Iliad Book Summaries (6,18,22 & 24)

Book 6-

The gods have now left the humans to their own fighting. The Greeks are driving the Trojans back towards their city walls and Helenos, Hector’s brother tells him to go get the women of Troy to pray to Athene for help. Meanwhile on the battle field Diomedes (Greek) and Glaukos (Trojan) meet on the battlefield and instead of fighting exchange armour because they find they have links of guest-friendship.

At the palace Hecabe offers Hector wine to relax him and make him stronger, but he refuses saying that it will weaken him when he’s fighting and he cannot make wine offerings to Zeus because he is covered in battle-blood. He then tells her to go make offering to Athene. Then he goes to Paris and urges him back to the fighting, whilst Hecabe and the women go to Athene’s temple and ask her to help, but she turns away from them.

Hector then goes to look for his wife at home but doesn’t find her there, he finds her on the walls of Troy with their son Astyanax and her maid, who is holding the baby. Andromache is distraught and tells Hector her felling- that she doesn’t have anyone but him- and begs him to protect her and their son. But Hector says that he is not a coward and he must carry on fighting. He then takes the baby- after removing his helmet which scared Astyanax at first- and prays that he will grow up to be a better man than him; shame he’s going to be killed by the Greeks. He then leaves Andromache and Astyanax to go back to battle and Andromache then goes back home and sets the house to mourn Hector whilst he still lives. 

Book 18-

Achilleus learns of Patroklos’ death- they were very good friends ;)- he is so devastated that him mother, Thetis, hears him and comes to comfort him. He is determined to get vengeance by killing Hector, his is so resolute with his revenge that even when his mother tells him…