Iliad Questions and Answers
Iliad
To what extent is the presentation of Helen in Homer's Iliad consistent with the traditional portrayal of women in...
Helen has a small role in the Iliad, and it is largely consistent with how women are traditionally portrayed in literature. First, we see her primarily through male eyes. She is defined by her...
Iliad
Book 12 is the Iliad's halfway mark. Does this seem like the middle of something? What do you think will happen next?...
Let's begin by thinking about what we have discovered in the first twelve books of Homer's Iliad. For one thing, we discover the reasons behind the Trojan War. Paris of Troy has made off with...
Iliad
What caused the Trojan War?
According to the Iliad, the Trojan War was initiated by the abduction of Helen, the queen of Sparta, by Paris, a Trojan prince. Paris and Helen's entanglement began when Paris was called upon by...
Iliad
How would Homer define Fate?
Fate is a very powerful force in Homer's Iliad. As in all Greek epics, the role of the gods is paramount in the Iliad, and it is difficult to separate their will from the idea of fate more...
Iliad
In book 12 of the Iliad, how do the Trojans interpret the omen of the eagle with the snake? What does the fighting...
In Book 12 of The Iliad, the Trojans interpret the sight of the eagle dropping the blood-red snake after being attacked by it as an omen that the Achaeans still have some fight left in them. The...
Iliad
I'm having trouble developing a thesis for a research paper based on a historical view of the movie Troy. Any...
You might first want to do some research comparing the outline of Homer's The Iliad to the movie Troy. We know, for example, that the directors of the movie went to great lengths in order to...
Iliad
In the Iliad, how is Achilles responsible for Hector's death? How would I start the intro and thesis for this...
From one perspective, the answer is very easy. Achilles is responsible for the death of Hector, because he killed him. If we probe a little deeper, we can say a few more things. 1. Achilles...
Iliad
Much of what happens in the ancient world of the Iliad seems to be beyond the control of mere mortals. Is there...
It can often seem as if everything is preordained in the Iliad, but there are many places where individuals exercise free will or can make their own choices. Achilles is a case in point. He is...
Iliad
The main cause of this war is Helen, but does Homer tell what happened to Helen at the end of war? Does she remain in...
In the words of Christopher Marlowe, she was the "face that launched a thousand ships." Helen of Troy was certainly one of the most desired women in all history (in fact and myth). Abducted when...
Iliad
How does the god Apollo help hector kill Achilles' best friend Patroclus?
In "The Iliad," usually attributed to Homer, Achilles is a great hero among the Achaeans. At the beginning of the epic, he refuses to help the Achaeans fight agains Troy because he is angry at the...
Iliad
Explain Agamemnon's participation in Homer's Iliad.
Homer’s Iliad begins with the kidnapping of Helen, the beautiful wife of Menelaus. The King of the Achaians happens to be Agamemnon, the brother of Menelaus. Loyalty to his brother forces Agamemnon...
Iliad
Through the motifs of anger, revenge, and sorrow. Homer reveals the gods imperfections and emotions and how they...
This is a good thesis, but there are a few weaknesses that you need to consider. First, you should ask whether anyone would disagree with you? I think the answer is no one. Everyone already knows...
Iliad
What effects does war have on the human heart and society?
Like so much in Homer, the Iliad depicts a complex relationship between war and its effect on people. On one hand, war is depicted as an issue of glory. Achilles fights for the glory of his name...
Iliad
Why does Agamemnon urge the Achaeans to return to Greece?
You can find the answer to this in book 9, when the Achaeans have been routed by the Trojans and beaten back to their ships (which the Trojans plan to set fire to, trapping the Achaeans on the...
Iliad
What does the epic show about human beings in the face of tragedy?
Homer's Iliad helps to define tragedy as the collision between separate courses of action that are equally desirable, but ultimately incompatible. This can be seen best in Hector. The Prince of...
Iliad
Discuss the significance of the Gods' intervention in Achilles' reintegration into the war in The Iliad.
Essentially, the Gods' intervention in Achilles' reintegration is prompted by the appeal to Achilles' intense despair over the death of Patroklos. The Olympians recognize that this is a...
Iliad
Explain what is meant by the following: 'If the prediction of Cassandra were considered, the fall of Troy could be...
Cassandra, the daughter of Priam and Hecuba, and the sister of Hector and Paris/Alexander, made a number of predictions before the Trojan War and during the course of the war. Therefore, answering...
Iliad
Do you think Homer's Iliad is an exploration of love? Give evidence to support your answer.
One theme of the Iliad is an exploration of love. For example, Hector shows love for his wife, Andromache, and their very young son, Astyanax, as he (Hector) goes off to fight. Andromache shows her...
Iliad
Does anyone know the roles of the wives of the lliad?
For the most part, I think that the role of the wives in the Iliad is to explore the domestic realm and to expose the pull of the personal in the collision between desire and duty. Homer's...
Iliad
What are the flaws of the heroic system seen by Achilleus in book 9? What is Achilleus' viewpoint on the heroic...
This is an interesting question. Book 9 is a major turning point in the story. We read about Agamemnon finally apologizing and sending gifts to Achilles (including the return of Briseis, the...
Iliad
What does the title of book 8 of the Iliad mean?
I'm not sure each book has one simple meaning. The purpose of all the books is really to focus on Achilles and Agamemnon's disagreements and how that plays a role in the entire war and the outcome...
Iliad
In book 18, how do lines 1–275 deepen the poet's most important themes concerning fate, character, and ultimate hero?
Book 18 allows readers to see more layers to the character of Achilles. He is not just a fierce warrior, but a man who loves in the truest sense of the word. His reaction to the death of...
Iliad
In Homer's Iliad, how much help did the goddesses give to the Greeks and Trojans during this war?
Aphrodite bribes Paris in order to get the apple by offering him Helen as a reward. She helps him abduct or seduce Helen. In Book 3, she saves Paris by physically interfering in a battle. She...
Iliad
In Homer's Iliad, what is timê a reference to?
Can you please tell me what the Book #/line # is and what translation you are using? I remembered the Greek: Time with the accent over the e means honor in classical Greek, thus in the Iliad.
Iliad
What do you notice about Achilles' character and his philosophy in life?
I think that I notice the dualistic conception of intense anger and striving for arete. Homer's characterization of Achilles allows the reader to see someone capable of the highest of glory along...
Iliad
In book 8 of the Iliad, what do you make of Odysseus fleeing? Why does he ignore Diomedes's rebuke? What's going on...
In book 8 of the Iliad, Odysseus's fleeing shows that he respects the power of Zeus, who's just sent down an enormous thunderbolt from Mount Ida and a flash of lightning upon the Achaeans. It may...
Iliad
If we closely look at the Iliad, we see that war is at the heart of action. However, the Greek army wants to go home....
In answering this question, it’s important to understand that the Greeks have been laying siege to Troy for ten long years. This would put a huge psychological strain on anyone, including trained...
Iliad
Evaluate Achilles's decisions and actions in comparison with the decisions and actions of other heroes in the Iliad.
In Homer's Iliad, Achilles is driven largely by pride and rage. He makes decisions based on emotions rather than on the good of his fellow warriors and their cause. In this, he is quite unlike some...
Iliad
In book 8 of the Iliad, Hera and Athena are clearly on the side of the Greeks. But what do you make of their dynamic...
Hera and Athena are both sympathetic to the cause of the Greek people, and their dynamic in book 8 reflects that strong desire as the two work together well. In book 8, the two goddesses work in...
Iliad
What are the personalities of Achilles and Agamemnon in the Iliad?
Achilles and Agamemnon are both prideful and obsessed with their status. Agamemnon takes Briseis from Achilles out of pride, to show his status as a leader of the Greeks, and Achilles resents this...
Iliad
Lacoon remarked, “A Greek cannot be trusted even if he brings gifts.” What does this remark mean in the light of our...
"Beware of Greeks bearing gifts" is still a fairly common proverb in the twenty-first century. It no longer applies to Greeks but to anyone--particularly to a stranger--bringing you a gift....
Iliad
Describe, in your own words, the squabble between Achilles and Agamemnon, bringing out whatever elements personally...
The conflict between Achilles and Agamemnon is the driving force behind events in the Iliad. In the first book, the Achaeans have recently sacked a small city and taken, as prizes, two women,...
Iliad
Heroism is at the heart of ancient Greek culture. What heroic qualities does Hector portray in the Iliad? How heroic...
Hector is a main hero of the Trojans, who shows great courage in battle. Part of Hector's heroism lies in leaving his wife Andromache and young son to go to battle in book 6 of the Iliad, despite...
Iliad
What role does Patroclus play, other than being Achilles closest friend. Does he have anything to teach Achilles in...
It depends on whether you think he's teaching things overtly, consciously, or if he's teaching Achilles through his death. The role he certainly plays is as a plot device. His life, as he dons...
Iliad
In the Iliad, book 1, why is Agamemnon so quick to freak out in response to Calchas?
In my opinion, Agamemnon is quick to "freak out" about Calchas's prophecy because it offends his honor. In the Greek society of this time, a warrior's honor was more important to him than his...
Iliad
What do intrigues you most about The Iliad? You might focus on primary characters, plot elements, relationships...
There are so many themes in Homer’s Iliad that it is hard to select a single event that outdoes all others. Highlights include Achilles’ retreat to his tent after being spurned by Agamemnon....
Iliad
Discuss the Shield of Achilles in the Iliad, book 18. What sort of world does it depict? How do the "two noble...
The Shield of Achilles is described in Book 18, lines 478–608, of Homer's Iliad. This description is considered an iconic example of ekphrasis. Ekphrasis is a rhetorical device that involves...
Iliad
Where did Achilles in the Trojan War get his powers/stengths from?
This is a difficult question to answer, because when it comes to ancient mythology, there are different of sources and many sources that we have lost; in other words, these sources are no longer...
Iliad
What are the possible explanations for the phrase "shame that benefits men" in the Iliad, book 24?
Early in the final book of Homer's Iliad, the god Apollo criticizes the other gods for allowing Achilles to defile Hector's corpse by dragging it behind his chariot. Apollo argues that Hector had...
Iliad
Are there differences between Achilles in Homer's Iliad and the film Troy?
This is a good question and we can say that there were many differences. Let me list a few of them for you. Achilles was dead by time of the Greek made the Trojan horse to take over the city....
Iliad
Briefly describe the heroism shown by Sarpedon as an ally of the Trojans.
The Lycian warrior Sarpedon was a son of Zeus and in the Trojan War he was an ally of the Trojans. Sarpedon has a significant appearance in Book 5 of Homer's Iliad, where he spurs Hector on to...
Iliad
What is the context of Homer's Iliad?
Since your question is in the history section, I will offer some information on the historical context of the Iliad. This book deals with the Trojan war. The Trojans in the city of Troy were...
Iliad
I need to select three characters from Homer's Iliad, including one god or goddess, one Greek, and one Trojan, and...
Three important characters in Homer's Iliad are: Odysseus: He is a human hero, who is the King of Ithaca. He fights on the Greek side in the Trojan war and is known for his cleverness, and devising...
Iliad
In book 20 of the Iliad, Achilles slays the youngest son of Priam, Polydoros. Note Hector's reaction. Think of what...
What Homer is saying about these types of situations is that they are connected, that there's an intimate link between war and peace. In book 18 of the Iliad, the god of fire and forges makes...
Iliad
Juno hates the Trojan for several reasons, and torments and foils them whenever she can. Does this enmity seem to...
In my mind, the short answer is that Hera really lacks any solid justification behind her disdain for the Trojans. I see her as part of Homer's thematic purpose, and what I consider to be one of...
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