Iliad Book VI

      The Trojans and Achaeans are fighting and a lot of guys with funny names killed a lot of other guys with funny names. During the war, Adrestus’s horses break from his chariot and Adrestus falls in the dust flat on his face. Menelaus is about to kill him but he begged for his life, claiming that his father is rich and will offer a large ransom if he knew his son was alive among the Achaeans. Menelaus agrees and gives him to a squire to take to his ship. Then Agamemnon tells Menelaus not to spare a single Trojan and that they should all killed. Menelaus is persuaded by his brother and stabs Adrestus on his side, killing him.
      Meanwhile Nestor senses that the Trojans are weakening and shouts to the troops to kill as many people as they can and loot them later. The Trojans feel like they are on the verge of defeat so Priam’s son, Helenus, Hector to rally the men outside of Ilios and form a defensive line to prevent the Greeks from storming the gates. Then Hector should return to the city and ask his mother, Queen Hecuba, to pray for mercy at the temple of Athena with her noblewomen. Hector performs all the tasks instructed, and all the women of Troy pray to Athena but she refuses the prayers of the Trojans.
      Meanwhile, the two armies face off outside of Ilios, and a bold young Trojan named Glaucos steps into the space between them to challenge Diomedes, who defeated the god of war. Diomedes is impressed with Glaucos’ boldness, and asks for his lineage. The two discover that their ancestors were family friends; they then agree not to kill each other, since there are many other people to kill instead. Gluacos then exchanges his golden armor for Diomedes’ bronze armor, as a token of friendship.
      Hector leaves to find Paris, who is sitting in his bedroom with Helen. Hector is angry with Paris because men are fighting for him and he is not out fighting among them. Paris says he will go fight when he has on his armor, and tells Hector to go on ahead.
Hector wanders through the city until he finds his wife Andromache and son, Astyanax. The couple lament the grief that is about to befall them all. Overwhelmed with grief, Hector takes his son in his arms and prays to Zeus that the boy will“kill his enemy and bring home the blood stained spoils and bring joy to his Mother’s heart.” Then he tells Andromache that fate is fate, and if he must die than so be it. Hector then prepares to return alone to the battlefield, where suddenly he is joined by Paris. Hector is happy that his brother has decided to join him in battle, and the two joke about how Paris has made them late for the war. The two then march off to take part in battle. So ends book six.
--Christina Woo

Book 7

     The seventh book of The Iliad opens with Paris and Hector leaving the gates of Troy ready for battle. In Robert Fagles translation the two heroes are described extensively:

Both men bent on combat, on they fought like wind
when a god sends down some welcome blast to sailors
desperate for it, worked to the death at the polished oars,
beating the heavy seas, their arms slack with labor –
so welcome that brace of men appeared to the Trojans
desperate for their captains. (3-8)

     The sons of Priam then enter the battlefield where they swiftly kill their enemy. Athena sees her precious Greeks being slaughtered, so she swoops down from Mount Olympus to intervene in the battle. When Apollo sees Athena leave Olympus, he flies down from the heavens to intercept her. Apollo knows that Athena is only going to wreak more havoc on the opposing sides, so he proposes a less destructive plan. He suggests that rather than turning the tide of battle, they should halt the fighting for the day and let the Greeks destroy Troy tomorrow. The boastful Athena relishes in the idea and says that she too was planning to do the same thing, but didn’t know how to go about it. Apollo sensibly suggests that they have Hector challenge one of the Argive men and the two will fight to the death. Upon hearing this, Athena appears to Trojan Helenus and tells him to relay the gods’ plan to Hector. Once Hector hears the plan from Helenus he is thrilled to battle man-to-man. Hector’s eagerness reveals the men’s respect for the deities. If a god’s request is presented to man, it is always honored.
     Hector rushes forth to the middle of the battlefield with his proposal; however, the Achaeans are silent as they are afraid of Hector’s strength. Frustrated that none of his men are stepping forth, Menelaus volunteers to accept Hector’s challenge. Knowing how much stronger Prince Hector is than Menelaus, Agamemnon advises him against it. The much revered Nestor then begins speaking and wishes aloud he were young again, so he could battle man-to-man as he valiantly did once in the past. Naturally, once old man Nestor says this several men begin volunteering. To determine who will battle Hector the men draw lots and Great Ajax is the man ultimately chosen.
     Ajax and Hector march onto the battlefield, each with their armor glistening and swords shimmering. The battle ensues with Hector attacking first only to have Ajax’ armor deflect the blow. Ajax then counters, piercing Hector’s armor, but ultimately not injuring his foe. The next round of attacks result in Hector’s neck being torn, but being only a minor flesh wound the two continue battling. They each then throw a boulder at the other; however, only Ajax’ throw is successful as it knocks Hector to his feet.
     Protecting the Trojan, Apollo quickly urges men of each side to break up the duel. Ajax agrees to cease, but insists that it be Hector who ultimately calls off the fight. Hector agrees and as a sign of respect he gives Ajax a silver studded sword and Ajax gives his war belt in return. Through these gestures the reader sees the importance of individual worth and respect that is weaved throughout the epic poem. The balance of taking (i.e. killing) and giving (i.e. gifts) is established in this scene.
     The fighting is done for the day and each side goes home to feast. The Achaeans are proud and Ajax is honored that night. At the conclusion of their meal, Nestor stands up and advises his fellow men that tomorrow they should take a break from battle and honor the dead and that they should build more fortifications around their camp.
     On the Trojan side, Antenor advises his fellow Trojans to return Helen and the other prizes that were stolen. Furiously, Paris refuses to return Helen, but agrees to return the stolen prizes. Priam quiets the argument and announces that tomorrow should be a day of rest to bury the dead.
A minor Trojan character presents Paris’s offer to the Greeks; however, the Greeks refuse the proposal, but agree to a day of rest to bury the dead. The prominence placed on proper burial of the dead is a key tenet of Greek life during this time. By not respecting the dead they were also disrespecting the gods who have established these religious practices.
     Meanwhile, in the skies, Poseidon begins complaining about not getting enough praise from the Achaeans as they build their fortifications. Zeus, in his might, scolds Poseidon for complaining over such trivial things. Book seven ends with the men drinking and feasting again while Zeus plots destruction for both sides (the Achaeans in particular).
Megan Wren

Book 8

    This chapter of the Iliad focuses on the gods and their many interventions in the war as the battle becomes fierce and the Greeks are losing ground. To begin, Zeus’ terrible anger is showcased as he berates the other gods for trying to help the Greek army and interfere with his plans, threatening to mangle or cast to Hades any deity who contradicts him again. Leaving the gods trembling in fear, he heads to Ida, a mountain mother, to watch the battle unfold. At noon, Zeus takes his golden scales and weighs “two dooms of agonizing death,” one for the Greeks and one for the Trojans, and the Greek day of doom sinks down to the earth. With this decided, Zeus sends a lightning bolt directly into the Greek army, and the soldiers become deathly afraid. Men of all ranks- including the commanders- lose their nerve and run away from the Trojan line.
     The only commander who does not run away is Nestor, and he remains only because Paris struck his horse in the head with an arrow, leaving him with no means of escape. Hector spots Nestor’s defenseless position and readies himself for the kill, and would have been successful if not for Diomedes’ careful glance. Calling to Odysseus for help that never arrives, Diomedes rushes in to save Nestor, pulling him into his chariot
and out of harm. In fury they attempt to kill Hector, but miss and kill his driver instead.
     This might have turned the tide in favor of the Greeks had not Zeus been watching the battlefield carefully. Displeased with this turn of events, he throws a white lightning bolt in front of Diomedes’ horses and forces him to turn around. As Hector taunts Diomedes about the retreat, Diomedes nearly turns around three different times to fight, but Zeus discourages him with thunder each time. The Trojans take this thunder to mean that it is their turn to win, and Hector gives a rousing speech in which he outlines his plan to burn the Greek ships and win the war. Hera looks down upon these events with great anger and implores Poseidon to join her in rebelling against Zeus’ will, but he fears Zeus’ wrath and refuses to be her accomplice.
     Trojan victory would have been imminent if not for Hera, who plants the idea of a speech in Agamemnon’s mind- a speech in which he ridicules the Greeks’ cowardice and begs Zeus to allow the Greeks to escape annihilation. Zeus hears his prayer and agrees to spare the Greeks, sending an eagle, a positive omen, to show his favor. With new strength, the Greeks counterattack.
     Diomedes, the bravest of all, is the first to cross the trench and engage the enemy. Teucer, another warrior, great with bow and arrow, stands behind Ajax’s huge shield and picks off Trojans one by one, causing their heads to “sag to one side like poppies in a garden, heavy with seeds and spring rain.” Agamemnon takes note of his prowess and congratulates him, but it means little to Teucer, for he was frustrated that he could not hit Hector. On his first try, he missed, and on the second, Apollo swerved his arrow so that he missed yet again. Finally, Hector rushs him with a rock and hits him on the collarbone, numbing his hand and rendering him useless. With this, Zeus raises the Trojan spirit yet again, and the Greeks are forced into retreat for the second time.
     Hera and Athena decide to defy Zeus at last, and scare Hector into submission by appearing in the lanes of battle. As they prepare to leave Mount Olympus, however, Zeus sees them from Ida and seethes with anger. He sends Iris to warn them that, if they continue their defiance, he will injure their horses, toss them from their chariot and give them thunderbolt wounds that will never heal. Frightened out of their insolence, they return to Mount Olympus to sulk as night falls upon the earth. Hector and the Trojans, disappointed that the dark has prevented their victory, make camp and watch the Greek ships by their fires to ensure that they do not slip away during the night. Hector promises his troops victory at the next dawn.
--Jessica Briggs

Book 9 Summary

     In Book 9, faced with looming defeat, the Greeks finally attempt to coax Achilles back into the fight. As the chapter opens, it is night and the Greeks are terrified. Agamemnon gathers them together, speaking of Zeus’ false promises, urging everyone to return home. In response, Diomedes and Nestor both stand and argue against it. Diomedes speaks to inspire the men after their panic, while Nestor speaks reasonably after him, asking for counselors to gather and speak with Agamemnon. The Greek army, he says, needs a new plan for victory.
     They hold their counsel and Nestor reveals his plan. The Greeks need Achilles to win the war, and to get Achillies, Agamemnon has to make amends. Agamemnon agrees immediately and gives a long speech of the riches, the gold, women, and land, that he’ll give Achilles to smooth over the disagreement. A few men are chosen to bring the news to Achilles, including Odysseus and an old charioteer named Phoinix. Achilles has been living well and greets them courteously, but no matter how glowing a description Odysseus gives of Agamemnon’s gifts, Achilles will not yield. Now Phoinix speaks up, talking about his memories of Achilles as a baby:

“Many a time you wet my shirt, hiccupping
Wine-bubbles in distress, when you were small” (595-596).

     Phoinix finishes with a story of another warrior who left battle in a pout. He warns Achilles that if he waits until the ships are already burning, then he will get no honor for it, no matter how he turns the tide of the war. Return now, and be a hero! But Achilles only offers to bring Phoinix home with him. He says he may fight again, when the battle is close enough, but not until Greeks are dying and the ships are burning. The messengers return to Agamemnon and relate his words. Diomedes says they should forget Achilles; he is too proud. He tells the men to sleep and when dawn comes, line up before the boats and prepare for battle.
--Jessica Colberg