Reading Notes: Homer's Iliad, Part B

The Rousing of Achilles (2 parts):

Many people on both sides fought for Patroclus’s body
Hector eventually stripped the armor off of Patroclus and put it on himself
When Zeus saw this he grew angry
Hector wore the armor into battle
Antilochus was sent to tell Achilles of his death
Ajax told Menelaus and Meriones to take the body away but as they tried to leave with it, the battle began to pick up again and neither could leave
When Achilles heard the news, he wept so loud his mother came and asked him why he wept
He wept as he told his mother that he sent his friend to his death
Zeus warned Achilles that he would lose the
The body of his friend and advised him to go to battle
Achilles questioned how he would go without armor and Zeus told him to show himself at the trench and the Trojans would draw back
Athene gave Achilles her shield as he shouted from the trenches.
Each time he shouted the Trojans drew back more and more
The Greeks took Patroclus’s body and rested after the battle
The Trojans felt that it would be best not to fight the next day for Achilles will be there and angry for the death of his friend
Hector disagreed and convinced them to rest until the next day’s fight

The Slaying of Hector (3 parts):

Hephaestus has forged new armor for Achilles and he is prepared to battle and face Hector
Agēnor held the gates of Troy open and awaited his impending battle with Achilles.
As he attacked, Apollo took Agēnor’s shape and fled, drawing Achilles away
As Achilles chased the false Agēnor, the Trojans made it safely into the city
When Achilles found this out he turned and headed back to the city
Hector awaited Achilles even though his parents begged him not to
Hector fled as Achilles chased him
Zeus looked down with pity and asked the other gods if they should help Hector or let him be slain by Achilles
Athene warned Zeus that Hector was fated to die and if he saved Hector the other gods would be angry
Apollo helped Hector and gave him strength
They ran around the city three times but on the fourth Athene told Achilles that he would slay Hector
Athene then told Achilles to stay and wait and she would make Hector meet him
Athene tricked Hector into meeting Achilles by disguising herself as his brother
They fought and when Hector looked to his brother for help but saw him gone, he knew his end was near
Achilles struck Hector down and dragged his body back to the ships
Andromaché watched as Achilles took Hector’s body and she threw herself to the ground

The Ransoming of Hector (2 parts):

Zeus sent Thetis to tell her son to give up Hector’s body
Achilles gave the body up because it was the will of Zeus
Zeus sent another messenger to tell King Priam to go and offer ransom for the body of Hector
Priam was told to convince Achilles to take pity on him and offer the rewards in exchange for Hector’s body
Achilles had Hector’s body washed and put into Priam’s wagon
The king asked Achilles for a 9 day truce so they would have time to bury his son. Achilles agreed.
The king had a burial for Hector, unlike anything the land of Troy had seen.

Mythology & Folklore