THE WAR STORY: THE

ILIAD
BY SAWYER HUANG, BRENDEN BREADY, DYLAN LACOUETTE

THE ILIAD

Written by Homer
Published from 11941184 BC, during the Bronze Age
Iliad means "poem of Ilios," one of the names of the city of Troy in Asia Minor

THE ILIAD

This poem only discusses a small portion of the Trojan War.

The story focuses on a few months during the tenth year of the war.
Readers at the time would be familiar with the events prior to where the story takes place.
The theme of strife runs throughout the story.
Achilles anger and rage against his commander-in-chief, Agamemnon, sets off tragic
events in the poem.

HOMER

Revered as the greatest of Greek epic poets

A blind traveling wise man
Also wrote The Odyssey

THE ILIAD SUMMARY

The story of the Iliad begins with the wedding of Peleus, a mortal, and Thetis, a goddess. These two
become the parents of Achilles.
At the wedding, Eris, the goddess of strife, throws down a golden apple with the message, "For the
Fairest." Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite all try to claim the prize, and no god, including Zeus, is willing to
resolve the dispute.
Paris, a poor but loyal shepherd is chosen to be the judge of the dispute between the three goddesses.
Aphrodite offers the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen, wife of Menelaos, the ruler of Sparta.
Paris proclaims Aphrodite the fairest of all and anticipates his prize.
This was how the war started.

THE TROJAN WAR

Took place in the city of Troy

Fighting between the cities of Troy and Mycenaean
War lasted 10 years

Spartans used a wooden horse to break into the city of Troy

WORKS CITED

Hayes, Jeffery. Homer, The Iliad and Historical Troy. factsanddetails.com. January 2012. retried
November 12, 2014

Jordan, Hebert. The Iliad of Homer. Iliadtranslation.com. 2012. retrieved November 12, 2014
Coates, Steve. Where Men Won Glory. The New York Times. October 15, 2009. retrieved November
12, 2014