The Iliad

The Iliad is an ancient Greek epic poem traditionally attributed to Homer. Written in dactylic hexameter and divided into 24 books, it runs to about 15,693 lines. Together with the Odyssey, it is one of the two major Greek epics that survive. Its date of composition is debated: most scholars place it in the late eighth or early seventh century BCE, though some propose earlier or later dates, and certain passages, such as the catalogue of ships in Book 2, are thought by many to be older than the rest. The authorship of the poem, and even the historical existence of Homer, have been questioned since antiquity.

The poem is set in the final year of the Trojan War, a ten-year siege of the city of Troy by a coalition of Greek kingdoms. Its central theme is the wrath (mēnis) of Achilles, the greatest Greek warrior, who withdraws from battle after a quarrel with Agamemnon, king of Mycenae, who takes from him the captive Briseis. The hero's anger brings serious setbacks to his comrades, and it ends when, after his friend Patroclus is killed by Hector, Achilles slays the Trojan prince. The work closes with the meeting between Achilles and the aged King Priam, Hector's father, and with Hector's funeral. It does not narrate the fall of Troy or the episode of the wooden horse, which belong to later traditions.

The narrative alternates scenes of battle with intimate moments and assemblies, and the Olympian gods are constantly present, favouring one side or the other and taking part in human quarrels. Its portrayal of warfare, heroic values, and social and domestic life, along with its treatment of glory, fate, and anger, made it the cornerstone of Greek education and a lasting reference in Western literature. Classical Greeks recited it at festivals such as the Panathenaia, and its influence extends into modern literature.