Iliad by Homer

Study Questions
1. What is Agamemnon’s plan of action at the beginning of Book Fourteen?

2. Who dissuades him from this action?

3. What does Diomedes suggest they do instead?

4. Why does Hera decide to seduce Zeus?

5. What aid does Aphrodite lend her?

6. Who else assists Hera?

7. How does Hera convince him to help her with her plan?

8. How successful is Hera’s plan?

9. Who injures Hektor, and how badly is he injured?

10. What happens when Zeus awakens?

Answers
1. Agamemnon, sure of defeat, advises escaping in the ships.

2. Odysseus rather forcefully points out the problem with Agamemnon’s plan.

3. Diomedes suggests that while they cannot fight, they can at least encourage the warriors.

4. Hera sees that Poseidon is helping the Achaians, and wants to keep Zeus from finding out.

5. Aphrodite lends Hera her magic Band of Love and Desire.

6. Hera also enlists the help of Sleep.

7. Hera promises Sleep that he can marry one of the Graces, whom he has always admired.

8. Hera easily seduces Zeus, who falls into a deep sleep, and Poseidon is able to help the Achaians push the Trojans back beyond the wall.

9. Aias injures Hektor severely with a large stone, and he seems close to death.

10. Zeus is furious when he sees that the Achaians have rallied and that Hektor is injured. He sends Apollo to strengthen Hektor, and allows the Trojans to push the Achaians back to their ships.