The Iliad: Books I-II

The Iliad: Books Prologue, I-II

The Prologue

Thetis, a sea nymph, is wedded to Peleus. Eris, goddess of strife, isn't invited, so she presents the Apple of Discord.
Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite argue over who is the most beautiful; Paris of Troy is chosen to make the decision. He picks Aphrodite, who promises him Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world.

Multiple Choice

Which goddess promised to make Paris a worthy general if he awarded the Apple of Discord to her?

• Athena

• Hera

• Aphrodite

• Thetis

Multiple Choice

Which goddess promised to make Paris the true ruler of Europe and Asia if he awarded the Apple of Discord to her?

• Hera
• Athena
• Artemis
• Aphrodite

Helen's former suitors (aka, those trying to rizz her up) had promised to protect and defend her. When she is kidnapped (?), her husband Menelaus calls upon them to help him.

The Prologue

Book I

Agamemnon angers Achilles

Book I: Apollo is angry

Because Agamemnon refused to return Chryseis, the daughter of Apollo's priest Chryses, Apollo sent a plague into the Greek soldiers.
For nine days, his arrows caused death and disease. On the 10th day, Achilles called a gathering of the Greek leaders.

Achilles asks if anyone has knowledge of why Apollo is angry; Calchas, an old man, speaks up and says it is because Agamemnon refused to ransom Chryseis back.

Book I: Calchas's Prophecy

Achilles wants to attack Agamemnon, but Athena stops him and tells him to wait.
Instead, he tells Agamemnon that he will refuse to fight until this wrong has been righted.

Achilles's response

When Achilles tells Agamemnon he must return Chryseis to her father, Agamemnon angrily agrees, but says he will take Achilles's prize Briseis as his own.

Agamemnon's anger

Book I: Agamemnon's Claim

Book I: Achilles sits out

Achilles and his BFF Patroclus watch Agamemnon's men take Briseis. Achilles is upset and goes to the sea. There, his mother, Thetis, approaches him. He asks her to approach Zeus on his behalf, which she does.
Zeus agrees to help the Trojans; this angers Hera. Zeus sends Dream to prompt Agamemnon to move against the Trojans.

Match

Match the god/dess to their actions so far...

• Stops Achilles from attacking Agamemnon

• Becomes angry with Zeus for listening to Thetis

• Offers to approach Zeus for Achilles

• Agrees to help the Trojans against the Greeks

• Brings a message from Zeus to Agamemnon

Athena

Hera

Thetis

Zeus

Dream

• Athena

• Hera

• Thetis

• Zeus

• Dream

Book II

Agamemnon readies his men... kind of.

Book II: Agamemnon tricks his men

Get ready to leave! ...JK

Agamemnon calls his captains together and tells them that they're going to attack Troy; however, he tells them that he wants to test the mettle of his men by telling them that they are going to sail home.
This backfires, as all of the men are excited to leave; the captains rally the men with a rousing speech about conquering Troy, and everyone gets ready again.

Odysseus recalls to the men the prophecy of Calchas:
A snake climbed a tree and ate eight baby birds, and lunged after the mama bird, eating her too. Calchas says this means the Greeks will fight for nine years and in the 10th year conquer the Trojans.

Book II: Odysseus Speaks

Agamemnon orders an ox slaughtered and sacrificed to Zeus.
Then, the Greeks (minus Achilles) march toward Troy. The Trojans also line up outside their city.

Book II: The Greeks March

Multiple Choice

Which Greek leader is most influential in rallying the troops?

• Odysseus

• Agamemnon

• Achilles

• Nestor

Reorder

Place the following in order from earliest in the story to latest.

• Helen is kidnapped and the Greeks attack Troy.

• Apollo puts a plague on the Greeks and Agamemnon must give Chryseis back.

• Achilles angrily declares he will not fight for the Greeks until Agamemnon apologizes.

• Thetis asks Zeus to interfere on behalf of the Trojans to give Achilles more glory.

• Odysseus rallies the Greek forces and they march toward Troy.

1

2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Multiple Choice

Which of these is NOT one of the primary themes so far?

• The importance of pride

• The role of divine intervention

• The role that fate plays

• The importance of love