The story of the Iliad

Leda, Queen of Sparta, bare a daughter, Helen by name, that grew to be the fairest of all women upon earth. She married Menelaus, son of Atreus, and for a while dwelt in peace w...

When the twelfth day was come, Thetis rose out of the sea, and went to high Olympus. There she found Zeus sitting apart on the topmost peak of Olympus, and she knelt down before...

So now the hosts drew near to battle. With many a cry the men of Troy came on, clamorous as a flock of cranes when they fly southward from the winter and the rain. But the Greek...

Meanwhile the gods sat in council in the hall of Zeus; and fair Hebe poured out for them the nectar, and they pledged each other in cups of gold, looking down upon the city of T...

When the armies were come into one place, they dashed together with buckler and spear: and there was a great crash of shields that met. Next rose up a great moaning of them that...

Now when Ares had departed, the Greeks prevailed again, slaying many of the sons of Troy and of their allies. But at last Helenus, the wise seer, spake to Hector and Æneas:--

Hector came into the city by the Scæan gates, and as he went wives and mothers crowded about him, asking how it had fared with their husbands and sons. But he said naught, save...

Now when Athene saw that the Greeks were perishing by the hand of Hector and his companions, it grieved her sore. So she came down from the heights of Olympus to help them. And...

"Hearken, gods and goddesses! Let none of you presume to go against my word. Whosoever of you shall aid either Greek or Trojan, him will I smite with the thunder, or else will c...

While the Trojans watched with good hope, the Greeks were filled with fear. And King Agamemnon was troubled beyond all others. He bade the heralds call every man to the assembly...

The other chiefs of the Greeks slept that night; but King Agamemnon slept not; sore troubled was he in heart. For when he looked towards Troy, and saw the many fires, and heard...

When the next day dawned, King Agamemnon called the Greeks to battle. And on the other side Hector set in order the men of Troy. As a baleful star now shineth from the clouds, a...

Now by this time the Trojans were close upon the trench. But the horses stood on the brink, fearing to leap it, for it was broad and deep, and the Greeks had put great stakes th...

And when Zeus had brought the Trojans near to the ships, he turned away his eyes, and looked upon them no more, for he deemed that none of the immortal gods would come to help e...

Now Patroclus stood by Achilles, weeping bitterly. Then said Achilles: "What ails thee, Patroclus, that thou weepest like a girl-child that runs along by her mother's side, and...

Fierce was the fight about the body of Patroclus, and many heroes fell, both on this side and on that, and first of them all Euphorbus, who first had wounded him. For as he came...

"Vain was the promise that I made to Menœtius that I would bring back his son with his portion of the spoils of Troy. For he lies dead, nor shall I return to the house of Peleus...

Achilles went along the shore of the sea, shouting aloud to the warriors. And at his call they came; and also Diomed and Ulysses came to the assembly, leaning on spears, for the...

Then Æneas answered: "Nay, I have stood up against him in the day when he took the town of Lyrnessus. But I fled before him, and only my nimble feet saved me from falling by his...

When the River saw that Asteropæus was dead, he took upon him the shape of a man, and spake to Achilles, saying: "Truly, Achilles, thou excellest all other men in might and deed...

While these things were doing, Achilles ceased not to pursue and slay the men of Troy, and Priam stood on a tower of the wall and saw the people. Sore troubled was he, and he ha...

While the Trojans mourned for Hector in the city, the Greeks went back to the camp. All the others were scattered, each to his own ship, but Achilles spake to the Myrmidons, say...

When the burial of Patroclus was ended, the gods held council about Hector, for Achilles did despite to the body of Hector, dragging it about the tomb of his friend, but the god...