Homer

"Iliad"

The myths of most peoples are myths primarily about gods. myths Ancient Greece- an exception: in most and best part of them it is not about gods, but about heroes. Heroes are the sons, grandsons, and great-grandchildren of gods by mortal women; they performed feats, cleansed the land of monsters, punished the villains and entertained their strength in internecine wars. When it became hard for the Earth from them, the gods made it so that they themselves killed each other in the greatest war - the Trojan: "... and at the walls of Ilion / the Tribe of heroes died - the will of Zeus was done."

"Ilion", "Troy" - two names of the same mighty city in Asia Minor, near the coast of the Dardanelles. From the first of these names, the great Greek poem about the Trojan War is called the Iliad. Before her, only short oral songs about the exploits of heroes, like epics or ballads, existed among the people. A great poem of them was composed by the legendary blind singer Homer, and he composed it very skillfully: he chose only one episode from a long war and unfolded it so that it reflected the entire heroic age. This episode is the "wrath of Achilles," the greatest of the last generation of Greek heroes.

The Trojan War lasted ten years. Dozens of Greek kings and leaders gathered on a campaign against Troy on hundreds of ships with thousands of warriors: a list of their names occupies several pages in the poem. The main leader was the strongest of the kings - the ruler of the city of Argos Agamemnon; with him were his brother Menelaus (for whose sake the war began), the mighty Ajax, the ardent Diomedes, the cunning Odysseus, the wise old Nestor and others; but the most courageous, strong and dexterous was the young Achilles, the son of the sea goddess Thetis, who was accompanied by his friend Patroclus. The Trojans were ruled by the gray-haired king Priam, at the head of their army was the valiant son of Priam Hector, with him his brother Paris (because of whom the war began) and many allies from all over Asia. The gods themselves participated in the war: the silver-armed Apollo helped the Trojans, and the heavenly queen Hera and the wise warrior Athena helped the Greeks. The supreme god, the thunderer Zeus, followed the battles from the high Olympus and carried out his will.

The war started like this. The wedding of the hero Peleus and the sea goddess Thetis was celebrated - the last marriage between gods and mortals. (This is the same marriage from which Achilles was born.) At the feast, the goddess of discord threw a golden apple, destined for the "most beautiful." Three people argued over an apple: Hera, Athena and the goddess of love Aphrodite. Zeus ordered the Trojan prince Paris to judge their dispute. Each of the goddesses promised him their gifts: Hera promised to make him king over the whole world, Athena - a hero and sage, Aphrodite - the husband of the most beautiful of women. Paris gave the apple to Aphrodite. After that, Hera and Athena became the eternal enemies of Troy. Aphrodite helped Paris seduce and take away to Troy the most beautiful of women - Helen, daughter of Zeus, wife of King Menelaus. Once upon a time, the best heroes from all over Greece wooed her and, in order not to quarrel, they agreed as follows: let her choose who she wants, and if someone tries to recapture her from the chosen one, all the rest will go to war with him. (Everyone hoped that he would be the chosen one.) Then Helen chose Menelaus; now Paris has recaptured her from Menelaus, and all her former suitors have gone to war against him. Only one, the youngest, did not marry Elena, did not participate in the general agreement and went to war only to show off his valor, show strength and gain glory. It was Achilles. So that still none of the gods interfered in the battle. The Trojans continue their onslaught, led by Hector and Sarpedon, the son of Zeus, the last of the sons of Zeus on earth. Achilles coldly watches from his tent how the Greeks flee, how the Trojans approach their very camp: they are about to set fire to the Greek ships. From above, Hera also sees the flight of the Greeks and, in desperation, decides to deceive in order to divert the harsh attention of Zeus. She appears before him in the magical belt of Aphrodite, arousing love, Zeus flares up with passion and unites with her at the top of Ida; a golden cloud envelops them, and the earth around them blooms with saffron and hyacinths. After love comes sleep, and while Zeus sleeps, the Greeks gather their courage and stop the Trojans. But sleep is short; Zeus awakens, Hera trembles before his anger, and he tells her: “Be able to endure: everything will be your way and the Greeks will defeat the Trojans, but not before Achilles pacifies his anger and goes into battle: so I promised the goddess Thetis.”

But Achilles is not yet ready to “lay down his anger”, and instead of him, his friend Patroclus comes out to help the Greeks: it hurts him to look at his comrades in trouble. Achilles gives him his warriors, his armor, which the Trojans used to be afraid of, his chariot harnessed by prophetic horses that can speak and prophesy. “Repel the Trojans from the camp, save the ships,” says Achilles, “but do not get carried away with the pursuit, do not endanger yourself! Oh, let everyone die, both the Greeks and the Trojans, — you and I alone would have captured Troy! Indeed, seeing the armor of Achilles, the Trojans trembled and turned back; and then Patroclus could not resist and rushed to pursue them. Sarpedon, the son of Zeus, comes out to meet him, and Zeus, looking from a height, hesitates: “Should we not save our son?” - and the unkind Hera recalls:

"No, let fate be done!" Sarpedon collapses like a mountain pine, the battle boils around his body, and Patroclus rushes further, to the gates of Troy. "Away! Apollo shouts to him, “Troy is not destined to take either you or even Achilles.” He does not hear; and then Apollo, wrapped in a cloud, strikes him on the shoulders, Patroclus loses his strength, drops his shield, helmet and spear, Hector strikes him the last blow, and Patroclus, dying, says: “But you yourself will fall from Achilles!”

The news reaches Achilles: Patroclus died, Hector flaunts in his Achilles armor, his friends hardly carried the dead body of the hero out of the battle, the triumphant Trojans are chasing them. Achilles wants to rush into battle, but he is unarmed; he comes out of the tent and screams, and this scream is so terrible that the Trojans, shuddering, retreat. Night falls, and all night Achilles mourns his friend and threatens the Trojans with terrible revenge; meanwhile, at the request of his mother, Thetis, the lame blacksmith god Hephaestus in his copper forge forges a new marvelous weapon for Achilles. This is a shell, a helmet, greaves and a shield, and the whole world is depicted on the shield: the sun and stars, earth and sea, a peaceful city and a warring city, in a peaceful city there is a court and a wedding, an ambush and a battle in front of a warring city, and around - rural areas, plowing , harvest, pasture, vineyard, village festival and dancing round dance, and in the middle of it - a singer with a lyre.

Morning comes, Achilles puts on divine armor and calls the Greek army to a gathering. His anger did not fade away, but now he is not directed at Agamemnon, but at those who killed his friend - at the Trojans and Hector. He offers reconciliation to Agamemnon, and he accepts it with dignity: "Zeus and Fate blinded me, but I myself am innocent." Briseis is returned to Achilles, rich gifts are brought into his tent, but Achilles almost does not look at them: he is eager to fight, he wants to take revenge.

The fourth battle is coming. Zeus removes the bans: let the gods themselves fight for whom they want! The warrior Athena converges in battle with the frantic Ares, the sovereign Hera with the archer Artemis, the sea Poseidon must converge with Apollo, but he stops him with sad words: “Should we fight with you because of the mortal human race? / The sons of men are like short-lived leaves in the oak forest: / Today they bloom in strength, and tomorrow they lie lifeless. / I don’t want to quarrel with you: let them themselves be at enmity! .. "

Achilles is terrible. He grappled with Aeneas, but the gods pulled Aeneas out of his hands: Aeneas is not destined to fall from Achilles, he must survive both Achilles and Troy. Enraged by the failure, Achilles destroys the Trojans without counting, their corpses clutter up the river, the river god Scamander attacks him, overwhelmed with shafts, but fire god Hephaestus pacifies the river.

"Let fate be done." Again, Zeus lifts the scales, on which two lots lie - this time Hectors and Achilles. The bowl of Achilles flew up, the bowl of Hector leaned towards the underworld. And Zeus gives a sign: Apollo - to leave Hector, Athena - to come to the aid of Achilles. Athena holds Hector, and he comes face to face with Achilles. “I promise, Achilles,” says Hector, “if I kill you, I will take off your armor and not touch your body; promise me the same and you. “There is no place for promises: for Patroclus, I myself will tear you to pieces and drink your blood!” Achilles screams. Hector's spear strikes the Hephaestus shield, but in vain; Achilles' spear strikes Hector's throat, and the hero falls with the words: "Fear the revenge of the gods: and you will fall after me." “I know, but first, you!” Achilles answers. He ties the body of the slain enemy to his chariot and drives the horses around Troy, mocking the dead, and on the city wall old Priam weeps for Hector, the widow Andromache and all the Trojans and Trojans weep.

Patroclus is avenged. Achilles arranges a magnificent burial for his friend, kills twelve Trojan captives over his body, celebrates a commemoration. It would seem that his anger should subside, but it does not subside. Three times a day, Achilles drives his chariot with the body of Hector tied around Patroclus' mound; the corpse would have long since smashed against the stones, but Apollo was invisibly guarding it. Finally, Zeus intervenes - through the sea Thetis, he announces to Achilles: “Do not rage with your heart! because you don't have long to live. Be human: accept the ransom and give Hector for burial. And Achilles says, "I obey."

At night, the decrepit king Priam comes to the tent of Achilles; with him is a wagon full of ransom gifts. The gods themselves let him pass through the Greek camp unnoticed. He falls to the knees of Achilles: “Remember, Achilles, about your father, about Peleus! He is just as old; maybe he is being pressed by enemies; but it is easier for him, because he knows that you are alive, and he hopes that you will return. But I am alone: of all my sons, only Hector was my hope - and now he is gone. For the sake of your father, take pity on me, Achilles: here I kiss your hand, from which my children fell. “So saying, he aroused sorrow for his father and tears in him - / Both wept loudly, in their souls remembering their own: / The old man, prostrated at the feet of Achilles, - about Hector the brave, / Achilles himself - now about a dear father, then about friend of Patroclus.

Equal grief brings enemies together: only now the long anger in Achilles' heart subsides. He accepts the gifts, gives Priam the body of Hector and promises not to disturb the Trojans until they betray their hero to the ground. Early at dawn, Priam returns with the body of his son to Troy, and mourning begins: the old mother cries over Hector, the widow Andromache cries, Helen cries, because of whom the war once began. A funeral pyre is lit, the remains are collected in an urn, the urn is lowered into the grave, a mound is poured over the grave, a memorial feast is celebrated for the hero. “So the sons buried the warrior Hector of Troy” - this line ends the Iliad.

Before the end of the Trojan War, there were still many events. The Trojans, having lost Hector, no longer dared to go beyond the city walls. But other, more and more distant peoples came to their aid and fought with Hector: from Asia Minor, from the fabulous land of the Amazons, from distant Ethiopia. The most terrible was the leader of the Ethiopians, the black giant Memnon, also the son of the goddess; he fought with Achilles, and Achilles overthrew him. It was then that Achilles rushed to attack Troy - then he died from the arrow of Paris, which Apollo directed. The Greeks, having lost Achilles, no longer hoped to take Troy by force - they took it by cunning, forcing the Trojans to bring into the city a wooden horse in which the Greek knights sat. The Roman poet Virgil will later tell about this in his Aeneid. Troy was wiped off the face of the earth, and the surviving Greek heroes set off on their way back.

The Trojan War went on for 10 years. Troy was attacked by a huge number of Greek kings. The list of their names in the Iliad alone takes up several pages. The main was Agamemnon - the ruler of Argos. His brother Menelaus spoke with him, as well as the ardent Diomedes, the mighty Ajax, the wise old Nestor, the cunning Odysseus, etc. But the son of the goddess Thetis Achilles was considered the strongest, dexterous and brave. At the head of Troy was the old king Priam, and the army was led by his son Hector. Another son of Priam, Paris, and many allies from all over Asia fought with them. The gods also did not stand aside: Zeus judged opponents, Apollo helped the Trojans, Athena and Hera - the Greeks.

And that's why the war started. During the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, the goddess of discord threw a golden apple, which was intended for the "most beautiful." Because of him, three argued: Athena, Hera and Aphrodite. Prince Paris judged the dispute. Each goddess offered him their gifts, and he chose Aphrodite. Since then, Athena and Hera have become the worst enemies of Troy. And Aphrodite helped Paris conquer and take Elena to Troy, the most beautiful of women, the daughter of Zeus and the wife of King Menelaus. After that, according to the old agreement, all the former suitors of Helen went to war against Troy. And only Achilles did not participate in this conspiracy - he just went to show off his valor and gain glory.

The Trojans are coming. Achilles quietly watches the fights. Wanting to help the Greeks, Hera tries to distract Zeus and seduces him. After passionate love, Zeus falls asleep, and the Greeks, gathering their courage, fight back. Zeus wakes up. Hera is afraid of his wrath, but he assures her that the Greeks will definitely defeat the Trojans, but only when "Achilles pacifies his anger and goes into battle."

But Achilles is not yet ready, and instead of him comes his friend Patroclus. Achilles gives him his armor and asks him to save the ships of the Greeks, but not to pursue the enemies. However, after seeing the Trojans running, Partocles gets carried away. Then the son of Zeus Sarpedon and the god Apollo come out against him. Partocles is amazed, but before his death he promises that Achilles will avenge him.

Achilles learns that his friend has died, and the Trojans are advancing again. He is eager to fight, but he cannot, because he remained unarmed. Achilles goes out into the street and screams so terribly that the enemies turn back. Then he mourns Partocles all night. Meanwhile, Hephaestus, at the request of Thetis, forges new weapons and armor for him.

In the morning, Achilles puts on the divine armor and convenes the Greek army for a council. He also reconciles with an old enemy Agamemnon, because of whom he refused to participate in the war.

The fourth battle begins. In it, Zeus allows the gods to take part. Everyone is fighting: Athena with Arrest, Hera with Artemis. And only Apollo refuses, saying that he does not want to fight because of the "human race."

Achilles grappled with Aeneas, but the gods saved him. Angry, Achilles kills many Trojans, littering the river with their corpses. Because of this, he is attacked by the river god Scamander, but Achilles is saved by Hephaestus.

Summary of the songs of Homer's Iliad

(Compiled by A.A. Salnikov. Second edition)

Song one. Ulcer. Anger

The following is an explanation of how this anger arose. The entire army of the Achaeans (they are Danaans and Argives) is dying from pestilence, mountains of corpses are rotting around. Pestilence arose from the arrows of Apollo, who was angry for his priest Chrysus. At the next division of the booty, the supreme king and leader of the Achaeans, Agamemnon, got the daughter of Khryza. The old man came to the army with a large ransom and asked to return his daughter. Agamemnon rudely refused. The priest with tears begged Apollo to avenge him. Then Apollo sent pestilence.

Achilles at the meeting proposed to give the priest's daughter Chryseida. Agamemnon was against it, but agreed only on the condition that in return he would take his beloved captive Briseis from Achilles. So Achilles and Agamemnon quarreled. Agamemnon decided to take the prisoner of Achilles for himself, and return his prisoner to the priest.

Achilles, in anger, wanted to kill Agamemnon, but Athena, sent by the Hero, stopped him. Offended, Achilles refused to participate in the war and went to his camp near his ships.

Agamemnon sent his people to Achilles to pick up Briseis. Achilles gave. Then he went to the seashore and in tears asked his mother Thetis to persuade Zeus to take revenge on the Achaeans and Agamemne for his shame. The mother promised to beg Zeus when he returned from the Ethiopians: since the day before he had flown to their feast.

Meanwhile, the Achaeans prepared gifts for Chryseida to send to her father. Odysseus led the embassy. He handed his daughter to the priest Khriz and, having made a hecatomb, the Achaeans held a holiday. Seeing this, Apollo rejoiced in the sky.

Twelve days passed, led by Zeus, the gods returned to Olympus, and Thetis begged Zeus to help Achilles Pelid take revenge on Agamemnon for the insult. Zeus promised, because Thetis had previously saved him from the conspiracy of the gods against him. Hera overheard their conversation.

The feast of the gods is shown. At the feast, Hera tried to taunt Zeus for being secretive with Thetis, but he threatened her with punishment, and she submitted. Then the gods went to bed. Zeus lay down with the Hero.

Song two. Dream. Boeotia, or List of ships

Gods and people sleep, but Zeus cannot sleep. He is worried about the promise to Thetis. He thinks how to avenge Achilles. Then he calls to himself the Dream, tells him to fly to Agamemnon and inspire him to lead the hordes of the Achaeans into battle. The deceptive Dream suggests to Agamemnon that he can conquer Troy even without Achilles. So Zeus wanted to make it clear to Agamemnon that he could not do without Pelid. Agamemnon believed Sleep.

In the morning, Atrid Agamemnon gathered all the leaders for advice and told his dream. He understands that after 10 years of war, his army is weak and wants to go home. He decides to test the army, and tells the leaders about it. They decide that Agamemnon will offer everyone to return home, and if the army agrees, then the generals will keep it, choosing a war to victory. Gathered an army. Of course, everyone decided to return home as soon as possible. Then Odysseus intervenes and beats the main instigator and screamer, urging everyone to fight the enemy so as not to return home in disgrace. Then everyone agrees to war. At the meeting, Nestor proposes to divide the entire army into clans (regiments, militias) according to compatriots.

In Troy at this time there is a meeting at the house of King Priam. The messenger of Zeus, Irida, in the form of a sentinel Politus, says that the Achaeans are already on their way. The Trojans also decide to come out of the city to meet the enemy, each with his squad.

The army comes out of the gates of Troy. The first was Hector with a squad of Trojans. The following is a list of the Trojan army and their allied troops, which go to battle with the Achaeans.

Song three. Oaths. View from the wall. Combat of Alexander and Menelaus

Both the Achaean and Trojan armies prepare for battle. Paris-Alexander stepped forward from the Trojans and invited the bravest of the Danaans to fight him. Mnemenlai, seeing him, rushed at him, but Alexander immediately disappeared into the crowd of Trojans. Hector began to reproach his brother. Then Paris agreed to a duel and asked Hector to calm the troops. Hector arranges a duel. Paris and Menelaus converge, real and ex-husbands Helena.

The messenger Iris informs Helen, disguised as her sister-in-law Laodike. Elena at that time was embroidering the exploits of war heroes on fabric. Irida encourages Elena to watch the duel. Helena goes to the Scaean gate of the wall of Troy. The Trojan elders have already gathered there. Elder Priam calls Elena to him. He asks her the names of the Achaean heroes, pointing at them from the wall, and Elena tells him their names and tells about them.

Before the battle, they decided to make sacrifices to the gods and an oath that the winner takes Elena and her wealth, and the war stops.

The battle between Menelaus and Paris begins. Menelaus defeats Paris and drags him by the helmet to the Achaean army. But Aphrodite suddenly takes Paris home. The goddess calls Elena and leaves Paris with Elena in the bedroom.

Meanwhile, Agamemnon orders, in view of the defeat of Paris, to fulfill the conditions of the duel and return Helen to the Achaeans.

Song four. Oath breaking. Detour of the troops by Agamemnon

On the golden porch near the house of Zeus, the gods held a council. Drinking nectar. Zeus makes fun of Hera, who patronizes Menelaus, as Aphrodite saves Paris, although Menelaus' victory was obvious.

Nine years have now passed since the moment when the troops of Greece began the siege of Troy. Having raided neighboring regions, the Greeks captured Chryseis, a girl who was the daughter of a priest in the temple of Apollo. Chryseis becomes the concubine of Agamemnon, the commander-in-chief of the Greek army. Of course, this event extremely angered Apollo. The deity sends pestilence to the army. Achilles, the bravest of the Greeks, convinces Agamemnon at a general meeting of the army to return Chryseis to her father. However, in return, the commander-in-chief demands that Achilles provide him with his captive - a girl named Briseis. Achilles feels insulted and decides to deal with Agamemnon with a sword. However, what she wanted the Greeks to win in the battle kept him from. As a result, Achilles limited himself to calling the commander-in-chief a selfish and shameless coward, and also stated that from that day on he was not going to participate in hostilities.

Achilles decides to take revenge on the Greeks

Next in summary Homer's "Iliad" includes Nestor - the oldest and wisest Greek king. However, his attempts to reconcile the quarreling turn out to be a failure. The diplomatic and amiable leader Odysseus takes Chryseis to her father, Briseis goes to Agamemnon. Achilles turns to his mother, the sea goddess Thetis, and asks her to convince the supreme Zeus to grant victory to the Trojans. According to the warrior, this would help the Greeks understand how insignificant they are without him. Despite all the objections of Hera, who favors the Greeks, Zeus agrees. He sends to the commander-in-chief unusual dream, after which Agamemnon gathers a council of leaders, at which he asks if the Greeks want to return home. The warriors who took this offer seriously go to their ships. However, at the suggestion of Athena, they are stopped by Odysseus. He pronounces Wise Nestor gives his instructions to the soldiers. After listening to his speeches, the Greeks perform a sacrifice and prepare for battle. Only Achilles and his companions do not participate in this.

The war goes on

We will not include in the summary of Homer's Iliad detailed description forces that were put up by the belligerent states. The Trojan army is led by Hector, the son of King Priam. Hector's brother, Paris, who initiated this war (it was he who kidnapped Helen, the beautiful wife of the Spartan king Menelaus), invites Menelaus to fight one on one. The winner was to finally take possession of Elena and end the long war. The first few blows allowed Menelaus to feel the proximity of victory. However, here divine forces again intervene in the matter: Aphrodite, who patronizes Paris, saves her pet. Athena, on the other hand, pushes her Trojan enemies to be the first to violate the truce concluded before the fight.

What follows is a description of a series of fights, as a result of which the advantage is on the side of the Trojans. Seeing that things are bad, Agamemnon sends an embassy to Achilles. The commander-in-chief offers the brave warrior to return Briseis and reward him with generous gifts if he returns to duty again. However, Achilles refuses Agamemnon.

Troop clashes continue. The Trojans attack the Greek camp, Hector seems unstoppable. Fearing that Troy will win the war, Hera dresses up, adorns herself and retires with Zeus, her husband, on Mount Ida to divert his attention from the fight. Having discovered the tricks of his wife, the supreme god becomes furious and again helps the Trojans. The Greeks flee in panic. Patroclus, Achilles' best friend, sympathizes with them, puts on armor and goes out to single combat, but his opponent - Hector - turns out to be much stronger and kills Patroclus.

Revenge for a dead friend

Further, the summary of the Iliad by Homer again returns to Achilles. The warrior takes an oath to avenge his murdered friend. Thetis asks Hephaestus, the god of blacksmiths, to forge a new weapon for her son. Armed with new armor, Achilles breaks into the battlefield and destroys many Trojans. After the warrior defeats the god of the river Scamander and, after much persecution, meets with Hector. With the support of Athena, Achilles manages to ruthlessly deal with the enemy, whom he then ties by the legs to his chariot and takes him to the Greek camp. Hector's family mourns him bitterly.

This is followed by a description of the solemn funeral that Achilles arranges for Patroclus - Homer pays great attention to this event. The Iliad, the summary of which you are now reading, continues when the hero's body is burned and the ashes are placed in an urn of gold. The day ends with athletic games in memory of the deceased.

The fate of Hector

Not fully recovering from the loss, Achilles travels the next day to the burial hill of Patroclus, and does so on a chariot to which the body of Hector is tied. Apollo asks the gods to stop this blasphemy. Hera objects, but Zeus gives the go-ahead for Priam to redeem his son's body. Thetis is instructed to ask Achilles for consent to this. And Priam is informed about the will of Zeus by the messenger Irida. Hecuba is trying to dissuade Priam. But he, wanting to redeem the body of his son, goes to Achilles' tent with rich gifts. At this point, Homer describes a sublime pathetic scene. Saddened, Achilles agrees to accept Priam. He does not forget about the fate of his father, with whom he could not adequately say goodbye, and returns the body of his son to him. The Trojans mourn the death of Hector, and Homer's poem "The Iliad" ends, a summary of which we have given, with these words: "So they buried the body of Hector, the horseman."

The myths of most peoples are myths primarily about gods. The myths of ancient Greece are an exception: for the most part they are not about gods, but about heroes. Heroes are the sons, grandsons, and great-grandchildren of gods by mortal women; they performed feats, cleansed the land of monsters, punished the villains and entertained their strength in internecine wars. When it became hard for the Earth from them, the gods made it so that they themselves killed each other in the greatest war - the Trojan: "... and at the walls of Il ion / the Tribe of heroes died - the will of Zeus was done."

"Ilion", "Troy" - two names of the same mighty city in Asia Minor, near the coast of the Dardanelles. From the first of these names, the great Greek poem about the Trojan War is called the Iliad. Before her, only short oral songs about the exploits of heroes, such as epics or ballads, existed among the people. A great poem of them was composed by the legendary blind singer Homer, and he composed it very skillfully: he chose only one episode from a long war and unfolded it so that it reflected the entire heroic age. This episode is the "wrath of Achilles," the greatest of the last generation of Greek heroes.

The Trojan War lasted ten years. Dozens of Greek kings and leaders gathered on a campaign against Troy on hundreds of ships with thousands of soldiers: a list of their names takes up several pages in the poem. The main leader was the strongest of the kings - the ruler of the city of Argos Agamemnon; with him were his brother Menelaus (for whose sake the war began), the mighty Ajax, the ardent Diomedes, the cunning Odysseus, the wise old Nestor and others; but the most courageous, strong and dexterous was the young Achilles, the son of the sea goddess Thetis, who was accompanied by his friend Patroclus. The Trojans were ruled by the gray-haired king Priam, at the head of their army was the valiant son of Priam Hector, with him his brother Paris (because of whom the war began) and many allies from all over Asia. The gods themselves participated in the war: the silver-armed Apollo helped the Trojans, and the heavenly queen Hera and the wise warrior Athena helped the Greeks. The supreme god, the thunderer Zeus, followed the battles from the high Olympus and carried out his will.

The war started like this. The wedding of the hero Peleus and the sea goddess Thetis was celebrated - the last marriage between gods and mortals. (This is the same marriage from which Achilles was born.) At the feast, the goddess of discord threw a golden apple, destined for the "most beautiful." Three people argued over an apple: Hera, Athena and the goddess of love Aphrodite. Zeus ordered the Trojan prince Paris to judge their dispute. Each of the goddesses promised him their gifts: Hera promised to make him king over the whole world, Athena - a hero and sage, Aphrodite - the husband of the most beautiful of women. Paris gave the apple to Aphrodite. After that, Hera and Athena became the eternal enemies of Troy. Aphrodite, on the other hand, helped Paris seduce and take away to Troy the most beautiful of women - Helen, the daughter of Zeus, the wife of Menelaus. Once upon a time, the best heroes from all over Greece wooed her and, in order not to quarrel, they agreed as follows: let her choose who she wants, and if someone tries to recapture her from the chosen one, all the rest will go to war with him. (Everyone hoped that he would be the chosen one.) Then Helen chose Menelaus; now Paris has recaptured her from Menelaus, and all her suitors have gone to war against him. Only one, the youngest, did not marry Elena, did not participate in the general agreement, and went to war only to show off his valor, show strength and gain glory. It was Achilles. So it was believed: the most important of the Greek leaders near Troy was Agamemnon, and the best was Achilles. The war went on for nine years, and in the tenth year the most important and best quarreled: Achilles flared up with anger at Agamemnon. Here the Iliad begins with the poet's appeal to the Muse: "Sing, goddess, about the wrath of Achilles, the son of Peleus ..."

The reason for the anger was the division of booty. Military booty was a sign of military honor: the best part - to the best warrior, to take it away - to dishonor him. This time the prey were two captives with similar names: Chryseis and Briseis. Chryseis was awarded to Agamemnon, Briseis to Achilles. But Chryseis turned out to be the daughter of the priest of Apollo, who prayed to his god, and Apollo sent a pestilence to the Greek army. I had to make expiatory sacrifices to Apollo, and return Chryseis to her father. Agamemnon felt dishonored and demanded: then, instead of Chryseis, they would give him Briseis, having taken it from Achilles. Here Achilles boils up: “We are fighting for you, you already take the best booty, and now you are depriving us of ours? Take Briseis, but know that I am getting out of the war - fight yourself if you want! Friends hardly separated the leaders. Achilles goes to the seashore and calls out to his mother, the sea Thetis: “The gods gave me a choice: a long life or a glorious life; I chose glory - and Agamemnon dishonors me. Mother, beg Zeus: let him let the Trojans overpower the Greeks, let Agamemnon see what he is without me! Thetis rises to Olympus to Zeus and, pleadingly touching his beard, conveys to him the prayer of his son, And Zeus agrees: he nods majestically. "God's hair flew up, and the great Olympus shook."

The main part of the poem begins: four days - four battles. Zeus sends Agamemnon a false dream, promising him a brilliant victory. Agamemnon decides to raise the morale of the troops with a skillful trick - he calls the troops to a meeting and offers to admit defeat and retreat. He thought that the Greeks would be offended, indignant and rush into battle - but no, everyone is so exhausted from the many years of war that they joyfully rush to the ships to sail home. Clever Odysseus rushes to save the situation - he admonishes some, frightens others, beats the third with the royal scepter. The Goddess Athena comes to the rescue and inhales the military spirit into the fighters. The troops are built for battle in a tight formation - “Shishak with a shield, a shishak with a shishak, a man with a man”: “The warriors walked, and the whole field seemed to be devoured by fire - / The earth groaned heavily, as if under the wrath of the Thundering Father.”

The first battle begins with a duel and ends with a duel. When the Greeks and the Trojans converge, Paris, the culprit of the war, offers the offended Menelaus to fight one on one: whoever wins, Helen will remain, and the war will end. Both troops rejoice, the leaders take an oath that neither side will interfere in single combat. Helen herself climbs the Trojan wall to see the battle; and, looking at her, the Trojan elders say among themselves: “Yes, it is not surprising that so many peoples fight and die because of such beauty.” Menelaus and Paris converge, Menelaus wounds Paris, his sword breaks, he grapples with Paris hand-to-hand, but then the goddess Aphrodite, the patroness of Paris, envelops him in a dark cloud and takes him away from the battlefield. It seems that the outcome of the war is decided; but this is not enough for the vengeful Hera and Athena, they want to prolong the war and destroy Troy. Athena inspires the Trojan archer Pandaru to shoot an arrow at Menelaus. Menelaus is wounded, the truce is broken, the troops are indignant, and a general battle begins: “The skins and spears and the forces of copper-armored men met, / Convex-round, shields with shields clashed with a ringing, / And from the battle, a polyphonic rumble rang out: / Together they merged in it rejoicing and cries of heroes, / Those who perished and who destroy; the ground was stained with blood."

The hero of the first day of the battle is Diomedes, the Argive knight. He alone crushes dozens of Trojans, Athena herself keeps him from arrows. The Trojan Aeneas, the son of the goddess Aphrodite, comes upon him - the one about whom Virgil will later write a poem. Diomedes knocks him down huge stone, and when the frightened Aphrodite flies to save him, she wounds the goddess herself in the hand: “It’s not your business, seducer, to fight among husbands!” Ares himself rushes at him, the wild god of war, helping the Trojans, but Diomedes, encouraged by Athena, inflicts a wound on the god. He roared in pain, “as if ten thousand soldiers were screaming at once,” and ascended into the sky like a black cloud.

Hector, the leader of the Trojans, feels that the Greeks are strong with the support of Athena, and goes to Troy: let the Trojan women pray to the formidable goddess so that she changes her anger to mercy. Returning to battle, at the very gates he meets his wife Andromache with her little son in her arms. She gently asks him: “Don’t go to battle - they will kill you, it’s easier for me to die myself than to lose you! I am alone, Achilles killed my father, you are now my only father, and mother, and brother, and husband. Hector replies: “I know; but I am ashamed to shy away from battle like a coward; and no mortal can escape his fate. And it says: “I know: the day will come, and sacred Troy will perish, / Priam and the people of the spear-bearer Priam will perish with it ...”

Hector returns to the battlefield, with him healed Paris, the day is drawing to a close, and the troops again decide to end the matter with a duel. From the Trojans comes the strongest - Hector; from the Greeks - the strongest after the absent Achilles: Ajax. Both are worthy of each other: they fight for a long time, until sunset, and neither one nor the other can prevail. At nightfall, they lay down their arms and disperse, exchanging gifts as a token of mutual respect.

The second day comes, the second battle, and Zeus begins to fulfill his promise to Thetis. He forbids the gods to interfere in the battle and he himself raises the scales on which the fates of both troops lie. The cup of the Trojans rises to heaven, the cup of the Greeks descends to the realm of the dead. The Greeks begin to retreat, and the thunderer pursues them with horror, throwing lightning into the thick of the fighters. The Greeks are hiding in their camp - behind the rampart surrounding their ships pulled ashore; and the Trojans remain overnight in the field opposite the camp, instilling fear in the enemy with the close fires of fires.

At night, Agamemnon convenes a military council: he lost heart and is ready to lift the siege and return across the sea. Wise Nestor suggests that he better make peace with Achilles. Three ambassadors go to Achilles - Odysseus, Ajax and Achilles' old tutor Phoenix. Achilles and his friend Patroclus are sitting in their tent and trying to drown out their spiritual anguish by playing the lyre. He is offered to return Briseis, pay a huge ransom for the insult, and upon his return to Greece, give Agamemnon's daughter as a wife and seven cities as a dowry. Odysseus speaks insinuatingly and subtly, Ajax - sharply and weightily, Phoenix - verbose and with signs from the old days. But Achilles does not want to listen: "Agamemnon has already deceived and insulted me once - he no longer has faith!" The embassy returns with nothing.

The third day is the third battle, the most important one. Zeus stands on Mount Ida, towering over the Trojan plain, and vigilantly watches that none of the gods still interfere in the battle. The Trojans continue their onslaught, led by Hector and Sarpedon, the son of Zeus, the last of the sons of Zeus on earth. Achilles coldly watches from his tent how the Greeks flee, how the Trojans approach their very camp: they are about to set fire to the Greek ships. From above, Hera also sees the flight of the Greeks and, in desperation, decides to deceive in order to divert the harsh attention of Zeus. She appears before him in the magic belt of Aphrodite, arousing love, Zeus flares up with passion and unites with her at the top of Ida; a golden cloud envelops them, and the earth around them blooms with saffron and hyacinths. After love comes sleep, and while Zeus sleeps, the Greeks gather their courage and stop the Trojans. But sleep is short; Zeus wakes up, Hera trembles before his anger, and he tells her: “Be able to endure: everything will be your way and the Greeks will defeat the Trojans, but not before Achilles pacifies his anger and goes into battle: so I promised the goddess Thetis.”

But Achilles is not yet ready to “put down his anger”, and instead of him, his friend Patroclus comes out to help the Greeks - it hurts him to look at his comrades in trouble. Achilles gives him his warriors, his armor, which the Trojans are used to being afraid of, his chariot harnessed by horses that can speak and prophesy. “Repel the Trojans from the camp, save the ships,” says Achilles, “but do not get carried away with the pursuit, do not endanger yourself! Oh, let everyone die - both the Greeks and the Trojans - we would take Troy alone together! Indeed, seeing the armor of Achilles, the Trojans trembled and turned back; and then Patroclus could not resist and rushed to pursue them. Sarpedon, the son of Zeus, comes out to meet him, and Zeus, looking from a height, hesitates: “Should we not save our son?” - and the unkind Hera reminds: "No, let fate be done!" Sarpedon collapses like a mountain pine, the battle boils around his body, and Patroclus rushes further, to the gates of Troy. "Away! Apollo shouts to him, “Troy is not destined to take either you or even Achilles.” He does not hear; and then Apollo, wrapped in a cloud, strikes him on the shoulders, Patroclus loses his strength, drops his shield, helmet and spear, Hector strikes him the last blow, and Patroclus, dying, says: “But you yourself will fall from Achilles!”

The news reached Achilles: Patroclus died, Hector flaunts in his Achilles armor, his friends hardly carried the dead body of the hero out of the battle, the triumphant Trojans are chasing them. Achilles wants to rush into battle, but he is unarmed; he comes out of the tent and screams, and this scream is so terrible that the Trojans, shuddering, retreat. Darkness falls, and all night Achilles mourns his friend and threatens the Trojans with terrible revenge; meanwhile, at the request of his mother, Thetis, the lame blacksmith Hephaestus in his copper forge forges a new marvelous weapon for Achilles. This is a shell, a helmet, greaves and a shield, and the whole world is depicted on the shield: the sun and stars, earth and sea, a peaceful city and a warring city, in a peaceful city there is a court and a wedding, in front of a warring city there is an ambush and a battle, and around - selytsin, plowing , harvest, pasture, vineyard, village festival and dancing round dance, and in the middle of it - a singer with a lyre.

Morning comes, Achilles puts on divine armor and calls the Greek army to a gathering. His anger did not fade away, but now it is directed not at Agamemnon, but at those who killed his friend - at the Trojans and Hector. He offers reconciliation to Agamemnon, and he accepts it with dignity: "Zeus and Fate blinded me, but I myself am innocent." Briseis is returned to Achilles, rich gifts are brought to his tent, but Achilles almost does not look: he is eager to fight, he wants to take revenge.

Achilles is terrible. He grappled with Aeneas, but the gods pulled Aeneas out of his hands: Aeneas is not destined to fall from Achilles, he must survive both Achilles and Troy. Enraged by the failure, Achilles destroys the Trojans without counting, their corpses clutter up the river, the river god Scamander attacks him, overwhelms him with waves, but the fiery god Hephaestus pacifies the river.

The surviving Trojans run in droves to escape to the city; Hector alone, in yesterday's Achilles armor, covers the retreat. Achilles attacks him, and Hector takes flight, voluntary and involuntary: he is afraid for himself, but wants to distract Achilles from others. Three times they run around the city, and the gods look at them from the heights. Again Zeus hesitates: “Should we not save the hero?” - but Athena reminds him: "Let fate be done." Again, Zeus lifts the scales, on which two lots lie - this time Hectors and Achilles. The bowl of Achilles flew up, the bowl of Hector descended to the underworld. And Zeus gives a sign: Apollo - to leave Hector, Athena - to come to the aid of Achilles. Athena holds Hector, and he comes face to face with Achilles. “I promise, Achilles,” says Hector, “if I kill you, I will take off your armor and not touch your body; promise me the same and you. “There is no place for promises: for Patroclus, I myself will tear you to pieces and drink your blood!” Achilles screams. Hector's spear strikes the Hephaestus shield, but in vain; Achilles' spear strikes Hector's throat, and the hero falls with the words: "Fear the revenge of the gods: and you will fall after me." “I know, but first, you!” Achilles answers. He ties the body of the slain enemy to his chariot and drives the horses around Troy, mocking the dead, and on the city wall old Priam weeps for Hector, the widow Andromache and all the Trojans and Trojans weep.

Patroclus is avenged. Achilles arranges a magnificent burial for his friend, kills twelve Trojan captives over his body, celebrates a commemoration. It would seem that his anger should subside, but it does not subside. Three times a day, Achilles drives his chariot with the body of Hector tied around Patroclus' mound; the corpse would have long since smashed against the stones, but Apollo was invisibly guarding it. Finally, Zeus intervenes - through the sea goddess Thetis, he announces to Achilles: “Do not rage with your heart! After all, you don't have long to live. Be human: accept the ransom and give Hector for burial. And Achilles says, "I obey."

At night, the decrepit king Priam comes to the tent of Achilles; with him is a wagon full of ransom gifts. The gods themselves let him pass through the Greek camp unnoticed. He falls to the knees of Achilles: “Remember, Achilles, about your father, about Peleus! He is also old; maybe he is being pressed by enemies; but it is easier for him because he knows that you are alive and hopes that you will return. But I am alone: of all my sons, only Hector was my hope - and now he is gone. For the sake of your father, take pity on me, Achilles: here I kiss your hand, from which my children fell. “So saying, he aroused sorrow for his father and tears in him - / Both wept loudly, in their souls remembering their own: / The old man, prostrated at the feet of Achilles, - about Hector the brave, / Achilles himself - now about a dear father, then about friend of Patroclus.

Before the end of the Trojan War, there were still many events. The Trojans, having lost Hector, no longer dared to go beyond the city walls. But other, more and more distant peoples came to their aid and fought with Achilles: from Asia Minor, from the fabulous land of the Amazons, from distant Ethiopia. The most terrible was the leader of the Ethiopians, the black giant Memnon, also the son of the goddess; he fought with Achilles, and Achilles overthrew him. It was then that Achilles rushed to attack Troy - then he died from the arrow of Paris, which Apollo directed. The Greeks, having lost Achilles, no longer hoped to take Troy by force - they took it by cunning, forcing the Trojans to bring into the city an ancient horse in which the Greek soldiers were sitting. The Roman poet Virgil will later tell about this in his Aeneid. Troy was wiped off the face of the earth, and the surviving Greek heroes set off on their way back.

Plots famous works The Iliad and the Odyssey are taken from a common collection of epic tales about the Trojan War. And each of these two poems is a small sketch from a larger cycle. The main element in which the characters of the Iliad operate is war, which is depicted not as a clash of the masses, but as the actions of individual characters.

Achilles

The main character of the Iliad is Achilles, a young hero, the son of Peleus and the goddess of the sea, Thetis. The word "Achilles" is translated as "swift, like a god." Achilles is the central character of the work. He has a solid and noble character, which personifies real valor, as the Greeks then understood it. For Achilles, there is nothing higher than duty and honor. He is ready to avenge his friend's death by sacrificing his own life. At the same time, duplicity and cunning are alien to Achilles. Despite his honesty and sincerity, he acts as an impatient and very short-tempered hero. He is sensitive in matters of honor - despite the serious consequences for the troops, he refuses to continue the battle because of the offense inflicted on him. In the life of Achilles, the dictates of heaven and the passions of his own being coincide. The hero dreams of glory, and for this he also turns out to be ready to sacrifice his own life.

Confrontation in the soul of the protagonist

Achilles, the protagonist of the Iliad, is accustomed to command and control, as he is aware of his strength. He is ready to destroy Agamemnon in place, who dared to offend him. And the wrath of Achilles manifests itself in the most different forms. When he takes revenge on his enemies for Patroclus, he turns into a real demon-destroyer. Having filled up the entire bank of the river with the corpses of enemies, Achilles enters into a fight with the very god of this river. However, it is very interesting to watch how Achilles' heart softens when he sees a father asking for the body of his son. The old man reminds him of his own father, and the cruel warrior relents. Achilles also yearns bitterly for his friend, weeps at his mother. In the heart of Achilles nobility and the desire for revenge are fighting.

Hector

Continuing to characterize the main characters of Homer's Iliad, it is worth dwelling in particular detail on the figure of Hector. The courage and courage of this hero are the result of the goodwill prevailing in his mind. He knows the feeling of fear, like any other warrior. However, despite this, Hector learned to show courage in battles, to overcome cowardice. He leaves his parents, son and wife with sadness in his heart, as he is faithful to his duty - to protect the city of Troy.

Hector is deprived of the help of the gods, so he is forced to give his own life for his city. He is also depicted as human - not once does he reproach Elena, he forgives his brother. Hector does not hate them, despite the fact that they were the perpetrators of the outbreak of the Trojan War. In the words of the hero there is no disdain for other people, he does not express his superiority. The main difference between Hector and Achilles is humanity. This quality is opposed to the excessive aggressiveness of the protagonist of the poem.

Achilles and Hector: comparison

It is also a frequent task Comparative characteristics The main characters of the Iliad are Achilles and Hector. Homer gives the son of Priam more positive, human features than the main character. Hector knows what Social responsibility. He does not put his experiences above the lives of other people. In contrast to him, Achilles is a true personification of individualism. He raises his conflict with Agamemnon to a truly cosmic scale. In Hector, the reader does not observe the bloodthirstiness that is inherent in Achilles. He is an opponent of war, he understands what a terrible disaster it is for people. The whole disgusting and terrible side of the war is clear to Hector. It is this hero who proposes not to fight with whole troops, but to put up individual representatives from each side.

Gods help Hector - Apollo and Artemis. However, he is very different from Achilles, who is the son of the goddess Thetis. Achilles is not affected by weapons, his only weak point is his heel. In fact, he is a half-demon. Going to battle, he puts on the armor of Hephaestus himself. And Hector is a simple man who faces a terrible test. He realizes that he can only answer the challenge, because the goddess Athena helps his enemy. characters are very different. The Iliad begins with the name of Achilles, and ends with the name of Hector.

Element of heroes

The description of the main characters of the poem "Iliad" by Homer would be incomplete without a description of the environment in which the action of the poem takes place. As has already been pointed out, such an environment is war. In many places of the poem, the exploits of individual characters are mentioned: Menelaus, Diomedes. However, the most significant feat is still the victory of Achilles over his opponent Hector.

Also, the warrior wants to know exactly who he is dealing with. In some cases, the confrontation stops for a while, and in order to ensure the freedom of the soldiers, as well as the non-interference of outsiders, the truce is consecrated by sacrifices. Homer, who lived in an atmosphere of war and constant murder, expressively depicts the agony of the dying. The cruelty of the victors is no less vividly depicted in the poem.

Menelaus and Agamemnon

One of the main characters of the Iliad is the Mycenaean and Spartan ruler Menelaus. Homer portrays both as not the most attractive characters - both do not miss the opportunity to abuse their position, especially Agamemnon. It was his selfishness that caused the death of Achilles. And the interest of Menelaus in the attack was the reason that the war broke out.

Menelaus, for whom the Achaeans advocate in battles, was to take the place of the Mycenaean ruler. However, he turns out to be unsuitable for this role, and this place turns out to be occupied by Agamemnon. Fighting with Paris, he gives vent to his anger, which he has accumulated against his offender. However, as a warrior, he is significantly inferior to other heroes of the poem. His actions are significant only in the process of saving the body of Patroclus.

Other heroes

One of the most charming protagonists of the Iliad is the elder Nestor, who likes to constantly remember the years of his youth, to give his instructions to young soldiers. Also attractive is Ajax, who surpasses everyone with his courage and strength, excluding Achilles. Admirable and Patroclus, the closest friend of Achilles, who was brought up with him under the same roof. Performing his exploits, he was too carried away by the dream of capturing Troy and died from the merciless hand of Hector.

The elderly Trojan ruler named Priam is not the main character of Homer's Iliad, but he has attractive features. He is a true patriarch who is surrounded by a large family. Having grown old, Priam cedes the right to command the army to his son, Hector. On behalf of all his people, the elder brings sacrifices to the gods. Priam is distinguished by such character traits as gentleness, courtesy. He even treats Elena, whom everyone hates, well. However, the old man is haunted by misfortune. All his sons die in battles at the hands of Achilles.

Andromache

The main characters of the poem "Iliad" are warriors, but in the work you can also find many female images. This is named Andromache, his mother Hecuba, as well as Helen and the captive Briseis. For the first time, the reader meets Andromache in the sixth canto, which tells of her meeting with her husband, who returned from the battlefield. Already at that moment, she intuitively anticipates the death of Hector and persuades him not to leave the city. But Hector does not heed her words.

Andromache is a faithful and loving wife who is forced to live in constant anxiety for her husband. The fate of this woman is filled with tragedy. When her home city of Thebes was devastated, Andromache's mother and brothers were killed by enemies. After this event, her mother also dies, Andromache is left alone. Now the whole meaning of her existence is in her beloved husband. After she says goodbye to him, she mourns with the maids, as already dead. After this, Andromache is not found on the pages of the poem until the death of the hero. Sorrow is the main mood of the heroine. She foresees her bitter fate in advance. When Andromache hears screams on the wall and runs to find out what happened, she sees: Achilles is dragging the body of Hector along the ground. She falls unconscious.

Heroes of the Odyssey

A common question that students are asked in literature lessons is to name the main characters of the Iliad and the Odyssey. The poem "The Odyssey", along with the "Iliad", is considered to be the most important monument of the entire era of the transition from the communal-clan to the slave-owning system.

The Odyssey describes even more mythological creatures than the Iliad. Gods, people, fabulous creatures - Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey" are full of various characters. The main characters of the works are both people and gods. Moreover, the gods take an active part in the lives of mere mortals, helping them or taking away their power. Main character"Odyssey" is the Greek king Odysseus, who returns home after the battle. Among other characters, his patroness, the goddess of wisdom Athena, stands out. The sea god Poseidon opposes the main character. An important figure is the faithful Penelope, the wife of Odysseus.