Homer · 8th century BC (traditional)

Iliad

Name: Iliad
Author: Homer

Ἰλιάς

The Iliad, 15,693 lines of hexameter in twenty-four books, tells of a few weeks in the tenth year of the Greek siege of Troy. It begins with the quarrel between Agamemnon and Achilles, follows Achilles' withdrawal from the fighting, the death of his friend Patroclus and his return to battle to kill Hector, and closes with Priam's ransoming of Hector's body. Citations are by book and line (1.1-7), and the sections here, of roughly 80 to 200 lines each, follow the natural scenes of the poem.

Read from the start

Text: Greek original with English translation, 162 passages, about 176600 words in English.
Translator: Augustus Taber Murray (1924)
Edition: David B. Monro and Thomas W. Allen (eds.), Homeri Opera, Oxford Classical Texts, 3rd ed., vols. 1-2, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1908-1920 (Greek text as digitised by Perseus); English: Augustus Taber Murray, Homer, The Iliad, Loeb Classical Library, London: Heinemann; New York: Putnam, 1924-1925
Cite as: Homer, Iliad 1.1 (by book, line)

Contents · 162 passages

1.1–67The Wrath of Achilles; Chryses and the plague707 words
1.68–187Calchas and the quarrel of Achilles and Agamemnon1300 words
1.188–303Athena stops Achilles; Nestor's plea1298 words
1.304–427Briseis is taken from Achilles; Achilles prays to Thetis1390 words
1.428–492Odysseus returns Chryseis to her father715 words
1.493–611Thetis begs Zeus; the quarrel of Zeus and Hera1315 words
2.1–101Zeus sends a deceptive dream to Agamemnon1149 words
2.102–210Agamemnon tests the army1230 words
2.211–277Thersites rebuked by Odysseus800 words
2.278–393The omen of the sparrows; Nestor's counsel1319 words
2.394–483Agamemnon's sacrifice; the army musters978 words
2.484–558The Catalogue of Ships (1): Boeotia to Salamis721 words
2.559–644The Catalogue of Ships (2): Argos to Aetolia850 words
2.645–785The Catalogue of Ships (3): Crete, Achilles' Myrmidons and Thessaly1402 words
2.786–877The Trojan Catalogue1010 words
3.1–110The armies advance; Hector shames Paris1266 words
3.111–244Helen on the wall of Troy1433 words
3.245–382The oaths and the duel of Menelaus and Paris1511 words
3.383–461Aphrodite brings Helen to Paris866 words
4.1–72The gods in council on Olympus819 words
4.73–219Pandarus breaks the truce and wounds Menelaus1637 words
4.220–326Agamemnon inspects the Achaean ranks1195 words
4.327–421Agamemnon rebukes Odysseus and Diomedes1025 words
4.422–544The first clash of the armies1418 words
5.1–94Athena empowers Diomedes1052 words
5.95–165Pandarus wounds Diomedes; Athena's gift862 words
5.166–296Pandarus and Aeneas against Diomedes1476 words
5.297–430Diomedes wounds Aphrodite1487 words
5.431–518Apollo rescues Aeneas; Ares rallies the Trojans966 words
5.519–626Hector and Ares drive the Achaeans back1151 words
5.627–710Tlepolemus and Sarpedon876 words
5.711–792Hera and Athena ride down to the plain899 words
5.793–909Diomedes wounds Ares1296 words
6.1–118Helenus sends Hector to Troy1269 words
6.119–236Diomedes and Glaucus exchange armour1298 words
6.237–368Hector in Troy: Hecuba, Athena's temple, Paris and Helen1477 words
6.369–439Hector and Andromache: Andromache's plea725 words
6.440–529Hector and Andromache: Hector's answer and Astyanax992 words
7.1–91Hector challenges the Achaeans1021 words
7.92–205The nine champions draw lots1273 words
7.206–312The duel of Hector and Ajax1196 words
7.313–432Antenor urges Helen's return; the burial truce1322 words
7.433–482The Achaeans build the wall; Poseidon's anger541 words
8.1–77Zeus forbids the gods to intervene; the scales of fate843 words
8.78–171Diomedes rescues Nestor; Zeus' thunderbolt1066 words
8.172–252Hector's boast; Agamemnon's prayer and the eagle896 words
8.253–349Teucer's arrows1091 words
8.350–484Zeus turns back Hera and Athena1536 words
8.485–565The Trojans camp on the plain872 words
9.1–88Panic in the camp; Agamemnon proposes flight952 words
9.89–178Nestor's counsel; Agamemnon's offer to Achilles1015 words
9.179–306The Embassy to Achilles: Odysseus' appeal1432 words
9.307–429The Embassy to Achilles: Achilles' reply1426 words
9.430–528The Embassy to Achilles: Phoenix and the Prayers1133 words
9.529–605Phoenix tells the story of Meleager834 words
9.606–713The Embassy to Achilles: Ajax's appeal and the return1236 words
10.1–130A sleepless night; Agamemnon wakes Nestor1463 words
10.131–253The council by the ditch; Diomedes and Odysseus volunteer1340 words
10.254–337Diomedes and Odysseus arm; Dolon volunteers965 words
10.338–468Dolon the spy is caught1453 words
10.469–579The slaying of Rhesus1225 words
11.1–83Strife rouses the Achaeans; Agamemnon arms893 words
11.84–162Agamemnon's onslaught886 words
11.163–283Iris to Hector; Agamemnon is wounded1350 words
11.284–400Hector's advance; Diomedes is wounded1343 words
11.401–488Odysseus is rescued by Menelaus and Ajax1018 words
11.489–595Ajax holds the line; Machaon is wounded1157 words
11.596–654Achilles sends Patroclus to Nestor654 words
11.655–761Nestor's tale of the cattle raid in Elis1170 words
11.762–848Nestor's plea to Patroclus; Eurypylus is wounded997 words
12.1–107The Achaean wall; Polydamas' advice1186 words
12.108–194Asius at the gate; the Lapiths defend908 words
12.195–289The omen of the eagle and the snake; Hector rejects Polydamas1068 words
12.290–377Sarpedon and Glaucus; Ajax is called to the wall950 words
12.378–471Hector breaks the gate of the wall1054 words
13.1–125Poseidon rouses the two Ajaxes1406 words
13.126–205Hector rolls on; Imbrius and Amphimachus981 words
13.206–327Poseidon rouses Idomeneus; Idomeneus and Meriones1391 words
13.328–454Idomeneus' onslaught1479 words
13.455–575Aeneas and Idomeneus; Deiphobus is wounded1391 words
13.576–672Helenus and Menelaus; Paris kills Euchenor1129 words
13.673–787Polydamas' counsel; Hector regroups1289 words
13.788–837Ajax and Hector trade threats583 words
14.1–81Nestor meets the wounded kings988 words
14.82–152Odysseus rebukes Agamemnon; Diomedes' counsel851 words
14.153–223Hera adorns herself; the girdle of Aphrodite748 words
14.224–360Hera and Sleep: the deception of Zeus on Ida1528 words
14.361–439Poseidon rallies the Achaeans; Ajax strikes Hector down918 words
14.440–522The Trojans are routed938 words
15.1–77Zeus wakes and rebukes Hera880 words
15.78–142Hera on Olympus; Athena stops Ares760 words
15.143–219Zeus' message to Poseidon916 words
15.220–280Apollo revives Hector693 words
15.281–389The Trojan counterattack; Apollo breaks the wall1247 words
15.390–483Patroclus leaves Eurypylus; Teucer's bow breaks1086 words
15.484–591Hector at the ships; Ajax encourages the Achaeans1250 words
15.592–746Hector seizes Protesilaus' ship; Ajax with his pike1771 words
16.1–100Patroclus pleads with Achilles1167 words
16.101–197Ajax hard pressed; Patroclus arms1057 words
16.198–283Achilles' prayer; Patroclus leads out the Myrmidons1004 words
16.284–418Patroclus drives the Trojans from the ships1534 words
16.419–507The death of Sarpedon1022 words
16.508–631The fight over Sarpedon's body1442 words
16.632–683Sleep and Death carry Sarpedon to Lycia580 words
16.684–783Patroclus at the wall of Troy; Cebriones1102 words
16.784–867The death of Patroclus967 words
17.1–107Menelaus kills Euphorbus and guards the body1224 words
17.108–232Hector takes the armour of Achilles; Glaucus rebukes him1477 words
17.233–365The Achaeans rally round the body of Patroclus1544 words
17.366–458The fight in the mist; the horses of Achilles weep1032 words
17.459–542Automedon and the horses of Achilles912 words
17.543–655Athena rouses Menelaus; Ajax prays for light1299 words
17.656–761Antilochus is sent to Achilles; the body is carried off1170 words
18.1–64Antilochus brings the news to Achilles686 words
18.65–147Thetis and the Nereids come to Achilles962 words
18.148–238Achilles shouts from the ditch987 words
18.239–313The Trojan assembly: Polydamas and Hector927 words
18.314–367The Myrmidons mourn Patroclus624 words
18.368–467Thetis at the house of Hephaestus1131 words
18.468–540The Shield of Achilles (1): earth, sky and two cities810 words
18.541–617The Shield of Achilles (2): field, vineyard, herds and dance795 words
19.1–73Thetis brings the armour to Achilles835 words
19.74–153Achilles ends his wrath; Agamemnon's speech on Ate933 words
19.154–275The gifts and the oath: Briseis is returned1351 words
19.276–337Briseis mourns Patroclus; Achilles refuses food669 words
19.338–424Athena feeds Achilles; the horse Xanthus speaks991 words
20.1–74Zeus calls the gods to council841 words
20.75–155Apollo rouses Aeneas; the gods sit apart938 words
20.156–258Achilles and Aeneas exchange words1125 words
20.259–352Achilles and Aeneas fight; Poseidon rescues Aeneas1046 words
20.353–454Achilles' fury; Apollo saves Hector1196 words
20.455–503Achilles' slaughter on the plain577 words
21.1–135The ford of the Xanthus; the death of Lycaon1571 words
21.136–232Achilles and Asteropaeus; the river rises1077 words
21.233–325Scamander against Achilles1067 words
21.326–382Hephaestus fights the river624 words
21.383–513The battle of the gods1500 words
21.514–611Priam on the wall; Agenor and Apollo's trick1121 words
22.1–102Priam and Hecuba plead with Hector1205 words
22.103–161Hector's resolve and flight651 words
22.162–207The chase round Troy531 words
22.208–272The scales of Zeus; Athena deceives Hector745 words
22.273–375The death of Hector1224 words
22.376–515Achilles drags Hector's body; the lament in Troy1647 words
23.1–56Mourning for Patroclus; the funeral feast622 words
23.57–107The ghost of Patroclus577 words
23.108–191The funeral pyre of Patroclus981 words
23.192–261The pyre burns; the bones are gathered801 words
23.262–361Funeral games: the chariot race begins1118 words
23.362–533Funeral games: the chariot race1939 words
23.534–650Funeral games: the chariot race prizes1347 words
23.651–739Funeral games: boxing and wrestling1055 words
23.740–797Funeral games: the foot race664 words
23.798–897Funeral games: armed duel, weight, archery and spear1043 words
24.1–76Achilles' grief; the gods pity Hector898 words
24.77–158Thetis is sent to Achilles954 words
24.159–321Iris to Priam; the ransom is packed1934 words
24.322–467Priam's night journey; Hermes appears1666 words
24.468–551Priam ransoms Hector's body: the supplication984 words
24.552–617Priam ransoms Hector's body: Achilles gives up Hector778 words
24.618–676Priam and Achilles share a meal672 words
24.677–804Hermes wakes Priam; Hector's funeral1432 words

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English translation by Augustus Taber Murray (1924). Original text: David B. Monro and Thomas W. Allen (eds.), Homeri Opera, Oxford Classical Texts, 3rd ed., vols. 1-2, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1908-1920 (Greek text as digitised by Perseus); English: Augustus Taber Murray, Homer, The Iliad, Loeb Classical Library, London: Heinemann; New York: Putnam, 1924-1925.

Greek text and translation from the Perseus Digital Library, Tufts University, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Perseus Digital Library); translation public domain. Introductions, summaries and notes © GreekMythology.com.

Iliad

Contents · 162 passages

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