXI – Pages 419-421, lines
35-135. Note Achilles’ rage at Lykaon, another of Hektor’s brothers. Lykaon was captured by
Achilles in the early years of the war, and then sold into slavery. He is finally returning to Troy.
Unfortunately he picked the wrong day.)
In Book XXII:
Who waits for Achilles at the gates of Troy?
What happens when Achilles approaches Hektor?
Who tricks Hector to fight?
What does Hector ask of Achilles? What is Achilles’ response?
What does Hector predict as he lays dying?
What does Achilles do to Hektor’s body? Why?
(Note that Greeks were responsible for burying the dead. If a friend or family member died, they
should receive honorable burial. The usual situation in wartime is to ransom back the bodies of
the dead to their families. Leaving a body unburied is a grave insult and prevents the shade of
that person from entering Hades. Book XXIII Achilles holds funeral games for Patroklos while
the Trojans stay in their city. Every day Achilles hooks Hektor’s body up to his chariot and
drags it across the plains of Troy. Patroklos’ shade appears to Achilles and asks for release
because his body has not been buried yet either. The gods also send a warning through Thetis
that Achilles’ actions are displeasing to the gods; Hector was an honorable warrior. Achilles
should beware of the anger of the gods if he does not desist.)
In Book XXIV
Who helps Priam get in to the Greek camp? How?
What does Priam ask of Achilles, and why does he say that he is even more pitiful than Achilles’
own father?
What happens to Achilles as he listens to Priam, sees his grief, and remembers his own father
and his own recent bereavement?
What arrangement do the two make concerning Hektor and his funeral?
Who puts Hektor’s body in the back of the wagon? Is it dressed or left naked?
Why does Hermes make Priam leave the Greek camp before morning?
What is the reaction of the Trojan women?
Things to note: The Iliad ends when Achilles’ anger ends.
Iliad Outline
Greek and Roman Humanities
Book I – The priest Chryses fails in his attempt to ransom his daughter Chryseis. Plague strikes
Achaean camp. Kalkas warns of Apollo’s displeasure. Achilles and Agamemnon quarrel.
Achilles withdraws from fighting. Zeus promises Thetis that the Achaeans will lose to the
Trojans until Achilles’ honor is restored.
Book II – Zeus sends a false dream to Agamemnon. Ag. tests his men and almost loses them.
Odysseus restores order and quells the mutiny of Thersites. Catalogue of ships, catalogue of
Trojan allies. Muses invoked.
Book III – Paris and Menelaos duel. Aphrodite rescues Paris from battlefield. Helen ID’s the
Achaean warriors for Priam from the walls of Troy. Paris is safely ensconced in bedchamber
with Helen who berates him then ends up in bed.
Book IV – Zeus and Hera’s agreement: city for a city. Athena has Trojan break truce by
shooting at Menelaos, who is protected by the goddess from serious injury. Fighting breaks out.
Book V – Diomedes’ Aristeia. Ares helps the Trojans succeed. Hera receives permission from
Zeus to send Athena to help the Achaeans. Diomedes with the “help” of Athena wounds Ares
and Aphrodite.
Book VI – Glaucus and Diomedes decide not to fight each other b/c of Guest-Host Relationship.
Exchange armor. Hector returns to the city to have women pray to Athena, and to fetch Paris.
Visits with Hekabe, Helen, and his wife Andromache.
Book VII – Hector challenges Achaeans to single combat. Fights Aias (Ajax). Stalemate. Paris
offers to return Helen’s dowry but not Helen herself to the Achaeans, they refuse. Truce to burn
the dead is declared. Greeks build wall around the ships.
Book VIII – Gods’ Assembly, Zeus forbids intervention. Diomedes fights, rescues Nestor.
Achaeans are routed. Trojans make camp outside city walls.
Book IX – Agamemnon is willing to give Briseis back to Achilles plus many other gifts if he’ll
come back. Odysseus, Ajax, and Phoinix act as envoys to Achilles. Tell him Agamemnon’s
offer. Achilles refuses. Reveals his double destiny: Stay at Troy – die, but have great Kleos,
Return Home – Live long, but little Kleos.
Book X – Spy episode. Diomedes and Odysseus spy on Trojan camp. Catch Trojan sent to spy
on Achaean camp. Learn placement of Trojan allies.
Book XI – Fighting. Ag. wounded. Hektor’s Aristeia, wounds Diomedes. Odysseus wounded
but rescued by Menelaos and Ajax. Nextor’s compromise – Achilles should let Patroklos wear
his armor and lead his men as reinforcements into battle.
Book XII – Terrible fighting. Hector breaks through defensive wall, threatens ships with fire.
Book XIII – Poseidon, disguised as Kalkas, encourages Achaeans. More terrible fighting.
Book XIV – Hera borrows Aphrodite’s aphrodisiac belt and seduces Zeus. He falls asleep and
Poseidon intervenes directly for the Achaeans.
Book XV – Zeus awakens, recalls Poseidon. Predicts the death of Hector. Hector attacks the
ship of Ajax.
Book XVI – Zeus’ son Sarpedon killed. Patroklos enters war in Achilles’ armor. Aristeia.
Drives Trojans back to city. Killed by Hector after predicting Hektor’s death. Hector takes
Achilles’ armor from Patroklos’ body.
Book XVII – Achaeans and Trojans fight over Patroklos’ body. Achaeans are successful.
Achilles is told. RAGE!!
Book XVIII – Achilles mourns for Patroklos’ death. Thetis gets him new armor from
Hephaestos.
Book XIX – Agamemnon apologizes to Achilles, blames anger on goddess Ate’. Gives back
Briseis and gifts. Achilles wants to fight but Ag. insists that his men need food and rest.
Book XX – Zeus summons all the gods to assembly and allows free intervention on either side.
Achilles fights as one deranged. No mercy or compassion, a mere instrument of death.
Book XXI – Achilles kills many, fights with the river god, Skamandros.
Book XXII – Hector faces Achilles before the walls of Troy. They race around the city walls
three times. Hector is tricked to stop and fight by Athena in disguise as his brother. Achilles
kills Hector, who predicts Achilles own imminent death. Achilles desecrates Hektor’s body.
Book XXIII – Funeral games held for Patroklos. P’s shade appears to Achilles in a dream, asks
for release. Thetis warns son of gods’ displeasure over desecration of Hektor’s body.
Book XXIV – Priam mourns Hector. Hermes guides Priam into Achaean camp (at night) to
ransom back Hektor’s body. Achilles is touched by the old age of Priam and his grief over his
son. Achilles regains sense of compassion. Returns Hektor’s body and grants twelve day truce
for funeral. Priam returns to Troy with his sad burden and family mourns.