Study notes: The Iliad
In the tenth year of the Trojan War, the Greek hero Achilles quarrels with King Agamemnon and refuses to fight. Without him the Greeks start losing, until tragedy brings Achilles back for his duel with the Trojan prince Hector. Samuel Butler's clear prose translation.
Themes
Anger and pride. Honor and friendship. The cost of war.
People to follow
Achilles, Agamemnon, Hector, Patroclus, Priam, and the gods.
Talk about
- Why is Achilles so angry?
- Is Hector a hero too?
- What does the ending say about mercy?
Public-domain text. First published in 1898; Samuel Butler died in 1902, so this text is in the public domain in the US, Canada, the EU and India. Summary and notes written by ViralScopeHub.