Study Questions	Help in Reading
Introduction	Helpful Film Clips:  The situation as Book I begins The war as viewed by the feature film Troy (Two trailers are available. The first is linked to the opening page, but there is also a link to "The First Theatrical Trailer" just after you enter the Flash site.)
Book I	Prose Translation of Book I with Annotations
Book VI	Prose Translations of the entire poem:  Loeb   Butler
Book VIII	Summary       Character List
Book IX	Why the Iliad is all too relevant today  (Also note the game farther down the page.)
Book XXII	Search Encyclopedia Mythica (Here you can search for information on characters and places.  Or go to the site's home page to explore for more.)
Book XXIV	Book One Read Aloud in Greek  (If you have RealPlayer, you can hear Prof. Stanley Lombardo read.  The site also has a useful introduction to the poem.)

Introduction:  

1. What two great poems are attributed to Homer? What do we know about Homer? (Be sure to distinguish what we know from what has traditionally been said.)
2. What is the subject of the Iliad? What attitude does the poem take toward it? (Pay attention to what the editors say, but also form your own opinions as you read.)
3. According to the introduction, what "tragic action" is the "the center of the poem"?

   The Encyclopedia Mythica has an article that will give you background on Achilles. (Notice that this article summarizes his whole life, not just the action of the Iliad.) You can click on the names in blue to go to articles about other characters like Thetis.

   Several other links on the class links page will help you with the Iliad. Click here to go there.

   Book I:

4. As the poem begins, whom does the poet ask to sing? What is the subject of the poem or song to be?
5. With whom does Achilles quarrel? What god's anger caused the situation that led to the quarrel? Why is the god angry?
6. Who are the two brothers who command the Achaean (Greek) army?
7. A plague has struck the Greek army. How is it described? (See ll. 50-60.) (Note: The abbreviation "ll." means "lines." Similarly, "l." means "line.")
8. What must the Greeks do to placate Apollo?
9. What compensation does Agamemnon demand?
10. Who stops Achilles from drawing his sword on Agamemnon? (Why is this particularly appropriate?) Do the others know what really happens?
11. Where do the gods live? (See ll. 50-51 and 260-61 as well as later references.)
12. What revenge does Achilles swear he will have?
13. Who tries to make peace? Is he successful?
14. What does Agamemnon order the heralds Talthybius and Eurybates to do? Are they able to do it? Why?
15. To whom does Achilles complain? What does he say? Does it seem to be acceptable for a hero to weep? Why does he want the Greeks (his own side) to begin losing the war?
16. Where does Thetis say Zeus and the other gods have gone? What will she ask when they return?
17. How do the Achaeans worship Apollo when they take Chryseis home?
18. What happens when Thetis goes to Zeus?

    Thought Questions: Do Achilles and Agamemnon sound very mature as they quarrel? What position do women and even goddesses seem to occupy in the world Homer describes? (Consider the treatment and depiction of Chryseis and Briseis and the interaction of Zeus with his wife Hera.)

    Book VI: [The first two questions apply to material not assigned in S2006.]

19. When Hector returns to Troy, where does he go first? Who are Priam and Hecuba?
20. What does Hector tell the queen and older noblewomen to do? Are their prayers heard?
21. Who is Paris? How does he behave in this book? Who is Helen? How does she seem to regard her own actions and those of her "husband" Paris?
22. Whom does Hector look for when he leaves Paris? Describe the scene when they meet, especially when Scamandrius/Astyanax (two names for the same child) is frightened of Hector. What plea must Hector refuse? What fate does he foresee for his wife? (Notice that this foreshadows events beyond the poem, which does not depict the end of the war.)

    Thought Questions: How does the world we glimpse in Troy--a city threatened by war, but still the world of home and peace--contrast with the war camp of Book I? What place do women occupy in this world? (Notice Hector's reaction when his wife is not at home.)

     Book VIII:

23. How does Homer describe the battlefield at night?

    Thought Question: This epic simile is famous for its beauty. What is it doing in the middle of a poem about war and grief?

    Book IX:

24. What condition are the Greeks and Agamemnon in? Who is among them (l. 2)?
25. Who accuses Agamemnon of cowardice? (True or not, is this a helpful speech?)
26. What wise advice does Nestor give? Later, what plan does he suggest, and how does Agamemnon respond? What gifts does he offer?
27. Who are the 3 ambassadors Agamemnon sends (with the heralds Odius and Eurybates) to Achilles?
28. What friend has remained with Achilles?
29. How are the ambassadors received? Which of them speaks first? (Notice the warnings he gives in ll. 292-312.) What arguments of his own does he add to Agamemnon's offer (ll. 363-71)?
30. What is Achilles' answer? (Does this make sense logically? Does it make sense emotionally?)
31. What two fates were offered to Achilles? What does he say he will do?
32. What persuasions does Phoenix offer? What warnings does he give Achilles? Why is he particularly likely to influence Achilles?
33. Who was Meleager? What finally persuaded him to fight?
34. How does Achilles respond to Phoenix?
35. What does Ajax say when it is his turn?
36. What do the Greeks decide they must do?

    Thought Question: Is Achilles behaving wisely?

    NOTE: Be sure you read the summary at the end of Book IX. What has happened to Achilles' friend Patroclus? (This is very important to the plot.)

    Book XXII: [Not assigned in S2006.]

    Having been given new armor by his mother, Achilles rejoins the battle. Read the summary just before Book XXII to see what happened next.

37. Why can't Achilles kill the speaker who taunts him at the beginning of Book XXII? Is this speaker heroic? Why or why not?
38. Who tries to persuade Hector to come back inside the city walls? How does this person feel about Achilles? What fate does he expect for himself? Who else also begs Hector to come in? Why doesn't he come inside?
39. What does Hector do when Achilles approaches him? To what does Homer compare them (ll. 166-70 and ll. 225-29)? Does this mean Hector is not a great warrior (ll. 189-90)?
40. What conversation occurs among the gods at this point? Who comes to intervene in the battle? Whom does she favor? Meanwhile, who strengthens Hector?
41. What happens when Zeus brings out his scales? What does this mean? What two things does Athena do next? Who does she pretend to be?
42. What oath does Hector swear? Does Achilles agree?
43. Why doesn't "Deiphobus" help Hector? What does Hector know when this happens? What resolution does he make? What weapons do he and Achilles have at this point?
44. Whose armor is Hector wearing?
45. What final request does Hector make? How does Achilles reply?
46. How do the Greeks insult Hector's body? How does Achilles treat it? (This action would probably seem even more horrible to Homer's audience than it does to us.) Can you guess what Homer's attitude toward these actions is?
47. How do Hector's parents and the city react? Where has Hector's wife (Andromache) been all this time? How does she learn what has happened?

    Thought Questions: a. What do you think of Achilles at this point? b. What do you think of Hector?

    Book XXIV:

    [Hector is dead, killed by Achilles in Book XXII, and now Achilles is desecrating his body.]

48. What are the Greeks and Achilles doing as Book XXIV begins? What does Achilles do to relieve his grief? (Notice the realistic description of how it feels to toss and turn at night.)
49. What is Apollo doing at this point? How are the other gods responding to Achilles' actions?
50. How long has Hector been dead?
51. What decree does Zeus make?
52. What fate awaits Achilles? (See ll. 106-07 and also Book XXII, ll. 422-24.)
53. What is Zeus's plan?
54. How does Priam react to Iris's message? What kind of ransom does he load into his wagon? (Why do you think he speaks to his living sons as he does?)
55. How does Hecuba react? What omen does Zeus send?
56. Whom does Zeus send to escort Priam? (Who does this guide pretend to be?)
57. What are Achilles' men called (l. 469)? (See also l. 529.)
58. What condition is Hector's body in? Why isn't it much worse?
59. What advice does Hermes give Priam?
60. What is Achilles doing when Priam arrives? (Look back at ll. 157-59. Apparently Achilles has listened to his mother.)
61. How does Priam approach Achilles? Whom does he ask Achilles to remember? (Read this passage carefully.)
62. How does Achilles respond?
63. According to Achilles, how are gods and humans different (ll. 613-14)? (Consider Thetis. Is Achilles' statement here entirely accurate?)
64. Why is Achilles careful to care for the body before giving it to Priam? (Do you think Achilles has learned anything about his own rage?)
65. How much time (and for what) does Achilles promise to give Priam and the Trojans before the battle begins again?
66. What effect does the mention of Briseis in l. 794 have on the reader?
67. Who persuades Priam to leave early? Why?
68. How do the Trojans receive Hector's body?
69. What fates does Andromache foresee for herself and her son? What two other women make speeches to mourn for Hector?
70. How does the Iliad end? (Memorize this line.)