ENGL220 Iliad Books IX-XIV

Book IX

Agamemnon calls a meeting, and suggest it is time to go home.

Nestor convinces Agamemnon to appease Achilles, and Agamemnon agrees to offer an impressive list of gifts, including the untouched Briseis.

Odysseus, Phoinix, and Ajax go as an embassy to Achilles

Each man gives a powerful speech, to which Achilles gives powerful responses of his own

Achilles rejects the offers of Agamemnon—for what good are gifts if they can be taken away?

Achilles does agree to stay, but he will fight only when the fires of the Trojans threaten his ships

The embassy returns and reports; Diomedes convinces the Greeks to fight on

Book X

Unable to sleep, Agamemnon and Menelaus decide to call the leaders together.

They decide to send a spy to the Trojan camps.

Diomedes volunteers, and chooses Odysseus to go with him.

Meanwhile, Hector offers a reward to anyone will spy for the Trojans.

A man named Dolon volunteers. He is captured by Diomedes and Odysseus.

Before Diomedes lops off his head, Dolon reveals the presence of fresh troops from Thrace

Diomedes chops the Thracians and their leader Rhesus into pieces, while Odysseus steals their horses

Book XI

Zeus sends Eris to rouse the Greeks.

Greek leaders wounded

Agamemnon has an aristeia, but is wounded.

Diomedes is wounded in the foot.

Odysseus is wounded in the ribs.

Paris wounds Machaon, physician to the Greeks.

Achilles sees Nestor bringing back wounded Machaon, and sends Patroclos

to find out what has happened

Nestor talks about his past glories, then urges Patroclus to get Achilles to fight, or to put on Achilles’ armor and lead the Myrmidons.

Goblet and tripod

Book XII

The Trojans forsake their chariots in order to avoid the ditch and begin attacking the wall.

Zeus’ son Sarpedon leads Trojans against one set of gates, which Ajax defends.

Meanwhile, Hector bashes through another set of gates with a huge boulder.

Ajax defends Greek ships

Book XIII

Poseidon sneaks around and helps the Greeks, inspiring Ajax and others to fight fiercely.

Poseidon does damage, but not openly, as he is afraid of his brother Zeus

Hector, aware that Zeus is no longer in control of events, pulls back the Trojans

Book XIV

Nestor meets with the wounded leaders, and once again Agamemnon suggest they get in their ships and head home.

They refuse to leave, and Diomedes convinces them that, even wounded, they should all fight.

Poseidon continues to support the Greeks.

Hera seduces Zeus

Hera arms herself for the battle of love, with help from Aphrodite.

She negotiates with Morpheus to make sure Zeus sleeps soundly after sex.

Sleep and his half-brother Death

Hera turns Zeus on

Zeus tells Hera she excites him more than all the other women he’s enjoyed

While Zeus sleeps, Poseidon openly helps the Greeks