Summary of the Iliad

The Iliad It is a Greek literary work written between the 9th and 8th centuries BC. J.C.

HOMER'S BIOGRAPHY

Seven cities disputed the honor of his birth, but it is known that he came from Asia Minor, he said from Ionia. Herodotus says that Homer still lived in 850 BC. C.
He is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, Homer's existence has sometimes been denied, or that he was the creator of The Iliad and the Odyssey.

THEME

The Iliad it deals with the anger of Achilles, the siege of Troy and the death of Hector.

SUMMARY OF THE ILIADA:

The Iliad begins with a singular verse that says:
Sing, oh Muse! The wrath of the pale Achilles that caused infinite sorrows to the Achaeans and hurled many brave souls of heroes to Hades. The will of Zeus was carried out since they separated, disputing the atrid Agamemnon and the divine Achilles.

Agamemnon, in one of his many raids to plunder the neighboring towns, seizes Criselda, daughter of Crises, priest of Apollo. The offended god brings down a deadly plague on the Greek people, but the augurs consult the gods and order the captain general to return his prey. The one who demands it most strongly is Achilles. Agamemnon accepts, but instead, the king of the Myrmidons must deliver him to Briseida, a woman whom the pale one loves tenderly. Faced with this injustice, Achilles refuses to fight and locks himself in his tent.

Thetis, nymph of the sea and mother of Achilles, asks Zeus for revenge and he pleases her with it, making numerous Achaean princes succumb and decreeing the victory of the Trojans.
The defeat is catastrophic. Even Agamemnon thinks of returning to Greece, it is then that Pallas incites Odysseus to exhort the Greeks to pre-continue in combat. Patroclus, a close friend of Achilles, reproaches him for his refusal to take part in the fight and all he gets is the loan of the demigod's weapons and soldiers. When Patrocio leaves, the Trojans confuse him and flee in terror. He confronts Hector, crown prince and chief general of Ilion, who after a brief combat kills him.
When Achilles learns of the sad fate of his friend and of the loss of his weapons, he weeps bitterly and his mother obtains new weapons and armor for her son from Hephaestus. Dressed in the new equipment, Achilles runs to the battlefield causing great excitement among the Trojans. At last, he meets Hector who soon dies under the enraged action of the King of the Mirmidores.

Priamo, heartbroken by the death of his favorite son, goes to Achilles to claim the corpse to pay him the honors due to his quality. Zeus advises benevolence and the victor agrees to avoid the wrath of the gods. The old king returns to the city where the body is cremated with the traditional funeral games.

SHAPE

The Iliad It consists of 24 rhapsodies or songs, written in hexameter verses, characteristic of Greek narrative poetry. Lasts 51 days.

ANALYSIS MAIN CHARACTERS

Achilles: Son of Thetis and Peleus, the bravest and strongest of the Achaeans, encouraging his people.
Agamemnon: Son of Atreus, king of Argos and Mycenae, brother of Menelaus and captain general of the Greek army against Troy. Called Atrida.
Hector: The most outstanding of the Trojan warriors. With his funeral ends The Iliad.
Diomedes: One of the bravest warriors. In one combat he wounded Ares himself.
Paris: Son of Príamo and Hécuba. Elena's Raptor.
Odysseus: King of Ithaca, the most cunning of the Achaeans.