English Literature

The Iliad is a war story written over 3000 years ago by Homes, a blind artist, and is characterized with dread, death and love. Its made up of blood drenched episodes, treachery, ruthless battles and abandonment. The Iliad begun while the Trojan War was still in progress. Homes presents the character of Achilles, a fierce Greek warrior, as immortal but still vulnerable like other human beings. Paris, a prince of Troy, eluded with Helen who was the wife of Spartan king called Menelaus. The king sought the services of his elder brother called Agamemnon, who was the commander in chief of Achaean troops, to win back Helen (Bloom, 7). The sail to Troy marked the beginning of a war that was to last ten long years.
               
Agamemnon alienates Achilles who in turns becomes outraged and vows not to represent the Achaean army until they come begging for him. According to Bloom (1987), the Greeks fight the Trojans for nine long years without success and the battle grounds are brutal and gruesome made up of impaled men, crushed skulls and gouged eyes, (p.31). The brutality continues and at one point, Menelaus overpowers Adrestrus and hesitates before he kills him after he begs for mercy. His brother reminds him that they have come to finish the Trojan race and Menelaus kills him. The gods strike lightening to the Greek warriors and they become disoriented and start to disperse. Hector, the leader of the Trojan forces continues to strike the Greek army and multiple deaths threaten to force the Greek to surrender. Agamemnon agrees that he made a stupid mistake in sidelining their greatest warrior and prepares gifts to lure Achilles back. Dolan, a Trojan soldier is caught and tortured to death after giving information about the location of his troops. The Achaeans head for Thracian encampment and kills a sleeping man, Rheusus, as well as twelve of his cohorts.
           
Agamemnon kills many warriors among them being two of Antenors sons but gets wounded after killing Coon. Hector takes the opportunity to slaughter multiple Achaean men who scatter in different directions. A god named Zeus continues to give victory to the Trojans, while Idomenus fights back and kills some of the Trojan great troops. The lockrians holds back the Trojan warriors by shooting them with arrows thus scattering and killing many of their greatest troops. The Trojans regain strength and drive the Achaeans towards their ships (Bloom, 18). Patroclus begs Achilles to aid his countrymen who are being attacked from every direction.
             
Patroclus, wearing Achilles armor, assists in repelling the Trojan troops and mercilessly kills the enemies best warriors. The Achaean troops win every assault but as the Trojan retreats back to troy, Hector with the help of Apollo, a god, kills Patroclus and glorifies himself over his corpse. The Achaeans put their lives on the line to protect Patroclus body and the two sides fight for honor and what transpires from the war marks the largest battle in the Iliad.
               
Achilles learns of the demise of his beloved friend, Patroclus, and proclaims that Nothing matters to me now  But killing and blood and men in agony (19.226). He failed to understand his mothers prophesies that his request for a glorious death would culminate to the death of his friend. Achilles assembles his troops and heads for Hector and while on the way, they encounter Aeneas and engage in a fierce battle(Bloom, 44). The Trojans are filled with fear after seeing Achilles while the gods prepare to assault each other Ares against Athena Leto against Hermes, Apollo against Poseidon. In the act of reckless violence that ensues, Achilles slaughters many Trojan warriors such that the River Scamander gets clogged with their gore and mutilates begging fighters with blood thirst, animalistic character.
             
He solely divides the Trojan army and drives one part towards the city and the other towards the river. He hacks them to pieces angering the river god known as Xanthus, who aids Asteropaeus to injure him. Achilles proceeds to kill him and slaughters more Paeonians fleeing in terror. The river god protest asking Achilles to desist from clogging her waters with corpses. Achilles agrees on condition that all Trojans retreats back to the city and hector is killed. The god of fire come to the help of Achilles who is being attacked by Xanthus, and many corpses and plants in the plains start to burn while the marine life continue die (Bloom, 65).
           
Achilles runs after Hector around the walls of troy and Hector tries to cut a deal with him.  He asks him to swear that the winner will respect the corpse of the loser. Achilles retorts that there are no deals that are cut between lambs and wolves, nor between men and lions. After killing Hector, he wishes he had the guts to consume his raw flesh and proceeds to drag his lifeless body around the city. The final memories of the Iliad are those of doomed Trojans filled with great sorrow, and the lack of celebration among the Achaeans.