BUTLER SAMUEL - Complete Works of Homer (Illustrated) (Delphi Ancient Classics)

THE COMPLETE WORKS OF

HOMER

Contents

Delphi Classics 2012

Version 2

The Complete Works of

HOMER

By Delphi Classics, 2012

TheTranslations

The Agora of Smyrna, modern day Turkey where many historiansagree Homer originated from

The Iliad is an epic poem in dactylichexameters, traditionally attributed to Homer. Set in the Trojan War, theten-year siege of the city of Troy (Ilium) by an alliance of Greek states, it tells of thebattles and events during the weeks of a quarrel between King Agamemnon and thewarrior Achilles. Although the story covers only a few weeks in the final yearof the war, the Iliad mentions or alludes to many of the Greek legends aboutthe siege. Along with the Odyssey, also attributed to Homer, the Iliad is amongthe oldest extant works of Western literature, and its written version isusually dated to around the eighth century BC. The epic poem contains over 15,000 lines and is often considered to bethe beginning of fine literature.

Achilles tending the woundedPatroclus

To aid reading The Iliad, a list of the principle characters is providedhere. It may be useful to create abookmark of this page if it is your first time reading this complex work.

Achaeans (also called Greeks, Danaans and Argives)

Agamemnon King of Mycenae and Overlord of the Greeks.

Achilles Leader of the Myrmidons,half-divine war hero.

Odysseus King of Ithaca, thewiliest Greek commander and hero of the Odyssey.

Aias (Ajax the Greater) son ofTelamon, with Diomedes, he is second to Achilles in martial prowess.

Menelaus King of Sparta, husbandof Helen and brother of Agamemnon.

Diomedes son of Tydeus, King ofArgos.

Aias (Ajax the Lesser) son ofOileus, often partner of Ajax the Greater.

Patroclus - Achilles closestcompanion.

Nestor - King of Pylos.

Trojans

Hector son of King Priam and theforemost Trojan warrior.

Aeneas son of Anchises andAphrodite.

Deiphobus brother of Hector andParis.

Paris Helens lover-abductor.

Priam the aged King of Troy.

Polydamas a prudent commanderwhose advice is ignored; he is Hectors foil.

Agenor a Trojan warrior whoattempts to fight Achilles (Book XXI).

Sarpedon, son of Zeus killed byPatroclus. Was friend of Glaucus & co-leader of the Lycians (fought for theTrojans).

Glaucus, son of Hippolochus friendof Sarpedon and co-leader of the Lycians (fought for the Trojans).

Euphorbus first Trojan warrior towound Patroclus.

Dolon() a spy upon the Greek camp (Book X).

Antenor King Priams advisor, whoargues for returning Helen to end the war. Paris refuses.

Polydorus son of Priam andLaothoe.

Pandarus famous archer and son ofLycaon.

The Trojan women

Hecuba () Priams wife, mother of Hector, Cassandra, Paris, and others.

Helen() Menelauss wife; espoused first to Paris,then to Deiphobus; her abduction by Paris precipitated the war.

Andromache() Hectors wife,mother of Astyanax ().

Cassandra() Priams daughter;courted by Apollo, who bestows the gift of prophecy to her; upon her rejection,he curses her, and her warnings of Trojan doom go unheeded.

Briseis a Trojan woman captured bythe Greeks; she was Achilles' prize of the Trojan war.

The Wrath of Achilles (1819), by Michel Drolling