Iliad Summary

Book 2, ll. 584-862: The Catalogue of Ships. Although this catalogue is an excellent example of the art of the oral poet, it is difficult going for the modern reader who knows little or nothing of the peoples and places mentioned. In essence, it is a list of all the Achaean chieftains who came to fight the Trojans, along with the number of ships each one brought.

Book 5: Aristeia of Diomedes: An aristeia (from aristos, 'best') presents the deeds of a particular hero. Here in book 5 and the beginning of book 6 is the aristeia of Diomedes. After slaying numerous Trojans, Diomedes takes on the gods themselves, scratching Aphrodite's wrist as she tries to rescue her son Aeneus, and then wounding Ares as he is helping the Trojans.

Book 7: Hector fights an inconclusive duel with Telamonian Ajax. The two sides agree to a truce for the burial of the dead. The Greeks indignantly reject a proposal from the Trojans that Paris be allowed to keep Helen if he returns her wealth. Following the advice of Nestor, the Greeks fortify their camp, building a wall fronted by a ditch lined with stakes.

Book 8: Zeus forbids the other gods to take part in the fighting. Although the day's battle is indecisive, the confident Trojans camp on the plain instead of returning behind the city walls. The Greeks are demoralized and withdraw to their now-fortified camp.

Book 10: Unable to sleep, Agamemenon rises and rouses some of the chieftains. Diomedes and Odysseus go out to scout the Trojan positions, and capture a Trojan scout who tells them of a newly arrived Thracian force camped on the Trojan flank. They sneak up on this force, kill the Thracian king and twelve of his men, and ride captured horses back to camp.

Book 11: Encouraged by the success of the night-raid on the Thracians, the Greeks leave their camp in the morning and encounter the Trojans. The fighting initially goes well, especially for Agamemnon. But soon he is wounded and has to leave the fighting; other prominant fighters, such as Diomedes and Odysseus, are also wounded, and the Greeks have to fall back on their camp. Achilles sends his close friend Patroclus to Nestor to ask who has been wounded. Nestor complains of the hard-heartedness of Achilles, and suggests that if Achilles won't enter the fight, Patroclus should ask him if he could borrow his armor and lead the rest of the Myrmidons into battle, so the Trojans would think that they are facing Achilles. On his return, Patroclus encounters a wounded man, and spends some time bandaging his injury.

Book 13: There is desperate fighting along the Greek ships drawn up on the beach; the ships are important because they are the Greeks' means of returning home: If they are burned, the Greeks will be stranded, and probably defeated and slain. Poseidon appears, disguised in human form, and encourages the Greeks. Fighting from a ship with a long pike, Telamonian Ajax keeps Hector in check.

Book 15: Zeus awakens and furiously rebukes Hera. He sends Iris to command Poseidon to withdraw and Apollo to restore Hector. The Trojans attack again, and drive the Greeks back to the ships. Hearing the clamor, Patroclus hastens to Achilles.