The Iliad, Books XXI-XXVI Notes

​The Iliad, Books XXI-XXVI

​The deaths of Hector and Achilles, and the end of the war

Thetis asks Hephaestus to create new armor for Achilles

​Book XXI: The Making of Arms

​Book XXI

• Because the armor of Achilles was taken by Hector after he killed Patroclus, Thetis asks Hephaestus to make new armor for Achilles.

• Hephaestus is happy to help, because Thetis and her sisters sheltered Hephaestus when Hera kicked him out for being ugly and lame.

• He makes a shield and armor for Achilles. ​

​

Hephaestus designs a shield for Achilles that represents life: a city at war, a city at peace, justice, the forms of agriculture, and other parts of life.

​The Shield of Achilles

​What symbolism exists in the shield?

Multiple Choice

What is Achilles worried about and who solves this problem?

• He's worried about Patroclus's body decaying; Thetis

• He's worried about dying; Zeus

• He's worried about losing to Hector; Hera

​Book XXII: The Quarrel Ended

Achilles and Agamemnon bury the hatchet.​

​Achilles is anxious to go to battle

After telling Agamemnon that he forgives him, Achilles announces it is time to go to battle. Agamemnon speaks up and says he wants to give Achilles all the gifts he'd promised him first.

Ulysses cautions Achilles that the Greeks must eat before going to battle, even though Achilles himself says he has no desire to eat because he is so sad about Patroclus's death.

While the rest of the Greeks eat and drink, Achilles sits waiting. Zeus notices and encourages the gods who support the Greeks to help Achilles.

​Achilles is replenished

Multiple Choice

Which god(dess) gives Achilles ambrosia (nectar of the gods) to sustain him through battle?

• Apollo

• Athena

• Zeus

• Hera

​Book XXIII: The Battle at the River

The god of the river is displeased with Achilles for killing so many men.

​Aeneas and Achilles battle

​Apollo tells Aeneas to challenge Achilles to a battle.

After exchanging some taunts, Aeneas throws his spear at Achilles, but it is stopped by Achilles's great shield. Achilles spear pierces Aeneas's shield and scares him, but doesn't​ injure him.

They fight with swords, and Achilles would have killed Aeneas, except Poseidon rescues him, for Aeneas's line has been foretold to rule the area.​

Multiple Choice

Before whisking Aeneas to safety, what does Poseidon leave at Achilles's feet?

• Achilles's spear

• Aeneas's shield

• His trident

• A seashell

​Hector tries to battle Achilles

​Apollo tells Hector not to challenge Achilles yet, but Hector can't stop himself when he sees Achilles kill one of his brothers.

Hector's spear is turned from Achilles by Athena, and Achilles's spear stabs are stopped by Apollo. Then, Apollo uses a golden mist to rescue Hector and deposit him far away.​

​The River confronts Achilles

​Achilles chases many Trojans into the river and kills a lot of them. He is confronted by the son of the river, who actually manages to injure Achilles, before Achilles kills him.

Axius, the god of the river, rises up and tells Achilles he needs to take his battle to the land and stop clogging the river. Achilles acknowledges Axius, but says he cannot stop killing the Trojans.

Achilles is chased by the River, who likes the Trojans because they sacrifice to him.

As he is chased, Achilles calls upon the gods for help.​

​The River pursues Achilles

Multiple Choice

Which god(dess) instructs his/her son, the Fire-God, to help Achilles?

• Apollo

• Hera

• Athena

• Thetis

​Book XXIV: The Death of Hector

​

Hector meets Achilles in battle.

As Achilles pursues the Trojans, Apollo tells Agenor to turn and face Achilles, which he does. When Achilles would have killed him, though, Apollo lifts Agenor to safety and pretends to be him in order to lead Achilles away.

​Agenor saves the Trojans

As Achilles makes his way back to the main gate, Hector waits to face him. Priam and his wife both beg Hector to come inside the wall, but he refuses.

​Hector waits to face Achilles

​Hector's courage fails when he sees Achilles approaching him, so he begins running around the walls of Troy with Achilles chasing him. Apollo gives Hector strength.

​Hector flees

​Athena reminds Apollo and Zeus that it is Hector's time to die. She herself appears to Hector in the form of his brother, Deiphobus, and tricks him into stopping for Achilles.

​​Athena interferes

​Achilles and Hector throw spears at one another. Unbeknownst to Hector, Athena returns Achilles's spear to him and then disappears. When Hector calls for another spear and "Deiphobus" is gone, he realizes he has been tricked.

​​Hector's Downfall

​

As Hector and Achilles begin to fight in close combat, Achilles wonders if he can injure Hector while he is wearing his old armor. Then he remembers there is a weakness: the collarbone.

​Achilles stabs Hector through the neck.

​The weakness of Hector's armor

Multiple Choice

What request does Hector make of Achilles as he lays dying?

• Give my body to my father and mother.

• Don't dishonor me by taking my weapons.

• Give my armor and weapons to my son, Scamandrius.

• Behead me and give honor to my skull.

Multiple Select

As Hector dies, he tells Achilles that which TWO characters will kill Achilles?

• Apollo

• Paris

• Menelaus

• Agamemnon

• Priam

Achilles begins dragging Hector's body around Troy behind his chariot. Andromache hears lamenting throughout Troy, and discovers that her husband has been killed.

​Andromache finds out

​Book XXV: The Ransoming of Hector

Priam travels to the Greek camp to ransom Hector's body back.

​Zeus takes pity on Priam

Zeus commands Thetis to tell Achilles to let Priam ransom his son's body back. Thetis passes this message on to Achilles, who agrees.​ Zeus then sends Iris to tell Priam to go to Achilles.

​Priam orders many precious things to be prepared in a wagon. He chastises his remaining sons, telling them they are cowards, and then sets off for the Greek camp.

Multiple Choice

What sign does Zeus send to Priam as a lucky sign?

• A snake slithering across the path of his chariot

• An eagle flying near his chariot

• A falcon dropping a mouse into his chariot

• A deer collapsing, dead, in front of his chariot

Zeus sends Hermes to accompany Priam so that he reaches Achilles safely.

Hermes causes the Greek guards to fall asleep and gets Priam to Achilles with no Greeks knowing about it.​

​Hermes accompanies Priam

Multiple Choice

What appeal does Priam use to try to persuade Achilles to return Hector's body?

• He tells Achilles a true warrior would have no need of flaunting the body.

• He reminds Achilles of his own father.

• He reminds Achilles that Hector has a wife and child back in Troy.

• He keeps adding riches to the ransom he is willing to pay.

Achilles agrees to let Priam take Hector's body. First, he insists on feasting. Then, he tells Priam to stay the night in the camp.

Hermes returns when everyone is asleep and helps Priam sneak back to Troy.​

​Priam recovers Hector's body

​Book XXVI: The End of Troy

Achilles dies, Paris dies, Ulysses comes up with the Trojan Horse idea, and the Greeks are victorious.

Multiple Choice

Who kills Achilles?

• Paris, with Zeus's help

• Paris, with Apollo's help

• Priam, with Hera's help

• Axius, with the River God's help

Multiple Choice

Which person tells the Greeks they will not win until they bring "the man who has the arrows of Hercules"?

• Helenus the prophet

• King Agamemnon

• King Priam

• Zeus