Achilles routs the trojans and splits their ranks, pursuing half of them into the river known to the gods as xanthus and to the mortals as. This lesson will summarize the action in book 10 of homers the iliad. This video provides an indepth summary and analysis of the plot, characters and themes of book 22 of homers epic poem the iliad. The original is, daughter of altes, who ruled over the leleges. Achilles is the main character, and his inaction, or withdrawal from the fighting, is crucial to the plot. That way i have something that looks nice displayed before, during and after i have read it. The iliad gives a detailed poetic description of the war of troy and expounds the battle and the events during the weeks of quarrels between king agamemnon and warrior achilles. As achilles exults over lycaons body, the river god xanthus gets more angry. Quotes in the iliad with examples and analysis literary devices. Achilles knows that his time short, and that patroclus death is one of the last meaningful events in his life. Diomedes battles fiercely, and athena convinces ares that they both should stand aside and let the mortals battle it out on their own. Achilles singlehandedly splits the trojan forces, driving one half towards the city and one half into the river. Pdf downloads of all 1297 litcharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. Questions 21 30 questions 31 40 questions 41 50 things you didnt know suggested reading cite this study guide.
Ultimately it leads to his downfall, and, because he is troys greatest warrior, the downfall of the city itself even though this is only foreshadowed, not depicted, in the iliad. The deaths of sarpedon and patroklos in this book introduce an elegiac tone into the last part of the iliad, as the characters that the reader sees. Achilles is displaying his exploits on the battlefield after killing trojans. The iliad is about the trojan war, but it is primarily about the war as it is affected by achilles wrath, or anger. By the end of book 21, the trojans are able to retreat to. The iliad of homer popebook 21 wikisource, the free. In a way, the odyssey is a sequel to homer s iliad, a poem about the decadelong trojan war. He inspires asteropaeus with the courage to stand up to achilles. Achaeans thus against ilius to fight the trojans fasting, for the. See the analysis on book ix for a discussion of these terms.
Achilles has killed so many men that his actions are beginning to upset the natural order of things as represented by the river. Its old, yes, but the content of the iliad is 50% carnage and 50% greek gods being so bored of their fancyshmancy existence on mt. Achilles is among them in the swirling waters, and he is. The rest bethought them of supper and of sweet sleep, to take their fill thereof.
Xanthus protest to achilles is a sign of achilles immense power. Brave menelaus son of atreus now came to know that patroclus had fallen, and made his way through the front ranks clad in full armour to bestride him. Book 15 book 16 book 17 book 18 book 19 book 20 book 21. He is a complex warrior who sometimes ignores the cultural norms of his society. Learn more about the iliad with a detailed plot summary and plot diagram. Book 21 achilles routs the trojans and splits their ranks, pursuing half of them into the river known to the gods as xanthus and to the mortals as scamander. In book 24 of homers the iliad, priam of troy goes to the myrmidon camp and asks achilles for hectors body. Homer, iliad book 16 theoi classical texts library. Little ajax knows then that some god has spoken to them, and the aeantes spirits rise.
He seems to be irritated that so many other gods have played a role in the battle between the greeks and the trojans. The iliad and the odyssey are two books that i have always wanted to read. Achilles chases the man he believes to be agenor, but soon apollo reveals himself to achilles, taunting him for chasing a god. The oldest extant works of western literature, homer s the iliad and the odyssey are an important part of the greek culture. Both odysseus and old nestor two of his commanders attempt to maintain agamemnons authority because they recognize that. Zeus is pleased with the progress of the war, and he leaves the battlefield. Menelaus, son of atreus, dear to ares, was no sooner aware of patroclus loss to the trojans than he thrust his way to the front, and pushing past the warriors clad in bright bronze, straddled the dead man as a heifer stands lowing plaintively over its first born calf. Chapter summary for homers the iliad, book 6 summary. The iliad doesnt pull any punches in its portrayal of mortality. A classical oratory consisted of prescribed sections. And yes, yesits also one of the most famous epic poems ever written. This is one of the few times when this happens, and it is interesting that hektor says it out of excitement wanting the moment to last forever instead of despair at a moment passing. Poseidon comes down to the battlefield and takes the form of calchas the seer.
Homers epic poem the iliad tells the story of the trojan war and the epic heroes and gods, including achilles, hector, odysseus, athena, ares. Furthermore, the rivers flow is dynamic, mirroring the way in which achilles swiftly dispatches his enemies. See the conflicts in book 1, first between mortals and then between the gods. Homer builds parallels throughout the iliad in which an event in one group is mirrored in a scene of another group. Find a summary of this and each chapter of the iliad. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in the iliad, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Murray 1 then was the gathering broken up, and the folk scattered, each man to go to his own ship. As i am a bit picky with books, i prefer to wait until i can get a presentable hardback before i purchase it. His courage, along with apollos deception, buys the city of troy a little more time. Then ulysses said, achilles, godlike and brave, send not the. Therefore, when athena tells achilles not to draw his sword to kill agamemnon, the speaker is actually one side of achilles brain. Tweet about the iliad book notes email the iliad book notes to a friend share the iliad book notes on facebook. Jaynes sees the iliad as a book dealing with premodern minds. Achilles rages against the trojans, slaughtering huge numbers. Summary and analysis of book 24 of homers iliad, with a focus on the ransom of hectors body. Hera sends a mist to confuse and slow the retreat of the men going back towards the city. The epic poem ends with the trojans burying hector.
This lesson will summarize book 21 of homers the iliad, which finds achilles battling a river and many other gods joining the fight. Book 8 of homers the iliad opens with zeus having a bit of a tantrum. Achilles follows the trojans into the river, hacking them to pieces with his sword. The fact that achilles disobeys a god also heightens the sense of achilles glory. Athena temporarily gives diomedes, son of king tydeus of argos, unmatched battle prowess. Themes and colors key litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in the iliad. The battle is fierce, deaths reported by the speaker, as different trojans and greeks fight. Chapter summary for homers the iliad, book 5 summary.
Thus disguised, he encourages the two aeantes great ajax and little ajax, when they are named as a pair and gives them new strength before he flies away. Half of the trojan forces are sitting ducks in the river xanthus. It is a curious fact about the iliad that, for all its focus on the theme of death, it rarely shows characters longing for immortality. Even though hektors pride helps to make him a brave warrior, it can also cloud his judgment.
He has made a fatal decision, and the deaths of sarpedon, patroklos, hektor, achilles himself, and the fall of troy all inevitably follow. Crippled smith of the gods, lord of the forge and fire. Chapter summary for homers the iliad, book 9 summary. The reference is obscure, or, one might even say, nonexistent. Homers epic poem the iliad tells the story of the trojan war and the epic heroes and gods, including achilles, hector, odysseus, athena, ares, paris. In fact, in book 20, hades, god of the underworld, is terrified that poseidon will crack open a hole in the earth, and then everyone will see how gross it is down. Book 10 involves both the greek and trojan sides sending out spies during the night. There, redhaired menelaus stood grasping his handy roundshield and his spear. As a cow stands lowing over her first calf, even so did yellowhaired menelaus bestride.
In book 7, the desires and actions of achaeans and trojans mirror each other in many ways. On the riverbank, achilles mercilessly slaughters lycaon, a son of priam. Homer, iliad book 24 theoi classical texts library. Agamemnon inherited the role of king from his father, and his community expects him, as king, to stabilize society, arbitrate disputes, and call council meetings and assemblies. Not only is death in battle depicted as extremely painful and gruesome, there isnt any rosy afterlife to look forward to.
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